[Vote and comment, please. Enjoy reading!]
CHAPTER THIRTY
Ever since we got home from the pack house yesterday, Hunter had been bugging me to quit my job up until now when he remembered those magazines. I didn’t know how. I really thought he forgot everything about it.
Later on I found out that when he was out for a run, he passed by a group of girls gushing over the last release of Eye Candy, which happened to be the one I covered with me in that Greek God outfit taken before summer vacation. Once he got home, he started bitching me about it.
And my patience was wearing off.
“Babe, just call your boss and say you quit! As simple as that!” That he said right by my ear. Out loud.
I stopped cutting meat and placed the knife on the counter with an unintended force. You see, I wasn’t being lazy today and decided to make our dinner, which was a rarity. I turned around and faced him, scowling. “And I told you god knows how many times now, Hunter, it’s not that easy!”
“How so?” He kicked one of the cupboards placed under the counter, which left a dent.
“You will fix that!”
“I will! Don’t change the topic!” He crouched down and tapped the dent the opposite way and just like that, the cupboard was back to normal. Now he decided that his point would be more convincing if he pouted.
“You're being a child, Hunter.” I tiredly leaned my weight on the counter. “The place I work at only opens during school days because all of us employees there are students. Except for the owner who believed that we should enjoy our summer, so we were not working now. And classes won't start until the day after tomorrow. I can't go there to give my resignation letter. But I can't just call either to do what you want. It’s impolite.”
“You could at least try.” That was the calmest voice he had since this argument started. Shoulders hunched dejectedly, he went out of the kitchen.
I pinched the bridge of my nose. Who would’ve thought that Hunter had this side in him? I would’ve find it cute, at some point I actually did, but not when it came to the extent that he was throwing tantrums!
So I quickly resumed what I was doing, making a mental note to follow him. After putting the casserole on the stove and making sure that I could leave the kitchen for a few minutes or so, I walked towards where my boyfriend was sulking. Again.
I found him sitting on the couch, hugging a pillow with half of his face buried in it. He was watching Glee reruns, and that meant something because I knew how much he hated the show. I removed the pillow and plopped myself on his lap instead. I knew he wasn’t really watching so it was okay even if I was blocking the telly.
Cooking wasn’t that easy. I was about to wipe a few beads of sweat on my forehead but he beat me to it. He still had that gloomy face though. I sighed. “Alright, Hunter, I’ll call my boss. But I can't assure you that he will let me quit.”
“And why is that?” That adorable pout was still heard in his voice, even if he was obviously trying to hide it, and obviously failing. I couldn’t help but smile a little. Now this was what I would call cute.
“Oh, I don't know.” I shrugged, leaning on his chest while tracing small circles on it. “It could be because I am his target market.”
“His loss. I don’t want you in that job. If you really want to work, I’ll find you another one where you wouldn’t be the star of people’s lewd dreams.”
That would be hard, the last part I mean. But I didn’t tell him that. I looked up at him, just to see that he was already looking at me. What I saw made me smile, this time wider. He was back to normal. Sure I knew deep inside he was still a tad bit annoyed of the fact that I covered for Eye Candy, but now he seemed to accept my reasons.
I was hoping to put a smile on his lips as well, and the easiest I could think of as of the moment was kissing him. I did, and it made my heart flutter when the corners of his mouth tugged upwards. He tried hiding it, but I already saw it.
“I don’t want to work anymore though. I think I’ll have a break. I want to focus all my attention to my boyfriend anyways. Do you know him? He's a great person.”
A full smile broke out his lips, making me all giddy inside. He leant down and planted a soft kiss on me. “Was that all you do in Eye Candy? Or there's something else your great person of a boyfriend should know?”
That, I laughed nervously. “Uhh… I don’t think… I should tell you…”
“Nah-uh, babe, you will tell me. We will talk about this even if it takes us forever.”
“Well, if you put it that way, could I at least check on the food I'm cooking first? I don’t want us starving if we were going to talk forever.”
I got off his lap and walked into the kitchen. Really, leave it to Hunter to ruin the moment by asking the ‘landmine’ questions. I heard him turn the tv off and soon his footsteps were trailing behind me.
Sniffing loudly, he hummed the moment he stepped into the kitchen. “I smell something delicious.”
“Complimenting my cooking wouldn’t make you win in our squabble, Hunter-babe.”
I removed the lid of the casserole, letting steams escape from it. Once it was somewhat clear enough for me to see the inside, I stirred it a few times and then scooped a little to taste if something was lacking or was too much. After I made sure that everything was done, I covered it again, and set the heat of the stove lower to not to burn the food but enough to keep it warm. I then went to the cupboard where I kept my tablewares.
“It’s the truth!” Hunter argued.
“I’ll let you be the judge to that later.” I chuckled as I set the plates, glasses, and cutleries on the table. He tried helping me out, but I didn’t let him. He was the one taking care of me all this time. This was just a little act I could do for him to pay him back.
He rolled his eyes, yet a smirk was playing upon his lips. “I can't wait.”
I didn't know what he meant by that, but it gave two meanings to me. Maybe he did it on purpose. I don't know. He might be referring to the food, or to what I will tell him about my work. See what I was telling here? Hunter there didn’t know this amazing thing called timing.
“I suggest we don’t talk about Eye Candy while we eat. I don’t want you losing appetite.”
“No, we will talk about it. And with what I could smell, I doubt I could lose appetite.”
I shrugged. “If that’s what you want.”
Finally, I served the food on the table. Hunter was practically drooling and for me, that was a better way of flattering me than words. My smile didn’t fade even until we were both sat across each other. I didn’t sit on his lap this time so we could talk easier. Plus, I wanted to see every emotion that would come across his face as I dropped the bomb.
We started eating. Well, I was eating. My mate was shoving spoonfuls after spoonfuls down his throat. I was about to tell him to slow down, but he suddenly stopped. The look he was giving me was enough to tell me that I had to give him answers. Now.
I sighed, already thinking of all the disadvantages of where this was going. We could have another fight over this. And not just the childish fights we had before at that, but serious ones.
“It’s not like I'm the only one who covers for the magazine,” I began, mentally dreading. “But it was kind of a routine… tradition… procedure… whatever you want to call it, that whoever covered…” I could tell that he was growing impatient because I was obviously stalling. Still, he waited for me to finish. “That whoever covered… also would be the one in the centerfold… and will have another whole page article.”
You would think he would shout, or bombard me with more questions, or most likely say that I should really quit the job. But no. He decided that it would bother me more if he just stayed silent and be completely still. It was working.
I eyed him warily, contemplating if I should touch him or not. “Hunter? Could you please say something?”
I stared at him nervously as he continued eating. I followed his every movement. To how he silently ground the knife as he diced the chunk of meat. To how he lifted his fork, slightly leaning down, and barely parted his lips to eat it. To how he slowly chewed and finally swallowed it, his adams apple bobbing tauntingly. The process repeated a few times more and I kept fidgeting in my seat, unable to pay attention to my own food.
“Hunter…” My tone was begging, pleading him to show more reaction than what he has now.
“Quit,” he muttered. As simple as that. Just that one word, yet his voice was flat. It was meant to leave no and’s, if’s and but’s in my part. That it was the final decision and I couldn’t change it even if I did him a strip tease.
Tempting.
I just nodded though. It’s not like I would argue more anyway. Judging by how this issue was going, he wouldn’t stop until I agreed. So why prolong it? Plus, didn’t I already mention earlier that I would call my boss and tell him I quit? I think he forgot that one fact. Though, the atmosphere was still tense and thick that it could be sliced by our knives.
“Hunter, are you mad?” He merely shook his head. I got the feeling that I should be grateful that he even bothered answering my question.
It made me sad. That the job I adored now caused me conflicts with my boyfriend. I didn’t think it would, since all I did before was fool around. Having myself a boyfriend, and in the near future a husband, was a well-known fact for me. Heck, who would want to grow old without anyone beside you, with you? That was why I did everything I could to enjoy being single. And that was the thing.
Now was not the same as before.
I forced myself to resume eating, just so I had something to do instead of giving myself a chance to cry. I didn’t want to cry. Not now. I didn’t want to ruin our dinner, even more than what I already did. It was a funny thing that I thought Hunter would be the one losing his appetite, but it happened that it was me.
The silence was unbearable. I was looking down at my plate but I could feel Hunter’s eyes fixated on me intently, as if he was studying me.
The most painful silence in my entire life was much thankfully broken by Hunter himself. He groaned. I looked at him under my lashes, careful for he might just snap and shout with the littlest wrong move, and saw him opening his arms for me. I didn’t need to be hinted twice, and definitely not stupid to let this chance pass. I quickly jumped off my seat and was on his lap in a flash.
“I'm sorry! I'm sorry! I’ll quit my job! Just please don’t get mad at me!” I cried. Not literally, but it was heard from my voice.
I felt more relieved when he ran his fingers through my hair, tightening his hug to me. My face was squashed in his chest, but I wasn’t going to complain anytime soon.
He sighed. “I'm not mad at you.”
“But you were so silent. It scared me. It reminded me of when we had our first fight because I ‘played’ with Stefan.” I squirmed so I could look up at him. His eyes looked distant, his gaze fixated somewhere behind me. “Hunter?”
Shaking his head as if to erase whatever it was in his head, he looked down at me. “Sorry for worrying you.” I puckered my lips and he immediately accepted the invitation. Finally, he smiled. Now I was fully relieved. “There was one thing I regretted though.”
I furrowed my brows. “What?”
He rested his forehead on mine. We were staring at each other so close that I was starting to get cross-eyed, which for him seemed funny. Meh. Just a while ago he looked like he was prepared to commit mass murder, and now he was chuckling?
“Burning your magazines.”
“Why? I thought you don’t like it?”
“Not really. I just don’t like the fact that people saw you in such daring poses when I should be the only one who could have that opportunity. Like how you didn’t like it when my pack saw me naked yesterday.”
“Babe,” He stole another kiss from me and I slapped his chest for that. “Even if I was in a few centerfolds, it’s not like I was naked in there.”
“First of all, do you want to continue eating? I'm done. I don't know about you.”
“I had enough. And this is much more important. I could just eat later if I get hungry again.”
“Alright.” He shifted me in his lap so I was more comfortable. Jeez, he was babying me so much. “Secondly, what I saw wasn’t few. Heck, I think I burned about ten magazines!”
“But still.”
“Plus, I haven’t read the articles about you yet.” He clicked his tongue. “And I certainly would love to see the centerfolds!”
I narrowed my eyes at him. “Pervert as always. I told you it’s not like I was naked!”
He rolled his eyes and shrugged. “You really can't blame me if my mate is so attractive.”
“Okay. Now you're forgiven.”
He chuckled. “As much as I could remember, I didn’t do anything wrong.”
“Whatever.” I kissed him and I got off his lap, pulling him with me. “I’ll get another set of copies for you. So you could jack off my pictures as much as you want.”
He grinned. “I don’t need pictures if I have the live, moving, responding, real Silver Bullet here with me.” And then he gave my ass a little squeeze, wiggling his brows.
I gasped. “Oh no, Hunter, we will NOT have sex now!”
“But I want to…”
“NOOO!” I squealed as I sprinted away from him, dinner forgotten. I ran upstairs straight to our room. Unfortunately, I wasn’t fast enough because before I could even close the door as I got inside, he was already right next to me. “HUNTER, NO!”
He laughed. “Alright, alright, we wouldn’t… yet.” He then lifted me and hoisted me up on his shoulder as if I was a sack of potatoes. A sexy sack of potatoes.
“Put me down!” I yelped when I saw him walking towards the bathroom. “Not in the shower, Hunter, not again! I swear sooner or later we’ll catch a cold!”
He ignored my protests. I did my best to stop him, believe me. I gripped the doorframe, slapped his butt in which I giggled, bit his ears that I regretted because I forgot that he gets turned on when I do that, shouted help to my family next door, told him I already took a shower, threatened him I won't quit my job, but in the end he still won.
Really, would it kill him to not make love with me in more than twenty-four hours?
I wouldn’t be surprised if I ask him that and get a yes.