Chapter Nine - Savior

Another week passes until I finally save enough to buy more groceries. It's Sunday today and most of the time I take today off because the workload for my thesis piles up by then and I can't afford to risk my grades for some extra cash. Instead of sleeping in, I woke up at nine in the morning and started working on it. I may have taken a one-hour nap around noon but I tell myself that it was very much needed and since I got a lot done I don't feel that guilty.

When I finally finish catching up on my work I head out to the nearest supermarket to grab the necessities. Thankfully the store isn't awfully far from my apartment so it's not a struggle for me to carry everything back. But a bad habit of mine is that I spend way too much time in stores, no matter what type. It's like I must look at every single item before leaving.

I grab what I need before making my way to the checkout. But just as I've put my items on the belt my phone vibrates. I take it out to see a text from Hunter who's asking me if I'm free today and if I'll be able to help him. I respond with a yes before he tells me that he'll get his driver to pick me up and to send him my address.

Paying for the groceries, I start my walk back to the apartment a little rushed this time. I explain to him that I'm in town and give him a different location for his driver to pick me up from. I get back home in roughly ten minutes before hurrying out the door again so that I can catch the bus to Brooklyn Heights.

My leg bounces nervously the entire ride and my heart is slightly racing when I get off. Just then Hunter texts me that his driver is waiting for me near a store which I recognize. I cut through an alleyway before ending up by that location where I spot the familiar sight of his car. A man in a black suit leans against the door and waves when he spots me.

"Miss Miller?" He asks as he shakes my hand once I reach him.

"Yes, but please call me Zoe."

"As you wish. I'm Zeke and will be driving you to Hunter's place." He smiles before opening the door.

"Thank you." I get in and watch as he closes the door before getting into the driver's seat.

We chat about how long he's been working for Hunter and I find out that it's been about three years. He also tells me a story about Hunter being quite drunk one time which has me in hysterics. I warm up to him quickly and it doesn't take long before we reach a grocery store.

Zeke shrugs when I look at him in confusion before thanking him. I get out and make my way inside while texting Hunter. He ends up finding me but when I look up at him he seems quite stressed and like he's run his hand through his hair about a hundred times.

"So, what do you need help with?" I ask while looking around confusedly.

"My parents are in town and want to have dinner with me...at home." He explains with a heavy sigh.

"Okay...why do you look so stressed?"

"Zoe, I can't cook to save my life!" He whisper shouts and his panicked expression makes me chuckle. "It's a Sunday and they want a roast dinner like...no ma, you're going to get whatever mush I come up with!"

That makes me burst into a fit of laughter and I cover my mouth before making my way through the aisles. He follows along like a lost puppy as I grab the ingredients and put them in the cart. But as I'm doing that he keeps sneaking junk food in as well and his sheepish smile whenever he gets caught doing it makes me laugh.

"What time will they be over?" I ask as we reach the checkout.

"Five." He mumbles distractedly as he puts three multi packs of chocolate onto the belt.

"Sweet tooth?"

He looks up before glancing at the chocolate and grinning. "Yeah, I can never resist."

I shake my head with a smile before we get to the front and start packing the groceries into the bags. After Hunter pays we make our way outside to Zeke and get in. It doesn't take us long before we reach the apartment and head upstairs. Hunter cracks open a bottle of wine as soon as we get inside while I get a start on the roast.

"Sorry, my dad's British and Roman and Judah studied there so they love a classic Sunday roast. Only they know how to make it." He explains as I prep the beef.

"It's fine, you're lucky I know how to make it." I wink as I put the meat in a tray before washing my hands. "But if only they know how to make it why did your parents ask for it then?"

"I may have lied to dad and said I could cook it." He mumbles as he hands me the vegetables.

"Hunter!" I shake my head with an exasperated laugh. "What if this isn't up to his standards?"

"Oh hush..." He rolls his eyes playfully while hugging me from behind. "Everything is perfect when you're around so I'm one hundred percent sure this will blow my dad's mind. Now what do you want me to do?"

I watch in silence as he walks over to the gravy mix we had bought and starts reading the instructions, still rambling on about something that I don't hear. I doubt he realized what he said and if he did then he doesn't realize how strongly it affects me. His words bring a tender smile to my face and when my eyes meet his again it grows wider.

"Will I start on the sauce?" He asks while waving the tub around.

"Later because it'll get cold by the time everything else is ready. Why don't you boil the potatoes?" I ask before setting the meat and vegetables that need roasting aside to cook when it's time.

I take a sip from my wine as I watch him fill the pot with very little water before putting it on the cooker. Chuckling, I step over to him and fill it up more before handing it back to him. He smiles sheepishly before helping me make the batter for the Yorkshire puddings. We end up pouring it out into a muffin tin since he doesn't have anything else. Popping that into another oven I check to see if the potatoes have boiled perfectly in that time before we get to work on peeling them.

We work away for the next two hours and surprisingly Hunter's not as bad at cooking as he thinks he is. Although he makes a few mistakes that make me burst out laughing he's great at following directions. He's relieved when I tell him to go set the table and that I'll take care of everything else.

"Taste?" I hold out two spoons of the mash and gravy, feeding it to him as he comes back for the plates.

"So good!" He groans before pecking my cheek and disappearing with the cutlery.

I laugh at his antics and get started on plating the food in their dishes. Hunter takes them off me as soon as I'm done before I check on the meat and vegetables that were roasting away in the oven. They're perfect and I smile proudly at not messing anything up as I take them out.

While I'm transferring them to their respective dishes Hunter comes back in and decides to take a piece of each which are quite hot since they just came out of the oven. He hisses in pain and I shake my head at him as he runs cold water over his fingers.

"Kiss it better?" He teases and I find myself grinning in amusement.

I lean over and press my lips to his fingers, lingering as my gaze connects with his. His Adams apple bobs as his ocean eyes become stormy with lust. Just like I predicted he can't resist and his lips come crashing down on mine moments later. I smile into the kiss before he deepens it, kissing me fiercely and passionately.

His hands grip my waist as he pushes me gently against the kitchen island. I gasp in surprise when he bites down on my bottom lip harshly before soothing it. He coaxes my lips gently and I give in, opening my mouth to let him in as I fist the material of his t-shirt in my hands. Our tongues dance together lazily and I feel desire shoot straight to my core. A needy moan escapes my lips and instantly I feel myself blush from head to toe.

He chuckles huskily before pulling away and resting his forehead on mine as we catch our breath. I smile shyly as he wraps his arms around my waist and pulls me flush against his chest. We don't speak for a few seconds, just taking each other in. My eyes flutter shut when he tucks a strand of my hair behind my ear before peppering kisses to every inch of my face.

Giggling, I slide away but he follows and cups my face. Bringing my lips back to his he kisses me sweetly, as if he's taking his time to savor the taste and feel. It doesn't last long but it takes my breath away just like our previous one.

"Can I take you out again on Saturday?" He asks softly and I smile.

"Of course." I nod and watch as he smiles handsomely.

"I wish you could stay." He sighs as I put the meat and vegetables back in the oven so that they could stay warm until his parents arrived.

"Ah, but then your dad would find out that you lied." I tease and it makes him grin cheekily. "Alright, wear these mitts when you take the roast out otherwise you'll burn yourself again, okay? And don't forget to warm up the gravy either –"

Just as I turn he cuts me off by kissing me again. "Thank you, Red. I couldn't have done this without you."

"No problem. I'm glad I could help." I smile up at him while wishing he could hold me a little longer. But as I take a glance at the time and realize that there's ten minutes left until they arrive I know it's not possible. "I think I should go now."

"Zeke will drop you home." He states and presses a finger to my lips when I start to protest. "It's the least I can do, darlin."

I sigh before nodding in defeat. "Alright, I'll text you. Have fun tonight."

"I will." He smiles as I collect my bag and coat before making my way over to the door with his hand on the small of my back.

But just as I've stepped out across the threshold he catches my hand and brushes his lips against my knuckles gently. I melt inside and the butterflies in my tummy go wild. Waving, I turn and make my way into the lift but my eyes remain fixated on him until the doors close. A dreamy smile blooms across my lips as I stare into the mirrored wall before I shake my head and turn back towards the doors.

Zeke is waiting for me outside the building and I greet him with a smile as he opens the door for me. I tell him the address that he picked me up from, lying about how I need to go to a store when he insists on dropping me to my house. He seems to buy it and nods before we drive onto the main road.

Not even fifteen minutes later my phone vibrates and I unlock it to see a text from Hunter which reads, my old man is onto me! I don't think I'll be able to keep lying with a straight face anymore, I'm cracking! I laugh softly and feel giddy all over again. Oh Hunter, I think to myself. Am I really falling for you this fast?

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