Hunter's Rose (First Draft)

Chapter Sixteen

"Do you believe in soulmates?" Hunter asked as we lay in bed that evening.

I lifted my head from his chest to meet his eyes. He gave me a soft smile, one of his hands moving from around his waist to cup my cheek. I closed my eyes for a moment, nuzzling into his hand.

"I don't know." I admitted softly. "I suppose a part of me does. The other part believes that soulmates are like fairytales." Hunter cocked his head to the side.

"Do you not believe in fairytales?" I let out an unlady like snort, laying my head back on his chest.

"Like a frog turning into a prince?" I responded with a small laugh. "Honestly, I would have to say no. I don't believe that I could kiss a frog and turn him into a man, let alone a prince. As for soulmates.....it's a wonderful thought. To meet someone that you completely connect with, and that will love you all of their lives. I've never had that, not even with my parents." My voice got smaller towards the ends, my eyebrows furrowing in frustration. Hunter was quiet for a moment.

"Do you know the story behind your parents?" He asked softly.

"Not really, but kind of." I admitted, my hand coming up to trace the tattoos on his chest. Sometimes during all of our kissing, his shirt came off. Sadly, that was only thing that came off. "I was dropped off at a police station when I was one, with a note. It explained that my mother had passed away, and my father felt he was unable to care for me as a single parent. I'm not necessarily angry, I guess I'm glad that he was responsible enough to know he was unstable and dropped me at a safe location." I explained with a shrug.

"I'm sorry darlin." His voice was soft as he placed a kiss on the top of my head, making a small smile appear on my face.

"Ah, it is what it is. I can't change the past. Plus, the orphanage wasn't horrible. Some of the foster homes weren't the best, but some were very nice people." I sent him a reassuring smile. "So, do you believe that if you kissed a frog she would turn into a princess?" I teased, smiling bigger when he laugh rang through the room.

"Oh, if only." He said with a teasing smile. His hand coming up to run through my hair. "I do, however, believe that fairytales can be incorporated differently."

"How so?" I moved my head so it was still laying on his chest, but I could see his eyes.

"I don't think a fairy-god mother has to be an old lady that uses a wand." He sent me a soft smile, moving his hand to tap my nose. I scrunched my nose and let out a small giggle. "You could consider a friend your fairy-god  mother. Someone who is able to fix things that you can't." I mulled it over for a minute.

"So I should or should not kiss frogs?" I questioned making him playfully roll  his eyes.

"Only if I'm the frog." He countered, before ribbiting and making a light escape me. "I suppose you could consider any man to be a frog, but when he is kissed by a beautiful woman he turns into the richest king, because he has gained the most beautiful treasure in the world." He said softly, his hand moving down to rub against the side of my cheek. I couldn't stop the blush from invading as I moved my eyes back to his chest.

I cleared my throat softly before glancing at him again, pausing when my eyes met his soft ones. "Do you believe in soulmates?"

He sent me one of his rare smile, causing a flurry of butterflies in my stomach. "Would it scare you if I said yes?" I slowly shook my head. "Would it scare you if I said I feel....no I know, that you are my soulmate?" My breath stilled as I stared at him. His eyes were soft, sincere, and determined. While mine were filled with confusion, curiosity, and nervousness. 

"I, um, I don't know-" He gave a soft chuckle as I struggled with words.

"I didn't say that to scare you, darlin.  Or to try and change your mind on anything. If you leave tomorrow, you'll still have a place here. I would wait a hundred eons if you asked me to." My heart stopped, the butterflies flurried, and my eyes began to sting.

"That's...a long time." I slowly choked out. He gave me a playful nod.

"It is." He agreed. "I can only hope you'll take pity and not make me wait that long." I let out a soft laugh, before burying my face into his chest.

We sat in silence for a while, enjoying the quiet as I thought over his words. Soulmates. The idea was ridiculous. We had only known each other a couple of weeks. Yet, there was a part of me that longed for the idea to be true. Could it be? Sure we had only known each other a short time, but I've never felt this type of connection with anyone else.

I glance up at him, blushing when I saw his soft gaze already on me. His lips quirked up into a small smile. I stared ar him for a moment before a random question popped into my head, he tilted his to the side as if he knew.

"I know you all are bounty hunters." I began. "But how did you all meet? Also, are you guys a club or just a bunch of men that live together?" I questioned.

"Ace and I were in the marines together. We were bunk mates, and when we retired we decided to buy this house together. We were both single and had decided to go into the bounty hunting business." He explained. "Jackson and Arthur are cousins, Ace had actually gone to school with them. Jackson called him one day, wanting a change of scenery, so we invited him here. It wasn't long after that Arthur followed. I met Jai at a bar a couple of towns over, he and Mak were looking for a place to settle down after they left their tribe. After a few drinks and conversations, they joined our group as well." He said with a soft smile. I felt a smile grow on my face as well, it was obvious they were all very close.

"So you guys all became bounty hunters?" I wondered aloud. He nodded his head.

"It started with Ace and I, and one at a time the other guys joined. All except Mak, he works at a local doctors office. Arthur doesn't go on the raids as much as he does the computer stuff for us, but on occasion he joins." I nodded my head in understanding. "As for your other question, at the moment it's just a bunch of guys living in one big house. It's spacious enough, so there didn't seem any reason for us to all live separately. We've considered the club idea a time or two. Dan has been trying to get us to become one, though I think that's just so he has us as a scare tactic." He said with a playful eye roll.

I couldn't stop my grin. "If you do, can I make up the nicknames?"

He gave a small laugh before nodding. "Sounds like a I may need to give Dan a call."