Hunter

Chapter Fifteen

 Kenzie ~

Lexi called later that afternoon to give her the details for the evening and squealed when Kenzie had spilled the beans about Hunter sleeping in her bed.

Playing it off as if it were no big deal, Kenzie tried to play it cool, but deep down her insides were doing summersaults.

Hunter could have easily gone home, but he didn't. He chose to stay with me.

A smile spread across Kenzie's face as she tried on different dresses for the night club.

She had been trying her best to conceal her crush on Hunter for a while now, but it seemed like he was finally showing some interest.

Why else would he have invited me? He was so different today. Maybe last night was a turning point and he's realized he might have some feelings for me too.

The smile on her face stayed put as she bobbed her head to her favorite song and tried on a few pairs of shoes, looking down at them in the mirror and twisting her leg at different angles to get the best view.

Her happiness and excitement at the open possibilities of the evening were genuine, but they were short lived as intrusive thoughts decided to take over in an attempt to steal her joy.

But what if he acted different today because last night was out of pity and now he doesn't know how to act around me? I mean he didn't really invite me at all. Caleb did. What if he's just being nice and I'm assigning meaning that isn't there.

She slipped on a dress with her smile fading as she considered her own poisonous thoughts.

He did pull away awfully fast when Pierce came around the corner today. Is he embarrassed of me?

The thoughts rolled around in her head, planting seeds of doubt where there had once been blossoming hope and intrigue. It was self preservation - a defense mechanism that she experienced often when things started to go right in her life because in Kenzie's experience there was always a catch. Everyone has ulterior motives.

She was always able to maintain her happy outlook on life by accepting the wickedness in others and assuming that everyone is capable of hurting her, that way when it happened she wasn't shocked or disappointed.

Smoothing out the front of her dress Kenzie decided to give Hunter the benefit of the doubt for now and just see how the night went. If he showed genuine interest, she'd allow herself to get excited and invested. If he was standoffish and distant then she'd move on and simply accept that they'd be nothing more than friends.

A loud knock at the door made Kenzie jump and she glanced at her phone to check the time.

Ten minutes early. Of course he is.

Unable to control her own smile, Kenzie opened the door to find Hunter in a suit fidgeting with one of his cuffs.

She swallowed hard at the sight as her eyes bounced down to his feet, giving him a quick once over.

You sure clean up well Hunter Hall.

"You're early." She said with a grin.

"No such thing." Hunter corrected her as he followed her inside.

"My dad always told me - early is on time, on time is late, and late is unacceptable."

Kenzie rolled her eyes and grabbed her purse, making sure she had all of her essentials.

"You sound like my brother." Kenzie sassed.

"Sounds like a smart man, wish I coulda met him." Hunter said.