The Twenty Year Triangle

Chapter Forty

Although our lips meet suddenly and without warning, there's no explosion or sense of urgency. It's a slow and slightly hesitant kiss. There's a familiarity in how he tastes and how his mouth moves with mine, yet it's also different in ways I can't quite explain, but it intrigues me. My arms are winding around his neck, pulling him closer in a desire to know more. He encircles his arms around me, pulling me flush against him as he deepens the kiss.

"Um, I think we two better head on out now."

The receptionist's voice rings through the air like a fire alarm, and we leap away from each other as if our lips were the fire it was warning us from.

His eyes are wild and stunned, and he's slowly shaking his head from side to side.

The words, what the hell just happened, are written across his face, and I'm just as stunned.

"I.. shit ..." he glances at the receptionist and then back at me, and then his eyes dart to the ground. "Sorry."

I'm not sure if he's apologizing to her or me, but he turns and starts for the door, and I follow numbly.

It's dark already; it must be past nine by now. He's walking towards the work van he drove here but stops in front of it. I'm relieved as fuck that we drove separately right now. It was a last-minute idea in case Oliver had to leave while I was being questioned.

As he turns, he runs a hand through his dark blonde locks and looks as conflicted as I feel. I know him even if it has been fifteen years. I know his face. He didn't intend for that to happen, and I don't think he's happy it did.

"I'm..."

"Sorry?" I finish for him, and he blanches slightly at it.

"I mean.... We got caught up in a moment with everything and then the relief of Julian confessing, and it just..." he trails off.

"Right," I agree as I gulp back emotions I can't even begin to describe. "It's been an emotional night."

Caught in a moment...

"Yeah.." his eyes are shadowed as he darts his gaze away.

My phone starts ringing, and it's so damn loud in the empty lot we both jump from it.

"Hunter, I'm assuming," Oliver said in a tense tone, and I didn't have to answer him as I gazed at the screen.

"Go ahead, take it. I'll see you tomorrow." Oliver says as he clicks his fob to unlock his work van.

"But.."

He gets in and shuts the door, cutting me off.

Fuck.

My phone still rings, and I answer as I watch Oliver drive away. "Hey, Hunter."

"Hey, Darlin. You have been there a long time, is everything okay? You need me to call someone or what do I do? Should I head up there?"

His voice is full of concern, and the guilt I feel nearly knocks me over. My face feels hot and flushed, like a little kid caught with their hand in the cookie jar.

"I'm okay," I assure him." It took a long time, but Julian told them it wasn't me. They let me go."

"Oh, thank fuck!" The relief in his voice only adds to the immense amount of guilt I'm feeling.

"Well, come on home, and we'll have a drink to celebrate."

Oh shit... I can't look at him right now! He'll take one look at my face and know in a second.

"Actually, some stuff came up the other night about Wade. I really ought to go check in on Brandi."

...And I should, at least this isn't a total lie.