Sneaking out again had been easy.

Well, easy to do, not so much easy on my conscience though. I couldn't even look at Jessica asleep on my couch as I'd passed by, opening the door as quietly as possible before running for my car and hitting the highway.

The drive was easy. I didn't even have to think about what I was doing, the turns coming mechanically. When Hunter had called I didn't want to admit to myself how badly I was hoping that he'd want to see me sooner than next week. As I drove I had let myself think about it, and I know I do need to tell Jes that Hunter and I are friends. I don't want to let a guy drive a wedge between us, but all I can do it pray that she'll be understanding about it. He and I really haven't done anything wrong...Well, other than sneak around behind her back, but it has always been innocent. I settled to make a deal with myself. When I parked my car I sent her a message, hoping that it wouldn't wake her up, but I didn't want to chicken out either.

Jess: Hey girl, let's do breakfast in the morning, just the two of us. I need to talk to you about something.

After I'd hit send, I felt like a weight was lifted a little. Tomorrow I will lay it all out for her, one hundred percent honesty, and I'll let the chips fall where they may. I know she'll probably be pissed at first, but I truly hope she'll get over it fast and see that I wasn't trying to hurt her.

I left my phone in the car and walked over to the breezeway, finding Hunter still sitting outside on the stairs.

"Damn, Kit." He laughed, standing and pulling me into a quick hug. "You got here fast."

"Did I?" I asked, honestly unsure. "I guess I kind of did just leave after you called." I shrugged.

A lazy smile spilt into his cheeks. "Excited to see me, huh?"

I elbowed him in the side as I past. "You wish."

He hung back for a second before jogging over to open the door for me. "Prepare yourself for the crazy." He sighed.

I could already here the commotion on the other side of the door before he even opened it. I stepped into his apartment and nearly rammed into someone after taking two steps. It was hot, and loud. There were at least twenty people slam packed into the living room and the kitchen was a mess of beer cans and plastic cups.

"Oh hey, Tayler." I heard a high pitched voice call from the other side of the room and Hunter led me through the crowd, holding my hand to tug me behind him in the path that cleared for him. I wanted to groan when I saw Chloe and Micha sitting in the recliner together. Her fake smile was so convincing it even threw me off a little until I replayed the things she'd said to me the other night in my head. "Good to see you again." She lied.

"You too." I called over the blaring heavy metal music. I absently thought that they must have some kind of agreement with their neighbors for them to be having a party like this. "Hey, Micha." I greeted him too.

He raised a glass to me. "What happened to the two of you the other night?" He asked.

I felt Hunter tense beside me and that's when I realized he hadn't let go of my hand, his fingers still intertwined with mine. I looked up at caught Chloe eying it too. I slowly slid my hand away and tucked it into the pocket on the front of my hoodie.

Hunter didn't seem fazed by it. "Man, I think I had a bad hotdog or something. I felt sick." Hunter's lie was smooth, he was clearly practiced at coming up with believable excuses. "Kit drove me home."

"Really?" Chloe asked, raising one perfect eyebrow. "We came by here after dinner to check on you but Josh said you weren't in." She called his bluff. "You two must have snuck off for some alone time." She laughed like a teasing friend, not a jealous bitch like I'm pretty sure she is. "Did you finally get yourself a girlfriend?" She asked, staring up at Hunter.

I knew my face was probably flushed, but I tried really hard to keep my discomfort undetectable. Hunter opened his mouth to reply, but Micha nudged Chloe, laughing with her. "You know Quaid would never."

"True." Chloe nodded simply, her eyes on me.

I laughed it off, not like I care if Hunter wants a girlfriend or not. "I'm going to get a drink." I excused myself, shouldering through a few people who were playing some kind of game.

I dug through the fridge until I found a cold Bud Light and I popped the cap, throwing it into the trash instead of on the counter like everyone else seemed to have done. I was about to leave the kitchen when I slammed into Hunter's chest.

"Geeze, you already drunk?" He laughed, steadying me.

I shook my head. "No, I just didn't see you there."

He leaned against the counter behind him and sighed. "Sorry about that," He said nonchalantly, pointing his chin back out to the living room. "She didn't mean anything by it."

I started to tell him about the things she'd said to me before, but I stopped short. He truly believed that he had girls in his life that were actually just his friends. It wasn't his fault that he couldn't see that they were all in love with him. It wasn't up to me to burst that bubble. Plus, how awkward for him that Chloe is his best friend's girlfriend? I'm not going to be the one to drop that bomb. "Not a problem." I smiled, despite the awkwardness, I was still in a pretty good mood.

He must have noticed. "I like when you smile more." He commented, shrugging one shoulder and taking a big sip out of his cup. "You're too serious sometimes."

"You're not serious enough sometimes." I countered, thinking of all the times he's laughed things off or made a joke out of them to avoid his feelings.

"Touché."

I smirked, turning to lean against the same counter as him. I could tell by looking up at him that he was definitely more than a little buzzed. His eyes were glassy and red in the corners, his smile lazily drooped across his lightly flushed face. "You're looking a little scruffy today." I told him, my hand reaching out to touch the side of his face on its own accord. I pulled my hand back, putting it in my pocket like it was in timeout for bad behavior.

He rubbed the hair on his jaw, it making a scratchy sound as his calloused hands touched it. "Yeah, I know." He sighed. "I'll have to shave up soon so I'm letting my hair grow out a little and taking a break on shaving before I head out and they scalp me again." He laughed.

"I think it looks good." I admitted. He managed to look even manlier with the added scruff on his squared jaw. "Why'd you say you weren't excited to deploy anymore?" I asked, downing the rest of my beer.

He glanced down at me as I threw away the bottle and walked over to grab another.

"It's not that I'm not still excited to go," He said, then shook his head. "I mean, I am. I'm ready and it'll be a good experience." I nodded, knowing he was avoiding the question, so I let it go. "You're in a good mood." He commented, looking down at my beer.

"Because I'm drinking?" I laughed. "I've drank with you before."

"I know." He chuckled, putting his cup down and gripping the counter behind him. "That's not what I meant though, you're just...I don't know, you seem comfortable here now."

I tilted my head. "Comfortable?" I repeated. "Am I usually a robot or something?"

He rubbed his forehead with his hand, laughing at himself. "Nah, I mean you're just acting like we are actually cool now. The last few times you were here you were just really controlled. Actually, you do that a lot, not just here." He looked down, furrowing his brows. "Like you're always holding back, I guess."

"Well, that makes me sound fun." I rolled my eyes. "Now I know why you wanted to hang out." I said sarcastically.

He rolled his eyes back dramatically. "You aren't like that with me really, just like in other situations you kind of are. I wasn't trying to say you're like a stick in the mud or something, I just meant I like that you seem relaxed." He was stammering, further proof of the amount he'd had to drink. "I mean, even in there when Chloe suggested that you and I were a thing, usually you would've been denying it like crazy and been super weird about it, but you hardly even reacted."

He went to pick up his drink again, but I reached out and took it from him, bringing it up under my nose. "No more for you." I scrunched up my nose as the strong alcohol burned my nostrils. "No wonder you're talking crazy." I laughed. "You might as well drink straight brake fluid." I said, jumping back as he reached for the cup again. "Oh, no." I giggled. "You're cut off."

"Says who?" He laughed, lunging at me again.

"Me!" I squealed as he grabbed me from behind, trying to reach around me to get it.

Before his hand could catch the cup I tossed back the last few sips, nearly throwing it back up because it was like liquid fire.

"You're going to regret that in the morning." He laughed, tickling my sides and making me scream. "In fact, you'll regret it right now."

"Hunter!" I yelped. "HUNTER!" I couldn't breathe as his fingers continued to dig into my sides and my legs gave out beneath me. I sprawled out in the kitchen floor, and he continued his merciless tickle torture. "St-stop! I give! I give!" I flipped from my back to my side, trying to get away from him, but crawling was impossible. "Hunter!" I squawked again but he continued to ignore me. I was laughing so hard that tears were streaming down my cheeks. Above me he was red in the face, laughing just as hard. My body was jerking around and without meaning to, my foot found his crotch.

"Ohmph." He jolted, grabbing between his legs and falling down right beside me. "Shit." He groaned as he rocked back and forth for a second.

"I told you to stop!" I giggled and he flipped over me like he was going to tickle me again. "Please no! I'm sorry! Please!" I begged and he laughed, rolling off of me and staggering back to his feet before offering me his hand.

I took it and he yanked me up so fast that both of my feet left the floor and I stumbled into his chest, my hands landing in the center. His heart was hammering hard against his ribs and I looked up at him, laughing still until our eyes met. We both stilled and for the splitest of seconds I wanted to reach a hand behind his neck and bring his face down to mine.

I was hyper aware of his hands on my hips and my head buzzed from the drinks and lack of oxygen to my brain from his tickle assault.

I felt my lips part, my breathing coming and going in raggedy breaths. His indigo eyes seemed to darken as they dipped to my mouth and I instinctively licked my lips. A sound escaped him, our eyes meeting again, and his fingers held tighter to me. I wanted to melt as one of his fingers slipped beneath my hoodie and shirt, brushing the skin on my hip so gently in comparison to the other hand that was cutting into my body. The contrast driving me nuts. I wanted to move, even if it was just to reach up and touch him, but I was frozen in place. His hand danced slowly out of my shirt and up my back until it was resting on the side of my neck and I leaned my head back into it as his fingers wound into the hair. My body was practically begging for his touch and when he leaned in, running away was the furthest thing from my mind.

The hand on my hip pushed my body in even closer to him until we were standing so close that I could feel the heat of his body against mine through our clothes. My heels had just lifted off of the floor, my lips wanting to touch his, but when two raucous drunk guys bounded into the kitchen we separated, both of us laughing the moment off.

"I'm drunk." Hunter commented, running his hand over the short hair on his head as he backed up.

"That's why I took away your drink." I reminded him, my face, and body still on fire. I walked past him, heading out into the living room. "Come on, I want to dance." I giggled.

He narrowed his eyes and smiled. "Dance to this?" He pointed up, referring to the loud banging of the heavy metal song. "You must be drunk."

I rolled my eyes, going back to grab his hand and tug him out into the living room with me. "I know how to headbang, Hunter." I joked and the smile on his face was unforgettable.

"This I have got to see."