Hunter
The sound of hundreds of swarming bees nearly lulled me to sleep as I stared up at the clear blue sky. Arabella lay next to me, her head on my stomach with a book in her hand while she read, and I prayed one of those bees wouldn’t sting me.
“How many times do you think you’ve been stung by a bee?” I asked, watching one small cloud meander across the sky.
Arabella put her book down across her stomach, clearly thinking about my question. “Well, if I had to guess, I’d say thousands of times.”
“And you still want to do this? Take over the apiary someday?”
She sat up and spun around to face me. “More than anything. The bees are all I’ve ever known. When I’m around them I feel so calm. Safe.” After a beat, she looked away, blushing slightly.
I touched her arm. “Tell me what you just thought?”
“Well,” she said, climbing on top of my lap to straddle me. “I feel safest when I’m with you. In your arms.”
I couldn’t help but smile. I loved Arabella Adams and had since the first time I saw her on the playground in elementary school. Her blonde hair had been up in a ponytail, and she’d been carrying a lunchbox that was in the shape of a bee. I might not have known I was in love with her then, but I knew she was going to be my best friend. And she was.
I, of course, also had my guy best friends. Aiden O’Hara, who was joining the Navy right after graduation. Kyle Larson, who planned on following in his dad’s footsteps and becoming a cop. Adam Smith, who was destined to be a doctor, no doubt about that. And Bishop Harris, who had dreams of owning the local Christmas tree farm in Boggy Creek. They were more like brothers to me, if I was honest.
We’d all had a clear path from a young age, and I’d thought I’d known mine. I was planning on going into the Navy with Aiden. It would have sucked to be away from Bella, but it was something Aiden and I had talked about for as long as I could remember. It was our plan. Then my father ended up getting cancer, and I knew what I needed to do. Go to college, get a degree like he’d always wanted, and get my ass back to Boggy Creek to make sure my mom and two baby sisters would always be taken care of in case anything happened to Dad.
So, I chose to go with my second choice. Be a cop. It’s what I’d wanted to do in the Navy, so it wasn’t that much of a difference. A part of me couldn’t help but be a tad bitter that I couldn’t join the Navy, but my family was my number one concern. Always.
“I’m glad you feel safest with me, Bella. Don’t ever forget that. I’ll always protect you.”
She smiled and leaned down. “I know I shouldn’t say this, but I’m glad you’re not going into the Navy.”
I raised a brow and sat up. Arabella draped her arms around my shoulders and played with the hair at the nape of my neck. “Why?”
A blush appeared on her face again. God, I freaking loved how easy it was to do that to her. She had one of the sweetest personalities I’d ever known. Her heart was nothing but pure kindness—with a little bit of a naughty side that I also loved.
“Because that means once we finish college, we can get married.”
I blinked a few times and then laughed. “I’m sorry, but isn’t the guy supposed to propose?”
She nodded. “I didn’t propose just now. I simply stated a fact.”
I laughed again.
Bella’s smile slipped. “You do want to marry me, don’t you?”
Before she could react, I turned her around and lay her on the blanket. “I love you, Bella. More than I love anything in this entire world. And you’re mine. My heart will always belong to you, and that’s a promise I never intend on breaking.”
I ran my finger lightly along her jawline, down her neck, and across her chest. “I love knowing I’m the only man who has ever touched you. Kissed you.”
There went the blush, this time moving over the tops of her breasts. “And you’ll always be the only man.”
Rubbing my nose over hers, I whispered, “Good. Now, how long did you say your folks were gonna be in town for?”
A smile grew across her beautiful face. “Until at least dark.”
I moved my hand up along her exposed leg, causing her to shiver. “I really love it when you wear dresses, Bella.”
“I know. That’s why I wear so many of them.”
“You naughty girl,” I said as I slipped my hand into her panties. She arched her back and let out a soft moan.
“Someday, Bella, I’m going to buy you a beautiful house, with plenty of land for you and your bees. And we’ll have lots of kids to run around and play with.”
Her eyes opened and met mine. I could see the love in them, and it made my heart pound something fierce in my chest.
“I want you, Hunter. Please,” she begged, quickly moving her hands to my jeans.
It wasn’t long after that I pushed inside of her, groaning at the feel of her body taking mine.
“Hunter,” she gasped as she wrapped her legs around me. “I love you.”
My face was buried in her neck when she spoke. Lifting my head, I met her gaze. “I love you too. So very much.”
We spent the rest of the afternoon on a blanket under a nearly cloudless sky, making love. The sounds of the bees our love song.
I made a vow to myself that day—or maybe even that day I saw her on the playground. My heart would always belong to Arabella Adams…always.
Senior year of college - March
My phone buzzed with a text message from Arabella. I turned it over, swiped up, and hit the preview.
Bella: Are you coming home this weekend?
With a quick glance to ensure the professor wasn’t watching, I typed my reply.
Me: Are you? If you’re planning on going home, I’ll be there.
Bella: I’m home now. We need to talk.
I frowned. It was odd for Bella to be home on a Thursday. I knew she had classes on Friday as well. Since I only had classes Monday through Thursday, I would often drive the short distance from Manchester, where I went to school, to Durham, where Bella went to the University of New Hampshire, to spend the weekend with her.
Me: Is everything okay?
Bella: I don’t want to talk over text. I’ll be home, so just stop by when you get back.
Me: I’ll leave right after class.
Three-and-a-half hours later, I sat on the porch swing of Arabella’s house while she sat opposite me. I could tell she’d been crying. A lot.
“Bella, do you want to tell me what’s going on? You’re starting to freak me out.” Her sky-blue eyes lifted and met mine. My heart dropped because all I could see in them was pain and sadness.
“I quit school.”
My mouth fell open. “You did what? Arabella, why in the hell would you do that? You only have this spring semester left and you’re done. Less than two months.”
She worked her throat as she attempted to swallow. “I don’t need a degree. Not to run my own family’s apiary.”
With a shake of my head, I tried to figure out what in the hell was happening. “Okay, well, if you want to quit school, I don’t care. I’ll be starting at the police academy soon, and then I’ll be back in Boggy Creek for good.”