One-Click Buy: November Harlequin Presents (98 page)

Inner peace!

Oh, his tongue had been firmly in cheek as he'd written it. Lily had seen the smirk on his face, known that he was being glib—but there was one tiny chink in his impressive armor that she'd noticed, manicured but undoubtedly bitten nails had drummed on the table as he'd spoken and there had been a restless energy that had belied his confident stance. He might have been joking when he'd written it but, like everyone else, maybe inner peace
was
what Hunter was seeking.

‘Welcome, everyone.' Lily beamed around the meeting room. ‘Tonight we have two new members—Amanda and Hunter. Now, the point of a group session is to share and encourage, so let's take our time to introduce ourselves.'

Lily listened as the group worked clockwise, listening as Richie told of his hopes for a deeper, more meaningful relationship after the demise of his marriage, as Jinty spoke about her battle with the bottle and her hope for a more sober, fulfilling existence and onwards until they came to Amanda.

‘Well.' Blushing furiously, she looked down at her knees. ‘My marriage ended recently. I thought that if I lost weight it would help to save it, but it just made things worse.'

‘How much have you lost? If you don't mind my asking,' Lily checked.

‘Over fifty kilograms. I know I've still got a way to go—but I feel as if I'd like to join the world again.'

‘That's a huge achievement.' Lily smiled as the group clapped their encouragement, all except Hunter, that was. Apparently bored rigid by the proceedings, he was practically falling asleep in his chair and Lily resisted the urge to give him a sharp kick on the shin before turning her attention back to Amanda. ‘When you say you're ready to join the world again, in what way?' Lily asked, nodding encouragement.

‘I'm trying to get up the courage to join a gym,' Amanda said shyly. ‘I know I should just do it, it's just the thought of walking in there, having everyone looking at me.'

Lily made a note on the pad in her lap as Amanda carried on talking. ‘I'd like to look for a job as well and who knows? Maybe one day…'

‘Go on,' Lily said gently, as Amanda's voice trailed off. ‘You're among friends here.'

‘I'd like to think about having a relationship—you know, get out there…'

Everyone in the group was nodding encouragement, offering congratulations on her huge achievement, everyone that was except Hunter. He was leaning back on the sofa, yawning unashamedly, not remotely moved by Amanda's story and clearly thoroughly bored with the whole proceedings. Lily felt a flash of anger—what the hell was he doing there if he thought he was so superior? Well, she was going to find out—if this Hunter thought his story was so much more interesting than everyone else's, it was time to hear it!

‘Hunter.' Lily snapped him to brief attention. ‘Perhaps you'd like to introduce yourself to the group, share with us all a little of what bought you here tonight.'

Perhaps not! The silence was interminable as he stared back at her and she felt impossibly hot and uncomfortable under his scrutiny and annoyed, too, that he could be so at ease with the pause in the proceeding
he
had created. ‘You've written that you're hoping to achieve inner peace.' She flashed a brittle smile. ‘That doesn't tell us anything, Hunter—everyone in this room is hoping to achieve that.'

‘The teacher, too?' There was more than slight insolence to his question and Lily determinedly didn't redden, that bubble of anger in her starting to swell as somehow he managed to mock the proceedings that were taking place.

‘Yes, Hunter, even the teacher.' Almost imperceptibly her eyes narrowed but her smile stayed intact—she was determined not to judge until she'd heard his story but years of working with people had given her an incredibly sensitive radar and it was bleeping loudly now. For reasons she couldn't fathom, this man was here under false pretences, wasn't in the slightest bit interested in joining in with the group. He was quite prepared to just sit there and let the whole group share their innermost thoughts and give absolutely nothing of himself. She knew all about shyness, knew all about people who needed some time and space before they could even begin to open up, but Hunter exhibited none of the usual nerves. ‘Most people come to a group like this for one of two reasons—either a major life event has forced them to reappraise their goals or they've realised after some soul-searching that something is missing in their lives and they would like to make more of themselves.'

‘Really.'

‘Are you happy in your work, Hunter?'

‘I don't really have time to stop and think about it.'

‘Do you make sure that you have some time when you're
not
thinking about work?'

‘I never think about work when I'm in bed.' He gave her a very small but very suggestive smile and despite herself Lily felt the beginning of a blush spread over her cheeks. This man was incorrigible, but he redeemed himself slightly when finally he addressed the group. Not that he needed to redeem himself to them—they were eating out of his hand. ‘Well, as you probably all know, my main expertise is in futures, though I do have other interests.'

‘You're a medium!' Jinty breathed, gaping in admiration.

‘Hunter's referring to the stock market,' Lily corrected, smothering a smile as Jinty inadvertently brought him down a peg or two. ‘Am I right?'

He gave a gracious nod.

‘What about your personal relationships?'

‘What about them?'

Lily sucked her breath in in irritation, he was playing them all along and quite simply she wouldn't allow it. She looked around at the eager, kind faces of her clients and knew she had to protect them. Putting down her clipboard on the table in front of her, Lily wasn't smiling any more, her green eyes
very
serious as she faced him, her mouth opening to speak, to tell him what she'd never told a client before—that their time at New Beginnings was about to end—now!

He'd pushed her too far—as easily as he read financial spread sheets, Hunter could read women, and he knew, just knew that this was one unhappy lady. And she really was a lady, from the tip of her blonde hair down to her prettily painted toenails, her trim figure soft and voluptuous in
all
the right places. She had naturally what so many manufactured—effortless beauty and grace. He flashed her a winning smile, but it failed to move her, those gorgeous almond-shaped green eyes narrowing, tense lips opening, and Hunter realised that for once flirting wasn't going to save him. He was almost tempted to add another flip comment, curious, actually, to see how she handled herself, but, remembering the reason he was there, Hunter halted himself.

Emma.

His stomach tightened—the guilt that was ever present these days upping an uncomfortable notch as he recalled Emma's pale, anxious face when she'd asked him to check out New Beginnings for her. And for that reason alone Hunter deigned to concede.

A touch.

‘I've actually just broken up with my girlfriend.' Hunter's remorseful words beat Lily's sharp ones and, giving a beautifully timed, regretful shrug, he played the sympathy card perfectly, cast his net to the engrossed audience and dragged them all willingly in. ‘We were about to get engaged—she'd even chosen the ring.'

‘I'm sorry to hear that.' Surprised by his admission, Lily took a second to regroup—she'd been so sure another smart reply had been about to come, had been
positive
he'd reveal absolutely nothing about himself. She was also certain, well as certain as one could be from reading the glossies that Hunter wasn't in a serious relationship—but pushing her doubts aside, remaining professional, Lily dealt with the facts as Hunter saw fit to give them. ‘How long did the relationship last?'

She watched as he squinted, tried and failed not to notice just how gorgeous he looked as he did so, dark hair flopping over his forehead as he counted on his fingers. ‘Two,' Hunter started. ‘No, maybe three…' His voice faded out as he did the maths and magnanimously Lily tried to help him.

‘Two years might not sound like a long time to some here.' Lily smiled over at Richie, whose ten-year marriage had recently ended. ‘However, just because Hunter's relationship is marked in years rather than decades—'

‘Not years,' Hunter broke in, ‘months. We were together for two months.'

An interminable pause followed—Lily casting her eyes around her group and trying to fathom how to incorporate Hunter into it, trying to give this impossible man a chance. ‘The end of a new relationship can be devastating,' Lily attempted. ‘That first flush of passion, the sheer heady emotion of those first few weeks can evoke intense feelings of grief when it ends. Isn't that right?'

‘I guess,' Hunter admitted, to Lily's relief. After all, Abigail
had
cried her eyes out.

‘Overwhelming feelings of loss,' Lily offered.

‘Well.' He nodded. ‘Abigail did seem
very
upset.'

‘Who ended this relationship, Hunter?' Lily asked, confused by his response.

‘Me,' he answered, as if the answer should be obvious and giving her a slightly startled look, which Lily chose to ignore.

‘And you chose to end it because…'

He frowned before answering, actually looked as if he was thinking about the answer, and Lily found she was holding her breath.

‘She bored me,' Hunter answered finally, as Lily's head jerked up. ‘I mean, she was great to look at, fabulous in bed but, at the end of the day I guess that she just bored me. They always do in the end.'

‘In what way?' Lily asked, remembering her training, though sorely tempted to slap his cheek. ‘Is it the woman herself that bores you or the thought of monogamy?'

‘I've never really given it much thought,' Hunter shrugged, clearly bored with the subject, but Lily smiled and nodded.

‘Well, the end of a relationship is always a good time for introspection—a time to look at needs and wants that may have been stifled, to work out what we really want, not just from a partner but from ourselves. What would your ideal relationship be, Hunter?'

‘As I said.' He sounded just a touch irritated now. ‘I haven't really given it much thought.'

‘Well now's your chance!'

He stared at her for the longest time and Lily decided there and then that his name was very apt—he looked like a hunter, someone who chose his prey carefully then pounced, because those blue eyes on her were hypnotising in their effect. He was so utterly a predator that Lily felt the hackles on her back rise in defence as he eyed her thoughtfully.

‘I want to wake up with someone in the morning and actually want to hear what she has to say. Someone who embraces her feminine side but isn't intimidated by my masculinity. I guess what I really want…'

‘Go on,' Lily croaked, suffused suddenly with images that were surely inappropriate—his masculinity, his good looks, his raw sensuality were not only intimidating but incredibly thought-provoking, and trying to stay objective and focused as Hunter discussed his needs and wants was almost an impossible task.

‘An equal,' Hunter finished, blinking at his own admission. He was getting quite good at this, he thought. ‘An equal, though not an identical half.' He elaborated a touch.

‘That's very perceptive,' Lily said, running a tongue over dry lips and dragging her eyes away from his to address the group at large. ‘Hunter has made a very valid point. Equality in a relationship is vital for its success—both partners valuing the other's contribution to it and embracing the other's individuality. All too often, however, I hear people saying that they want a relationship as if it's the solution to all their problems. The relationship that you need to nurture is the one with yourself. I believe first and foremost in self-love—'

‘I don't have any problem with that,' Hunter interrupted. ‘But as a last resort, of course, I prefer the real thing!'

Lily swung her head around, and she wasn't the only one. The whole group gaped at Hunter, who didn't look remotely abashed as he happily bought up the most delicate of delicate subjects.

‘When I refer to self-love…' Lily cleared her throat, wishing that she'd bought her own polystyrene cup of water into the session ‘…I meant self-respect, actually liking yourself, knowing your own opinions, being at ease with your own company. Only when you've achieved that can you truly step into a relationship as an equal.'

‘Oh, that!' Hunter dismissed.

By the time the rest of the group had introduced themselves, Hunter had dozed off, his head drooping forward slightly, those knowing eyes mercifully closed. Lily decided that rather than waking him, to just let him sleep off whatever excess he was suffering from. But as the meeting continued, though she tried to give her all to her clients, tried to listen intently as Jinty spoke at length of her hope for staying sober and finding a new partner, and Richie spoke shyly about his first date in a decade, Lily could sense her own distraction, her eyes constantly drawn to him. Even while asleep he unsettled her; even while quiet he interrupted her thought process at every turn.