Hunter suddenly stopped. “How are you feeling?”

I froze, thinking he was referring to the day he saved me from becoming an ice cube at the bottom of Lake Peepee. “How am I feeling about what?”

“About getting a drink. I’m not really that thirsty right now. I’d rather walk and talk. You interested?”

“I’m flattered but I really have to get back to my friends . . .” The thought of returning to Justin almost made me gag. It would be uncomfortable but at least it was an uncomfortableness I could handle. I had no idea how to handle being around Hunter Jensen, especially now that I knew he was a badass cage fighter.

His expression turned tender but serious. “I’m not going to bite ya know.”

I’d just seen him uppercut a guy’s mouth guard out so I didn’t know how to react to this side of him. “I never said you would. What makes you think I have that impression of you?”

“Because you’re trying to avoid me.”

I laughed. “No, I’m not.”

“Yes, you are Lorrie.” Hearing my name uttered from his lips sent a jolt through my system, heightening my already strong awareness of him. “You ran from my apartment. And now you’re trying to give me the slip. What’s the deal? Do I smell bad?”

I had to suppress a grin at his line about smelling bad. If anything, he smelled good. Strong, musky, manly. Which was strange. I couldn’t put my finger on it but I did know that a guy wasn’t supposed to smell as good as he did after working up a sweat. My mind swirling, I decided to go with a standard brush-off line. “It’s not you. It’s me. I can’t explain it, it’s complicated.”

He narrowed his dark eyes. “If it’s not me, then why do you act this way only around me? I noticed you didn’t have the same reaction around Gary.”

I wracked my brain for an answer. “Gary’s friendlier.”

Hunter smiled. “Hey, I saved your life, lent you my clothes, made you tea, and let you shower at my place. And you’re saying Gary is friendlier? Psh, and here I thought you were polite.”

“I am. I’m politely stating facts.”

“Alright, since you don’t think I’m such a friendly guy, I’m gonna have to charge you for my hospitality.”

“See? Proved my point.” I folded my arms across my chest but I was eager to settle my debt to him so I wouldn’t have to deal with him anymore. “So what do you want in return?”

“You’re going to have to join me on my cooldown walk. I usually go alone, but this time I want company. Unfortunately that means you’re going to have to ditch your friends.”

I frowned. “That’s not very nice.”

“I’m Mr. Not-So-Nice remember?” A smile played at the corner of his full lips. The combination of boyish charm and rugged brawler was becoming too difficult to resist.

“Alright, fine. We’ll walk, but just to make us even. Then I don’t owe you anything, okay?”

“Sounds good.” His smile turned into a wide grin. “Go tell your friends you’re ditching them.”

I took a step then halted and turned back to him. “You’re willing to wait?”

His grin remained firmly in place. “Not nice isn’t the same as mean. Give me a little credit here.”

“Aren’t you concerned I’m just going to go inside and end up ditching you?” The question rode a thin line between teasing and serious. I didn’t know which way he’d interpret it maybe because I didn’t know which way I meant it, myself.

“We have a deal remember? You seem like someone who respects that. I trust you.”

“Maybe you’re a little too trusting.”

I went back inside the bar, leaving Hunter out back. I seriously thought about ditching him. What was I doing agreeing to go on a walk with him anyway? I wanted a normal life again. I wanted peace. I wanted to feel like a regular person again. I had to keep telling myself that going on one walk with Hunter wasn’t going to ruin any of those things. I had to convince myself that the feelings I felt while being around him weren’t real, that it was a fluke the numbness I constantly felt somehow magically disappeared for a moment when I was near him or thought about him. It was hormones. A “biological quirk” as my therapist liked to refer to disorders. Just a result of being without a boyfriend for over a year. If I allowed myself to fall for Hunter, I could really get hurt. Guys like him had women literally fainting to be with him. Hadn’t I been hurt enough already?

I spotted Daniela, Cody, and Justin across the bar still at the same moosehead booth where I’d left them. For a moment, I considered making up a good excuse to tell them in person but decided that I didn’t owe Justin anything. I pulled out my phone and texted Daniela.

There’s a mixed martial arts thing going on out back. Gonna hang out with one of the fighters instead of Justin :P.

A moment later she replied. Can’t blame ya :). You gonna be okay by yourself?

Yeah, don’t worry about me. I’ll catch a ride back. Tell Justin and Cody I got sick and had to leave.

Leaving out the back door, I saw Hunter leaning against the side of the bar, alone. His warm breath made billows of fog in the cold air. I’d half-expected him to be surrounded by women when I returned, but the only thing around him was his gray hoodie. People were still gathered beneath the large tent, chatting excitedly about Hunter’s fight. I couldn’t help but wonder what some of those fan girls would do if they got the chance to be in my position.

“Congratulations, I just lost my friends,” I said. It was Hunter’s fault that I’d ditched my group so I figured I might as well give him a hard time.

He smiled. “If that was all it took to lose your friends, then they weren’t good ones to begin with. Besides, you just made a new one.”

I cocked a brow at him. “You?”

“See anyone else around?”

I looked around for Gary but didn’t see him anywhere in sight. “I guess I don’t see Gary here. . . Speaking of which, why did you lie to him about the lake incident?”

He shrugged. “I didn’t want you to look bad. Friends look out for one another.”

I took a deep breath of the crisp air and cleared my throat. “Just because we’re walking together, doesn’t make us friends. This is just a deal. Let’s just get this over with okay?”

“After you, Lorrie.” He grinned wickedly.

We walked away from the clamor of the bar along a dirt path leading into the dark forest surrounding the bar. For a popular venue, it was kind of in the middle of nowhere. I was concerned about going into the darkness of the forest but strangely felt safe around Hunter. However, neither of us said anything. The silence was awkward.

Once we entered the forest, I broke the silence. “So . . . you go on cooldown walks after you fight?”

“Yeah, it’s a good time to reflect and clear your head, ya know. That’s why I usually go alone.”

“You don’t go with any of your female fans?” I asked, nonchalantly. “Why walk with me then?”

“Most of the time I like just hanging out by myself or with Gary—I don’t get along with most people . . . You’re different though. I don’t know what it is exactly but I feel like we can relate, you seem cool.” He looked at me and grinned.