Chapter 7 Realities
The day was fading as he sat astride the bike. Pulling on his helmet he had no thoughts but figuring out the lingering feelings he held for Tori. It was hard though, he really hadn't had all that much time with her, to really get to know her. Then too he didn't know if she felt the same. If she didn't?"
Bringing the motor to life Hunter started out around the track, picking up speed as he made lap after lap.
"I was wondering what happened to you."
"You were?" She asked in surprise.
"Yeah, found the van a few miles back." He said looking her over to be sure she was ok, sometimes he wondered what was wrong with his brother, she was
Hot, smart and a great fighter. She also had guts… What was he thinking?
"Yeah, well I broke down." She said and he wanted to smile, she looked tired, hot and annoyed and really cute. Stop that, he told himself, she's gonna
Belong to your brother.
"So I gathered, need a ride to ops or back to the van?" He asked and she sighed.
"Well, the radiators over heated so going back wont' do me any good." She told him and he nodded, he loved annoying her. It wasn't that often when they
Had the chance but sometimes…
Hunter realized now it was because he loved the spark that lit those sea blue eyes. It made her come alive, more than the freedom of the sea or the ranger powers. Yet too there was that innate organization that none of her friends shared. She was prepared and fresh whenever he saw her, even earlier that day when she'd come into the kitchen…
Hunter had heard the soft treads on the floor, had felt her come slowly into the room, his ninja training hadn't let him miss much. He'd learned early that if he was not thinking with all of his senses he could end up dead. Now though it wasn't the sound of her breathing he heard as much as he smelled her soft scent. It was a mix of sunscreen, salt water and something like sunshine….
Only then did He realize he was just going along with the song and was glad she couldn't see the redness on his face. No one not even Blake ever heard him sing.
Now though as the bike ate up the ground he wondered what she'd thought of his voice. True it wasn't great but for some reason it mattered what she thought.
***
Tori stood there in her little kitchen, looking around at its simplicity and sighed, it somehow felt empty, as if something was missing. It was odd but in the last few weeks she'd felt it more and more. Why then was it bothering her more tonight?
Sighing she moved to the little radio and switched on the dial, twisting it until she found something she thought was ok.
When the rain is blowin' in your face
And the whole world is on your case
I could offer you a warm embrace
To make you feel my love.
It struck her that the voice sounded vaguely familiar but since she wasn't much of a country fan she couldn't exactly place it. Still she left it go as she moved to the refrigerator to begin whipping up a nice salad for dinner.
Tori hated when the lettuce went brown, why was it this only happened when she was so tired she couldn't sleep? Things always went wrong when they were already messed up.
***
Hunter left the track before he'd planned. He needed to talk to her, needed to see if she felt it too. He couldn't just leave it at that, something told him they'd been bound by that whole soul mate thing for a good reason and he didn't want to ignore it.
***
Tori decided she wasn't really up for a brown bowl salad and so instead she poured her self another cup of orange juice, unconsciously singing long with the song on the radio.
"When the evening shadows and the stars appear
And there is no one there to dry your tears
I could hold you for a million years
To make you feel my love."
She was just sitting down at the table when she heard the knocking on her door.
Sighing she hoped it was not Blake she really didn't want to deal with his puppy dog act or any sweetie cuddly things tonight. Today had just been too turbulent.
I know you haven't made your mind up yet
But I would never do you wrong
I've known it from the moment that we met
No doubt in my mind where you belong.
"Hunter?"
"Hey, I um thought you might not feel like cooking after everything that's happened so I brought dinner."
"You did?" A wave of surprised pleasure washed over her and she found herself stepping back.
The first thing he heard was the song; it was one of his favorites, Garth Brooks' "To make you feel my love."
What could she say? That was her place was a little too messy, would he think she was like the others? God she hoped not.
He could see she was nervous and as is often the case he read it wrong.
"Tori if this is a bad time…"
"No, no not at all but today's just been crazy the place is a little messy."
"It looks fine to me." He commented and it did too, the kitchen was small, with modern fixtures and pristine cabinets. The lighting coming from florescent fixtures placed in the nooks between ceiling and wall, so not to be intrusive. The stove was a small island unit, with a black range while the base and brief connected counter were as pristine as the rest of the room. Yes, it was very much Tori.
"Looks great to me."
"It does?" She asked turning surprised eyes to him.
"Well yeah, you wouldn't believe some of the place Blake and I've stayed before." He admitted and she nodded him and his pizza box towards the table.
I'd go hungry; I'd go black and blue
I'd go crawlin' down the avenue
No, there's nothin' that I wouldn't do
To make you feel my love.
Taking down a couple of sky blue plates Tori then placed them on the table and went to the cupboard to get him a glass.
"I have some OJ, Pineapple juice Milk and soda."
"Pineapple is fine." He said and she didn't reply just went about getting his drink ready as he dished up the pizza and bread sticks.
"So, you were just in the neighborhood?"
"Hmm? Oh um kind of, I was passing by on the way home from the track and spotted the van." He lied, what if she knew the truth? Would she be upset that he had needed to see her, had wanted to?
Though storms are raging on the rollin' sea
And on the highway of regrets
Though winds of change are throwing wild and free
You ain't seen nothin' like me yet.
"Didn't know you like country.'
'I um…" She blushed and moved to turn it off when he reached out a hand and pressed her back into her seat.
"It's ok, I like this one."
"Oh, me too." She confessed an as the next part kicked up she thought of how different Hunter was turning out to be.
I could make you happy, make your dreams come true
Nothing that I wouldn't do
Go to the ends of the Earth for you
To make you feel my love
As the last notes faded away it struck him that he was at an unfair advantage, she'd talked about herself that afternoon and that might make her a little ill at ease so he started out.
"I was seven when I met Blake for the first time."
"You were?"
"Yeah, When my mother," she heard the animosity in his voice and didn't respond, sensing if she did he might not go on.
"Found out she had a bun in the oven and told the guy who was my old man he bailed."
"Harsh."
"Yeah, she was a twenty two year old cocktail waitress at some airport outside of Reno." He took a sip of his juice and then went on. "Anyway she didn't want no kid either so when I was born she dumped me off on her mom and…"
'The Bradley's?"
"Yeah,"
"Woe, I never knew they were your real family."
"No one does, not even Blake."
That told her so much, he was trusting her with a secret berried deep inside. Reaching out she rested her hand on his arm in understanding.
Hunter just shifted his arm so he could close his fingers warmly around hers. In that contact there was a bond, too new to be defined but yet too strong to be ignored.
"Hunter, what are we going to do?" She asked quietly. She felt so much, an understanding, a sense of safety when s she was with him and the attraction that had raced through her after the attack had finally died down a bit, now only a soft thrumming.
"I don't know," he reached up, touched her cheek confessing. "I've never really felt anything like this…"
"Thing, yeah me neither. I was afraid it was because of that blast." She added her own confession and then as she felt the gentle caress of his finger tips on her skin she added softly. "But Hunter it feels too strong and right."
"I know." He replied and the word was nearly a whisper, barely discernible in the still room.
As they leaned in, their breathing mingled, hearts sped up and the purple glow was about them again, swirling, weaving through them, as if sealing something.
"Woe,…" Tori breathed and he nodded still a little managed breathless from the kiss.
"I'd say." He chuckled raggedly. "Tori?" He asked almost hesitantly.
"Hmm?" She asked still gazing into his eyes.
"If you still have feelings for Blake I'll…" he began but she was catching the hand still on her face and pressing a soft kiss into the palm.
"Hunter, I like him, he's a nice guy but lately I don't know, it's changed, as if it's not a crush exactly, not love either just a mild physical attraction." She wanted to add that it was more like what she'd felt during those spells earlier and nothing like this but how corny would that sound?
"Good." He said as if that solved everything.
"You think so?" She asked and she nodded solemnly.
"Yeah, I'd hate to have to kill my little brother." He joked.
"Hunter." She chuckled and he found he liked that sound very, very much.
"Well I would." He shrugged and there it was once again like breakers dissipating on the sand.
"Right, but seriously what are we going to do now?" She asked and reluctantly he pulled back.
"Well, finishing dinner sounds like a good idea to me." He suggested and she shook her head. Who would have thought Hunter, the tall brooding one was so cute and funny?
TBC
***
Hmm, only three more chapters to go. *does happy dance*Anyway what did you think? Is it too corny?