Free Because of You by Connie Lafortune Page B

die.
    Getting up to grab another beer my cell phone vibrates in my pocket.
    “Hunter, could you please come to the house?” she’s hysterical. “My dad wants me to press charges against Parker. ” She’s sobbing uncontrollably.
    “I’m already out the door. Don’t cry baby, it’ll be okay. ” Taking the stairs two at a time I open the kitchen door and she flings herself into my arms. Slipping my hand under her hair I rub the nape of her neck while stroking her wet cheeks.
    She has her arms securely around my waist and I can feel her hands fisting my shirt, trying to pull me closer. “You have to make him understand, I can’t do it! I won’t do it!”
    Cupping her face in my hands I use my thumbs to brush away her tears. Tilting her head so she’s looking up at me I say, “Riley, why don’t you let me talk to your dad, alone? I’ll give him my version of what I saw and we’ll go from there. ” I kiss her forehead, the tip of her nose and then her pouty lips.
    “He’s in his office,” she says as I’m walking out of the kitchen.
    I get ready to knock on his door when it opens. “I only have a few minutes, come on in. ” He walks over to his desk, leaning on the corner. “First I would like to thank you for being there, I don’t even want to think…” He shakes his head, too upset to finish.
    I hold my hand up to stop him. “You don’t have to thank me. Just give me some time to tell you what I saw.” He nods, so I start talking.
    My jaw clenches as I tell Scott what happened. I don’t want to sugar coat it so I tell him about the way Parker was acting—as though he were high.
    “I’m leaving now to talk to Jim, Parker’s dad. I will see how this meeting goes first before we do anything drastic. My main concern, and it should be Riley’s also, is that this doesn’t happen to any other girl. The next girl might not be so lucky; she might not have a hero to save her. ” He walks over to shake my hand before heading out the door.

Chapter Fifteen

Riley
    After Hunter talked to my dad, he took me out for another driving lesson. I know he did this to take my mind off of everything, that’s why I’m crazy about him. We went to the same lot as before and when he thought I had practiced enough, he let me drive on the road. My hands were sweating so much I had to wipe them on my shorts every time we stopped at the light. I could hear him chuckling as I kept my eyes straight ahead.
    He had me drive to Jake’s so we could grab a burger for dinner. I didn’t realize how famished I was until all the smells assaulted me as I walked through the door. The last thing I ate was a muffin and a cup of coffee before my run this morning.
    Feeling a warm hand glide over mine, I look up to see Hunter staring at me. “What are you dreaming about, Riley?” He lifts my hand to his mouth, pressing a kiss to my palm.
    “I just want to close my eyes and have this nightmare over with. ” Shrugging my shoulders I give him a weak smile.
    “Your dad will make sure Parker will never do this to you, or anyone for that matter, ever again. He’s a good lawyer. Let him handle it. ” He looks at me with those baby blues, making my heart flutter.
    When the waitress brings us our food, a comfortable silence fills the air. I’m so hungry at this point, I can’t shovel it in fast enough.
    When we finish eating I lean back in the booth and close my eyes. I feel myself drifting off to sleep when a pair of strong arms wrap around me. I can barely open my eyes when I feel Hunter scoop me up and carry me to the Jeep. Cradling my head against his neck I take in his manly scent, along with a hint of coconut against his sun-kissed skin.
    I open my eyes only when he buckles me up and closes the door.
    “I’m sorry I dozed off on you, my belly was full. ” A giggle erupts from me as I stifle a yawn.
    “I won’t take it personally. You’ve had an emotional day. ” He rests his hand on my leg and fans his fingers out,