Arabella moaned softly when the sun hit her face. It was much too bright and there was a dull ache behind her eyes. The blankets were wrapped tightly around her like a cocoon, which was probably a good thing, considering that she didn't have anything else on. Arabella wanted to fall back to sleep but the pain in her head was keeping her awake and she was really hungry. With a small huff, she turned her head to the side and opened her eyes a little bit. Hunter was gone. The bed and the room were empty. She groaned and sat up, holding the blanket around her tightly. Her hair was a mess but she didn't really care. Her eyes landed on the briefcase on the floor in the room and she remembered what had happened the previous night. Arabella threw herself off the bed and she hurried over to it, needing to know if it was a dream or not. She opened the case and squeaked when she saw all of the money there.
Hunter didn't sleep much that night. He was tired, but he was just so happy. The excitement of last night with the money and then with Arabella. He just couldn't calm down. He wanted to think about what he was going to do with it. Save it, spend it, donate it, invest it. He didn't know. He wanted to do it all. He slept a few hours and then got up, carefully slipped out from under Arabella and then got dressed. He walked down and got breakfast for the both of them and then walked back up to the room. He opened the door to see Arabella by the briefcase completely nude. "Oh, come on, Ellie. Put my shirt on at least." He said with a chuckle, raising an eyebrow and clearly checking out her body. He set th breakfast on the table and walked up behind her as she buttoned his shirt up and slipped his arms around her, placing a small kiss on the back of her neck. "Good morning, sexy." He said with a chuckle against her skin.
Arabella's cheeks were still pink from him walking in on her but she was glowing with a major happiness and she didn't really care that he had seen her totally nude by the the money. She leaned into him, tugging on the hem of her shirt. "Good morning, stud muffin" she giggled softly and she turned around in his arms. She slipped her arms around his neck and she kissed him lightly, innocently. "How are you feeling?" She asked softly, putting her sore head on his shoulder. A smile was glued to her face and she didn't think that it would ever go away, no matter how bad her head ache was.
Hunter smiled and kissed her head. "I'm fine. A little tired, but fine." He said quietly. "I see you made sure the money was still there." Hunter said with a chuckle before slipping his hands across her back to her hips and pulling her closer. "How's the hangover treating you?" He asked with a smile. He felt bad for her. She drank because of all the money she lost, but he ended up winning all the money that she was trying to win. He understood hangovers now that he's had one and he doesn't like them at all. "Can I get you something?"
"You already got me food, which is so wonderful right now" Arabella said and she buried her face in his neck. She took a deep breath and gave him a small kiss before turning her head towards his face. "This hangover is...fine. I've had worse" She said and rolled her eyes at herself. She yawned and her stomach grumbled so she pulled away a little bit and she tugged at the hem of her shirt before she walked over to the bed and sat down, quickly pulling the blanket around herself again. "Thanks for bringing up breakfast my handsome man"
Hunter smiled and grabbed the tray off the table. "Anything for my lovely lady." He said walking over and placing the tray on the bed and sitting down next to her. "So, what would you like?" He said, showing off the breakfast options. "I got the typical bacon and eggs. Or your regular bowl of Froot Loops. Then if you're looking for something a little hardier then we have biscuits and gravy and finally...." He glanced around, making a big scene. "If you want breakfast, but not really breakfast. Here's pancakes with ice cream." He said, putting his arm around her. "Oh. And I got you coffee." He said, handing her the mug of coffee.
Arabella sighed happily and she took the mug of coffee and drank a big sip. "Oh, Hunter..you are seriously the best boyfriend a girl could ever ask for" She said and kissed his cheek. She looked down at the food and after a moment of thinking about it, she picked up the pancakes and took a bite. Arabella moaned happily and put a piece of the pancakes on a fork, offering it to Hunter.
Hunter smiled and ate it happily. "You're the best girlfriend a guy could ask for." He said with a smile as he took a dip of orange juice and put an arm around her. He was so happy to just sit here with her. To have an arm around her as they ate breakfast in bed. He ate a few piece of bacon and leaned back, putting his head against hers. "So, when do you want to head out?" He asked quietly. "We can't stay in Vegas forever."
"Too bad..maybe you would win another million tonight" Arabella giggled and she took a bite out of a piece of bacon. She thought about it, about when she wanted to leave. Honestly, she was looking forward to the drive and all the places that they were going to hit but she was looking forward to getting home more. She was looking forward to sleeping in her own bed and waking up and not having to do anything. She was looking forward to being in a regular routine again. "We should leave soon so that we can get on the road and get to the next place quickly" She said softly.
Hunter smiled and nodded. "Okay. We'll pack up right after breakfast." Hunter said with a nod. He was glad to be leaving Las Vegas. He was lucky last night, but he wasn't sure how easy it would be for Hunter to stay away from the casino again. "Are you as excited to get home as I am?" Hunter asked quietly. He looked over at her and chuckled. "I'm having a lovely time and I'm happy that we get to travel, but being home would be nice." He kissed her temple and took a sip of orange juice.
"I'm really excited to get home" Arabella said and she looked up at him. "Being home sounds fantastic" She told him and she kissed him lightly. "As amazing as this hotel food is, it's not nothing on your breakfasts" Arabella giggled and she took a bite out of the eggs. She hoped that the trip wouldn't be too long and they would get back to their home soon. Arabella picked up the Froot Loops and she leaned back against the wall. "When we get home, we should visit camp at some point"
Hunter nodded and leaned into her a little. "Absolutely." Hunter said with a grin. He thought for a second and then shook his head. "No. Actually, no. I can't do that." Hunter said, shaking his head. She looked at him, shocked and confused. "Do you not remember who is at camp? Chiron. Do you remember that I can never look at Chiron again? Obviously not." He shook his head and chuckle. He stopped and looked over at her. She laughing her head off. Hunter sighed and wrapped his arms around her middle before kissing her on the cheek. "You're so mean to me." Hunter said with smile.
Arabella clutched her side as she laughed. She took deep breaths, trying to calm down but there was no used. She just kept laughing. Finally, she started to calm down and she wiped her eyes with her thumb. "I'm sure that Chiron loved to see that" She giggled then kissed his cheek. "Hunter, you're going to havr to face him eventually, you know"
Hunter sighed. "I know." He said quietly. Hunter knew that seeing Chiron and going back to camp really was a good idea. He missed a lot of people and it would be fun to go back. Now, especially, considering he was with Arabella. "Chiron was like a father to me though, Ellie. When I left camp, I was leaving my home. I was leaving my family." Hunter said with a sigh. "Maybe I'm just nervous about going back. Who knows?"
"Going back will probably be the best thing for you. It's your home and you left it but that doesn't mean that you can't go back. It was my home too" Arabella said softly and she brushed her fingers over his knuckles. She wanted to go back. She needed to go back and she knew that Hunter should go back too. If anything, it would bring some closure into his life. "It would be nice to be around a ton of people that knew the truth about who I am and who my family is, you know?"
"It was my only home." Hunter specified. He closed his eyes a moment, thinking about his life at camp. His entire life at camp. He sighed and leaned into her a little. "You could leave camp and then go to live with your dad and your brother. If you were upset at camp, you could leave and go back home. All I was able to do was run to the woods. Why do you think I spent so much time there? It was my home." Hunter said, his voice trailing off a little. "I'm more than happy to go back though. Just a little nervous."
"You don't have to be nervous, Hunter. I'll be by your side the entire time. And besides, if anyone has anything to be nervous about, it's me! Imagine all of the girls that are going to hate me because I'm the lucky one that you decided to love, for whatever reason" Arabella teased, trying to sound as comforting as possible. "Everyone is going to be so happy to see you back at camp"
Hunter smiled and chuckled a little. "I'll be happy to be back at camp." He said quietly, placing a kiss on her cheek. He looked down at the empty tray of food and smiled. "Well, you ready to get back on the road?" Hunter said, picking the tray up as he stood. He dumped the trash and then placed the tray by the sink. "Let's get packed up and then we'll started heading toward Roswell." He said with a smile.
----------------------------------
Arabella leaned against the window, flipping through some of their pictures. She smiled at the one they took in Roswell and the one they took on the drive to Roswell. She giggled at a few of the candid pictures she got of Hunter and the candid pictures that Hunter got of her. They were fun to look at and they made her smile. They were memories that she could show to their kids one day. Maybe their daughter could flip through the pages of a photo album while Arabella braided her hair and told her stories. Arabella smiled softly to herself and she flipped through the photos from New Orleans. There was a picture that Arabella took of herself kissing Hunter's cheek. There was a picture of Arabella in the hotel room with mardi gras beads wrapped all over her head and she was looking at the camera with a huge smile on her face. Arabella sighed happily and she turned off the camera, setting it down. She looked over at Hunter and smiled a little bit. "How much farther to Washington?" she asked.
Hunter glanced over at her with a smile on his face. Roswell was fun. Dallas was fun. Everywhere they went they had a great time. And every place they went, he was happy since they were one step closer to home. "It'll be about 30 minutes, I think." Hunter said with a nod as the Washington Monument started to just peek over the tree line. "Have you been to DC before?" He asked, putting an arm around her, so that she could see the monument.
Arabella stretched up a little bit, looking at the monument with a smile on her face. She leaned into Hunter and she shook her head. "No, actually. I haven't been here yet. It's always been one of those places that I planned on visiting someday but never really did anything about it" She told him and she turned to look at him. "What about you? Did you make it down here at some point while you were saving the world?"
"I did." Hunter said with a nod. "I fought some giants in the Arboretum." Hunter said before thinking back to the fight in the Lincoln Memorial. It was one of the greatest moments in his life, but it was a tough fight. It had taken a lot out of him and he couldn't stand the thought of what might have happened otherwise. "I fought a god in the Lincoln Memorial." Hunter said with another nod. "To say the least, it wasn't a tourist trip." He said with a chuckle.
"We're just going to have to get a ton of pictures while we're here, then!" Arabella said and she placed a kiss on his jaw. She was always amazed at what Hunter had done and what he had gone through. It was great to see him smiling and happy after all of that. It was inspiring. Arabella folded her legs under her and she pulled out the camera, taking a picture of Hunter as he drove and she giggled a little bit.
Hunter flinched a little at the flash and laughed. "Oh, come on." He said, reaching for the camera. She pulled it away and giggled at him. "I'm driving. Don't blind the driver, Ellie." He said, reaching for it again. She backed away and Hunter shook his head before stopping at a stoplight and looking at her. She screamed a little as Hunter dove across the seat and started viciously jabbing her sides, causing her to squirm and giggle uncontrollably. He heard a honk from behind him, but Hunter didn't stop. It wasn't until the person behind him laid in on the horn, honking loudly, that Hunter finally stopped and started driving again.
Arabella laid back on the seat, breathing heavily and still giggling a little bit. She let out a sigh and she pushed herself to sit up. Arabella looked over at him with a playful glare. "Now, that, was uncalled for" She said and giggled. She slid over to him and she put her chin on his shoulder, placing gentle kisses along his neck, trying to tease him the best way that she could.
Hunter cleared his throat and drove quietly toward Washington, DC. They were about 5 minutes out and the combinations of Arabella pressing her body against him and kissing him like that, he was wishing they would get their faster. "We uh...We need to find a...umm...a hotel." Hunter said uncomfortably. He blushed a little as Arabella started using a little more tongue against his neck, sucking gently on his skin. Hunter cursed under his breath and turned into the closest hotel, The Willard Intercontinental. He parked and looked over at Arabella for a second before kissing her teasingly on the lips. He got out and hurried around the car, opening her door. He put a hand on her leg and kissed her before picking her up and putting over his shoulder, holding her legs tightly so she didn't fall on her head behind him. She squirmed as he carried her into the hotel and up to the counter. "I need a room. A nice one." Hunter said, carefully reaching into his pocket and retrieving his credit card. The woman at the counter looked at them with a surprised look on her face before shaking and looking at the computer.
"Well, we have a romance suite if you'd like. Very intimate." She said with a wink. Hunter looked at Arabella's butt right next to his head and smiled.
"Yes. That sounds wonderful."
Arabella giggled and she wiggled around in his arms a little. Her cheeks were bright red partly because of embarrassment but mostly from excitement and joy. She put her hands on Hunter's lower back to steady herself and she looked around as she waited for everything to be set up. Finally, Hunter had paid for the room and he was walking to the elevator with her. Arabella giggled and waved to the girl behind the counter as they walked away and when the doors to the elevator closed, she wiggled around again. "Way to be subtle, Hunter" She teased and laughed.
"Subtlety has never been my strong suit." Hunter said with a chuckle as he bounced Arabella on his shoulder a little. He pinched her leg a little as they road on the elevator, making her squirm even more. They finally reached their floor and Hunter located the Jenny Lind Suite. He opened the door and stepped inside, finding the bedroom and opening the door. There was a small couch and a large soft bed with a canopy. He threw her down onto the bed and watched as she sunk into the mattress. He laughed a little and then laid down next to her, immediately feeling the sensation of sinking into the mattress as well. "Did I make a good choice?" He asked with a grin, looking over at Arabella.
Arabella looked around the room, an excited and amazed look on her face. "Oh, Hunter..this is amazing" she breathed and she turned her head to look at him. A small smile spread across her face and she leaned into him, kissing him lightly. It was fun and it was exciting and Arabella was happy. She was happy to be with Hunter. She was happy to be close to home. She was happy that she was in that bed with Hunter. Everything was perfect. Arabella moved closer to him, brushing her lips along his jaw.
Hunter smiled and scooted closer to her, kissing her more tightly. "Now then," Hunter started, speaking in a tow tone. "We were doing something in the car. Why don't we pick up where we left off?" He said with a chuckle as he turned on his side and placed a hand on her stomach as he kissed her lips. He smiled against her skin as he trailed kisses down her cheek and to her neck, tracing her collarbone with his lips. "I think I saw a jacuzzi in the bathroom." He whispered with a chuckle.
"Mmmm...a jacuzzi, you say?" Arabella whispered back and she kissed him tightly. She moved closer to him and she slid her hand down his chest. With a small smirk, she kissed him teasingly and she pulled away from him. Arabella stood up and walked towards the bathroom. When she got there, she stepped inside and she peeled off of her shirt, tossing it back into the bedroom with a giggle. Arabella sat down on the edge of the jacuzzi and started to fill it up.
Hunter smiled and closed his eyes for a moment, enjoying the feeling of the mattress. It was going to be a good night. Tomorrow was going to be a wonderful day. They were going to walk around the mall. They would get plenty of pictures. Arabella would do some shopping and then they would go to bed and fall asleep in each other's arms. He got out of bed and hurried to the bathroom. He ran toward Arabella, slipping off his shoes and his shirt and then wrapping his arms around her, pretending he was going to dump her in the water, but pulling her back and lifting her up
Arabella sqeaked and she grabbed onto his arms, holding tight. When he didn't drop her in, she turned around and playfully smacked his chest. "That was terrible" She gasped and she smiled up at him. She was very aware of how his arms felt around her and how his body heat felt against hers and the way that she could feel his heartbeat against her arm. Arabella smiled softly up at him and she hooked her elbow around his neck, bringing him down to her so that she could kiss him tenderly. In the next minute, she snaked her hand down to his jeans and quickly had the button undone on them and she was giggling against his lips.
Hunter's eyes widened a little and a nervous smile spread across his face. "What's got you all worked up?" He said with a chuckle before snaking his hands down her back and to her butt. He pinched it and then danced his fingers around her side to the front of her jeans, sliding his fingers inside and undoing the button. He kissed down her cheek and to her neck before moving to pull his pants down. He stepped out of them and placed his hands gently on her hips, pulling her closer.
Arabella smiled softly up at him and she brushed her thumb against his lips. "I love that nervous smile of yours" She told him softly and she tugged her jeans off before she leaned into him and kissed his nose lightly. She loved the fact that he still got nervous and it was still so new to him. Arabella found it incredibly endearing. Her hands slid up to his arms and she squeezed his muscles lightly.
Hunter chuckled and closed his eyes, holding her tighter. "My nervous smile loves you too." He said with a laugh before kissing her lightly on the forehead. He wrapped his arms around her and put his chin on the top of her head, just hugging her. He loved having his arms around her. He loved being able to hold her and kiss her. He kissed her head and sighed happily.
Arabella closed her eyes and she took a deep breath. "Thanks for all of this, Hunter. This trip, all of the hotels, being with me...everything" She said softly and looked up at him. She was looking forward to getting home but in that moment, she was happy to just be with him. She was thankful for having all of that time with Hunter, even if they had dealt with some really difficult things. The pain and the hurt that they had gone through had been difficult but standing in that hotel room with Hunter was almost worth it. Arabella pulled away from him a little bit and she stopped the water in the jacuzzi now that it was full. She looked at Hunter for a second with a small smirk then she yanked off the rest of her clothes and slid into the hot water.
Hunter turned away and blushed for a second, waiting for her to settle into the water. He finally peeked back and saw that she was smiling up at him, giggling a little as she slouched into the water. Hunter finally hesitated for a second before slipping off his boxers and slipping in next to her. He put an arm around her and kissed her head. It was relaxing and Hunter was excited to be so close to New York. They were almost home. They would go home and he would be weeks away from one of the biggest decisions he would ever make. "You're really beautiful, you know that?" He asked, absently running a few fingers through her hair.
Arabella rested her head on his shoulder and she closed her eyes. Her cheeks turned bright red at his compliment. There was a natural instinct to wave him off. To assume that he was telling her that because he felt like he had to tell her that. To tell him that he was way too nice to her. But after all of this time with him, she was starting to believe him. When he said that to her, she felt amazing. She looked up at him and smiled. "Well, thanks" She said softly and she placed a small kiss on his jaw.
Hunter smiled softly and thought for a second before realizing what she had said. "You..." He started before laughing. He just laughed. The usual dance they did of him calling her beautiful and her telling him that he was too nice. She just blew past it. "You're finally starting to get the point." He said with a laugh. He closed his eyes a minute and wrapped his arms around her middle, pulling her close into a tight kiss on the lips. He pulled away after a moment and looked her in the eyes. "I really do mean that, Ellie." He whispered, placing a small kiss on her forehead. "You're perfect."
Arabella blushed deeply and she leaned into him, closing her eyes. "You're pretty perfect too, Hunter" She said softly and she rested her hands on his sides. "You amaze me every single day with everything you do" She told him and she kissed him tightly. "I love you so much, Hunter" She breathed and she placed her head on his shoulder. If she lost him at this point, she didn't know what she would do. She didn't know if she would be able to pull through it.
Hunter grinned and placed a hand on her neck, lightly tickling her skin. "I love you too, Ellie." Hunter whispered, feeling blissful. "More than anything." He laid back, taking a deep breath and feeling the water relax his muscles. "We should get one of these for the house." Hunter said quietly. "Actually Jolie would probably want to spend all her time in it. Being pampered or something." Hunter said with a chuckle.
"Jolie is not getting anywhere near my...our jacuzzi" Arabella said with a small giggle and she looked up at Hunter with big eyes. It made her heart skip a beat when he mentioned things like that. Getting something for their house. The house that they were going to live in together. It made her very giddy and very happy. "I can't wait to get home and see our dogs again and sleep in our bed again.." She said softly.
Hunter kissed her on the temple and put an arm around her. "Our home. Our dogs. Our bed." He said quietly, a smile plastered across his face. "I like the sound of that. When we get home, I'm going to bring all of our bags into our house and put them in our living room. Then I'll cook you something in our--" He stopped for a second and laughed. "Actually the kitchen is pretty much mine." He said with a chuckle nuzzling his nose against her cheek, placing a small kiss along her jaw.
Arabella giggled and she placed her hand on his leg, leaning into him and his kisses a little. She had never felt so comfortable around someone before. She was naked in a tub and he had his arms around her but she felt totally at ease. She felt beautiful and confident and fabulous. "Well..you can have the kitchen. I just want all of the yummy food that comes out of it" She said and she chewed on her lip. "It's only fair that you get the kitchen since I have the closet"
"That is fair. Except I think the closet is bigger than the kitchen. So, it's not fair." Hunter said with a smile. "I'll just have to take it up with the owner of the closet." He said, pulling her closer. "I hear she's a tough cookie, but I have to disagree." He kissed her forehead and smiled. "I think she's kind and wonderful," He kissed her nose. "And beautiful and sexy." He kissed her cheek. "And smart and loving and in all honesty, she's going to be the best mother and wife a guy could ask for." He smiled and kissed her cheek.
"Yeah, well..I heard that her man is turning her into a big softie because he keeps saying amazing, wonderful things to her" Arabella said softly in a happy voice. She turned and looked at Hunter, locking eyes with him. Did he really think that she would be a good mother and a good wife? Arabella always pictured herself as a business woman in New York City, not a mom in the suburbs, driving her kids to football practice. But the more she thought about it, the more she wanted it. And she wanted it with Hunter. "You are going to be the best father that any child could ever ask for" She told him.
Hunter scoffed a little and rolled his eyes. "I mean, I have so many skills and talents that would just be fantastic to teach to kids." Hunter said quietly. "I can teach them how to fight monsters and fire an arrow into a pumpkin and how to speak Ancient Greek." Hunter said with a nod. He won't have experiences to give. He won't be able to give his children wisdom gained from experience at school. He didn't go to school. "I can also teach them to climb trees and ignore feelings out of necessity like I did when I was a Hunter. Yeah. Perfect parent." He said quietly.
Arabella sighed softly and kissed him lightly. "You are going to love them and protect them and provide for them. You're going to teach them how to be kind, compassionate, wonderful people" Arabella said softly and she placed her chin on his shoulder, looking up at him. "You are the best man that I have ever known, Hunter, and there is now way that you are not going to pass that down to our kids. They're going to grow up with so many memories of you and the things that you've done with them and they are going to just love you to bits"
Hunter nodded absentmindedly and looked down at the water. He could feel himself losing his relaxation. He was becoming more tense, more stressed. He didn't want to make a big deal out of it, but this kind of thing made him stress a little. He hated feeling like an alien in his own country. He missed out on pop culture. He didn't have family and friends to tell him about trends and things like that. He had camp. That's all he had. People coming and people going. Going from normal life to camp life and then back to normal life where Hunter's camp life and normal life were one and the same. He sighed and shook himself a little. "MAybe you're right." He said, trying to change the subject, but not accepting the words he just uttered.
"Hunter...." Arabella said softly and she slid a hand to the nape of his neck, rubbing there gently. "Would you tell me what's wrong? What's really bugging you?" She asked softly and she chewed on her lip. She didn't want him to keep things from her but she didn't want to force him to talk about things either. Both weren't very good. But maybe he would be willing to talk about it if she asked him gently. "I mean..if there are things that are bugging you and things that you're worried about then we should work on them before we have kids, right? I just don't want you to get stuck in that wonderful brain of yours" she said and tapped his temple lightly.
Hunter smiled weakly and laid back, shaking his head slightly. "I'm just making something out of nothing. That's all." Hunter said with a nod. "We'll just have to wait and see what kind of father I am, right?" He said, desperately trying to not ruin their night any further. He already felt guilty for bringing this whole thing up. He placed a hand idly on her leg and looked at her. "So it'll be about 4 and a half hours back to New York. Did you want to do some sightseeing tomorrow and should we just get back on the road?" He asked, tapping his fingers on her knee.
Arabella looked at him and she let out a sigh. If he didn't want to talk about it, then she wasn't going to force him but she was a little upset that he didn't confide in her and tell her what was bothering him. Maybe he would talk about it later. Arabella shrugged and she curled up to his side, wanting to be close to him. "We could do a little bit of sightseeing before we get back on the road" She said with a nod.
Hunter wrapped around her and kissed her. "How about...We sleep in on our lovely hotel bed. Then we get some food. then we sightsee until 3 then we leave and we get home in time for me to make you dinner." He said, kissing her again. "And then we can get our dogs back from Tom and Danny." He added. "So, does that sound okay? We can always just pick something up on the way or something. If you don't want my cooking." He teased
"That sounds perfect" Arabella said softly and she kissed him, placing her hands on his chest and pressing her fingers into his muscles lightly. "And really, how could anyone not want your cooking? It's way better than any fancy meal some hotel can make anyday" She said with a nod and she giggled a little bit. Arabella laid back, leaning against him and she floated her hands on the surface of the water, playing with the bubbles from the jets. "We need to get one of these, ASAP"
Hunter chuckled quietly and kissed her neck, holding her closer. "As soon as we get home, my dear." Hunter said with a chuckle as he ran his fingers down her side. "We have a million dollars now. We can do anything." He started placing kisses down her spine. "If my baby wants a hot tub. My baby gets a hot tub." He said with a chuckle before kissing her on the lips again.
Arabella giggled against his lips and she moved closer to him, draping her legs over his lap. "We have a million dollars now" She echoed and giggled a little bit. "So, after we get one of these..what do you want to do next with it?" Arabella asked him and she yawned a little bit. It was exciting, having all of that money now. Things were going to be easy for them and Arabella didn't have to worry about finding a job or anything right away and even if she did get a job, it could just be something easy on the side. Like modeling for her old company's catalouge or something like that.
"Save it, I think." Hunter said with a nod. "College funds, you know?" Hunter said, running his fingers across her thigh. He kissed her and wrapped his arms around her, kissing her tightly. He was so excited for their future together and even though Hunter had doubts, he was still excited to meet his children. "I see it more as our money, so you have a say too." He said, pulling her closer.
Arabella closed her eyes for a moment and she thought about it all. Their life together and how perfefct everything was going to be. She wanted it to start. She wanted to move forward with Hunter. "College funds sounds amazing" She said softly and opened her eyes to smiled a little at him. "These kids are going to be so lucky" She said with a giggle.
Hunter smiled and brushed some hair out of her face. "Well, we're lucky that we won the money. I'm lucky that I get someone as wonderfully amazing as you. You're lucky that I can make food. So since we're so lucky why not share the luck with our kids, right?" Hunter said with a chuckle. He looked over at her and sighed happily, sliding an arm around her waist. "So, what do you want to do tonight?" He asked quietly, lightly placing small kisses on her neck.
"Mmm...I have a few ideas" Arabella said softly and she leaned into his kisses, brushing her hand down to his thigh. She pressed her fingers into his muscle lightly. She was happy with him like that and she was happy that they were sitting like that. But she was starting to get cold. The water was warm but the air felt really cool compared to the water. Arabella shivered a little and she cuddled closer to Hunter. "That bed sure seems nice"
Hunter pulled away a little and looked at her. "Are you hinting at something, Ellie?" He said with a grin as he wrapped his arms around her tighter, scooching down into the water a bit. It was up to her neck and to Hunter shoulders. He smiled at her and put his hand on her thigh, remembering that she was naked under the water. He blushed and remembered that he was naked too, making him blush even harder. He swung her legs onto his lap and started running his hands along her legs, gently tickling the skin. "It's only 2 in the afternoon. It's a little early to go to bed, Ellie. I was thinking of a 'go somewhere' thing to do tonight."
Arabella giggled and she put her hand over his. She had forgotten that they were naked until she saw Hunter blushing. "Well, it might be a little early for you" She giggled and she ran her fingers down his chest. "I am all for staying in bed all day" She teased and she shrugged. "Well, why don't we do a bit of sightseeing tonight? Maybe go out for supper and walk around? Or maybe we could go shopping"
"That sounds like a perfect night." Hunter said with a smile. "And then when we get back to New York feel free to spend as much time in bed as you want." He pulled on her leg a little, moving her onto his lap. "I'll probably be a frequent visitor." He said in a low tone before placing a kiss on her lips, biting her bottom lip a little. He put his hand on her back and ran his fingers up her spine, tickling her skin as he moved his lips down her neck and to her shoulder.
"You better be a frequent visitor" Arabella whispered and she cuddled closer to him, into his kisses. Her heart started to race a little bit as she felt his lips on her neck and his fingers on her spine. "You know..judging from experience, one would never think that you were once an eternal virgin. You're too amazing at this" She said softly with a little giggle and she placed her hands on his side.
Hunter scoffed and ran his hand up her back into her hair and cradling the back of her head. "Eternal didn't last very long." Hunter said with a smile, pulling her in for a kiss. He never thought that he would be here. 5 years ago, he never would have predicted that he would be a millionaire sitting in a jacuzzi completely naked with a girl as beautiful as Arabella on his lap. That idea never would have even entered his mind. "And as far as how amazing I am," He kissed her tenderly on the lips. "I had a really good teacher." He said with a wink
Arabella giggled and she rolled her eyes. "Tell me something I don't know" She teased and she leaned into him a little bit, kissing him. Arabella had more experience thant Hunter when it cames to things like this but it didn't matter, not really. It felt different with Hunter. It felt real. There were tons of emotions. Before, Arabella had never been with someone that she felt so incredibly close to. But with Hunter, she felt like she was exposing her heart and soul to him. She was vulnerable but she loved it because it was Hunter. "You're the best, you know that?"
"No," Hunter said, pressing his lips to hers, holding her close, and running his hands up and down her sides. "But you remind me enough." He wrapped his arms around her and placed his head on her shoulder, placing small kisses on her arm. "You know, if we keep this up we'll never go to dinner." He said quietly. He took a deep breath and closed his eyes, moving his lips to her shoulder and then to her neck again, pulling her closer.
"I'm okay with that" Arabella teased softly and she ran her hands down his arms. She pressed her fingers into his biceps and chewed on her lips as he kissed her neck. Arabella tilted her head down and to the side a little bit, exposing more of her neck for him. She turned a little bit so that she was facing him and she held herself closer to him. "I guess if you really want to go to dinner, I'll just go get dressed" She teased.
Hunter sighed and put his chin on her shoulder. "Don't make me choose!" He said with a chuckle before kissing her tightly on the lips, leaning into her and putting his hands on her butt. He carefully slid off the bench in the jacuzzi and took a deep breath before going underwater with her in his arms. He kissed her tightly on this lips, staying under the warm water and sharing a breath. It was an odd sensation, but he loved it. He sat on the bottom and held her tighter as they shared their air with each other.
Arabella smiled a little bit and she hooked her legs around him slightly. Everything about Hunter made her so blissful. He made her feel whole. He made her feel beautiful. She moved her lips away from his and she nuzzled into his neck as he lifted both of their heads out of the water. "Hunter. Bed. Now." She said softly and placed gentle kisses along his neck.
Hunter blushed hard and clumsily stood in the jacuzzi, carrying her up with him. He stood on the bench and lifted his leg to step over, but he could tell he was losing his balance. He cursed under his breath as he fell backwards, bringing her with him. He splashed into the water and felt his head smack against the opposite bench, making his vision go fuzzy for a moment. He let her go and after a moment, emerged from the water, rubbing his head. "Sorry. You okay?"
Arabella squeaked and she covered her mouth for a moment, terrified and worried about Hunter. She was stunned and she felt horrible. She didn't even care that she was naked in that moment, she just wanted him to be okay. "Are you okay?" Arabella asked in a high, nervous voice and she leaned towards him a little bit, worried that she would see a ton of blood gushing from his head or something like that.
Hunter rubbed his head and groaned a little. "Yeah. I'm fine." Hunter said quietly. He looked at her and blushed a little bit at their mutual nudity. "I'm sorry. I lost my balance. Are you okay? I didn't mean to drag you down with me." He said, stepping forward and brushing the hair out of her face. He took a deep breath and closed his eyes a moment as the pain in his head started to dull a little. There was going to be a bump there and Hunter knew it, but it wasn't a concussion and he was grateful for that. "Where were we?" He said, trying to salvage the mood.
"Let's just...get dressed and go get some supper. We have all night in this room" Arabella said softly and she looked down at herself, blushing a little bit. "Are you sure that you're okay, Hunter? Do you need anything? Advil?" She asked and nervously chewed on her lip. She knew that Hunter had done much worse to himself than hit his head on the side of a tub but she was still worried. She didn't want him to be hurt.
Hunter smiled and wrapped an arm around her waist. "I'm fine, sweetie. I've broken almost every bone in my body. I think I can handle a little tumble in a bath tub." He said, rubbing the back of his head a little. He kissed her on the lips and pulled away, carefully stepping out of the jacuzzi. "Here, let me help you get out." He said, offering his hand. She took it and stepped out of the jacuzzi. Hunter held her hand and spun her into him, wrapping his arms around her. "Maybe we should go dancing tonight." Hunter said with a smile before kissing her on the cheek.
"Dancing sounds good" Arabella said softly and she looked up at Hunter with big eyes. She shivered a little, now that she was out of the warm water and in the cold air but Hunter's arms around here were keeping her warm. Arabella leaned into him a little bit and she placed a kiss on his chin. "Let's not fall anymore, okay?" She said and she took his hand, walking back to the bedroom with him so that they could get dressed.
Hunter slipped his clothes back on and then grabbed his keys. He hurried down to the car and grabbed their bags before hurrying back up and walking into the bedroom to see Arabella drying herself off with a towel. He blushed a little and stared for a second before clearing his throat and looking away. "Here's your bags." He said, setting them on the bed. She smiled at him and then kissed his cheek with a small thank you. Hunter unzipped his bag and pulled out a collared shirt and a nice pair of jeans before quickly changing and sitting down on the bed. He tied his shoes and then looked at Arabella who was standing in front of a mirror deciding on what to wear. He sighed and walked up behind her, wrapping his arms around her waist. "Ellie, pick something. You look beautiful and absolutely stunning in anything." He said with a smile as he kissed her head.
Arabella blushed a little bit and she smiled. "I'll just wear a paper bag , then" She teased and she put her hands on his hands. She looked down into her bag and she took a deep breath. "Okay, I'll wear this" She finally said and she pulled out a dress that was fitted on the top and at her waist, it flared out. It was a dress that she bought when they were in New Orleans and she figured that it would be a good dress for dancing since it would spin out when she twirled. Arabella tilted her head back and kissed Hunter's cheek before pulling out of his arms so that she could pull the dress over her head. "Zip me up?" She asked, turning her back to Hunter and holding her hair to the side.
Hunter grinned and stepped forward. He placed a small kiss on her back right above the zipper and then trailed kisses all the way up as he zipped it and then fastened it at the top. "You look beautiful." Hunter said, wrapping his arms around her waist and looking at her in the mirror. "This dress was a good choice. A paper bag wouldn't be very flattering." He whispered before placing a kiss on her cheek. "Alright. You ready?" He said, taking her hand.
Arabella gave his hand a small squeeze and she nodded. "Yeah, I think so" She said and she looked down at her dress. She spun her hips a little so the dress spun and she looked up at Hunter. "Do you know where we're going?" she asked, giggling a little bit as he led her outside of the hotel room and towards the elevator. She was looking forward to spending the night with Hunter, dancing and laughing.
Hunter shrugged. "Not a clue." He said with a grin. They emerged from the elevator and Hunter glanced around the lobby a bit. He finally found the concierge table and walked up, swinging Arabella and his joined hands a little. "Hi, ma'am. We're looking for a place to go dancing. Is there a place close?" He asked with a smile. The woman looked up from her phone call with a slightly annoyed look on her face. Like being asked to do her job was an inconvenience.
"Sorry, Jen. One sec." She set her phone down and then flipped through a large binder. "You have many options." She said with a sigh, not bothering to look up at them. "There's--" She glanced up at them for a second before a smile crept across her face. "I would suggest the Town Danceboutique. Let me write that down." She said, scribbling onto a piece of paper. She handed him the slip and smiled. "Have a good time." She said with a giggle before going back to her phone call.
"Bitch" Arabella muttered under her breath as Hunter and her walked away from the table. She huffed then smiled and looked over at the paper in Hunter's hands before looking up at Hunter. "Town Danceboutique? Sounds..interesting" She said and giggled before walking out of the hotel and towards the car with Hunter.
Hunter smiled and kissed her cheek. They finally reached the car and Hunter looked at it with a sigh. "Let's take a cab." Hunter said with a chuckle as he observed how boxed in he was by the cars in front and behind. There was no way he was going to be able to wiggle out. He looked over at Arabella and smiled, trying to keep this night a happy one. Arabella hailed an army of taxis and they chose one. "The...Town Danceboutique, please." Hunter said with a smile. The driver turned around and looked at them for a second before shrugging and starting toward the club. Hunter smiled and put an arm around Arabella, running a few fingers through her hair and kissing her temple. "I figured that we could dance for a little while and then maybe walk around the mall and then we can go to dinner." He whispered against her hair.
Arabella giggled a little and she nodded, leaning into him. She could see the driver holding back a laugh and she wondered why he wa laughing and why the girl who gave them the name of the club had smirked. Arabella pushed it out of her mind and she turned towards Hunter, kissing him lightly. "How is your head doing?" She asked, lightly brushing her fingers across the back of his head.
Hunter shrugged. "It's just fine." He said with a grin as he kissed her lightly on the lips. "Did I tell you how beautiful you look tonight?" He said quietly, placing small kisses on her cheek, feeling the warmth of her blushing against his lips. Hunter didn't pay any attention to the driver or things around him. He was focused on Arabella and he was focused on making this the best night ever. He placed kisses on her head when finally the cab stopped. Hunter grinned and paid the driver before slipping out of the car with Arabella's hand in his. He was excited to go dancing. The two of them walked into the building and Hunter looked around. There were guys. A lot of guys. "Ellie, what--"
"Well, hello there!" A man said, running his hand along Hunter's back as he walked around to face him. "Honey, I love your dress." He said, glancing over at Arabella before focusing on Hunter.
Arabella was looking around the club, very confused. She was wondering why there were a ton of guys there when she saw the man touch Hunter's back and Arabella had to clutch her side because she was giggling so much. She glanced around the building again, seeing mostly men. There were very few women and none of the guys were looking at them at all. She turned back to Hunter and saw that he was looking very uncomfortable, so Arabella stepped closer to him and she slipped her arms around his middle. "You okay?" she whispered in his ear before looking at the man who had touched Hunter.
Hunter was nervous and he was panicking a little as much as he tried not to show it. He wanted this night to be perfect, but this didn't seem to be the right fit for them. He looked down at Arabella and put an arm around her, calming down a little. "I'm fine." He said, kissing her head. He turned back to the man who looked disgusted at the show of affection. "Sir, though I appreciate your interest in my body, I respectfully decline." The man rolled his eyes and pursed his lips before sighing and walking off. Hunter looked at Arabella and sighed. "How about we walk around the monuments for a while and we try finding a nice place later. That sound okay?" He asked with a grin as he put his hands on her hips.
"That sounds great" Arabella said with a giggle and she leaned up to kiss his cheek. She slipped her hand into his and started to walk out of the bar with him. A couple people along the way gave them odd looks but she just found the whole thing funny. She smiled up at him and as the walked, she saw a few guys wink at Hunter wich made Arabella giggle harder. Arabella walked past them and she stepped outside into the cool night air. "That bitch from the hotel sent us to a gay bar" She said, smiling up at Hunter.
Hunter cleared his throat and nodded. "Yes." He said quietly, heading toward the street. "Yes, she did." He said with a sigh as he waved for a taxi. One stopped in front of them and Hunter got in. "To the National Mall, please." He said quietly. He looked over at Arabella and put an arm around her. "I'm sorry about that." He muttered, placing a kiss on her temple. He felt bad that he had lead them to a gay bar. He was actually really embarrassed that he had lead them to a gay bar.
Arabella shook her head and she giggled. "No, don't be sorry. It was rather hilarious" She said and she kissed him lightly. "Now we know to never go there" Arabella nodded and she put her head on his shoulder, leaning into him. "Those guys there have really good taste, though" She said and put a hand on his leg. When the cab stopped, Arabella paid the driver before Hunter could and she slipped out, looking around as she waited for Hunter to get out of the cab.
Hunter sighed and put his wallet back in his pocket as he slipped out of the car. He looked at her and sighed again before slipping an arm around her middle and starting their walk around the mall. "We have the capitol building here and then the Washington Monument and then the Lincoln Memorial past that. And then throughout are little mini memorials." He said with a shrug before putting his hands on her hips and pulling her close. He kissed her on the lips and smiled.
Arabella smiled and she pulled herself close to him, wrapping her arms around his middle and placing her head on his chest, looking over to the monument. "Wow...they're really amazing, huh?" she said softly and gave Hunter a small squeeze. It was an incredible feeling, being with him there. She liked being able to feel his arms around her and hear his heart. Not to mention, they were close to home. Arabella was looking forward to their life together and it really hit home for her when she looked out and the monument and realized how far they had come.
Hunter kissed her head, rubbing her back a little. "Well?" He said with a smile. He pulled away and looked at her. She was looking at him with a confused look on her face. "Don't you want to take a picture?" He asked with a grin as he looked back at the Capitol building. She giggled a little and pulled out her camera while Hunter made sure he was standing far enough away to get a good shot. He struck a regal pose. One that royalty would make in a photograph. He heard giggling and then the click of a camera. "How do I look?"
"Sexy, as usual" Arabella teased, winking at him. She giggled and looked down at the camera. "I am getting this one in a frame" she said and she switched the camera pack to picture mode. She looked around until she found a woman walking past with a shopping bag in her hand. "Excuse me? Would you take a picture for me?" She asked and the woman nodded, taking the camera with a smiled. Arabella ran over to Hunter and she threw her arms around him, kissing his cheek. She heard the click of the camera and she ran back over to get it.
Hunter stood there with a smile plastered on his face a second. He loved everything about Arabella. He was truly absotively posilutely in love with Arabella. The way that she could be so playful and innocent by throwing her arms around him and kissing his cheek, but then be serious when they were talking. She was perfect. He finally looked at her and then walked over casually, placing a kiss on her shoulder and then looking at the picture. "I'm blushing." He said with a chuckle. He took her hand and they started toward the Washington Monument. "World's tallest true obelisk." He said quietly, pointing to the monument. He glanced over at her and blushed a little. "Sorry. I'm a dork." He said, studying the ground a little.
Arabella leaned into him and she put her fingers under his chin. She turned his head to look at her and she smiled warmly at him. "I wouldn't say dork" She said and shook her head. "Nerd, maybe. But I happen to find nerds very sexy" She told him softly and she kissed him lightly. She saw his cheeks brighten even more and she let go of him, turning back towards the monument. "What else can you tell me about it?" she asked him, curiously.
Hunter chuckled and cleared his throat. "Well," He started, looking up at the Monument. "Started in 1848 and completed in 1884. It was built to honor George Washington, hence the name. It's made of marble and granite mostly. It's 555 feet give or take some inches tall." He explained as they approached the building. "Do you see that line where the coloration of the stone changes?" He asked, looking over at Arabella. "That's where they stopped in 1854. 22 years later, they started up again." He smiled softly as he looked up at the history that stood before him. He glanced over at Arabella who was looking at him oddly. "I read a book on Washington, DC back at camp. It was one of Chiron's."
"I just don't know how you managed to remember all of that" Arabella said with a giggle and she took her camera out, taking another picture of the monument. She slipped it into her pocket and sighed. "I wish that I had read more of the books at camp. I tried to read up on all of the history but I got bored so quick and soon enough, there was a new piece of gossip going around the Aphrodite cabin and I forgot everything I had learnt that day" She told him with a small giggle and a nod.
Hunter laughed and slipped an arm around her middle. "Well, don't worry about it. I'm smart enough for the both of us." She smacked his arm and Hunter laughed, poking her side a little, causing her to jump and squirm. He wrapped an arm around her and kissed her temple. "Looks like the--" He was about to say the Lincoln Memorial. The place where he thought he had killed Dolos. He shuttered a little and looked at Arabella. "Excuse me. Looks like the...Lincoln Memorial is next."
Arabella looked up at him and she gave him a little squeeze. "You okay, Hunter?" She asked him gently. Arabella didn't want to push him into talking about his past and the things that he went though, so she never asked questions. But she often wondered what was going on in his mind or if he had really ever gotten past it. She didn't want him to hold things back from her and not talk about things that he needed to talk about.
Hunter sighed and nodded a little. "I'm fine." He said quietly. He looked past the Washington Monument at the Lincoln Memorial and cleared his throat. "My first quest. Will and I followed the god of mischief to the Lincoln Memorial." He sighed as Dolos' face flashed in his mind. "He was responsible for Kate's death and Orion's death and Kyle sometimes walks with a limp because of him." He took a deep breath. "We killed him, but it's still a little...bothersome. I'm okay though. I'm fine." He said with with a smile.
"I'm sorry that you had to deal with all of that" Arabella said softly and she placed a kiss against his jaw. She slipped her hand into his and she gave it a small squeeze before turning her eyes back to the memorial. It was really amazing to look at but she wasn't thinking of the memorial. She was thinking of Hunter and Will, fighting a god. She was proud of Hunter to have done everything that he had done. "Do you want to find somewhere to have dinner or do you want to stay here?" She asked him.
"We can stay here, if you want. I don't want this to ruin our night." He said with a nod. He hated even talking about it. Especially when they were trying to have a nice night. "Actually, let's go to the memorial. I want to get your picture with president Lincoln." He said with a chuckle, giving her a squeeze and kissing her temple. "And then we can go find some place for dinner."
Arabella laughed and rolled her eyes, placing the camera in his hands. "Only because you asked so nicely" She said and she fixed her dress a little, tugging on the hem. When it was straight, she leaned into Hunter a little bit as they started to walk towards the memorial. "If we need to get a picture of me then I want to get a picture of you" She told him with a nod and she nudged him a little and giggled. "Just so you know"
Hunter sighed and kissed her head. "If I must." He said dramatically. He leaned into her and kissed her head again as they finally arrived at the memorial. The fight flashed in his mind. All of the copies that they killed and the mess of dark red ichor that piled before dissolving. He shook himself and pointed the camera. "Alright. Strike a pose with Honest Abe." He said with a laugh. He took her picture and then handed the camera to a woman walking by. He thanked her and then ran at Arabella sweeping her into his arms. She put her arms around his neck and grinned at the camera while Hunter kissed her cheek.
Arabella giggled happily and when the camera clicked, she slid out of Hunter's arms so that she could take the camera back from the woman. She thanked her and walked back to Hunter, looking at the picture of them together and she smiled, showing it to him. "You look very sexy" She giggled and she kissed his cheek.
Hunter grinned and stood behind her, wrapping his arms around her waist. "The lovely woman in my arms helped." He said with a laugh before kissing her cheek. They looked up at Lincoln for a moment leaning into each other's warm bodies. "This building was modeled after the Parthenon and the Temple of Zeus." He said quietly, putting his chin on her head. "If you look closely you can actually see that the cape sort of thing that Lincoln is sitting on is actually an American flag. You can probably see a star or two." He muttered before kissing her hair. He swayed softly, just letting her relax in his arms.
"We should go to Greece" Arabella said softly and she looked up at him through her eyelashes. Arabella had loved spending time in Greece when she had the chance to get there. She loved seeing all of the history that was so closely connected to. Arabella leaned against Hunter and gave him a small squeeze. "I think that it would be fun. Have you been there, yet?"
Hunter grinned and kissed her hair, still swaying. "No. I haven't." He said with a shrug. "It's not like I had many ways to get there. Ulysses would have tossed me if I asked him to fly over water. He hated flying over water." He said with a chuckle before turning her around. He put his hands on her waist and pulled her in for a kiss. "You want to go get something to eat now?" He asked with a smile, kissing her nose lightly. She nodded and giggled a little as she took his hand and started pulling him toward the street. She hailed a cab and Hunter got in, putting an arm around Arabella and kissing her temple.
"Where to?" The driver asked, looking back at them with a small smile. Hunter thought for a second.
"Is there a place where we can get really good food and then dance to some good music? And don't recommend Town Danceboutique." He said with a small chuckle. The driver laughed and looked at Hunter.
"I got a place. Meze. Mediterranean food. Absolutely delicious. It'll be about 15 minutes." He said before starting toward the restaurant.
"Mmm..Mediterranean. Sounds awesome" Arabella said and she grinned up at Hunter. She took a breath and curled up to his side, placing her head on his shoulder.
"Where are you two from?" The cab driver asked when he stopped at a red light.
"New York" Arabella told him happily. She was excited to be so close to home. The driver nodded and started driving again when the light turned green. Arabella turned to Hunter and she kissed him tightly. When the cab stopped, Hunter paid and together, they slid out of the car. Arabella took Hunter's hand and walked into Meze. "Ohh...this looks really good" She said softly.
Hunter looked around the restaurant and took a deep breath. He had seen restaurants like this, but it was because he was begging outside of them. It wasn't successful though. People would pay with credit cards instead of cash. That meant no change. "This looks expensive." He said with a nod before realizing something. He was a millionaire. He could but whatever he wanted. Did he want to though? He promised himself that the money wouldn't change who he was. He was still the same person. He looked over at Arabella and grinned. He was homeless months ago. At this point in December the previous year when everyone was worrying about Christmas gifts, he was worrying if he would get pneumonia. He wrapped an arm around her and kissed her tightly on the lips, holding her close. He wanted to show how much he owed her. How much he had given up for her and how much he loved her. He needed to show her how much she meant to him. He put all of that into the kiss. It would take all night to voice this, but with this kiss he wanted to let her know. She meant the world to him.
Arabella's heart raced and she melted into Hunter. He was perfect. There was nothing that she could find wrong. His whole heart was in that kiss. She could feel it. Arabella leaned into him, putting just as much into the kiss. She wanted him to know how much he meant to her, how lost she would be without him. When Hunter pulled away from the kiss, Arabella swayed for a moment, trying to steady herself. Hunter had totally blown her away. She opened her eyes and she smiled at him softly. "Wow" She breathed.
Hunter grinned and kissed her forehead. "I have that effect on people." He said with a laugh before placing his hand on the small of her back and moving and walking to the host. "We need a table for 2 please." Hunter said with a grin, lightly grazing Arabella's back with his hand. The host nodded and grabbed two menus and lead them to a table near the back. As they walked Hunter got a view of the restaurant. It was dimly lit, but in a way that you could still see everything. There was a crowded bar and tables all around a dancefloor where 2 or 3 couples were dancing to jazz played through the loudspeaker. Hunter pulled out Arabella's chair for her and let her sit before sitting down across from her. "We'll need to liven up the dance floor eventually." Hunter said, reaching across the table and taking her hand in his. This night started out shaky, but it was slowly become perfect. It was the perfect restaurant. It was the perfect night. He was with the perfect woman. He kissed her fingers before looking up at her and smiling. "Ellie, I love you." He said with a smile.
"I love you too, Hunter" Arabella said softly and she smiled over at him. She was looking forward to spending the rest of her life with him and she was excited for it to start. The night had been pretty perfect up until then and Arabella knew that it was going to stay perfect. She knew that the rest of their lives were not going to be perfect but she was sure that it would be pretty darn close to perfect. When the waitress walked over to them, Arabella quickly ordered a Pepsi for herself and she looked down at the menu "Could I have some of this...Cacik soup?" She asked, looking back down to the menu, wondering if she said it right.
Hunter laughed a little as Arabella tried to pronounce the words. It was a little embarrassing for her, he was sure. The waiter turned to him. "I'll just have a water and just bring me whatever she's having. I'm not good at deciding when everything looks so good." He said with a smile. Arabella huffed a little and looked at the menu more intently. "The pressure is on now, sweetie. I believe in you. You can do it." He encouraged with a chuckle. The waiter smiled patiently as he waited for her to decide for them. Hunter looked at her and grinned. He was so glad that he had her. He was so glad that they were close to New York and they were close to being back home and he was just so glad that this wasn't all a dream and that he wasn't asleep in San Fransisco where he was alone and when he didn't have her.
"So..we;ll have the soup and maybe this..mucver then we can split the calamari to start" Arabella finally decided and she passed her menu back to the waiter. She smiled at him as he walked away then turned to look at Hunter. "If you don't like your food...it's not my fault" She shrugged and giggled a little bit. Her stomach growled and she smiled happily when the waiter came back with her pepsi ad Hunter's water.
Hunter laughed a little and took a sip of his water. "I'm sure you made wonderful choices." He said with a grin. "I've never had calamari, so this should be interesting." He smiled at her and sighed happily. He looked around the restaurant a little and took a deep breath. It was a great place. He heard the song change and he looked over at the dance floor. It was mostly empty. Hunter looked at Arabella and stood up, walking to her side of the table. He took her hand and kissed it lightly before smiling at her. "May I have this dance?" He said with a grin.
Arabella blushed deeply and she smiled. "I suppose" She teased and giggled when he pulled her into him and over to the dance floor. Arabella slipped her arms around his neck and as much as she wanted to be looking at him, she turned her eyes to her feet, nervous about stepping on him. Arabella had never been much of a dancer and she was fine with it but she didn't want to step on Hunter's foot and ruin the moment.
Hunter held her close and swayed gently, looking around for a moment. It was quiet. He was so glad that they had found this restaurant. It was perfect. He looked down at Arabella who was studying her feet. He laughed a little and kissed her hair. She looked up for a moment before going back to her feet. "How about this?" He said, lifting her into the air a little. He set her back down on his feet and adjusted a little so that he was holding her and dancing with her while she was standing on his feet. "Better? Now you're already stepping on my feet." He said, placing a small kiss on her forehead as they swayed softly to the music.
Arabella giggled and she rested her head on his shoulder, holding herself tight to him. "Where did you learn to dance?" Arabella asked softly and she closed her eyes. She loved being close to Hunter like that. The way that she was standing on his feet and the way his arms were around her made her feel safe. He was holding her close and nothing could hurt her. She wanted to stay like that forever and her heart leapt when she realized that she was staying like that forever. She was staying with him forever.
"I didn't." Hunter said quietly, placing a kiss on her head. "I'm just guessing here mostly." He rested his chin on her head and rubbed her back. "It's sort of like knife fighting in a way. Just...less dangerous and sharp and stuff." He laughed a little kissed her forehead. "I'm not really dancing. Just swaying to the rhythm." He specified. It was another thing that bothered him about how he grew up. People would learn how to dance or at least dance at some point in their childhood. Hunter was handed a knife and told to slash up a dummy.
"Well...you're a much better swayer than me" Arabella said. Together, they moved to the music in silence for a little bit but Arabella soon started to giggle. "I'm sorry...I just..If I had been paying attention during our knife fighting lessons, I might be a bit better at dancing" She said and pulled away a little bit to look up at him. "I guess that's just another we have to add to the list of things you need to teach me"
"I'll be old and grey once you finally learn everything." He teased with a smile. She smacked his arm and giggled a little. He grinned at her and put his forehead against hers. "You'll still be as beautiful and radiant and perfect as you are now." He kissed her lightly and winked at her before bending and dipping her as the song ended, holding her there and looking at her.
Arabella, still blushing, pulled Hunter down to her and she kissed him deeply. She almost didn't want that moment to end. It was so perfect and wonderful and warm. Arabella couldn't wait to grow old with Hunter and sit in their front yard, watching the grandchildren run around. She would look over at Hunter and smile because she knew that she had lived a perfect life. Arabella moved her lips away from the kiss and she held herself closer to him, burying her face in his neck.
Hunter sighed happily and pulled her back up into a hug. He kissed her head and held her as they swayed a moment more, just holding each other and sharing their warmth with each other, letting each other know how they feel. Hunter couldn't imagine life without her. He needed her. She was his purpose. His motivation. His link to a normal life. To a happy life. He finally broke away a little and looked at their table. "Looks like our food is here." He whispered before taking her hand and kissing it. "That was a lovely dance. Thank you."
"Don't be thanking me until you try your food. You might hate it" Arabella said with a smirk and she kissed Hunter tightly for a moment before breaking away. She took his hand and walked over to their table. Hunter pulled the chair out for her and she blushed a little bit as she sat down. Once Hunter was sitting down across from her, Arabella nervously picked at her soup. It was amazing. She smiled happily and took another bite. "This is awesome"
Hunter raised an eyebrow at the food and at Arabella who was eating happily. He ate a spoonful of the soup and grinned. It was delicious. He took another spoonful and ate it with a smirk on his face. "This is bad." He said with a smile. "You're eating this food, now." She looked up at him a little worriedly. "See. This is a problem for me. We're going to get home and then I'm going to have to live up to this. I understand if you won't want me anymore." He said with a soft nod. He ate another spoonful and sighed, hanging his head dramatically.
Arabella laughed and she took a sip of her drink. She leaned across the table and she brushed her fingers along his jaw. "Oh, Hunter..I want you for so much more than your food. I want your body too" She giggled and she sat back up, taking a bite of the calamari. She chewed happily and ate another piece. In all honesty, she loved Hunter's cooking more than anything and she was really excited to eat some home cooked food.
Hunter nodded softly. "Yeah...I like me for my body too." He said with a laugh as he grabbed a piece of calamari. He looked at it for a second before taking a bite. It was chewy and it tasted a little slimy. It tasted okay, but he just couldn't get past the texture. He cleared his throat and choked it down, trying to hide the slight look of disgust on his face. "Good choices, Ellie." He said with a nod as he turned back to his soup.
"Liar" Arabella said and she looked over at him with a little frown on her face. "You hate it, don't you? I'm sorry, Hunter. I should have warned you about the calamari" She said and took a piece of calamari and popping it into her mouth. Arabella had grown up eating food from fancy restaurants. She had grown up with sushi and calamari and lobster and all kinds of fancy, expensive food. She had been exposed to foods from all over the world. Arabella often forgot that Hunter hadn't grown up with that. He had grown up in camp. Arabella sighed and she took a sip of her soup.
Hunter shook his head and swallowed his soup. "I don't hate it!" He clarified. "I just immediately wanted to spit it out when I ate it. That's all." He said with a grin. Hunter grabbed his plate of calamari and slid it over to her. "You're welcome to that." He said pointing to the plate. "I'll just stick with my soup and whatever mucver is." He said with a smile, probably butchering how it was pronounced. Hunter finished his soup and sat back in his chair. He loved how real she was. When he was with Philippa, she was always fiddling with something or it seemed she was hiding something, but with Arabella she seemed so real when he was with her. "If you could change one thing about yourself what would it be?" Hunter asked quietly. "Not that you need to. You're perfect. I'm just curious what your opinion is."
Arabella looked over at him, a little stunned by the question. She wasn't offended by it or anything like that, she was just taken aback by it. Arabella didn't realy know what to say, at first. There was a lot that she had wanted to change about herself over the years. She was always worried about her weight, about her hair, about how she said things. She was always very insecure. But the more she was with Hunter, the less she cared. Arabella felt beautiful because Hunter always reminded her. She wasn't so nervous about how she said things because Hunter was always so patient with her. "I-I don't know. I guess...I wish that I had more experience with fighting and weapons and everything, like most demi gods." She shrugged. "What about you?"
"Whenever you're ready for a lesson..." Hunter said with a grin. When she asked about him he froze. He knew the answer already, but he didn't want to talk about it. She would tell him how he was perfect and ideal and nothing was bad, but Hunter hated it. He wished he had had a normal life. Or at least he wished he had a demigod parent. No, he was just a mortal. A mortal who has seen way too much and no where near enough at the same time. He was looking for something else to say when the food came. He sighed in relief and thanked the waiter before turning to the food in front of him. It didn't look appealing in the slightest. He quickly took a bite and was surprised to find it somewhat tasty. "This is really good, Ellie."
Arabella looked across at him and she sighed before taking a bite of her food. Why wouldn't he tell her what was wrong? Why wouldn't he confide in her? Why was he holding things back from her? Arabella didn't like it. It made her worry that maybe it was something really bad. That he was holding something back from her for a really good reason. Arabella chewed slowly and swallowed her food before taking a sip of the soup. "So...what about you?" She asked him again in a soft voice.
Hunter looked at her and sighed. Tonight was perfect. Bringing drama into tonight was going to ruin the perfect. He washed down his food with his water and took a deep breath. "I'll make a deal with you." He said with a nod. "We can talk about this as much as you want. As soon as we get home." She frowned a little and looked down. "Ellie, Ellie. Look at me. I promise you that it isn't important and it will never change the way I feel about you. Tonight is just so perfect....I don't want to ruin it, okay?" He reached across the table and took her hand in his, hoping that gesture was enough.
Arabella looked down at his hand and she let out a sigh. Maybe he was rght. Talking about it would just bring drama that they didn't need. Arabella didn't want to fight with him. She didn't want to go to bed with worries. After a moment, Arabella turned her eyes up to look at Hunter and she gave him a small smile. She turned his hand over on the table and danced her fingers along his palm, across a scar. "What's this from?" Arabella asked him, figuring that if she just changed the subject, everything would be okay.
Hunter took a deep breath, glad that they didn't have to talk about it. Hunter twitched a little at the feeling of her fingers. "Umm...Stymphalian bird, I think." Hunter said with a nod, flexing his hand a little. "It jabbed into my back and I grabbed it, forgetting that it would slice into my hand." He said with a chuckle. He turned over his hand and revealed a scar across the back of his hand. "Sparring match against Will." He made a fist and showed a scar on his knuckles. "Pankration. I can thank your mother for that one." He said with a smile.
Arabella brushed her fingers over his knuckles and she smiled a little bit. "When I see her again, I'll just have to mention it and see if she'll give me the full story" She giggled and she turned her eyes up to him. She took a bite of the calamari and she cleared her throat. "I hope I get to see her soon. My mom. The last time I saw her, I wasn't exactly happy. I miss spending time with her" She admitted and she shrugged a little bit.
Hunter sighed a little and ate some of his food. "When was the last time you saw her?" He asked quietly. Hunter remembered the last time he saw her mom and it was on strange terms, but it was a rewarding conversation. If she was involved in them being together then it bothered him a little that she was unhappy when she saw her mom. It meant that it was probably his fault. "Was it at the airport before you stopped me at camp?" He asked, taking her hand again.
Arabella nodded and she looked down at their hands. She still felt guilty about that whole thing. It had all been so messed up and Arabella felt terrrible about hurting Hunter like that. "Yeah, it was. I had been so upset by the time my mom showed up and yeah...I was mess" she told him and she chewed on her lip for a moment before looking up at him. "I miss sitting with mom and talking about clothes or something like that"
Hunter nodded. "Well, call her up or something!" He said with a smile. Hunter sighed a little, regretting bringing up their first break up. It actually made him doubt their relationship a little. They've only been together a few months, but they've broken up twice. How likely is it that they won't break up again? Hunter shook the thought away and ate some more food. He took a big drink of water before hearing a more upbeat song come on to the loud speaker. He sighed at the silence that had fallen between them and stood, holding out his hand. "Come on. We're dancing to this song." He said with a grin.
"You must really want to embarrass me" Arabella said with a small giggle and she rolled her eyes. But she got up anyway. She took his hand and she put all of her trust in him and prayed that she wouldn't fall on her ass or something. Hunter took her out onto the dance floor, where Arabella looked around nervously. Maybe people would be too busy to notice if she looked like an idiot. She looked up at Hunter and smiled a little, placing her hands on either side of his neck.
Hunter laughed a little and put his hands on her shoulders. He grazed her arms with his hands all the way up to her wrists before removing them from his neck. "Here. Take my hands." He said with a smile as he took her hands and held them tight. He looked her in the eye before starting to dance, moving her arms with his. It was nothing too difficult and honestly it was just silly. It wasn't actual dancing, but it looked like Arabella wasn't as nervous as she was. He spun her out and then back, wrapping an arm around her and kissing her on the lips.
Arabella giggled against his lips and she leaned into him, letting him move her to the music. She was having fun. It was exciting to dance with Hunter like that. It felt easy and even though she was nervous, she was having a great time. Hunter made her feel safe. Arabella slipped her arms around his neck and she moved gently to the music, holding herself close to him. "You're going to have to teach me how to dance before I become Mrs. Hunter Reed because I do not want to end up on America's Funniest Home Videos when I fall into the DJ or the curtains or the candles"
Hunter scoffed and moved his hands lower, placing them on her back at her waist. "I'll have to learn if I'm going to teach you." Hunter said with a chuckle as he pulled her closer, kissing her lightly on the lips. The song changed to a slower one and Hunter glanced around a little. They were the only ones dancing. "Mrs. Hunter Reed." Hunter whispered,placing a kiss on her forehead. They swayed softly and held each other close. Hunter closed his eyes and took a deep breath, kissing her cheek. "I'm really excited to be Mr. Arabella Foster." Hunter said, looking into her eyes.
Arabella looked up into his eyes and she giggled at the sound of that. She stretched up and she kissed him tightly, running her hands down to his arms. "Mrs. Hunter Reed and Mr. Arabella Foster. I think that I like the sounds of that" She teased and she gave him a playful wink before holding herself closer to him in a warm embrace. She closed her eyes, happy to feel his arms around her and know that he was going to stay like that for the rest of their lives. Sure, they had had a few problems. Their story was a whirlwind romance and most people would roll their eyes at them. But Arabella felt it in her heart; Hunter was meant for her and it didn't matter that they had only been together for a short amount of time. If it was meant to be, it was meant to be.
Hunter sighed happily and looked at her. She looked so beautiful and she always would. Maybe not to everyone, but to Hunter she would always be the most beautiful girl in the world. He kissed her and held her a little bit tighter, The song ended, but Hunter didn't stop swaying. He just kept his lips on hers and moved his hands a little bit lower, finally resting on her butt. "What do you say we go back to the hotel room and try the jacuzzi again?" Hunter said in a low tone, squeezing her butt gently.
Arabella looked up at him through her eyelashes with a seductive twinkle in her eye. "Sounds fantastic to me" She said and she kissed him with a teasing, little kiss before breaking away and walking towards their table. She felt Hunter catch up to her and wrap and arm around her. Arabella giggled as Hunter quickly paid the bill and they walked outside together. She was looking forward to getting back to their hotel suite and curling up with Hunter. They could relax and just be together. It was simple. Arabella hailed a cab and 3 stopped in front of them. She took Hunter's hand and slid into the nearest one.
Hunter smiled and placed a hand on her thigh, blushing a little at the feeling of her skin. He leaned in and placed a soft kiss on her neck very briefly. He pulled away a little and breathed on her neck, grazing his lips along her neck and shoulder before placing a small kiss behind her ear. "Mon amour, tu es belle ce soir." He whispered into her ear, kissing her ear lobe and then lightly nibbling as he danced his fingers up her leg.
Arabella closed her eyes and she shivered a little bit before leaning up to the cab driver. She told him the name of their hotel and she looked at Hunter for a moment. "And step on it" she said softly and she leaned back into Hunter, kissing him tightly. Arabella's heart was racing and her cheeks were flushed. Everytime his finger grazed against her skin, her heart would jump and goosebumps would pop up. After what seemed like a very long time, the cab stopped in front of the hotel. Arabella tossed a couple bills up front and she climbed out of the car, pulling Hunter with her.
Hunter followed behind and they hurried through the lobby to the elevator. Hunter held her hand as they waited for the doors to open. He lifted it and kissed the back of her hand then her wrist. He trailed kisses all the way up her arm. The doors finally opened and Arabella pulled him inside, slamming on the door close button and wrapping her arms around his neck. Hunter put his hands on her hips and kissed her tightly on the lips, running his tongue across her lips. He lifted her up and pressed her up against the wall of the elevator, kissing across the cheek and down her neck to her shoulder. He moved his hands to her butt as he felt her legs wrap around he waist. After another moment, Hunter heard the elevator door ding and open revealing the vacant hallway.
Arabella held onto Hunter tightly as he backed out of the elevator with Arabella in his arms. She tilted her head forward a little as Hunter walked, leaning into him more. Her eyes were closed and she let herself feel everything. The way he held her tightly in his arms. The way his hands rested on her butt, holding her up. The feel of his breath and his lips against her shoulder. It was perfection. Arabella felt him hold her against the door to their room and she pulled out the room key, trying to get it into the door but she couldn't focus because Hunter was now kissing her jaw. "Dammit" She whispered as she missed the slot for the key card again. "You're so distracting" she breathed.
Hunter laughed and placed a kiss on her chin. He took the key from her and looked before sliding it into the slot, unlocking the door and swinging it open. "It wasn't that difficult." He said with a grin, carrying her into the bedroom. He gently set her down and pulled off his shirt before crawling on top of her and kissing her tightly on the lips, loving the feeling of hovering over her. "Les mots ne peuvent exprimer à quel point vous êtes magnifique." He whispered into her ear
Arabella pulled him down to her, holding his body close to hers. She buried her face into his neck, placing gentle kisses along his skin. Arabella wanted to be close to him. She wanted to feel his heart beat and never let go. Arabella brushed her lips down to his shoulder and she slid her hands down his back, pressing her fingers into his muscles lightly. "I love you, Hunter" She breathed against his skin.
Hunter pulled away and kissed her forehead before placing his head against hers, looking into her eyes. Her brilliant blue eyes. Hunter could get lost in them. He wanted to get lost in them. There were sparks flying between their gazes as they stared into the eyes that they would look into for the rest of their lives. Hunter placed a small kiss on her cheek to the right of her nose and locked eyes with her again. "Ellie, I love you now and I will always love you until we're old and grey and our kids are old and grey and I will never let anything happen to you. You will always be the most beautiful girl in the world and nothing will change that. Not for me."
Arabella reached up and she brushed her fingers along his cheeks. "I don't want to spend my life with anyone but you" She told him softly and she smiled a little bit before kissing his lips gently. Hunter was perfect for her. He was her other half. He held her heart and her happiness. At this point, it was just a matter or waiting for him to ask the question. Arabella pulled away from the kiss and she smiled up at him, running her fingers through his hair lightly. "You're amazing"
Hunter smiled back and rolled off of her onto his side, taking her hand and kissing it. "You're perfect." He whispered against her skin. He looked at her and placed his hand on the side of her face, her hair between his fingers. "I love you." He breathed before kissing her tightly on the lips, pulling her face closer. His heart was racing and his mind was a blur of senses and feelings that he could barely think. He wanted her. He needed her. He didn't need anything else.