Read Online Uncharted Territory (The Compass Series Book 3) by Tamsen Parker - Free Book Online
Authors: Tamsen Parker
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time out.”
“He punished me, Rey.” And that was before I had a nuclear meltdown.
“Because he wanted to. He was being awfully picky with you. Did you mind?”
“No.”
“I didn’t think so. And a good thing, too, because he’s always going to find some fault with you. But the quiet and still—that will come with practice.”
“Yeah, he’s never going to want to practice with me again.”
“I wouldn’t be so sure.”
I roll my eyes and sink into the soft leather of my seat. Yeah, a newbie who safewords and bursts into tears when you call her a witch is everyone’s idea of a dream sub. I stare out the window, watching the white and yellow lines of the road disappear as we coast over backroads. Maybe Rey is like those delusional pageant parents on reality TV, so enamored of his creation he can’t see the hot mess everyone else does.
Chapter Seven
‡
Year One
Y et another knock at my door. Why does dorm life consist of people constantly knocking at your door? At least it’s a respectable hour. I needed my sleep after the royal clusterfuck that was last night. I cringe just thinking about it.
“Come in.”
But nobody does.
“Come in!”
Goddammit. I’m comfortable in my bed with my book. I don’t want to get up, but it looks like I have no choice. It’s with considerable annoyance that I fling off my blanket and haul myself over to the door. When I open it, I’m greeted by the biggest bunch of yellow roses I’ve ever seen. There must be three dozen of them.
“What the hell is this?”
“Good morning to you, too.” Rey pushes by me to set the enormous bouquet on my desk. They take up my entire room.
“Seriously, Rey. What the fuck?”
“I don’t know, little one. You’ll have to read the card to find out.” He sprawls across my rumpled covers, bunching a pillow under his head. I scowl but reach for the card attached to the vase nonetheless. It’s not your typical thin, cheap envelope with a florist’s logo, but a luxuriously thick, off-white one. When I open it, I find a forest green liner and a flat card of a similarly heavy weight with an engraved monogram: HLV. Hunter green then.
With my most sincere apologies. I’d like to see you again.
Yours,
Hunter
What ? I read it through over and over. He wants to see me again?
“And?” Rey prods. “Who are they from?”
“You know who they’re from.”
“Unless Hunter’s hiring Ben out as an errand boy, yes, I do.”
“Ben brought these?” The idea of Ben just down the hall, like Hunter by proxy, sends my heart skipping in a way I want to ignore.
“He did.”
Whoa. I hand Rey the card, and he whistles through his teeth. “Damn, girl.”
“Yeah. I guess Hunter Vaughn likes his girls with a big ol’ side of crazy.” I’d like to pretend that insulted and wary are the only things I’m feeling, but there’s also a low-burning glow of hopeful pleasure in my chest. He wants to see me again.
“Don’t be like that. Some guys love high-drama girls, but I’ve never known Hunter to be one of them. He likes you and he feels bad about how things ended, that’s all.”
I lie on my bed with Rey, and he spoons me, slinging a heavy arm over my ribcage as we stare at Hunter’s enormous and beautiful apology. The guy doesn’t even know what he’s apologizing for. He had no way of knowing. I wonder what I’d get if he actually screwed up.
“Fine,” I allow, trying to smother the excitement under a scowl.
“I’ll give him a call in a few hours. He doesn’t need to know you live down the hall from me. And besides, it’s good to make him wait. Not to mention I’m hungry. Brunch?”
*
“Thank you for seeing me. I’m sorry about last night.”
Hunter’s sitting across the table, looking heavenly in a navy suit, light blue button-down, and red tie. I take a sip of water. “It wasn’t your fault.”
We’re sitting in a small private dining room in a very swank restaurant in midtown Manhattan. Alone. Rey
“He punished me, Rey.” And that was before I had a nuclear meltdown.
“Because he wanted to. He was being awfully picky with you. Did you mind?”
“No.”
“I didn’t think so. And a good thing, too, because he’s always going to find some fault with you. But the quiet and still—that will come with practice.”
“Yeah, he’s never going to want to practice with me again.”
“I wouldn’t be so sure.”
I roll my eyes and sink into the soft leather of my seat. Yeah, a newbie who safewords and bursts into tears when you call her a witch is everyone’s idea of a dream sub. I stare out the window, watching the white and yellow lines of the road disappear as we coast over backroads. Maybe Rey is like those delusional pageant parents on reality TV, so enamored of his creation he can’t see the hot mess everyone else does.
Chapter Seven
‡
Year One
Y et another knock at my door. Why does dorm life consist of people constantly knocking at your door? At least it’s a respectable hour. I needed my sleep after the royal clusterfuck that was last night. I cringe just thinking about it.
“Come in.”
But nobody does.
“Come in!”
Goddammit. I’m comfortable in my bed with my book. I don’t want to get up, but it looks like I have no choice. It’s with considerable annoyance that I fling off my blanket and haul myself over to the door. When I open it, I’m greeted by the biggest bunch of yellow roses I’ve ever seen. There must be three dozen of them.
“What the hell is this?”
“Good morning to you, too.” Rey pushes by me to set the enormous bouquet on my desk. They take up my entire room.
“Seriously, Rey. What the fuck?”
“I don’t know, little one. You’ll have to read the card to find out.” He sprawls across my rumpled covers, bunching a pillow under his head. I scowl but reach for the card attached to the vase nonetheless. It’s not your typical thin, cheap envelope with a florist’s logo, but a luxuriously thick, off-white one. When I open it, I find a forest green liner and a flat card of a similarly heavy weight with an engraved monogram: HLV. Hunter green then.
With my most sincere apologies. I’d like to see you again.
Yours,
Hunter
What ? I read it through over and over. He wants to see me again?
“And?” Rey prods. “Who are they from?”
“You know who they’re from.”
“Unless Hunter’s hiring Ben out as an errand boy, yes, I do.”
“Ben brought these?” The idea of Ben just down the hall, like Hunter by proxy, sends my heart skipping in a way I want to ignore.
“He did.”
Whoa. I hand Rey the card, and he whistles through his teeth. “Damn, girl.”
“Yeah. I guess Hunter Vaughn likes his girls with a big ol’ side of crazy.” I’d like to pretend that insulted and wary are the only things I’m feeling, but there’s also a low-burning glow of hopeful pleasure in my chest. He wants to see me again.
“Don’t be like that. Some guys love high-drama girls, but I’ve never known Hunter to be one of them. He likes you and he feels bad about how things ended, that’s all.”
I lie on my bed with Rey, and he spoons me, slinging a heavy arm over my ribcage as we stare at Hunter’s enormous and beautiful apology. The guy doesn’t even know what he’s apologizing for. He had no way of knowing. I wonder what I’d get if he actually screwed up.
“Fine,” I allow, trying to smother the excitement under a scowl.
“I’ll give him a call in a few hours. He doesn’t need to know you live down the hall from me. And besides, it’s good to make him wait. Not to mention I’m hungry. Brunch?”
*
“Thank you for seeing me. I’m sorry about last night.”
Hunter’s sitting across the table, looking heavenly in a navy suit, light blue button-down, and red tie. I take a sip of water. “It wasn’t your fault.”
We’re sitting in a small private dining room in a very swank restaurant in midtown Manhattan. Alone. Rey
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