Holding On (Love In Montana Book 3)

The next day at school, Rihanna waited eagerly for Robbie and Hunter. Her face brightened when she saw Robbie getting down from Hunter's truck but to her surprise, instead of Hunter, Gemma got down to see him off. She instantly knew that Hunter might be upset. Robbie came inside the class with a smile on his face. "Good morning, Miss Anna, " he greeted her with a secret smile on his face. She was surprised that he remembered.

"Good morning, Robbie, " she greeted him with a smile. Robbie looked happy and she felt relieved. Although she wanted to know about his uncle Hunt, she would look weird asking him about it. So she started her class as usual with the hope that Hunter would come around after school to fetch Robbie. It was lunch time and she had to give equal attention to all her students but she did go up to Robbie to have a talk with him.

"Did you sleep well last night, Robbie?" She asked him softly. Robbie nodded.

"I did but uncle Hunt didn't. He drank bad water and Gemma was mad at him," said Robbie innocently telling her what she was dying to know.

"Hmm," she said, worried about Hunter.

"Gemma said uncle Hunt needs a scolding from you. Will you come home to scold him, mo.. I mean, Miss Anna?" He said. Rihanna was amazed at how the little boy corrected himself.

"Not today, Robbie, " said Rihanna. If she went, her granddad and dad would be furious. "Maybe over the weekend. "

"Yeah, we could go somewhere again, " Robbie said excitedly. Rihanna nodded and went to another student of hers who needed her attention. She knew if she spent the night together with them, there would surely be problems for her at her house. Classes resumed and then soon was over. Gemma again came to pick him up with an apologetic smile on her face as if she knew that Rihanna was waiting to see Hunter.

Rihanna couldn't stop herself from asking about Hunter. "What's up with him?" She asked her.

"He's down with fever since morning, Anna, " said Gemma. Rihanna couldn't stay away any longer. Her face paled and her heart constricted with worry.

"Oh, has he taken medicine?" She asked with concern.

"No, he went to work with his fever. He fell from his horse while training it," said Gemma, looking mad already. "I'm tired of him. Why don't you marry him already and relieve me?" She said flailing her arms helplessly.

"How do you know he wants to marry me?" She asked with pink cheeks.

Gemma rolled her eyes. "She asks me how I know!" She said with disbelief. "That's all he said since last night after pouring all that whiskey down his throat." Rihanna's jaws dropped. After Gemma left with Robbie, she collected her stuff and drove home. Quickly showering and changing into a flowing, knee length light blue sundress, she picked up her mobile, handbag and car keys.

Her mom's jaws dropped seeing her. "You came in just now, didn't you? Where are you off to again?" She asked with concern.

"Mom, Hunter's very sick. He doesn't have anyone to look after him. Robbie's too small and alone. I need to go and at least give him some medicine and get him to his feet. Please mom. I have to stay over tonight. I'll come back home after school tomorrow, " said Rihanna. Her mom sighed.

"I don't know Anna. Your dad won't like it at all," she told her.

"Mom, I'm twenty-six and not sixteen. Please, I know what I'm doing, " she said with frustration. Why couldn't they just leave her in peace? Her mom shrugged.

"Fine, go then if you have to," she said, not looking pleased at all. Rihanna didn't stay to convince her. Her heart wanted to see Hunter and she just rushed out to her car. Starting her car, she drove off towards Robbie's house, her heartbeats accelerating at the thought of again spending time with Hunter.

In ten minutes, she parked her car in Hunter's ranch and climbed down. She walked towards his main door with her heart thundering in her chest. She rang the doorbell and waited patiently for someone to open. The door was opened by a grumbling Gemma who hadn't had any respite since yesterday night.

"I swear I'll go crazy," she muttered as she looked who had arrived at their doorstep. She gasped with surprise and then her face broke into a happy smile. "I knew you couldn't stay away from him. Come on in," said a chirpy Gemma. Rihanna walked in with her cheeks flushed with color at Gemma's words. They were true actually. She couldn't stay away from Hunter.

"Gemma, who the f*ck is at the door? Can someone please enlighten me?" He groaned and growled from his room.

"Your would be wife, who else?" Yelled back Gemma with a chuckle.

"Very funny! Robbie, check who's at the door, " he yelled again, feeling frustrated.

"Mommyyyyyyyy," squealed an excited Robbie as he stood at the doorway of his room. A sound of a crash from Hunter's room had them alerted. Rihanna ran towards his room followed by the others. She found his table lamp lying broken on the floor and he was in pain, clutching onto his knee.

"Hunter, what do you do all the time," she scolded him as he  looked up at her as if in a trance. She gently held him by the shoulders and lay him down. Then she tenderly held his leg and raised it to the bed. "Gemma, get me a cold compress," she instructed and Gemma ran. A round eyed Robbie climbed on the other side of the bed and watched the drama.

"Uncle Hunt are you a baby? Why did you go to work when you were so sick?" He scolded him. Rihanna smiled at his words.

"Laugh all you can at me. You both are the same," he complained. Then he turned to Rihanna.

"Why are you here? I don't need anyone, " he told her with a grumpy face. Rihanna rolled her eyes.

"Shut up Hunter. I'm staying here till you get better," she told him. Robbie started a happy dance.

"Yay, mommy's staying. I'm so glad uncle Hunt is sick, " he said earning a glare from Hunter. Gemma walked in with the compress and gave her a Cheshire grin.

"Robbie come and eat," she told him. "Rihanna, I'll feed him and bring yours and Hunter's food. Alright?" She said, looking too happy, God only knew why. Rihanna nodded as Gemma left with Robbie closing the door behind her.

"Let me see, whether you have fever or not," she asked, going closer and feeling his forehead. It felt normal. "I think I'll get a thermometer, " she said but Hunter pulled her into his arms and held her tightly.

"I don't need a thermometer, " he said, tightening his grasp on her.

"Hunter you're unwell and you've hurt yourself. Please let me look after you," she started but he just placed a finger in her lips.

"My fever's gone and I hurt my leg. The rest of me is a little shaken up, after that fall. I need something else," he said with deep desire burning in his already dark eyes. He grabbed her head and dipped his head, smashing his lips to hers in a fierce kiss. The forceful kiss made Rihanna clung onto his shoulders. His tongue parted her mouth expertly and plunged in forcing a moan to escape from her mouth. He tasted her sweetness like a hungry man dying for his food, showing her just how much he had missed her. Rihanna surrendered to him completely, caressing his hair, touching his cheek to get better access to his mouth, kissing him back.

"Rihanna, I missed you, " he whispered hoarsely, pulling away to catch his breath. Rihanna started missing his warm taste the moment he pulled away.

"I missed you too, Hunter, " she whispered back. Hunter smashed his mouth back to hers, this time a little gentler than before. This time it was a possessive kiss trying to show his need for her. She kissed him back with equal need. He pulled away staring at her swollen lips.

"Sleep with me, please, " he whispered hoarsely. She nodded. "Robbie can sleep here tonight. I'll ask Gemma to go home and take some rest," he said, as she placed the cold compress over his injured knee.

"Okay," she agreed. "Have you shown your leg to the doctor? Is it a sprain or fracture or what?" She asked.

"Yeah, the doctor said it's a little sprain, nothing serious. I didn't fall off the way you think I did. I'm trained to handle a fall. I know how to save myself, " he told her with a grin.

"Still you shouldn't have gone to work, Hunter. Couldn't you rest when you weren't well?" She scolded him. He grinned and kept looking at her, with a goofy smile on his face.

"What are you grinning at?" She asked suspiciously.

"I didn't rest that's why you're here, aren't you? If I would have been better, Gemma would never have complained to you," he told her making her eyes go round at his theory. It was all a ploy to get her to stay!