The Hunter

She liked the way his hands moved; smooth and powerful. The way the knife almost completely disappeared in them while he cut his steak. What else could those hands do? More paws than hands, really. Her stomach did a little dance as she clenched her teeth behind her lips to steady herself. To bring her wandering mind back around. Jesus. Am I saying the right things? 

“Mmm,” she nodded while she chewed. 

He was going on about his recent trip to a small village in Panama, and how he felt fortunate to have taken a little Spanish in college, so that he was able to interact with the locals. She was trying to decide if his motivations were philanthropic, or if he had a touch of the White Savior complex. Or maybe something else altogether. She wasn’t going to congratulate his altruism at any rate. She had spied on his Facebook, full of photos of his accomplishments, and hundreds of those seratonin-inducing thumbs up from friends and family. Even if he managed to sincerely impress her, she needed to remain somewhat aloof. If there was one thing her research had taught her, it was that this was a man who liked a good chase. 

He took his napkin from his lap and brushed it across his full lips. If she was honest with herself, it really was hard not to be impressed with the human being that sat across from her. Ivy league educated, impeccably dressed, and a million-dollar vocabulary occasionally peppered with four letter words, that made him come across as rugged, and very charming. As she considered his attributes, she wondered what he would say if she suggested that they leave the restaurant and find the nearest hotel. She really wanted to skip straight to the finish line with this one. She had waited so long, and had wanted him so much. Stop, she told herself.What the hell is wrong with you? Are you trying to ruin this? You have worked so hard to be sitting across from this man and now you want to throw everything away because you are getting distracted by fantasies? Focus! You could have him tonight!

“I’m talking too much,” he said as he refilled her wine glass. “Tell me more about your work.” 

He leaned back in his chair, his eye-contact relentless and penetrating. 

Answering this question was going to be a balancing act. She knew eventually he would find out how she made her living, but she couldn’t start there. She needed him to know her first, her occupation second. She began to feel sweat form on the nape of her neck. With so much information online these days, maybe he already knew what she did. Maybe this was a test... It’s not like she hadn’t used every resource available to try to find out more about him. 

“I’m in human resources”, she said. “

Boring, really. 90% paperwork, 10% headaches.” 

She smiled, and leaned forward to allow him a better view of her ample cleavage should he wish to take it. His eyes didn’t leave her face, but the beginning of a smile twitched at the corner of his mouth. As she looked at him, she felt herself smiling back. This was going sowell. She would have him. An old song from the 90s popped into her mind. Bjork, scream-singing Hunter from what sounded like another planet. It fit her mood perfectly. 

I’m a hunter

I’m going hunting

I’ll bring back the goods

The air between them felt electric. She was certain that if any part of his body touched any part of hers, there would be blue sparks and an audible crackle. This all felt so inevitable now that he was here, and she was having a difficult time keeping her composure. So much was happening inside of her. Sitting across from him she felt like she was under a microscope when he looked at her. Under the gaze of his intense green eyes was not necessarily a bad place to be…. unless you had lied, which she had, several times. And although he was definitely interested, he was also razor sharp. She needed to keep him wanting more, so she could tell him who she was at just the right place and time. This much intensity did not play well in a restaurant setting and she felt she was losing the upper hand. She needed to get to an environment that offered more things to look at, other distractions. A place where maybe it wouldn’t be so obvious how badly she wanted him. The Riverwalk. Perfect! They could walk together and enjoy the view. She could fill her lungs with fresh air and clear her head. 

She opened her mouth, “Do you want to---”

“--yes,” he cut her off and grinned. 

He tossed down several large bills on the tablecloth, and stood. 

Outside, they walked side by side, her body acutely aware of every time their hands brushed against each other. 

“How did you know I was going to ask you if you wanted to go for a walk?”

“I didn’t,” he said. 

“I just couldn’t think of anything you would ask that I would say no to.”

She looked up to meet his face, but he was staring over the water.

“What if I had asked to marry you?” She grinned.

 “Then you would be in a very awkward situation right now.”

“You weren’t going to,” he said. 

Would it surprise you to know that I am excellent at reading people?” he asked. His smile faded now, and he looked at her intensely once more, like he had at dinner. Her hands were shaking.

I'm the hunter

I'll bring back the goods

But I don't know when

She pressed her fingernails into her palms until it hurt. She needed to calm her nerves and make everything seem easy, breezy.

“Bah,” she replied. “You just got lucky.” 

“Well if that’s the case, there is no one else I would rather get lucky with,” he said.

She elbowed him in the ribs and grinned, while her heart thudded against her ribcage.

They pulled in next to her car in the parking lot of of his apartment complex.

“Wanna come up for a drink?” he asked 

Or even coffee if you’d rather. I am just not ready to say goodnight yet.” 

His eyes were sparkling in the dark and once again she was struck by his incredible face. Although her entire body was telling her that it would be the wrong move, she heard herself accepting. 

Oh please. Don’t act like this isn’t exactly what you wanted. How hard did you work and for how long to get yourself into this man’s bedroom? And now you act like you want to run away from the ball, Cinderella? The shoe fits. Slip him on.

“Red or white?” he asked. 

“Mmmm. Let’s do red.” She took off her heels and tucked her feet under her bottom on one side of his loveseat. 

He poured two glasses and joined her. 

“I know we’ve been flirting for a few months now, but I’m glad we finally got together and had dinner. I am really enjoying your company” he said. 

She sat her wine on the coffee table and looked up at him

“This is really nice.” she said softly. 

I’m the hunter.

He sat his wine down and looked at her, finally letting his gaze drop down over her body. He inhaled sharply and reached over to put one hand on her thigh. He moved the other hand behind her neck and pulled her face toward his. They kissed slowly, but hungrily; their tongues rose, crashed, and fell as they took their time tasting each other. As soon as their bodies met, they were frantic. She pulled his plump bottom lip into her mouth and sucked it, while she reached down for his zipper. He worked on the buttons of her blouse with those enormous hands. Those hands that she couldn’t stop staring at over dinner. Those hands that she knew would come up as they came up now. Those hands that were beginning to squeeze her throat. Her vision began to go black, and she could hear her heartbeat in her ears. 

“You women make yourselves so easy, so fucking available. You try to act like you’re different, like you have fucking dignity? You think I didn’t notice the way you fawned over me at dinner? You think I didn’t see the hunger in your eyes? You just couldn’t wait to act like a fucking whore could you? You all make me sick!Have some fucking self-respect.” 

As she fought against blacking out, she slid her hand deep into the couch cushions to retrieve the gun, the pistol she had pulled from her purse and hidden while he was pouring the wine. She blindly found the safety and slid it downward.

D for down. D for death.

I’m going hunting. 

She pulled it out and jammed the business end against his chest. She pulled the trigger twice. For a split second, his hands grew tighter and she began to lose her vision. Then they released and flew like large birds toward the hole in his shirt that was smoking, blackened, and pouring blood. 

He smiled at her strangely, his eyes going black.

“You...fucking...bitch,” he gasped before falling over. 

The other FBI agents are waiting outside. In the distance she heard an ambulance screaming. She had wanted to take him in alive so he could answer for the 10 other women he had strangled and dumped along the Fircrest river.

“You did good,” Agent Ringwald told her as he put his jacket around her shoulders. She was suddenly freezing. 

“I wanted him so badly! I wish I could have avoided shooting him, but when we were at the restaurant, I took one look at those giant paws of his and knew he could crush my windpipe in seconds,” she said.

“Nah. We knew this one wasn’t going out without a fight. And hey...chin up! You’re the agent who got to put two in the chest of The Fircrest Strangler,” he said. 

“Yeah,” she sighed. 

“Go home and get some sleep. The paperwork will still be here bright and early tomorrow morning,” he said. 

“Have a good night,” she said, and breathed a huge sigh of relief as she walked away.

I’m the hunter

You just didn’t know me

You just didn’t know me