When Chemistry Wins (The Dark Horse Trilogy Book 1) Read online

  Chapter 3

  “Cut,” the director barked, taking off his headset and blowing hot air into the back of his hand. “We’re gonna have to do it again. This time from another angle. Mr. Hall, face this camera here and be prepared to smile on cue.”

  That wasn’t a joke. This particular director had overseen the production of hundreds of campaign commercials, and Terrence Hall was one of his latest customers. Hunter hung back along the sidelines, neither a part of the process nor completely absolved of it. When his father asked Hunter to accompany him to the set that afternoon, he would have rather done anything but. Still, a part of him was curious about the process, and he decided to oblige his father to sate his personal interests.

  Now he watched his father, a man in his late 40s who went for the clean-cut look to go alongside his runner’s figure. Today he wore a nice pair of trousers and a polo shirt that conveyed how “everyman” he was. Not like Raymond Mitchell, who showed up in every one of his commercials wearing a three-piece suit. Is my father fooling anyone? Hunter rolled his eyes as this man with salt and pepper hair laughed into the camera to use as a spare cut.

  After that, Hunter had difficulty paying attention.

  He was still hung up on what happened at the Governor’s Mansion two nights ago. Two long ago nights that felt like they were a dream. Kerri Mitchell was unlike any woman Hunter had met in a long time, perhaps ever. From the moment he approached her, he was taken in by that exuberant personality. The kind that opened up immediately, but was not naïve in the least. She was beautiful, interesting, and… well, Hunter would not deny how intense she was in bed. Lots of women were, but Kerri in particular.

  Hunter stared at the floor and wished he had told her the truth sooner. Perhaps things would have ended on a better note. Perhaps he would not have gotten his hopes up that she would then date him. You damn idiot. Kerri seemed willing to see him again. It wasn’t just about the sex. Hunter was searching for some genuine companionship.

  Too bad he messed up. Not the first time for that either. He needed to stop letting his passions get in the way of reason. But that night, there in the vast gardens of the governor’s mansion, chemistry won out over logic and reason. In the moment it had been wonderful, even cathartic after the slough of the campaign so far. And that had nothing to do with Kerri being the opposition’s daughter.

  No, that was just the one thing keeping them apart.

  Maybe there’s still a chance. Hunter looked up and saw his father bombarded by makeup artists and a dentist checking to see if Terrence’s teeth could be even whiter. “Try saying it with a friendlier tone,” the director said. “People respond well to that.”

  Two minutes later, the director called “Action!” and the cameras rolled. Terrence pretended to read a book before glancing up, smiling at the camera, and putting the book down to give his scripted spiel.

  “Hi there. I’m Terrence Hall. For years now, our beautiful state has struggled under the policies of the current governor Raymond Mitchell. Governor Mitchell has done what he thinks is best for us, but that’s the problem – his best isn’t good enough.” Terrence furrowed his brows as he expressed this heartfelt concern. “I know a lot about getting things done and enacting policies that are the best for our people. For eight years I have been one of your representatives, and I can’t think of any greater honor than becoming your leader. The man who will take our state to the next level of job growth and development. Bring work back to our state, and not to other countries like Governor Mitchell supported. But don’t take my word on it. Look at my extensive record. I don’t keep any secrets. No governor should.”

  Terrence then went on to say that he supported his message and was running for governor later that year. When the director yelled cut, Terrence let his shoulders slack and his bottom jaw stretch out as he moved his neck around. Hunter turned away, too tired to be disgusted.

  “Hunter,” his father called. “Come over here.”

  Reluctantly, as if he were a twelve-year-old again, Hunter went to his father and prepared to hear some Grade A bullshit.

  “What do you think, hm?” Terrence opened his arms to take in the fabricated office set. “We’ll be able to see this commercial during the news tonight. It’s amazing how quickly they edit this stuff now. Hey, why do you look so gloomy? You need to sleep more.”

  Hunter breathed deeply. “I’m sleeping fine. Can’t say the same about you though.” He pointed to the dark circles he knew were hiding beneath the eye makeup on his father’s face. His words were a lie anyway. Hunter didn’t sleep well the night before because he kept thinking of Kerri and the look she gave him when she found out who he was. That kind of look made him like her more.

  “You snooze in this race, you lose,” Terrence explained to his son. “If you want to get into the family business…”

  “Not sure about that.”

  “Ah, right. Well, spot your old man some help here and become an instant celebrity.”

  “Excuse me?”

  Terrence turned his son around and made him face the camera. “Say cheese. You’re about to be in one of your old man’s commercials.”

  That was how Hunter became one of the most recognizable faces in the state by the end of the day. If Governor Mitchell didn’t know who he was before, he certainly would after 6pm.

  Although it was a beautiful, warm, and clear day, Kerri could not enjoy the view of the garden outside the Governor’s Mansion.

  She sat on a marble bench, wearing a sundress and a sunhat as she gazed at the roses, carnations, and lilies sprouting along the hedges. What’s the point? Kerri leaned forward on her knees and stared at her strappy sandals.

  “Stupid,” she muttered, watching her toes wiggle within her sandals. “Stupid, stupid.” That would be the last time she invited a stranger into her bed. Who knew what would happen next time? Son of a fascist? A married man? All things considered, Kerri was lucky to only have been a little stupid. But she was not impressed with herself due to her other follies. For one thing, her birth control that she had been taking for other reasons would only protect her against so much. Things were fun while young as long as she didn’t catch something disgusting.

  No, she felt disgusting. Not because she expressed her sexuality like that, but because of her shame that she was somehow now lesser for having bedded the son of Terrence Hall. That name means nothing to me. But it meant everything to Kerri’s father.

  And to her mother, who joined her daughter in the garden a few minutes later. Brenda inspected some of the roses before sitting on the other end of the bench. Her perfume was heavy that day – she must have been preparing to entertain some donors.

  “Why do you look like that?” Brenda pulled out a paper fan and went to work combating the beads of sweat forming beneath her perm. “A young woman like you should be the pinnacle of happiness and beauty. You better straighten up before the press arrives tonight to take candid shots of the family.” Oh, boy. “I’m serious. What has you so glum?”

  “Nothing in particular.”

  “Sure. And I’m an empress.” Brenda crossed her ankles and placed her hands in her lap. Always a lady. “But really. What’s bothering you this time?”

  This time? Typical. Brenda was never much of a doting mother. Let alone a concerned one. The only time she expressed genuine concern for her daughter was when Kerri broke her arm at ten. That was only because she was worried about the photo-ops for that day as well. Turns out it made us more popular. More “human.”

  “Sometimes I have blah days. It must be hormones.”

  “I thought you were on those pills to maintain those hormones.” Brenda glared at her. “You’re keeping them hidden, right? I have nightmares about the press finding them in your bag. I know a few constituents that would turn tail at the thought of my unmarried daughter…”

  “If they’re going through my bag, I have bigger problems.”

  “Don’t snap at me. Any
way, you’ve been acting like this ever since you came back home. This is why I told you to do something. Go to Italy! For the love of God, go have some fun far away from here.”

  It sounded sweet on the surface, but Kerri knew better than to believe her mother really wanted her to go out and have a grand time in a foreign country. More like she wants to live vicariously through me. It had been that way all Kerri’s life. Poor Brenda was raised to be as sheltered as possible. One story claimed that she didn’t even know what sex was when she got married. Kerri didn’t believe that, but she did believe that her mother never had the chance to travel, to have a youth, or to enjoy anything beyond being the wife of a power politician. What better way to finally have some fun than to send her daughter where Brenda wanted to go? Italy. Please. As nice as it would be to escape to the most famous peninsula on Earth, Kerri didn’t think she would actually be allowed to go. Not during campaign season.

  Kerri stood up. “Maybe. I might go.” She looked over her shoulder to see how her mother would respond: a tiny gasp of disbelief. Thought so. “But right now I’m going to go take a nap in my room. Wake me when I have to take those pictures.”

  Whether she would actually take a nap remained to be decided. Kerri did go to her room, but she wasn’t tired. Instead she flopped onto her bed with a sigh. Sleep would not come.

  Her phone rang. Kerri debated answering it, finally deciding to give it a go since she had nothing else to do.

  “Hello?” She pushed her free hand beneath her pillow. “Who is this?” Wouldn’t be the first time she got prank called.

  The pause on the other end was not inspiring. Neither was the voice coming on the line. “Miss Mitchell.”

  Kerri sat up. “Mr. Hall.” She would never forget that voice for the rest of her life. “What do you want? Blackmail?”

  “Uh, no. Quite the opposite.” Somehow Kerri doubted that. “I was calling to see how you were doing. And maybe to ask you out.”

  The bed creaked beneath Kerri as she situated herself on the edge, perched as if she were about to take off like a rocket. He still wants to go out with me? What an idiot. “Don’t be ridiculous. We can’t go out. We would be front page news by the end of the day.” I saw you on TV last night. Everyone in the Mitchell family had. There was no way Kerri could get away with dating Hunter now.

  “Obviously we can’t go out in public. But I know some nice places over the state line we could blend into. Those people don’t care who we are. As long as we’re careful…”

  Kerri cut him off. “Why do you want to date me, anyway?”

  “Like I told you the other night, I think you’re attractive in more ways than one. Do I need a bigger reason than that? It’s a date. I’m not asking you to go to the moon with me.”

  The bedroom went quiet to the point Kerri could hear her own breaths in her chest. “Maybe you should. If you want to woo me, you need to go big or go home.”

  At first she thought the silence meant Hunter was about to hang up. But then he said, “I can do that. I think you’ll be surprised by what I can do.” His voice was laced in the same growl it had the other night, when Hunter was naked and thrusting into Kerri. It had the desired effect.

  “Good. Because I need a man who isn’t all talk. Especially if dating him is the craziest idea possible.”

  Chapter 4

  When I said I would go on a date with him, I didn’t think it would be like this.

  Kerri lowered her sunglasses enough to see the world in front of her. An empty café on the backstreet of some busy intersection in the next state over. Before her, Hunter settled into a seat on the other side of the table. He did not take off his baseball cap – which did nothing to enhance his handsome features – but did remove his sunglasses. Kerri was also not excited by the prospect of taking off her sunhat. She needed everything she could get to keep her identity a secret to the locals.

  They ordered coffee and nothing more. Kerri liked hers black, but Hunter loaded his up with enough sugar to send someone into a diabetic coma. He caught Kerri staring at the sugar packets and said, “You’re only young once.”

  Kerri did not reply. We all have our vices. Apparently hers was going out on dates with guys she should stay far away from.

  “Have I offended you?”

  That’s when Kerri decided to start drinking her coffee, even though it burned her lips and tongue. “If you had, do you think I would be here with you?” Her eyes searched the café to make sure no one paid too much attention to them. Who knew who could be a reporter or someone looking to sell a story? “Sorry. I’m a bit antsy about this.”

  “If you’re so antsy, then why did you come?”

  Because I wanted to see you. Kerri peered at Hunter over her sunglasses as if to convey this thought with all her muster. “If I’m risking my reputation to see you like this, then it must be because there’s something about you I like.”

  “Oh?” Look at him puff up like a peacock. “Funny. I asked you out because there’s something I like about you.”

  “So you’ve said. Although how do I know that’s not a front for another reason?”

  “Huh?” At first Hunter stared at her as he sipped his coffee, but then he almost choked on it, his hand slapping over his mouth and nose as the coffee cup clattered against the table. “Oh. You think I like you because…”

  “Because of how easy I was.” Kerri wasn’t afraid to say it.

  “No.” The look Hunter gave her was not one of a man trying to absolve himself of guilt. So he does think that a little. Kerri couldn’t fault him for it, if only because she rather thought the same thing about him.

  She often thought of how different this date would be if he were not the son of her father’s competition. They could walk in the open, for if they were caught together it would not be as big of a deal. Her father may not have liked the timing, but at least Hunter would not be someone so scandalous.

  They would also be free to talk about what they wanted without Kerri wondering if this were some sort of trap. The man she met and made love to the other night was someone she wanted to know intellectually as well as carnally. Looking at Hunter’s simple yet stylish ensemble of a sweater and slacks made her want to rip them off and have a round two.

  Kerri didn’t doubt that Hunter was thinking the same thing about her.

  Their attempt at a proper date shortly went up in flames. Unable to have a heart to heart in a public café, they went to the nearest movie theater but couldn’t agree on a movie to see. The park was too public. Hunter brought his car but there was nowhere to drive that appealed to the both of them. As they stood in a well-lit alley with no one else around, Kerri pulled her hat firmly over her face, crossed her arms, and faced the inevitable.

  “If we want to be alone, we need to get a room.”

  Hunter looked askance at her, but said nothing. Instead he motioned for Kerri to get in his car, a black compact. She didn’t have the seatbelt on before Hunter pulled out of the movie theater parking lot and went to the nearest decent hotel.

  Decent was relative, of course. Kerri was sure that the place was nice for most people, but she was used to the five-stars and the occasional four-star if it was out in the middle of nowhere. She liked bellhops, free drinks, and thick walls so nobody could hear her phone conversations or television. To that end, the chain hotel Hunter took her to was barely decent. She remained in the car while he got them a room under a pseudonym. Kerri didn’t even know that was still possible those days.

  The halls were narrow, but clean. The room was in the middle of a floor, with no view, yet it too was clean. Kerri was disappointed by the lack of amenities, the quaintness, the stiff bed… she had to remind herself that this was a date and not a vacation in the Hamptons.

  “All right.” Hunter said, locking the door five times over. “Privacy. What do you want to talk about?”

  Kerri picked a scratchy chair to perch in. “Why do you like me?”

>   That smile finally fell of Hunter’s face. “Are you sure you’re not the journalist, Miss Mitchell?” He sat on the loveseat adjacent to Kerri’s chair. “Because that’s one hard-hitting question.”

  “I don’t think it’s an unreasonable one to ask. After all, I don’t want to be wasting my time on a risky relationship if it means you only like me for my body.”

  Hunter caught a sound in his throat. “As I told you the other night, I think you’re an interesting woman. My only wish is to get to know you better.”

  Kerri crossed her legs, careful to watch Hunter’s reaction as his eyes followed the movement of her limbs. I bet it is.

  “Besides, such a question could go back to you as well. You must like something about me if you agreed to go on this date. What is it about me that you like?”

  “No way. You first.”

  Although he rolled his eyes, Hunter explained anyway.

  He told Kerri that he found her fascinating for multiple reasons, and only half of them were related to her being the governor’s daughter. “I admit there is a forbidden draw, but that wasn’t all.” Of course Kerri was beautiful, and Hunter would not deny their explosive chemistry in her bedroom. How could he when it was still so fresh in his mind? “There’s a sharp wit to you that I don’t see often,” he continued. “Even when you were chastising me for holding back my identity, you still made me laugh when I thought about it later. How many women will I meet that are a great combination of funny, beautiful, and smart? Granted, I don’t know your opinions about things yet, but I am more than willing to learn.”

  Kerri had to hide her surprise. No man has flattered me like that. Hunter could also be a smooth talker. “Now I feel kind of bad, because I mostly like you because you’re hot.”

  “To be fair, you don’t know me that well. But thanks for the compliment.”