“Hudson—”
“Come here,” I ask, completely ignoring the sound of my name frothing from her plush lips. Lips that spit out barbed insults, but I know how sweet they can taste too.
Crossing the space which currently separates us, Giselle stands in between my spread legs, head tilted to look down at me.
“Are we going to talk about it?”
She stays silent.
“Giselle. It’s okay to admit you’re attracted to me. It won’t hurt anyone.”
She blinks, lashes fluttering, while my hands instinctively reach upward to mould around her hips, the tips of my thumbs catching on the hem of her jumper and the warm, soft patch of skin hidden beneath.
“I’ll only ask nicely once. But I need you to tell me the truth.”
Giselle’s words stick in her throat for a second, as she opens her mouth to speak. “W-what do you want me to tell you, Hudson?”
“Admit you’re attracted to me. Come on, Giselle, I know you are, so let me hear you say it.”
Her eyes droop low. “Say please.”
I crook an eyebrow at how throaty her voice sounds. I wonder if I can get her to sound like that when I’m fucking her brains out.
I pause. Swallowing, I feel my Adam’s apple bob. I’m not a gentleman by any means, and Giselle knows that, but my mum didn’t raise me to be unmannered. “Please.”
“Then, yes,” she says without pause. “I’m attracted to you, Hudson.”
A pleased smile pulls at the corners of my lips.
“But—”
“But nothing.” I shrug. “We’re both attracted to each other, Giselle. Can’t we just see where it goes from there?”
“I’d like too, but I-I need to tell you something before we do. It’s important to me, Hudson.”
My fucking ringtone blares again, interrupting us for the second time. I swear, I’m going to throw the thing in the bloody Thames.
“Are you on your way yet?” Grey asks, not even bothering to greet me this phone call. Pulling the phone away from my ear, I double check the time. Shit. I really need to get going if I’m going to make the train on time.
“I won’t be long,” I reply and then disconnect the call.
Squeezing Giselle’s hips, I stand to my full height, so she has to look up at me towering above her.
“What did you need to tell me, Gee?”
“It’s—it’s nothing.” It’s as if her walls are stacking up again, blocking me out. “It’s fine. I know you’re in a rush… we can just… talk later.”
“Are you sure?”
Giselle bobs her head. “Positive. Ring me tonight.”
Wrapping my arms around her, I tuck her into my neck, the palm of my hand smoothing down the back of her head. This close I can see the fast thrum of her pulse beating in her neck. She smells like floral shampoo and the familiar scent of her washing powder.
“I don’t want to leave,” I admit, feeling like a layer of my skin is stripped off, revealing my innards as soon as the raw words spill from my lips. They feel like they burn, piercing the shell I keep wrapped around myself.
Before Giselle can reply, I lay my lips upon hers. I feel vulnerable in a way I can’t recall feeling for a long time, not since Mum was in and out of hospital, and I don’t think I can bear to hear whatever she’s going to say in reply lest she bring me to my knees even further.
God…
