“That’s just frustrating.”
“He’s hiding, I know it. He’s brooding over whatever punishment they handed out. It’s his entire goal to be prestigious and get his parents off his back.”
“What a joyful life he must lead,” Luna said with a roll of her eyes.
“Exactly.” Reagan pointed a fry at Luna. “I want to bring levity and fun to his life, if only he’d let me.”
“So you really like him?”
Reagan chewed and thought about it. She’d had this conversation in her head before and shied away from the word love. “I like him a lot. I want to see him happy.”
“At this stage, that’s exactly where you should be.” Luna eyed Reagan as she sipped her drink. “You’re not all head-over-heels, are you?”
Reagan blushed. “I wouldn't go that far. I’m in lust, that’s for damn sure.” She grinned.
“I can’t blame you.”
They finished eating in comfortable silence. Reagan promised to let Luna know how it went after she showed up on Hudson’s doorstep. She was apprehensive over it, but she was resolved. She dug out a pack of mints and popped one in her mouth as she pulled up his address in her texts and then plugged it into her navigation app. It would take her ten minutes to get there, a thought that made her palms sweaty. She was going to make sure he didn't forget her while he was in his self-imposed purgatory.
Before she knew it, she was pulling into a complex that was more upscale than the one she lived in back in Virginia. She found the building numbers and parked in front of the one that was his. She spotted his car a few spots down and felt comforted by that. He really was home. Her efforts weren't wasted. She realized as she locked her door that her hands were shaking. She wiped them on her jeans and took a deep breath, heading up the walkway to his building. She looked at the apartment numbers next to the doors and stopped with a knot of anticipation in her gut in front of his door.
With another deep breath, Reagan knocked. Her heart was stuck in her throat as she stood there waiting. When he threw open the door, her reward was the shock on his face as much as it was the mere fact that he looked so gorgeous.
“Reagan.” His tone was too resigned for her taste, but she noted the surprise in it as well.
“Hudson.”
There was silence after that, and she finally crossed her arms and glared at him. “Are you going to let me come in, or make me stand here?”
“I’m debating.”
She sighed. “Let me in.”
He stepped away from the door, backing into the foyer and letting her come inside before closing the door—and locking it. He wouldn't be forgetting that again any time soon. “Why are you here?”
“And it’s good to see you, too.” She spun to face him, standing in the middle of his living room. His apartment was too white, too boring.
“I’m on suspension, Reagan.”
“I noticed you weren’t there, Hudson. You might have noticed I asked you what happened.”
His face hardened. “I was reprimanded for having a woman in my office. The only thing keeping me from being fired is that they don’t know it was you. I need to stay away from you.”
Reagan clenched her jaw, a muscle twitching in her cheek as she regarded him. She knew he believed that. He thought all of his problems stemmed from his attraction to her. “In public, sure.”
“At all. I can’t stress that enough.”
“And yet, here I am.” She took a step closer. He didn't move away but looked down at her like she was going to jump on him at any moment.
“Reagan, I—”
“I know. You’re scared.”
“I’m so close to losing my job.”
“Which is important to you.” She moved closer, leaving a foot of space between them.
“Yes.”
