Am I jealous? Maybe. Hudson and Ella hang out a lot, but not usually alone. They can be flirty, but Hud always claims he doesn’t have time for girls, that school and soccer are his focus. That’s fair. Other than Hadley, no one at school has ever caught my attention either.
But Hudson has.
I blow out a heavy breath, the thought not as foreign as it should be.
Loud giggling and a deep snort cut through the night. I twist around in the white Adirondack chair I’ve been slouchedin and spot Ella dragging a clearly wasted Hudson around the house. He’s practically hanging off her, face too close to her neck.
My teeth grind, and my hands curl into fists.
Yup. Definitely jealous.
“There’s my bfff… ff… fff,” Hudson slurs in an exaggerated southern twang. His country accent amplifies when he is drinking, and it's kind of cute.
I rub my hands down my face, then get up and walk over to where Ella is struggling to keep Hudson upright. “You alright, man?” I chuckle, trying to mask my unease. “How many of me do you see?”
My eyes keep darting to where they’re wrapped around each other, my fists tensing with every point of contact I find. Ella is glaring at me like she can singe my eyebrows off if she stares long enough.
Hudson squints at me in concentration. “Notsosure. You look like a lava lamp or something. There are two of you kind of smooshing together back and forth,” he slurs.
Damn. He’s really hammered.
I reach out and peel him off Ella, unable to stomach their closeness any longer. “I got it from here.”
She frowns, then quickly plasters on a grin. “Oh, thank you. He was getting heavy. Didn’t want to take him back inside with the bass so loud.”
Her excuse sounds thin, but I don’t care enough to probe further.
Hud wraps his arms around me in a big bear hug. My body lights up like a switchboard with excited tingles I shouldn’t feel.
A strong, skunky aroma clings to him, making me scrunch my nose. “Dude, did you smoke?”
He giggles, soft and goofy, nuzzling his nose into my neck. His warm, alcohol infused breath skates across my skin, raising goosebumps. “Only a couple of joints,” he murmurs.
“You smell like the bathroom at a frat party,” I grumble, frowning. I’ve never been a fan of weed or drugs. The idea of getting hooked on them actually scares me.
I shoot a glare at Ella, who isn’t as trashed but looks guilty. “Did you give it to him?” The words come out harsher than I mean.
“Relax,” she says, waving me off. “It’s just a little weed. He’ll sleep like a baby and be fine tomorrow.”
Hudson nuzzles further into my neck and takes a deep breath. “You don’t stink. You smell like evergreen trees and happiness.” He sighs, the sound shaky. “I’ll never get to be happy.”
He goes quiet but doesn't move from my neck. I don’t think I’ve ever seen Hud this wasted before, and it makes me wonder if smoking and drinking are all he’s done tonight.
“I think it’s time we get you home.” I shift his weight and start guiding us around the house.
“If you’re leaving, want me to go grab Hadley for you?” Ella’s peering through the French doors. “She’s looking pretty cozy with Bryan Stokes.”
Through the glass, I see Hadley backed up on some guy, his hands sliding along her sides.
I wait for the jealousy to hit, but… nothing—just complete annoyance.
“Ohhhh, Bryannnnn,” Hudson drawls. “Dude’s in college at Cten-cten-ctentral State, right? I mean… Central Sk-skate.” He laughs at himself. “College somewhere. Good-looking guy. Not my type, though.”
His lips brush my neck, right over my Adam’s apple. My whole body stiffens.
And so does my dick.
I don’t know what the fuck is going on with all these thoughts about Hudson, but my body seems to be leading the charge.
