No matter how tired we are, we take time for each other and our “research” as we’ve named it. Mostly, it’s us fumbling our way through the steep learning curve, but the lessons have been fun nonetheless. And Hud is a quick study. He has learned how to make my bodysing.But what comes after is truly my favorite—lying in the dark, just talking.
I thought I already knew everything about Hud. We’ve been best friends forever, but he’s been letting me in deeper, letting me into parts he usually hides. He’s always worried he’s too much, that he’s a burden to his family—and now to me. I’ve had to stop him from apologizing more than once. I tell him every time that his brain isn’t broken.
It’s beautiful.
With everything I’ve learned and experienced this week with Hud, one thing has become abundantly clear.
I’ve fallen for him—hard and fast.
I already loved him as my best friend. It was a solid, unshakeable bond. But this? This love is something else entirely. It’s in my bloodstream. It makes the world brighter, more alive. That’s what Hudson does, he turns everything to color. He pulled me out of the gray numbness I didn’t even realize I was living in.
So, yeah. I love Hudson. That’s for damn sure.
Hud steps out of the bathroom, drawing my eyes to the towel slung low on his hips. His skin is still damp, and his glowing golden tan is making my throat go dry. His deeply cut V lines point like an arrow to the prize that’s all for me.
He stops at the small table, digging through his suitcase, unaware of the effect he’s having on me. I walk up behind him, close enough to feel the heat radiating off his skin.
“You can’t walk around the bedroom looking like that,” I growl into the crook of his neck. “Dirty things will happen.” I nip where his neck meets his shoulder. He shivers, then tilts his head to the side, an invitation I’m more than happy to take. I drag my tongue along his warm skin, sucking and leaving my mark.
“I forgot to grab clothes before I went in,” he rasps.
“Uh huh. Likely story.”
I trace my finger along the edge of his towel, finding the spot where it’s tucked. I tug, unhurried, until the towel slips to the floor. His cock bounces free, and I don’t waste a second. I turn him to face me and sink to my knees on the soft carpet.
My mouth gets the smallest taste of his soft skin before the most annoying voice in the entire house blasts through the bedroom speakers.
“Hudson, everyone will be here soon. I’m tired of waiting for you to come down.”
Fucking Ella.
I drop my head onto Hudson’s thigh with a groan. It’s like she has a sixth sense for when we’re about to get busy. This has to be at least the fifth time she’s cockblocked us.
Hudson growls, then snatches the towel off the floor. He wraps it around his waist and stomps over to the intercom, slamming the call button.
“What do you want, Ella? I just got out of the shower.”
He’s not even trying to hide his irritation, and I don’t blame him. I was ready to have an afternoon Hudson snack, and now I’ll have to wait until late tonight.
I’m ravenous for him, so the wait is going to suck.
“I already told you,” she snaps. “That group from the lake will be here soon, and I’m tired of watching Matt and Katie dry-hump on the couch. Let me in.”
Right. The party.
We invited a group that we met out on the lake yesterday. We’d pulled our boats up to a floating restaurant, started talking, and hit it off. It didn’t take long before we were making plans to hang out again.
Hudson grunts and stomps over to the bedroom door and yanks it open. From the floor, I can see Ella standing just outside, eyes instantly locking on me.
“What are you doing down there, Cullen?” she asks, voice clipped and suspicious. Her gaze darts from me to the towel clinging to Hud’s hips, then back to me.
“I dropped something,” I lie smoothly, pretending to search the carpet.
I make a show of looking under the dresser, thanking the heavens when I spot a pen and snag it.
I get up from the carpet, showing her what I found.
“Oh, Okay.” Her chipper sing-song voice sets my teeth on edge, but I keep my cool.
