Page 51 of One Quick Obsession

He finally came, groaning into my neck, his breath warm, his body heavy along mine.

And I let myself come down from my orgasm, holding him as tightly as I could.

I hadn’t asked for Hudson Cage, and as he kissed me softly and wiped my tears away, I knew he hadn’t asked for me.

But in that moment, he was my obsession.

And walking away would break us both.

Chapter Twelve

Hudson

“It’d be better just to gut everything and start over.” I ran my hand through my hair and looked over at my contractor, Frank. The man had been in the business for longer than I had been an adult and knew what he was doing.

He was also the father of one of the men I had fought beside. He’d lost his son the same day I took two bullets to my side and shoulder. I’d only spoken to the man a few times since, because what else were you supposed to say when you weren’t quick enough to save your friend?

But Frank wanted to be part of this project, not for me, but for his son.

It would’ve been good for everybody, if his son would’ve been able to stay here.

Instead, his ashes lay on his mother’s mantle, and she dusted and polished the wood every day, and told her son exactly what had happened the day before, as if he could hear her.

She spoke to his ashes more than she had ever been able to speak to her son, and that was why his father did this. Because Frank and his wife deserved to stay here as well. Or maybe to just be able to fucking breathe after finally learning what grief was.

“The outbuildings and a few parts of the foundation are still good. The mudslide didn’t take those away.

“You’re right. And breaking into the side of the mountain like that to build something sturdy isn’t going to be good for the land itself. So let’s see what we can do. How many cabins are we thinking of?”

I took his tablet and tapped a few buttons on the screen. “I’m not the builder, you are. I can slap a couple coats of paint on after.”

Frank gave me a look over that large mustache of his. “From what I know, you can do more than just slap on a couple coats of paint. I want to thank you again for letting me have that painting though. You should have let me pay.”

I shrugged as I handed over the tablet, then put my hands into my pockets.

“Josh’s sister was having a baby. And she’d always wanted something other than a print in her house.” I remember Josh mentioned something like that.

“Katie loves it. And I got to be the best damn father out there for getting it for her. In reality, I lucked out.”

“It was just a couple of weeks of work, so I don’t mind.”

“You need to start valuing yourself more than that.” He let out a breath. “You seeing anyone yet?”

I frowned and turned to the older man. “What?”

“You settling down? I hear things about your family. Hard not to when they’re always in the news.” He raised a brow, but I didn’t say anything. “I see some of your siblings are out there getting married. Having babies. Protecting the Cage legacy.”

I snorted. “Some legacy.”

“You’re making your own. They hardly talk about your dad anymore. Now it’s about the new set of Cages.”

“My siblings are procreating enough for the rest of us. Don’t you worry.”

“So you’re still single.” I opened my mouth to say something, and a small smile spread over Frank’s face. “Damn. What’s her name?”

I shook my head. “It’s…it’s new. And it’s not what you think.”

“It never is until it slaps you in the face. But good for you. You deserve happiness, you know.”