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“What the—”
My soul left my body when I heard Hudson’s voice in the distance. Of course, he’d get home before I could hide the evidence.
“Oh, God,” I whispered, but it was too late. I’d already created the mess and had to see it through, so I led Max toward the shower. I didn’t believe I could keep him in the tub by myself. At least I could trap him in the shower, so I slipped inside with him.
“Genie!” Hudson hollered.
“In here,” I called back.
When he stepped into the bathroom, his jaw tightened, and his eyes surveyed me and the dog. Hudson had his hair slicked back again. “Might I ask what happened?”
My grip loosened on Max, and he rushed out of the shower. I rose and stood still, trying not to fidget. “I let Max out to pee once I got back, and he must have headed straight for a puddle.”
“Yeah, you have to watch him every time it rains, he will go for any kind of water.” Hudson yanked off his jacket and pushed up his long sleeves. He ran his fingers through his blond mane, messing up his styled look as his forehead crinkled. When I felt my attention snagging on his muscular arms, I looked away.
“I wish I would have known,” I admitted as I grasped the shower door.
“Here. Let me.” Hudson leaned into the shower so much that I had to press myself against the wall.
I flinched when he moved his arm toward my face, and he froze, looking me up and down. Hudson wasn’t Jared, I told myself. But Hudson could be like him over a mess. I didn’t know, and my body was in a state of fight or flight.
“You’re pale,” Hudson stated as he grabbed a shampoo bottle behind me.
Shit. He was reaching for the dog shampoo. The tension drained from my body, and I sagged forward a little.
“Sorry,” I mumbled. “I can bathe Be— Max. I’m the one who let him out.”
Then I realized how close we were in the shower together. I could smell Hudson. His cologne was subtle but extremely pleasant. Inhaling sharply, I stepped out, then Hudson did, before he turned on the water. He told the dog to get in, and the animal listened.
“Are you sure you don’t want me to help?” I asked again.
“It’s fine. Go wash up.” Hudson turned and looked at me. Yes, his eyes were definitely hazel, although they never appeared the same color. “It looks like he got you just as dirty.”
I didn’t know why, but my cheeks reddened. We were still closer than we should be standing outside the shower. Max was stinky, which meant I was too. I walked out to let Hudson clean his dog or tried to. One moment, I was standing, the next, I slipped and pitched forward. With nothing to grab onto, I threw my hands forward to catch myself. Pain sliced up my palms as I hit the floor, and I winced. “Ow, fuck!” I was wiggling my wrists around when Hudson ran by and slammed the door shut before squatting in front of me.
“I’m fine,” I said, showing him my reddened palms.
“What did you trip on?” Hudson asked.
“I don’t know,” I grumbled.
He grabbed my hands, moving and bending them every which way. When he was satisfied, his shoulders dropped as he met my eyes. “I’m beginning to wonder if I can take my eyes off you.”
My face was as hot as a furnace. I made a sound in my throat as I stood. My knees popped, and I fought the grimace I wanted to make. I hadn’t realized my knees hurt, too. “I’ll get out of your way.”
Max pawed at the door. It looked like the big dog wanted to escape his shower, but when Hudson hollered, he trotted to the shower again. I slipped out of the bathroom but didn’t shower myself yet. I found the mop in Hudson’s pantry and spent the next ten minutes cleaning up Max’s pawprints before I went upstairs.
TEN
Hudson
Max and Genie were a terrible pair to be left alone together. Hell, even without my dog, I was beginning to suspect something would go wrong with Genie involved.
Edwin’s sister was a mess, but I only had to survive five more days.
I’d been at Homestyle since six that morning and came home tochaos.I was exhausted by the time I towel dried Max.Howdid he manage to find mud when it was colder than a witch’s tit outside anyway? Everything was frozen. The weatherman forecasted snow. I was positive we’d get some by the end of the night.
She took a pretty hard fall in the bathroom, too. Should I check on her? Fuck. Why was it something I asked myself? If I didn’t double check to make sure she was okay, I’d fixate on her more. I’d been doing it since she arrived and was exhausted with myself for it. Did I need a new hobby? I never recalled being so curious about someone who troubled me so much.
