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He takes them from me and puts them on the end table. “No. I ate before I came back to the gym. How about you? Have you eaten anything? Do you need to test your sugar or something?”
I stare at him, not sure why I’m surprised he’d even think to ask that. Everyone knows I’m a diabetic, even if it’s not something I make a big deal about. “I had some trail mix at the hospital. But I should probably check my sugar. And maybe take a shower. I never got one after my class tonight.”
“The shower in my bathroom is the only one with soap and shampoo. It’s at the end of the hall at the top of the stairs.” He points behind me. “There’s a linen cabinet inside with clean towels and a laundry basket by my bed that has clean clothes in it, if you want to borrow something.”
“Thanks. I’ll take you up on that. Daphne’s going to drop my stuff off later tonight. Do you need anything?” I ask, trying to push down my discomfort at the idea of invading Hudson’s personal space.
He flashes me a forced grin. “Nah, sunshine. I’m good.”
I grab my purse and quickly make my way up the stairs and down the long hall. The door to his bedroom is open, but when I step into his space, it feels wrong.
There’s something intrinsically intimate about being in this man’s room.
An unnerving level of comfort that makes me squirm.
Another fireplace sits in the corner of the room with two chairs off to the side and a huge bed anchoring the space. The furniture looks well-loved, not brand new. And it dawns on me that this isn’t a space meant to be seen. This is a private space he’s comfortable in. And I’m not sure ifI’mcomfortable being in here.
I like flirty Hudson. He’s easy to spar with.
He’s easy to disregard as a serious threat to my heart.
This... this is something else.
Something about this makes it just a little harder to keep Hudson Kingston in the box I’ve put him in. A flashy and ostentatious bedroom would have firmed up my manwhore assumptions. It would have helped me strengthen my walls. This... for some reason, this may have created the first crack in those walls, that I’ve solidly fortified since I was a little girl.
* * *
Hudson
Maddie slips up the stairs, and I grab my phone from the end table. The damn thing hasn’t stopped vibrating since we left the hospital. No doubt, my family’s message thread has been blowing up. That’s never a good sign.
My brothers, sisters, and I are definitely codependent.
We’re loud. We’re obnoxious. And we’re viciously loyal to each other.
We can always count on each other to have our backs. You can also always count on them to serve you your ass when you fuck up. And when I look at the screen and see my sister Lenny yelling at me, I wish I could say I’m surprised.
Lenny
Hudson Thaddeus Kingston. Are you insane?
Becket
Legally speaking?
Jace
Ohhh. She middle-named you, Dude. That’s never a good thing.
Scarlet
I didn’t tell you so you could yell at him, Eleanor.
Sawyer
Tell her what? What does Lenny know that I don’t?
Lenny
