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1
HUDSON
Ten years earlier
“YOU’VE LOST YOUR mind if you think I’m straddling a cop car for a dare.” I was trying Drew’s patience. I knew it, just like I knew we were running out of time to complete the challenge, but this was so not my thing. A Friday night lurking in a dark alley wasn’t my idea of a good time, but Drew got off on this kind of thing. And God knew I got off on Drew.
Seemed only fair.
“This isn’t just a dare, Hudson. It’s for the scavenger hunt to end all scavenger hunts. For our legacy. You think anyone else has the balls to pull it off?”
“I know I don’t.”
“Yes. You do. I’ve seen ’em.” Drew leaned in to press a kiss against my neck and then smacked me on the ass. “Now go straddle that hot piece of metal.”
As I stepped forward, I took a deep breath, but as soon as I let it out, I found myself hesitating. Was it really worth potentially tarnishing my reputation—and my school record—by going through with a silly photo? Our last four years of frat-bro fun had the cops around town less lenient when it came to our shenanigans. From what I’d heard, they’d always sort of looked the other way when it came to parties and the annual Greek scavenger hunt, but the senior class my freshman year had apparently gone a little too wild—something we were still paying for now, four years later.
“No,” I said, stepping back into the shadows of the alley. “I can’t. If you want to do this, go for it, and I’ll take the picture.”
“Hudson.” Drew’s arms slipped around my waist from behind, and he rested his chin on my shoulder. In the freezing cold his face was somehow warm against my cheek, and I shivered. “You’ve been behind the camera all night. If you’re not in this final one, no one will believe you were here. We’ll lose. You don’t want us to lose, do you?”
I snorted. “Don’t think I don’t see right through your little manipulation.”
“I figured. But is it working?”
Good God, the things this man made me do. Drew Edwards pushed me out of my comfort zone constantly, and the truth was, I enjoyed it even though I bitched about it. That dynamic was half the fun, but this? This was insanity.
“I’m too sober for this shit,” I muttered.
Drew let out a whoop of victory before letting me go, and I glanced over my shoulder to shoot him a dirty look. Didn’t matter. He had the brightest, cheesiest grin on his face, both cheek dimples poppin’.
They wouldn’t be for long if I ended up in a jail cell. Gorgeous fucker.
Here goes nothing.
I peered out onto the street at the cars parked along each side, clocking two cop cars right out in front of the twenty-four-hour diner. God, that place was full of windows, and it didn’t help that people were in and out constantly. The sidewalks were busier than I’d expected for the late hour, but maybe that would somehow provide decent cover for the ridiculous thing I was about to do.
“Hurry up—we don’t have much time left.” Drew gave me a little nudge, and this time, I stepped out of the alley, acting as nonchalant as I could even as my heart began to beat in overtime.
Drew kept close behind me as I walked toward the first car and then glanced at the diner windows. They were fogged up, but I could still see the outline of the officers’ uniforms as they sat at a prime window seat.
Oh God, this was a mistake.
“Don’t worry—they’re more interested in their pie than what’s happening out here. Climb that car like a tree with your sexy ass.”
Had we been anywhere near our fraternity brothers, those words never would’ve come out of Drew’s mouth, but apparently he thought nothing of putting it all out there on a busy street. Jesus.
Ignoring the sane part of my brain, I looked again at the diner window, and when the officers didn’t look my way, I put my knee on the hood and pulled myself up on top of the car.
It all passed in a blur.
One minute I was spreading my thighs and looking over my shoulder for Drew to get a good shot, and the next several pedestrians on both sides of the street stopped to watch—and let out surprised catcalls, which—you guessed it—caught the attention of the cops in the window—
“Shit, they see us. Let’s go,” Drew shouted, grabbing for the back of my jeans to pull me off the car faster.
I stumbled as my feet hit the ground, but with the officers pushing their chairs back inside, I didn’t have a second to waste. I hauled ass after Drew, who tore down the alley we’d come from. He knew this city like the back of his hand, so I didn’t question it, only kept up as he led us down twists and turns for who knew how long. The adrenaline kept us going, and the farther we got from the scene of the crime, the less freaked out I was over the threat of being caught.
As we passed through yet another alley, this time by a church, Drew turned around suddenly and backed me up against the wall.
