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“Can I keep you company? I could give you a massage.”
“And miss your party?”
He looks around and shrugs. “Believe me. They wouldn’t even miss me.”
“I know someone who will.”
“Ruby and I stopped dating two months ago,” he says. “Besides, she and Taylor are kinda getting along.”
Sure enough, behind him, I catch Taylor pulling Ruby to him and planting a kiss on her forehead.
“It’s a nice thought, but I’m going straight to bed. Good night, Hudson,” I say as a group of new guests come in from the Strand and call his name. “Maybe I’ll see you tomorrow—if you’re not too hungover.”
The following morning, I’m about to make myself a cup of coffee when Hudson knocks on the front door. Wearing dark jeans and a t-shirt that highlights his broad chest, he doesn’t look like he’s nursing anything close to a hangover. He seems suspiciously refreshed.
“Good morning.” His grin fades as he takes in the fact that I don’t look like I’m ready to go for a motorcycle ride at all, not unless shorts and a tank top count. “Changed your mind about the ride?”
“You’re not hungover?”
“Oh, ye of little faith. Do you know how hard it is to nurse two beers for hours and hours while pretending you’re having a blast?” He chuckles. “You still game to ride with me?”
“Of course.” I set my coffee cup on the counter. “Give me five minutes?”
A boyish grin brightens his face. “I’ll meet you out back.”
An hour later, we’re riding along Mulholland Drive, my arms wrapped around Hudson’s waist. He smells fantastic, the blend of leather and smoky woods is a treat to the senses. I could let go, but why would I?
He feels good, and I must admit that some turns are pretty scary. Sure, I’ve been in far more dangerous locations before, but this is different. I’m not wearing the emotional armor I usually wear whenever I’m working.
Right now, I’m just having fun, and I can hold on to Hudson as much as possible for as long as he’ll let me. Besides, I haven’t heard him complain once.
Along the way, we stop by a diner popular among bikers. Hudson recognizes a few of them just as they recognize him, and as they catch up, I realize it’s a place to see and be seen. It’s loud, with engines revving as riders come and go, and I love seeing this side of Hudson I never expected, one that has nothing to do with the eight-year-old I once knew or the beach-loving guy everyone back in Hermosa knew. Instead, I see a man who carries himself confidently wherever he goes, and as he pulls me close to him, I recognize the look of a man who knows what he wants.
And he wants me.
It’s in the way his gaze lingers on me and the slow, knowing smile on his lips. It’s in the way he holds me possessively, making sure I’ve got everything I need, whether creamer for my coffee or just to let everyone know that he’s mine, even if it’s just for a few hours.
It’s exhilarating to feel the road beneath my feet and hear the engine revving above the wind. There’s nothing like the feeling of unbridled adventure riding a motorcycle through Mulholland Drive’s twists and turns, certainly not with Hudson taking charge every step of the way.
When we return home, he parks his motorcycle in the garage but instead of joining his friends on the patio, Hudson walks me up the stairs to my studio apartment.
“Thank you for the ride,” I say as I unlock the door and we step inside. “I had an amazing time.”
“I did, too.”
“Would you like something to drink?”
Hudson shakes his head. “That’s the last thing on my mind right now.”
I bite my lower lip, the desire in his eyes making my stomach clench. “What’s the first thing on your mind?”
“This.”
Hudson kisses me on the lips, his mouth warm and commanding. How long has it been since I’ve been kissed? Devoured and claimed like this? I hold onto him as he presses his body against mine, his kiss growing fiercer. His tongue slips between my teeth, and I love the taste of him, mint and masculine power. It makes my knees tremble.
I bury my fingers in his hair as he curls his fingers at the back of my neck, his mouth leaving my lips to leave a trail of kisses on my jaw, my chin, and the sensitive skin behind my ear.
I pull away and look up at him, his gaze hungry for more. “Is that the only thing you have in mind?”
