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I nod and he drops a kiss on my shoulder, which shouldn’t make my knees weak, but that simple touch is so intimate, that my belly flips over, igniting a heat inside me that threatens to burn me from the inside out. “See you then.”
I congratulate myself on getting the words out without a single sign of my inner turmoil showing but he notices the slightly breathless way it comes out and winks before giving my waist a squeeze and striding away.
I follow the confident, almost arrogant, way he prowls toward the exit, trying not to notice how his suit pants hug his ass, but it’s so hard when I know what he looks like naked.
God, why can’t I remember anything from Saturday night? What a waste.
“Yep, definitely not over between you two.”
I don’t acknowledge Amelia’s comment because there’s little point in denying what’s plain to see. There’s still something there. I just hope whatever it is, it doesn’t burn us both to cinders.
9Hudson
“How long now, Huddy?”
I’m grating the cheese for the top of the lasagna when Tia asks how long before Audrey arrives, for what feels like the hundredth time in ten minutes. It’s cute how excited she is to see her, but it does nothing to ease the nerves I feel. I’ve wrestled with my decision to let Audrey into my sister’s life since I agreed to it. I don’t want my baby sister hurt. But, equally, I’m selfish when it comes to Audrey and want her to see this part of my life, to be involved in this part of my life, even if I only get her for a short time. “Not long now.”
As I finish the words, I get an alert on my phone to say the gate has been accessed. She’s here and suddenly it’s not Tia who’s excited, it’s me. Seeing her on Tuesday had been a surprise but being allowed to touch her in public in the way I’ve craved to do for so long was fucking perfect.
Seeing the look of jealousy on her face as she strode towards Felicity and I had made me so hard it took everything in me not to drag her to the nearest closet and kiss her until she admitted she wanted me too. Taking her in my arms and kissing her, touching her had been as natural as breathing to me. It was what I’ve wanted for so long. The ease with which I fell back into that head space, it felt like no time had passed between us.
We were, in some ways, those same kids madly in love with each other, and nothing and nobody mattered when we were together. Except everything is different now. We aren’t those kids, and she isn’t in love with me like I am with her. She wants me, I know that, but she’s holding on to the hurt I caused her. A hard shell has formed around her that I helped build and she isn’t the same girl I loved. But neither am I the poor boy with holes in his clothes living on noodles.
Now I charge five figures for an hour of my time and will never spend my fortune in a lifetime if I tried. I’ll never be as rich as Audrey, nor will I ever have the pedigree of Beck or Lincoln, but I’m a man I’m proud to look at in the mirror each morning. My only regret in life is the one who’s just pulled up in front of my house.
“She’s here.”
Wiping my hands on a cloth slung over my shoulder, I round the island and follow the sound of Tia’s infectious excitement. She looks ready to burst as she waits by the door for me to answer it. She knows better than to answer the door.
“Hurry, Huddy.”
“Alright, kid. I’m coming.”
I grip the handle and pull open the door and there she is, the woman who has both me and my sister hanging onto her every word. Her hair is down in thick dark waves around her shoulders, and she’s wearing a cream cashmere sweater under a black leather biker jacket. Wide-leg jeans do nothing to hide her incredible figure before her long legs end in spiked black heels that make me want to drop to my knees.
“Belle.” Tia squeals and launches herself at Audrey, her thin arms going around Audrey’s tiny waist.
I freeze for a second wondering what Audrey will do and desperate for her not to reject my sister.
“Hey, gorgeous girl. It’s good to see you, too.”
As Audrey wraps Tia in a warm hug, I feel my shoulders relax and a smile overtakes my face.“Let Audrey through the door, Tia.”
I step back as Audrey looks up and offers me a small smile filled with nerves. God, she’s beautiful. Even with the slightly dark circles under her eyes and the exhaustion that I can feel clinging to her, she’s stunning.
“Something smells good.”
I take the bag she’s carrying from her hands as I lead the way into the combined kitchen dining room. “It won’t be long. Do you want to see your room first?”
Tia cocks her head at me. “But, Huddy, Audrey is in your room. Elliot at school told me married people sleep together.”
Audrey coughs through a laugh as both the women in my life regard me. I scratch my chin to buy myself a second to get out of this. “Well, that’s true. But you see, the thing is, Audrey snores really bad.”
An outraged gasp escapes her. “I do not.”
Tia leans into Audrey and I love the natural way my wife embraces my sister.
“See, she doesn’t so she can sleep with you.”
