Page 53 of A Pen Pal for Christmas

“Yeah, that lot has two. We should be able to get a shot of him leaving his car around the time it happened.”

“Or, a shot of him entering his car and not leaving it?” I ventured.

Hudson nodded, his jaw tight. “Either way, let’s find out.”

Tommy disappeared to call the owner of the store, leaving me alone with Hudson in the conference room. I crossed my arms, trying to shake the unease settling in my chest. Hudson stayed close, his eyes scanning the bland room like he was cataloging every detail.

“Do you think he’s lying?” I asked softly.

“Yes. But if he isn’t, we’ve got a bigger problem.”

I crossed my arms, processing his words. “What kind of problem?”

Hudson’s jaw tightened. “If Dane’s not lying, it means someone else is targeting you. Someone we don’t know. Someone we can’t predict.”

I swallowed hard, my shoulders hunching under the weight of his words. “At least with Dane, I know what I’m dealing with.”

Hudson’s gaze flicked to mine. “You shouldn’t have to deal with any of this, Sofia.”

Something in his tone made my stomach flip, and I wasn’t sure if it was from fear or the unshakable comfort of knowing he meant it. I opened my mouth to respond but closed it just as quickly, unsure of what to say. I dropped my gaze to the floor, the silence between us stretching thin.

Hudson shifted, taking my hand. The simple contact sent a jolt up my arm, and suddenly, the weight of everything—from Dane’s mess to the break-in—felt secondary to whatever brewed between us.

“I…” My cheeks warmed as I stared down at our joined hands. “About last night…”

Hudson straightened slightly. “What about it?”

I glanced up at him, caught in the way his hazel eyes softened just for me. “And this morning,” I added, my words rushing out now, as if getting them out faster might make them less terrifying. “I just… I don’t know what to think.”

Confusion washed over his handsome face, but there was also something teasing in his gaze. “What happened this morning?”

Closing my eyes, I let out a dry chuckle. “Nothing. But… something. It was something to me, the way you showed that you cared and how… intimate it all felt.”

His lips parted like he was going to respond, but then he stopped, his brows knitting together. Instead, he closed the space between us just enough to feel close without crowding me. “Sofia, if you regret the kiss?—”

“No,” I said quickly, shaking my head. “No regrets. It’s just…” I let out a shaky breath, searching for the right words. “It’s a lot to take in. Everything is.”

He watched me for a long moment before reaching out to tuck a stray strand of hair behind my ear. His touch was light, tentative, and it sent a shiver down my spine.

My heart clenched at the gentleness in his touch. “What are we doing?”

“I don’t know,” he admitted, his voice low. “But I can’t seem to stop.”

Neither could I. So, before I could second-guess myself, I leaned in, and his lips met mine.

For a heartbeat, my body stiffened. I was the one who leaned in, asking him to kiss me without using my words. But after all of the times I’d let myself believe in someone only to end up shattered… It was instinct, pure and simple. A defense mechanism to keep myself from getting hurt again.

But Hudson didn’t pull me closer or push for more—he simply stayed, his hands cupping my face in a way that didn’t demand anything from me.

And that was what undid me.

The last thread of hesitation slipped away as his lips moved softly against mine. He wasn’t trying to claim me or overwhelm me—he was just… there. Offering me a safe place to land if I was willing to take it.

So I did.

I leaned into him, letting my hands slide up to his chest. The fear and doubt that had wrapped around me for so long began to loosen, unraveling with every heartbeat I spent in his arms. It wasn’t just the kiss itself—it was everything about thewayhe kissed me, with patience and purpose, like he was showing me I didn’t have to stand on that cliff’s edge alone.

It was nothing like the kiss we shared last night. This one was softer, slower, almost reverent. It showed me that our connection wasn’t just about the sparks—it was about the this peace that settled deep in my chest, a quiet kind of safety that reminded me of sinking into a good book.

---