Page 74 of Hudson

“I was such a mess that day you came to the house.” She huffs a laugh at herself, and I shake my head.

“Not that day,” I say, and her face falls a little.

“At Marie’s Place, when I was tied to the…” she starts to say, and I interrupt her.

“Not that day either.”

Her eyebrows dip a little in confusion, and I smile.

“You had on these jeans…” I murmur as my hand lowers, and I cup her ass because I fucking love her in these jeans. “And a black Whiteman’s Whiskey T-shirt with the gold logo emblazoned on the front. It was fitted, and your curves in that outfit were fucking phenomenal.” I groan, the memory of her working the bar for Tanner still fresh in my mind like it was yesterday, not over six months ago.

“Just like me for my body, huh?” she teases.

“You had your hair back in a ponytail…” I run my hand through her hair again, the soft threads coating my fingers and falling freely. “Your eyes were big and bright. And your smile…” I say, my words left hanging. Her face changes then into an expression of more disbelief of what I remember and the impact she has had on me. “Your smile that night, Lacy, it could light up the whole damn town,” I whisper to her, and I see her eyes start to glisten. “You were like an angel, baby. And I knew that night… I knew that you were without a doubt put on this earth just for me.”

Three little words dance at the end of my tongue. I want to say them. I want to tell her. But I refrain.

“I came back for you,” I admit, chest tight with emotion. “That night in the hospital, you were asleep, I was holding your hand. I knew, Lacy. I knew then where I needed to be.”

“Hudson,” she breathes, and I lean down and kiss her. Sealing our words, cementing this moment in our minds, I wrap her body close. With my hand still cupping her jaw, I move her mouth where I need it to deepen our kiss, and her hands dig into my shirt at my chest, holding on just as tight.

I never want to stop kissing her, and I hope I never have to.

39

LACY

Ilook around, heart racing. It’s dark, I smell gasoline.

“Victoria?” I try to yell for my friend, seeing her slumped over, tied by rope.

“No!” My mouth is dry and sore and covered in rope, my shouts and screams sounding like mere murmurs. I wriggle, my arms tied above my head and sore, the rope burning like fire against my wrists, and panic fills my body as I start to tremble.

“No!” I try to yell again as I see my friend struggle. I need to help. I need to get out of here. Oh God, I can’t die, what about Mom?

“Help!” I shout, but it does no good.

I struggle. The ropes are too tight, and then I see him.Hudson.“Hudson!” I scream, sitting up.

“Lacy?” Hudson’s voice is laced with concern from beside me, but my heart thumps so hard in my ears it’s hard to hear. I’m sweating, my skin and hair wet.

“Hudson?” I ask, out of breath, as my hand grips on to the sheets. They feel softer than usual.

“I’m here, baby. I’m right here. You had a nightmare. You’re safe. You’re at my ranch, in my bed. I’m right here.” He says the words soothingly as his hand runs up and down my bare back. My breathing slows, heart calms, and my eyes slowly take in the room.

It’s dark. But the curtains are open, letting the light from the moon shine in.

“What time is it?” I ask the only thing I can think to ask while I try to settle myself.

“Six a.m.,” Hudson says, his hand still running up and down my back. I slowly come back to myself as his lips meet the skin of my shoulder, peppering kisses to calm me.

“Are you okay?” he asks, and I look at him.

“I’m fine.” I stiffen a little in his arms as reality seeps in and my cheeks heat. I had a nightmare. In Hudson's bed. Uneasiness fills me. Embarrassment is too light of a word.

“Don’t be worried about it. I’m glad I was here,” he says like the mind reader he is, and I take a deep breath, wondering what the hell to do. I feel like fleeing. I want to find my clothes and run. But I have no idea where they are and no way of getting home, since he drove me here last night.

“Lacy. Look at me,” he says sternly, but I don't want to. Taking a breath, I can’t refuse him, so I turn my head slowly and meet his gaze.

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