Page 77 of Game On
Ash gives me a sympathetic look before following Luke, who’s already grabbing his bag and heading for the door. They’ve done more than enough, and guilt pinches at me for pushing so hard.
Hudson lingers, his presence a solid warmth even as the gym cools with the night’s chill. “Come on, let’s lock up and get out of here. I’ll take you home.”
We walk to his truck in strained silence. My emotions are a tangled mess, and the clear night sky isn’t enough to soothe it. As he opens the passenger door for me, the frustration finally bubbles over.
“Is this how it’s going to be, then?” I challenge, crossing my arms as I lean against the open door. “You fighting me every step of the way?”
“Sorry?”
“I just don’t know why you volunteered if you weren’t ready to do what it takes.”
“We’ll get there, El.”
“It’s just … there’s no point in going to Coach Morgan before we’ve nailed the full routine,” I argue, on the edge of panic. “You think she’s just going to add a last-minute addition to the team, just like that?” I snap my fingers. “You’re a football player, for God’s sake.”
Hudson straightens. “I’m good enough. Much better for you than Luke was as a partner. You can’t deny that.”
I let out a short, humorless laugh. “I’m not.”
“We don’t need to rush this to Morgan tomorrow. We still have time,” he says, his voice calm.
“But what if …” I start, the litany of worst-case scenarios ready to spill from my lips.
“What if the stars fall out of the sky, huh? What if you fall through a hole in the ground?” Hudson steps closer, his voice low and compelling. “I’m familiar with what-ifs. I’ve lived most of my life by them. Don’t let them ruin this for you, too.”
His words cut through the frantic pace of my thoughts, and for a moment I’m speechless. And then, like a dam bursting, I’m closing the distance between us. My hands grab his sweat-damp shirt, pulling him down to me, and our lips meet in a kiss that’s all pent-up frustration and raw need.
It’s heated, desperate, as if I could find all the answers in the perfect slant of his mouth.
Strong, callused hands bracket my hips. He lifts me onto the seat, still kissing me as he does. Soft lips trail along my jawline to the sensitive spot behind my ear, and my grip on him tightens. His breath hitches, but he doesn’t stop. Instead, he continues to press and nip and drive me wild with want.
I tilt my head back, allowing him more access to the skin of my neck. His lips are hot against me. His grasp firm, grounding.
“Oh, God,” I moan as he presses closer.
“I could fuck you right here,” he murmurs into my ear. “Make you come in my truck again. You’d like that, wouldn’t you?”
I gulp. “Yes, but I—I …”
With that single moment of doubt, he doesn’t hesitate topull back. “But … we’re both pretty beat. And you”—he rubs a gentle thumb across my temple—“have too much going on in that beautiful head of yours, don’t you?”
I nod and rest a hand on his chest. “I think you might be right about that.”
He cups my cheek, his thumb brushing my bottom lip this time. “Then let’s get you home. You need your rest,” he says. “But I want you to know that I can do this.Wecan do this. For once, would you just let the cards fall?”
“Yeah,” I say, breathless. “I can certainly try.”
CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX
Hudson
I’m lounging on my hotel bed, idly listening to the distant laughter and cheers from down the hall. We barely scraped by with a win against the Harborview Hawks, and while the team seems to be celebrating, relief weighs heavier on me than joy.
Levi is digging through his duffel bag, hunting for something to wear that’s less gym-scented and more socially acceptable. “You coming or what?” he calls, assuming I’m up for another team outing.
“Nah,” I reply, cracking open my laptop. “Got some CV feedback to review.”
“Man, you never shut that brain off, do you?” He finds a shirt that passes the sniff test and chuckles at me.
