Page 98 of Hate You Later
“Mmm. Well, I guess you had it coming,” she says. “I’d apologize, but it’s more of a sorry, not sorry, situation.”
“I’ll heal,” I assure her. “And then you can mark me all over again.”
“You wish.”
“Damn straight I do.”
Her eyes hold mine, and the heat is back. I’m weighing my options between the kitchen counter and the table. Definitely the counter. The table is small and doesn’t look sturdy.
Cookie barks.
“Shit,” she says, checking the time on her phone. “I really gotta get a move on. I have to take Cookie to the dog park before I open. Not that I want to kick you out or anything. I don’t really do breakfast.”
“That’s okay, I’ll grab something later. I’ve got a full day too.” I pull her close and kiss her. “But Georgia, I don’t think we’re done here.”
She kisses me back with so much passion, I start to doubt whether either one of us is getting to work today. I leave my coffee on the table and drink her in, backing her up onto the counter. Her legs wrap around me, and I’m regretting the decision to put on my jeans.
But then suddenly, she stops and pushes me away. She holds me at arm’s length and shakes her head, the look of frustration on her face unmistakable.
“Dammit. No. This has to stop. I really hoped that last night would do the trick, get you out of my system. But you’re like one of those scary ‘try it once and you’ll get addicted, and next thing you know, you’re living in a cardboard house’ drugs,” she says.
“Oh,I’maddictive now?” I question her. “Because I don’t DO overnights. I was supposed to wake up in my own bed.”
“Humph.” Still holding me at arm’s length, she pivots her legs to one side, then slides down beside me. “So, we’re in complete agreement. This can’t happen again. But before you go, I need you to try on the costume for the masquerade. Come with me. She takes my arm and drags me into a side room filled with sewing notions.
Wait, what? What did she just say?
“Georgia, I don’t get it. I don’t agree. I don’t understand what just suddenly changed,” I protest.
She takes a fur-and-leather vest off a form and proceeds to fit it onto my naked torso.
“Look, Hudson, I was wrong. You’ve proven to me that you’re not the devil incarnate, as I originally suspected. Your sister is adorable. Your dad even seems semi-okay.”
The touch of her hands is still doing things to me.
“Your brother is still an asshole though. I’m not ready to revise that assessment.”
“Georgia, look at me?” I reach out for her chin and she adeptly steps aside, grabbing a ball of pins off a shelf. The walls are lined with sketches. One area holds a rack with scissors and cutting tools. There are rolls of fabric in the corner and two sewing machines on a large work table.
“No, really, Hudson. Trust me. It’s better this way. For both of us.” She pulls on the shoulder of the vest and swiftly pins it. “Hold still.”
She steps back to evaluate if there’s anywhere else that needs adjusting. “Look, last night was amazing. Mind-blowing even. But we both know it’s not going to work. You’re only in town till the warehouse project is done, and I’ve got to focus on my business if I’ve got a prayer of staying in the shop and continuing to support Kismet and, you know, keep doing what I do.”
“But …” I have never wanted to kiss her more. The words I’m trying to form halt. I feel like a denied child, indignant and muttering. But, but, but!
“Plus, you know, you don’t actually do …” She tugs the vest and pins the other shoulder.
“Relationships?” I finish. “According to Ashley?”
“Oh, come on, Hudson. It’s all over the Internet what an uncatchable catch you are. The jury is out about whether you’re even into girls, but I think I can vouch for you there.”
“I’m intoyou,” I say. My hand reaches toward her, but she ducks away again and I’m left to cuddle air.
“For now, maybe. But you’ll get over it. Look, we’ve still got to finish the Petfluencer Challenge, and we’re throwing this shindig in your space. I think the safest option is if we both do the adult thing now and decide to proceed as friends.”
“With benefits?” I ask warily.
“Oh, Hudson.” She sighs. “Just getting to feast my eyes on you in this Viking costume is a real benefit for me.” Georgia has to stand on her tiptoes to set the horned hat on my head, and when her breasts brush against me, I have to close my eyes for a minute.
