CHAPTER17
Quinn
Relief hitsme when I finally get a text from Hudson asking to come over. He’s been weird since I told him about Kyle. I’ve only gotten one-word responses to almost all of my texts, he hasn’t stopped into the diner during my shifts, and he hasn’t asked to come over so we can finish the LEGO ship. We’re so close to completing it I was surprised he didn’t want to get it done.
So when I look at my phone and see the request to come over later, I shoot back a text telling him yes.
It pushes me to get off my butt and take a shower. When I got off work, I sat down on my couch and hadn’t moved since. But I need to get this French fry scent out of my hair and change out of this coffee-stained uniform.
I take a quick shower, which wakes me up a bit, wrap myself in my towel, and blow dry my hair.
I put the dryer down and run my fingers through my hair to calm it before turning to the bathroom door.
I nearly jump out of my skin when I see Hudson standing there. His expression is one I’ve never seen before, and it makes my heart pound.
“Hey, I didn’t know you were here. I’ll get dressed really quick.” I laugh awkwardly, painfully aware that I’m standing here in just a towel. But the way his darkened eyes are roaming my body makes it feel like I’m completely naked.
He doesn’t say anything and doesn’t move from his spot blocking the doorway. “I didn’t realize you were coming so soon. . .” I trail off, unsure what to say. His text had saidlaterbut didn’t specify a time. If I had known he’d be here this fast, I wouldn’t have bothered with the shower.
“Hudson?” I ask quietly. Hearing his name seems to wake him from whatever trance he was in. His eyes dart to mine, and he takes a few steps until he’s inches away from me. His hands cup the back of my head, and his lips are on mine in an instant, taking my breath away.
He’s kissing me.
Hudson Porter is kissingme.
It takes me a moment to realize he’s actually kissing me. After the realization sets in, I kiss him back, leaning into him. He tugs and sucks and licks at my lips, forcing a groan out of me, but he doesn’t stop.
One of his hands trails down my body until he’s grabbing a handful of my ass in his palm, pulling me up against his body, but it’s not close enough.
His arousal presses into me, and I’m pretty sure I could melt right here. I want more. I want him to take off my towel. I want him to touch me. I want him inside me.
But he doesn’t do any of that. He keeps kissing me, moaning into my mouth. My hand starts moving toward his erection to tell him I want this, but he stops me.
“No,” he says suddenly in a gruff voice. He pulls away from me, and I can hear him catching his breath. “No. Don’t do that. Not yet.”
“Oh. Ok.” My cheeks heat with embarrassment. The harshness of his voice makes me feel like I did something wrong. But he kissed me. He started this.
“Shit,” he whispers more to himself. “I didn’t mean to do that.” My cheeks turn even redder, if that’s even possible. I take a step back from him, trying to figure out if I’ve misinterpreted the situation.
He seems to notice my embarrassment. “Quinn, it’s not that I don’t want you. Obviously, I do.” He gestures toward the erection tenting his sweatpants. I glance at it quickly but then force my eyes to look anywhere else. “I just wanted to do this the right way. I was coming here to ask you to go to dinner with me tomorrow. Like a date.” He gives me a hesitant smile, almost like he’s scared I’ll say no.
“A date?” I ask hesitantly.
“Yeah. A real date. I want to take you out.” He runs his fingers through his hair. “But then I got here. I knocked, but you didn’t answer. The door was unlocked, which, by the way, is totally unsafe, so I let myself in. I wasn’t expecting you to be standing here like this. I saw you, and all common sense just flew out the window.”
“I wasn’t expecting you so soon.” He falls silent, carefully keeping his eyes on my face.
After a few seconds where neither of us talks, he finally asks, “So, will you go on a date with me tomorrow night?”
I can’t stop the smile that forms on my face. “Yeah, that sounds great.”
He lets out a breath in relief. “Good. Now go put some clothes on before I maul you again and ruin everything.”
My body heats again at his words, but I nod. As I walk past him, he stops me and leans down, planting a gentle kiss on my lips. It’s nothing like the passionate one we just shared but feels more intimate for some reason.
He releases me, and I continue to my room to get dressed. When I meet him in the living room after spending way too much time debating what to wear, he’s on the floor in his usual spot in front of the coffee table, already working on the LEGO ship. I sit next to him, and we fall into our normal routine.
Shortly after, he clicks the last piece into place. “It’s done.”