“You don’t have to swim, just come in the water withme…”
“Are you trying to seduce me, HudsonFreed?”
His eyes drop to my bare legs. “No, I’m just trying to get younaked.”
“I will oblige, but only if you get naked too,” I say, taking his hand. He pulls me upwards and plants a kiss on mycheek.
“It’s adeal.”
Stepping back, Hudson kicks off his trainers then slides his running shorts down. He isn’t wearing any underwear. Why am I not surprised? He stands before me like some kind of stone statue with perfectly defined abs, and that beautiful v muscle heading to hisgroin.
“You’ve lost weight,” I say. He is still beautiful, very much so, but he’s lost some of the bulk he hadbefore.
“Yeah, I guessso.”
“Hudson,I’m…”
“Don’t. It isn’t your fault. It’s no one’s. I was a stubborn prick. I should have tried to find you. I wanted to, but my pride got in the way, as did my past. It doesn’t matter, you’re here now. I won’t let you goagain.”
A lump forms in my throat as my heart defrosts a little at his words, at the conviction behind them. I can feel the ice drippingaway.
“Are you going to take those off?” Hudsonasks.
I nod my head and without taking my eyes from him I slide my fingers under the waistband of my pyjama bottoms and ease them over my hips. I let them fall to the floor and step out of them. Then I allow the cardigan to slip down my arms. “I’ll need help with my top,” I saysoftly.
Hudson steps forward and I raise my arms, feeling the material of my t-shirt graze across my now hardened nipples. Hudson pulls up my top, easing it off gently, until I am as naked as heis.
“Goddamn it, that fucking bastard,” he says, shocked by the size of the purple bruise. He walks behind me, running his hands lightly around the bruised area. It doesn’t hurt. Instead, it ignites longing within me. As Hudson circles me, I am acutely aware of his touch and am reminded of Max and Bryce and how they held me close last night. A warm feeling fills my chest. These men, my men. God, I am falling hard. Hudson steps up behind me, pressing the length of his body against mine as he rests his cheek against my own. His breathing is heavy as he trails his fingers upwards from my wrists to the tips of my shoulders and back again. I can feel his cock pressing into my lower back. There is no doubt that he wants me as much as I wanthim.
Hudson presses a delicate kiss against my shoulder blade, his tongue snaking up my neck to the curve of myear.
“Come with me, baby,” he whispers, entwining his fingers with mine. He leads me down the steps into the warm water and I instantly feel my musclesrelax.
“Dim lights,” Hudsonsays.
We wade in up to our chests. I can feel the water lap against my breasts, the sensation pulling my nipples taut. The dimmed lights cast a subtle glow across the darkenedwater.
“I want to make love to you. I want you so much it hurts,” he says, rubbing the palm of his hand against his chest. He seems surprised by his words, confusion followed by a flicker of understanding rushes across hisfeatures.
“No one has ever got under my skin like you have, Louisa. It’s taking all my self-control not to take you here and now. But I won’t, I won’t do that until you are healed. For now, being naked like this and close to you isenough.”
Hudson pulls me closer, then slides his hand over the curve of my arse, lifting me upwards. I wrap my legs around his waist, the water and Hudson’s arms taking my weighteasily.
“Lie back, baby,” he says tome.
I hesitate, trying to gage his intentions. “Why?”
“Do you trustme?”
“I want to,” I say honestly. “I want to trust you all.” I still feel unsure, despite their words, despite the way they all appear to care about me. That nagging doubt is intent on poisoning mythoughts.
“No one will ever love you, Louisa. You’re a worthless piece of shit.”I shake my mother’s hateful words from my mind. I won’t allow her to infect this moment betweenus.
“Louisa, I will never knowingly hurt you,” Hudson says, brushing his lips against mine. He walks with me in the water, cradling me in his arms. The palm of his hand rests against the bottom of my spine as he eases me backwards in the water. I allow him to lower me, my legs still wrapped around his waist. The water cocoons me, the muffled quiet lapping around us both. He doesn’t say a word, just stands looking down at me as I float in the water. My arms move out from my sides as his finger traces a trail across my cheek to my lips, over my chin and down the length of my neck. He doesn’t take his eyes off mine, and in their depths I swear I can see his soul staring back at me. I’ve never felt more exposed than in this moment. We are the same, he and I. There is a deep pain in him, one that reflects my own. I close my eyes against his gaze, not able to deal with what I am feeling, what I think I see hidden behind those sea-greeneyes.
“Look at me, Louisa,” he says gently. I open my eyes as he places the flat of his hand between my breasts, leaving it there whilst my heart beats a faltering rhythm under his palm. “I’ve hurt many women in my life. I’ve used them and cast them aside. But I swear to you, Louisa, I will not hurt you, my beautifulbutterfly.”
Hudson’s hand moves gently around my back as he lifts me up out of the water once more. Water trickles over my skin as he settles me back on the poolfloor.