“You can’t look at me that way right now, Jules. I won’t be responsible for what happens.”
“Maybe I want that to happen.”
Hudson takes his hair out of the tie he had it in, regathering it up in his hands and securing the elastic around his gorgeous locks. “Oh, it’ll happen, but not tonight. Come on, siren,” he says with a wink as he stands up and offers his hand to help me up.
“I guess we’ll have to see then,” I tell him.
“Oh, you will, gorgeous. You definitely will.”
Beau opens his eyes with a huff before standing and following us toward Hudson’s front door.
15
Hudson
This whole week has been one of the best weeks of my life. Every day, I got up, worked around the house a little bit, then headed to see Jules. Some days, it was us eating lunch together, while at other times, we ate at my place or even hers when her shop closed.
Today, though, today’s the day she and Beau are coming to my place after she closes down for the weekend. I went to the grocery store, making sure I’ve picked up all of her favorites. I even got some new toys for Beau along with a dog bed. From what Jules said, he’ll probably take one sniff at it, turn his nose up, and walk away, but it’s worth a shot.
I’m sitting on the front porch in one of the two rocking chairs I recently bought when I hear her car coming up from the turn-off from the main road. I make a mental note that she needs something safer, bigger, and with a shit ton of more safety features than the small two-door coupe she’s driving now.
When I see her come up the driveway, I’m up off my feet, meeting her as soon as she has her car parked. I see the smile on her face when I open her door. Bending down, my hands find her cheeks, and I kiss her lips.
“Hello there,” she breathes out once I lean back.
“Hey, ready to relax?” I ask before standing back up and allowing her to slide out of the car.
“Yep, let me grab my bags from the trunk and unclip Beau, then I’m all for it.” Beau waits impatiently as she does just that. He then leaps over the center console onto the driver’s seat, looks down at the ground, then leaps off and heads for the grass.
“I’ll grab your bags,” I tell Jules, heading for her trunk.
“I can help. I may have overpacked, though.” Her shoulders lift, with her hands in a motion that’s classically Jules.
“Well, that’s okay, too. I’m sure I can handle a few bags, gorgeous,” I respond, then go and open her trunk.
I look inside her trunk, and sure enough, it’s slap full. There’s a bag of Beau’s toys, dog food, and treats, as well as two other bags that I’m assuming are for Jules. The laughter builds up inside me. It looks like she packed enough to last her longer than two nights.
“I warned you.”
I grab her bags then close the trunk. “You ever want to pack and stay forever, I’m good with that, too,” I say as I walk past her, heading toward the house, wanting to see our lives meld together as one.
16
Jules
“Did he just say what I think he said?” I say out loud to no one in particular. Even my traitorous puppy followed Hudson like a proud peacock.
“Yes, I did say that,” I hear him say. I roll my eyes and follow the two men in my life, even if one of them has four legs.
“I’m going to put these in my room, and then I’ll be back. We can eat dinner in just a few minutes.” Hudson kisses my forehead before leaving. I go into the kitchen to see what he has for us as I take in the aroma of dinner.
“He did not. Beau, do you see this?” I look at the dog bed by the fireplace and the basket of toys that has so many it’s overflowing. My heart melts at what he’s done for not just me, but for Beau, too. “I think I’m falling for Hudson, Beau. Like really, really falling for him.”
“That’s a good thing because I’ve already fallen for you.” Hudson comes up behind me, wrapping me up in his arms. He’s nuzzling the side of my neck, and I arch, allowing him to skate a path of kisses along the column. His lips are an aphrodisiac against my skin, making me want more and more.
“You’ve done so much for me, for Beau, for our whole community. You humble me.” I turn around in his arms, settling my hands on his chest.
“I knew the moment I walked into your store, seeing your heart-shaped ass up on that rickety ass step stool, your long as sin legs in shorts. And when you turned around, damn it, woman, my soul burned for you,” he admits.