He just wanted to bake his sweets and kiss cute men and move on from all of his pain.
And right then, with Austin behind him as they headed out to the car at the end of another failed date, he wondered if it was too much to ask.
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
Hudson wasbeyond surprised that the design team had come through so quickly. He had a prototype on his desk by the end of the week, which looked like two particular toys they already had a line for, combined into one. Just like every line they had, the toy’s handle was soft and had the option to increase the button sensitivity for people who had issues with their grip. It also had a remote option, as well as app sync.
The toy itself was simple. There was a sleeve for the penis, a ring for the testicles, then a rolling knob at the base which would move back and forth with button-controlled pressure to stimulate the prostate. The person could manually thrust into the sleeve, or they could activate the option which would allow the sleeve to ripple back and forth at various speeds.
He tested out some of the mechanics, then went over the notes Eli had left him on the desk.
My initial product tester could only give feedback on the prostate stimulation as it turns out he had a penile amputation and phalloplasty, and with the nerve damage was unable to give a review on that function. However, I was able to secure two additional test subjects and I’ve attached their feedback in separate documents. -E
Hudson read through everything, made a few notes, then packed two of the boxes in his bag. He wasn’t sure he was going to bother playing with it much. His sensation was decreased enough that he’d only be able to feel it on his prostate. However, he could at least test that it was easy to use because the damn thing looked like some sort of alien tech and that was only sexy to a small subset of their customers.
Not to mention that the more complicated something was, the quicker his customers gave up using it, and that was the opposite point he was trying to make with his company. Sexual gratification for people who wanted it was not supposed to be any kind of struggle.
Saying a little prayer that nearly everyone was gone as he wheeled toward his office door, Hudson braced himself for more conversation, but the corridor was quiet. He readjusted his bag on his lap, then made his way out the side exit and to his car. He was exhausted so it took him a little longer than usual to get the wheels off his chair, but he managed it without being seen, and he drove off feeling a huge measure of relief.
The journey home was long thanks to the evening traffic, and by the time he pulled up to the entrance of his street, he almost wanted to cry. Most of his neighbors were old, so they were safely tucked away for the night, and he pulled into his driveway, easing his car into the garage.
He stared at his bag with the new prototypes, and while he knew that he should bring them in and at least give them a little test, he wasn’t in the mood. Instead, he left them sitting on the seat as he reassembled his chair and eased into it.
He cursed softly to himself for not having his garage door entrance modified yet, then he spun his chair and headed for his front door when he saw headlights in the distance. He picked up the pace, but as he approached his door, he heard a couple of cars slow, then come to a stop just a few feet away in Peyton’s driveway.
His hands gripped his wheels, coming to a complete stop as his heart twisted in his chest. It wasn’t Peyton’s car—the garage never opened, which meant he was out with friends.
Or on a date.
“Just go in, you stupid fuck,” he whispered to himself, but he couldn’t seem to make his hands move.
A few feet away, Hudson heard one car door shut…then another. Then two sets of feet.
“Oh, hey?” That was Peyton, and he sounded…nervous, maybe. Not quite scared, but definitely not safe.
Hudson’s heart hammered harder in his chest.
“You really didn’t have to follow me home.” Shit, Peyton soundedscared.
And then Hudson’s world flipped because he recognized the second voice too—more than he ever wanted to. “I don’t mind. You did so well at dinner you at least earned a little kiss, and you took off too fast for me to give it to you at the restaurant.”
“I…what?” Peyton said.
Hudson’s hearing went in and out against the drumbeat of his heart. What the fuck? He turned his chair without really thinking about it and began to wheel back down the ramp.
“Really, it’s…fine. No, it’sfine. I’d rather—oh.”
Hudson came around the corner in time to see Austin pinning Peyton to the side of the wall. But instead of kissing him on the lips, he was kissing his forehead, holding him tightly by the face. His body was blocking most of Hudson’s view, but he could see the way Peyton’s fingers were flexing.
“Seriously?” Hudson said without thinking. “You don’t have any fucking manners at all, do you?”
Austin spun, his eyes going wide, and any question Hudson had about whether or not Austin knew where he lived now was gone. He took a startled step back away from Peyton, his gaze flickering back and forth between both men.
Hudson ignored him in favor of taking in Peyton’s expression, and the guy looked mortified and almost afraid, though fear wasn’t quite right.
“I should, uh…yeah. I’ll call you later, okay?” Austin didn’t want for Peyton to reply. He just hurried off and got into his car.
It wasn’t until he pulled out of the driveway that either of them moved—almost like a switch had been flipped. Hudson backed his chair up and Peyton took a step forward, clearing his throat.