16. Hudson
16
HUDSON
I dressed a little more casually tonight. Jeans and a shirt, a look I know that I’ll probably adopt full-time soon, the suits of the city not really fitting in too well around Whispers. The more time I spend here, the more I feel like the boy who left all those years ago. The slight accent is back, I’m driving a truck, and my smile is permanent. My life finally feels like it’s clicking back into place.
“Popcorn, as requested,” I tell Lacy as I grab the large box from the candy bar, along with a soda each, passing one to her.
“Mmmmm… that freshly popped smell,” she hums, her eyes closed as she takes a deep breath. I noticed she does that a lot. She appreciates the little things. She doesn’t need the latest designer bags or clothes; she’s not materialistic. She enjoys every moment for what it is. It’s probably why people naturally gravitate to her. She also savors her food. The cherry and cherry stem, the sundae, the cookies, and now the popcorn. The soup. That heated exchange the other night is one of the most intense things I’ve experienced with a woman fully clothed.
“I’m beginning to think you might be a bit of a foodie?” I tease as we start walking to the cinema. I’m already imagining the restaurants that I could take her to back in LA or even New York, maybe Paris. She would love them.
“Give me sweets under the stars, and I’ll be a happy girl,” she says, smiling, and I laugh. I feel good. This feels good. Being with her is easy, light, fun. Casual, not pressured, she looks amazing, and it feels right. Better than any other date has ever been.
“I can’t remember the last time I was here at this cinema,” I say, looking around the art deco inspired, aging decor. I came here a bit as a kid, but I preferred the outdoors. I look at the old fortune teller machine in the corner, remembering bringing my first date here back when I was a teenager and paying for a fortune.
“Me neither, although I would have thought it would be busier than this,” she says with a little shrug, and I grin.
“What was the last movie you watched?” I ask her quickly.
“Hmmm… I can’t remember. That’s how long it has been.” She laughs at herself. My grin widens. I love seeing her laugh, and as we walk together, I catch my reflection in the glass wall. I can’t help but notice how happy and relaxed I am around this woman.
“Here, let me,” I say, grabbing the door to the cinema and holding it open as we walk through.
“Clearly, Beetlejuice is not very popular…” she murmurs, looking around .
“It’s very popular. It’s a classic,” I tell her, walking down the aisle to find a seat.
“But no one else is here.” She looks at me like I am crazy.
“I know. I booked the whole place just for us tonight.”
Her steps stop short as complete shock overtakes her face.
“Huh?” she says, wide-eyed and her mouth agape, and I grin harder. She’s so fucking cute.
“Well…” I say, stepping toward her, smiling. The feeling that she is going to bolt at a moment's notice is something I feel constantly with her. It keeps me on my toes. I don’t usually have to work hard for female attention. It has always come easy, both before and after my late wife. So she makes me think a little more and work a little harder, and I like that. I even had to be smart about how I asked her out. I tried to catch her off guard so she didn’t make an excuse. I know she’s busy, and I know she has a lot on her plate, but she needs to see that she can take a break sometimes, and if she is willing to do that with me, then I’m a very fucking happy man.
“I think we both know what this town is like. If others were here, then they wouldn’t be watching the movie.” I know full well that people would come and just look at us, watching our every move before telling their friends and family and making Lacy and me hot town gossip for weeks. Although my mother tells me people are already starting to talk.
“But… I mean… I was going to pay you for my ticket… half the popcorn.” As she fumbles over her words, I can feel h er start to panic as her shoulders tighten. I frown, because there is no way in hell she is paying for anything.
“My treat tonight.” I grab her elbow gently and keep her walking so she doesn’t have time to think about it. I’m starting to learn that Lacy hates being indebted to someone, either financially or emotionally. The look on her face when my mom cleaned her kitchen for five minutes earlier in the week was almost comical. I rented this place for the entire night so we could relax. It wasn’t a lot of money, so I also made a ten-thousand-dollar donation to the local drama and theater club too. They had to bring the film in especially for me because it’s so old.
“But I owe you for the cookies, for helping me with my hand, for the soup…” she trails off, a slight blush now coating her cheeks as she thinks about that night. I can see her internal struggle. She has paid her way her entire life, and she’s uncomfortable with it being any other way.
“We are not keeping score, Lacy. I asked you out. I pay. I’m also going to pay for a lot more things. This is the first of many for you and me, and just so you know in advance, I’m old school. I pay for the dates, and I will damn well get you anything you want on those dates,” I tell her, hoping that she knows exactly how this is going to go. Brow furrowed, she searches my eyes and takes a breath.
“Thank you. It’s probably one of the nicest things anyone has ever done for me,” she says, softening. I don’t like that statement because a woman like Lacy should have the world. She gives so much to everyone else; I’m surprised no one else has swept her off her feet before now .
“One of?” I’m intrigued, keen to know what rates on her list.
“Well, I also got my favorite cookies delivered, so there’s that,” she says, a cheeky smile coming to her face.
“Hmmm, that Connor ate,” I grumble, hating the fact that he sat in her office with her, eating her favorite cookies. Jealousy coils, the feeling entirely new and never having appeared before I stepped foot back here in Whispers.
“He has a sweet tooth too. But the distillery restaurant is trialing a new dessert menu this week, so I know he’ll be busy with the chef taste testing until his heart's content for days.”
“I think Harvey’s class is coming to the distillery for a tour?” I tell her, remembering, as the two of us continue shuffling into the row and take our seats right in the middle, a completely unobstructed view.
“Yes. School tours are so much fun. I’ll be there. Connor and I both usually do question time with the kids that come through.”
“Harvey has been to the distillery a lot before, so he might get bored. But at least he will have some familiar faces with you and Connor.”
“Is he doing okay? Are you concerned?” Lacy asks, seemingly perceptive.
“I’m not concerned. I think he’s fine. It’s just a big move to come here where he needs to make new friends, and I think he is doing okay, but it’s hard to know for sure,” I tell her honestly.
“I’ll keep an eye on him. See how he is with his classmates,” she offers .
I nod, appreciating the offer.
“You do realize… that the fact you hired out the entire complex tonight will fuel the rumor mill for weeks, right?” She side-eyes me, her grin contagious. I look at her, taking in her face up this close. Her natural pout, her big brown eyes, pink cheeks, hair pulled into a ponytail. She seems more relaxed now, knowing her mom is fine, and the two of us only have to worry about each other. My eyes travel down her body and back up. She’s stunning, and I’m royally fucked.
“I don’t care that people know we are together tonight, but I prefer them not to stare at us all night while we try to watch a movie.” I continue to admire her next to me, our arms touching as I put the popcorn in the middle to share.
“They wouldn't stare,” Lacy says, looking at me with a knowing little grin that makes me want to do really dirty things to her.
“When I start feeding you your popcorn, they might,” I say, and her eyes widen slightly, which has my dick jumping in my pants. The idea of feeding her is now front and center, a new kink clearly unlocked for me.
“My hand is fine now,” she says, and she’s right. I took the bandage off and checked it before we left. She still has the stitches in, but it almost has full movement back, the cut healing perfectly.
“I like feeding you.” I pinch a piece of popcorn from the box and bring it to her lips. She pauses, looking up at me with intrigue, before she opens her pouty lips. The salt dusts her lower lip before she opens wider, her tongue darting out, and I push it in farther for her lips to close around it, my fingers getting caught. I swallow as I watch her taste the buttery salt left on her lips. Her eyes are wide as I put my fingers to my lips and suck the salty remains into my own mouth. I see her chest rise and fall rapidly, and a deep growl rumbles in my chest in approval.
“Good girl,” I murmur. The praise comes to me quickly, as does my satisfied smile, and her body seems to relax even further at my words.
“They will be looking at you, not me, if you are feeding me like that…” she says, a little breathy and with a slight sass in her tone that has me grinning even wider.
“You are too beautiful for them not to stare at.”
Our eyes don’t waver from each other’s as I lean toward her slowly.
“Hudson.” It’s barely a whisper from her lips, and I edge forward some more, wanting them on mine. She lifts her hand, running it up my arm, and I know we’re on the same page.
“I love it when you say my name like that, Lacy baby,” I tell her before my lips brush lightly against hers and the whole world ceases to exist. It’s chaste, a blink-and-miss-it kind of kiss, but it tells me everything I need to know about this woman, and that is I want more of her and she wants more of me. I move my lips slowly against hers tenderly, enjoying every second before I pull away and look at her. Our noses nearly touch, and when her lips quirk up in a small smile, my head almost explodes from my chest.
“You had a bit of salt,” I say, grinning, obviously lying as I give her a wink .
“Did you get it all or need to try again?” she teases me back, and I laugh. I love getting to know the real Lacy, and more and more of her personality comes through whenever she is with me.
“I admit, I do have a slight fascination with your lips.” I could seriously watch this woman eat and lick her lips all day. It’s a turn-on.
“Hmmm… is that something I need to be concerned about?” she asks, this teasing conversation making me feel so damn good.
“You don’t need to be concerned about anything with me. But… Beetlejuice, on the other hand…” I say, getting us back on track. While I want to sit here and kiss her all night, I know there is a guy up in the camera box waiting for my signal to start the movie.
“This better be good. You really talked it up,” she grumbles playfully, and I lift my hand up and give him a wave and then a thumbs-up, and with a giggle from my girl beside me, the lights go down, the movie starts, and my grin never leaves my face.
“Beetlejuice, Beetlejuice, Beetlejuice!” Lacy says, smiling and laughing as we make our way out of the movie theater into the night and back to my truck.
“Told you it was good. Classic films, I love them,” I tell her, walking beside her. It’s a little cool out so I wrap my arm around her middle and keep her close, feeling good as she leans into me, wanting my touch just as much.
“I wonder if we can see it tonight,” she says, coming to a stop and looking up. I watch her. Her ponytail cascades down her back, the ends of it brushing my hand, which I have firmly around her waist, her eyes wide as she looks at the night sky.
“See what?” I ask, looking up, wondering what she is talking about.
“The Heart Nebula.”
I grin, knowing she’s looking for something amazing.
“Do you see that?” She points upward, and my eyes follow her hand.
“I see a bunch of stars…” I murmur, wishing I could see what she obviously does.
“Those stars there, they’re called the Ursa Major, also known as the Great Bear. It’s the third largest constellation in the sky and the largest in the northern hemisphere.”
I can’t see shit, but watching her take it all in with glee is worth it.
“A great bear, huh?” I say, looking back up, trying to see it. I can just make it out, but it takes a lot of creativity, and that is something I lack. “Tell me your favorite animal?” I ask her, wanting to know the small things and the big things, everything about this woman.
“Butterflies,” she says, and now I’m intrigued.
“Really? Why?” I ask her as we start to walk back to the truck again. Our steps are slow, and I move my hand from her back and grab her hand, entwining her fingers with my own. The streets are deserted. The town is asleep. There is no one around at this time of night, so I take my time. Her dainty fingers wrap with mine just as tight, and again, the stupid grin I’ve had all night doesn’t waver.
“Because they start slow, like a caterpillar, and then they take flight. I feel like I was a caterpillar coming back after college, and now I feel like I’m in the cocoon, ready to take flight but still waiting.” She’s right. I feel like the more she lets me in, the more I get to see the real Lacy. From her quick wit, her little flirtatious moments, her complete honesty. I can see her blooming more and more right in front of me.
“How did you find college?” I ask her, waiting to hear all the juicy details of parties and maybe sorority gossip. But as I look over at her, her face falls before she masks it.
“It was fine. I just put my head down. Studied. Then came home early to be with Mom.”
I don’t know how I know, but I have a feeling college wasn’t the experience that she was expecting it to be. For a student on a full scholarship, it can be hard, especially at an Ivy League. But there’s something in what she isn’t saying that has my senses on alert. I’m about to ask her some more about which college she went to and her experience, but she shifts the conversation.
“What about you? What animal is your favorite?” She turns to look at me, giving me her full attention, and I bask in it.
“Giraffe,” I tell her, smiling, and she giggles. The sound zips around my body like an electrical current.
“Why?” Her eyes glisten. We are only talking about animals, but this is the most fun I have had in a long time.
“They have a unique long neck so they are super tall and also very handsome,” I say in my most distinguished English accent voice as I stretch my neck up tall, and she stops walking to laugh harder. Her head flies back, her mouth wide, her eyes closed, and it’s the sweetest sight. My heart thuds, looking at her exposed neck, wanting to run my lips up and down her bare skin.
“You are so beautiful, Lacy.” The words leave me before I even realize what I’ve said, and her laughter fades. She looks a little unsure, and I notice her chest rising and falling more quickly.
“Hudson…” The way she says my name, I’m not sure if it’s in warning or wanting, but either way, I like my name on her lips.
“You are one of the most beautiful women I have ever met,” I tell her, stepping closer, and I hear her sharp intake of breath. Our toes are touching as I gaze down at her, my hands finding either side of her waist. I watch her swallow before I feel her hands coast up my forearms and rest near my elbows, staying close.
“They sleep standing up, you know,” she says quietly, and my brow crumples, confused.
“What does?” I ask. I lost concentration when my eyes landed on her lips, the perfect pout, the pretty pink.
“Giraffes.” The small grin on her face is playful, and I smile because, of course, she knows. Her intelligence is one of the things I’m learning more about.
“They do.” I nod, thinking I read something like that.
“They also have a big heart,” she adds, looking into my eyes.
“One of the biggest,” I agree. And for a moment, we stand there, only looking at each other in silence. Her with curiosity and me with a longing I’ve never experienced.
“Are you going to kiss me?” she whispers, almost teasingly, as the cool night air clouds from her lips. My heart stutters at that sweet question.
“Would that be alright with you?” I ask, trying to take things slow when all I want to do is the complete opposite.
“Yes…” she says in a breath that I don't let her finish before my lips are on hers, and I pull her tight against me.
Her hands dig into my arms to keep steady as my hands wrap her up, pulling her body against me, and sealing her lips to mine, so much so, she’s on her tiptoes. Her lips are soft, and I taste the saltiness from our popcorn as they move against mine. I run a hand up her side, bringing it to cup her jaw, tilting her head a little just as my tongue slides across her bottom lip and she opens up for me.
My tongue tangles with hers as desire swirls within me. Her hold on me increases, but she doesn’t have to worry because at this point, I’m going to struggle to let her go, already itching to have more of her. As her body softens in my hold, I kiss her like I haven’t kissed anyone in years. Our kiss in her office was electric, the chaste kiss in the cinema earlier was teasingly perfect, but this, with Lacy giving me back as much as I’m giving her, is all-encompassing and there is no turning back for me now. I’m in heaven.
“Wow…” she says quietly as we pull away slightly before I peck another few kisses on her cheek .
“Yeah, wow…” I agree, murmuring the words against her cheek, not yet ready to pull away completely.
“Giraffes are good kissers too,” she quips, and now it is my turn to laugh. Her quick wit is enough to set me off, and it feels good. I keep her close to me and walk her to the truck, opening the door and getting her inside, realizing that the kiss was great, but not enough. My ache for her is now burning, and I have no chance of simmering it down. Not after tonight, and I just hope she feels the same.