While We Waited (Smuggler’s Hideaway #3)

Chapter 10

Two-minute warning – a warning Hudson’s avoidance of Nova is about to come to an end

Hudson

M y feet pound the pavement as I run toward the resort. My ankle and Achilles’ tendon ache but I don’t stop. I may not be able to play professional football anymore, but I refuse to stop running, or lifting weights, or playing sports.

I am an athlete. It’s what I do. It’s who I am.

The doctors didn’t think I’d be able to run again after the defensive lineman broke my ankle and ruptured my tendon. I showed them. But the months of grueling physical training were for nothing. When I returned to the team, the team doc wouldn’t sign off on my return. My career was done.

I rub a hand over my chest as the familiar pain of failure hits me. The feeling keeps me awake at night.

Except for the night I spent with Nova. I didn’t have any problems sleeping after burying myself deep in her body and exploding with pleasure.

My cock twitches. It doesn’t understand why I refuse to give into the temptation of Nova again.

I ignore it and increase my speed until the sweat is rolling down my back and my muscles burn from the exertion. Maybe if I exhaust myself, I won’t be tempted to take my cock in my hand as I shower and imagine Nova’s lips around me. Nova on her knees before me. Nova with those exotic eyes staring up at me.

I sprint around the last bend to the resort and catch a glimpse of a police vehicle driving into the parking lot. Shit. What now? I hope it isn’t drunk guests again. I prefer to limit having my shoes thrown up on to once in a lifetime.

I manage to catch up to the vehicle as Lucas is getting out of the driver’s side.

“Lucas,” I call as I come to a halt next to the car.

I bend over and rest my hands on my knees as I catch my breath. My lungs burn from how hard I pushed myself the last quarter of a mile. I don’t mind. I enjoy the burn. It reminds me of what my body is capable of. Of the lengths I can push it to. Of how satisfying being an athlete can be.

“You’re up early for a run.”

I grunt. I’m always up early since sleeping is a luxury of my pre-injury past.

“Are you here to arrest someone?”

“He can arrest me,” a woman hollers as she steps out of the main resort building.

Lucas throws up his left hand. “Married.”

My brow wrinkles. His marriage is fake. He married Chloe to keep custody of his daughter. They’re playing happy family until his ex-wife loses her bid for custody.

“I’ll be your side piece. I don’t mind.” The woman isn’t giving up.

Lucas doesn’t bother looking at her. “Not interested.”

“What about your friend?”

I nearly chuckle. I haven’t been referred to as ‘the friend’ since the first time I stepped out on the football field.

“Not interested.”

She rakes her gaze over my body. “I can give you a rub down. I’m very good with my hands.”

Lucas raises an eyebrow. “I can come back later.”

I grunt. I don’t fuck the guests. I’ve hardly fucked anyone since I returned home. Except Nova. All roads lead back to her.

“Why are you here anyway?”

He grins and rocks back on his heels. “I want to book the venue.”

I’m confused. His wedding was here a few months ago. In my experience, people don’t book the same venue twice in the same year.

“Again? Is someone else getting married?”

He nods toward the woman who’s inching closer to us as we speak. “Can we speak in private?”

“My office.” I march to the entrance and the woman steps in my way. “Not interested,” I grumble as I step around her.

“I’m up for a threesome. I’m a very hard worker.”

“I’m married and I’m on duty.” Lucas places his hand over his service weapon and the woman’s eyes widen before she scurries away.

I escort Lucas into the building and down the hallway to my office. I motion for him to have a seat before I grab a towel and wipe the sweat from my forehead.

“Sorry,” I say as I join him. “I don’t usually do meetings in my sports attire.”

“No worries. I wanted to catch you before most of the island wakes up since I’m trying to keep this a surprise.”

“A surprise? What’s going on?”

His answering smile is nearly as wide as Nova’s. “I want to surprise Chloe and re-do our wedding.”

I scratch my neck. “But your marriage is fake.”

“Our marriage isn’t fake,” he insists. “I made certain Weston’s mother could legally perform the marriage before the ceremony.”

“Yes, of course. It’s not fake but you and Chloe aren’t together.”

He smirks. “We are. I admit we did things out of order. I married her before I fell in love with her, but we’re together now and I’m not letting her go.”

My stomach burns with envy. He has the woman he wants in his bed every night whereas I only got one night with Nova. One night instead of every night.

“Congratulations,” I force myself to say.

“Thanks.”

“You want to re-do your wedding? Ceremony and all?”

“Not the ceremony. Just the reception.”

“What date are you thinking?” I ask as I grab my tablet and open the booking software.

“As soon as the venue is available. And the honeymoon chalet is available. Our first stay in the honeymoon chalet needs a re-do, too.”

Visions of Nova and how we spent the night in one of the honeymoon chalets invade my mind but I clear my throat and force them away. Getting a hard-on in front of a client is not the way I want to operate my business. Especially since these running shorts hide nothing.

“What about decorations, flowers, food?”

“I want the dinner to be exactly the same as our reception dinner.”

“That simplifies things quite a bit.” We settle on a date a week from now and I send the information to the event coordinator, Terri.

“If there are any issues, I’ll have Terri contact you,” I say as I stand.

I lead him down the hallway back to the reception area. We’re nearly to the exit when the woman from earlier rushes toward us towing another woman behind her.

“I told you this place is hottie heaven.”

Lucas grunts before walking out the door leaving me with the two women.

Women I’m not interested in because neither one of them is Nova.

Nova. I’m looking forward to seeing her again next week at Lucas and Chloe’s reception. I bet she’ll be surprised to see me again. My little ray of sunshine was not happy when I showed up at the Mermaid Lagoon Races.

“Boss!” Roger rushes to me from the reception desk. “I need your help.”

“What is it?” I ask once we’re away from the women.

“Nothing. Thought you needed an assist.” He winks.

I grunt my thanks. “I need a shower.”

Where I will not spend my time wondering what dress Nova will wear at the party. I will not think about Nova at all. I certainly won’t imagine her in her bikini top with her breasts practically falling out for every man to see. Or her in my t-shirt after I dressed her in it.

Possessive feelings course through my veins at the memory of Nova in my t-shirt.

Nova isn’t mine, I remind myself. Her sunshine is not intended for my grumpy ass.