Chapter 8
8
Hudson
Well, fuck.
I don’t know what that was, but I want it again.
Twenty-four hours a day.
But this isn’t the time or place.
“Come on.” I brush damp strands of hair from Molly’s face. “You should sit.”
She nods and pulls back, her movements stiff. “Okay. Where?”
I shrug off my jacket, shake off the droplets clinging to the nylon material, and spread it on the floor. “Here.”
Molly hesitates, glancing at the filthy floor barely covered by my jacket.
She bites her lip. “Hudson, it’s fine. I don’t need—”
“Molly.” I soften my voice as I gently guide her toward the makeshift seat. “Just sit. You’re shaking.”
She slinks down, pulling her knees to her chest and wrapping her arms around them.
I start to step away. “I’ll be right back.”
Her head snaps up, her wide eyes locking on mine. “Where are you going?”
“To look for stuff,” I reply, scanning the dimly lit aisles.
“Stuff?” She scrunches her nose. “Vague much.”
“Yeah, well, I might not find anything, so it’s best to be vague. I’m just looking for anything I can find.” My answer sucks, but it’s the truth. Who knows if I’ll find anything useful, so I don’t want to give her false hope.
I take a few steps and spot a flashlight on a nearby shelf.
Bingo.
If this works, I won’t have to drain my phone’s battery.
I carry it over to her and place it in her outstretched palm.
Molly turns it over, trying to switch it on, but it doesn’t work. Well, that sucks, and now I look like an idiot.
She moves to hand it back, but I shake my head. “Keep it. You don’t know if you’ll need it.”
She raises an eyebrow. “Why would I need a dead flashlight?”
“For protection,” I reply with a shrug.
She hugs the flashlight to her chest. “Um. From who?”
“I don’t know. Maybe an animal.”
Her lips twitch, and she wants to laugh. “You think that if a wolf breaks in, I’ll be able to use this?”
My lips tip into a smirk. “You never know. He could be a very hungry one.”
Molly laughs. It sounds shaky, like she can’t help but do it, but she’s still afraid. “So, now, I have to worry about a wolf, a tornado, and let’s be real, this place is straight out of a serial killer movie. So yeah . . . that, too.”
“Yep. Have fun with that.”
I start to walk away from where she’s sitting.
My footsteps tap the tile floor, echoing in the space as I explore the aisles, running my fingers along the dusty shelves.
This place is surprisingly well-stocked. Something tells me it’s only been closed for a few months. . . maybe a year . That also means some of this food might still be good.
I rummage through the items and grin when I find what I’m looking for.
“Bingo,” I mutter under my breath.
Food.
The shelves are pretty bare, but there are a few cans of lord knows what. I keep going, bending down to see what type of candy bars I can find. The plastic is dusty, but some of these might do the trick.
I see chips, too, and grab them as well.
“I found Twinkies.” I wave a pack in the air.
These things could survive a nuclear war.
Molly jumps up from where she’s sitting, ready to take some of the food out of my hands. “Pass. I’m not that desperate.”
“Could’ve fooled me,” I shoot back.
“Funny,” she mutters just loud enough for me to hear her.
If it were lighter out, I would bet my last snack she also rolled her eyes at me.
The only thing I can see is that she’s watching me.
I head back to her, pulling my phone from my pocket and switching on its flashlight. The beam cuts through the gloom as I stand beside her.
“What else did you bring?” she asks.
“Not much. It was slim pickings.”
Her brow furrows. “How do you know it’s good?”
I grin. “Because everyone knows these babies will last through an apocalypse.”
I place the Twinkie in her hand, watching as her fingers trace the wrapper.
Molly stares at it, then raises an eyebrow at me. “So you actually did get Twinkies? I thought you were messing with me.”
I nod. “Of course, I did. I never mess around when it comes to Twinkies or Girl Scout cookies, but unfortunately, we are all out of those.”
“You’re fired.”
“I got chips, though. But we should check the dates on those.”
“And not on the Twinkies?” she asks, her lips quirking up slightly.
“Everyone knows Twinkies don’t go bad.”
“That’s BS,” she says, shaking her head.
“Guess we’ll find out.” I tear open the wrapper and hold it out to her. “Ladies first.”
She crosses her arms, leaning back against the wall. “No. I insist you go first since you found it.”
I narrow my eyes. “Basically, you want to see if I die first?”
“Yeah.”
“Real nice, Hex,” I mutter before taking a bite.
It’s just as good as I remember it to be. I haven’t had one of these since I was a kid.
I grin, chewing dramatically. “Yum . . .”
She rolls her eyes and starts to eat, a small smile tugging at her lips.
Side by side, we eat in silence. Things feel normal—or as normal as they can be when you’re sitting on the floor of an abandoned gas station eating Twinkies during a tornado.
But then the building shakes, and Molly flinches, her body tense.
There’s a very good chance the windows will shatter. Hopefully, the glass is tempered, but from here, I can’t tell, and I certainly won’t be getting up to check.
That would require leaving Molly alone.
Speaking of Molly, she stiffens beside me, glancing up at the ceiling.
There’s an ominous feeling in the air as the night sky illuminates with a fresh crack of lightning, and the entire building shudders again.
“Oh my God.”
“Relax. Everything will be fine—”
As if Mother Nature has a sick sense of humor, a deafening crack cuts me off as if to challenge me. Molly jerks so hard, I’m afraid she’s going to hurt herself if she doesn’t calm down.
I set aside the Twinkies and move closer. “Molly.”
“I don’t want to die here,” she blurts out.
“You’re not going to,” I respond firmly.
“No.” She shakes her head. “I don’t mean just the tornado. I mean . . . like this. Trapped in this shitty gas station with you.”
“Ouch.” I press a hand to my chest in mock pain, but I need her feisty attitude right now. That’s how she’ll push away the fear. “I don’t think I’ve ever been so flattered.”
“You’re impossible.”
“Yet here we are.” I lean in. “What are you gonna do about it?”
All of a sudden, she grabs my shirt, yanks me down to her level, and kisses me.
It’s not a gentle kiss. It’s hard. And passionate.
It’s hate and want. Fear and survival.
Raw and unpolished.
Driven by adrenaline and something else.
Defiance.
I can’t help but smirk against her lips. “I thought this was a mistake.”
“Fuck the mistake. Just make me forget.”
I let my thumb trace the delicate line of her neck before leaning down and capturing her lips again.
With my other hand, I cup the back of her neck, pulling us closer until no space exists between us.
She clings to me, her fingers fisted in my shirt like she’s afraid I’ll let her go.
I won’t.
Not now, at least.
After a few more passes of my tongue, I finally pull back, breaking the kiss.
Her lips are swollen, her breath coming in shallow gasps.
I can’t bring myself to look away.
Damn.
She’s beautiful like this—flushed, dazed, and completely in the moment.
I swallow hard before reaching my hand out to tuck a loose strand of hair behind her ear.
It’s such a small gesture, but it feels bigger, and I’m not sure how to feel about it. “Are you okay?”
She nods.
My hand lingers on her back for another second . I should step back. I should say something clever, something that breaks the tension.
I grin and do just that. “Good to know.”
“What?”
I wink. “That Twinkies get you all hot and bothered.”
“Shut up.” Molly scoffs, but I know by the raspy pitch of her voice that she isn’t upset.
I lean forward, almost touching her lips again. “Make me.”
She does.
She kisses me again, tangling her fingers in my damp hair.
I don’t hesitate to kiss her back, tilting my head down to deepen it.
From there, I wrap my arms around her waist, bracketing her body to mine.
Lost in the moment, she doesn’t notice the storm, or how the wind howls, or how the entire building seems to shake around us. She only notices me, and that’s exactly what I want.
My hands roam. Hers do, too, wild and unrelenting. They pull my shirt up until her small hands connect with my skin.
When the kiss ends, I rest my forehead on hers.
“So,” I breathe out. “Am I still impossible?”
“Yes,” she murmurs, brushing her lips against mine again like she can’t get enough. “But I’m starting to see the appeal.”
I chuckle. “Good. Because I don’t think you’re done with me yet.”
I kiss down her jaw, trailing my lips against her skin.
Our breaths come fast and ragged in the dark store. I push her gently against the wall, hands roaming over her curves. Molly arches into me with a soft gasp.
“We shouldn’t,” she whispers, even as she tugs my shirt over my head.
“Probably not,” I agree, helping her shed her own top.
But we’re both too far gone to stop now. The fear and adrenaline have ignited something primal between us. My lips crash back onto hers as I lift her, her legs wrapping around my waist.
I carry Molly down the darkened aisles, but it’s not easy. With each step I take, she trails hot kisses along my neck.
She’s driving me wild.
My body feels like it’s on fire.
“Wait,” she breathes, tickling my skin. “Do you have a condom?”
I groan. “Fuck, I don’t. Wait . . . maybe there’s one here.”
There better be one because I need this woman more than I need air to breathe.
I scan the shelves.
She must think I’m nuts, but I’m desperate. My cock is already straining painfully against my jeans.
“There.” She points at a small display of condoms.
“Thank fuck.”
She laughs at my outburst, which is fine by me, but she won’t be laughing once I’m inside her.
I grab a pack, trying and failing to tear it open with my teeth. Molly takes the foil packet and rips it open, then reaches down between us.
She fumbles with my belt buckle as I kiss along her collarbone.
Thunder booms outside, but we barely notice.
We’re both lost in the moment.
I hiss as she takes my cock in her hand and slowly rolls the condom on.
“Fuck, Molly,” I growl.
I press her against the nearest shelf and capture her lips in a searing kiss.
She moans into my mouth as I push her panties aside and slide a finger through her folds. She’s already so wet for me. I circle her clit with my thumb as I ease a finger inside her tight pussy.
“Hudson, please,” she whimpers. “I need you now.”
I carry her to the checkout counter, setting her on the edge.
I slide her jeans down her legs, trailing kisses in their wake.
Molly threads her fingers through my hair, guiding me where she wants me most.
I oblige.
When I finally push into her, we both groan at the sensation. I set a steady rhythm, gripping her hips. Molly meets me thrust for thrust, nails raking down my back.
“Harder,” she demands, making me chuckle.
I comply, driving into her at a punishing pace.
The rickety counter creaks beneath us, but neither of us care.
The only thing that matters is being inside her.
I thrust deeper into her, and a groan escapes both of our mouths.
Too good.
She feels too good.
She’s so fucking tight I can barely breathe.
Nothing in my life has ever felt like this.
If we die here tonight, at least I’ll die having found heaven.
Molly’s head falls back as she nears her peak. I kiss along the column of her throat, feeling her pulse race beneath my lips.
We tumble over the edge together, crying out as waves of pleasure crash over us.
There’s nothing but bliss.
No storm. No danger. Just us.