Lucy #2
“Don’t even joke,” I muttered, fighting to catch my breath. “Maybe you need to hit the gym more.” My lips twitched as I fought to keep a straight face.
The man worked out two hours a day and did his fair share of manual labor. His body was a drool-worthy work of art.
He rolled on top of me again. “You need me to prove I can go all night?” He raised a challenging brow.
“You’re already halfway there. I’d say you proved your point.” I shot him a cajoling smile.
“Happy to prove it again and again.” Leaning in, he trailed kisses down my neck.
Despite my exhaustion, my heart rate kicked up.
The man never failed to get a response out of me.
It was as though I had a completely new libido—or perhaps I’d simply never discovered the old one. I certainly wasn’t complaining now.
“I would kill for some ice cream.” I sighed.
“Is that your way of asking me to go downstairs and get you some ice cream?” He chuckled affectionately.
“Maybe.” I wrinkled my nose hopefully.
He kissed me one more time before climbing off the bed and pulling on his sweats. “You know all you have to do is ask,” he reminded me, as he always did.
Minutes later, he crawled back into bed with a pint of ice cream and two spoons.
“So, a tour…” I prompted gently as we took turns scooping bites, ready to pick up our conversation from this morning with clearer heads.
“A tour.” He nodded. “I haven’t agreed to anything yet, but it would be the most successful way to bring attention the new album. And, not that I need it, but it’s the main revenue driver these days.
“And is it that you don’t want to tour at all, or you’re just worried about leaving me?”
“It’s a bit of both,” he admitted. “I’ve been increasingly reluctant to leave home, but now I don’t want to put the life we’re building on hold.”
“Would it be on hold if I came with you? Or is it that you don’t want me to come?” I asked, voicing the question I’d been dreading.
“Christ, no.” He shook his head emphatically.
“That’s where me not talking got this all fucked up.
” Setting the ice cream aside, he pulled me into his arms. “I want nothing more than for you to be with me, baby. I can’t imagine going more than a night without you.
But I also know you lived for everyone else’s dreams before—I don’t want it to ever seem like you’re back there again. ”
The look in his blue eyes was so earnest that, for a moment, I caught a glimpse of what a child of ours might look like.
Truth be told, I hadn’t thought much about children until Hudson. But lately, I’d found myself picturing a life with more than just the two of us.
“Just you thinking that way is the difference, honey,” I assured him.
“You see me—you value me and respect my interests. Me supporting you in the same way is the partnership we both deserve. You need to get used to telling me what you’re thinking and asking for what you want.
You may not always get it, but we’ll talk and make a decision as a team. ”
“I can do that,” he agreed. “And on that note, one of the other things Davis wanted to talk about today is that they’re hoping I’ll sub in for a charity event next week in New York.
Their headliner dropped out, and it’s for a good cause.
I didn’t agree to do it until we talked. I was hoping you’d come with me.”
“You mean I’d get to watch the Hudson Carter do his thing?” I grinned. “I’m so in.”
He chuckled, but then his expression grew serious. “The truth is, you see a side of me no one else will ever know, and I wouldn’t have it any other way.”
“Same,” I agreed quietly.
He leaned over to kiss me softly before sitting back to study me intently.
“I’m thinking I’ll do a more limited tour—maybe only a few international venues,” he mused.
“Could be a good compromise. Ideally, you’d join me for as many as you can, but if you need to be back here for your family, or whatever animals you’ve filled that barn with, or if you just don’t like the road, we can make that work.
Luckily, you can edit from anywhere, so that helps.
” He grinned. “What do you think of that?”
“I think that sounds like a plan. And when we have a family, we can make a different sort of plan.” My eyes widened as I realized what I’d just said. “I mean—if we do, in the future.”
When my eyes met his, they were full of an emotion I couldn’t place. “You want to give me babies?” His voice was a hoarse rumble.
“Well, yeah,” I admitted shyly.
He pressed me gently onto my back and leaned over me, his face splitting into an ear-to-ear grin. “How many?”
“I don’t know—two?” Growing up as an only child had been lonely, and I didn’t want that for my kids. Seeing how close Hudson was to his siblings, I wanted that for our family.
“Can I convince you to go for three?” He raised a brow. “Maybe four?”
“Let’s start with one and see how far we get, Romeo.” I swatted at him playfully.
“The first one’ll be so beautiful, we won’t be able to stop.” He leaned over to kiss my neck. “Think we’re going all night, darlin’,” he rasped as he settled between my legs.
One thing was for sure—when we were ready to start a family, we’d have the practice down pat.