Chapter 7
Chapter Seven
Naomi
The shadows outside my apartment stretched long and lean as the sun dipped below the horizon. I stared at the mess of papers on my coffee table, trying to focus on the task at hand, but my mind refused to cooperate. Instead, it kept circling back to Hudson—the way he’d looked at me, touched me, kissed me.
And now, the way he was pulling back.
It wasn’t subtle. Hudson had this way of retreating without actually disappearing, keeping himself close enough to protect but far enough to feel unreachable. It was maddening. After what had happened between us, I thought things would change. I thought they already had.
But the kiss we’d shared—the one that had left me breathless, my heart racing—felt like a turning point. For me, at least. For him? I wasn’t so sure.
I sighed, rubbing my temples as I tried to push the thought aside. Work. Focus on work. But even that was proving difficult. I glanced at my desk and frowned. The notepad I’d left there earlier was gone. Again.
This wasn’t the first time something had gone missing. A stapler, a mug, even my favorite pen. Small things, easily misplaced, but it was happening too often to be coincidence. And then there was last night—a fleeting shadow moving outside my window just before bed. I’d told myself it was the wind or a trick of the light, but now I wasn’t so sure.
A soft knock at the door startled me out of my thoughts. My heart jumped, and I froze for a moment before shaking off the nerves. Hudson had texted earlier saying he’d check in. It was probably him.
When I opened the door, he was there, as solid and steady as ever. His expression was unreadable, his dark eyes scanning me like he was trying to gauge my mood.
“Hey,” I said, stepping aside to let him in.
“Hey,” he replied, his voice low. He stepped into the apartment, his presence filling the small space instantly.
“You didn’t have to come,” I said, closing the door behind him.
He turned to look at me, one brow arching. “I wasn’t going to sit at home wondering if you were okay.”
I crossed my arms, leaning against the door. “And you think standing guard here will make a difference?”
“It already has,” he said simply, his gaze steady.
There it was again—that wall between us. Hudson was always careful with his words, but now it felt like he was choosing them too carefully, like he was trying to keep me at arm’s length.
“Can I get you something?” I asked, gesturing toward the kitchen. “Tea? Coffee?”
“I’m fine,” he said, moving to the window and pulling the curtain aside just enough to glance outside. “How’s your day been?”
I hesitated, unsure how much to share. “Fine, I guess. Quiet.”
“Anything unusual?” he asked, his tone sharp.
I bit my lip, debating whether to mention the missing notepad. It felt silly, like I was making a big deal out of nothing. But the look on his face told me he wouldn’t dismiss it.
“Not really,” I said finally. “Just... little things. Stuff going missing. Probably me being forgetful.”
His jaw tightened, and he turned to face me fully. “You’re not forgetful.”
“Thanks for the vote of confidence, but I think I’d know.”
“Naomi,” he said, his voice low and firm. “If something feels off, it probably is.”
The intensity in his gaze made my chest tighten. Hudson had a way of making me feel both seen and completely unprepared for the weight of his attention.
“I’ll keep an eye out,” I said, trying to brush it off. “It’s probably nothing.”
He didn’t look convinced, but he let it go, stepping away from the window and into the kitchen. He moved like he belonged there, opening cabinets and pulling out a glass of water as if it were second nature.
Watching him, my frustration bubbled to the surface. He was here, in my space, acting like nothing had happened. Like he hadn’t kissed me, hadn’t set my world spinning only to pull away the moment things got real.
“Are you just going to ignore it?” I blurted out before I could stop myself.
He froze, the glass in his hand halfway to his lips. “Ignore what?”
“You know what,” I said, stepping closer. “What happened between us. The kiss. The... whatever that was.”
His jaw clenched, and he set the glass down on the counter with deliberate care. “Naomi?—”
“No,” I interrupted, crossing my arms. “You don’t get to brush this off. You kissed me, Hudson. You—” My voice cracked, and I took a breath, trying to steady myself. “You don’t just get to act like nothing’s changed.”
“I’m not acting like nothing’s changed,” he said, his voice low and rough. “But this isn’t the time.”
“When is it ever the time?” I shot back, my frustration spilling over. “You’re always waiting, always holding back. What are you so afraid of?”
He turned to face me, his expression hard but conflicted. “I’m afraid of putting you in danger.”
I stared at him, the weight of his words sinking in. “What does that even mean? I’m already in danger, Hudson. Whether you’re close to me or not.”
“That’s not the same,” he said, his voice rising slightly. “If something happened to you because of me?—”
“Because of you?” I cut him off, stepping closer. “You’re not making sense.”
“Naomi,” he said, his voice dropping to a whisper. “You don’t understand.”
“Then help me understand,” I said, my voice softer now. “Tell me what’s going on in your head.”
He didn’t answer right away, his gaze locked on mine like he was waging an internal battle. Finally, he let out a sharp breath and ran a hand through his hair.
“What happened between us,” I said, my voice trembling slightly, “did it mean anything to you, or was it just... a mistake?”
The words were barely out of my mouth before he turned to face me, his jaw tight, his eyes blazing with an intensity that made my breath catch.