11. Hudson
Chapter 11
Hudson
After an hour, I got out of the ocean and tossed the board on the sand. It had been refreshing once I got used to it, but it was still too cold for my liking. It did, however, help to keep my insistent erection at bay.
I turned to look back at the water, then flopped gracelessly onto the sand. Reclining on my forearms, I stretched out and lifted my face to the sun to soak in the warmth from the afternoon rays.
Running my hand through my hair, I pushed it back before reaching for my sunglasses. I needed to conceal the way I planned to stare at his half-naked body.
Evan was beautiful on the outside but even more so inside. Watching him with my kids was all the confirmation I needed to know he was a genuine person. He was one of the things I’d been missing in my life—someone I could talk to who didn’t work for me. Except I was almost positive friendship wasn’t all I wanted from him. And surprisingly, that didn’t freak me out like I thought it would.
As I watched them, another thing became very apparent. Evan was a terrible surfer. As soon as he pulled himself up onto the board, he’d wobble, then fall into the water. For a professional athlete who made shoestring catches along the sidelines while keeping both feet in bounds, I had to wonder how he could possibly be bad at it.
My son, however, was a natural. His tall, sinewy build and spritely ability to jump up on the board were impressive. Both kids had smiled and laughed more this afternoon than they had in a long time. And I owed that feat to Evan.
And I needed to stop looking at him before I had a full erection to deal with. So I closed my eyes and lifted my face to the sun.
When he tossed his board onto the sand and sat down beside me, my heartbeat picked up again. I didn’t have to look to know it was him. I could sense his presence as if my body were in tune with his. And I was in trouble.
“What are you thinking about so hard over here?”
I turned my head to find his bright blue eyes sparkling in the afternoon sun. Having him that close almost took my breath away.
“I’m not thinking. I’m working on my tan. And trying to relax a bit.”
I motioned toward the kids. “It’s nice to see them having such a good time. It’s been a while.”
Evan focused his gaze back on the water. “Jack has a lot of natural talent. He mastered finding his balance quickly.”
I smiled, then laughed. “I’m guessing your long legs prevent you from being good at that.”
He chuckled and reclined on one elbow. “You’ve been checking out my legs, Hudson?”
I turned to look at him as heat crept up my spine. I could deny it, or I could just stop thinking about it and be myself.
“Actually, I have. I’d think a highly skilled professional athlete like yourself would be exceptional at anything that required balance. But you kinda suck at it.”
Evan burst out laughing. “Boy, just when I thought you were beginning to like me, you go and criticize my skills.”
“I’m making an observation about your performance as a surfer. And I do like you, otherwise we wouldn’t be here.”
His eyes trailed down to my mouth and over my jaw before returning to my eyes. Leaning closer, he drew me in.
“I’m good at a lot of other things, Hudson. And I’d be happy to show you if given the chance.”
As his words set me on fire, I’d never been happier that my sunglasses hid my eyes from him. I was sure they would give away every dirty thought I had about him. I hadn’t been off the market too long to know what the look on his face meant. And I liked it.
“What do you want, Hudson?”
Swallowing hard, I didn’t look away. “I don’t think that’s something we should discuss out here.”
He tilted his head. “Fair enough. But just so you know, it’s okay to say you want me.”
We both turned our gazes back out to the water as Erin came running to where we were seated.
“Did you see them, Daddy?”
I sat up, alarmed, looking for my security detail.
“See what?” I asked, getting to my feet.
“The dolphins!”
She pointed out where Jack was lying on his board. “They were right out there playing close to us!”
My blood pressure began to normalize as Evan laughed and got up.
“They’re out there all the time. Whales and seals, too. I took a photo of them for you yesterday. It’s on my phone in the house.”
Erin beamed up at him like he was the best thing ever, then lost her mind.
“Really? That is so cool. I wished we lived here. We could see them every day. I love marine biology!”
I smiled at my science geek and ran my hand over her head. “You’re going to make the best marine biologist ever.”
Erin hugged me hard. “Thank you for bringing us back, Daddy.” She turned and hugged Evan before running back to the water.
He looked at me with one raised brow and a sexy smile.
“We’re gonna have a conversation later, Hudson Gatlin. So be ready for it.”
Picking up his board, he headed back to the water, leaving me to stare after him.
My nerves were on end by the time we were alone on the deck. After dinner, we’d hung out with the kids by the outdoor fireplace, roasting marshmallows. He’d thought of everything kids would enjoy, right down to the chocolate bars and cinnamon graham crackers. He’d even paired the Moscato wine with the chocolate.
When the kids were ready for something different, they went up to play on Evan’s PlayStation, leaving the two of us alone. While he put away the dessert, I took time to look around the two-story indoor/outdoor living space.
The upper deck area housed several comfortable lounge chairs, and a sofa designed as an outdoor entertaining space nestled in the center of the deck. On one side, a movable wall opened to expose a complete outdoor bar. Every brand of alcohol imaginable sat on glass shelves anchored to the mirror behind it. An icemaker and refrigerator capped off the design.
On the other side was the entrance to the living area and kitchen with floor-to-ceiling glass walls that overlooked the Pacific. It was breathtaking but very open to the world.
I was leaning against the railing when Evan returned carrying the bottle.
His hair was wavy from the sea air, making me itch to run my fingers through it. His T-shirt stretched across his shoulders, hinting at what was underneath. And he was barefoot again.
This attraction I had toward him was both exciting and anxiety-inducing. But I didn’t want to be anywhere else. I’d been looking forward to this trip long before he invited us to stay with him.
“Do you like all this open-glass living?”
He smiled as he handed me a glass of white wine, then leaned his hip on the railing to look at me. “Yeah, don’t you?”
I took a sip of my wine, then nodded. “Yes, it’s beautiful. But you have no privacy. Isn’t that a concern?”
He sipped his wine and shook his head. “When the tide is in, the beach is underwater up to the rocks. Plus, the glass is all one-way. I can see out, but no one can see in. Even at night. Didn’t you notice it from the beach today?”
I took another sip of my wine before answering. “No. I suppose I didn’t notice it.”
He nodded and tried to suppress his smile. But he couldn’t. I knew where this conversation was headed, and if he set me on fire again, wine might not be the best choice of beverage.
“What were you looking at, Hudson?”
And there I was, smoldering from the inside again. I wished I could blame it on the wine, but that would be lying. And I made it a policy never to do that.
Holding my own, I didn’t look away as the humor on his face slipped into something different. Something weighted with desire simmering in his eyes. Something I wanted more than my next breath.
“Everything, but primarily you.”
Evan nodded slowly as my heart thundered in my chest so hard I was sure he could see my body pulse with every beat. Tipping back the glass, he finished his drink. I emptied mine, never taking my eyes off his.
Was I going to do this?
Was I going to pursue a man for the first time in my life?
Hell yes, I was.
Reaching up with my right hand, I tucked my finger in the front of his shirt and urged him closer. Our mouths only inches apart, Evan ran his hand up my arm until his big palm cupped my face.
“I’m going to be honest here, Evan. I don’t know how to do this with you. But it would appear that maybe I’m not as straight as I thought.”
He smiled as he swept his thumb over my jaw. “That’s a good thing. Because I’m not straight either.”
I laughed but didn’t move an inch out of his hold. “I know. You told me, remember?”
“Just making sure you didn’t forget.”
Leaning into his touch, I closed my eyes for a moment to savor the connection. He smelled so good, and the heat from his body radiating to mine was almost more than I could take.
“Are you concerned about what you’re feeling?”
I shook my head. “Not for me. But my kids are a different matter. I have to think about them. And then there’s my job.”
Evan stared into my eyes as all humor and teasing faded. “I’m going to be honest with you, Hudson. From the moment we met, I haven’t been able to get you out of my head. So much so that I showed up at your house the next day to see you.”
He paused, evidently waiting to see how I might take his words. But they were music to my ears. And when I didn’t respond, he kept going.
“You have the power to hurt me, and I really don’t want that again. But my gut tells me not taking a chance with you would be the biggest regret of my life. And I don’t do regrets.”
Nodding, I stared into his eyes as he confirmed exactly what I’d been feeling. “I appreciate that.”
I don’t know how long we stood there looking at each other. I lost track of time and things around me when Evan was near.
“Hudson,” he whispered against my lips. “You need to make the first move. I won’t push you into anything before you’re ready. I’m happy just to spend some time with you if that’s what you need.”
God, he was killing me. He had no idea how many times I’d wondered what his lips would feel like against mine. And there was no time like the present to find out. So I clutched his shirt in my fist, refusing to let him go.
“Okay,” I said, then pulled his mouth to mine.
He opened his mouth as my tongue snuck inside. A burst of chocolate and sweet sparkling wine hit my tongue, making me moan.
Loosening my grip on his shirt, I slid my hand up to his neck before threading my fingers through his wavy hair. I tugged at his locks, wanting more when the sound of my kids shouting upstairs brought us back to reality.
Evan’s hand slipped from my face as I stepped back out of his reach. Looking at the floor, I was impossibly hard as I wiped away the remnants of our kiss.
“Fucking hell, Governor,” he teased. “I like the way you think. And you’ve already got my vote. Twice.”
I sucked on my bottom lip, trying not to smile as I looked up into his heated blue eyes.
“Well, you know.”
Evan’s hand found the side of my face, drawing my attention back to him. “How was your first kiss with a man?”
I chuckled, suddenly embarrassed. “It was good. But it’s been a while since I’ve kissed anyone. No one since Carrie died.”
Evan gave me a sympathetic nod. “You’d never know it. My governor has skills.”
Rolling my eyes, I groaned in embarrassment.
“Hey,” Evan called softly, rubbing his thumb over my bottom lip. “I could kiss you all night, but I’m going to be the voice of reason if you can believe that. So I think we should talk some more. And before you overthink this, I want to be clear with you. I’d like to see where this could go. We’re good together.”
A smile crept across my face. Even with obstacles in our way, I wanted to try this with him. “Yeah, we could do that.”
Evan pulled me closer and placed a kiss on my forehead. “Go get your swim trunks on.”
I furrowed my brow. “Why? I’m not going swimming out there. Sharks feed at night, and I don’t feel like being their dinner.”
Evan threw his head back and laughed. “I know. We’re getting in the jacuzzi downstairs, not the ocean. The hot water will help with soreness from surfing today.”
“But I’m not…”
He put his finger over my lips. “Just trust me, Hudson. I’ll meet you downstairs after I go check on the kids.”
With another kiss on my forehead, I watched his muscled ass walk away from me, leaving me with a fluttery feeling in my gut and a big stupid grin on my face.