Chapter Eight
chapter eight
HUDSON
M y fake boyfriend was perfect when Henry bum rushed him. I tried to scrub this cum out of my beard as fast as I could, but I shouldn’t have bothered. It would have served him right to see that I had indeed moved on.
I could hear the smile in Cal’s voice when he told Henry he was my boyfriend. My mind wanted to say it was because he was proud to be mine, but I know it was more to do with him pretending and playing up the role. God, this confuses me. I know Cal and I have feelings for each other, but I’m not sure if he wants to jump into another relationship after he was hurt in the last one.
And I get it. If anyone gets it, I do. After being with Henry for years and for him to hurt me like he did, I wasn’t sure if I was ready for more. But being with Callum has been a breath of fresh air. He makes me feel like I’ve never been hurt before. His easy-going nature and the way he listens to me when we spend time together makes me feel like a whole man, not one hurt and jaded after being cheated on and left to pick up the pieces by moving across the country.
Our differences make my feelings stronger. We’re both interested in knowing more about each other and sharing our interests instead of being opposed to learning something new. Even the simple exchanges, like our favorite movies and music are enlightening. On the flight, when I wasn’t a sweating fool, we exchanged phones and listened to the playlists we made for each other. It’s all new and I can’t get enough.
So why didn’t I correct him when he said pretend to be my boyfriend? Why didn’t I tell him I wanted more?
The next day is busy, but fun. The resort has a variety of things to do and our group has a great time doing them all. Along with me, Callum, Henry, and Alex—the man he cheated with—John’s and Derek’s parents and siblings are here, and Hector and Vlad, another couple Henry and I were friends with when we were together.
Derek, with his blond hair and light brown eyes, can’t stop staring at John with love and I feel a pang in my chest. I don’t think I ever saw Henry look at me that way … but I have caught the look on Callum’s face. When we talk, when we cuddle, when we’re sitting in silence, I see it, accompanied with a sweet smile that’s only for me.
Holy shit! Is he in love with me? Could it be possible? I know it’s possible for me. I damn near fell in love with him when he smiled softly after smelling the tiger lilies I got for him on our first date. My heart swells, thinking about the possibilities.
Then I deflate. No, he doesn’t love me. If he did, he wouldn’t have suggested this all be fake. There’s no denying that Cal wants me, but not enough right now to take that next step. Although I’m crushed by that thought, I’m not willing to let it get to me. Callum has shown me since we’ve begun dating that he likes what we have—I can wait until he wants this for real.
The whole day, I catch Henry giving us sideways looks, eyes darting between me and Callum. I’m not sure what he’s searching for or what he sees, but he doesn’t look too happy about it. That’s not my problem. After all, it’s his fault that we’re not together. And the reason why is in my face. Henry doesn’t let Alex get too far away from him, but his eyes linger on me and Callum.
We go paddle boating, then take a short hike when we get to the other shore of the river we’re buttressed against. Then we play games like tug of war and volleyball. I must admit, it’s a great time. Callum has been accepted by everyone and treated with the utmost respect by all but Henry. I’m not sure why, but he keeps making digs at Callum, calling him carrot top and asking if he needs extra sunscreen because of his paler skin. A few times, I opened my mouth to tell Henry to cut the shit, but Cal would give me a look and I’d shut my mouth and let him handle it.
And Callum handles it well. Instead of stooping to Henry’s level, he would give him genial smiles and answer Henry as patiently as if he were talking to a child. It made Henry look like a jealous asshole. Finally, Derek pulled him to the side and they had a heated conversation about it.
Honestly, it’s petty and it’s making him look like an idiot. Alex is giving him intense looks because of his behavior and I don’t blame him. Henry is making a fool of both of them. I’m not sure why, when he’s the one that blew our relationship up. I’m not saying I was the perfect boyfriend, but I believe in communication. I told Henry all the time that if something bothered him to let me know and we could work through it. When he cheated, I asked why he didn’t tell me something was wrong and he said there was no point because I should have known. So yeah, Henry blew us up and now he’s acting like a child.
When we go back to our villa to change before we lounge around the fire pit, I pull Callum down on the bed, holding him close to me. “I’m so sorry about what happened today. Henry is out of line.”
Callum shrugs. “He is, but it doesn’t bother me.”
“All the same, I’m sorry.”
Propping himself up on his elbow, Callum beams down at me and my heart stutters. This beautiful man smiling down at me has to be the greatest gift I’ve been given. His hair is curly from drying without heat and I pull his hair tie out, watching the loose curls flow around his face. I bury my hand in it and Callum lets out a soft breath. He clears his throat, sliding closer to me and I feel his erection on my hip. He’s definitely fucking me. I can’t go another day without him fucking me hard with that big dick of his.
His voice is rough when he says, “None of what he says bothers me because I know that he realizes he fucked up. He knows he lost something good and he’s acting out. I have you. You’re the prize and you’re with me. There’s nothing he can say to or about me that can hurt because when you look at me, I know you don’t believe what he says.”
Tugging on his hair, I pull his mouth down to mine and devour his lips. I take from him, filling up on his kisses so they’ll last me for the rest of the night. Callum straddles me, working his hips, sliding his pert ass over my cock.
Pulling my mouth from his, I say in a raspy voice, “You need to fuck me now.”
Callum, my sweet, sweet Callum, laughs and kisses me quickly. “We don’t have time. John and Derek want us outside in thirty minutes.”
“Fuck John and Derek,” I tell him vehemently. “You need to be inside me or I’m going to come out of my skin.” After what he just said and how he just kissed me, if I don’t have him soon, I will die. Well, not die, but I’ll be really put out.
Callum peers down at me and nods. Quickly, he hops off the bed and goes to his bag, pulling out lube and a condom. We tear our clothes off quickly, not wanting to wait to strip each other. I pull my legs back, exposing my hole and Cal stands at the end of the bed, stroking his cock and staring at my entrance. “You’re so fucking sexy like this. I won’t last long,” he says, then raises his eyes to mine. “I’m already close and I haven’t even prepped you yet.”
“I don’t need much,” I tell him. I’ve been prepping myself in the shower every day for the past two weeks, ever since I felt Callum’s dick and knew I wanted him to fuck me. I figured it would take some doing since he’s so big.
His eyes grow heated as he catches my meaning and he surges on the bed,kissing me until I’m breathless. Pulling away, he quickly slicks his fingers and eases in one, then two, stretching and scissoring my hole. I fuck into his fingers, loving how he barely brushes over my prostate every time his fingers slide into me. He moves his fingers thoroughly, but too slowly for me. I need him so bad, I’m almost vibrating.
“Now,” I grit out, wanting him to keep going but needing him inside me.
“Can I have you like this?” he asks, rubbing his hands up and down my legs, tickling the hair there. “I want to see your face while my dick is inside you.”
I can’t speak, too worked up, so I nod vigorously. Cal grins and throws one of my legs over his shoulder. I want to laugh because my large, hairy leg is draped over his smaller, bare shoulder, but now isn’t the time to think anything is a joke. Settling between my legs, he lines his cock up with my hole and slides in slowly. I bear down on him while I groan, wanting more. As I knew, Callum’s dick stretches me and I love the burn. I love the stretch and I love his face as he sinks into me.
“God, Hudson,” he says on a breath when he’s bottomed out. “You’re so snug. So hot.” He adjusts the leg on his shoulder and his cockhead brushes my prostate when he lifts it higher. I toss my head back and moan, hearing Callum say, “That’s it, baby,” as if he’s speaking to me from a great distance. I can’t focus on his words. I can only focus on his dick in my ass and how it drags against all the nerves of my hole as he pulls back.
Cal rolls his hips and pushes back in, tapping that spot inside me that makes me lose my composure. Air bursts from my lungs as I try to absorb the sensation. “Shit. Fuck. More.” I wish I could form more words, but that’s all I got. All I can say.
“Like this?” Callum asks, moves closer to me and pounds me out in strong, sure strokes. All I can do is moan and take it, this fucking unlike anything I’ve felt before. Callum is giving me everything I need, making me feel like I’m floating while keeping me grounded.
Leaning back, Cal tilts his hips and thrusts into me. “Grab your dick, baby. Jerk yourself while I wreck your hole.”
Goddamn. Goddamn. Goddamn. I want that so bad; I’m almost gagging for it. I hurriedly wrap my hand around my dick, jerking quickly. Callum hums in appreciation, then speeds the snap of his hips. His grip on my leg is rough, keeping me in place and tagging my prostate repeatedly. Callum’s soft moans and ragged breaths are music to my ears and I’m fighting to last.
Batting my hand away, Callum grips my cock and leans forward while still fucking me. He lets spit dribble from his mouth onto my aching erection, getting me wet. The lube is right beside him, but I like the filthiness of him using his spit to work me over. “I love touching your dick. Love being inside you. I love it all.” Callum squeezes my dick and moans when I do. “Your ass is squeezing me, baby. Are you close?”
I nod, unable to breathe, let alone speak. For a second there, I almost thought Callum was going to tell me?—
“Fuck, Hudson. I’m gonna cum! I love you, baby. I love …” He groans and shudders on top of me. The L word catches me off guard and my dick erupts. I come so hard and shout so loud, I lose my voice. My orgasm splashes on my chest, then Callum collapses on top of me, making a mess of both of us.
Did he just say he loves me? Or was it the sex? I would love for it to be because he means it, but I know how sex can cloud people’s judgment.
He lifts his head and kisses me sweetly, exploring and making love to my mouth as he lowers my leg until it’s propped on the bed. We kiss and kiss and kiss some more, until we hear knocking on the door. John shouts through the glass, “Hurry up you two! We’re ready to start the fire!”
We stop kissing and I reach for my phone that’s barely on the bed. I curse when I see we’ve been at it for over thirty minutes. We only have time for a quick shower.
Quickly but gently, Callum pulls out of me and helps me up to sitting. I wince when I sit on my ass and Callum gives me a knowing smirk. Before I can ask if he meant what he said, he ducks to give me a kiss, then rushes to the bathroom.
Guess it’s a conversation for another time.
Callum and I wash up quickly and get dressed, heading outside with all eyes on us. Poor Callum and his fair skin—his cheeks are flaming. I’m sure I don’t fare much better, but my beard hides the worst of it. I watch John’s eyes dance as he stares at us, a small smile on his lips. His fiancé, Derek, looks a mix between amused and apprehensive, his gaze darting over to Henry. And Henry is pissed, his mouth set in a hard line, his eyes boring holes into Callum.
Even though his cheeks are pink, Callum holds his head high, smiling gently at everyone seated. “Sorry, all. I promise we won’t be late to the ceremony.”
Everyone laughs—well, not Henry, and Alex’s chuckle is a little forced. John’s sister says, “Just keep it in your pants until these two tie the knot.”
“Brena!” John’s mother chastises her daughter while everyone laughs. She shrugs and winks at us.
When I sit, I try to hide a wince, sore as fuck from how thoroughly Callum fucked me. He gives me a side smirk and I grin back, thinking we need a repeat sooner rather than later.
“Now that everyone is here,” John says, standing up and looking at us pointedly. I raise my hands, smirking and Callum lets a laugh free and kisses my cheek. I glance down at him and see the same look of love dancing in his eyes, but I don’t know if it’s real. He said it, but was he serious? He didn’t clam up after he came, but we didn’t get a chance to talk about it.
Sighing, I decide not to dwell on it. I know how I feel, and he’ll tell me if he gets there. What we have is more than enough, more than I thought I would have. All because of a meddling coworker. That makes me smile and I kiss Callum lightly, brushing his hair back.
John continues, “I’m so glad everyone could join us. While Derek and I have been together for over a decade,” he pauses and stares down at his fiancé, “they’ve been the best years of my life. Derek, my love, this is just a formality. You have been my husband since the day I met you. It’s always been you.” Derek smiles and mouths I love you . John focuses on us all, looking around as he speaks. “I’m thankful you all could join us and I hope you’ve enjoyed the activities today. After the wedding ceremony, we’ll have a small reception and then we’ll mingle for the rest of the evening. It’ll be a long day, so we figured we could sit around and talk, catch up and just enjoy each other’s company tonight.”
John sits back beside Derek and kisses him gently, brushing a hand over his face. Callum lets out a soft aww and I raise an eyebrow at him. He grins and whispers, “What? They’re cute together.” I snort and shake my head.
We sit around the fire pit for a few hours, talking and laughing, really enjoying ourselves. I hadn’t met John or Derek’s parents and they’re delightful. They get along with each other and are happy to see their children finally get married. I had fun learning how John and Derek were as kids, the stories of them cracking us all up. Neither John nor Derek is embarrassed by the stories being told, even if some are a little embarrassing. The atmosphere is just relaxed and comfortable.
Sooner than I expected, my stomach starts to growl. Standing, I stretch and tell John I’m off to grab something to eat. The kitchen the resort staff uses has food prepared for us and I’m ready to indulge. “Want anything?” I ask Callum.
“Whatever you’re having. Thank you.” I kiss him quickly, then head off to get us some food.
It’s only finger food, so I load a plate up for Callum and I to share. I hear the door open behind me and I say without turning around, “I know you don’t like these little sausages, but they’re for me, so hands off.” I chuckle, remembering Callum told me once when we went to a rainbow mixer that tiny sausages freak him out because they looked like bloated fingers. I still don’t understand that, but I won’t tell him he’s ridiculous.
“I like them fine,” a voice that doesn’t belong to Callum says. I whirl around, almost dropping my plate. Henry walks closer to me and I wonder what the fuck he’s doing. I take a step back and he stops walking, eyeing me in confusion. “You afraid of me now?”
Giving him a dry look, I say, “No, Henry. I just don’t want you this close to me. There’s no reason for it.”
He runs his hand through his hair—a sure sign that he’s stressed and doesn’t know how to express what he wants to say. I hate that I still know his mannerisms, but we were together for years. It’s a habit. “Hudson … I miss you.”
“Don’t,” I say sharply, making Henry take a step back this time. “Don’t do that. Don’t disrespect me or Callum with that.” I would add Alex into that equation, but he knew Henry was with me when they got together, so fuck him. “You don’t get to miss me after you tore my fucking heart out.”
“Hudson—”
I shake my head and hold up a hand. “Henry, stop. Just stop.” He snaps his mouth shut and stares at me with wide eyes. “What did you expect to accomplish by coming in here? Did you think I’d be happy with your admission? Did you think I would want you back? I’m with Callum. I’m happy with Callum. I love Callum. I want nothing to do with you.”
“You don’t want to fight for us? You’re throwing away years for what? A tiny redhead that looks like a ditzy teenager.”
I laugh. I can’t help it. This is a joke, so I have to laugh. “Callum is an amazing man. A smart man. He’s an animator and has a heart of gold. We have almost nothing in common, but you know what? He has my whole heart. In the short time I’ve known him, he’s been the breath of fresh air I’ve needed since you stomped all over my heart and the love I had to give. Callum wouldn’t dream of doing that. He’s a good man that cares for me and I would be a fool to give that up for someone that wouldn’t know love if it hit them in the face.”
Henry’s face gets paler and paler as I continue to talk. Sighing, I step around him and say, “We’ll never have anything in the future. There’s nothing I’m missing from you that I’m not getting from Callum tenfold. He’s the man for me. The one I want to be with. I used to think that man was you. But what I felt for you for years pales in comparison to what I’ve grown to feel for Callum.”
With somber eyes, Henry nods. “You really do love him.”
“Yeah, I do. And there’s no way I would jeopardize that for someone that couldn’t appreciate what was right in front of him. I don’t have that problem. I see Callum and I know that he is a good man. I know he’s the man for me.”
The door opens behind me and I turn around to see Callum. His eyes are dancing, and his smile is ethereal. God, I really do love him. “Henry, Alex is asking where you are. I won’t tell him that you were in here trying to salvage the relationship you screwed up with your ex. Do yourself a favor and go out there with your boyfriend while I eat finger food with mine. John and Derek are your friends. Don’t fuck up their wedding because you can’t take responsibility for your actions. ”
Henry opens his mouth to argue but thinks better of it and breezes past us to the door. Before he pushes it open, without turning to look at us, Henry sighs heavily and says, “You’re both right. I’m sorry.” Then he leaves us alone.
Peering down at Callum, along with his beautiful smile, I see the tears brimming in his eyes. I rub a thumb under his eye, catching the one tear that falls. “How long were you listening?”
He chuckles softly and grips my wrist of the hand on his face. “Long enough to hear that you love me too.”
“Too?” I ask, glad that we’re finally going to talk about what he said while he was inside me.
Nodding, he replies shakily, “Yes, too. God, Hudson, how could you doubt it? How could you think that all this time, I wasn’t hopelessly in love with you?”
To anyone else, the questions would sound harsh. But I understand what Callum is saying. I respond in kind. “How could you think I wanted you to pretend to be my boyfriend?”
Callum stands on tiptoe and I bend to press my lips to his. No tongue, just the meeting of our lips in a chaste kiss. “What fools we are,” he quips when we separate.
“This was never fake for me,” I say earnestly. “I want this. I want you .”
“I’m sorry I even said that. I knew I wanted more from you then, but I was afraid. We’ve both been hurt. Are we ready for this?”
“I am,” I answer quickly, then dial it back. “I’m ready. Hell, I’ve been ready since the night I saw you walking toward me with a burgundy suit and a smile that lit up the room.” He gives it to me now, making my chest ache with affection. I rub a thumb over his cheek and kiss him softly. “I’ve been waiting for you, Callum. I’ve been waiting for you to make me feel loved, appreciated, adored, seen. I’m so glad I found you.”
Taking shallow breaths, Callum asks, “You want to be with me?”
“For as long as you want me.”
He looks as if he’s thinking and my heart rate picks up in my chest. With a slow smile, his eyes twinkle when he asks, “How does forever sound?”
“Forever sounds perfect.”