Chapter 24 HUDSON
HUDSON
The first thing I noticed when I woke was the weight of Matty’s arm over my ribs. The second was how badly I didn’t want to move.
The bedroom was still dim, the curtains leaking only the barest sliver of morning light.
We’d stumbled back to the house sometime after two, half-dressed, half-asleep, and fully wrecked from hours at the lake.
We’d barely had the energy to shower before collapsing into Matty’s bed, tangled up in each other like we were trying to fuse back into one person after years apart.
Now he was warm against my back, breathing slow and steady, his arm resting around me like he never wanted to let me go.
Carefully, I slipped out from under his arm without waking him, shifting my weight to the edge of the mattress. I’d almost made it when his arm tightened, pulling me back against him like he’d been awake the whole time.
“Mm-mm.” He wrapped himself around me until we were pressed flush. His breath was warm against the back of my neck. He brushed his lips over my skin in slow, lazy kisses, then tucked his face into the curve where my neck met my shoulder.
I huffed a quiet laugh and patted his forearm. “Matt…”
“Shh, I’m in heaven,” he mumbled.
“I need to shower.” I tilted my head toward him so I could breathe. “I want to check on Ivy before work.”
“We checked in on her when we got in,” he murmured into my hair, voice still rough from sleep. “You don’t have to go in today.”
“Yeah, I do.”
“You don’t,” he said firmly, squeezing me a little for emphasis. “You could stay here with me. We’ll—”
I rolled over to face him and kissed him quickly before he could get any more ideas. “I’m not slacking off just because I’m fucking the boss’s son.”
His eyes sharpened, and he cupped my chin. “I love fucking you, Hud, but that’s not just what this is.”
Something in me softened. I leaned forward and kissed him again, slower this time. “I know. I didn’t mean it like that. I…” I exhaled. “I don’t want anyone thinking I’m getting special treatment.”
He studied me for a beat longer, then let me go. “How can I not give you special treatment when I’m obsessed with you? It’s just not possible.”
Laughing, I swung my legs out of bed. “Obsessed, huh?”
“You heard me.” He reached out and slapped my ass hard.
“Hands off the goods, bud. You got enough of that last night.”
I slipped into the shower before he lured me back into that bed for round…fuck, I’d lost count by the lake. I turned the shower on and stepped in, groaning when the hot water hit my sore muscles. Back home, it took minutes for the hot water to come on.
A second later, the glass door eased open, and Matty stepped in naked behind me. His palm glided over my hip like it belonged there.
“Matt.”
“Shh.”
He kissed the side of my neck, then my shoulder, as the water ran over us both. “Let me.” He took the soap from my hand.
I let him.
His touch was slow, deliberate, soapy circles over my back and chest, down my arms, lingering, like he had all morning to memorize me. When his hand dipped lower and his fingers ghosted over the curve of my ass, I tensed and glanced back at him.
“Sore?” He brushed right over where he’d been inside me last night.
“Yeah.”
He smirked. “How are you gonna ride a horse all day?”
I snorted, leaning into the wall. “Should’ve thought of that before riding your fat ass dick that last round.”
I’d been exhausted but determined to get him off again. Grabbing his legs, I’d ridden the fuck out of his dick until he nutted inside me. Then I’d kept riding him until I came.
Matty’s laugh was low, and he pressed another kiss to my neck. He didn’t push for more, just washed me like I was something to take care of. I kissed him back when he leaned in, warm water streaming over our faces, and for a while we stayed like that, close, quiet, steady.
Eventually, I broke away to rinse off and stepped out. He turned off the water, followed me, and wrapped a towel around his waist. After quickly drying off, I sifted through his walk-in closet.
“Dammit, Matt. I knew you loved flannels, but sheesh. Where’s the variety?”
“Stop your whining and pick something.” He came up behind me, grabbed a T-shirt and jeans, and handed them to me, but didn’t immediately let them go.
“Matt, you’re going to make me late.”
“Can’t I get a kiss as a thank you?”
“I kissed you so many times in the shower.”
He fucking pouted, and I had no choice but to press a kiss to his lips, which he took too far by clutching the back of my head and sticking his tongue down my throat. I swatted him, and he laughed, side-stepping me to grab similar clothes for himself.
Finally, we made it downstairs. My hair was still damp, and Matty was doing a terrible job hiding his smugness. His cockiness was back in spades, but I preferred it to his being grumpy.
But why couldn’t he be normal and not have that shit-eating grin on his face that practically bragged to the world that he’d scored big last night?
We’d just hit the bottom step when Ozzie walked by carrying a carafe of orange juice. His mouth curved into a knowing smirk. “We’re having breakfast in the dining room with Ivy. You should join us.”
I narrowed my eyes, my face burning at the way he glanced from me to Matty. “Stop looking at us like that.”
“Like what?” His tone was all innocence, but his grin didn’t fade. “Can’t I be glad you’re finally acknowledging the chemistry between you? Come on. Ivy’s already started on breakfast. You’ll have to let her stay over again for a sleepover, Hudson. Gray adores having her with us.”
“Actually, I’ll check up on Ivy, then head off for work.” The idea of walking into a family breakfast with Matty made my pulse jump. Gray was my boss. I couldn’t sit at a private breakfast table with him. It was too intimate. I’d already intruded by sleeping in his house.
Matty’s hand came to rest warm and steady between my shoulder blades, guiding me forward. “Out of the question. What kind of man would I be if I let you go to a physically demanding job without food after last night?”
Ozzie burst out laughing, and I elbowed Matty in the stomach for being so damn loud. He scowled and rubbed his ribs.
“What?” he grumbled. “We’re all grown-ups here. What do you think he’s been doing with my dad?”
We followed Ozzie into the dining room, the scent of coffee and toast wrapping around us. Gray sat at the head of the table, mug in hand, while Ivy was perched in the chair beside him, rocking her little body from side to side.
She was happy.
Her whole face lit up when she saw me. “Daddee!” she chirped, waving like we hadn’t seen each other in weeks.
“Morning, Gray.” I thought I sounded normal, but who knew? He gave me a smile and a nod as I crossed the room to my daughter. I pressed a kiss to the top of her head, then pulled her into a hug. “Missed you, Bug. Didn’t you miss me?”
She pulled back with a sly smile. “A wittle,” she said, drawing out the word.
“Uh-huh. Sure. Did you have fun then?”
“So much fun,” she said, eyes bright. “Papa says he’s gonna build me a thwing.”
I froze, the word catching me off guard. “Papa?”
Gray’s cheeks went a little pink. He set his mug down. “I, uh, took some liberties. She had trouble saying my name, so… I thought ‘Papa’ might be easier than her calling me Gay all night and Ozzie giggling every time. I should have asked you first. I didn’t mean to offend you.”
The lump in my throat wasn’t from offense. Far from it. I looked at Ivy, then back at Gray, and all I could think was how damn lucky my girl was—four people now, all crazy about her.
“It’s fine,” I said, meaning every word. “More than fine.”
Matty pulled out a chair for me. I sat down next to him, and his hand found my thigh under the table. He gave it a gentle squeeze. “You okay?”
I smiled at him. “Yeah.”
Better than okay. Ivy was happy and healthy. The man I loved no longer hated me. And Gertie had outdone herself on the breakfast spread.
Ivy dominated the conversation at the table like she’d been doing this every day.
I couldn’t stop watching her. My daughter, who usually hid behind me or stayed silent in new situations, was chattering away with bright eyes and big gestures.
I knew she felt loved. She was only like this when she felt at ease.
I chuckled, shaking my head. “All right, Ozzie,” I said. “What magic beans did you put in her breakfast?”
Ozzie smirked over his coffee. “Trade secret. But I’ll tell you it involves syrup, patience, and the ability to play five rounds of Go Fish with a straight face while those two cheated.”
Everyone laughed, Ivy most of all. She swung her little legs as she told a story about “winning” against Ozzie and how Papa helped her. The details were all over the place, but her joy was so real it didn’t matter.
By the time we cleared our plates, I felt lighter than I had in days. Too soon, I had to leave, but as tempting as Matty’s offer was to take the day off, I wouldn’t. Matty was wealthy, but that wasn’t my problem. I was still broke Hudson, with an upcoming therapy bill and several debts to repay.
I pressed a kiss to Ivy’s cheek. “Be good for Ozzie today, okay?”
“I’m always good,” she said solemnly, which earned a snort from me.
Gray set his mug down and stood. “I’m glad you’re giving a hand today, Hudson, while some lazy people are taking the day off.” His gaze locked on Matty as he said it—steady, unblinking—but there was no real heat behind the words.
“Ah, Dad, give me a break. I worked hard last night.” Matty had the audacity to wink at me across the table. “Just ask Hud.”
My mouth fell open. “Jesus, Matt!” I caught Gray’s raised brow. Ozzie nearly choked on his coffee to hide a laugh. Served him right.
“Jeeezus, Ma’!” Ivy echoed me, dragging the word out like it was the funniest thing she’d ever heard. Her giggle set Ozzie off completely, and he had to set down his cup before he spilled it.
I shook my head, my face hot as a furnace. The old Matty was back for sure, and he was going to be the death of me.
“Hudson, I’ll head out with you, then,” Gray said. “You can work with me today, help me move the yearlings down to the south pasture.”
“Dad,” Matty said in warning. “Don’t scare him off. I just got him back.”
Gray turned with a half smile. “What? Can’t I talk to my ranch hand?” He clapped me on the back, firm enough to rock me forward a step.
Matty narrowed his eyes, but I only shrugged. “Guess I’m riding with you, then.”
And hopefully, he didn’t see how uncomfortable I would be in the saddle on account of my sore ass because of his son’s voracious appetite.
We stepped outside into the crisp air, the door swinging shut behind us. The quiet stretched while we crossed the yard toward the barn, boots crunching over gravel. I kept trying to work up to saying what I needed, my stomach knotting tighter with every step. This wasn’t just a casual work day.
Finally, I blurted, “Gray, I know I hurt Matt before, but—”
“Not interested in the past, Hudson.” He cut me off with a shake of his head.
Wow. I shut my mouth.
He slowed his pace a fraction. “I don’t like having to say this kind of thing, and you know I think the world of you as one of my employees, but I’m gonna have to get personal here for a bit.
My sons mean everything to me, and Matty…
he can come off cold sometimes, but when he loves?
He loves deep. He’ll take care of you and that little girl of yours. ”
“I don’t need him to—”
Gray’s voice firmed. “He will take care of you and Ivy. Because that’s the kind of man I raised him to be. To love, protect, and fight for family. And he’s decided that you’re his family, Hudson.”
I swallowed hard. “He’s my family too.”
“Then there’s only one thing I have left to say.
” His hand landed on my shoulder, gripping tight.
“I had no idea how much he cared about you before and what your breaking up did to him. But I know now that he’s madly in love with you.
And this morning, he’s been the happiest I’ve seen him in years.
That’s because of you. But you also can make him the most miserable man on this earth, so for God’s sake, I beg you, please don’t hurt my son. ”
The words sank into me like a weight and a warning. I knew exactly what he meant. How it felt to see your kid light up because of someone, and how quickly that light could be snuffed out. I’d kill for Ivy’s happiness. I’d kill for her safety.
“I won’t,” I said. The promise settled deep in my chest like a vow I already knew how to keep. Because I did. I’d already let Matty down once, and never again.
He gave a small nod. “Good. You take care of him the way he takes care of you, and everything will be fine. Now let’s go wrangle some yearlings, son.”
That last word hit harder than I’d expected.
My throat burned as I fell into step beside him.
The Magnuson men were too kind for their own good, and I couldn’t take advantage of that.
Regardless of what Gray said, it wasn’t Matty’s duty to take care of me and my daughter.
I had to do everything I could to get out from under my debt.