Chapter 16
Groaning, Layton flushed the toilet again and took a tiny bite of her saltine cracker. If she could just settle her stomach, she’d feel better. She quickly swished some mouthwash around in her mouth, glancing at the time on her phone. Hudson would be there at any moment, and she felt awful.
“Are you okay, Mommy?” Caroline asked, knocking at the door.
“Yes, baby. I’ll be out soon.”
“I’m hungry!”
“I know. We’ll eat dinner in a few minutes. Mommy wasn’t feeling good.”
Layton heard her daughter whining, and held her hand to her stomach. Nausea roiled through her again, but she was determined to finish the cracker. Geez. The first time she’d been pregnant, she hadn’t had another child to care for. This added a whole other level to it. She couldn’t just lie down and rest. She had a four-year-old who required almost constant care.
The doorbell ringing had her jumping in surprise. Looking at her face in the mirror, she ran a hand through her hair. Layton hadn’t even seen Hudson since that afternoon on the beach. They’d texted. Spoken on the phone a bit. Anxiety roiled through her. He’d probably look as handsome as always, and she felt a bit like a disheveled mess. Perfect.
Striding barefoot down the hallway, she frowned at the emptiness of her home. The furniture set to arrive next week in her shipping containers had been delayed. Not surprising, but it was hard to live in such a sparse home. They were making do, but nothing about it was ideal. She stepped over some of Caroline’s small toys in the living room, heading toward the foyer. She could see Hudson through the windows on either side of her front door, and her heart stuttered. He looked good. Too good.
Hudson seemed bigger than she remembered. His shirt hugged his broad shoulders, and she could see his big biceps stretching the sleeves. Even his legs were muscular. All of him was big, as she recalled with a flush. The frown slid off his face as she opened the door, and she wondered if he’d noticed through the windows how her home was empty.
“Layton.” His deep voice made her tummy do a funny little flip, and it had nothing to do with morning sickness.
“Hi.”
It wasn’t much as far as greetings went, but she suddenly felt too nervous to say anything else.
“Who is it, Mommy?” Caroline asked, racing up behind her. Layton’s breathing calmed, and she put a hand on her daughter’s head, grounding herself.
“This is Mr. Hudson,” she said. “He also knows Aunt Emersyn.”
“She had a big flood in her apartment!” Caroline said knowingly before scampering off.
Hudson’s curious gaze slid to Layton. “I’ll explain in a minute. Come in,” she said, stepping aside to let him pass by. The smell of fried food made her stomach do a funny little tumble, but she realized with surprise that he also had a frozen treat in his hand.
“You’re bringing me shave ice?”
“You’re probably dehydrated. And you said that you were surviving on popsicles. I figured this is similar. I brought one for Caroline, too, if that’s okay with you,” he added in a low voice, leaning closer so her daughter wouldn’t hear. Hudson’s clean, pine scent washed over her, and she felt goosebumps prickle her skin. It was exactly like every other time they’d been close to one another—the electricity arcing between them.
Layton was in so much trouble.
***
“You’re mommy’s friend,” a little voice said, and Hudson swung his head around to the little blonde, pig-tailed girl who’d crept up behind him. How she’d reappeared without him noticing was a mystery. Kids were damn scary sometimes. It wasn’t often that someone got the jump on him, but this little spitfire had managed it. Of course, he’d also been distracted by Layton’s retreating figure. And what a nice figure it was.
“I am,” he said, trying to look as nonthreatening as possible.
“I’m Caroline.” She stuck out her little hand, and Hudson reacted with surprise. He shifted the bags he was holding to one hand, gently gripping her tiny one and shaking it. Damn, she was cute. He hadn’t ever paid much attention to children given that none of his friends had any. He hadn’t ever dated a single mother either. Life was complicated enough.
And yet here he was, unable to stay away from Layton.
“I’m Hudson. Did you know you look just like your mommy?”
“Duh. Everyone says so.”
He pressed his lips together, trying not to laugh. He tried to remember how old Layton said her daughter was. Four? That meant she was preschool age, although in daycare, from what he gathered. She was eyeing him curiously. “How do you know my mom? We just moved here and don’t know anyone.”
“Well, you know your Aunt Emersyn. My friend Aaron is her boyfriend.”
“Ewww,” Caroline said, crinkling her nose. “I hope they don’t kiss.”
“Caroline,” Layton said, reappearing as she shook her head. Hudson tried not to laugh. Hopefully it was a long while before this kid learned where babies came from. He’d done a hell of a lot more than kiss her mother.
“It’s best to keep some thoughts to yourself,” Layton continued, looking stern. “Go wash your hands so you can have dinner.”
“Sorry, Mommy.” Caroline ran off down the hall again, and they heard the water running from the bathroom.
He stilled, his hands vibrating with tension. Hudson didn’t know how to be a father. His own upbringing had been shit.
Ten foster homes.
Verbal abuse. Physical.
But that little girl right there? She was something precious. And so was the baby growing inside Layton. Hudson was almost afraid that anything he touched, he would tarnish. Layton was goddamn beautiful. A light in the middle of the darkness. The fucking sun.
But could he do this? Date a woman who had a child—who was pregnant with his own child?
He hadn’t even told her the extent of the feelings he’d been having, just shown up at her doorstep like a damn delivery driver.
But she’d let him in. Accepted that he was a part of her life.
Hudson frowned as he glanced around the home, taking in his surroundings. “This place is empty.”
Layton shot him an exasperated look. “Well, yeah. I had my furniture shipped over. It’s not like an overnight FedEx delivery. I’ve actually handled numerous international moves before. That’s fairly normal with the transient D.C. area population. State Department and other federal employees move abroad or are returning home, and at times I’ve helped in overseeing things. This is no different. There was a delay with my shipping containers, but they’ll get here eventually.”
“I know, I just—” He cut off, shaking his head. “I know how moves work, princess. I’m in the military, remember?”
“Don’t be snarky.”
Hudson eyed her carefully. “I just thought you had more here. A sofa or something. Borrowed furniture. I don’t know. You’ve got a blow-up mattress in the middle of your living room and a plastic patio table. Do you even have stuff in your kitchen?” he asked, wandering in there. He shook his head as he set the bags of food on the table. “I was deployed on an op and didn’t have a chance to totally think this through when I sent you groceries, but hell, Layton. You can’t live like this.”
“I won’t be living like this forever,” she pointed out. “It’s temporary until we’re settled in.” Whipping out her cell phone, she clicked a few buttons. “My shipping containers are on track to arrive—soon,” she added.
“How soon?”
Layton blew out a sigh. “Not soon enough, all right? We’ll get a hotel room if it takes too much longer. Emersyn’s apartment flooded, so we can’t stay with her. That’s a bit of a disaster in and of itself.”
“Was her stuff ruined?” Hudson asked.
“No, thank goodness. A pipe burst under the kitchen sink, so water ruined the flooring in there and then flooded the apartment below. But since they’re redoing her floors, they decided to redo them in the entire place. Not ideal at all. It’s related to insurance, and since it’s the same flooring throughout….” She trailed off as she noticed him staring at her. “What?”
His jaw ticked. He was insane for even offering this but couldn’t help but blurt it out. “You and Caroline can move in with me.”
“What? Don’t be silly,” she said, looking shocked. “We still hardly know each other.”
“I know you better than most people,” he quipped, looking at her pointedly.
“We’re fine getting a hotel until my personal effects arrive. You don’t want us moving in with you, even temporarily.”
“Layton, that’s silly. I’ve got a house. I’ve even got furniture in my guest room. You and Caroline could share a room,” he said, pausing. “No, you can take my room. I’ll sleep on the sofa.”
“Hudson.”
He smiled. Crazy as it seemed, he absolutely loved when she said his name like that. “Princess.”
She tried not to smile back, pretending to glare at him. “You’ve got to stop calling me that.”
“Why?” His smile grew bigger, because he knew exactly what she was thinking as she blushed. You don’t have to beg me for anything, princess. Come for me right now.
“Stop looking at me like that.”
“Like what?” he asked huskily. Deny it all she wanted, there was clearly something between them. Something that made Hudson feel bigger than himself, like he might actually matter to someone. Because damn if Layton, her daughter, and the baby didn’t matter to him.
She playfully swatted at him, and he caught her hand, his fingers circling around her dainty wrist. She shivered as his thumb brushed over the tender skin there, and Hudson’s blood heated.
“Like you want me,” she said breathily.
A beat passed, and he released her hand, his gaze intense as he looked at her. “Maybe I do.”