Chapter 14
Chapter Fourteen
ELENA
T here was something so real about kissing Hudson in the rain. It was like the storm unleashed something inside us, and we were free to explore each other's bodies. I pushed the hem of his shirt up so that I could touch the contours of his stomach, the ridges of his abs. His skin radiated heat.
His hands were everywhere, one cupping my breast, and the other working over my pussy. His thumb rubbed my clit as his fingers worked inside me, curling until he hit that spot that made me want to jump out of my skin. My muscles pulled taut. I was climbing higher and higher, an implosion threatening.
"Hudson," I cried just as he captured my mouth with his.
Then the orgasm hit me like a tsunami. I was trembling and shaking, and my body was weak. He held me upright, riding me through the orgasm.
When I came down, he lifted me so that my legs wrapped around his hips. His cock ground against me. "I want you."
"Yes, please."
When we reached his room, he lowered me carefully to the bed, following me down so that his cock pressed against my pussy. There were still too many clothes between us.
He sat up, pulling his shirt over his head and shoving down his shorts and briefs. Then his fingers hooked in my panties, and he pulled them over my hips.
He paused to admire me. "You're so beautiful."
"I'm drenched from the rain."
His expression was reverent. "You've never looked more beautiful."
He made me feel beautiful. I reached for him, pulling him down to my level. I needed his mouth on mine, his hands all over my body. His cock nudged my entrance, and we both froze.
"Condom," he muttered as he pulled away, searching his short's pocket. In no time, he ripped open the wrapper and smoothed the rubber over his straining cock. He braced himself, one hand on the bed next to me, and the other gripping his cock.
"Do you want this?" His gaze lifted to meet mine.
I nodded. "So much."
He moved so that his cock was at my entrance, the tip teasing me. I pulled him closer, needing him inside me, filling me up.
For once, I wasn't going to worry about my job or any implications. It was the magic of the rainstorm. It erased everything else. The rain pounded on the roof overhead, the wind rattling the windows, and there was nowhere else I wanted to be.
"Hudson, I need you."
That was all the encouragement he needed to ease inside of me.
The stretch was delicious. My heart raced, and my skin tingled with awareness. He moved closer to me, kissing me as he pressed farther inside me until he was all the way in. In this moment, I was his.
I moaned as he began to move, his hips easing back, then pressing forward. I couldn't help the whimpers that fell from my mouth.
He lowered his mouth to my nipples. "You feel so good."
His words drove me higher, making me feel impossibly needy. Then his finger drifted to my clit, circling it, as he moved inside of me. The combination was too much, and I cried out as I arched off the bed, my body trembling as wave after wave of pleasure washed over me.
"You're so beautiful when you let go."
He kissed me as he continued to move, prolonging the aftereffects of my orgasm. It was almost too much, but at the same time, I wanted to feel him go over. I wanted to be present in this moment, watching every flicker of emotion cross his face.
With a groan, he thrust once more, deep, and let go, dropping his head to the crook of my neck. He held me tight for a few seconds and then rolled away to take care of the condom.
I stared up at the ceiling, listening to the rain coming down.
When Hudson returned from the bathroom, he placed a knee on the bed and gathered me close. "I told myself that I'd kiss you the next time we were caught in the rain."
I laughed. "Did you think that was going to happen?"
"I never like to assume, but I was hoping."
I turned to see his face. "You're not worried about what this means or how it will affect our jobs?"
He silenced me with a finger to my lips. "No talk of the future while the rain is coming down."
I smiled underneath his touch. It felt good to let go of the what-ifs.
He shifted to his back. "But for what it's worth, I don't have any regrets."
I rested my head on his shoulder, worries dissipating. Together we listened to the rain while I drifted off to sleep. It was my favorite thing to do, but I was almost always by myself while I enjoyed a good storm. It was even better sharing it with Hudson.
* * *
The next morning, I woke up to the sun pouring through the window. Hudson hadn't bothered to close the curtains last night because we were enjoying the rain, but now I was up too early for a Saturday. When I opened my eyes, Hudson was staring at me, an expression on his face that I couldn't quite discern.
"What time is it?" My voice sounded rough from sleep.
"We don't need to be at your Grams's for a bit." Hudson pulled down the sheets and moved so that he settled between my legs. His dick nudged my entrance.
I grinned. "What ever could we do with the extra time?"
"I didn't get a chance to taste you last night." Hudson eased down my body, and my legs naturally widened to accommodate his shoulders.
I threw a hand over my forehead, wanting to hide from him with the sun shining so brightly over my naked body.
"Watch what I do to you," Hudson ordered as he separated my folds with thick fingers.
I whimpered, but I complied, moving onto my elbows.
His lids were heavy with desire. "I can't wait to taste you."
"So do it," I said, not quite recognizing the huskiness in my voice.
He raised a brow at the challenge, but he complied, licking me.
I bit down hard on my lower lip.
He briefly pulled back. "I want to find out what you like. What makes you hot."
"You're on the right track," I taunted, silently pleading with him to continue.
Being with Hudson was fun. That wasn't something I'd experienced with a man before. I enjoyed his company, and I wanted his hands all over my body.
I quickly got lost in the sensations. His mouth and fingers worked in tandem to bring me to the brink. I flopped down on my back in frustration.
Hudson chuckled, knowing exactly what he was doing to me. Then he moved up my body, kissing my stomach, sucking on a nipple, and finally kissing me.
I moaned when I tasted myself on his lips. It was erotic yet intimate. I loved being with him this way. After weeks of watching him use his body to move large objects, manipulate tools to his bidding, I was ready for him to use those skills on me.
He was nothing like the men I'd dated in college and later in the workforce. He used his body and mind to build his business, and I loved feeling his rough fingers ghosting over my body, teasing. "Please, Hudson. I need you."
He broke away for a few seconds, reaching for a condom in his nightstand.
"When you ask so nicely—" He broke off as the tip of his cock eased inside.
I squeezed my eyes shut. He felt just as good as he had last night.
He stilled, his hands braced on either side of me. "Elena, look at me."
I reluctantly opened my eyes, knowing that I'd closed them because something was happening between us. Something I'd never experienced before. I felt closer to him, more vulnerable.
When my gaze met his, he moved, each stroke hitting that spot inside of me, the one that made me wild.
But he was patient, slowly driving us up, but not letting me fall over. Sweat beaded on my forehead. "Hudson."
"You need something, baby?"
I let out a breath at this endearment. "I just need you."
He shifted his weight so that he hit my G-spot at a different angle and used his thumb to circle my clit. I went off like a rocket, and he moved inside me with more force, chasing his orgasm. And when he went over, he let his entire weight press against me.
I felt protected, safe.
He dropped his forehead to mine. "That was indescribable."
There was this sensation in my chest; it felt a little like a balloon blowing up within the cavity. It was threatening to pop, and I wasn't sure what would happen if it did.
Finally, he rolled to his side, giving me an affectionate smile. "First, shower and then breakfast."
I groaned. "If we show up together, she's going to know what we were doing."
Hudson got out of bed, not bothering to cover up, chuckling. "I'm fairly sure she already knows. She's sharp."
I covered my face. "Ugh. She's never going to let me live it down."
"I think she'll be happy for you," Hudson said softly.
He was right. This was so much more than a quick hook-up. This thing between us had been building for a while.
He tugged me off the bed and led me over to the bathroom. "Come on. I need you to protect me from the big bad ladies at the senior center."
I shook my head, laughing as he turned on the water. His bathroom was large and airy with windows that faced the ocean. "This is a gorgeous view."
There was a large soaking tub beneath the window.
"We'll take a bath next time. We have to hurry if we want to make breakfast and then get to the senior center on time."
"You're right."
I let him pull me into the warm water and soap me up. He took extra time with my breasts and between my legs. "Too bad we don't have time for more."
I growled in frustration.
"Think how much you'll want me by the end of the day. It's all about anticipation." His voice ghosted over the shell of my ear.
"I'm fairly sure you don't have to do anything for me to want you," I teased as he massaged my scalp with his skilled fingers.
"Music to my ears."
He was easy with the endearments and so relaxed. More so than I'd ever know him to be. I wondered if it was me or if he was like this in relationships. I had a feeling this was new for him. But I could be wrong.
We finished in the shower and got dressed. Downstairs, he moved around the kitchen with ease, pulling out eggs and veggies for omelets. "You want to get the coffee going?"
"Sure." His kitchen was large and modern. The lower cabinets were a navy blue with brass hardware that fit perfectly with the beach-house vibe. "This place is gorgeous."
He paused and looked at me. "I think it's you being here that makes it better."
I laughed a little in disbelief. "You're sweet."
"When it comes to you, I am."
I moved behind him, putting my arms around his middle and resting my head against his back. It shouldn't feel this comfortable so early. I should be lamenting about how quickly we jumped into bed.
He turned so that he was facing me. "No regrets now that it stopped raining?"
I smiled at him, feeling his hard body against mine. "None."
"Good." He dropped a kiss on my lips before he shifted me to his side, moving the veggies around in the oil.
"You cook breakfast every morning?" I asked him, spooning beans into the coffee maker.
"I make eggs or oatmeal. Depends what I'm in the mood for, and this morning I was in the mood for you."
I poured water in the chamber and hit the Start button to grind the coffee beans. "You say the sweetest things."
He kissed my upturned lips, and I couldn't resist letting myself give into the fantasy of me and him. Would we continue to date after my assignment was over, the article published? Would I still have a job on the island?
We ate breakfast. Then Hudson took me home to change, saying he'd meet me at the senior center since I needed to drive Grams.
Unfortunately, she was sipping her tea at the table when I came inside. I'd showered, but I was still wearing the clothes from last night, and my hair was a bit of a mess because I didn't have my usual hair-care products at Hudson's place.
Grams raised a brow. "My, my, aren't we getting in late, or should I say early?"
"We got caught in the rain last night," I said by way of explanation.
"You two seem to have made a habit of that. Or is getting caught in the rain a euphemism for something else?"
"Grams," I said, my face hot.
She waved a hand. "You're an adult, I don't care what you do. I'm just giving you a hard time. You deserve to have a little fun."
"I'm going to get dressed. Then we can go." I hurried to my room to find some clothes for gardening and then attempted to tame my hair. I finally settled on the signature braid I used for working with Hudson.
It was a hot one today, so my hair would be frizzy from the humidity anyway. Downstairs, Grams was waiting for me.
We got into my car and drove the short distance to the senior center.
When we arrived, two red Kingston Construction trucks were parked in the lot, and a few men were working on the lawn in front of the building.
"They're working hard," Grams said with satisfaction.
My heart beat faster. I wondered if things would be different this morning, now that Hudson had a chance to think about last night. Would he treat what we'd shared as a one-night stand or, even worse, regret it all together?
Breakfast soothed some of my fears, but I didn't quite trust the tenuous bond we'd formed. Although it didn't feel that tenuous when we were together.
We made our way up the walk, pausing near the first box that Shep was in the process of assembling.
Grams paused nearby. "Looks good, young man."
Shep came over to us and lifted her hand, kissing the back of it. "Good morning, gorgeous."
Grams blushed. "You're a charming one."
Shep flashed me a rogue smile. "Thank you, I think."
Grams waved a hand at him. "You know exactly how you affect women, and you use it to your advantage."
I covered the laugh that threatened to erupt.
"I'll just get back to it," Shep said, moving back over to his work area.
Hudson approached and leaned in to kiss Grams on the cheek. "Good morning."
Grams smiled knowingly. "Good morning to you too. I heard you had quite the night."
"Grams," I said as my cheeks turned red. When Hudson looked at me with a raised brow, I said, "I didn't tell her anything."
"It doesn't take a detective to figure out what's going on when you come home in yesterday's clothes."
Hudson sobered. "Ma'am, I like your granddaughter."
Grams scoffed. "It took you long enough to make a move."
"Grams—" I couldn't control her errant mouth.
"I'm going to say hello to my friends." Grams moved away.
My heart sunk. She was definitely going to tell her friends, the biggest gossips in town, what happened last night.
Hudson moved close and lowered his voice. "Are you okay?"
"Yeah, she just enjoys teasing everyone."
Hudson grinned. "She's sweet."
I shook my head. "When Grams gets an idea in her head, she does everything in her power to make it happen."
"Oh, yeah? And what idea does she have in her head about us?"
"That we're meant to be together." I wished I could recall those words as soon as they left my mouth. That was way too serious for the morning after.
"We'll have to see what happens," Hudson said noncommittally "Now, would you like to get your hands dirty?"
"I always do," I said with a grin.
Shep looked at his brother with a curious expression on his face. I forgot that no one else knew what happened last night. Were we keeping it a secret? It was probably for the best since Hudson was the subject of my most eligible bachelor article.
"I'm installing another flower box over here." He led me away from Shepard and then lowered his voice. "I'm glad you could come this morning."
"I'm here to protect you from Grams and her friends. So far, I'm not doing a great job."
A slow, relaxed smile moved over his face. "No one can keep Grams in line. That's what makes her so appealing."
"You haven't seen anything yet," I warned him before he showed me how to secure the pieces of wood together to create the box.