Chapter 16
Chapter Sixteen
HUDSON
W e jumped in the pool after dinner. Some of the guys took turns shooting the basketball into the poolside hoop. When the sun dipped, we got out and dried off. And one of the guys started a fire in the fire pit on the beach.
I couldn't help but think it had been the perfect day. I was able to give back to the community and spend time with Elena.
She was the perfect girl, but was this the right time to pursue something serious? She could leave if her job didn't work out. She'd had a life in Boston. Would she get tired of island life? Would she miss her friends in Boston?
My heart contracted at the thought. She sat huddled with her friends, looking at Kinsley's phone while they argued over the next song to play.
"How are things going with the article?" Brady asked me.
I focused on him. "Elena's working on it, and there's still the photo shoot."
"I'm not looking forward to that," he grumbled.
"What? You don't want to take your shirt off for a magazine?" I asked sarcastically.
"That's more Shep and Coop's thing. Besides, Dalton has enough going on. I don't think he'll want to participate."
"Dad wants all of us to cooperate. This is important to him." Dalton and Brady were close growing up, and nothing had changed in that regard.
I missed Marshall. He was my rock, and then he left. I felt like he'd abandoned me when I needed him the most. Not that I'd ever tell him that. I wouldn't want him to feel guilty for pursuing his dreams.
We wanted different things. The problem was that he never told me he was having second thoughts about returning home and working in the family business.
Brady raised a brow. "Dalton's getting a harsh dose of reality."
"What's he gonna do?" I asked him.
"You know him. I'm sure he's already shopping for rings and planning the perfect time to get married, preferably before the baby's born. He won't want her to have it without his last name."
I shook my head. "I'm not saying that's the wrong thing to do. But he wanted to break up with her. How's that going to work?"
Brady chuckled without any humor. "You tell me."
"He wants to do the right thing, but what if it's not the right thing for him?" I thought out loud, wondering what I'd do in that situation. I'd support the woman and take care of my child, but I wouldn't force a relationship with someone if it wasn't right.
Brady's brow furrowed. "Maybe you can talk to him. I haven't been able to get through to him."
"Why me?" I asked, even though I’d planned to check on him already.
"You're older, more mature. The voice of reason."
I shook my head. "You make me sound like the village elder who holds all the wisdom."
Brady bumped my shoulder. "You and Marshall were that for us. It's not like we ever took advice from Dad. We always went to you when we were struggling with something."
I frowned. "I don't remember you listening to any of my advice."
"We were going to do what we were going to do regardless of what anyone said."
I snorted. "But you think I can get through to Dalton?"
"If not you, then who? He respects you," Brady said seriously.
"And why is that?" I asked him as the girls got up and danced in a circle near the fire.
"You have your shit together. You're responsible. Dad obviously thinks you're trustworthy."
"Is that because I'm the oldest? What if Marshall were still here?"
Brady frowned. "There'd be less room for us in the business; that's for sure."
"He wasn't thinking about the business at all when he signed up for the military," I said, not quite believing I'd admitted that out loud.
Brady raised a brow. "Have you ever talked to him about that?"
"I supported his decision." My lips pressed into a straight line.
"That's a nonanswer if I've ever heard one," Brady said, his voice tinged with amusement.
"It's fine. He's doing his thing." And I was here, keeping the family together. "I'll talk to Dalton."
Gratitude crossed his face. "Thanks. I appreciate that."
The best-case scenario was that Dalton was an involved partner and father, but I wasn't so sure that marriage was the answer. Having a child or getting married never saved anyone's relationship if it was already imploding.
Brady was quiet for a few seconds, allowing me to observe the girls, and then he said, "Elena's nice. I like her."
I gave him a sharp look.
His eyes widened, and then he chuckled. "Relax. I don't want her."
I rolled my shoulders back. "I didn't think you did."
"Could have fooled me," Brady mumbled, and I gave him a look.
He shrugged. "She's a nice girl, and she's a fellow islander."
"That's the thing. I don't know if she'll stay."
Brady frowned. "Isn't she here to take care of her grandmother?"
"Yeah, but her job is probationary. This assignment is a test for her. If her boss doesn't like it or the readership pans it, then she might not have a job."
Brady turned slightly to face me, lowering his voice. "You're worried she'll leave just like Marshall."
The area between my shoulders grew tight.
"Just take things slowly, and communicate with each other."
I raised a brow. "Since when do I take relationship advice from my little brother?"
He chuckled. "Since now, I guess."
Shep was dancing behind the girls again, but this time, his hand was on Kinsley's hip. I inclined my head in their direction. "What's up with that?"
"You know Shep. He's always trying to stir up trouble."
"But why would he care about Kinsley?" I couldn't help but ask.
"He likes to tease her like a little sister."
"Yeah, but she's our employee and a good one at that. I don't want to lose her." Mom and Luna had done a good job, but Kinsley had automated our entire system. The files were now color coded. She'd made our lives infinitely easier. "And she's good with the clients."
"Shep's probably messing with her to get to you."
"Will you guys ever grow up, or are we destined to act like kids for the rest of our lives?" I asked him lightly.
"Kids, I think," and we both erupted into laughter. It was nice to spend more time with family where I could let loose and not worry about my responsibilities.
Elena's gaze snagged on us, and she smiled. I tipped my head in her direction by way of greeting, but she broke away from the girls dancing and came over to us. "You two should come dance with us."
"I'm not much into dancing," I said.
She cocked her head, looking at me curiously. "Then what was last night? You danced with me then."
I inclined my head. "I suppose I did."
She curled her hand around mine and tugged me over to the group. I looked back at Brady, but he just shrugged.
Elena held onto my hand and spun in front of me. Then she came closer as a slower song started. "You and Brady looked serious over there."
"He's worried about Dalton."
"You are too," she observed.
"I am."
"Do you ever let go of the family responsibilities?" Elena asked, and I wasn't sure if this was the journalist asking.
"I don't think I do."
"We were supposed to have a good time and not worry about Dalton, the business, or my article."
"I can do that."
She smiled, and it lit up her entire face. We swayed to the music together for a while before the other girls pulled us closer to them. Elena talked and laughed, and I enjoyed being present in the moment.
Around eleven, everyone started breaking off and heading home. When Dad said he'd take care of the fire, we said our goodbyes.
"Where to?" I asked her as we idled in the driveway. I really wanted her to come home with me.
Elena chewed her lip. "If I don't go home with you, Grams will have something to say about it in the morning."
"I have a feeling she'll have something to say no matter what we do."
"You've got that right," Elena said with a smile.
"My place it is then." I backed up and drove toward my house. I couldn't help but think about what the night would bring. Would we spend it on the deck? Or should I take her straight to bed? My heart rate picked up in anticipation of having her to myself.
At home, I unlocked the door and pushed it open for her.
My heart was pounding hard as I closed the door. She looked at me with wide-eyed expectation, and I couldn't resist cupping her cheek with my hands and pressing her against the paneled door. "I want you more than yesterday. How is that possible?"
I couldn't seem to get my fill of her. Being with her only made me want her more. That was different than any other relationship I'd ever been in. It seemed like the relationship sizzled the more time we spent together. There was always some reason why the other person would annoy me, or I'd realize they weren't the one for me.
But Elena fit into my life perfectly.
She swallowed hard and then said, "I feel the same way."
I tipped her face up and kissed her. It felt like a claiming, a taking of what I wanted. Something exploded inside my head. I wasn't holding back anymore, thinking about all the reasons why this wouldn't work.
Her hands moved around my back and under my shirt. They were warm against, making my muscles tense in anticipation.
I pressed against her, and when she lifted her leg around my hip, I groaned, wishing there were less clothes between us. "I want you in my hot tub."
Her eyes widened, her breath came in short pants. "I didn't realize you had one."
"On the patio." We hadn't spent any time on the ground-floor patio.
"I'd love to see it."
I grabbed her hand, leading her through the house and down the stairs of the deck to the hot tub. I hadn't put in a pool yet, but I'd left room for one.
I turned on the jets and took off my shirt. I wore my board shorts, so I jumped in, and Elena followed suit. I almost wished we weren't wearing swimsuits because I wanted her to be naked. I prowled over to her, her gaze lifting to meet mine. My fingers lingered on the bow on her back. "Any objections to me removing this?"
Her eyes darkened with desire. "Not at all."
I tugged on the string that had been taunting me. The cups holding her breasts sagged, and she let the straps fall down her shoulders to float in the water. I dipped my head to suck on her nipple. Her fingers curled in the hair at the bottom of my neck.
She arched into my touch as I moved to her other nipple. I straightened to capture her mouth. I felt out of control tonight, as if someone had loosened my tether. I was free to do whatever felt good. And right now, being with her felt amazing.
I kissed her while my fingers drifted down her body. Her muscles spasmed in response, and her legs trembled against mine as I finally dipped below the elastic of her bottoms. I could easily untie those too, but there was something about this tiny scrap of material between us that drove me wild with need.
Elena cupped my dick through my shorts, and I bucked against her. She pushed the shorts down, and I kicked them off. My cock bobbed in the water between us. She pulled back, gripping it with her hands, then leaned down to lick the tip.
"I won't last long if you do that. Besides, I want to be inside you," I growled, barely holding onto my restraint.
"I want that too," she said breathlessly.
I lifted her so that I could easily slide into her. Then I paused. "Shit. I don't have a condom."
"Do you have one in the house?" Elena asked.
"My bedroom," I said, but I was reluctant to leave her. "Do you want me to get it?—"
Her nose scrunched. "I'm clean and I’m on birth control."
"I am too." But I wasn't sure she was ready for sharing that with me.
She wrapped her hands around my back, holding me close, her nipples pressed against my chest. "I want you too much to stop now. I trust you."
That was all it took for me to punch my hips forward, sliding inside her slick heat. My heart pounded as I forced myself to go slow.
"Let go," Elena murmured against my shoulder, her teeth nipping my skin. Then she soothed the bite with a soft kiss.
"Yes," I hissed as I eased out and slammed back into her.
The water made her buoyant. I pounded into her, my heart racing and my head racing. I wasn't sure what I was chasing, but I felt like I was in the race for my life.
She bit down hard on her lip right before her body spasmed around mine.
I let my head fall back as my orgasm washed over me.
We stilled, our bodies pulsing with the aftershocks.
"That was intense," I finally said when I pulled her off me, loving the way my dick stretched her pussy.
"I'll say."
I'd never felt like that during sex, like there was something missing in my past relationships. A connection I never had with anyone before Elena.
I sat on the bench seat and pulled her into my lap. It felt good to hold her like this, like she was something precious I never wanted to let go of.
"It's the perfect evening," Elena said. The water bobbed around us, and we could hear the waves in the distance. "Sometimes I wonder how this is my life. It's like being on a permanent vacation."
I played with the strands of her hair. "I never thought about it like that."
"The beach is within sight or hearing distance. And if not, you can always smell the salt in the air. The storms are so much more intense here, and you can watch the lightening zigzag through the sky, reflecting across the water. It's breathtaking."
"You're the one that's breathtaking. Much more fascinating than any ocean."
She dropped her gaze to me, playing with the hair at the base of my neck. "You say the sweetest things."
"Mmm. I think it's you that brings it out in me."
She laughed lightly. "I like that answer."
"Nothing with you is an act. This is all me." I almost didn't recognize myself, because I'd never been like this with anyone. I was more carefree and easygoing.
"Well, I like this side of you, Hudson Kingston."
"I like my name on your lips." I kissed her then, wondering how long I could keep her here. How long would she stay invested in me. I wasn't dumb enough to think it could last forever. But I hoped it would.