Chapter Seven
Brianne
For the next few weeks, I live in a state of bliss in my relationship with Hudson.
We see each other at work, sneaking moments alone in my office when we can, and begin alternating sleeping over at his apartment and my house, though recently we’d just begun using my house as our base.
He brought things over and left them there.
My bathroom now has his razor and shaving cream, toothbrush, and shampoo.
Who knew a man could be fussy about his hair care, I muse, enjoying having him in my personal space.
I grin as I dress for my mother’s birthday party we are attending this afternoon. All has been quiet in my work world, no player crises to handle, but Hudson has gone to the stadium to treat some of the players.
He is doing his best to push forward with clinic plans despite having been turned down by his father, who refuses to release the principal of the trust fund money.
So Hudson is busy making appointments with a bank to apply for a loan, and he and Braden are discussing bringing on investors to make their dream a reality.
I have a plan of my own to help him, but I want the money I hope to raise to be a surprise, and I intend to fill him in after we return from the party at my mother’s house.
Hudson walks into the house just as I enter the kitchen. He drops his keys in the dish I leave for that purpose near the front door and strides up to me, planting a long, deep kiss on my mouth.
“Mmm,” I say as he lifts his head. “Do that again.”
“My pleasure.” He snakes his arm around me, pulling me close and closing his lips over mine.
The kiss sends tremors of awareness sizzling up my spine. I can get used to this, Hudson coming home to me every day, us living in a real home that we made together. In fact, I want a future with him with every fiber of my being.
“I love you,” I say, shocked when the words came out of my mouth.
He blinks, his eyes opening wide.
“I… You don’t have to say it back. I just… It slipped,” I say, my face hot with embarrassment.
He cups my face in his strong hands. “Did you mean it?” he asks, his voice gruff, his expression vulnerable. Unless I am misreading him, which I don’t think I am.
Swallowing hard, I decide to go with the truth. No pain, no gain, as the athletes who surround me like to say. And Hudson has given me no reason not to have hope.
“I do.” My heart pounds so fast in my chest it hurts.
His features soften, those sexy lips turning up in a smile. “Good because I love you, too.” His lips come down hard on mine again, his tongue slipping into my willing mouth as he backs me against the nearest cabinet.
We devour each other, our kisses hot, our bodies grinding against each other to the point where my panties grow damp enough that I know either we stop or we’ll end up in bed. Which I want desperately, but we don’t have the time.
With regret, I pull away. “If we keep this up, we’ll miss the party.”
He frowns but releases me, taking a few steps back and catching his breath. “I need to shower and then I’ll be ready.” His gaze skims over my outfit, a pair of fitted black pants and a pink scoop-neck top that tucks into the thick waistband.
“You look great.” His eyes darkens as they meet my gaze, and he inches closer again.
I hold up a hand, stopping him before we end up with our hands all over each other. Again. “Go shower,” I say halfheartedly. Because he said he loves me, too, and I really want to take the time and enjoy the moment.
“Later,” he promises in that deep voice I adore. He jogs out of the kitchen, and a few minutes later, I hear the running of the shower.
Smiling, I stop in the bathroom and check my makeup in the mirror. Some gloss and I’ll be okay. Then I grab my mother’s present and slip on my shoes, waiting for him to join me, ready to go.
A little while later, we are at my mom’s house along with my entire family. I give my mom the gift I picked out, her favorite perfume in a special-edition bottle she can set on her dresser, and Hudson and I separate as we catch up with different people.
Macy and Jaxon had brought aa, Macy’s sister, who, after going through a rough patch, is blossoming living with the newly married couple.
To me, the teenager already feels like part of my family.
While Macy and I speak, my mom grabs Hannah’s hand and drags her into the kitchen for homemade brownies, and it is obvious Hannah basks in the glow of all the mothering she gets from Christine.
Nothing makes my mother happier than taking in a stray and making them feel at home.
I spend a few minutes talking with Jaxon and Macy and Willow, who is with them, before moving on to Damon and Evie. “So how’s my retired brother?” I ask, nudging him in the ribs.
After a horrible concussion on the field last month, Damon’s doctors had looked at his history of head injuries and told him if he continued to play, he’d risk the rest of life as he knows it mentally.
Damon hadn’t had to think twice. He’d chosen to be around for his family, taking a job with Dare Nation, and is now learning the ropes of being an agent.
“How does it look like I’m doing?” He wraps an arm around Evie and pulls her close, pressing a kiss to her cheek. “I’m fine.”
“How are you?” Evie asks.
I smile. “I’m good! Busy with work but that’s nothing new.”
“And Hudson? He’s treating you well?” Damon asks. “Or do I have to kick his ass?”
I roll my eyes. “Oh my God, you sound like Braden. Stop! He’s been amazing.”
“Good,” Evie says, then glances at her husband. “And you need to mind your own business.”
I grin and shoot my sister-in-law an appreciative look. “See? We women stick together. Now I’m going to get a soda. See you later.”
I walk into the large state-of-the-art kitchen my mother adores, with the stainless steel, high-end appliances, and custom white Italian-made cabinets.
Grabbing a can of soda from the Sub-Zero refrigerator and a glass from the cabinet, I add ice and pour my drink before joining Austin and Quinn by the center island.
Jenny snuggles against my brother, her big blue eyes on me.
She holds out her arms and, while making bubbles with her mouth, reaches for me, practically throwing herself forward.
“Come here, my favorite little girl.” I settle the baby on my hip and place a smacking kiss on her chubby cheek. “She smells so good.”
“It’s the shampoo. Nothing smells better than a freshly washed baby,” Quinn says with a grin.
“It’s getting her clean that’s the challenge. All the water splashing with her hands and feet.” Austin looks at his daughter with so much love in his eyes, it is a beautiful thing to see, and when he turns to Quinn, love explodes between them.
My heart squeezes, and for the first time since all of my brothers have found love, I can say the same.
Suddenly I miss Hudson and need to feel his arms around me so I can bask in our earlier admission.
I love him, and he loves me back. Holding back my smile so my smart sibling doesn’t question why I’ve suddenly begun grinning I hand Jenny back to Quinn and go looking for Hudson.
* * *
Hudson
Braden and I huddle in the study while the party goes on in other rooms of the house.
There is a sofa against one wall where the women left their handbags, and Jenny’s diaper bag sits on the floor beside the couch.
The study has French doors that remain open, because nothing about this conversation is that private.
Although we work together, neither of us want to talk about our clinic plans while at another job, so now is as good a time as any.
Braden leans against the desk in the room while I pace the hardwood floor covered by an area rug.
“The bank wants collateral, which I don’t have,” I say, picking up the conversation where we left off last time we had this discussion.
Braden narrows his gaze. “You know, you never did tell me about the talk you had with your father. Just that he turned you down. But you hinted there was more to the conversation than a flat-out no, so what gives?”
Despite the fact that I am frustrated with my inability to get money from my father, I haven’t told my friend the entire conversation. Not only are the stipulations ridiculous, but I am embarrassed to have such an ass for a parent.
With a groan, I run a hand over my hair. “You wouldn’t believe it if I told you.”
Braden folds his arms across his chest and meets my gaze. “Try me. We can’t work this out if I don’t know everything.”
I nod. “Well, my father didn’t outright say no to giving me the money. He just placed some conditions on releasing the funds that I haven’t figured a way around.”
Eyebrows raised, Braden waits.
I wince as I say, “He’ll give me the money if I get married and provide him and my mother an heir.”
“You’ve got to be fucking kidding me. What century is this?” Braden’s outrage matches my own.
“That’s what I asked, but he’s not backing down.” In fact, my father has followed up with not one but two phone calls since our visit, asking if I have made up my mind.
Braden straightens and walks over to where I stand.
“So how badly do you want the money? Enough to get married and get your wife to pop out a kid?” Braden asks, obviously kidding because he knows me better than that, and besides, I am with Bri.
And she doesn’t deserve to get involved in my father’s quid pro quo.
“It wouldn’t hurt,” I say back, equally joking because there’s never been a moment when I considered my father’s demands.
“I’m sorry, what?” Bri stands in the doorway, one hand on the molding, staring at us both in disbelief.
Motherfucker. “Bri, that was not what it sounded like.”
The color has drained from her face, and she now clutches that molding in a death grip. “Really? Because it sounded like you need a wife and a kid to get the money from your father.”
She looked from her brother to me, obviously feeling betrayed, and I understand why. “Bri—”