Chapter 6 #2
I shake my head as she spreads her thighs in invitation. “Need you on your knees, baby. Need to watch that ass while I fuck you.”
Hazel licks her lips, her eyes lighting up with need. She rolls over onto her stomach and pushes up onto her hands and knees.
“Such a good girl,” I praise.
“Oh, you—”
I cut her off as I pound into her in one thrust. Gritting my teeth, I try to regain control because I swear to God, she gets tighter every time I fuck her.
Hazel’s hips rock, impaling her pussy on my dick. I grab her hips, holding her in place. I’m sure that she’ll have bruises later, and my cock swells at the thought of leaving my mark on her.
“Need you,” I grunt as I pull out and thrust back in.
Fuck, I only pull out halfway before I need to pound into her again. She’s so hot, so tight, so wet. She drives me crazy, has me wrapped so tightly around her finger, and she has no idea. She has no idea that I love her, that I don’t think I can breathe without her.
Hazel gasps as I slam into her, falling from her hands to her elbows. “Oh!”
I can’t answer. I just fuck her harder. My balls tighten, and I know I don’t have long. I need to get her off first.
I snake my hand around her waist, sliding my fingers over her soaked core until I find her clit.
She arches as I press down on her little button, teasing her bundle of nerves until she’s moaning, gasping, screaming.
“Hudson,” she chokes out, and a second later, her pussy clamps down around my length.
“Hazel,” I groan, rocking into her as I come.
My arms threaten to give out as I slide free, collapsing beside her on the bed.
We’re both panting and sweating. Hazel laughs softly as I reach for her, dragging her closer.
She rolls over, curling into my side beneath the blankets, her head resting on my chest while my fingers trace lazy circles over her back.
The apartment is quiet, the city outside muted, and for once, my mind is quiet too. No stress, no pressure, no endless thoughts about work. Just her soft breathing against my skin. Just this.
Hazel tilts her head up sleepily.
“What?” I murmur.
“You’re smiling again.”
I blink before realizing she’s right.
Have I ever smiled this much before? I doubt it.
I kiss her forehead softly. “Go to sleep, baby,” I order.
She snorts, smiling against my chest.
A few minutes later, her breathing evens out. I hold her tighter as exhaustion pulls at me.
As I drift off beside the woman I’m hopelessly in love with, one thought settles heavily and permanently into my chest.
I’m never letting her go.
Now, how do I convince her that she belongs by my side?
Hazel
Everything feels perfect when I wake up on Monday morning.
Then I roll over in Hudson’s arms and see the clock.
“Shit!” I shout, jerking out of Hudson’s hold.
“What?” he asks sleepily.
His shirt hits him in the face as I toss it at him and run around the room like a maniac.
“We’re late!” I snap as I hop on one foot to pull on my pants.
Hudson leans up on one elbow, glancing at the clock, then back at me.
“I’m buying you a new alarm clock,” he growls as he throws his legs over the edge of the bed and tugs on his shirt.
“It’s not the alarm clock; it’s that I forgot to set it,” I argue. “Someone was distracting me.”
“If I recall, you liked me distracting you.”
“Yeah, well…” I trail off lamely as I grab a shirt and pull it on.
“I have to run home and get clean clothes. Are you ready? I can drive us to my place and then to work.”
“Not yet. I’ll just walk to work,” I tell him.
The truth is that I need a minute away from Hudson. I need some time to get my head on straight after all of the revelations of this weekend.
“I’ll see you at the office?” he asks, pulling on his boxers and pants.
I nod distractedly.
Hudson grabs me as I move to get my shoes, his strong arms wrapping around my waist as he pulls me against him. My body heats at the contact, a flame sparking to life, and I bite my bottom lip, trying to get myself under control.
Focus, Hazel! I yell at myself.
“Yeah, see you at the office.”
He nods, smiling as he kisses me. Grabbing his shoes, he heads for the door. I wait until it closes behind him before dropping onto my bed and letting out a sigh.
Oh my god! I think, staring at the ceiling. I just spent the whole weekend having sex with my boss.
I take a few deep breaths, then stand to grab my phone off the bedside table. That’s when I see all the missed calls and texts from Scout.
“Shit, I was supposed to call her on Friday,” I whisper, hitting her name and praying that nothing serious happened as I wait for her to pick up.
“Finally!” she shouts when the call connects. “I was about to call the police and file a missing persons report on you!”
“Sorry, I…” I trail off.
I don’t even know what to say. Where do I begin?
“Hazel? What’s going on?” she asks, her tone worried.
Tears sting my eyes for some reason, and I suck in a shaky breath.
“This weekend, I…I slept with Hudson,” I blurt out in a rush.
Silence greets that statement, and my heart races.
Oh God! Does Scout think I made a mistake? Did I?
“Was it good?” she asks finally.
I choke on a laugh. “Yeah. Really good.”
“So why do you sound upset?”
“I don’t even know. I just, I feel like we were in a bubble all weekend. We never talked about the future or us or whatever. Now I have to see him at work, and I don’t know how to act. I don’t know where I stand.”
“Where do you want to stand with him? Do you like him? Do you want to be with him?”
Do I?
“I can’t deny that I’ve always been attracted to him, that a part of me loves bickering with him.
I love getting a rise out of him, love making him drop that carefully gruff mask, even for a moment.
It feels like I’ve won something every time I get him to show any emotion other than contempt or boredom. ”
“Okay, so—”
“On the other hand, he’s my boss,” I say, cutting her off. “My grumpy, demanding boss. What would us dating even look like?”
“Well, you could date him and find out,” she says, stating the obvious. “You were planning to quit soon anyway, so maybe it’s the perfect time. If things go badly, you can leave and avoid any drama.”
“What if he’s not that into me? I mean, I think I’m an anomaly in his world. I don’t react like everyone else. I challenge him. What if now that he’s had me, he’s not interested anymore?”
“He’s an idiot if he’s not interested in you, Hazel,” Scout assures me.
I sigh. “I have to get to work.”
“Good. You can see how he acts and go from there.”
“And if he’s a dick?”
“Then leave early and call me. I’ll come up to Maple Creek for the day.”
I smile weakly. “You’re the best.”
“I know.”
I grab my things and lock the front door behind me as I head to work. I feel better as I hit the sidewalk.
“It will work out,” Scout promises.
“I hope so. I’ll talk to you soon.”
“Love you.”
“Love you too.”
We hang up, and I take a few deep breaths as I approach work. I see Hudson’s car pull up out front, and I smile when I see him climb out.
He’s frowning, talking to someone on the phone, and he doesn’t even glance my way as he heads inside. I hurry to catch up to him, hoping to catch him in the elevator so I can talk to him before everyone is around.
I run inside, but the elevator doors are already closing. I stab at the button impatiently and rush on when the doors finally glide open.
My heart is in my throat as I ride up to the top floor. As soon as I step into Cole Enterprises, I search for Hudson. He’s in his office, already flipping through mail. I step closer, willing him to look up at me. I need something, some sign of how things will work between us today.
My anxiety is at a record high as I set my things down and go to make our morning coffees. I’m almost back to my desk when Hudson steps out of his office, his eyes scanning the floor.
Is he looking for me?
It takes a concentrated effort to control my facial expressions as I walk toward him. I don’t want him to see how much I care for him, how deeply in love with him I already am.
His blue eyes lock onto me, and he pauses for a moment. My heart races, and I hold out his coffee to him.
“Thanks,” he grumbles, taking the cup and turning away from me.
My mouth drops open as he walks back into his office.
Well, I guess I have my answer.
My heart feels like it’s breaking in my chest, and I wonder briefly if I need to move up my plan to quit. Ten months is close enough to a year. It would still look okay on my resume.
There’s no way that I can face him every day after sleeping with him. He can read me too well. He’ll know I’m in love with him, and then what? Will he look at me with pity? I couldn’t stand that. He might be able to pretend that nothing happened between us, but I can’t.
Nausea slams into me, and my legs shake as I gather my things. I’m about to tell Hudson that I’m headed home when he walks out of his office.
“Where are you off to?” he asks.
I lick my suddenly dry lips. “I’m not feeling good. I’m going to head home. Take a sick day.”
I must look terrible because he doesn’t question me. He scans my face, and I feel cold and clammy as I try not to reveal my thoughts.
Hudson steps closer. “Do you need anything?” he asks, reaching up to feel my forehead for a fever.
For a second, I think he’s genuinely concerned. Then I remember his attitude a few minutes ago. I can’t get sucked in with his hot-and-cold attitude. I need to ignore this, him, my feelings. All of it.
“I’m good. I just need to rest.”
“All right.” He looks at the other employees. “Get some rest.”
I head for the elevator, pushing the button. When the doors open, I step on and hit the ground floor button.
Hudson is standing right there, staring at me with concern.
“I can drive you home,” he whispers.
I shake my head. “I’ll be fine.”
He nods, but he doesn’t look happy. “Text me when you get home.”
“Okay.”
Thankfully, the elevator doors close, and I sag against the wall as I ride down to the ground floor.
As soon as the doors open again, I make my escape, hurrying out of the building and down the sidewalk to my apartment.
The tears start before I’m even inside. I slam the door closed behind me, locking it as I stumble toward my bed.
My heart is a broken, useless thing in my chest. I rub the ache, wondering how long I’ll feel like this. I fall onto my bed, crying harder when I smell him on my sheets.
What have I done?
And what do I do now?