Chapter 21
HUDSON
When I realized we'd forgotten to use a condom, I wasn't upset.
But I sensed that she was. I wanted to ease her fears.
She was a single mom, so she was probably worried about getting pregnant with the baby of someone she'd just started seeing.
But I already sensed that whatever was happening between us wasn't temporary.
It was deep and real and scary as fuck. But it wasn't a fling or just a physical attraction. It was a bonus that the chemistry between us was so combustible.
She was so sexy that I wasn't sure I'd ever forget the moment when I opened the door to her in that silky robe. Then when she untied the belt and stepped back, the robe fell away, leaving her in that red teddy.
It was like she'd read my mind and decided to make all my dreams come true. I'd wanted to romance her tonight, but she'd flipped everything around.
Now all I could think about was her and the way she'd been so uninhibited.
I kissed her then, pulling her against me. "I want you to myself all night. But I think I should feed you first."
Angela smiled. "I ruined your whole evening, didn't I?"
"I don't think you're all that sorry, and neither am I. You made tonight a night I'll never forget." She'd single-handedly ruined me for all other women. I'd never get her out of my head. And that meant that I had no choice but to make her mine. To help her see that we were meant for each other.
She'd moved here and broken up with her ex because we were meant to find each other. It was too soon for her to accept that conclusion, but I already had.
“Can you send me the photos from the camera? I don’t think I’m going to forget tonight, but I’d love to have them on nights when I’m alone.” Those were the tamer pictures, so I didn’t think she’d have a problem sharing those with me. And there would be plenty of nights when we wouldn’t be together.
Her lips quirked as if she knew exactly why I wanted the images. "I can send them. But what now?"
"I have all night with you, and I'm not going to waste a single second." It felt like I was vibrating, I was so excited for this evening. "Are you wearing this underneath your outfit, or do you need to change?"
"I was planning on wearing it or maybe nothing underneath. What do you think?" Her lips turned into a pout.
I groaned. "I can't decide which is better."
She moved to tie the satin ribbon, but I swiped her hand away. I wanted to be the one to dress her in this outfit, to cover her, so that no one else could ever see her like this. I carefully pulled the ties so that her breasts were lifted and spread.
Then I reached between her legs, ignoring her heat so that I could secure the snaps, ensuring she was covered. "You're absolutely gorgeous."
"Let me get dressed." She disappeared into the dressing room. When she returned, she wore a black dress. "I was prepared to go out in case you didn't want to partake in the photoshoot."
I wondered if a part of her worried that I would've turned her down. "There was no chance of me opting out."
A slow smile spread over her face.
"What do you say we grab some dinner, then head home?" I tucked a strand of hair behind her ear.
"That sounds perfect."
At the door, I helped her put on her coat. Then we headed into the cold night. It was the first time that we'd been out by ourselves, without Ayla as a buffer. I could touch and kiss her whenever I wanted. It was a heady feeling.
I didn't want to drive anywhere unless it was home, so we went to the only restaurant that was a little nicer in Christmas Town, the one inside the inn.
The hostess gave us a seat by the window that faced the street. The lampposts were lined with lights and wreaths. The Christmas decorations were up year-round here, which was good because I wasn't ready to let the holiday season go.
It had brought us together, and I didn't want to lose the magic. There was something about the season that gave me hope for a future with her.
We ordered, and the waiter took our menus.
"I still can't believe you reenacted the photo shoot."
Her lips quirked. "I'm glad you liked it."
"I'm never going to forget it. Maybe we can schedule another date there, and you can model the products for me. I can help you decide what to sell in the store," I teased, not expecting her to agree.
"I do need to make decisions about the spring line. Maybe you could help me decide what patterns and fabrics to stock."
"Are you serious?" I asked, not quite believing her.
She touched the rim of the water glass. "You'd be helping me."
My mouth was suddenly dry. All I could think about was her leaving that dressing room and walking toward me in stilettos, a tiny thong, and a see-through bra. "I would love to assist you with that."
Her cheeks flushed. "I've never felt this way with anyone. So free."
"That's a good thing, though, right?" My voice was gravelly.
She nodded. "It's a very good thing."
Right now, it didn't feel like anything could burst our little bubble. I was feeling high from the photo shoot, and excited about what we'd do tonight in an actual bed. Then there was Ayla, who I was becoming closer to each day. "Right now, I feel lucky."
Her lips quirked. "That my pipe burst?"
I chuckled. "Not that. But that we spent more time together and realized what we had."
"It was unexpected."
"But very much appreciated." I reached across the table and flipped my hand over so that it was palm up.
Her gaze flickered from my outstretched hand to me.
Then she carefully placed her hand in mine.
I wrapped my hand around hers, feeling the warmth of her skin.
A tingle shot from our joined hands to my heart, and then it contracted.
There was something about this woman. I thought she was the one for me.
But I didn't want to share my thoughts and feelings with her yet. We were still new, and she was gun-shy about dating, especially because of Ayla. She wanted to protect her, and she'd been burned in the past.
The server brought bread to the table, and I removed my hand from Angela's.
She looked out the window. "It's nice to be out. I can't remember the last time I ate anywhere besides the diner or take-out pizza."
"I'll take you out all the time," I vowed, wanting her to feel special.
Her brow furrowed. "This is— What I mean is— What are we doing? Are we seeing each other? Hooking up?"
I winced at her word choice. "We're seeing each other. Dating. Not hooking up. That sounds cheap compared to what we shared."
We might have acted out a fantasy in her shop, but that didn't lessen what happened between us. It was big, and I wasn't afraid to acknowledge it.
"I like that."
"I want to call you mine."
She looked around the room. "Are you sure? I might not get my lease renewed and then what? I'd have to find a new location for my store or get a real job."
"Hey, you have a real job. You're a business owner."
"I can't help but think that everything has been going so well lately. I mean, not the flooding obviously, but us. The online store. It can't stay this good, right? Something has to give."
"Who says anything has to change? What if it's only up and up from here?" I asked her, feeling that hope grow in my chest.
She smiled softly. "I like the sound of that."
"There's nothing wrong with believing it's all going to work out. I don't think Eve will give into Bill's demands."
"I don't know. I'm new. Everyone else has been in town for a while. Other than Belle of course. But no one is going to argue that we don't need a bookstore. There's nothing nefarious about that. Unless Bill is going to start complaining about steamy romance books."
I waggled my brows. "Don't put it past him, and you are selling your panties there."
I couldn't make promises because I didn't know Eve or Natasha that well. I didn't know anything about the business side of Christmas town or how much pull Bill had with the other shop owners. It bugged me that I couldn't reassure her. "We should relax tonight and not think about Bill."
She let out a breath. "You're right. I don't get out often enough that I want to ruin it by talking about him."
"That's my girl," I said, loving the sound of that.
She smiled.
Our food came, and we ate, talking about the town and upcoming events.
Eve's desire to continue to bring people in year-round and whether it would work.
I spoke about the renovations, and how I was managing so many requests for repairs at once.
"It's hard to prioritize. But I kind of want to do Bill's first, so he'll leave you alone. "
She rolled her eyes. "I hate that he gets what he wants by being a pain in the you-know-what."
"I don't want you to have to deal with him." I didn't like that he came to Angela's store and harassed her.
After we'd eaten, we ordered dessert to share. The chocolate cake was decadent, and we took turns feeding each other.
She'd reapplied the red lip stick, and all I could think about was her lips wrapped around my dick. I shifted on my chair, wondering how long it would take to get her home.
When the check came, I whipped out my card, eager to finish the meal.
As soon as I signed the check, I stood and held my hand out to her. "You ready to go home?"
She placed her hand in mine. "Yes."
I grabbed her coat, helping her shrug into it, and then we walked toward the back parking lot, where we'd both parked our cars. "I'll drive."
"Are you sure?"
"Yeah, I don't want to be apart." Not even for the ride home. I wanted her in my passenger seat so that every time I looked over, I'd be reassured that she was here with me.
On the drive home, we were both quiet. I was thinking about how she looked in her shop earlier this evening. She still wore the same lingerie under her black dress, and I couldn't get the vision out of my head.
I parked in the driveway, her house lit with the lights that we'd installed.
On the porch, I waited for her to unlock the door. Inside, she shut it. Then I pressed her against the wood and kissed her. "I waited all night to do that."
She tasted like chocolate and whipped cream. A decadent mix I couldn't get enough of. My hand slipped under her dress, reveling in her soft skin. My fingers drifted higher, to the familiar snaps between her legs.
With one motion, I pulled them all free, the sound echoing in the empty space. My fingers eased between her folds, gathering the wetness to slide a finger inside her.
Her lips fell from mine on a gasp. Then she widened her legs, giving me free access. I pumped inside her, continuing to kiss her.
She moaned, and I moved back slightly so that I could tug the top of her dress down. I wanted to see her breasts. I pulled the ties, freeing them. Then I sucked on her nipples.
Her fingers tangled in my hair. "Hudson."
"I need you." I couldn't wait until we got to the bed. I was amped up from our earlier interaction, which fueled my desire.
I unzipped my slacks and freed my cock. She reached between us, gripping the base. "I need you."
Her hand fell away, and I lifted her so that her back was pressed against the wall. I lined my dick up at her entrance and slid inside in one thrust. She was mine.
I set a brutal pace, wanting her to understand what this moment meant. That I wasn't going anywhere.
Her head fell back against the door, and I kissed her neck, then tugged on her earlobe. She was sexy as hell. How had I waited this long to get a taste of her?
Speaking of which, I'd have to take my time with her later. Spread her out on the bed and feast. I hoped she wasn't planning on getting any sleep tonight. I'd keep her up all night long.
I wasn't sure when we'd get another opportunity like this. How often did Angela get a night to herself?
Her breasts bounced with each thrust, and my orgasm built at the base of my spine. She cried out with each pass, and I couldn't resist reaching between us and stroking her clit. She bit her lip, then went over with a shudder.
Her muscles squeezed my cock, coaxing the orgasm from deep within my body. I let go with a groan, wondering when anything had ever felt this good.
I rested my forehead against hers. "You wrecked me."
She laughed softly. "But what a way to go."
I groaned as I slid out of her, my cum slick on her inner thighs. "You want to take a quick shower?"
Her lips pursed. "Will we take a shower?"
"I need a break." I helped her slide to the floor, and I took her hand, leading her to her bathroom. I turned on the shower, taking my time to undress her. I enjoyed being with her like this, taking care of her. After tonight, there shouldn't be any question that she was mine.
She slid underneath the spray while I made quick work of removing my clothes. Then I joined her, shampooing her hair and massaging her scalp.
She let her head fall back. "You're spoiling me."
"You haven't had nearly enough of that."
Her eyes drifted shut. "I like it. Too much."
"Get used to it." I wasn't going to let a day go by without making her feel desired.
I turned her so that her hair was in the spray. Then I soaped her body, taking special care between her legs.
She got out and wrapped herself in a towel while I soaped up. Once I stepped out, she'd already disappeared into the bedroom. I wiped the mirror, taking a good look at myself. I looked like a man who'd been well satisfied, who was confident in his actions, who knew what he wanted.
I finished drying off and headed into her room naked.
She smiled and lifted her arm in invitation. I moved toward her, wanting nothing more than to be next to her, feeling her bare skin against mine.
I slid under the covers and wrapped my body around hers. For now, I was sated. But I had a feeling I'd be waking her before too long. I couldn't get enough of her, and for one night, there were no distractions.