Page 43 of Roughing It

His patience wanes, and he jerks his head toward the water. I go to argue, but the little wrinkle between his eyes has me closing my mouth. Instead, I hold my hand out and followthe path he picks down the rocky trail. I’m thankful for his strong grip when I hit more than one slippery spot the closer we get.

While Hudson stands to the side, I quickly strip off my borrowed sweats and sink into the balmy water. Every bone in my body, every muscle, every nerve melts into malleable goo. The only thing holding me together is my skin.

I’m almost too relaxed to drink in the glory of Hudson’s shirtless chest when he grips the back of his t-shirt and pulls it over his head.

Almost.

This is my third chance viewing Hudson sans shirt, and it’s no less divine this time. He doesn’t have a six-pack, but he’s solid—the kind of fit that comes from hard work, not a gym. I sink a little lower and stare at all the golden skin on display.

Yep. Stare.

The gray sweats drop to the forest floor, and those thighs are what I’ll dream about tonight.Please crush me like a watermelon, sir.

He slides into the warm water, my floating toes brushing his legs as he settles across from me. The spring is smaller than the bath back at the cabin and more round, sort of like a two-person hot tub, with natural seats formed in the stone over eons. It’s highly intimate, and my body, heart, and brain are all hyper-aware of it.

I cut my eyes to Hudson’s face, and he’s watching me. Then, one of those long fingers reaches out and strokes the arch of my foot. “I was trying to say earlier… you look nice today.”

“Thanks, I’m not even wearing any makeup. Someone keeps saying I don’t need it.”

“Sounds like a smart person.”

“He has his moments. But so far, they’ve proven to be few and far between.”

Silence falls back over us, and I let Hudson’s lack of complete sentences go for now. It’s not like he can get away from me. The rustle of the trees, the chirping of birds, and the bubbling of the warm water soothe me into a moment of Zen. This is actually really nice. Maybe I could get used to small-town life again if it includes hot springs.

If I had a nice fruity pink drink and more direct sunlight, this would be a pretty perfect moment.

Out of nowhere, Hudson blurts, “Alexander.”

“Huh?” I say, both because I’m lost in the casual way he pulls my feet into his lap and caresses my ankles, and by the random word.

“My middle name. It’s not Bear. It’s Alexander.”

“Hudson Alexander Brooks. What a distinguished name. I like it; it suits you. But you’re still Bear as far as I’m concerned.” I lean forward and tickle his jaw, forcing my hand steady despite the current tingling through the places we are skin to skin. “My grumpy, grouchy, grizzly Bear.”

Crap. Not my Bear. Not my anything.I drop my hand and slump back against the rock ledge. “So, Bear,” he squeezes my feet at the nickname, “you brought me out here to talk. Yes?”

“Yes.”

This man. It’s like pulling teeth. “You have my attention. My phone is with our clothes, and my muscles and mind are relaxed. Now’s the time.”

He swallows, and I’m struck with the sudden desire to lick his Adam’s apple. But I refrain.

“I owe you more than an apology coffee, Blakely.” He sighs and drops his head back. “Something about you…”

“Dazzles you? Awes you? Mesmerizes you?”

His gruff laugh makes my chest flutter. “Honestly? Yeah. But alsofrustrates me, makes me stupid, makes me… an asshole.”

“Oh? I hadn’t noticed,” I say with a snort and a flick of water in his direction.

A ghost of a smile flits across his lips before disappearing. “You asked me who put the chip on my shoulder?”

I nod.

“Six years ago, I was engaged.”

I blink. Then blink again. That is not what I was expecting. “Engaged?”

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