Page 75 of Roughing It

“I’m reconsidering.”

“Why?”

Without caring that Kirk is watching, Hudson lowers his mouth to mine. I lose myself in the kiss with my handsome outdoorsman. It isn’t until we pick up steam that Kirk clears his throat, reminding us we aren’t alone.

Kirk’s smile could rival the Cheshire Cat’s with the way it’sstretched across his face. “You asked for my advice?” At my nod, he says, “Don’t blow it.”

I smash the End button. “Thanks, that’s super helpful,” I mutter to myself. I miss the days when you could slam a phone down. Now, it just means you risk breaking your screen. I settle for tossing it to the far side of the couch. Slumping back into the cushions, I put pressure on my temples, fighting off a burgeoning headache.

The couch shifts as Hudson drops next to me, lacing our hands together. I rest my head against his shoulder. “Are you sure about this?”

“What?”

“Going public. Officially. If you think today was a circus… I don’t want you doing this because of our fight.”

Hudson brings my hand to his mouth, rubbing my knuckles against his lips. “I’m not.”

Laughing, I roll my eyes. “Well, that settles it.”

“Am I still nervous about putting that much of myself on display? Yeah. But it’s part of the package. So, I’m willing to try.” He sighs. “If it gets to be too much, we’ll talk.”

I’m not sure what to say. For Hudson, that was practically a soliloquy.

Nudging my knee with his, Hudson says, “So, you like me, huh?”

I groan. “Shit, you really did hear everything.”

“I’m telling you, you’re loud. Very loud. The first thing I thought when I met you was loud. Now answer the question.”

“I thought the first thing you thought when you met me was how much you wanted to fuck my ti?—”

“Blakely.”

“Yes, I like you. Happy, you insufferable jerk? I wanted to sleep with you the minute I saw you. Who wouldn’t? Have you seen you?” I gesture up and down his body. “But I didn’t expectto actually like you so much, especially since you’re such an asshole.”

“I like you too, Spitfire.” Then he smirks. “I never imagined I’d be so interested in a spoiled, bratty social media princess.”

Before I can snap at him for calling me a princess, he pulls me into a knee-weakening kiss.

I part my lips, loving the feel of his tongue against mine. It’s bizarre, the high I get from little things like kissing him. Is this what it’s supposed to be like?

Breaking the kiss, I rub my cheek against his beard and sigh. “Food?”

“Yes, but only if I’m cooking.”

“Duh.” My chest is tight from a combination of worry about Hudson, lingering aches from falling into the lake, and hurtful comments. “Are we… are you okay?”

“Yes.”

“You’re sure you’re okay with sharing more about us online?”

“Yes.”

“Can I get a little more here? You’re so damn taciturn.”

Hudson pulls my hands to his mouth. His voice is serious. “Yep.”

This man.

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