Page 100 of Promise Me

“Oh my god, oh fuck, I’m going to …”

Her words drift off as she tries to control her breathing. Her body is clamping around me, and the pressure is like lighting a firework. My orgasm shoots down my spine and through my entire body.

I keep the pace until the feeling starts to simmer, and then I slowly pump in and out. She’s humming a noise now that I swear is the only reason I’m still hard.

“Keeping making noises like that and there won’t be time to rest.” I capture her lips to mine.

She lets her hands go to thread them to my hair and deepen our kiss.

“What if I don’t need rest?”

I kiss her once more and then pull out.

When I take in the view of her below me and the blissful smile on her face, I sure as hell hope fate won’t take this away from me too.

CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE

SADIE

After three weeks of living together, Hudson finally slept in his bed with me.

Sorry, couch, but it looks like you won’t be seeing any more of him.

The curtains are still closed from last night, but I can see a small sliver of the morning sun trying to peek into the room.

The former baker in me—I can confidently say that now—is the first to wake up. Now, I’ve seen Hudson sleeping before. As the early riser, I’ve had moments like this before, but whereas in those moments I was tiptoeing around the apartment, trying not to wake him, and only sneaking glimpses of him, today’s version of me is not hiding a single thing.

I know we fell asleep curled into each other last night, but right now, I’m on my side facing him as he faces me. Not a single body part is touching the other’s.

It makes me want to laugh, because in all the books I read, the couple is always touching when they are in bed. Those novels must not have a California king bed. I’m not saying that Hudson and I didn't cuddle, but at some point, we parted ways.But just having him be the first thing I see when I open my eyes is just as intimate.

His breaths are slow and even, and one arm is slung over his head. Look, he’s sexy, but I still have this urge to reach over and tickle his armpit. What a way to wake up the day after a night filled with sex, huh?

I let out a little laugh, and even though I thought it was quiet enough, Hudson stirs.

He doesn’t fully wake up, though.

I don’t want to wake him either. He hasn’t had the comfiness of this bed for weeks—I imagine he’s going to sleep in today.

I slink out of bed, quietly change into some clothes, and then sneak down to the bakery.

I need to see what kind of documents I have in the office that can help me determine our lease so that I can get an offer for Brooke. Until this moment, I’ve been grateful for autopay because the bills haven't gotten behind, but if I’m going to sell this place to Brooke, I need to know more.

There’s music playing when I step in through the back door. It’s just after seven, so I know the shop is open and most of her products for the day are finished, minus frosting or toppings to add here and there.

I hear the chatter of voices up front, so instead of going to talk to Brooke while she’s clearly busy, I step into the office and close the door slightly behind me.

There’s a photo of me and my mom when I was in fifth grade on the wall above the computer, and right next to it is a photo of me and Brooke standing in front of the store. We’re both smiling goofy smiles. Like most of the photos I’ve seen lately, I don’t remember it, but it’s clear I was happy.

Still, letting go of this place is what’s right for me.

I wake up the computer and click around between files before I find what I’m looking for.

“What are you doing down here?” Hudson’s voice startles me for the briefest moment. He’s leaning in the doorway with his arms crossed. No one has ever smiled at me the way that Hudson smiles at me. My heart races.

“I should have known you were going to follow me down here.”

He nods and then steps over to kiss the top of my head.

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