Page 33 of Engaging with Her Enemy

He picked her up, her legs wrapping around his waist. Better. She could take over the kiss he'd dominated until then.

How long had she wanted him this way? Needed him? Because it was a need. Something deep inside burned for him. She’d been with other men but not like this. Not wishing to be so close it hurt.

His hands gripped her butt, easily keeping her in place. His strength shouldn’t have surprised her, but it did. Everything about the situation, including her bone-deep want, surprised the hell out of her.

“I can't believe we're doing this,” she said, lifting her head for a fraction of a second.

But Hudson didn’t kiss her again when she leaned back down. “I want you, Becky.” His eyes locked with hers. “I never stopped loving you. When I wanted to give up after the explosion, in recovery, during rehab, I thought of you. Saw your face. Heard your voice telling me to get my sorry ass up and workout. Stop feeling sorry for myself.”

Her breath hung in her lungs. He loved her? She couldn't focus on that. Her feet touched the ground as he set her down gently, but she kept her arms wrapped around his neck. “That sounds like something I'd say.”

His lips tilted up, but the heat didn't leave his eyes. “Stay.” He pushed her hair back and cupped her face in his hands. “Stay with me tonight.” He kissed her. “Please. It’s always been you, Becky.”

She managed a breath and muttered, “yes,” before she could overthink her decision. A small side of her brain knew she had always loved him, too. She pushed the thought away and kept the declaration to herself. That left her too vulnerable too fast. Exposed. But, tonight, she’d give in to what she wanted. And she wanted Hudson.

12

He’d confessed to loving her, and she didn’t run screaming from the room. That’s a good thing.

And, in some miracle, he’d asked her to stay over, and she’d agreed. Since analyzing it would screw everything up, Hudson focused on Becky. Her body hummed with each wild kiss after another she gave him.

Starving.

And he let her feast.

“How does this work?” She tugged on his neck, pulling him down lower, grazing her teeth across his earlobe. “Because I won’t last much longer.”

He pulled her shirt over her head, tossing it to the other side of the room. Her pale pink bra with little bows suited her. The soft, feminine side to her killer personality. And he loved both.

“First—” he traced his finger along the edge of her bra “—I get you naked.”

She scored her nails down his abs and set them on the waistband of his gym shorts. “I know that part.”

He wrapped an arm around the smooth skin of her waist. “Then, I get naked.”

She huffed. “Hudson, you know what I mean.”

Nothing like having an adult conversation about sex with an amputee to dampen the mood. He brushed her hair away from her face and kissed her, his mouth catching her soft moan.

“It works the same way.” He backed her toward the bed. “Some things are limited, but not many.” Hoping he had a condom in his toiletry bag was a different story.

Her body straightened. “What’s wrong? If you’re not comfortable with this, we don’t have to.”

“No,” he said, a snap in his voice he didn’t intend. “No,” he repeated with a calmer tone. “I was more concerned if I even have a condom. I’ve wanted to have sex with you for a while, but it’s not like I just walked out and bought a pack of condoms on the off-chance that would happen.”

She sat down on the bed and slid to the middle. “I want you, too. I’m afraid we’re an hour away from a store open this time of night.” She reached behind her and unhooked her bra. “This is a dilemma, isn’t it?”

“Becky…” Her teasing would destroy him. Especially if it turned out, he didn’t have one and they couldn’t have sex. So close to his fantasy coming true.

No. Fantasy wasn’t reality. Becky was real.

She tossed her bra to the floor.

He ran a hand over his face. “You’re killing me.”

“I’m clean, Hudson. And on birth control.”

His slow brain began to churn a little quicker. “I’m clean,” he heard himself say, the full impact of the statement hitting him a moment later. His chest contracted.

---