Page 11 of Engaging with Her Enemy

“Because you'd done it as a joke—”

“No. Not as a joke.” He stepped closer, the smell of his light cologne brought back the memory of the first time he'd tried to wear it in high school. He wore it better this time. Much better. “Cameron came up and asked if I was meeting someone or if I'd bought flowers for myself.”

“He was a jerk.” She crossed her arms. “But you were, too.”

“I handed you the flowers. I had a whole speech written out, and you were so shocked. Hurt. Disappointed.” He set his hand on her shoulder. “I chased you to the front office, tried to tell you again that it was me, but you still looked at me like—” he sighed and held up his hands “—like that was the worst possible outcome. So, yeah, by the time Cameron rushed in there and told me the PA system had gotten flipped on, I pretended like the whole thing was a joke. You obviously didn't reciprocate the same feelings.”

She shook her head, focusing over his shoulder at the top of the pine trees and trying to get her mind wrapped around the truth from his side. “Because of what you said, everyone thought that I was too dumb to pass math.”

The heat from his body soaked through her sweater as he stepped closer. “Ineversaid that you were dumb.”

She looked down at her feet. Anywhere but at him. “You promised me that no one would find out about it.”

“And I broke that promise, Becky. I'm sorry. I didn't even know the PA system was on. I swear it. I must have bumped it or something.”

She tilted her head up, facing down the truth even though she wanted to hide. “Why did you have to say anything?” The thickness in her throat made it hard to yell. Why did it feel like she relived the emotions all over again? The hurt. Betrayal. She only wanted to wallow in the anger, but it was slowly slipping away. “Everyone in the school and town had plenty of gossip to chew on. They'd thought you'd helped me cheat my way to graduating. That's why I lashed out the next day.”

“I think you called me a weak, skinny-ass jerk who could fall off the face of the planet, and no one would give two shits about me.” He held up his hand, hesitating a moment before cupping the side of her cheek.

She jerked her head to the side, away from the warmth and intimacy.

He gave her a small, lethal smile and wrapped his arm around her waist, pulling her to him completely.

She gasped at the contact. At the feel of his body against hers. The hugs he'd given her in high school had never spiked her pulse rate this way.

“Look at me when I tell you this, Becky.”

She complied, unable to do anything else. Too afraid of the feelings that pounded through her for the first time in her life. No other man had ever made her insides twist in a knot from a simple hug. Only Hudson. And she didn’t have a damn clue why.

“I sent the notes. I showed up at Prom, ready for you to be my date. It was never a joke, Becky. Not for me. I was completely in love with you back then. I swear I didn't know anyone could hear our conversation.”

That didn't make sense. Hudson had blown off the whole thing like he'd played a practical joke, and she’d believed him. She relaxed against him as she searched his eyes. “You're serious,” she mumbled.

“Yes. I'm sorry I didn't handle it better. The rejection about killed me that night. I walked into the gym, ready to tell you everything. You were absolutely gorgeous. And then you waved me to the side, told me I was blocking your view for your date.”

Becky leaned her forehead against his chest. It'd taken fifteen years and some maturity to see it from a different perspective. To listen to his side. Both his arms wrapped around her shoulders.

Her arms naturally slipped along his waist. The attraction was new and a little uncomfortable, but Hudson was Hudson. Her geeky, secret best friend that she missed. The one that came up with dorky rhymes that helped her remember all the rules in math. He'd always hugged her, encouraging her when she got frustrated in their tutoring sessions. This shouldn't be any different.

“I'm sorry,” she said. “I really had no idea. Even after I verbally beat you in the hallway the next Monday at school, you still didn't say anything to me. You simply stayed away and then left the next month after graduation.”

“I knew it was worse on you than on me. Besides, I don't think you would have listened to me.”

She smiled and leaned away. “Probably not. Where does that leave us now?” She tried to resist, but she slid her hands along his waist, enjoying the defined angles of muscle, before giving up on her free feel and dropping them to her side.

He held on a moment longer. No. This wasn't the same eighteen-years-old from before.

“Trying to be friends, I guess.” He searched her eyes a moment before dropping his hands from her waist

“Friends.” She released her breath in a slow exhale. Friends.

4

Friends. That wasn't the suggestion he'd wanted to give her while holding her in his arms. He threw the medicine ball again, enjoying the heat and sweat from the workout that helped ease his frustration. The high school weight room lacked several machines he typically adapted to use with his leg, but a squat rack was enough with Cameron there to spot.

The door to the room stood open, letting the school's heat out and some cold air in. Hudson had never visited any weight room in high school. Once he decided to join the military, he decided to get strong.

“Damn, Hudson, how long do you typically go?” Cameron leaned over his legs, breathing heavy. “I lift weights, but not for close to two hours.” He straightened and arched back. “And not like this.”

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