Page 71 of The Art of You

“Relax. I was fuckin’ with you. I know he wouldn’t do something like that in our parents’ house.” I couldn’t see his mouth, but there was a smirk there for sure.

Bullshit. You know we already did something.Just not sex-sex.

“If sleeping next to Hudson makes you feel better, then go. I won’t stop you. Just remain in a parallel position.”

I couldn’t help but laugh that time, then cupped my mouth,worried I’d wake up Constantine. “You sound ridiculous,” I teased in a low voice, lowering my hand.

“You mean as ridiculous as you only wanting to join Hudson so you’re not alone does?”

You have me there.“Why are you roaming the halls anyway?”I’ll take deflection for $400, please.

“Maria’s struggling to sleep, too. If she’s up, I’m up. It’s only fair. I’m going to the living room to FaceTime her. Constantine’s room is right next to mine, and you know how he is if he doesn’t get his beauty sleep. Don’t want to keep him up.”

“Well, tell Maria hi, and I’m sorry you won’t be going home tomorrow.”

“Yeah, yeah.” He shooed me away. “Now go. Don’t stay up too late.”

I smiled. “Roger that.”

Maneuvering around him in a hurry, I rushed to Hudson’s room. The door was unlocked, and the room was pitch black when I opened up.

“Don’t trip.” His husky voice was like a little beacon of light, helping guide me to him after I’d shut the door.

I knelt on the end of the bed, feeling around in the dark, finally locating his leg. He was on top of the covers. Bare legs. No sweatpants.

“I came in my good-girl PJs, and are you only wearing briefs?” I wasted an arched brow since he couldn’t see me as I crawled up the bed, continuing to glide my hand along his leg.

He reached for my wrist. “What happened to your word, miss?”

“I was just trying to find my way to you.”

“Sure you were.”

He pulled me over so I was snug against his side. He was on his back, so I shimmied around and faced him, hooking my legover his, stretching my arm across his hard chest to hold on to him.

“I can’t sleep in clothes, but you’ll be sleeping in yours. That’s an order.” He lazily ran his fingers under the sleeve of my top and along my arm, up and down in soft strokes. At least he hadn’t pushed me off him. Drawing his other arm around to my shoulder, he completed the puzzle of our perfect hug.

“How am I doing as a substitute for Rugby?” he asked a few quiet moments later.

I lifted my chin to peer up at him, but my eyes had yet to adjust to the darkness. “I think it’s safe to say you’re doing such a good job, I may just have to keep you forever.”

While gargling mouthwash the next morning, I stared at the vanity in a daze, remembering all the deliciously wonderful things that happened in here the night before. After that, I returned to the bedroom just in time.

In the short minutes I’d been gone, Hudson had gone from asleep to having a night terror.

I rushed back into bed, doing my best not to startle him.

“It’s a trap,” he repeated under his breath.

Oh God, was he back in the past and reliving that operation?

It was 6:20 a.m., and while it wasn’t quite light enough outside to illuminate the whole room, it was enough to see him clearly.

The strain in his jaw from grinding down on his teeth. The tight draw of his brows as if in pain.

“Shhh. It’s okay. You’re dreaming.” I swept my hand back and forth over his forehead in calming strokes. “You’re okay. It’s just a bad dream.”

Hudson’s body jerked. His muscles locked up. And before I knew it, he flipped me over, anchoring himself on top of me. I shot my hands up to cradle his face, hoping to snap him from the past and back to me.

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