Page 15 of When We Dare

My heart was pounding so hard I could hear the rush of every beat in my ears. “I don’t know!” I internally winced, feeling embarrassment mingle with the pounding beat of desire drumming through my body.

I couldn’t seem to say anything without practically shouting. I tried to will my hormones to stop clapping and cheering as if we were at a game.

“We could…” Hudson began. He took a step closer, his words trailing off.

My breath became even shorter as my pulse sped faster. “We could, what?” I whispered.

My rational mind had thrown up a flag of surrender to my hormones.

Chapter Eleven

STELLA

Hudson’s eyes bored into mine with heat shooting up flares in his gaze. He took another step closer. He was now inches away from me. It felt as if I had a magnet slapped to the center of my chest, pulling me closer and closer. My pulse nearly gave out from the breakneck pace.

I didn’t know who leaned closer first, but in a fiery hot second, my lips were a whisper away from his.

“This,” he rasped just as I felt the brush of his lips over mine.

I whimpered when he drew away. I was locked in the beam of his gaze as he lifted a hand, his knuckles dragging over the side of my neck, his touch a burning path.

“What do you want?” he asked.

“Kiss me.” Although my voice was raspy, the words were strong anddefinitive.

“Okay,” he whispered as he dipped his head again.

The last syllable of that single word was imprinted on my lips before he angled his head to the side and claimed my mouth.

It was a good thing there was a counter right beside me. Otherwise, my knees would’ve buckled and I would’ve collapsed against him. Hudson’s commanding kiss was everything I needed. He turned me and pressed me back so my hips bumpedinto the counter. His hand slid into my hair as he devoured my mouth with deep sweeps of his tongue.

I heard the whimper in my throat, the answering low groan in his. I didn’t know what it was about Hudson, but the moment we were touching, any reserves I had were stripped away. Everything just feltright.

I was accustomed to my hormones making a racket about some guy. Usually, once the kissing began, doubts crowded my mind and I became insecure and uncertain. That was precisely why I was still a virgin because, invariably, I backed out. To behonest, I was annoyed with that detail at this point. I didn’t place any value on my virginity. But, now, it loomed large in my thoughts whenever I kissed anyone.

With Hudson, there were no doubts. I was convinced he had to be the best kisser in the universe. If there were medals for kissing, he would win them all.

He alternated with intense, deep kisses before pulling back and dropping hot kisses at the corners of my mouth. When he gentled our kiss again and lifted his head, we stared at each other.

Need was rampaging like a wild storm through my body. My panties were drenched, and my nipples were tight to the point of pain.

Somewhere along the way, Hudson’s palm had slid up under my sweater. I could feel the heat of it splayed against my lower back with his fingers curving over the top of my bottom.

When I moved my legs restlessly, he said, “Tell me how wet you are, sweetheart.”

Oh. My. God. I was shocked at his bluntness. It felt so dirty. I had to shift my legs again, unconsciously attempting to relieve the intense ache building there.

With his gaze on me, I was surprised when I answered, “Very.”

His eyes darkened as he rocked his hips slightly. I couldn’t even believe this was happening. My insecurities weren’t clanging loudly in my thoughts, crowding out desire.

I felt his thumb slide across my collarbone, the touch subtle and fiery hot.

I didn’t know what to do with how I felt. All I knew was I didn’t want this to end. When I shifted on my feet again, Hudson’s hands dropped to my hips. He turned me around.

“Do you trust me?” he asked. Every word he spoke was a soft rasp.

“Yes,” I whispered.

---