Page 37 of While We Waited

“Stay there.”

“I’m not a dog.”

“No. You’re the woman growing my baby. You need to rest and let someone else care for you for a change.”

It’s a good thing I’m sitting because those words would have me melting into a puddle on the floor. No one’s taken care of me in a long time. Even when Mom was still alive, it was me taking care of her for the last months of her life while she fought cancer.

I have my friends. They’re the best friends a girl could ask for. But their idea of taking care of me is grilling me over when I had sex with Hudson and why I didn’t tell them.

“What do you want to eat? I can make you chicken noodle soup.”

Chicken noodle soup does sound good. “The can opener is in the drawer next to the stove and there are microwave-proof bowls next to the microwave.”

“I’m not feeding you soup from a can.”

My nose wrinkles. “You can cook?”

“I told you I’m the oldest of five sons. Mom didn’t always have time to cook considering she was raising four hellions and working full-time.”

“Four hellions? Not five?”

“Between football practice, going to the gym to lift weights, running every day, and helping to raise my brothers, I didn’t have time to be a hellion.”

“But you did have time to date every cheerleader in high school.” I nearly slap a hand over my mouth when I realize how jealous I sound. But Hudson doesn’t appear to notice.

“There wasn’t a whole lot of dating. There were a few girls who insisted on helping me with my homework. They referred to our library study sessions as dates.”

And bragged to the entire school population about how they were dating the great Hudson Clark. I was beyond jealous of those girls. For nothing as it turns out.

He hands me a packet of crackers. “Here. Nibble on these while I cook.”

He finds a cutting board and knife and begins chopping celery and carrots. I’m fascinated as he prepares the soup. It’s obvious he’s comfortable in the kitchen as he chops and sautés.

“Did your mom teach you how to cook?”

He pours the broth into the pan before answering. “She taught me how to chop and sauté when she had time on the weekends. During the week, she’d write me notes with very detailed instructions on how to prepare dinner.”

“You can follow instructions?” I tease.

His eyes heat. “I can follow instructions when I’m interested in the results.”

I squirm in my seat as I remember how I ordered him around when we had sex during the night we conceived Sprog. I shove a cracker into my mouth before I instruct him to get to his knees and deal with the ache I feel whenever he’s around.

I place my hand over my stomach. I can’t give in to temptation. I need to think of Sprog.

Because no matter how sweet and sexy Hudson looks in the kitchen. He’s not here for me. He’s here because of the baby.

Chapter 14

Scramble – When Hudson runs around, trying not to get sacked by Nova

Hudson

Iturn down the aisle in the grocery store and nearly bump into Weston.

“Hey, Huddy.”

I grunt. I don’t have time for small talk. I need to finish up these groceries for Nova and drop them at her house before getting back to the resort for a management meeting.

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