Page 30 of Curvy Desire's Second Shot

He chuckled softly, but there was a tension in his eyes, like his mind was still back there, running through every detail of the night. I watched him as he leaned against the counter, his arms crossed, the faint lines around his mouth deepening as he frowned.

“You okay?” I asked.

“I should be asking you that,” he replied, his voice low.

“I’m fine,” I said, offering a small smile. “A little sore, but fine.”

His gaze softened, and he pushed off the counter, walking over to sit on the coffee table in front of me. “You were incredible tonight, Naomi.”

I blinked, surprised by the compliment. “I was just following your lead.”

“You did more than that,” he said, his tone firm. “You held your own. You stayed calm. You made a difference.”

The warmth in his voice made my cheeks flush, and I looked away, suddenly shy under his gaze. “I just didn’t want to let you down.”

“You couldn’t,” he said simply, and the sincerity in his voice made my chest ache.

I glanced back at him, my heart skipping a beat when I saw the way he was looking at me—like I was the only thing in the world that mattered. It was overwhelming, but it was also comforting, like a warm blanket on a cold night.

“Thank you,” I said softly.

“For what?”

“For trusting me,” I said. “For letting me be part of this.”

Hudson’s expression shifted, a flicker of something vulnerable crossing his face before he nodded. “You’re not just part of this, Naomi. You’re my partner.”

The words lingeredbetween us as the night wore on. Hudson moved to the kitchen, making us both a cup of tea, and we sat together on the couch, sipping in silence. It wasn’t awkward, though. It was the kind of quiet that felt safe, like we didn’t need to fill the space with words to understand each other.

As I leaned back against the cushions, a wave of exhaustion washed over me. The events of the night replayed in my mind—the tension, the danger, the rush of victory when we realized we’d succeeded. For the first time in weeks, it felt like we’d made real progress, like we’d taken a step toward regaining control of our lives.

But it wasn’t just the success that filled me with a sense of relief. It was Hudson. His presence, his unwavering support, his belief in me—it was like a lifeline I hadn’t realized I needed. For so long, I’d felt like a burden, like someone who needed to be saved. But tonight, I’d proved to myself—and to Hudson—that I could stand beside him as an equal.

“I was scared,” I admitted suddenly, breaking the silence.

Hudson turned to me, his brow furrowing. “At the warehouse?”

I nodded, staring down at my mug. “When we were cornered, and I thought they’d found us... I was terrified.”

“You didn’t show it,” he said, his voice steady. “You were brave, Naomi.”

I looked up at him, my chest tightening. “I wasn’t brave, Hudson. I was just trying to keep it together.”

“That’s what bravery is,” he said. “It’s not about not being scared. It’s about pushing through the fear anyway.”

His words settled over me like a warm blanket, and I felt a flicker of pride in myself that I hadn’t felt in years. Hudson made me feel like I was enough, like I belonged, and for the first time, I started to believe it.

The night stretched on,the conversation flowing easily between us as we recounted memories of our past. Hudson shared stories from his time working odd jobs around town, and I told him about the places I’d visited after I left Cedar Hill.

“I missed this,” I said, my voice soft. “Being with you. Talking like this.”

Hudson’s gaze darkened slightly, a flicker of regret crossing his face. “I missed it too.”

I hesitated, the words caught in my throat. “Do you ever wonder... what would’ve happened if I’d stayed?”

His jaw tightened, and he looked away, his fingers tapping against his mug. “All the time.”

The quiet honesty of his answer made my heart ache, but it also filled me with hope. Maybe we couldn’t change the past, but we had the future. And for the first time, I felt like we could build something together.

---