Page 36 of Curvy Desire's Second Shot

The words caught me off guard, and I looked at him, my heart pounding. “What do you mean?”

“I mean, we don’t have to keep running,” he said, his voice steady. “We could find a place, settle down. Build something.”

The thought filled me with a mixture of hope and fear. A part of me wanted that more than anything—a future with Hudson, free from the chaos and danger that had defined so much of our time together. But another part of me—the part that had always doubted whether I deserved happiness—wasn’t so sure.

“What if I mess it up?” I asked, my voice trembling.

Hudson stopped walking, turning to face me. “You won’t.”

“You don’t know that,” I said, looking down. “I’ve spent so much of my life running, Hudson. I don’t know if I know how to stop.”

He reached out, tilting my chin up so I had no choice but to meet his gaze. “Then we’ll figure it out together. You’re not running anymore, Naomi. Not from me, and not from yourself.”

His words hit me hard, and I felt a tear slip down my cheek before I could stop it. “Why are you so sure about me?”

“Because I see you,” he said, his voice soft but firm. “The real you. And I know how strong you are, even if you don’t.”

I swallowed hard, the lump in my throat making it difficult to speak. “I don’t want to let you down.”

“You won’t,” he said, pulling me into his arms. “I’ve got you, Naomi. Always.”

That night,as we sat together on the couch, I let myself imagine the future he’d talked about. A home, a life built on something steady and real. It was a fragile thought, delicate and unfamiliar, but it was there. For the first time, I let myself believe it might be possible.

Hudson rested his hand on mine, his touch grounding me, and I leaned my head against his shoulder. The fears and insecurities that had always loomed large in my mind began to shrink, replaced by the quiet reassurance of his presence.

“Thank you,” I said softly.

“For what?” he asked, his voice low.

“For seeing me,” I said. “For believing in me.”

He kissed the top of my head, his voice filled with warmth. “Always.”

And in that moment, I believed him.

Chapter Twenty-Six

Hudson

The apartment was quiet, the kind of peaceful silence that felt rare these days. Naomi had fallen asleep on the couch, her head resting against the cushions, her breathing soft and steady. I watched her for a moment, my chest tightening at the sight of her so relaxed, so vulnerable.

It was moments like these that reminded me how much had changed between us—how much had always been there, even when neither of us had the words to name it.

My thoughts drifted, unbidden, to a night long ago, a moment that had stayed with me like a ghost. A moment where everything could have changed, if only I’d been brave enough to let it.

We were teenagers then,still figuring out who we were and what we wanted to be. Naomi had always been a constant in my life—my best friend, my confidante, the person I trustedmore than anyone. But that summer, something between us had shifted. I wasn’t sure when it had started, but by the time I noticed, it was impossible to ignore.

It was late, one of those nights when the air was warm and thick with the scent of summer. Naomi and I had been walking home after a movie, her laughter still ringing in my ears as we cut through the park to save time.

“You have to admit,” she said, her eyes bright with amusement, “the hero was completely useless. If the girl hadn’t stepped in, the whole thing would’ve fallen apart.”

“Maybe,” I said, grinning. “But he looked cool doing it.”

She rolled her eyes, nudging me with her elbow. “Cool doesn’t save the day, Hudson. Competence does.”

“Noted,” I said, laughing. “Remind me to put that on a T-shirt.”

We’d stopped near the swings, the quiet park illuminated by the faint glow of the streetlights. Naomi had sat down on one of the swings, her hands loosely gripping the chains as she swayed gently back and forth.

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