Page 88 of Here's to Tomorrow

21

Hudson

Call me the Grinch, because I swear my heart just grew three sizes listening to those two.

She loves my daughter.

I don’t know if this is the craziest thing to ever happen or the most amazing. If I wasn’t in love with Rae before, I am now.

“Hey,” Rae whispers, her voice scratchy. “Were you out here eavesdropping?” I nod because I can’t seem to form words right now. “That’s rude, you know,” she teases, leaning back against the wall opposite me.

I shrug and take the two short steps to reach her. I cage her in, my arms around her head, and lean in close. “That was one of the most beautiful moments I’ve ever had the pleasure of hearing. I’ll never forget that, Rae.”

I can hear her swallow thickly. “It was for me, too. Beautiful, I mean.”

I brush my lips across hers once, twice, three times. “You’re amazing,” I mutter.

She shivers and pushes me back slightly. “I…I need to go. Long day tomorrow,” she says, her voice shaking.

I nod and grab her hand, leading her downstairs.

“Hey, Rae,” I say once we’re outside by her car.

“Hey, Hudson.”

Suddenly, I’m nervous. “Um… Uh… Do you want to maybe come have dinner at my new house next Sunday? Just the two of us?”

She smiles. “I’d like that.”

Rae reaches up and tries getting away with a chaste kiss on the cheek. She laughs when I back her up against her car. I’m a lot faster than she is, so I capture her mouth with mine, running my tongue against her lips, begging her to open for me. She complies and leans into me.

I press against her harder, knowing she can feelmeat this point. Testing the waters, I gently grind my hips into hers. She moans, and it’s the best fucking moan I have ever heard. So, I do it again. She moans again and runs her hands down my chest and under my shirt. She starts gradually raising it up, feeling my bare skin. Her cold hands scarcely register, and I’m so hot right now that my body warms them almost instantly. I take her lead and slide my hands down to her ass, pulling her closer into me.

I’m so completely screwed.If this is what it’s like to kiss Raewithclothes on, I can only imagine what it would be like to kiss herwithoutclothes on.

Fuuuuuck.

Now I have the image of Rae naked in my head and if I don’t stop now, I won’t be able to at all.

We’re both gasping for air when I finally peel my mouth off hers.

“No, no, no,” she whimpers. “Why? Why in the hell did you stop?”

I step away, putting a good amount of distance between us. “Because if we don’t stop now, we’ll both end up naked and we’re outside right now. I like my mom’s neighbors and all, but I don’t really want to give them a show.”

“Okay, okay,” she says, shaking out her body. “Okay. Woo. I’m getting in my car right now and I’m going home.” She opens her door but turns back to me as she’s climbing in. “Thank you, Hudson. Just…thank you.”

“I’m pretty sure I should be saying that to you.” I grin.

She rolls her eyes at me. “You know what I mean.” I do; she’s talking about Joey and tonight and…well, everything.

“Thankyou,Rae. You have no idea what tonight has meant to me. Now go before I change my stance on exhibitionism, and text me when you make it home, please.”

She blows me a kiss and gets in her car.

I watch as she pulls away, taking half of my heart with her.

---