Page 73 of Seductive Architect
It took a moment before he nodded. “It’s like I’m seeing the world for the first time. I know who I am.” The barrier that separated Hudson from his programming had crumbled. “It’s beautiful… and scary.”
“Does it feel different?”
I avoided the question that caused my heart to quake. Did it change who he was? Would this be Hudson 2.0? I let out a long sigh. That wasn’t the question. I couldn’t bring myself to ask, not after losing one person.
He raised my hand to his lips, kissing my knuckles. “I’m still me.”
I bit my lip, choking back a sob.
He wiped away the tears. “We’re still us.”
Hudson punched my fears in the gut and vanquished them. The tightness in my chest eased as the tears rolled down my cheek. This thing between us might be fresh, but I had grown attached. Hudson unintentionally brought out the best in me, and I’d spend my days finding ways to say thank you. I squeezed his hand, refusing to let go.
I’m not going anywhere.
He closed his eyes, and for a moment, his code slowed,and I could hear his thoughts. Our awkward introduction in my office. The laughing while eating burritos. The kiss in the hallway leading to the slime room. The… I blushed as he gave a slight growl over what followed.
Because of Connie, I wouldn’t waste another chance to tell someone how I felt.
“This is—” I squeezed his hand. “—it’s new for me. I’m not used to admitting how much somebody means to me.” Kiki would lean forward, waiting for me to take the next step and be honest with myself. “Youmean a lot to me.”
Kiki would have a field day during our next meeting. She wanted me to express my emotions more, and here I was, unable to suppress them. With Hudson, I didn’t want to. I wiped away the tears with a chuckle.
“There is so much irony in this situation.”
Hudson took a step back from the ledge, pulling me with him. He wrapped his arms around my waist until our bodies pressed together. The wind forced us to sway as if we were slow dancing to the sound of cars passing below.
“You’ll have to explain.”
“I’ve never met somebody so?—”
“Human?”
“Full of life.”
I ran my hands along the sides of his face, reveling in the softness of his beard. Hudson might not behumanin the traditional sense of the word, but neither was Wyatt. Heck, fora time, I thought I might not be human. Those of us born with gifts could be a subset of the species. No matter how much my mom called me a typical boy with gifts, I didn’t quite believe it.
How did I tell Hudson he shifted my views? I’d never be a socialite making small talk at parties. But if he asked, I might attend. If Hudson could change my views about people, what else might I discover with him at my side?
I wanted to embrace my humanitywithhim.
Cupping his cheeks, I studied his face. When my thumb grazed his lip, he chased it with a kiss. He didn’t erase the pain, but he provided a distraction. Hudson might be the only person in the world who understood my grief. I wanted— No,neededto concentrate on the wonderful man holding me.
“We should go.”
“You can stay at my place until you’re ready to go home.”
He leaned in, kissing my forehead. His ability to read the situation remained astounding. I wonder how much of that was hearing my thoughts? Either way, I wasn’t ready to go home, not yet. Right now, I wanted to take my grief and set it aside and focus on the good in front of me. Yeah… that surprised even me.
“Thank you.”
“That’s what boyfriends are for.”
The b-word. I never thought I’d want to explore thisoption again. With Hudson? I’d risk putting my heart on the line.
I wrapped my arms around his chest. Leaning back, we teetered over the edge of the bridge. He didn’t flinch as we fell from the top of the bridge’s tower. The nanites sped along my skin, forming the jetpack. As we approached the streets below, he tightened his grip and, with a burst of fire, we sped along the street.
My boyfriend and I. I didn’t hate the idea.
