Page 11 of What About Us
My words are cut off by the feel of his thumb running across my bottom lip, his eyes following the movement. My fingers flex on his chest, wanting to run my hands all over him.
Kiss me.No, don’t.Please, kiss me.
My mind stutters to a stop—like a record scratch—and my heart pounds, then picks back up, making me dizzy. It’s like a dream in slow motion when he lifts his head and presses his lips to mine.
My stomach explodes in a riot of butterflies, while his lips are warm and soft against mine. His lips part and stubble scratches against my chin, sending a delicious shiver through me. I think I moan, or maybe it’s him; I really can’t be sure. And then, he’s pressing me against his chest, nipping my lips lightly between his teeth. My head spins with the sensation, and the ground drops away. If his arms weren’t around me, I swear I would slide right off this couch and into nothing.
My hands find the hair at the nape of his neck and dig in, loving the way he feels against me. He doesn’t deepen the kiss, and it only lasts all of about ten seconds, but it’s enough to have me questioningeverything. And wanting more.
When he pulls away, his lips are slightly parted, and his tongue slides over his bottom lip.
“Shit,” he mutters, and his hands drop away from me, with shoulders slumped. I immediately hate the distance he’s put between us. “Sorry. Fuck. I didn’t— I shouldn’t have done that,” he says, raking his fingers through his hair.
The wave of disappointment that hits me is shocking. “It’s ok,” I stammer out.
He nods, but it’s awkward. This time, the tension in the room fills my gut, too.
“I think I’ll head to bed,” I say, shifting back on his lap and then standing.
“Yeah, me too,” he says and lifts his chin to the hallway leading to the door. “I’ll just double-check that I locked the door.”
Standing between his knees, I take him in. God, he’s sexy. The thought hits me like a ton of bricks. When did I start thinking about my best friend that way? It would be so easy to stay, to lose ourselves in each other, if just for one night. I can clearly see just how much that kiss physically affected him. It did me, too. I’ve never wanted to give into lust so much in this moment.
But this is Hudson. And I know without a doubt that it can never happen again. It would ruin everything. So, as much as my body longs to chase his warmth, I step back and nod once.
“Goodnight.” I say and leave without waiting for a response.
Chapter 4
Hudson
I pull the behemothbox van into Finn’s driveway and park, killing the engine. I had to circle the block three times just to get the right angle to pull in. I yawn and rub my eyes with the heel of my hand. They feel like sandpaper after a string of restless nights the last two weeks. Scrubbing a hand down my face, I finish off the last swig of my now warm Mountain Dew and gather up my wallet and keys. I shoot Finn a message letting her know we’ve arrived and climb out of the cab, careful to not slam the door and wake Paige.
The door to Finn’s townhouse opens and she steps out dressed in tiny spandex shorts, an oversized pull-over sweatshirt, and fuzzy socks.
“Huddy!” she whisper-shouts, a huge grin on her face. “I’m so glad you guys are finally home!”
She skip-runs the short distance to me, and I can’t help the grin that splits my face despite how tired I am. I pull her in and lean forward, greedily inhaling her scent—grapefruit, ginger, and sandalwood. Her heavy braid brushes my forearm as I squeeze her with one arm and drop a kiss on the top of her head. The tension that’s been in my neck since we left three daysago melts away with her against me. I’ve missed her; the calm she brings to my life. It feels good to hug her, to be home.Shefeels like home.
“Me too.”
She pulls back to look up at me, and then glances at the truck, completely oblivious of her effect on me. “Paige been asleep long?”
“Yeah,” I say, reluctantly releasing her and moving around to the passenger side. “About an hour. Let’s hope she goes back to sleep once I get her inside.”
I open the door and carefully unclip the five-point harness on her booster seat and move her unicorn so I can pick her up. I lift her out carefully, and she stirs a little as I settle her against my chest. She’s getting so big, but I’m glad she is still small enough to carry. Finn pushes the door shut for me and we walk together to the house.
“Daddy?” Paige mumbles and lifts her head, eyes cracking open when we step into the light of Finn’s small entryway. Her eyes drift and she spots Finn, taking in a gasp and bolting upright in my arms. “Finnley!”
Finn reaches for her at the exact moment Paige launches out of my arms. “Hi, sweet girl.” Finn takes her weight from me, kissing her temple. “How did you sleep? Was your drive good?” The smile she gives my daughter makes my heart expand. She’s always been so good with Paige.
“Sooo long. But I am so excited to see you!” She throws her arms around Finn’s neck and snuggles in. “Can we make the pancakes now?” A week ago, Finn promised to make her mama’s famous huckleberry pancakes, and Paige hasn’t stopped talking about it since.
I chuckle. “It’s late, Pipsqueak. But in the morning, I promise you can have as many pancakes as your belly can hold.”
“Ok,” she says, surprisingly unfazed, and lets out a long yawn.
“Can you take her to use the bathroom?” I ask. “I’ll go grab our overnight bags from the truck.”
