Page 11 of Coming Home

“You’re not picking me up for work.”

He laughs as if it’s a challenge. “Fine. I’ll be here at five and be sitting in your driveway whenever you’re ready.”

“Hudson!”

He shakes his head. “Huddy. My friends call me Huddy.”

“Huddy, you can’t… you’re the boss… well, one of them. It won’t look right.”

He grimaces. “I don’t give a fuck what it looks like. I’ll be here at five.”

He starts walking down the path, and I call out to him, “Seven-forty. I leave at seven-forty.”

He stops and measures me with a look. “Fine. I’ll be here. But Ellie, don’t try leaving without me.”

I try to push the fear down, but I can’t. Not completely. “Or what? If I am gone, what will you do?”

He watches me closely, and I know he sees more than I want him to. He tilts his head to the side. “If I get here and you’ve left without me, you’ll have ruined my morning. I know that from the moment I pull out of here, I’ll be looking forward to seeing you. I hope that you’ll do as I ask.”

How can I say no after that?I nod, and my voice is filled with emotion. “Okay, Huddy, I’ll wait for you.”

He smiles as if I’ve truly made him happy. Heck, he’s smiling more now than he did when he got his new truck this morning. He takes a step toward me and then stops himself and crosses his arms over his chest. I’m watching him, and he’s patiently standing in front of me, just smiling.

“So, uh….”

My voice trails off, and he gestures to the door behind me. “Go on in, honey. I’m not leaving until you're inside, safe and sound.”

The possessive look he gives me is a little overwhelming. There’s a part of me that wants to run inside and put some distance between us. But the other part of me, the one I’m fighting hard against, wants to run into his arms and let my guard down. And even though I have a gut feeling I can trust Hudson, I’m still not ready. “Good night, Huddy. Thank you again for the ride.”

He nods. “You’re welcome. Anytime.”

I walk in the door and look at him shyly before closing myself inside. I lean against the door and listen to his boots stomp across the porch.

It’s only now when I’m alone that the past comes to mind. I wish I could be free to do what I want, but I can’t. There’s too much to think about. I’m running from my past, and there’s no way I want to get Hudson messed up in all of it. An overwhelming sadness comes over me because I know that no matter how I feel, I need to keep my distance from Hudson Blaze.

Chapter7

Hudson

Ilean against the front of my truck, waiting for Ellie to come out of her apartment. I’m trying to act like I’m unaffected by it all, but I’m not sure I’m pulling it off. The fact is, I’ve never felt this possessive of a woman ever. And I’ve known her less than a day.

Unable to sit still, I go to her door and knock ten minutes before she said she’d be ready.

She opens the door. “Good morning, Huddy.” Her cheeks heat, and she turns around.

Her voice drops when she says my name, and I want to ask her to say it again.

“Hey, honey.”

Her head swings around to look at me, and she stumbles. I reach out to grab her before she hits the ground. With one arm looped around her waist, I pull her to me.

Last night and yesterday, she was nervous around me; today, the hitch in her breath is something else.

My voice is gruff when I ask her, “You okay?”

She nods but doesn’t pull out of my arms. “Yeah, thanks. Sorry you have to keep saving me.”

I lean my head against hers and whisper into her ear, “I actually enjoy it. Don’t apologize.”

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