Page 86 of Bedhead

Hudson blinked, the doubt in his eyes vanishing. “Are you hearing yourself? You just said you had to work your way up. It wasn’t given to you. You still had to prove yourself, and you did that.” He gestured around us. “We’re here, together, both up for the same job, not because of anything we did in college, but what we’ve done since.”

“What are you saying?”

“I’m saying you push me to want it more.”

Oh. Shit. I didn’t have a comeback for that, so I said the only thing I could think of. “Well, then, you’re fucking welcome.”

Hudson let out a booming laugh that had the knot in my chest loosening.

Fuck, I wanted this. I wantedhim.

But…

“I just don’t know how I’ll ever be good enough for you.”

Hudson stopped laughing and looked at me in disbelief. “Do you honestly believe that? Or are you trying to find a reason not to be with me?”

Bewith him? After all of this, how was that an option?

“I…” Fuck, what could I say? “I don’t know how to make it up to you. If that’s even possible.”

“I think telling the truth today, swearing never to break my trust again, and daily blowjobs could be a good start.”

I sputtered out a laugh. It was something I’d expect out of my own mouth, not Hudson’s, but I had to admit, I liked those terms. A lot.

I just couldn’t help the guilt that weighed on me. It was suffocating, and the only thing holding me back from starting to make it up to him right there in the hallway.

I shook my head, wishing we were back at the hotel so I could touch him the way I wanted to. “Why are you so amazing?”

“I guess I can’t help it.” A boyish grin played at his lips before turning into something more serious. “The last few days made me realize something.”

“And what’s that?”

“I care about you.”

My mouth went dry as the weight of his words crashed over me like a tidal wave.

“We don’t have to decide anything right now,” he said, stepping in close. “But this isn’t over, Drew. We’re not going back to hating each other.”

As his breath swept over my lips, I drank it in. “I never hated you, H. Only hated that you hated me.”

“I don’t think I ever really hatedyou, just what you did and how it made me feel.” He tipped my chin up and kissed me—unhurried, thorough, and absolutely brain-melting. There was no resisting him, only falling into him completely. His lips were soft, warm, and when his tongue dipped inside my mouth, I moaned. It felt right to reconnect like this, like there’d been no reason we ever should’ve been apart.

He kissed along my jaw before resting his forehead against mine. “Go get ready and I’ll see you out there, okay?”

“Okay.” Sucking in a breath, I took a step back, admiring the picture he made, all swollen lips, sincerity shining in his eyes. He was so damn gorgeous it hurt. “Do me a favor. Don’t look too devastatingly handsome tonight. I’d hate to have to beat down someone famous.”

Hudson grinned. “It’ll be difficult, but I’ll see what I can do.”

There it was, that relaxed, quick smartass I’d fallen for so long ago. He winked as he went to his room, and I went to mine.

It felt as though I was floating on air, without anything substantial tethering me to reality. Hudson still made it seem like he wanted me, despite my confession—or maybe because of it.

As I turned on the shower, it was unnerving how quiet my room was, considering the volume of the music in the main part of the house. I wished I could hear it instead of being alone with my thoughts. Nothing good seemed to come from them today.

Well, except for that kiss just now…

I stood under the steaming spray for far too long, my head bowed as I let the water run off me and tried to imagine it was my guilt pouring out of me and down the drain. Something about that visual made me feel slightly better, and when I finally cut the water off, I felt a little lighter.

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