must know what I’m thinking because he gives me a small smirk that he quickly wipes away.
I take my coffee with me and head back to the living room to dig out some clothes to wear to work for the day. I grab a pair of skinny jeans, a white lacy tank top, and a pair of wedged sandals, taking everything to the bathroom so I’m not caught without pants again. Thirty minutes later, I’m fully dressed with my hair and makeup done. I walk out into the living room with the intention of putting my cup in the sink and taking off, but I run into Hudson, who’s exiting the kitchen. I bump into his hard chest. I bounce back, but he catches me by both arms.
“Sorry,” he says, eyes glancing down my body.
“Sorry, yeah. Me too,” I finally get out, shaking my head at myself.
He chuckles quietly under his breath. “You look nice today. Have a good day at work.” Without another word, he sidesteps around me and heads for his room, leaving me staring after him.
What the hell was that? You look nice today? Was that a compliment? Was he hitting on me? If so, wasn’t he afraid that my brother would overhear? After last night, is he starting to come around, or is he just trying to be polite? Anxiety bubbles up my throat and irritation pushes it back down. Why can’t he just tell me what he wants, instead of telling me no, then kissing me? Giving me a compliment, but saying we can’t cross that imaginary line?
I set my cup in the sink a little harder than necessary, then grab my things and head out for the day.
“So, how are things going with this forbidden hottie?” Destiny asks as we sit behind the counter, having lunch.
I take a bite of my burger and shrug. “We kissed last night.”
Her eyes stretch wide with surprise.
“Like, really kissed. His hands were all over my body, and his lips were soft but hard and fast at the same time. God, I was so turned on that I thought I was going to explode.” I can’t hold back the smile that talking about Hudson brings on.
Destiny laughs. “So, why stop there? Why not drive the ball home?”
“I think he snapped out of it. He’s afraid of my brother finding out because I guess he was specifically told not to touch me. It seems like every day, we’re getting a little bit closer though. We’ll push past that imaginary line we’re not supposed to cross.”
She smiles. “I’m sure you will. Just give it time.”
Destiny ends up leaving me alone in the store for the rest of the day. It’s mostly dead. I fold and put away clothes, sort through jewelry, and restock the shelves of shoes and handbags we’ve sold. I make little notes to let her know what I’m not seeing in the storage room in case we need to put in an order, and I clean up the store some by sweeping the floors, wiping down surfaces, and facing the shelves. Before I know it, it’s going on five. I lock the door while I count down my drawer and drop the money in the safe.
I get home around five-thirty and find Brad and Hudson sitting on the couch, drinking beer and watching an MMA fight on TV. I had forgotten that it was Friday and that Brad didn’t have to work tonight. It really dampens my mood. I was hoping for a little alone time with Hudson again tonight, but there’s nothing I can do but grab a beer and sit between them on the couch.
When a commercial comes on, I get up and change into a pair of cotton shorts and pull on a hoodie before refilling everyone up on snacks. I take my place back between them and prop my feet up on the table. I can’t help but to feel like I’m being watched. I glance at Brad, whose eyes are on the TV, and then at Hudson, who’s dazing off as he stares at my legs. I wiggle my toes, getting his attention. His eyes jump up to mine, and his face flushes before he forces them back to the TV.
As we watch, Hudson makes sure to keep his eyes locked on the TV, not even looking at the bowl of popcorn on the table as he grabs a handful. Brad and Hudson talk like old friends, taking bets on the fights and