Total pages in book: 49
Estimated words: 46967 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 235(@200wpm)___ 188(@250wpm)___ 157(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 46967 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 235(@200wpm)___ 188(@250wpm)___ 157(@300wpm)
I point to the laundry room. “Yeah, most of it’s in my car. I hope it’s okay. Some of my clothes were wet, so I washed them here.”
“That’s perfect. The bed needs sheets, so let’s go to the store, and we can get dinner while we’re out.”
I sigh, feeling myself give in. “You don’t have to do this, Huddy. First you take care of my car and now this. I know it doesn’t seem like it, but I can take care of myself. I’ll be fine—”
He points at my shoes by the front door. “You’ll be fine here with me. Put your shoes on. I’m starving.”
I give up. It’s obvious this is a battle I’m not going to win. I’m not even sure I want to win it anymore. “Okay, but as soon as my apartment is fixed, I’ll be out of your hair. I promise.”
“We’ll see.”
I go to get my shoes, and he follows me. “Wait.”
I try to hide my disappointment. “If you’ve changed your mind…”
He smirks at me. “I haven’t changed my mind.”
I look up at him, waiting for him to continue, but he’s just watching me. Under his scrutiny, I start to fidget. “What is it?”
He reaches for me, putting his hands at my shoulders and pulling me to him. “Can I hug you?”
Our bodies are so close I can feel the heat coming off his. “You want to hug me?”
He looks almost sheepish. “Yes, but if that’s weird for you or it makes you uncomfortable…”
His voice trails off, and it’s in this moment that I realize that I’m not scared of Hudson at all. He’s a big man, but he’s a gentle man. He has gone out of his way to help me, and it’s so easy to let my guard down with him even though I shouldn’t. Even now, he wants to comfort me. I hugged him yesterday after the whole car thing, and I didn’t freak out. He doesn’t take his eyes off me, and the gold flecks in his hazel eyes seem to get darker. Finally, I nod my head softly. “I’d like it… if you hugged me.”
As soon as the words are out, he has his hands at my shoulders and he has me pulled flush against him. He engulfs me in his embrace, and it’s as if I’m completely surrounded by him. I wait for the panic to set in, but it doesn’t. I put my hands at his hips and then circle them around his waist. Emotion surges through me. I don’t feel alone or scared or lost in his hug. If anything, I feel completely right. The tears come, and I can’t stop them. I have my face held against his chest as the tears start to flow freely. I lean back and wipe at them, but they don’t stop. It’s as if a faucet has been turned on and the knob is broken.
“I’m sorry…” I tell him with a sob.
He leans down and puts one hand behind my knees and the other behind my back. He lifts me as if I don’t weigh a thing and then carries me to the chair in the living room. When he sits down, he cradles me in his lap, all the while soothing me with his words. “It’s okay, Ellie. Let it out, honey. I’m here. I’m here, and I’m not going anywhere.”
The sobs come harder, and his arms get tighter. “Oh, honey.’
He’s rubbing my back in big strokes, and I take deep breaths to calm myself. We sit here just like this for I don’t know how long, but I’ve completely melted into him. His warmth surrounds me like a cocoon, and I don’t want to ever move.
I take another deep breath. “I’m a mess.”
His cheek is resting on the top of my head, and when he talks, his voice is gruff. “You’re not a mess. I’m not sure what happened before you came to Whiskey Run but you survived it, Ellie. Look how far you’ve come in such a short time. Don’t be hard on yourself, and you never have to apologize. Not to me, anyway.”
I trace my finger in circles on his shirt. “You’re too good to me, Huddy.”
He lifts up and presses a kiss to the top of my head. “You deserve to have good in your life.”
It’s only then that I realize the pattern I’m tracing on his shirt has switched from a circle to a heart. He reaches up and laces our fingers together. We sit just like this for the longest time. I know we have things to do, but none of them seem important right now.
Chapter 15
Hudson
“Send me a picture.”
I hit send on the text and stare at my phone in silence. I’m at the Blaze offices in the conference room. I’m here working on the computer because I’m trying to distance myself from Ellie. It’s either that or I’m going to take her into my bedroom and not let her up until she screams for mercy.