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The way Hudson’s eyes almost fell out of their sockets when he first saw me tonight definitely made me feel sexy. So does the way he has his muscular arm looped around my waist right now, his hand resting heavily on my lap and his thumb drawing circles on my leg.
I can feel how proud and eager he is to stake his claim to me—to make it clear to anyone looking that I belong to him. Lately I’ve been giving myself more and more permission to feel like that impulse of his isn’t just for show anymore.
“You’re quiet tonight,” I say to Hudson, teasingly poking him in the side. It feels like my fingertip presses against solid marble. I don’t think I’ll ever stop marveling at how hard his muscles are. Or how something as hard as his body can be as warm and comfortable as it is.
“Lot on my mind,” he says. His voice is rough and low, and it sets off a pang of worry inside me. I know that Hudson’s recent talk with his dad didn’t go the way he wanted it, and I hope he’s not still depressed about it.
“Like what?” I ask, rubbing his back over the soft polo shirt he wears.
His gaze is so hot that it sears when he turns his eyes to me. “Everything I’m going to do to you when we get home,” he says.
I feel the gravelly rumble of his voice right between my legs. My palm on his back buzzes, as I immediately start to anticipate what it’s going to feel like when this polo shirt is lying on his or my floor, wherever we end up, and my fingernails are digging into the corded muscles of his tattooed back.
“Oh,” I peep, my thighs clenching together.
“Oh,” Hudson mimics my word with a taunting, devious grin on his lips. He slowly slides his hand down to splay it over my exposed thigh. A wave of tension and pleasure ripples over me at the feeling of his hard, strong fingertips pressing into my soft skin.
“Hey there, sugar.” Tuck’s words to the waitress who’s just stopped by our table pull my attention away from imagining just what ideas are in Hudson’s head. We might still be out for a while, so I’d rather not have my panties totally soaked right now.
Olivia’s disapproving grunt as she sits next to me and eyes Tuck’s interaction with the waitress also catches my notice. “Sugar,” she mutters disdainfully under her breath.
After the waitress takes his drink order, Tuck produces a twenty-dollar bill and hands it to the waitress with a wink. “For your trouble.” The waitress eagerly accepts it with a giggle and walks off. Tuck’s eyes are glued to the back of her tight skirt as she disappears into the crowd to get his order.
“What a pig,” Olivia remarks.
I can’t help but laugh. “What? All he did was give her a good tip,” I tease my friend.
“Then ogled her butt like a pervert.” My best friend’s brow is low and her bottom lip juts out in disapproval.
If I didn’t know better, I’d say my best friend is jealous of the guy she supposedly hates.
Actually, I don’t know better. I think my best friend is jealous of the guy she supposedly hates.
As the night goes on, our group gradually gets pulled in different directions. The Black Bears guys get grabbed by different women. I don’t miss the scowl on my best friend’s face when one sticks her claws into Tuck. Hudson goes to the bathroom, and a minute later Olivia goes to the bar to get another drink, as at this point it’s so busy that flagging down a server is going to be next to impossible.
I find myself alone at our high-top table for a little bit. No problem with me. I just slowly sip my yummy cocktail and take in the impressive scene of the ritzy bar packed full.
Until a very unwelcomed voice intrudes on my vibe.
“Hey, Summer.” It’s Sean. He spits my name from his lips with disdain.
I tense up. Negativity is radiating from him. Suddenly I’m not so okay with being alone at our table, and I wish Olivia or Hudson were here right now. Especially Hudson.
“Oh. Uh, hi, Sean,” I say, flitting my gaze between him and the rest of the room, trying to get across the idea that I have no interest in engaging with him right now. Not that that’s a hint he’s ever taken before.
“Congratulations on winning that competition in New York.” I don’t think there’s ever been a less sincere conveying of congratulations. His words are dripping with sarcasm and bitterness.
I choose to ignore the unmissable overtones. “Thanks,” I say, quickly nodding my head and forcing a tight smile.
“Yeah, you’re on top of the world now, huh?” Now there’s outright belligerence laced through his voice. He takes a step closer to my table, resting his forearms on the edge. The proximity makes my stomach coil with tension. I shift further away from him in the seat of my chair. “Winning big competitions. Dumb jock boyfriend. Good for you.”
A dumb jock is the last thing Hudson is. He’s smarter and kinder than Sean by far, no matter what ignorant impressions people might have of him at a glance.
My impulse is to defend him, but Hudson doesn’t need defending from anyone, let alone from Sean. Besides, I don’t want to be dragged into an argument. Not knowing what to do, I just stay silent, my nerves short-circuiting my decision-making. I just hope Sean takes the hint and walks away.
No such luck. “Yeah, I bet you think you’re hot shit now. But you’re only where you are because of me. You think you’d have gotten the opportunities you’ve been given if I hadn’t put in a good word for you with the music professors because you were a decent lay?” He pushes out a malicious, acerbic laugh. “Not a fucking chance.”
I know what he’s saying isn’t true, but his words still hurt. I meet his gaze, and the anger and entitled jealousy I read in them shuts down whatever I had planned to say.
