Page 118 of Paper Horses

“I filled that one,” he replied, laughing. “I need to go to the general store and get another supply of mason jars.”

“Yeah, since you’ve filled the last dozen. If you’d stop swearing, they wouldn’t fill up so fast.” I wiggled out of his hold. “And stop playing. They’re almost here,” I complained.

“Almost isn’t here.”

“But I need to fix my lip gloss and check the other guest room.”

“Your lips looked perfect, and you've checked the other room ten times already.”

He playfully grabbed for me but I ducked under his arm.

“Fuck,” he growled, chasing me across the hall.

“Another quarter,” I said with a laugh just as his hand encased my hip and he tugged me to him.

He twisted me around and pinned my arms to my side. “I just want a fucking kiss, Olivia.”

“That’s not all you wanted and that’s another coin for my swear jar.”

His chuckle feathered over my skin, his mouth capturing mine and leaving me swooning with the power of his kiss.

It had been seven months since I’d moved in with him, and still his appetite was just like it had been when we were young. My body was in a state of constant bliss, as was my mind. There were still moments when the old me would return, but that woman mainly appeared when she was working. With Hudson, she was content to enjoy life. Welcoming the smiles and laughter, the ease of living and loving.

Hudson dropped his head to mine. “You’re right, I wanted more, but in front of your nephew’s room didn’t seem the right place.”

The sound of tires came from outside and I smacked his chest. “Sounds like you’re out of time. Damn it, Hudson, I’m not ready.”

“You’re fine. In fact, you’re fucking perfect, Olivia.”

I smoothed my hand up his chest, wishing we had a few minutes to appease his appetite. Although a few minutes likely wouldn’t be enough. Not for Hudson.

“I was before you mussed me up.” He gave me a devilish grin that I pulled to me and kissed. “And you owe me a jar full of change for teasing me like that.”

He smiled against my mouth, catching my bottom lip between his teeth and tugging it.

“Finish doing whatever it is you want to do to make yourself even more perfect, and I’ll greet them.”

He gave me a kiss on the forehead and stepped away, adjusting himself and grumbling about how uncomfortable his pants were now.

“You wouldn’t have that problem if you’d kept your hands to yourself,” I teased.

His laugh cascaded over my skin, a wonderful touch that made everything better.

“And what fun would that be,” he yelled as he thudded down the stairs.

I shook my head, my smile too strong to hide when I heard the familiar thump of paws follow his steps from the stairs to the door. We had agreed that children were not in our future. Hudson said he was too set in his ways, and I had never wanted them. I had a nephew to dote on, and that was a work in progress. So we adopted a dog instead. Hudson wanted to be a dog dad, and that was something I could give him. There had been an argument over buying a puppy from a breeder, like I wanted, and adopting an older dog, so we’d compromised because that was what we did now. We’d gotten both.

After fixing my shirt and my hair, I did a double check on the room where Tori and Gabe would stay the night before they headed out in the morning, and on the room where Reid would stay while they spent the week in Greece.

As I was coming down the stairs, I stopped in the kitchen, listening to the happy chatter of my family. I reached up and let my fingers drape over the line of paper horses that hung on the wall just before the room opened into the living room. Hudson had hung them my first night back. A constant reminder of where our love had started.

Beyond the front door, Reid giggled as the puppy licked him like he was a human lollipop, and the older dog sat watching with amusement.

“Uncle Hudson!” Reid yelled as if he had just noticed him. He ran to Hudson and circled his legs, looking up at him. “I wore my cowboy hat. See?”

“I do, bud. You make a damn fine cowboy. Ready to spend the week with me and your aunt and help me out with the horses?”

“Yeah!” he exclaimed, and I couldn’t hide my smile. Reid adored Hudson, and the emotion was mutual. It warmed my heart that he called him Uncle Hudson, even though we’d agreed marriage would take time. We needed to work on ourselves and enjoy what we were before moving to that step. I wasn’t so sure marriage was something we would do officially because it already seemed like we were at the deepest level we could be. What would a ring and a fancy title really change?