“Yep.”
Which wasn’t an easy feat. My mom only made her famous fried chicken on my dad’s birthday. Once a year. It didn’t matter if we begged, cried, or bribed her. That was it. No exceptions. Or so I thought…
Thankfully, Destiny had filled me in on the fact that JJ had coaxed my mom into making a batch when he was trying to convince Destiny that he wasn’t really an asshole, he’d just been playing one on TV…or I guess in the MLB.
With that nugget of information in my back pocket, I’d been able to guilt my mom into whipping up a batch for me. I was pulling out the big guns.
Taking off his hat, he ran his hands through his hair. “Thanks, but I already ate.”
Seriously?!
Anger, frustration, and hurt were all battling for top billing in the movie that was my life. Since I’d always been a mad-motivated more than a sad-motivated gal, I opted to give the marquee spot to anger.
I’d tried to play nice. I’d been sending fun, flirty texts. I’d shown up in a dress—sans panties—with fried chicken. Nice wasn’t working. Time to play dirty.
In four long strides, I crossed the open space between us. With every step I took, I noticed his shoulders bunch tighter, but his expression held no hint of what he was feeling.
I stopped up short, directly in front of him and I dropped the basket on the table saw. “Did you know that Holden asked me to your parents’ anniversary party?”
Other than his nostrils flaring, his face remained unreadable. “He mentioned something about that.”
“So then you did tell him to give me a call.”
His eyes flinched briefly, as if a stab of pain had shot through him. “I might’ve said something like that.”
“So you want me to go to the party with him?”
“You’re a big girl, Princess. You can go where you want. With who you want.”
I tried not to let his callous, cold words penetrate me. It was obvious what he was doing. He was trying to push me away, just like he’d been doing for years. What I didn’t know was why.
Standing strong, I knew there was only one way I’d get the answers I wanted. My lips turned up in a smile and I asked, “Is that what you do? Once you’re through with a girl you pass her along to your brother? Holden doesn’t mind sloppy seconds?”
His stoic fa?ade shattered like glass hit by a hammer. He advanced forward, backing me up against the barn wall. When my back was flat against the wooden boards he lifted his arms, caging me in. His golden eyes once again were shining with the inner light of his soul as he stared down at me.
“You are not sloppy seconds,” he gritted out. “Don’t ever say that again.”
My core clenched at the power of emotion radiating off of him. I knew it was wrong to be so turned on right now, but I couldn’t help it. For years, I’d tried and failed to get Hud’s attention. Now I had it, and it was a heady sensation.
“Promise me you won’t ever say that again,” he commanded.
I shuddered as the timbre of his voice vibrated through me.
“On one condition,” I countered.
“What?”
“Tell me why you told your brother to call me.”
He took a step back and dropped his gaze to the ground. I could see him starting to close off again and fisted my hands in his shirt, pulling him towards me once again. He still felt like the cereal box; so close yet just out of reach.
My eyes started to tear and I could feel my lip tremble. “Don’t do that. Don’t shut me out. Why Hud? Why did you tell your brother to call me?”
He closed his eyes and for a heartwrenching moment I thought he was going to pull away, instead he rested his forehead against mine. His lips hovered over mine, our labored breaths intertwined.
“It just…it wouldn’t work, Harmony.” His voice was so raw, so convicted, it broke my heart.
He truly believed what he was saying.
But he was wrong.
Lifting up on my toes, I brushed my lips against his as I whispered, “It is working.”
For a moment he remained perfectly still. His only movement was the rise and fall of his chest.
My lips touched his again as I said, “This works.”
A deep, primal moan ripped from his chest and his hands framed my face as he covered his mouth with mine. Claiming me, owning me as he swept his tongue between my lips and kissed me with a desperation I felt all the way to my toes.
This was right. This was how it was supposed to be.
I started tugging at his shirt, trying with everything I had to get him out of it. I wanted to feel his skin against mine. I needed to feel his skin on mine. I needed to touch him, to know that he was really here, with me. It wasn’t until he broke the kiss that I realized Romeo was barking. Hud stepped away and ran his hands through his hair.