––––––––
“Oh my god. Oh my god. Oh my god,” I chant to myself as Hudson heads through the airport toward me.
He’s rocking holey jeans, a faded blue t-shirt, and a baseball cap pulled low over his face. His black duffle is slung over his shoulder. He looks so damn hot I swear I’m seconds away from melting into a puddle right here.
There’s a photographer locked in on him, snapping pictures from his right, angling his camera this way and that way, trying to get the best shot. I don’t know if he’s paparazzi or simply a fan with a really nice camera, but Hudson seems completely unphased by the attention he’s drawing. And not just from the photographer either. I watch not once, but twice, as a passerby turns and does a double take, eyes wide like they can’t believe what they’re seeing.
I wish I could say I’m unphased as well. That seeing people stop in their tracks at the sight of Hudson has zero impact on me, but that’s not the truth. Pride swells in my chest but that’s not the only emotion I feel. Threatened, insecure, unsure of how I fit into all of this are definitely among some of the emotions that wash over me.
When Hudson finally catches sight of me, a wide smile breaks across his face seconds before he jogs toward me. My heart is already beating a million miles a minute, but when he tugs me into his arms and lifts me right off my feet, I swear it pounds right out of my chest.
“God I missed you.” He squeezes me tightly, our mouths colliding together seconds later. Neither of us is the least bit concerned about the show we’re putting on for everyone in the airport.
Hudson kisses me with reckless abandon; his mouth just as desperate for mine as mine is for him. It’s like he’s the air and I’m breathing again for the first time in weeks.
After longer than is probably acceptable in a public venue, Hudson’s tongue does one more long sweep inside my mouth before he pulls back and lowers me to my feet.
“I just need to look at you,” he says, stepping back as his eyes travel from the top of my head all the way to my boot covered feet and then back up again.
“I can’t believe you’re finally here.” I’m on the verge of tears just looking at him. I knew I missed him. I just don’t think I realized how much until this very moment.
“Believe it, baby. For the next eleven days I am all yours.”
“Eleven days,” I practically squeal, thinking I was only going to have five with him. “I thought you had to leave before New Year’s?”
“I do.” He smiles at my confused expression.
“Explain.”
“I’m performing in L.A. on New Year’s Eve. Thought maybe you could come with me.”
“To Los Angeles?” I question.
“Why not.” He shrugs, dropping an arm over my shoulder as he leads me from the airport.
“How long would we be there?”
“We would fly out on the thirtieth and be back on the first, then I head back out on the road on the third.”
“You sure you want me to come with you? You’ll be working,” I point out, leading Hudson to my car that’s parked in the back of the lot.
“Of course I do.” He tosses his duffel in the trunk seconds after I pop it open. “I’m only performing two songs, Len. The rest of the time I’ll be pretty much free and bored as hell if you don’t come.”
“I’ve never been to L.A. before,” I say, already knowing I couldn’t imagine missing it, but trying to play it off like I’m still considering it.
“Then say yes.” He smiles, slamming the trunk closed before turning and pulling me to him. “I want every minute with you I can get.”
“Well when you say it like that.” I smile into his chest at the same time that he drops a kiss to the top of my head.
“Good. Then it’s settled.” He pulls back, his gaze going to the car. “Where’s the Chevy?”
“One, I came straight from work and I don’t drive your car to work. I’m afraid one of the work trucks will end up dinging it. Two, it’s cold and my car has better heat.”
“This isn’t cold.” He chuckles, gesturing around us. “It’s like sixty degrees here. You should’ve felt it in Michigan. It was like twenty degrees there last week and snowing.”
“Twenty degrees.” I gape at him, pretty sure I wouldn’t survive a day that far north. As it is I’m walking around in a jacket and boots.
“It’s cold,” he confirms, holding his hand out. I roll my eyes before dropping the keys into his hand. I don’t know what it is with him and insisting on driving.
“You’re going to give me a complex about my driving,” I tell him, crossing toward the passenger side of the car before climbing in.
“You’re actually a pretty good driver,” he tells me, sliding into the seat next to me. “I just prefer to drive.”
“Such a man.” I shake my head at him.
“Glad you noticed.” He laughs, firing the engine to life.
—-
“It feels so good having you here.” I snuggle into Hudson’s side, draping my leg over his waist.
“It feels good being here.” He kisses the top of my head. “You know, it’s strange. I was only here a few days before I left, yet coming back here I immediately feel at home.”
“Because you are home.”
“You’re right, I am. Because you, Lennon Claire, you are my home.”
I snuggle deeper into his embrace, feeling like I can’t get close enough.
“I love you,” I murmur, my fingers sliding gently back and forth across his bare chest.
“I love you too.”
No matter how many times we say it to each other I don’t think I will ever get used to hearing those words come out of Hudson’s mouth. It’s so crazy to think that someone like him – someone so successful and talented and unbelievably good looking – could actually be with someone like me, let alone love me.
“I have something for you,” he says, causing me to roll to my back as he shifts beneath me.
“What is it?” I ask, watching his bare ass as he crosses the room and grabs his boxers off the floor. He slides them on seconds before he starts rummaging in his duffle bag in the middle of the floor.
“Let’s call it an early Christmas present to both of us,” he says, returning to the bed with a large brown envelope in his hand. “Here.” He waits until I’m upright before extending it to me.
More than a little curious, I quickly peel open the flap and pull out a stack of papers, all held together by a large clip.
“What is this?” I ask, my eyes scanning the top piece of paper. It isn’t until my eyes land on the name Stephanie that it all starts to click into place. “Are these...”
“Divorce papers,” he confirms. “Official as of last Thursday.”
“Wow,” I say, feeling a little winded.
Having his prior marriage finalized and knowing we can officially put the whole thing behind us is something I didn’t realize I needed until this very moment.
“I wanted to tell you the instant I got them but I thought it was better if I delivered the news in person.”
“So it’s over?” I ask, not really referring to him and Steph but more the situation in general.
“It’s over,” he confirms, taking the papers from me before tossing them onto the night stand. “It’s just me and you now, Lennon. Steph is gone. Gage is gone. There’s nothing standing in our way anymore.”
“I’m glad you waited to tell me.”
“Yeah. Why’s that?” He grins, his dimple momentarily distracting me.
“Because if you had told me over the phone I couldn’t have done this,” I say, instantly twisting to straddle his lap.
“I think I like where this is going.” He smiles against my mouth when I lean in and kiss him.
“Good. Because I’m just getting started.” Moving my hips in a circular motion, I grind down onto his already growing erection.