I pulled two glasses from the cabinets, filled them with ice, and poured in some of Flor’s famous lemonade.
“Here you go,” I said as I took a seat next to her.
“This is beautiful,” she said as she admired the grotto and the greenery that surrounded us.
“I swim out here just about every day,” I told her. “It’s like a dream come true. Now you see why I don’t want to come back to Rock River? I’m living in paradise. Literally.”
Piper said nothing as she continued to stare at the falling, splashing waters.
“Don’t get me wrong, Rock River will always be home,” I said. “But nothing can compare to this.”
She was still quiet, and I feared she thought I was trying to make her jealous. It wasn’t my intention at all.
“You should think about leaving Rock River,” I said. “There’s so much of life we haven’t experienced because we were stuck reliving our glory days. Afraid to leave our comfort zones.”
She shrugged. “I like Rock River.”
She wasn’t understanding my point, but that was okay.
“How’s Luke doing?” I asked. I couldn’t help myself. I was curious, and I did still care.
Piper turned towards me, her face twisted. “Why do you always ask me about him?”
“Because I want to know,” I replied. “I’m not allowed to ask how he’s doing?”
“I just don’t get why you still care,” she said. “You’ve clearly moved on.”
“Just because I moved on doesn’t mean, I’ve suddenly stopped caring about how he’s doing, Piper,” I huffed. “He was my best friend for a long time. I’ll always care about him and wonder about him. I’ll always love him.”
I wanted to ask her why she’d been so protective of him lately, but I knew that would’ve started World War III. She’d been oddly defensive lately, and I didn’t want to go there with her. Not then. Not when she’d just arrived and I was looking forward to spending some quality time together.
“Do you love Hudson?” she asked as she took a sip from her cup and crunched on some ice.
“I honestly haven’t thought about that,” I said.
“You’re together every day,” she said. “You uprooted your entire life. You don’t know if you love him yet?”
“Doesn’t love take time?” I asked. “I’m not trying to rush anything.”
She squinted at me through the corner of her eye as if to say “come on” and laughed.
“Yeah, you didn’t rush anything,” she smirked.
“Okay, I get your point,” I replied. “I’ve known him, what? Five, six weeks now? Everything is still so new, but yeah, I think I’m really starting to fall for him.”
I tucked one strand of hair behind my ear and the glistening, yellow diamonds caught Piper’s eye.
“Um, what is that?” she said as she reached over and grabbed my right hand, examining the ring.
“Oh,” I said. “This. Um, he got it for me before he left. It’s a symbol of our relationship. It’s not an engagement ring or anything like that.”
“Mm, hm,” she said as she studied it. “So it’s like a promise ring?”
“I don’t know,” I said as I jerked my hand back. “It’s just a symbol. Let’s not complicate things.”
“Didn’t Luke get you a friendship ring once?” she asked. “What happened to it?”
I smiled fondly. “We were wrestling around in one of the barns and it fell off my finger. Never did find it.”
“And he didn’t get you a new one?” she asked.
“Of course not,” I said. “His cheap ass? No way.”
“I guess that makes sense,” she said. “I think every dollar he’s ever earned has gone towards land or something.”
I wondered how she knew that, but I figured maybe I’d mentioned it to her before that he’d been saving his whole life to build up a farm of his own.
“So do you talk to Luke a lot now?” I asked.
Piper looked nervous. “Probably more now that you’re gone. Yes.”
“You two used to hate each other,” I mused.
“Yeah,” she said. “We did.”
The space between us filled with an awkward silence.
“So, what do you want for dinner tonight?” I asked, changing the subject. “Flor can make us whatever we want. Or we can order in.”
Piper shrugged. “I don’t care.”
“She makes really great fajitas,” I said. “And they’re healthy. We can go for a swim in a little bit if you want?”
I just wanted things to be the way they used to be with Piper, and if that meant dropping the subject of Luke when we were around, then that was fine. For some reason, she was developing some sort of bond or friendship with Luke and becoming protective over him. I was quite certain she was just as protective of me around him as well. That’s how Piper was with the people she cared about. Protective.
Still, I couldn’t help but feel that I was now an outsider.
***
Piper and I relaxed by the pool after Flor’s amazing fajita dinner. We were filled to the brim and buzzing from our icy cold, homemade margaritas.
“I should probably call Hudson,” I said as I glanced down at my phone. “I haven’t talked to him all day.”
“So you guys talk every day when he’s away?” she asked.
“Yep,” I said as I stood up and grabbed my phone. “I’ll be right back.”
I went inside the house and shut the sliding door for privacy.
“Hey,” Hudson said as he picked up in the middle of the first ring. I loved when he did that.
“Hi,” I said sweetly. “How was today?”
He grunted and sighed, and I imagined him throwing himself down on the bed of his hotel room and kicking off his shoes.
“Long,” he said. “Too long. One more week and I’ll be home.”
“I can’t wait,” I said. “Want to FaceTime?”
I fluffed my hair and positioned the phone to a flattering angle before pressing the FaceTime button.
The instant he saw my face he smiled. “I miss you.”
“I miss you too.” I smiled.
“God, I just want to pounce on you as soon as I get home,” he said, his lips curling into a mischievous smirk. “The things I want to do to you…”
“I suppose I’ll let you have your way with me when you get back,” I teased.
“How’s Piper liking everything so far?” he asked. “Is she blown away yet?”
“She’s getting there,” I said. “So far so good. We’re just really trying to reconnect. I think she’s still a little bitter about me leaving Rock River.”
“Ah,” he said. “Give her more time. She’ll get over it. The wound is still too fresh.”
“I hope you’re right,” I said. “I should probably get back out there and hang out with her.”
Hudson pouted. “I guess.”
I heard a door knock coming from his end of the line and watched as he turned towards it.
“Who’s that?” I asked.
“Must be the food I ordered,” he said.
“They didn’t feed you on set?” I asked.
“I felt like ordering room service tonight,” he said.
I watched him climb up and head to the door.
“I’ll talk to you later, okay?” he said as he flashed a smile. “Text me goodnight.”
“Okay,” I said as I ended the call.
I couldn’t help but wonder if it was Ava popping by, but I quickly forced that vision out of my head. I stared down at the canary diamonds that circled my finger and clutched my hand to my heart before heading back outside to Piper.
“That was quick,” she said.
“He had to eat his dinner,” I said. “So, since you’re only in town until Sunday, was there anything you wanted to do tomorrow?”
Piper sat back and shook her head. “Whatever you want to do.”
“Do you want to go shopping?” I asked. “Hudson left me with his
black Amex…”
Her lips curled into a smile. “You’re bad.”
“I can see if his hair and makeup people can squeeze you in tomorrow. Give you the full Hollywood glam treatment,” I said.
“Like what you got?” Piper huffed. She was suddenly getting snippy with me again. “No thanks.”
I was slightly offended by that. “Oh, okay. Just thought it might be fun.”
“I don’t think you realize how different you look now,” Piper said, as if my new look was offensive to her. “When you came back home the other weekend, you were the talk of the town. It was all people were talking about for days. And when we see those pictures of you online. You don’t even look like the Brynn Dawson we all know.”
“I’m sorry you feel that way,” I said. “I had to fit in here. I hope you understand that. I’m still the same old me on the inside.”
“Are you, Brynn?” she asked. Her eyes welled with tears.
“Yes, Piper,” I said. “I am.”
We sat in silence, each of us fuming like two petty high school girls.
“I don’t want to fight with you,” I said, finally breaking the silence several minutes later. “Either we can make this weekend fun or we can sit here and play these games and you can keep acting all weird around me.”
Piper huffed and dropped her shoulders as if she’d been defeated.
“Fine,” she said.
“I don’t like this tension between us,” I said.
“Neither do it,” she admitted.
“I miss my best friend.”
“Me too.” Piper’s response wasn’t all that convincing. I realized I was the one who had moved away, but it went both ways and I had done all the reaching out since I’d moved away. I only talked to her when I made the effort.
“I haven’t made any new friends out here,” I lamented. “But I guess I spend all my time with Hudson.”
“Maybe you should branch out a bit,” she said. “Go out and meet new people.”
“Easier said than done,” I said. “Hudson always has plans for us. We’re always doing stuff. Never a free moment.”
“He does seem a little possessive,” she said.
“I never said that,” I replied, a bit offended. I refused to believe he had a possessive bone in his body. He just liked spending time with me.
Piper let out a huge yawn. “I should probably go to bed for the night. I’m still on Iowa time and it’s getting late back home.”
“Oh,” I said. “I still need to show you your room!”
I let her inside and down the hall from our bedroom to a guest suite. A pillow top queen mattress covered in layers of pillows and downy blankets set the scene for the most comfy guest room I’d ever seen. It was almost better than Hudson’s room. Wispy curtains flanked the tall windows and beachy oil paintings in golden frames adorned the gray walls. The furniture was a gorgeous walnut, and the room was nothing if not peaceful.
“Will this do?” I asked as I watched for her reaction.
“Yep,” she said flatly. She had to be jealous. Or tired. Or both.
“Okay, goodnight,” I said to her as I turned. Before I walked out, I saw her reach down and pull her phone from her pocket. She smiled as she must have checked a text message, which was weird. I didn’t know anyone who could make Piper smile like that, and she was never big into texting.
I shook it off as I headed down to my room to retire for the evening and send Hudson a goodnight text.
CHAPTER 17
Hudson’s homecoming was a sweet reunion. I’d missed him more than I cared to admit, and two weeks was two weeks too long.
“I never want to be apart that long again,” I said as I threw my arms around him the second he walked in the door.
He laughed as I nearly knocked him over, and he covered my mouth with soft, cinnamon kisses. It was late in the evening on a Friday night. I’d been on pins and needles all day waiting for him to come home. His flight was delayed a few hours, which only made the anticipation worse.
“Here,” I said to him as I handed him a whiskey sour I’d prepared. I clutched my Jack and Diet Coke in my other hand. “Let’s go sit outside by the pool. I want to hear all about your trip.”
Hudson smirked. “It wasn’t a trip. It was work, remember?”
“Whatever,” I teased. “Come on.”
He was exhausted from his day of traveling, but I didn’t care. I had other plans for him.
I let him set down and take a few sips of his drink before I slowly unbuttoned my white shorts and slid them down. I kicked them across the patio and bit my finger as I stared down at him.
“What’s this?” he asked as he began to grin. He sat back in his chair as if he were ready to enjoy a show.
I pulled my tank top off over my head and shook my long hair. I tiptoed backwards, towards the water, as I slid off my pink, lacy panties and unhooked my bra. His backyard was a private oasis, and I fully intended to take advantage of that.
I waved my finger at him to follow me as I dipped one toe into the warm pool water and stepped in. He slowly got up from his chair, taking another swig of his drink, and began undressing.
I was waist deep in the water by the time he climbed in, and I swam over to the grotto, taking cover and waiting for him. I waited patiently and it felt like he was taking forever, until suddenly I felt his strong hands slip around my waist. He had snuck up behind me.
“You scared me,” I said as I patted his chest.
“Sorry,” he said as he nibbled at my neck.
The soft water of his saltwater pool trickled around us and beaded down our skin as we couldn’t keep our hands off one another. My mouth waited, wanting and open, for his kiss. My body anticipated his hands and where they would go next.
He scooped me up and held me against his hips as he hoisted me against the wall of the grotto. I could feel his member, hard and throbbing, and longed for him to be inside me once again.
“I missed you so much, Brynn,” he whispered before reaching down and positioning himself.
With one fell thrust, he was deep inside me. His hips moved slowly, deliberately as he took his sweet time with me. We had to make up for lost time, and that was just fine with me.
The water lapped around us with every move as the waterfall splashed in the background and the dim lights of the pool set the ambiance.
I rested my arms on his shoulders as he continued thrusting and plunging himself into me.
“I love being this close to you,” he whispered. “You’re so addictive.”
I said nothing as I smiled with sweet satisfaction at his words and enjoyed the sensation of riding him in the pool.
I could tell he was getting close.
“Just let go,” I whispered.
A few hard thrusts and his body tensed and then relaxed as he released himself inside of me. He leaned against me, pinning me to the wall of the grotto, as we became undone, and I slid myself back to a standing position.
“How was that for a welcome home surprise?” I asked.
“Amazing,” he sighed, his hands still traveling the length of my body. We were done, for now, and he still couldn’t keep his hands off me.
We swam back to the patio and wrapped ourselves in fluffy towels as we sat down to finish our drinks.
He ran his fingers through his damp, dark hair as he stared at me in amazement.
“I was thinking,” I said. “I should probably go back home at least once a month. You know, just to visit my mom and Piper and stuff. I haven’t been back in a few weeks. Would you care if I went next weekend?”
“Of course not,” he said as he scrunched his face. “You can go home anytime you want. In fact, I’ll join you.”
“Oh, you don’t have to come with,” I said. “Rock River is so boring.”
“Brynn,” he said as he cocked his head. “I can’t be away from you again. Not this soon. And last time you went home, I almost lost you. I won’t let that happen again.”
<
br /> I laughed. “Don’t be ridiculous.”
“I’m coming with you,” he insisted.
“That’s fine,” I said. “I just don’t want you to be bored.”
“With you? Never.”
“You know you have nothing to worry about with me and Luke. Ever,” I said. “If that’s what this is about.”
He instantly looked offended. “Who said anything about him?”
“I thought that was what you meant,” I said. “Anyway he’s not a threat to you. To us.”
“How do you know this? Have you been talking to him?” Hudson asked, his eyes almost flashing with jealousy and a hint of contained temper.
“No,” I said. I wasn’t going to tell him that I sought Luke out at the bar last time I went home. Not in a million years. He would never understand. “Piper had just mentioned when she was here that Luke basically hates me.”
“Why would you care about that?” Hudson asked. “Haven’t you moved on?”
“Of course,” I said as I reached across the table and placed my hand on his. “You need to calm down.”
Hudson was annoyed.
“Clearly you’re taking this conversation in the wrong direction,” I said. “I was just trying to tell you that you have nothing to worry about whenever I go home.”
“So Luke hates you,” he said, going back to the topic of Luke. “But do you hate Luke? Are there still feelings there?”
I rolled my eyes and buried my face in my hands. “No.”
Hudson was quiet, and I wasn’t sure that he entirely believed me. I wanted to ask him what was up with this sudden insecurity, and then I remembered what Alec had told me about celebrities needing constant love and attention and security. Hudson was no exception to that rule.
“I have no feelings for Luke,” I told him. “I swear.”
I wasn’t going to mention that Luke was my first love, my best friend, and a part of me would always love him. He wouldn’t understand. It would just take things to a whole new level.
He glanced over at me, making eye contact once again but saying nothing. I stood up from my chair and climbed over into his lap, wrapping my arm around the back of his shoulders.
“I’m with you,” I said. “I want to be with you.”
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