At least she could breathe easier without him studying her.There was something different in the way Hudson looked at her, like he really saw her.And that scared the hell out of Cassie.
“I could eat,” she said.“But you have to let me help.No more waiting on me hand and foot.”She didn’t need to get used to having him around or letting him take care of her, no matter how good it felt.Like a stalker in a dark alley, reality would always be lurking a step behind.
“Plates are up there.”He pointed to the cabinet near the sink.“Forks in the drawer below.Mind setting the table?”
“Not a bit.”She moved around him, reaching for the items.When she walked past, the back of her hand accidentally brushed against him.Electricity hummed, bringing parts of her to life that she hadn’t felt in years.Or maybe ever…?
But she couldn’t think about that right now.Her first priority was figuring out where to go once she packed up her tent.A jolt of panic struck at the thought she’d left too many personal items at her makeshift camp.It’s fine,a voice in the back of her mind said.No one knows you were here.
The thought should calm her more than it did.Then again, her nerves were fried.
After setting the table, Hudson filled their plates with his stir-fry.
“It’s not as badly burnt as your finger,” she said to him after settling into her seat and picking up her fork.“Should you put some aloe on it?”
“I’m fine.”He examined his finger again.“Not much there.Believe me when I say I’ve been banged up worse than this.”The pain in those intense blue eyes, buried deep, was like looking into a mirror.
Could they set all that aside for one night and actually enjoy themselves?“After dinner, what do you think about watching a movie?”
He shrugged.“We could do that.”
“Only if you want to.”
“It could be good.”
She glanced over at the massive flatscreen TV attached to the living room wall.“It’d be a shame to let that bad boy go to waste.”
Hudson chuckled, a low rumble from deep in his chest.His voice had a dizzying effect on her in the best way possible.The sound wrapped around her.It made her think the world had righted itself for just a moment, causing her skin to rise in goose bumps.He could make reading a cereal box sound sexy.
The kiss…?
Don’t even get her started on how amazing that had been.
“I lost you again.”Hudson’s voice drew her back to the present.
“Sorry,” she said.
“Can I ask what you do for a living?”
“I used to try and then recommend products on social media,” she said.She’d had a decent enough following to bring in enough money to cover rent and basic necessities.Her business had been growing, too, until Jarek had come along, gotten jealous, and pressured her to shut it down.
“Social media?”Hudson’s eyebrow shot up.“Like an influencer?”
“That would be correct.Except I didn’t do makeup or hair products.I was more into finding things to make our lives easier.”
He barked out a laugh, chewed the bite he’d taken.“Good luck with that.Seems like the more ‘simplified’ we try to make our lives, the more complicated they get.Take phones, for instance.Sure, they help in some ways, but they also give folks the expectation you’ll be available twenty-four-seven.”
She couldn’t help but smile.“That’s true enough.”
“Why did you stop?Or did you have a choice?I’m guessing followers can be fickle creatures.”
His second question had nearly knocked the wind out of her.She’d tensed.Thankfully, he’d gone in a different direction than she’d expected.“Something like that.”
“Why do I feel like I just stepped on a landmine?”
“I’m not sure.”The lie tasted bitter on her tongue.
“Okay-y-y.”