The Art of You

Waxhaw, North Carolina – Two Weeks Later

Hudson standing outside the passenger door of our rental truck gave me a new appreciation for the ruggedly handsome cowboy look. God bless the South.

“Just a little rain, won’t hurt ya, I swear.” He gave me a boyish, charming smile, then removed his Stetson and set it over my head. “For protection.”

As he stood there, offering me his hand to get out, chivalry became one of my new favorite words. I lived and breathed it every day with how he treated me.

But a few more seconds of gawking were needed. It wasn’t like I hadn’t already gaped at his backside in our hotel room. Or ran my hands over his washboard abs while we’d showered together.

I sighed, continuing to stare at my Texan in his fitted jeans, white tee, and cowboy boots. The air was misty, and it was hardly raining, but a few drops hit his face as he ran a hand through his hair, mussing it up even more in a ridiculously sexy way.

This was technically our first official date. Well, one that involved leaving his bed where we’d spent the majority of our time since our nightmare ended.

“Ma’am.” He held out his hand again, waiting for me to join him in the parking lot so we could have dinner at Maria’s sister’s restaurant, Talia’s Tuscan Grille. Enzo was the head chef here, but he wouldn’t be in tonight, still taking time off to spend with Maria and the twins.

We’d flown here to meet the newborns five days ago, and with any luck, my dad would be cleared to travel soon so my parents could join us. I wouldn’t put it past him to ignore the doctor’s orders and come anyway if he didn’t get the go-ahead by tomorrow, though.

Callie and Alessandro would be heading back to Nashville tomorrow, but Hudson and I decided we’d stay a few extra days as a mini-getaway before returning home. I wasn’t eager to be back in New York, and the South was growing on me. It didn’t hurt that Hudson seemed to be more relaxed down here, too. A little space between us and what happened back home was just what we needed.

“You keep staring at me like that, and we’ll never make it inside.” He’d laid on the husky drawl that time, and his tone slid under my skin and heated my body.

My ass puckered at the mere memory of Hudson’s finger exploring it while we showered. He’d squeezed my ass cheek with his other hand, tonguing my clit, the spray of the water enveloping us. Dirty-clean-dirty-clean. Wash-rinse-and-a-delicious-repeat. I’d never want to shower another way again.

“Mmm. Don’t threaten me with a good time,” I teased, knowing it was a cliché line, but I didn’t care.

Hudson rested his hand on top of the truck and leaned in closer.

The rain was starting to pick up, and I wouldn’t so much mind seeing his white shirt meld to his hard frame. But the dress beneath my jean jacket—courtesy of the still warm weather in Charlotte—was a thin material, and wouldn’t leave much to the imagination if it became wet.

Already facing him, exposing my cowgirl boots, I scooted forward a bit more and reached for him, hooking my arm behind his neck, careful not to knock my new hat off in the process. “Thinking about what you’re going to have for dessert, aren’t you?”

He smirked. “Oh, you know exactly what I’ll be eating.” He playfully lifted his brows twice before setting his mouth to mine in a slow, soft kiss.

God, I was so ridiculously happy. No night terrors had followed either of us after what happened at the factory, which was almost shocking. But maybe that was because we’d kept ourselves busy with happy family news, my moving in with him, and property searches for a new home together.

The sound of an engine close by had us breaking the kiss and turning our heads in that direction. Enzo parked and exited the antique-looking Porsche, joining us by the truck.

“You tell him we were coming?” I asked Hudson. “He’s not supposed to be working.”

Enzo shielded his face from the rain with a black ball cap. “This isn’t mine. Just taking it for a little joy ride.” Neither of us had asked him the question he seemed eager to answer, but I’d been a little curious.

“You do need a replacement Porsche,” I reminded him. “You ever find out if the airbag really was tampered with?”

“Shockingly, just bad luck.” Enzo frowned. “I might buy a fixer-upper, though, and work on it at Ryan’s auto body garage with him.”

Enzo’s brother-in-law, Ryan, was a retired Navy SEAL married to Maria’s sister. That was another long, but beautiful story. They had an adorable son, Dante, who Hudson and I had babysat just yesterday so his parents could steal a quiet afternoon together.

Seeing Hudson with Dante, my niece, Chiara, and the twins . . . just all of them . . . Le sigh. He was such a good man and would make a hell of a dad.

“Why are you here?” I finally asked my brother. “You should be home.”

“I heard you had reservations tonight, and I can’t have you eating here unless it’s my food.”

“Well, I’m not about to turn down your cooking,” Hudson joked, patting his stomach. “We were just about to head inside.”

“Mind if I steal a word with my brother first?” I asked him, and he looked me up and down before nodding.

“Maybe not in the rain in that dress.” Hudson urged my legs inside the truck so he could close the door. He handed Enzo the truck keys and started for the restaurant.

As Enzo climbed into the driver’s seat, I set the cowboy hat on my lap and turned to face him.

“I know what you’re going to say.” He rested his arm across the wheel. “I’m fine. I’m not going to spiral and blame myself. None of us could’ve predicted this would happen. It was out of our control.” Oh, he’d for sure rehearsed that line. “If you, Callie, and Dad weren’t okay, then I’d for sure have lost it, but you’re all good, so I promise, I’m doing my best to let go. I have a lot to keep me distracted.”

I reached for his hand and squeezed. I supposed that was progress.

He met my eyes and demanded, “Now, you have to promise me you’ll try and draw again. I heard from a reliable source you’re considering not doing it. And if it’s Keith’s fault, I will break into prison and kill him myself.”

I don’t doubt you will. My shoulders slumped. And maybe I keep picturing Keith’s creepy face watching me every time I try to paint. “It’s been so long, maybe I forgot how.” Also the truth.

“Nope.” His lips tightened briefly. “That’d be like me saying I forgot how to take a life since it’s been, you know, like . . . months.” He exhaled. “Anywayyyy.”

I held back a smile as he took a page from my playbook. LOL. And dammit, I did it again. Just thought “lol” in my head. I really did need to disconnect from technology for a bit. Maybe some canvas and acrylics would be the best therapy. “I’ll try. You have my word.” Since my brothers and Hudson were all about the whole “my word is my bond” thing, I supposed I could jump on board, too.

“It’s inside you, I promise.” He patted my arm and squeezed my wrist. “You’ve got this.”

I looked over at the restaurant, thinking about our family. “Food is your art. Writing was Bianca’s.”

“And Alessandro’s passion is his wife.” Enzo laughed. “And maybe torturing bad guys.”

“Same for you, silly. Well, the first part. Your family, I mean.” A smile made its way back to my face as I met his eyes again. “I guess I’ll figure out if drawing is still mine,” I mused. “Now if we could just get Constantine to find his something, too.”

“He will.” Enzo nodded, then gestured toward the door. “Now, let me cook you two up a meal so I can get back to my exhausted wife.”

“You’re the best.” I leaned over and hugged him. “Love you.”

“Love you, too.” He reached for the hat and set it back on my head. “The South looks good on you. But so does the whole ‘being in love’ thing. Glad you finally found your way to the right guy. Bianca would love that you’re together, you know that, right?”

I fidgeted with the brim of the hat, sighing. “She’d be happy for you, too,” I whispered. “For all of us.”