You Make Me Weak (The Blackwells of Crystal Lake 1)

Hudson nodded. “I’d like that.”

“Cool.” Liam grabbed the glass of milk Rebecca poured and headed for the stairs, leaving her alone with the man responsible for the butterflies causing havoc in her gut. Hudson got up from his chair and slowly slid it back into place. His intense gaze found her, and, mouth dry, she pretended to clean up an already pristine countertop.

“He’s a great kid.”

She nodded. “He is.”

“His dad in the picture?”

Rebecca tossed her rag, and her voice rose, taking on a sharp edge she couldn’t control. “I’m not discussing Liam’s father with you.”

Hudson shoved his hands into the pockets of his jeans and was quiet, as if measuring his words. “Fair enough. I didn’t come here to upset you.”

“Then why did you come?” She marched around the island until she stood a few inches from Hudson.

“I wanted to see you again.”

And here they were, having the conversation she didn’t want to have, with a man who still made her feel all sorts of things she shouldn’t be feeling.

“Hudson. We’re over. We’ve been over for years. What happened Saturday night… Well, Saturday night was just…” She swore and glanced away. “It was a mistake.”

“Probably.”

“It shouldn’t have happened.”

“But it did.”

Exasperated, she hung her head. “It’s not going to happen again.”

She knew the moment he stepped closer, because the air around her did that funny electrical thing again. She thought it was hard to breathe a few seconds ago? It was nothing compared to what it felt like now. Dragging big honking gulps of air deep into her lungs, she made to step back, but her butt met th

e kitchen table.

“Becs.”

Hearing her name on his lips made her stomach dip. She was hot. And cold. And it felt like her skin was pulled too tight.

“I can’t get you out of my mind, and I can’t stop thinking about Saturday. About how good it felt to hold you again. To breathe you in. To touch the curve of your cheek. Kiss that spot behind your ear. To be inside you.” A groan fell from him, and she bit her lip in an effort to remain calm.

“You’re right, Rebecca. You and me. Probably not a good thing.”

Slowly, she looked up and held her breath.

“I know I should walk away.” His eyes glittered. “But I can’t.”

“You didn’t have a problem doing that twelve years ago.”

His jaw clamped shut at her words, and a muscle worked its way across his cheek. “I was young and dumb twelve years ago.”

“Can’t argue with you there.”

A ghost of a smile touched the corners of his mouth. “So where do we go from here?”

Rebecca slid past him and opened the door. She stepped out onto the porch, shivering in the cool night air, and waited for him to join her.

“There’s no point in going anywhere, Hudson.”

He bent lower, so low that she felt his warm breath on her cheek.