Almost as soon as my mouth touched Hudson's I was jerking back. My eyes were wide and I stared at him while I brushed my fingers against my lips. His lips didn't feel like Connor's, it was a shock to the system, making me realize just what I had done.

"I'm so sorry," I sputtered out.

Hudson's head just tipped back, a lazy smile touching his lips as he let out a sigh like he felt content. Then, his hands grabbed at my thighs and he pulled me into his lap with strength and ease. I let out a squeal of surprise at the gesture, my hands falling onto his sturdy shoulders to steady myself as I attempted to collect myself.

One breath.

My eyes met his as my weight settled on his strong legs. I was letting him win. I was allowing him to keep me there.

Two breaths.

"I'm not sorry, Princess." His voice was husky and deep. Filled with desire and want.

Three breaths.

Hudson's hands released my thighs from their grip and pressed against my arched back, dragging me to him. I didn't resist. I don't think I could've protested, even if I wanted to. Those eyes just did something to me that forced all of the damning thoughts and restless reasons away. I wanted all of the comfort and excitement that he offered.

My eyes fluttered shut again and I kissed him again. His lips were firm and soft all at once. My grip tightened on his shoulders, anchoring myself to him as I pulled away to let out a small mew of desire. But the lack of contact, even just for a fraction of a second, was too much for Hudson. He moved off the backrest, finding my lips with his own again.

I felt like I could kiss him forever. I know that part of me thought I would never kiss a man again, but now, I couldn't fathom being without it. Without him. Not even for a second. I sucked in a gasp, my mouth barely leaving his. His lips parted beautifully for me when I came back to him, allowing me to slide my tongue over his bottom lip.

And as I did so I lifted on hand off of his shoulders to touch his cheek. Just as my fingers brushed against the skin Hudson jerked away from me while letting out a hiss on pain.

"I'm so sorry," I slurred again, moving backwards. "Oh my God, I completely forgot about the fight and your cheek already."

I felt like I scrambled off Hudson's lap with speed and grace, but in my drunken state it could've taken a whole minute and had been a bumbling mess.

"It's alright, princess," Hudson murmured, still shooting me that easy smile, but he was cupping his wounded cheek now.

And seeing him like that, realizing that he was in my home, on my couch, was so shocking. It was like the kiss, the proximity had made me forget everything. I just stared at him with horrified eyes, not understand how I had let this happen.

"It's alright," Hudson repeated, sitting up slightly. Obviously, he could see my panic but wasn't quite understand where it had come from. "You didn't hurt me that badly." As he spoke he sat up even more and reached towards me, his hands moving towards my hips so he could bring me back to him.

I took a wobbly step backwards, bumping into the coffee table I had custom made for my apartment with Connor. "I don't think we should let this go any further."

"Come on, I just want to kiss you a little more," Hudson insisted. "I've wanted to kiss you for so long, Penelope. Since I started getting to know you I wanted to kiss you. That mouth drives me fucking crazy."

"Hudson," I managed, feeling my body tip towards him on its own accord. In that moment he was all I could think about wanting.

"Why not?" he whispered, those warm eyes narrowing in on my lips.

"Because you don't date," I blurted, the words coming out without any control. I had told myself that it hadn't mattered because he and I would never date. But I couldn't deny my feelings for him. And, though everything with Connor was still raw, I also couldn't deny the fact that I wasn't the kind of person to keep a relationship casual and light.

"We don't need to be a couple to kiss. Come on," he encouraged, unbothered.

"And Connor will come after you," I continued, hoping that some of my words would stick. "You are also kind of my employer and in my current financial situation-" I panned my arms out to either side, indicating my crammed, tiny apartment. "- I can't risk losing that."

"I would never say anything to anyone if you didn't want me to."

"Hudson, please."

Hudson looked like he was about to argue with me, like he wasn't done fighting. But his hands respectfully settled into his lap, no longer searching for me. His eyes that had been so filled with lust had softened to their normal warmth.

"You're right. We're both drunk and both of us are dealing with a lot right now. It might be best to wait until we are sober to talk about this," he agreed, tentatively touching his wound with hovering fingers.

My chest deflated with a sigh of relief. I knew that Hudson and I shouldn't continue doing what we had been. It was so easy to get lost in the heat of moments like those.

"I'm going to call my mom and ask her to check up on Max. Where am I sleeping?" he asked.

Then I was faced with the fact that he was much to large to sleep on the couch that I had intended for him. Sure, it was comfortable, but it was hardly more than a love seat. His legs would surely overhang. That, plus a hangover and a shortage of blankets and he would have the worst sleep of his life.

"You can have my bed. Just let me go clean a few things up and it's all yours."

~~~Question of the Day~~~

What personality traits do you share with your family members?

My whole family struggles with being affectionate, but we all love hard. We're all to reserved for our own good.