Smoke and Survival (Best Wishes Book 2)

by A. J. Macey

  Lucienne

  I curled under Hudson’s arm, my shivering hitting him in the side as we walked toward his car. The movie had been fairly empty, only three others and Troy in the theater with us. Thankfully none of them were Noah. He also hadn’t shown at dinner, which was a very pleasant surprise, but I was still worried throughout the night. Hudson held the door open for me once more, and I sank into the freezing leather seat, the cold seeping through my jeans. The revving and radio filled the silence, and his warm hand scooped up mine and let our intertwined fingers rest in my lap. We didn’t talk on the drive, but I felt safe and comfortable with him, the soft rock through the speakers calming me. When the car was parked in the lot by the library, Hudson ran around the car and opened the door for me. Making sure to grab the bundle of roses from the backseat beforehand, I took his hand and stepped out.

  The library was empty, Muriel having gone to her room an hour ago, leaving me alone with Hudson. Bill was waiting near the ‘Employee’s Only’ door, starting his shift since Troy had left when we reached the front doors to the library. Instead of turning down the way to go to my room, Hudson gently tugged on my hand, pulling me toward the reference section. My curiosity grew as we reached one of the aisles. We stood in silence for a few moments, Hudson’s lavender eyes seeming to glow in the dimmed overhead night lighting.

  “A little over three months ago, I had to stop at the library to check out a book I needed to read before the next semester started. I was checking the stacks when I heard the scraping of the roller ladder a couple aisles over. When I turned the corner, there was this beautiful girl with blonde hair near the top of the old rickety piece of wood. She somehow was able to stay on the ladder while juggling these giant ass books, much to my surprise. When she tried to reach for the last book, I felt my breath leave my lungs. Not only was this girl beautiful and hard-working, she was powerful as well and she didn’t even know it.”

  He turned his attention to me from the area of the shelves I recognized from that day we met. “I just knew I had to talk to her.” My heart thundered in my chest as he spoke, his eyes soft as they looked down at me, and his free hand moved to my cheek. The slight roughness of his skin brushed gently against my face, a mere whisper of a touch that made me wish he’d never let me go. “I will never regret the choice to talk to you, I just wish we had gotten together sooner. I’m truly sorry, Lucie, for everything that happened with Brittney. I just want you to know you’re the girl for me.” A flush crept along my skin as his head dipped down, his breath warming my skin.

  When his lips brushed against mine, a shiver ran down my spine. I set the bundle of roses on the shelf next to us and leaned into him. I put everything I had into our kiss, wanting desperately for him to understand I didn’t blame him, that he was perfect just as he was. My tongue traced his lower lip, and his hand let go of mine and wrapped tightly around my waist, holding me in place. I gripped his tie tightly in my fists, wrinkling the satin material as we drank each other in. He pulled back slightly, his luminescent eyes searching my face. Willing my heart to still, I looked up at him.

  “You’re perfect, Hudson,” I started, “you and the others make me so happy. It doesn’t matter to me that we didn’t get together right away. All that matters is that we’re together now.” The smile he flashed me was full of happiness, for once his overt sex-on-a-stick attitude overshadowed by this handsome man who needed a reminder that he was valued, that he was cared for despite any mistakes. He dropped another quick kiss before handing me my roses, the scent filling my nose and reminding me of all the good memories of the night.

  “Let’s get some sleep, Princess, don’t want to have Dante on my ass for keeping you up too late on a school night,” he teased. I laughed, the sound loud within the silent library. The weight of his arm settled on my shoulders as we strolled slowly toward our room, my heart full from our perfect date.

  As soon as the thought echoed in my mind, a wave of electric static started at my chest, thrumming softly in a rhythmic pattern. Each beat grew stronger, so much so that my steps faltered, my hand rubbing my chest. The strange feeling rapidly spread to my arms and legs, a sharp throbbing between my legs as it reached the crest between my thighs. A gasp left me when the tingles almost became too much to bear throughout my body, the pearlescent bond connecting Hudson and me pulsing brightly in the darkened library. An audible snap echoed slightly through the stack we were in as the magical string dissipated.

  “Holy shit,” Hudson panted, a light sheen of sweat over his forehead as he heaved. “That was, uh, intense. You okay, Princess?” I nodded, unable to talk as I adjusted to the feeling of being free of any wish bonds.

  I felt lighter as a weight I hadn’t even realized was resting on my shoulders had lifted, leaving me giddy. A smile spread over my face, unable to stop myself. Before I knew it I was giggling, clutching onto Hudson’s toned arm to keep upright as I lost myself in the feeling of having started new and fresh.

  “You all right?” Hudson smiled down at me, happy but seemingly unaffected by the resolution of our wish bond.

  “Apparently the wish wear had been really pressing on me, and I didn’t even realize. I feel like I could do absolutely anything!” I cheered gleefully, spinning around playfully. My hair flared around me as I came to a stumbling stop. Thankfully, Hudson was close enough to catch me before I tripped and fell.

  “I’m happy you’re feeling better, Lucie. I’m sorry my wish was causing any negative side effects,” he murmured softly, staring down at me. His golden skin was warm and sensual in the cozy atmosphere of the empty library. I pressed my fingers against his lips lightly to stop him from apologizing anymore.

  “No more of that.” I smiled up at him, feeling my dimples appear on my cheeks and my eyes crinkle at the edges from how wide my smile was. I suddenly became aware of his soft lips under my fingers, my body dizzily shifting from lighthearted and fun to a different kind of warm emotion buzzing through me.

  “Lucie? Hudson?” Bill called out from somewhere near the corner of the room. “You guys get lost in here?” I couldn’t stop the tiny conspiratorial chuckle at the direction my thoughts had taken while in my place of work. Hudson’s lips quirked up under my fingers making that heat flare again, but his hand grabbing mine from his face stopped me from taking it any further. We walked with our fingers tangled together, our shoulders brushing with each step.

  “Nope, we’re right here,” Hudson responded when we finally rounded the end of the aisle near my room. “We were just wandering around for a bit.”

  “All right, just wanted to make sure you two were okay.” He gave us both a tiny grin and a small respectful dip of his head that we both returned as we headed past him into my room.

  I set my roses on my dresser before grabbing my pajamas quickly from the drawer and making my way into the bathroom. Pulling off my clothes, I found myself nearly bouncing on my toes. This newfound sensation had me excited to curl in bed with the hopes of having a night terror free, but the sound of Hudson shuffling around in my room had me glancing out the crack in the door. His muscled back shifted and rippled in the lamp light, his jeans slung low on his trim hips as he unbuttoned them. Unable to stop myself, my eyes trailed the curve of his ass and his muscled legs as he slid them off. The surge of heat built as I watched him stand up to fold his jeans.

  Without realizing what I was doing, I opened the bathroom door the rest of the way and leaned against the wood while I waited for him to look over at me. When he did, his lavender eyes flared, dragging slowly down my nearly bare body, lingering on my lacy white bra and matching panties. My face heated, not in embarrassment, but in this sense of empowerment. Right now, it was just my sexy fae and me, and I wanted to fulfill everything promised in his half-lidded gaze.

  “Princess,” he breathed, barely audible even in the quiet room. Taking a step forward, I hit play on my music. One of my jazz songs started playing through the speakers as I made my way over to Hudson. Wanting to sa
vor the moment, I placed my palms on his chest before slowly bringing them up his pecs and neck to tangle in his silky black hair. My gaze roamed up his body until I finally looked him in the eyes and pulled him to me without a second thought.

  The heat from his toned torso brushed against me as his body pressed to me, our lips colliding in a kiss full of passion and fire. His hands gripped my ass roughly, Hudson’s tongue tangling with mine as we deepened the kiss. I couldn’t hold back the moan as he maneuvered my hips to grind against his hard cock. That heat within me built, leaving me breathless as he trailed frantic kisses down my neck until he reached the edge of my bra. Only pausing for a moment, he removed the thin barrier between us before his mouth was back on me, nibbling at the curve of my breast.

  Gripping his hair tighter, I lost myself in his circling tongue as he sucked my sensitive nipple into his mouth. A sharp gasp left my lips when he nibbled just enough to sting, but the slight pain melted as he lapped the stiff peak once more. When Hudson had decided my chest had received enough attention, he worked his way down my stomach until he sank onto his knees. My arm shot out to brace myself against the wall when his tongue darted out, barely licking the edge of my panties. He continued to tease over the lace with the lightest brush of his tongue across my throbbing clit to the other edge of my underwear.

  Wanting more, I pulled his head closer, and when he realized I didn’t want teasing— that I wanted his mouth on me—he fused his mouth to my pussy. Circling his tongue, he shifted the lace around on my sensitive skin. The rub of fabric had me shaking, the roughness of the material mixed with his hot kisses pushing me closer to that edge, but I wanted his mouth on me utterly and completely. For his tongue to circle, dip, and fuck my aching pussy without my panties in the way.

  As if he read my mind, his fingers hooked into the waist of my underwear and pulled them down and off my legs where he left them discarded on the ground. Before returning his attention to me, Hudson maneuvered my right leg up onto the bed. Knuckles circled my slick entrance, only stopping when he licked my juices from my swollen lips. Stars burst in front of my eyes and they rolled back, fire burning me from the inside out as he seemed to do exactly what I wanted when I wanted.

  “Oh, fu—” I didn’t even get my words out as my orgasm slammed down on me. Hudson’s expertly swirling tongue continued its ministrations until the aftershocks subsided and I was only still standing because of his support on my legs and hips.

  Suddenly, he stood and picked me up with ease before depositing me in the middle of my bed. Nestling himself between my thighs, he rocked his hips and his cock rubbed over my pussy dragging a low moan from me. I was coming apart against my sheets without him even being inside me, his hips rolling in a steady pace in just the right spot on my clit, causing my climax to build once more.

  “Are you ready for me to fuck you, Princess?” he whispered roughly in my ear, his fingers running through my hair until he held my head steady.

  “Please,” I begged, almost whimpering to feel him inside me. At my plea, he pulled his hips back enough to line up. The head of his cock pressed had into my entrance when he stopped.

  “If you want a condom, Princess, you have to tell me now,” he murmured, shaking as he held himself back from sliding home.

  “I’m on the pill,” I whispered, hooking my legs over his hips and pulling him into me. Goosebumps raised on my skin as he pushed in slowly, the sensation of being stretched rippling through me in a wave of delicious need. Hudson didn’t wait until he was seated fully before pulling out, the crown of his thick head passing over my entrance. I couldn’t stop the slight whimper at his retreat, but before I could direct him forward he slammed in to the hilt.

  “Hudson,” I moaned, the sound mixing with his hips meeting mine in a slow but deliberate pace. Without ever picking up the speed of his thrusts, my release grew in a wave of near painful tingles, and when he started moving harder, I came apart in his arms.

  “That’s right, Princess, come for me.” His heated whispers filled my ears, making me tremble as another aftershock flooded by body.

  “I want to taste you,” I murmured, rubbing my palms down his muscled back. With a scrunched brow, he shifted back before sliding out. Sitting up, I pushed him back enough to drop to my knees like he had. My hand wrapped around him, his cock slick with my arousal, before taking him into my mouth as deep as I could.

  Power filtered through me at his moans and the look of pure pleasure on his face as I bobbed my head. That freeing feeling from earlier, mixed with a the surge of confidence, pushed me on until I was able to nearly take him completely in with each pass.

  “Lucie, I’m going to come.” His words were breathy and broken, as if he could barely get them out. I sucked, my cheeks hollowing around him, and that was the final straw. His cock twitched, and several spurts of his cum shot into my mouth. Waiting until he finished, I rubbed him with the hand that still wrapped around his length. I swallowed quickly before standing. “Holy shit.” I couldn’t stop my laugh at his dumbfounded expression.

  “What?” I shrugged, unsure why he was looking at me like that. “I wanted to return the favor.”

  “It was amazing is what.” He chuckled, coming out of his surprised stupor to wrap me in his arms. “Although, Dante is going to have my ass in the morning for keeping you up so damn late.”

  “Oops?” I sassed with a smile. Hudson kissed me passionately, a bright smile appearing as he pulled back.

  “Let’s get into bed, Princess. Actually into bed. For sleeping,” he prodded with a light poke in the side, as if to blame me for our extra plans.

  “I would never seduce you when we should be sleeping.” I flashed puppy dog eyes that made him laugh once more, and with that we crawled into my bed. Curled against him, I fell into a deep, dreamless sleep for the first time in a long while.

  14

  November 21st

  Wednesday Midday

  Lucienne

  “I got it done at least!” Elijah balked, his eyes widening as he stared at Sadie who was pointing at him with a sparkly fingernail. I rolled my eyes as I took another bite of my burger. They had been going back and forth for the last ten minutes on the importance of getting homework done, the same thing they had argued about in the library last week. Or anytime they were together, I mentally grumbled.

  “Yeah! Literally the minute before class started!” Sadie shrieked, her loud voice catching the attention of tables around us.

  “Sades, babe,” Benji started, his quiet voice directed at my huffing roommate. “Dial it back about five notches, I don’t want to get yelled at for disturbing the peace or whatever.” She scoffed in response before turning to me.

  “Whatev, Eli. Fail for all I care.” I choked on my burger when I tried to laugh with the bite still in my mouth. Gabe hit my back a few times as I coughed up a lung. “You good?” Sadie asked with a tiny smile, chuckling at my reddened face as I nodded. “Good, what are your plans for Thanksgiving?”

  “Charlie’s going to pick me up, and we’re going to have our usual family get together on Saturday,” I explained after taking a large drink of water.

  “Don’t you guys do something on Thursday?” Benji asked, his light brown eyes fixed on me. I shook my head, picking at the fries on my tray.

  “No, Charlie’s dad usually has rotations at the hospital that day, and this year Char’s working, so it makes sense to have it on Saturday. Also helps my mom get time to make cookies for it since she usually gets a big order for Thanksgiving from a few of her repeat customers.” Heads nodded around the table at my explanation. “What about you guys?”

  “I’m not doing anything this year, we’re waiting until winter break,” Sadie responded while she attempted to catch her straw with her mouth, once again forgetting she had hands.

  One of these days, I chuckled.

  “Austin and I are getting together for a date,” Benji cooed, his face wistful as he drifted off thinking about it.

&nb
sp; “We’re going to his house.” Elijah hitched a thumb over at Gabe. “My family doesn’t really do much for Thanksgiving, we celebrate Samhain and Yule more. But I’ll celebrate if it gives me a chance to scarf down some of his family’s cooking.” Laughter greeted his admission, and when Gabe opened his mouth to say something, he was cut off by a familiar nasally voice.

  “Oh great,” Khloe sneered looking over at us, her eyes focusing on me. The rest of the Bitch Crew stepped up around her, holding matching containers of depressing premade salad in their hands.

  I sighed. Here we go.

  “What?” Sadie scoffed, her eyes rolling at Khloe’s dramatics. “We’re in the middle of eating, if you don’t mind.”

  “Yeah, maybe it was good we interrupted,” Madison’s twang filled with snark as she eyed Sadie’s body, a cruel smirk curling her lips as she turned her attention to Sadie’s face.

  Oh, hell no. I ground my teeth at the nerve of these bitches.

  “Fuck off,” Elijah cut in before I could say what was on my mind. “Everyone knows a little extra to hold onto in bed is the best.” He threw a wink, receiving a grateful smile in return.

  “Well if that’s the case, then I don’t see why anyone is with this skeleton. No one would want to fuck a stick.” Brittney waved a manicured hand toward me, but it was my turn to smirk.

  “Hudson and Dante seem to love it,” I remarked, a slight smug smile taking over my face. My friends whooped and hollered at my statement while the Bitch Crew gasped, horror masking their features. Don’t sink to their level, Lucie, I reminded myself. But I had to admit that it felt good to put them in their place even for just a minute.

  “Why are you here?” Gabe demanded. His face was hard as he stared at them, and his fist tightened around his silverware. “Clearly you aren’t welcome at our table.” I nudged his leg under the table with my foot, his grip loosening at my touch.