Epicurean Delights

by Renee Roman

  Hudson set the bottle on the counter without breaking eye contact. “It’s definitely hot.”

  There was no way she was going to trust her voice. She had to think quickly. She rushed over and slapped at Hudson’s stomach.

  “Ow.” Hudson’s hand went to the spot. “What the hell was that for?”

  “Sorry,” she giggled. “I saw a spider crawling on you.”

  Hudson looked around on the floor. “I don’t see anything.” She looked up. “Are you sure you saw a spider?”

  Ari bit her lip and nodded. “It was definitely a bug. It had legs.”

  Hudson checked the floor again.

  She did a serious hunt of her own. “Well, it was there. It probably crawled under something.” Hudson stared at her and pursed her lips. She had all she could do not to laugh at the look on Hudson’s face when she’d smacked her.

  She shrugged. “It’s gone now so you don’t have to worry. I saved you.” She splayed her hands like she was doing magic.

  “Thank you for saving my life. I’m sure I was in mortal danger.”

  “Silly, you weren’t in mortal danger unless you’re allergic. My God, are you allergic? Maybe I should check to make sure it didn’t bite you.” She moved closer, leaning over while pretending to look for a mark. She was totally faking concern, since there’d never been a spider, but if she had any chance of convincing Hudson otherwise, she had to make it look good.

  Hudson’s hand slid over her abdomen. “Ari, relax. I’m not allergic and I’m sure nothing bit me.” She drank the rest of her water and tossed the bottle into the recycle bin.

  Happy to move on to another topic, Ari asked, “Have you picked colors for upstairs?”

  “Yes. That reminds me, I have a receipt for you in my car.”

  She rolled her eyes in mock exasperation. “Great.”

  Hudson frowned. “I could cover the cost if—”

  Ari touched her arm. “I agreed to pay for supplies. I keep my word. I’m catching on to this teasing thing.”

  Hudson looked down and shuffled her feet. “Things change.” Hudson’s breath caught in her chest.

  Ari squeezed her hand. “Hey, what’s going on?”

  She swallowed. “Ghosts.”

  “Must be some pretty relentless ghosts.” Ari nudged her shoulder. “Let’s go get some fresh air and you can give me that receipt.”

  Chapter Thirteen

  Hudson wiped the paint splatters from her arms while admiring her work. All that was left were the faucets in the kitchen and bathroom, and she could move in. After bagging up used newspaper, paintbrushes, rollers, and a bunch of other stuff, she headed out to the trash barrels Ari had bought and stored along the side of the house. A short honk of a car horn brought her head up. Ari waved out her window as she pulled into the driveway.

  “Hi. I didn’t want to scare you by whipping in the driveway,” Ari said with a mischievous grin.

  “So you thought honking wouldn’t?”

  Ari leaned against her car. “Maybe, but at least I wouldn’t be running you over.”

  “True enough.” Hudson scrubbed at a stubborn streak of paint on the back of her hand with the wet rag. Ari reached out and brushed her cheek. The unexpected touch made her freeze. As many reasons she found to not allow her feelings for Ari to surface, she found just as many to stop fighting them. Ari was smart, funny, beautiful, and ambitious. But it was the last one that scared her the most. Pam had been ambitious. Stop. Stop comparing Ari to Pam. It wasn’t fair to Ari and it didn’t do her any good either. The past, for whatever it was worth, was over. It was time—past time—to move on. And she would keep telling herself that until she believed it.

  “You missed a spot.” Ari took the rag from her hand and gently wiped at it. “There. All clean.”

  Hudson knew Ari had a good heart. The only question was if she dared to trust it. She thought about how vulnerable she was when she took someone at face value.

  “Earth to Hudson?” Ari’s voice interrupted her internal reflection.

  “Sorry,” she mumbled.

  “It wasn’t those pesky ghosts again, was it? Because if it was, I would consider doing a cleansing before you move in.”

  “It wasn’t ghosts, so we’re good. I was thinking about when I could bring my things.”

  Ari reached into the backseat and pulled out bulging gym bags. She slung a couple over one shoulder and hefted the others. “Does that mean it’s done?”

  “Pretty much. Just the faucets left to install. I can do them before I head out.” She reached for a couple of the bags.

  “Thanks,” Ari said. “I’d love to see it.”

  Hudson dropped the bags just inside the door. “Would you mind waiting until I’m moved in?” She knew it was silly. Ari was her landlord. But she wanted Ari to not see just the space, but her things in the space. Right now, it was an empty shell, reminiscent of her life. This was the fresh start she’d been searching for and wanted Ari to be a part of it.

  “Of course.”

  Hudson nodded. “I need to do some shopping. I didn’t bring a lot with me when…” Her breath caught in her chest. The reason she had next to nothing was because her ex had kept almost everything they’d purchased together. The word “ex” was a revelation unto itself. Maybe she really was moving on since she’d started thinking about Pam as an ex. She shook her head to clear the images.

  “I want some new furniture for my new place.”

  “You work hard, Hudson. You deserve nice things in your home.” Ari grabbed two of her bags and headed to her bedroom.

  “Where do you want these?” she asked.

  “In the den,” Ari said over her shoulder.

  Hudson set the bags on the floor next to the futon. The room had turned out better than she’d hoped. Ari’s secretary desk looked like it had been made for the space and the vintage library bookcase was the perfect match. Light streamed in, casting a soft glow over the oak hardwood floors, and she was glad she’d had them sanded, stained, and polished.

  “The room looks great.”

  “It was fun. This is the first time in my life I’ve been able to do what I wanted.” Ari admired the pictures she’d hung, amazed at how good they looked. “Would you like to stay for coffee? I made blueberry muffins last night.”

  “You know it’s not fair to coerce me with food. I have no willpower.”

  “Does that mean yes?”

  Hudson looked at her watch. “Sure. Let me run up and put in one of the faucets while the coffee brews, then I won’t feel like I’m goofing off.”

  “Honestly? That’s the last thing you have to worry about,” Ari teased her. When she headed to the back door, she stopped her. “No need to go around. You can use this door.” Ari pointed to the one connecting the first floor with the apartment.

  “I don’t mind. It’s not an emergency.” She didn’t want Ari to be concerned about her using it even though she didn’t lock the door at the top of the stairs. “Give me fifteen.”

  * * *

  Ari set her cup down. “I can’t understand why I haven’t gotten the bill from the floor guys. I need to know how much wiggle room I have.” She had a budget to stick to, and having outstanding bills made it hard to plan. When she looked up, Hudson had a guilty expression.

  “Uh…yeah, about that. You won’t be seeing one.” Hudson parted her lips and placed a small piece of muffin in her mouth. She swallowed hard enough to cause a click.

  “What do you mean?”

  “I paid for the final refinishing.” Hudson sat back and pointed to the plate of muffins. “These are really good.”

  “You did what?” Ari asked. Why would she pay for the floors in my home?

  Hudson leaned forward. “It’s my way of showing you how much I appreciate you offering me the apartment and letting me have my way with decorating.” She splayed her hands in the air. “Surprise!”

  “I thought we had an agreement? Or did you knock yourself in the head and dev
elop amnesia?”

  Hudson smirked. “We did, and we still do. Does that mean I can’t show my appreciation?”

  “No, but…” Ari began.

  Hudson’s hand closed over hers. “Please?”

  Ari studied the pleading green-tinged gray eyes staring back at her. Hudson had done so much already she was about to argue the point but, like her, Hudson didn’t seem the type to take advantage, and she admired her for that. Hudson squeezed her hand again.

  “Okay, for this one time. There better not be another.” She put her hand over their joined ones. “Promise me?”

  “All good.”

  Ari tugged. “Promise?”

  “Gee, you drive a hard bargain, woman.” Hudson rolled her eyes. “Promise.” She glanced at the clock over the sink. “I hate to eat and run, but I need to finish upstairs before calling it a day.” She took her cup and plate to the sink, and then turned back, rubbing her stomach. “If you keep inviting me to sample your cooking I’m going to need to work out more.”

  “I doubt it. From what I can tell there’s not an ounce of fat on you.” Ari cringed. I can’t believe I said that.

  “Good to know my efforts pay off,” Hudson said. She hesitated as though she wanted to say more. “Enjoy your night, Ari. I’ll see you tomorrow.”

  Ari dropped her cup in the sink with such force it was a miracle it didn’t shatter. She had no excuse for blurting out how she’d checked out Hudson’s body.

  “Not like I haven’t been caught more than once,” she mumbled.

  Maybe Hudson knowing she found her attractive wasn’t such a bad thing. Ari tried to be a good person and considerate of other people’s feelings. Others told her she was pretty even when she was adamant about her many flaws. And although she hadn’t done a lot of it since focusing all her energy on opening her business, she did like to have fun.

  For the last six years, she’d been convinced she would never find the one thing she didn’t have. Love. Her father had stripped away the comfort and reassurances of his love when she was vulnerable and needed it the most. It had taken Kara and Chelsea, her two besties, to convince her she could have everything she wanted in life—including love. She hadn’t given it much thought, until recently. Love had always been last in the scheme of things. There had never been anyone like Hudson. She lost all focus whenever they were together and her libido had a mind of its own. No amount of self-chastising had tempered her feelings. If it were not for the instances Hudson pulled back, they probably would have shared more than coffee by now.

  Which brought another disturbing point to the forefront. Someone had hurt Hudson. Deep inside. Enough that she recoiled at the mention of emotions and relationships. If it was true she was haunted by ghosts from her past, what kind of a future, if any, did they have? Would Ari be able to prove she was worth trusting? Did she even want to try?

  Ari didn’t want to think about the what-ifs anymore. She wrapped two of the muffins and put them on a plate. She set them on the side stairs and hoped Hudson would see them when she left for the night. As she fixed the coffee pot for morning, she heard her light footfalls overhead. It was comforting to know there was someone else in the big house, and she was looking forward to hearing it on a regular basis. She’d only been sleeping in her bedroom for a few nights, and it was eerily quiet, making her long for sounds of life. She hadn’t been scared, but the lonely feeling was hard to shake.

  It was still early and she knew sleep wouldn’t come easy. She settled on the couch, her legs tucked under her, and flicked through channels. The warm breeze from the open windows caressed her skin, and she closed her eyes. The creaking of stairs brought her out of the trance and she heard a faint “thank you” before the door shut. The empty space of her heart filled with tenderness. Whatever lay ahead for them, only time would tell. For now, she was content with their friendship. She knew how to handle friendships. It was the only kind of relationship she had experience with. She wasn’t sure she wanted more.

  * * *

  Coffee sloshed over the edge of the mug Ari held. A horrific bang had shaken the house.

  “What in the hell…?” It sounded like it had come from the garage. She looked out the window. Hudson’s SUV was pulled up near the back door and the hatch was open.

  Shit. I hope she’s not hurt. Her heart pounded as she scrambled toward the back door.

  There was Hudson, sitting on a step, wedged between the wall and a huge dresser that was leaning on her shoulder.

  “Are you okay?”

  “Oh, hi. In case I forgot to tell you, it’s moving day.” Hudson grunted and the dresser tipped a fraction to the right.

  “Don’t move. I don’t have renter’s insurance yet, and I’ll be really pissed if you get hurt.”

  Hudson’s chuckle gave her a smidgeon of relief. “What can I do to help?”

  “If you can pull it up a couple inches, I can stand and push it from here.”

  “Hang on.” Ari rushed inside and ran up the apartment stairs, praying Hudson’s door was unlocked. She almost shouted when it swung in. The top of the dresser blocked all but a triangle of blue cotton.

  “Ari?”

  “I’m here.” Ari could hear the desperation in Hudson’s voice. “Okay. I’ll count to three.” She leaned against the wall for leverage and grabbed the drawer opening. She had no idea if it was as heavy as it looked, but she was determined to get the weight off Hudson. “One, two, three.” She groaned and pulled with everything she had.

  Below her, Hudson let out a moan before the dresser straightened and then leveled out. “I’ve got it.” Hudson peered around the edge.

  “What’s the plan?”

  “Can you guide it while I push?” Hudson asked.

  Ari adjusted her footing, her arms and back straining from the odd angle, but she refused to let it slide back down. “Ready when you are.”

  It wasn’t long before the dresser rested on the landing. Ari felt a wave of relief.

  Hudson looked embarrassed. “Thanks. I lost track of how many steps there were and stumbled.” Her cheeks were flushed.

  Ari’s first concern was Hudson, but she couldn’t check for injuries with the dresser between them.

  “Let’s get this inside.”

  “There’s a moving blanket in the kitchen. Can you tuck it under the edge? I don’t want to scratch the wood floors,” Hudson said.

  She folded it on the floor and shoved it under when Hudson tipped the end of the dresser. They pushed it to the bedroom and stood it upright. Hudson wiped her face with the edge of her T-shirt, her stomach muscles heaving. Ari turned her head, afraid she’d give away what she was thinking. She tapped her fingers on top of the dresser.

  “Are you done trying stunts for today?”

  Hudson nodded and laughed. The sound of laughter, a pleasant distraction. She wished she heard it more.

  “For today anyway. I wanted to start sleeping here tonight. The movers are coming tomorrow with the rest from storage.”

  Ari stepped closer, her hands running up Hudson’s arms. Muscles twitched beneath her fingertips. She licked her lips as Hudson’s full mouth came into view. They looked incredibly soft. Fighting the increasing desire to touch them, kiss them, and feel them, Ari pushed her away. “Turn around.”

  Hudson resisted. “Why?”

  “Because the dresser was on your shoulder and I want to be sure you’re not hurt.”

  “I’m fine.”

  Ari pursed her lips.

  Sighing, Hudson faced away. Ari lifted the edge of the T-shirt, looking at Hudson’s back for any signs of trauma. The higher the material rose, the more skin became exposed. Ari marveled at her finely sculptured back, parts of which were still hidden under a sports bra.

  “Cross your arms in front.” She moved out of the light and gasped. Hudson’s right shoulder had a large welt and displayed an angry red mark that would soon turn into a bruise. She was afraid there was more damage than she could see.

  “W
hat?” Hudson asked.

  “You have a big knot that’s starting to bruise.” Ari lightly palpated the area and Hudson pulled away. “Does that hurt?”

  “It’s tender. I’m sure it’s fine.” Hudson rotated her shoulder and then her arm. “See. All good.”

  Hudson turned back around. “Thank you.” She brushed Ari’s cheek with her fingertips. Her thumb traveled along the jawline, where it lingered. Ari sucked in a ragged breath.

  Hudson leaned in and then suddenly backed away, as though she had gotten too close to a flame. “I have to finish unloading.” She fled out the door.

  Ari touched her lips. Did Hudson just almost kiss me? She had been convinced she was going to. Just before their lips met, she saw the terror in Hudson’s eyes, but there had also been a silent plea in them. What had frightened her? Had she been too willing? Did Hudson have second thoughts and the brush of their lips only happened by accident? Was the ghost back to haunt her, and if so, would Hudson ever be able to overcome the obvious battle of wills?

  Shaking her head, she let out a shaky sigh. The heat of the moment was over for the time being and there wasn’t anything she could do or say to bring it back.

  * * *

  The skin was silky smooth beneath Hudson’s fingers. She glanced at the slightly parted pink lips and fell into Ari’s questioning eyes. She wanted to kiss her so badly. The two warring sides, her heart and mind, fought for control. She wanted to love and to be loved again. Terror gripped her heart, squeezing so hard she knew she would die if she didn’t do something. Say something. The opportunity was slipping away. These were the times of fairy tales. The stuff dreams were made of. Pushing aside all reasoning, she leaned closer and looked at Ari’s waiting lips one more time. At the last possible second, she lost her nerve, and the resulting barely-there kiss was feeble. It was the best she could do.