Breath We Take (Cuffed By Love Duet Book 1)

by Amanda Kaitlyn

  So eager.

  So mine.

  “Please, baby. I need…”

  “What do you need, Darlin’?”

  Her mouth parted from mine and her breath came out in heavy, exaggerated sighs, telling of how I was teasing her.

  “I need to cu-”

  She didn’t get the chance to finish her dirty words, because I chose that moment to bury myself, to the hilt inside of her, pressing against the swollen bundle of nerves of her clit, not needing one more second to tease her with the orgasm she wanted so badly.

  I needed to feel her fucking come for me.

  Now.

  “Oh!”

  “Yeah, sweet girl. Give it to me. Come all over me.”

  And she did.

  Chapter Thirty Three

  Emberly

  MY BODY WAS still buzzing from the intensity of his love making as Hudson gently pulled out of me, his mouth leaving a lingering kiss over my closed eyes before I felt him move off of the bed; most likely toward the bathroom to throw away the condom. I stretched, then, feeling exquisitely and undeniably sated, a deep, aching reminder resonating between my legs only added to the after glow I always felt after he loved me.

  My sweet, over protective, beautiful man.

  God, I loved him.

  “Shit, Emberly. Why didn’t you tell me?”

  A deep, roughened voice pulled me from my joyful thoughts and I frowned, opening my eyes to see Hudson leaning against the wall at the foot of the bed, an agitated hand tearing through his dark brown hair and a line of anger hardening his full lips. I sat up against the headboard, curling my arms around myself as a slight chill slid over my skin. What was wrong?

  “Tell you what?”

  He moved closer, taking a seat on the bedspread next to me before he lifted a large hand to cup one of my breasts, his cracked fingertips ghosting over my nipple as he spoke.

  “I was rough with you, baby.”

  My mind immediately rebelled against the thought of it and I shook my head, letting my eyes move from his pale blue irises to my chest, where I noticed a few deeply red, bite-marks littering my otherwise pale skin. And I smiled.

  He was so possessive of me, so viral and fierce and loving.

  And I loved him that way.

  I’d spent so much of my life feeling unloved, unwanted; alone in every sense of the word. I loved that he didn’t let a moment go by without showing me, in some way; how he felt for me.

  How he’d felt for me, all along.

  He loved me.

  With everything he was.

  I wouldn’t want him any other way, he had to know that.

  Right?

  I got up from my spot on the bed, moving quickly into his lap before he could protest and as I cupped his cheeks, I looked into his now dark eyes, filled with self loathing and doubt and I hated seeing those emotions marring his face.

  “I love you, Hudson Lennox. Anyway I can get you. Gentle and sweet; rough and intense. It’s all the same for me because I’ll take you no matter what. If I didn’t like what we did together, I would have told you. Okay?”

  His mouth moved, his hard lined, angular jaw working yet no words came out.

  He wasn’t letting it go, I realized.

  “Hud,” I moved in, uncaring of whether he wanted to distance himself, to punish himself for something I would do with him, again and again.

  My mouth brushed over his and I licked against him, begging him with my kiss for him to stop; to let me in. And I swear to God, my soul soared as he did. The feeling of one of hands cupping the back of my head preludes to the hard press of his mouth over mine, capturing and searing and burning and loving me and I let him. God, do I let him.

  Gentle and rough, it didn’t matter to me.

  Because it was Hudson.

  My Hudson.

  “Sorry, Darlin’. I lost my head.” His words imprinted my lips and I nodded, or at least, I thought I did. I was losing my head in an entirely different way, losing myself in the heat of his tongue as it glided over mine. In the bruising yet oh so soft way he kissed me. In the subtle brush of his stubble against my still singeing skin.

  “I know. But, I love you. Remember that. There’s nothing you could do that would change that. And if there was, I’d forgive you, anyway.”

  His smile rocked me to my core and I corded my fingers through his hair, loving the way he held me, adored me.

  I never wanted to live without it.

  “When can we get married?”

  His mouth moved away from my throat at my blurted question, but I didn’t regret it. I felt a sudden urgency to seal the deal, to marry this wonderful, crazy man I knew I couldn’t live without.

  He was everything I wanted and nothing I would have ever expected.

  The knowledge of that only made the reality of us, sweeter.

  “Whenever you want.”

  “No, a date, Hud. I want to set a date.”

  An amused grin spreads over his face as he looks down at me, lowering his head until our foreheads press together; as one.

  “I’d marry you tomorrow, in jeans and a tee shirt, Darlin’.”

  I frown at his answer, wanting so much more for us.

  I wanted the big event.

  Family.

  Friends.

  A dress in white and him in a suit and tie.

  “I’m not getting married in jeans.”

  The chuckle he lets loose curls through me like the warmest embrace and I smile, leaning into his thick, muscled arms and the effortless way he holds me.

  “Well, it normally takes at-least a year to plan a big one, baby. You want us to wait that long?”

  A shudder runs through me at the thought and I rebel against it.

  “God, no. Six months, that’s all I’m willing to wait.”

  “So, Christmas?”

  I smile, liking the idea of a holiday wedding. Most of his family will be coming in for Christmas, anyways and I know he’ll want them there.

  I want to give him that and more.

  Smiling wide, I nodded, leaning in to brush my lips over his as I mutter my agreement.

  “Christmas.”

  Chapter Thirty Four

  Emberly

  THE LARGE HOUSE came into view and I gasped, my eyes widening at the estate-like grounds that housed a three story home painted a rosy pink color, the matching window shutters and double, glass pane doors giving the place an unexpectedly quaint feel. I heard the deep sound of Hudson chuckling from beside me, but I couldn’t take my eyes away from the car window while he neared the driveway housing an expansive garage that most likely fit three or maybe, four vehicles.

  “This isn’t-”

  “Baby, it’s not that big.”

  My eyes narrowed as they moved from the house to Hudson’s amused, blues and I frowned.

  No wonder I hadn’t met his parents before now.

  They would have most definitely scared me away.

  “Did you grow up here? This is…”

  “Nah. We lived a few towns over in Haven. We moved here when I was a teenager.”

  He threw me one of those sweeping, disarming smiles he often had before he climbed out and moved around the hood, all the while running a hand through his hair in that sexy way of his. Squeezing my legs together in an effort to ebb the sparks of sudden lust I was feeling, I took one deep, cleansing breath before I took his hand and let him pull me from the truck.

  “It’s just unexpected. I didn’t imagine this when I thought about meeting them today.” I twisted my fingers in front of me and looked down, unsure if my simple black jeans and flannel mid sleeve shirt was okay to wear to meet his parents. I knew how important first impressions were and if they didn’t like me…

  “Stop thinking, Emberly. They are going to love you.”

  “I didn’t exactly dress up or anything. What if…”

  I didn’t get to finish my sentence before Hudson dove for me, his mouth ravishing my own as it crashed o
ver mine; sending my body into a sudden myriad of sensations, my breath swept away by the hungry rasp of his teeth over my swollen lips and the flick of his expert tongue as it met with mine.

  My hands grappled for traction as they cinched into his dark hair, threading through its strands and I swayed against him, needing the stability of his thick, muscular arms that bound my waist and the reassurance of his kiss.

  “You’re my woman. My world. My soon to be wife. They. Will. Love. You.”

  Each word was blunted by a soft kiss on my neck, the line of my jaw, even the tip of my nose.

  Oh, how he could swoon me, this man.

  “Is that her?”

  The voice came from behind us and sucking in another cleansing breath, I let Hudson’s strong, steady hands turn me around to face the music.

  “Oh, honey! She’s beautiful.”

  I was grateful for his hold on me as I listened to his parents approach and could feel Hudson shaking with silent laughter at his mothers appraisal of me.

  “She better know how to cook. I wouldn’t want him going hungry like…”

  “I feed you just fine, Robert!”

  A tall, older man with salt and pepper hair and broad shoulders, just like my Hudson’s leaned his head back and laughed; low and hearty and deep.

  He must be his father.

  “Home made pasta and canned sauce is not just fine, woman. A man needs meat. Steak. Pork. Chicken. How am I supposed to protect you when I’m old and gray if I don’t have proper nourishment?”

  An annoyed sigh was the only response I heard and I bit my lip to stop the giggle that wanted to escape. After seeing the house, the expanse of land, the garage-

  I wasn’t expecting this.

  They were normal, whatever that was.

  And it was wonderful.

  “You’re ridiculous. I’m committing you, I swear…”

  “When was the last time you made me meat, June?”

  His terse reply was filled with amusement and affection, reminding me of how Hudson would tease me whenever I was having a bad day.

  It was his way of lifting my spirits, even before we’d been a thing.

  It seemed to me that he’d gotten that from this man, his father.

  “Last Friday.” Another sigh, this time from Robert and the arch of his brows said it all.

  He was teasing her.

  “Ah! That was last week, babe. I’ll be skin and bones before you know it.”

  His eyes landed on mine as he smiled at his wife and they sparkled with warmth, the tepid, blue color near identical to the man I loved and I smiled as his parents continued to banter, back and forth, as if I wasn’t standing there at all.

  They were trying to make me feel at ease, welcoming me into the fold of their family without a second thought and I was stunned because I’d never felt acceptance like that before.

  Family had always came with ulterior motives and agendas for me.

  But this, this was what family was truly about.

  Love.

  Laughter.

  Easy.

  And now, I’d be a part of one, like I’d always wanted.

  I felt the stinging of moisture in my eyes as I watched his father roll his eyes at his mother who threw up her hands at him as if he was crazy.

  He probably was if he was anything like the man behind me.

  “For God’s sake, Ma, you’re scaring my bride to be.”

  Hudson’s voice boomed through the warm, Texas air and it was like time froze.

  You could have heard a pin drop for how silent it was.

  And then I heard Daniels deep, rich laughter again followed by the sound of his wife slapping him on the arm.

  “Go inside and start the salad. You’re annoying the heck out of me, you silly man!” Her hands were on her hips, her long, brown hair sweeping over her slender shoulders as she stood there waiting for him to follow her orders.

  From watching them I could see that Hudson’s father was the type of man that valued family above all else and used humor to lighten the deeper moments of life

  I knew from what Hudson had told me of his parents that his mother stayed home to raise him from the day he was born. Retiring with a small pension from the law firm she’d worked for before her pregnancy, she’d never gone back to work after he was in school, choosing instead to be there for every moment of his life, even the small ones. While she’d stayed home, his father wore a badge and shield, risking his life every day in order to keep those around him safe. Just like his father, he chose to help people above all else and passed those morals on to his son as he followed in his footsteps.

  I craned my neck to look up into the clear, blue eyes of the man holding me and found that he was already looking at me.

  It didn’t matter what I was doing or who I was talking to, Hudson always had his eyes on me.

  Always the protector.

  “Emberly?”

  I begrudgingly moved my focus back to his mother, now standing a few feet away from me, with her hands outstretched and I smiled softly, hoping she didn’t see the nerves that were flowing through me now that I was finally meeting her.

  There was so much I wanted to say, to do. Now that she was in front of me, though, I couldn’t think of them all. So I just stepped closer, grasped her hands in my own and told her what was in my heart.

  “He’s everything to me.”

  Her sharp intake of breath was audible and she pressed her hand over her mouth for a minute, her brown eyes wide with understanding and awe.

  “That is all I could ever ask for.”

  She said and I heard her voice tremble as she spoke, as if she was just as nervous for this moment as I was.

  Was that even possible?

  I didn’t get to think much more on it before she pulled me gently, into her arms and rested her cheek against mine, just holding me. The warmth of her embrace was that of a mothers; one I didn’t know I needed until it happened.

  “Thank you for loving my son. He’s my only child and I’ve worried that he wouldn’t find what I now see you both have. It’s beautiful, as you are. I couldn’t have asked for more from the woman he loves.”

  Don’t cry, don’t cry.

  I chanted to myself in my own head, not trusting my voice as her words registered and instead nodded against her shoulder, relief spreading through my limbs as she hugged me just a bit tighter.

  “I didn’t expect him. He was a curve ball I never saw coming but I love him. More than I can express, honestly. I wish I knew how to show him, but I’ll spend the rest of my life trying.” My voice was shaky, I’d expected it to be.

  But she didn’t let go of me, only leaning away from me in order to see my face.

  “Trust me, Emberly. He knows.”

  ***

  “Thank god,” Robert said around a bite of the chicken courdon bleu I’d made us for dinner. On his insistence, I’d joined June in the kitchen to make the men a special meal to celebrate our engagement. From the appreciative look in his eyes, I was pretty sure he was liking what we’d made.

  “She can cook!” He boomed, raising a fist into the air as he took yet another bite. I smiled, widely around a giggle I failed to cover with the back of my hand and turned my gaze back to Hudson’s which was filled with warm amusement.

  The guilt and anger that I’d seen in his eyes for the past few weeks was long gone, now.

  How had we gotten here?

  I honestly didn’t know but God, was I grateful for it.

  The haunting darkness that followed me after leaving home and all of the pain that went along with it was nothing but a memory and though there were moments when I doubted my worth, I had this amazing man by my side to remind me what we had; what he’d never lost sight of.

  We faced so much and somehow came through it all.

  Together and stronger than ever.

  “What are you thinking about, baby? I can see those gears turning.”

  “I’ve never had this.�
�� I said, my voice little more than a murmur.

  “What’s that?” The rugged touch of his thumb brushing the rose of my cheek warmed my chest and I leaned closer, pressing my face into his palm as he caressed me; both gently and assuredly.

  “A family like this. I never thought it could be so easy, so good.”

  I pressed a grateful kiss to his hand, nestling my cheek deeper into the skin before I let my shoulders shake lightly in a slight, shrug, hoping he understood what I was trying to say.

  “I know its new for you, but it’s all yours. What is mine is yours, now.”

  My heart sung within its chambers at the underlying meaning of his words and I smiled, nodding my head before wrapping my arms tightly around his neck and just holding him, needing the contact to know the moment we shared was real. I knew it was.

  The way I felt for this man was so, very real.

  Real, beautiful, meaningful. And I was so lucky.

  “Thank you.” I mumbled once I’d found my voice again and felt the wide set of his grin against my hair before his thick, strong arms tightened their hold around my waist. Never letting go, never losing his grasp.

  “For what?” His lips brushed over my ear, sending shivers of needful lust down my spine. I rested my back against his chest, laced my fingers with his and tipped my face back to meet his curious, blue eyes.

  “For giving me this. Love. Life. Family. I’ll never take it for granted.”

  With the buffer of his parents easy chatter and the steady, never wavering beat of Hudson’s heart next to my ear, I felt content and safe; in the way I always felt with him.

  Nothing could hurt me because he wouldn’t stand for it and I loved the security he gave me, without question.

  Did I give him the same?

  I really hoped so.

  “You don’t ever have to thank me, Darlin’. You’re my world, now.”

  I lifted my lips to his, kissing him with all of the love I felt then, knowing these feelings I felt for him would only grow.

  “I love you, Hudson. So much.”

  He grinned against my kiss, biting gently at my lower lip before pulling away with another soft, reverent kiss on the side of my mouth.

  “I love you, too, Emberly. I’ll never stop.”