Georgia-Blue & Hudson (Stoney Creek #5)

Chapter 24

24

Hudson

When I arrive home, I sling my bag in the doorway, immediately heading over to my dad’s place. I need to catch up with him and get Moses since he’s been looking after him while I’ve been away.

Dad smiles when he sees me. “Son.” He gives me a big pound hug, thumping me on the back. He was never much of a hugger growing up but he’s softened in his old age.

“Hey Dad, how’s things?”

“Nothin’ much new in the five days you’ve been gone.”

I chuckle as Moses saunters out from his post by the window in the sun. He sidles up to me and I reach down to pick him up, snuggling him in close. “You been behaving, little guy?”

Dad laughs. “You know Moses, he’s on his own clock. And he’s been sleeping on my bed.”

I scratch under his chin andhe purrs appreciatively. “Good boy keeping Grandpa company.”

Dad does what he always does: goes and fills up the copper teapot and lights the stove.

“He’s no trouble,” Dad says. “How was Florida?”

“Ah, you know weddings.” I wave it off as I help find the cups one handed while Moses snuggles into my chest.

“How was Georgia?”

I bristle at the sound of her name, but it was always going to come up.

I only just dropped her home half an hour ago and already I can’t stop thinking about her. I don’t mean to do that, but boy, no one has any idea how good Georgia and I were this weekend except us. “She was good.”

“She didn’t drive you too crazy? I know how you two can be.”

I balk. “It’s Georgia-Blue we’re talking about.” I string it out by telling him about the beach and the wedding and us hanging around the pool, avoiding the parts I don’t think he’d appreciate.

I also skip over the fact we spent the remaining days mostly in bed together and saw very little of Tampa, except for the resort grounds, a few shops and the beach.

I’m still in some kind of orbit when I think about taking her virginity.

I don’t even want to think about me and any other women, but I know I have to push aside what I’m feeling for Georgia and the fact that if I had it my way, and we were free to do what we wanted, I’d make her mine. Period.

I grind my teeth when I think about her with another man, disappointed I didn’t punch that asshole in the face when I had the chance.

Leaving her just now was one of the hardest things I’ve ever had to do and I’ve done some pretty tough shit in my life. I still have to face Grayson, and he’s no doubt going to grill me about the weekend and what Georgia was up to. Now I have to lie, and I really don’t wanna fucking lie. But I also don’t want a black eye.

I run a hand over my face as I place Moses down.

“You sure you’re alright, son?” I didn’t realize Dad was watching me.

“I’m fine, just tired. It’s been a big few days.”

“Why don’t you go rest up after I’ve made the tea and I’ll fix us some dinner tonight, save you cooking.”

That’s like music to my ears, but I know I’m not going to get much sleep even if I did try to take a nap. Not while my body is still humming and my mind is punishing me. “I might just do that.”

I head back to my place not long after, taking Moses with me. I immediately unpack my shit, throwing my clothes into the laundry basket and then take a shower.

My dick hasn’t gone down since she left, so I mean every single motion when I grab it and rub one out. Imagining Georgia looking up at me while she had my dick in her mouth makes me hiss.

I love how she loved watching my length disappear into her tight pussy for the first time, and then every time after.

The way she asked if she was sucking me off right. Like anything she could do would ever be wrong. The only problem is she’s too fucking perfect and we fit together well. Too well.

Even my release doesn’t satisfy me. Nothing can after having her.

I do my best to relax a little on the couch with Moses before I head back to Dad’s for dinner. That simple task also proves difficult. Things feel different without her. My place has been just me and Moses for years and while I’m used to that, it feels even more empty than it was before I left.

Nothing has changed around here but everything inside me has.

I don’t know what’s happening to me or how I’m going to just ignore it. But I need to do something fast because all I can think about is jumping in my truck and banging down the door to see her.

I need to pull myself together. Do what we agreed and be cool.

I look at Moses. “How the fuck am I gonna do this?”

Of course, I never get an answer.

??

Lying to my best friend about what really happened over the Florida weekend is also another thing on my conscience, and it’s going to eat me alive if I let it. Facing him is also just as hard as I thought it was going to be.

I’ve safely avoided the distillery for two days after getting back. Plunging myself into the harvest with my dad, not stopping for a second. I even serviced the tractor when we were finished for the day, because if I stop, I know my mind is going to drive me insane with what ifs.

It’s only when Gray texts me Friday that I know there’s no avoiding it; he wants to catch up with me and his brothers at his place while Hartley meets up with the girls over at Brook and Eden’s.

Apparently the vegetarian pizza over at their place is better than the pizza place in town. That simple thought alone takes me back to GB.

She’ll be over there for sure if all the Bassett women are going with the kids.

Fuck. Is there anywhere in Stoney Creek left where I’m not going to be thinking about my Precious Princess ? Those vivid blue eyes that I can’t get enough of? It’s torture.

It’s been nearly a week since Georgia and I got together, two nights since we got back and I’m skating on the border of insanity and frustration.

I’m not about to tell Gray anything that happened, but facing him is not something I’m looking forward to because I have to lie.

My pizza prayers are at least answered when Brook and I arrive at Gray's at the same time and he’s carrying two large trays of pizza covered in tin foil.

“Something smells good.” I wrap my knuckles on Gray’s front door and don’t wait for him to answer. I turn the knob and push the door open to let Brook inside first.

“You better believe it. I cooked these up before the girls took over the pizza oven and kicked me out.”

“They having a girls' night?” I ask as I follow in behind him.

“Yeah, I hear they’re talking baby names for Hart and Cece and shit like that,” he says as I close the door and Gray looks up from the kitchen counter. Beau and Gabe are both already sitting at the island bench. Awesome, all the fucking Bassett brothers are here at once.

Nothing like choking on my own lies in front of all of them.

“Man of the hour.” Beau smiles as Brook carefully places the trays down on the counter and I think he’s directing that to Brook until I look over at him and realize he’s talking to me.

I swallow and greet him and Gabe with a bro handshake while Gray grabs us a beer from the fridge. “What have I done that’s so special?” I quirk a brow.

“Putting up with Georgia-Blue for five days straight,” Beau continues. “I might be her twin brother and all, but I’m sure you had your work cut out for you.”

“He deserves a medal,” Gabe quips.

They both look at me when I don’t answer. Gray passes me a beer and I knock the top off appreciatively and take a very large pull, buying me precious seconds. “Ah, you guys know Georgia,” I say finally. “Nothin’ I can’t handle.”

Brook sputters a laugh and slaps me on the back. “He’s used to her by now.”

“Well, thank you,” Gray says. “Georgia’s always been impulsive, so her not getting into any trouble for once is a weight off our minds. I think I worry about her more than Mom and Dad.”

“You do know we’re turning twenty-six next month?” Beau offers. “Just sayin’, she’s kinda old enough to do what she wants.”

“You make a good point,” I say, for what reason, I don’t know.

“Even so, it’s normal to worry about her, she has a very naive way of looking at the world,” Gray goes on. “She’s never been anywhere.”

“She is a bit of a dreamer,” Gabe agrees. “Always has her head in the clouds.”

Why the fuck are we standing around suddenly talking about Georgia-Blue and all her charms? We’ve never done that before. It’s like the universe is just here to taunt me now.

I want to chime in and defend her, but guilt pushes all of that down.

I run a hand over the back of my head. What we need is a distraction. Bringing up the upcoming football season and the Titans usually does it. Then again, we’re not all Titan fans so the last thing I wanna do it is get into it over fucking pig skin. We wait for Callan to arrive before starting the poker game and sampling some of Brook’s Moonshine.

To say I feel awkward tonight is the biggest understatement of my life. My palms are sweaty like somehow the men in the room are gonna find out, and that just reminds me exactly how chicken shit I really am.

Every time her name is mentioned, my heart kicks up a thousand notches, and I feel like my chest is caving in. I’m stupid in thinking I could navigate this so casually and actually get away with it. And leaving Georgia like that without any contact? She must think I’m an ass.

“How’s Lily settling in?” I ask Brook when we all take a seat in Gray’s dining area and he’s shuffling the cards. Surely talking about his hobby farm, and the new donkey, is a safe zone.

Brook’s face lights up at the mere mention of her. “She’s doin’ just great, settling in with Sawyer and the other animals. It’s going to take some adjustment, but I think she knows she’s safe now.”

“I’ve thought about rescuing some horses myself,” I say out of nowhere. “We have the old stables from when Snowy was—” I pause because it’s been so long since I said her name. I clear my throat. “Anyway, it’s something I’ve been thinking about for a while.”

“It’s not something you’ll regret,” Brook says. “You know you can come over any time and visit my lot. Misty loves you, you haven’t ridden her in a while.”

“That would be great.”

“You wanna get back into riding again?” Gray asks as he deals the cards.

“Thinking about it.”

“Hey, now that I think about it,” Brook raises a finger suddenly, “Koda was talking about Bucko just before he left to go back to Montana.” The thought of Takoda that day over at Brook’s place makes me bristle, though I know Georgia was just being a brat and had no agenda other than pissing me off by flirting with him.

“Bucko?” I balk.

“Yeah, I mean, you know Koda, he hates the rodeo and anything to do with that kinda shit, no offense.”

I pop a shoulder indifferently. I know he’s a big advocate for helping animals and rehabilitates horses on his own ranch in Montana.

“He heard along the grapevine the farm where Bucko resides was just sold and he’s looking for a new place to live. Either that or—” Brook stops and I stare at him over the table.

“Or what?” They all know I tattooed Bucko on the back of my leg as a testament to not only the fucker himself that almost maimed me, but as a symbol that sometimes life’s biggest scares can be your biggest victory.

Of course, I didn’t feel that way at the time. I was destroyed and physically broken. I blamed that damn bull. But time helped me heal.

I also got to spend the last part of my mom’s time on earth with her, and not on the circuit. I gained a lot more respect for nature, and for the animal that I’d worked so hard to defeat. I saw everything differently when I looked at it from his point of view.

Maybe I became the broody beast like Bucko was. Maybe we’re not so different after all.

“Anyway, neither me nor Koda will let that happen. So, are you interested?” Brook gives me a chin lift.

If there’s one thing that was ever going to get my mind off Georgia for five minutes, then it could only ever be the wild bull, Bucko. In the end he was deemed too dangerous to even be in the rodeo — the last I heard he was living a quiet life just outside of Nashville.

Is it my fucking duty to give him a home? Maybe not, but he’s not going to end up in a slaughterhouse if I have anything to do with it. “I don’t know,” I say as my mind wanders back.

It may seem weird to some, but my interest is piqued.

I’m also reminded of how Georgia snapped me out of that nightmare in Florida when I was reliving my glory days and my accident.

I haven’t had one since. Maybe she chased that demon away once and for all.

When I look up, Gabe is staring at me and Brook like we’ve both gone absolutely crazy. “You’d actually house the bull that nearly killed you?” he says, incredulous. “Are you shitting me?”

“Hey, the bull has to live somewhere,” Beau objects. “Not his fault he got roped into a cruel and outdated sport,” Brook adds.

I side eye him.

“Isn’t that taking it a little far?” Gray says, also looking at me a little strangely. “I mean, could you really face him again? He’s a beast.”

“Fuck knows,” I groan. “But does he deserve to be minced meat?”

“Exactly.” Of course, I have Brook’s vote.

Gray shakes his head. “You really don’t hold any animosity?”

“I guess as I’ve gotten older, I see things a different way than I used to when I was on the circuit.” Well, it’s the truth.

“Well, I can get the details,” Brook says. “We’ve only got a few weeks to get him to a refuge. The unfortunate thing for him is that people don’t like bulls much.”

“Ain’t that the truth.”

“You’re a better man than me.” Callan pats me on the back. “I wouldn’t be going anywhere near him.”

I cock a brow. “Well, sometimes you gotta do the thing that scares you the most. And leaving was the best thing I ever did.”

They all look at me and I clear my throat. I never talk like this, ever. They all know that I’m referring to being able to spend time with my mom, even if I don’t mean to sound so sappy.

Gray keeps his eyes on me as our game starts. “You sure you’re okay, bud?”

“Maybe one too many knocks to the head,” Gabe jibes.

“I’m fine.” I knock back another swig of beer and catch Beau’s slow smile across from me. Something makes me think it’s not about all this Bucko talk. It’s like he knows something.

There’s no way she would have told her twin brother, right? I mean, they’re close, but not close enough that she’d confess this.

But why’s he looking at me like he’s holding the biggest secret to the universe?

Maybe it’s a twin thing? I don’t know how these things work.

The night passes quickly and we have a good time. I still can’t get the thought of Bucko out of my mind and where he’ll end up. It bothers me that he’s in this predicament.

“I meant what I said,” Gray says when we’re calling it a night. “About Georgia.”

I arch an eyebrow. “What about her?”

“Appreciate you keeping an eye on her.” He gives me a hearty thump on the back which I’m fairly certain I don’t deserve.

“It’s nothing,” I say. “Anytime.”

Fuck. Anytime? What the hell is wrong with me?

“You’re volunteering willingly now?” He shakes his head with a chuckle. “What’s gotten into you?”

“Nothing.” I tainted your little sister all damn weekend and she begged me for it, and you’re here acting like I’m a saint.

I’m so going to Hell.

“You know, you’re way more relaxed after going away for a few days,” he says. “Maybe you should do it more often.”

I laugh. If only.

The only problem in that statement being the only place I want to go is wherever Georgia-Blue is.