Relinquish(63)

Hudson smirks and gives a small nod. “He did.” He chuckles.

I wince at my thoughts. No Landon. Who cares what he thinks? He isn’t thinking of you.

I place my hand on Hudson’s arm, trying to get him to loosen up. I look around the room, curious if Landon is watching. Just as I turn my head back toward Hudson, my eyes find Landon. He’s looking right at me, his brows pinched together like he’s angry. His black hair, which was swept back, is now disheveled, like he’s been running his hands through it countless times. He looks over his shoulder suddenly and I frown in confusion at first, but then I see Tabatha wrap herself around his side.

I take a deep breath, trying to control my jealousy, and look back at Hudson. He takes a sip of his water and looks at me.

“You have this raw beauty about you that you just don’t see in girls anymore,” Hudson compliments, his words making me swoon. Not enough, though, because I find myself looking back over at Landon and Tabatha. Her hands are on his chest and down around his backside. With that, I grab Hudson by the lapels of his jacket and smash my red lips to his. It’s not intimate, and there’s no spark, but it’s needed to taunt Landon. With the way he’s been playing with me, it’s only fair that I get to mess with his head right back.

Hudson’s eyes widen, and he resists briefly before giving in and returning the kiss. I open my eyes, looking over at where Landon was standing, finding it empty. I pull away from Hudson and look around, but I don’t see Landon anywhere. I sigh and run my hands through my hair in irritation.

After eating salmon and drinking wine, the DJ puts on Joe Strummer and The Mescaleros singing “Mondo Bongo.” My lips part and my fingers grip the tablecloth with unease. The song Landon and I danced to. Images of my lustful state and his heavy stare flash behind my eyes.

“Do you want to dance?” Hudson asks, pulling me from my thoughts. My stomach falls, and my eyes widen. Landon showed me how to dance, but I’m not sure if I can pull it off. Especially if my mind keeps taking me back to the way Landon’s skilled fingers explored me while this song played.

“Sure,” I respond weakly. Hudson grabs my hand, his palm not near as big as Landon’s, and pulls me to the dance floor. I exhale a shaky breath and straighten my back, perfecting my frame. I raise my arms to place on Hudson’s shoulder and arm, getting into stance. Hudson cups my hand, his palm warm and slightly larger than mine, and his other hand tucks underneath my other arm and around my back. He smiles at me and takes the lead, my feet following on instinct. I keep my chin held high, my frame locked as Hudson whisks us across the dance floor. His body isn’t as toned or muscled as Landon. In fact, Hudson’s sloppy compared to him.

Hudson dips his head toward me, the smell of soap strong. “You’re really good at this,” he whispers. I turn my head and give a tight-lipped smile.

“Who taught you to dance like this, baby?” Hudson continues. I have to bite my cheek at his term of endearment, as it sounds ridiculous coming from his mouth.

“Umm,” I mutter.

“I’ll take it from here, Hudson.” Landon thrusts his arm between us, causing us to separate.

“What are you doing?” I ask, irritated, yet my body melts.

Landon eyes Hudson, waiting for him to back up.

“Look, man, I paid—”

“If you know what’s good for you, you’ll leave now, Hudson.” Landon’s eyes burn with a brightness that has Hudson clenching his jaw.

“Yeah, sure, man,” Hudson finally replies, running his hand over the back of his neck. You can tell he’s intimidated by Landon. I can relate. The way Landon walks in a room and just instantly takes charge without having to say a word, it can be overwhelming.

“What do you think you’re doing?” I clip.

“Dance with me,” Landon insists, his eyes hooded.

“No,” I snap stubbornly, crossing my arms.

“Yes,” he commands, grabbing me by the hips and turning me to where my back is to his front. He deepens his hold on my waist and slams my backside against his groin. His cock is hard, poking me with its excitement. I glance over my shoulder at Landon. The corners of his mouth curl into a smirk, and my heart skips a beat. It’s impossible for me to stay away from him. I’ll never become immune to his charm.

He shifts his hips side to side, the smell of him filling my lungs. My body ignites, feeling the heat from Landon’s chest on my back.

I lift my arm, placing my hand on the nape of his neck, and loll my head back on his hard chest. My brown eyes exploring his emerald ones, he peers down at me. The way he looks at me, it’s as if he can see past the scars and walls I’ve put up. Like he sees the real me. Which is unnerving, because I don’t even know who I really am. He trails his fingers down my arm, the touch tickling the sensitive flesh under my arm.

I roll my hips against him, lowering myself then sliding back up, my ass teasing his already-hard length. He brushes the side of my temple with his nose, the sound of him taking a deep breath making me smirk.

“You’re incredibly sexy,” Landon rasps, his tone raw. “You only dance with me like this, Charlie. Your body is mine, for me to feel, for me to take. Mine,” he growls in my ear, pushing his hips hard into my backside. My name slips from his mouth like a prayer, and I moan in response. “I’m not usually a jealous man, but you’ve made me one.” He presses his fingers into my hips harshly. “I don’t like it,” he growls again, jerking me from my lust-filled state.