Page 35 of Off-Limits Love

Hudson groaned long and low. “But when I think of the money for school and how disappointed everybody’s going to be with me…”

“Tell them what you just told me. We all know how this works, Hud. We understand the pressure. Besides, you may do the training and hate it or come up with a business idea while you’re at it and change your mind again. You’re exploring things right now, postponing until you figure out exactly what you want to do. Doesn’t mean you’re giving up.”

Hud turned his head and stared at Finn. “You’re taking the news better than I thought you would.”

A laugh huffed out of Finn’s chest. Maybe he was. But he had his own issues to worry about when it came to a woman and the kiss he hadn’t planned but hadn’t been able to stop. “Life throws lots of curve balls.”

“Like a cute baker?”

This time Finn was the one staring out at the water, waiting for the serenity of the spot to kick in and calm the surge of unease flooding his system.

“You know she likes you, right?”

Finn groaned, the sound pure frustration. “I’m not so sure about that.” Why leave the way she had if that was the case?

“Dude, she doesn’t care about the stuttering, okay? And when you spend enough time with her, it might even stop, right? Quit worrying about that.”

The feel of her compact body against him, the kisses they’d exchanged, came to mind once again and blasted through him like a wildfire.

But Mak’s avoidance after the fact couldn’t be ignored. She’d run away like she regretted it.

Being okay with his stuttering in private was one thing. Maybe he could even believe she didn’t mind. But his fears that she would get tired of his stuttering and people—like her ex—making fun? Those were legit.

Those had been proven in the past.

And while Hud and his brothers said the women were obviously shallow if that was how easily they avoided a bit of unwelcome attention, they’d still done it. But who was to say Mak wouldn’t do the same?

That she hadn’t?

No woman wanted a man who embarrassed her. Who drew criticism and mockery. That kiss. Just once. That might have been her one and done. An experiment or curiosity on her part.

Maybe that realization had dawned on her last night after the kiss and she felt awkward now.

Duke shifted under him, obviously sensing his turbulent emotions. He stretched out a hand to pat his neck.

“All I’m saying is that it can’t hurt to try,” Hudson added. “And if you don’t, maybe I will.”

Finn grunted. “She isn’t going to be your next cougar conquest. Leave Mak alone.”

Hud waved a hand as though blowing off the statements, his wide grin back in place.

“She’s only a few years older than me, so she doesn’t qualify as a cougar.”

“Hud, I’m warning you?—”

“I might be persuaded to leave her alone,” Hudson said with a bold grin, “if you step up your game and ask her out before I swoop in and show you how it’s done. What do you have to lose?”

What did he have to lose?

Everything.

Later that evening, Finn pulled out his phone and stared at the text from Hud.

Tick tock, old man. Better ask before I flirt her up.

Finn scowled and clicked off the text, but then pressed a thumb over Mak’s name a couple of rows down.

Maybe it wouldn’t hurt?