Hunted by the Wolf, Claimed by Three Bears

chapter 18

Hudson POV

“I actually had a good time today.”

Olivia giggled as we ended our hike through the fields on the outskirts of town. “Thank you for getting me out. I wasn’t planning on going anywhere today because I have been feeling so low, but you were right. Sunshine did lift my spirits. You know what you’re doing. I’ll make sure I listen to you in the future.”

I reached out and touched her cheek gently, grateful to see a bit of color there. She looked so pale and sad when I first saw her. She didn’t even want to hear me out about Aiden and me looking after her. It seemed like she had changed her mind about everything and instead was thinking about running off again, hiding from him.

It was just lucky that she couldn’t afford to leave, because it meant we had a chance. We could look after her and keep that asshole ex-fiancé away from her.

“You’re looking happier,” I said with a smile. “Any time you want to go out for a walk like that, I’m up for it. We can have a really great time whenever you want.”

The soft smile playing on her lips made my heart sing. This was why I couldn’t give her up, no matter how much Aiden liked her, because this was the closest I’d felt to real adoration in a very long time. The most intense feelings I’d ever had coursing through my body. I could not get enough of Olivia.

“Well, I better get home. Timothy will be home from his play date soon, and he’ll be wanting dinner, so I—oh my God.”

She clapped her hands to her mouth. “s**t, look at that. My car tires. They are all slashed. This has to be him. He’s found me.”

I looked toward her car and saw exactly what she was talking about. All four tires had been cut like a crazy person had been attacking them with claws. This was the work of an angry madman.

“s**t, we need to get you inside,” I said. “Call the cops. Get someone out here.”

“My life in Twin Lakes is going to be all about the police,” she groaned, but thankfully she let me lead her inside her home. “I hate this. I was supposed to be getting away from drama when I came here. I picked Twin Lakes to settle down in because I got a good feeling from it. I felt like it would be better for Timothy as well. But now I don’t know.”

She headed into the kitchen, so I followed her, wondering how soon I was going to have to prove how much I could take care of Olivia. Because if this piece of s**t had been to her home and f****d up her car while she was out with me, he was definitely hot on her trail and could act out at any given moment.

Olivia grabbed herself a glass of water with a shaky hand, before pouring one for me. She was still trying to be the good hostess, even with her life in disarray. I stepped in, grabbing her arms to prevent her from any more busy work.

“Don’t worry,” I whispered calmly. “It’s going to be fine. All of this is going to be fine. You don’t need to worry about any of it. I am here to take care of you, and that’s what I will do.”

She blinked her eyes, clearly trying to fight back tears, but that only spurred me on further.

“You take a seat. Rest, relax as much as you can. I will cook dinner for you and your son. I will contact the police and get them here to take a report, and I will keep watch.”

“But what about what you need to do?” she asked with her head c****d to one side. “You have already done so much for me. I don’t expect you to do more. I can’t ask you to do more. This is my mess and I am the one who needs to get out of it…”

I silenced her by crashing my lips to hers and stealing the kiss I had been wanting ever since I first laid eyes on her. Whether it was the right timing or not, I wasn’t sure, but she leaned into the kiss and returned it with enthusiasm. She definitely liked me too. My hands slipped up into her hair and I pressed my body up against hers, really letting her know just how much she meant to me. Because this wasn’t just a kiss — I wanted so much more from her. I wanted everything.

Olivia and I leapt apart at the sound of knocking on the front door. Electricity continued to burn and fizzle through us, but we had to ignore it for the time being.

“That will be Timothy.”

She swallowed hard. “He’s home now, from his play date. I better go answer the door so he doesn’t worry.”

I nodded emphatically. “Right, and I will get started on dinner.”

“Make enough for yourself,” she insisted. “Please stay.”

Having dinner with Olivia was one thing, but spending time with her son… how would that go? I didn’t have much experience with children, and certainly not ones with such triggering names, but I guess I was being thrown in the deep end and I would just have to see how I reacted.

I really wanted it to go well because I wouldn’t stand a chance with Olivia if her boy hated me. I would be shown the door in a heartbeat, and understandably so. It wouldn’t be right for me to be here if I didn’t make her whole life better.

When Timothy raced past the kitchen, offering me a wave as he went, instantly I felt the ice melting away from me. How could I be so worried about a kid who was so sweet my heart melted? His sunny demeanor caught me off guard, a bit like hers.

“Hey,” I called out weakly, now wanting to actually impress him. “How’s it going?”

The house shifted from a quiet, peaceful environment to a bustling hive of activity now that Timothy was home, and that was something I actually wanted to be a part of. I thought I thrived in my alone time because I had lived by myself for such a long time, but now I wasn’t so sure. This I wouldn’t mind. Having a family around me could be kind of nice.

I caught Olivia watching me more than once as I cooked, and I could feel the burning energy still there, the chemistry and the memory of that kiss lingering. I wondered if Olivia was going to want me to stay the night, to see what happened between us. God, I was getting ahead of myself. It was hard not to when Olivia was so beautiful and captivating, luring me in by the minute. Making me yearn for so much more, for absolutely all of her.