Текст книги "Release Me"
Автор книги: Ann Marie Walker
Соавторы: Amy K. Rogers
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Текущая страница: 8 (всего у книги 18 страниц)
Chapter Fourteen
Somewhere in the back of Allie’s mind Darren’s words registered. Not enough to slow her down, but enough to reignite her earlier fears. The ache in her chest returned as she reached for the knob. She opened the door and jerked to a halt.
Seven heads turned as one.
“Why did you do it?” she blurted out.
Hudson sat at the head of the small conference table at the far side of his office, surrounded by six of his core team members. He wore a navy pinstripe suit, a brilliantly white shirt, and a tie that perfect shade of crystal blue to match his eyes. The sight of him hit her like a brick wall. Even from across the room the attraction was an undeniable, almost magnetic pull. Her hands clenched at her sides and her heels dug into the carpet in an attempt to hold her ground. Fighting the urge to run to him was more than just a struggle against a physical desire. It was as if her very soul needed a connection with his.
“Can you give us a minute?” he said. It wasn’t really necessary. The six executives were already gathering their belongings and fleeing the room, no doubt afraid blood was about to be shed. Given the tension between she and Hudson over the past few weeks, Allie couldn’t really blame them.
He pushed his chair away from the table and stood. Stepping closer, he searched her face for some hint or explanation. From a distance he’d seemed so composed, the executive at the helm of his ship. But up close she could see beneath the exterior Hudson showed the rest of the world to the tattered edges that lay beneath. His expression was guarded, his blue eyes clouded and dark.
They stood in a heavy silence until the door clicked closed behind them.
“What do you want, Alessandra?” His voice was solemn, level, resigned.
In an attempt to calm her racing heart, she took a slow, deep breath before repeating the question she’d practically shouted as she’d burst through the door. “I want to know why you did it.”
A frown creased his brow. “So you said. Why did I do what, exactly?”
“Why did you offer to let my father stay on at Ingram? The company was well within your reach by then. Why would you even care?”
His scowl deepened. “We discussed this.”
“Yes, but when we discussed it before you only told me what you proposed. You didn’t tell me why.”
“You didn’t ask.”
“I’m asking now. Why would it matter to you if my father stayed on at Ingram?”
He gave a sad half smile. “Your dad wondered the exact same thing.”
Allie drew a shaky breath. Picturing her father and Hudson in the same room was hard enough. Hearing their conversation replayed in her head was excruciating. “And what did you tell him?”
Hudson sighed and looked down at his shoes. When he lifted his gaze, it was wary. “I told him it was because I loved his daughter.” His voice was quiet but his conviction was clear. He’d tried to broker a deal with her father because he loved her? The revelation caused her heart to hammer inside her chest, but the momentary high was short-lived. He said loved. As in past tense. Had her efforts to push him away been successful? Had she finally proved more trouble than she was worth?
A lump formed in her throat, choking the words that came out of her mouth. “And now?”
His eyes roamed over her face for long moments before he spoke. “And now I feel like I’ve lost a piece of my fucking soul.”
Tears welled in her eyes. “But you said loved, as in the past—”
“I love you, Allie. I always have, and God help me, I think I always will.”
“I love you, too, Hudson.”
He reached her in two strides, his hands framing her face as he sealed his mouth over hers. His fingers trembled against her skin but his kiss was strong and confident, his lips taking hers with an undeniable possession.
As if a sigh of relief, Allie melted against his hard frame. Her lips parted, letting his tongue slide against hers in lush, deep strokes she felt echo to her very core. This was what she’d missed the past few weeks; this was what she’d needed to feel whole. The thought that she’d almost lost him forever collided with her burning need and it was too much. The emotion of the moment swept over her and a broken sob escaped her lips.
“Don’t cry,” he rasped. His lips brushed across her face, kissing away the tear that spilled down her cheek. “I know how badly I’ve hurt you, and it kills me to see you cry.”
She shook her head. “It’s not that.”
Hudson leaned back, his gaze soft and unfocused. “Then what is it?”
The tears flowed freely now. She cupped his face with her hand, wanting him to understand their meaning. “Yes, you hurt me, Hudson, probably more than anyone ever has or ever could, because you’re not like the others. You see the real me, you always have. My life was a mess when we found each other. But with Julian out of the picture, I finally had the chance to start over. And I should have given you that chance, too. I should have let you come clean and have a fresh start, let us have a fresh start.” She took a stuttering breath. “We finally had the chance fate had denied us for ten years, and I let my pride and anger ruin it. I pushed you away.”
He pressed his lips to hers. “I’m right here, Allie.”
“I want you, Hudson. I always have.”
“You’ve got me, baby.” He teased her with gentle licks, coaxing her lips apart. “I’m not going anywhere.”
His words ratcheted her desire for him to an almost debilitating need. With a soft moan she deepened their kiss, her tongue darting out to meet his. One hand fisted his shirt while the other tangled in his thick, wavy hair, holding him to her. She’d spent so much time pushing him away when what she really needed and wanted was to pull him closer. And now that she’d let her guard down, now that she was letting him in, she couldn’t get close enough. She needed his skin touching hers. She needed him inside her. Now.
“I need you,” she gasped as his mouth slid down her throat. “Need you inside me.”
A growl vibrated deep in his chest. His hand slid down her back, cupping her backside and yanking her hard against his erection. “Feel what you do to me, Allie. You make me so fucking hard it hurts.” His arm banded around her waist, lifting her onto the edge of his desk. Papers fluttered to the ground in one fell sweep, and a moment later she was beneath him, his body pressing hers against the mahogany top.
Reaching down, Hudson’s hand slipped under the edge of her skirt. His breath caught when his fingers found the garters clipped to the top of her silk stockings. “Goddamn, Allie,” he murmured against her lips. He tore his mouth from hers, leaving her panting with anticipation as his gaze traveled down her body. His fingers stroked the exposed skin at the top of her thigh.
“Since the day you walked into my office, I’ve wanted you here, spread out on my desk while I fucked you senseless over Chicago.”
“Ah God, yes.” She grasped his tie, pulling him back down. With a groan he took her mouth again, crushing his lips against hers in a ravenous kiss. She lifted into him, needing to relieve the ache she’d felt since the moment she’d laid eyes on him. With a roll of his hips he ground the thick ridge of his erection against her. She writhed beneath him, her legs tightening around his waist. Her skin was damp, her breasts heavy and full. This was the effect he had on her. In a matter of minutes he had her on the edge, desperate to come.
“Hudson, please . . . I want you.” She reached for his belt but his fingers curled around hers, halting her as she fumbled with the buckle.
“Stop.” His voice was hoarse and tight with a barely leashed restraint.
“What?” Allie lifted her head from the desk, watching in disbelief as Hudson pushed to his feet.
“No.” He tucked his shirttails back into his pants. “Not like this.”
Allie tried to form a coherent thought but words escaped her. She knew he wanted her, the evidence was right in front of her, straining against the zipper of his Tom Ford suit. Why the hell was he stopping?
Hudson held his hand out to her. When she took it he pulled her to her feet and into his arms. “I want you, Allie. But not here, not like this.”
“You’re not trying to pay me back for the last time we were in your office, are you?” she asked, teasing.
He smiled. “Hardly. Believe me, my cock is calling me an SOB right now.” He ran a hand back through his hair. “But I want to take my time with you. I don’t want to fuck you on my desk. I want to make love to you in my bed.” His smile was almost shy. “Well, for starters, anyway.”
Stretching on tiptoe, she pressed her lips to his jaw, leaving a trail of soft kisses as she worked her way to his ear. In a breathy voice she whispered, “Why don’t you fuck me on the desk, for starters, and we’ll make it to the bed . . . eventually.”
His breath hissed when her tongue traced the shell of his ear, but his resolve remained steadfast. “Allie, please, let me do this right.”
She reared back to look at him. A mixture of sincerity and lust burned bright in his eyes. “You’re serious about this?”
He nodded. “I’ve never been able to date you. There’s always been something that was standing in our way. Your parents when we were younger.” A muscle in his jaw tensed. “And then your engagement.”
Her gaze dropped. She’d been such a fool to hide her feelings for him, whether at seventeen or twenty-seven. The wasted time was something she would always regret, but most of all she hated the thought that she’d ever made him feel he was anything but loved.
“I’m not blaming you,” he said, as if reading her mind. Cupping her chin, he lifted her face, forcing her to meet his gaze. “But for the first time there’s nothing to hide. I can take you out and the world can know you’re mine.”
A thrill shot through her. She was his. She always had been. There was no reason or point to deny it anymore. And hearing the possessive words come out of his mouth had her wanting to push him back down on the desk.
“Let me do this. Please.”
The request was so earnest and sweet, it was impossible to deny. A smile spread across her face. “So you want to take me on a date, Mr. Chase?”
His answering grin took her breath away. “Indeed I would, Miss Sinclair. Will you do me the honor of joining me for dinner?”
“Dinner?” She lifted a brow. “I don’t know, sounds rather . . . conventional. I mean, what happened to the man who had to have me in a box at the symphony? Is he gone now that we’re out of hiding, as you say?”
A wicked gleam lit his eyes as he reached into his pocket and pulled out his phone. “Oh, Alessandra, have a little faith.”
Her body quivered in response to the seductive timbre of his voice. Allie might not have known what Hudson had planned for the evening, but one thing was for certain: it was going to be a long, torturous, unforgettable night.
Chapter Fifteen
Allie had walked past the John Hancock Center countless times over the course of her life. Situated between the Drake Hotel and Water Tower Place, the iconic building was not only one of the most recognizable silhouettes on Chicago’s skyline, but it sat in the heart of one of the city’s busiest tourist destinations. She’d even been inside the one hundred-story structure once or twice for meetings when she worked at Better Start, but she’d never been all the way to the top, much less dined at the famous restaurant it housed.
Hudson placed his hand on the small of her back and guided her into the elevator. “I still find it hard to believe you’ve never been here. Isn’t this place on the must-see list of every guidebook? At least the observation deck.”
Allie’s eyes grew wide. “Please tell me your plans don’t include that tilting thing,” she said, referring to the latest attraction that dangled tourists a thousand feet above the street. “Because there’s no way you’re getting me to lay on a piece of glass. I don’t care how safe they claim it is.”
“Safety is relative. The only danger you’re in is from me making you come over and over again until you’re begging for a reprieve. As for laying you out, rest assured Iwill have you on your back before the end of the evening.” His words sent a surge of pleasure coursing through her. “But as for the restaurant, you’ve never dined here?”
She shrugged. “I guess it’s one of those things locals always say they’ll get around to but never actually do.” And considering the image he’d just conjured, she was really wishing she wasn’t doing it now, either. But Hudson seemed ecstatic to be dining with her amongst the clouds.
“So a first, then,” he said, “for both of us.”
“One of many, I hope.”
“Indeed. This wasn’t even at the top of the list, but given I had about ten minutes to plan this evening . . .”
“You have a list?” she interrupted.
“Oh, yes. It’s quite long. And varied. One even involves an unexpected visit to my office. Rather like tonight.” He smirked, “But with a few adjustments.”
“Sorry about that. It wasn’t very professional of me to storm into your office like that.”
“You can storm into my office any time you’d like, Alessandra.” His eyes darkened. “Although preferably naked under your coat next time.”
“You expect me to walk to your office naked?” She barely recognized the sound of her own voice, shocked and yet undeniably aroused all at once.
“Hmm.” Hudson’s hand slipped inside her coat and cupped her breast through the thin fabric of her blouse. “Your bare skin against your coat. Imagine how hard your nipples would be from rubbing against the rough material, how they would ache for the soothing feel of my tongue.” His fingers skimmed over her waist and hip. “Think about how the cool air would rush against you,” he said, his hand discreetly kneading her backside beneath her coat. “How wet you’d be by the time I was finally inside you.” He pressed against her, right where she ached for his touch, and her lips parted on a silent gasp. “Are you wet for me now, Allie?”
The elevator dinged their arrival on the ninety-sixth floor. Hudson dropped his hand. “After you,” he said, stepping back and gesturing for her to exit.
Allie wobbled off the elevator and into the Signature Room. The Art Deco interior and warm wood accents set a tone of understated elegance, but they paled in comparison to the main event. Floor-to-ceiling windows spanning the entire building offered dazzling three-hundred-and-sixty-degree views of the city. If her head weren’t already spinning from Hudson’s rather detailed account of his office fantasy, the breathtaking view would have been enough to do the trick.
A man in a black tuxedo greeted Hudson within seconds of their arrival. “Good evening, Mr. Chase.”
“Good evening, Ernesto. I trust you were able to make the arrangements I requested.” He helped Allie out of her coat and handed it to a woman who had appeared out of nowhere at his side.
“Absolutely. And it was our pleasure.”
“Thank you. I realize it was a lot to ask on such short notice.”
“Not at all. We were happy to accommodate you.” Ernesto smiled at Allie. “Especially when you mentioned it was a special occasion.”
Hudson wrapped his arm around Allie’s waist. His gaze was soft and warm on her face as he spoke. “Very special, indeed.”
“Camille will show you to your table. Please let me know if there’s anything else you need.”
“I thought you said you’d never eaten here?” Allie whispered as they weaved through the crowded lounge.
“I haven’t.”
“Then how did you know his name?”
The corner of Hudson’s mouth quirked up in a confident grin. “I’m considering a silent partnership in their management group.”
Allie smiled and shook her head. Hudson Chase had clearly taken Chicago by storm. It was only a matter of time until he’d turned the country’s third-largest city into his own personal Monopoly board.
The hostess led them to a round marble-top table next to one of the windows and handed Hudson the leather-bound wine list. When the waiter arrived a moment later, he ordered a bottle of Dom Pérignon.
“We’re currently out of the 2004 Dom Pérignon, sir. Might I suggest the 2003 Bollinger?”
“That’ll be fine.”
The contrast to Julian’s reaction in a similar situation was hard to miss. She’d only experienced that tirade over the phone line, but even hundreds of miles away it had made her uncomfortable. Once again she found herself wondering not only what she ever saw in him, but how she could have been so blind as to have actually agreed to marry him. She pushed the unwelcome questions from her mind. Tonight wasn’t about the past, it was about the present and the future. A future she hoped to share with the man seated across from her.
Allie watched as he handed the wine list to the relieved young man and turned his attention back to her. “Champagne?” she asked with a lifted brow.
“Customary for celebrations, is it not?”
She met his smile with one of her own. “Yes. Although I must warn you, champagne goes straight to my head. I can’t be held accountable for my actions after two glasses.”
“Duly noted. A second bottle it is.”
She laughed. “Let’s start with one and see how it goes.”
The waiter returned with the champagne, which he opened with an understated flourish. After filling two crystal flutes, he placed it in a sterling silver ice bucket that stood conveniently next to the table.
Hudson raised his glass. “I suppose I should say something profound. But at the moment the words escape me.”
What Hudson failed to understand was that for Allie, no words were necessary. The way he was looking at her said it perfectly. She smiled and lifted her glass, clinking it gently against his. “Cheers.”
They both sipped their champagne in silence for a moment, each of them drinking in the sight of the other. Allie wondered idly if the other patrons noticed the unabashed lust that pulsed between them like a tangible force. Not that it mattered. She and Hudson were finally together, and there wasn’t a person in the world who could ruin this moment for her.
“Drink your champagne,” he said. “I have plans to take advantage of you later.”
Thank God. With a little luck, maybe she could even convince him to skip dinner and call it a night after cocktails. She drained the rest of her glass, hoping he’d take the hint. Almost instantly she felt the warmth bubble inside her. “You could have taken advantage of me in your office, you know. No champagne needed.”
“I’m aware.” He shifted in his seat. “A missed opportunity, to be sure.”
She held her glass out and watched as he lifted the bottle out of the ice bucket and refilled the delicate flute. Outwardly, he was the picture of composure. But she knew he was just as affected as she was, perhaps more. A hopeful smile stretched across her face. “Why Mr. Chase, you’re not regretting that decision, are you?”
He chuckled quietly to himself as he worked the bottle back into the ice. “Only since the moment we left my office.” He lifted his glass and licked his lips. “But the anticipation will make it all the sweeter.”
Damn. She slugged back another gulp of champagne. It was going to be a long night.
Behind her a string quartet began to play. Allie turned to find a parquet dance floor where several couples swayed to the music.
Hudson stood and held out his hand. “Would you dance with me?”
As if she could deny him anything.
Allie placed her hand in his, unable to take her eyes off him as he led her to the dance floor and pulled her into his arms. Something was different. The shadows that had marred his beautiful face at his office were gone, and in their place was a smile unlike any she’d ever seen on him. He looked relaxed, yes, but it was more than that. She just couldn’t put her finger on it. “What’s that look for?” she finally asked.
“Happiness,” he said, tugging her closer and pressing his lips to her temple. “It’s not every day a man gets what he’s always wanted.”
She reared back to look at him, confused. “We’ve danced together before.”
“If you’re referring to the gala at the Field Museum, it was hardly the same.” He spun them slowly through the now sizable crowd. “And if you’ll recall, that dance was cut short.”
How could she forget? She’d been so caught up in the memories of her teenage romance with Hudson that she’d barely remembered her own name, much less that she had a fiancé. When Julian put his hand on her shoulder that night, she’d nearly jumped out of her skin.
“I was thinking more about the night we danced barefoot in the living room of your lake house,” she said.
“That was nice.” The gleam in his eye told her exactly where his thoughts had wandered. “What followed was even better. Left a distinct impression, if memory serves. But dancing with you wasn’t what I was referring to.”
She tilted her head to one side. “Then what did you mean?”
“This, out with you at my side. Looking at me as if nothing else exists in the room but the two of us.”
And at that moment, nothing did. Allie’s world narrowed to just him. The way his eyes darkened as they drank her in. The way his hand cradled hers as he held her in his arms. The way his lips parted as they hovered a breath away.
Their dancing slowed to nothing more than a gentle sway. “Allie, I . . .”
Someone bumped into her as the couples surrounding them made their way back to their tables. Allie glanced around the nearly empty dance floor. When had the music stopped?
Over her shoulder something caught Hudson’s eye and he gave a tight nod. “It appears our table is ready.”
Allie started toward the grand staircase that led to the dining room one floor below, but Hudson stopped her with a hand on her elbow. His lips brushed against her ear. “Go to the ladies room and take your panties off,” he whispered.
She gaped at him. Her first thought was to ask if he was serious, but the look in his eyes left no doubt as to his intentions.
“Go,” he commanded quietly. “And when you’re done, meet me in the Michigan Room.”
Allie blinked up at him. “We’re not dining in the restaurant?”
“No, I’ve arranged for a private room.”
“I thought the whole point was to take me out in public?”
“I shared you with the rest of the world during cocktails, but I’m a selfish man, and for dinner I want you all to myself. Besides, as much as I like tormenting you in public, knowing you’re wet and naked under that skirt will undoubtedly make my cock hard.” He leveled his dark stare. “Now go.”
Allie turned, her heart pounding a furious beat as she made her way to the restroom. Once inside, she bypassed the vanity and headed straight for one of the stalls. If she gave herself time to think about what she was doing, she would never have the nerve to follow through. Reaching under her skirt, she shimmied out of her panties. The cool air rushed against her aching core and she shivered. She suspected her reaction had less to do with the temperature of the room than it did with the idea of Hudson touching her overly sensitive skin. The mere thought of what he had planned for her during dinner had her body trembling with anticipation.
On her way out she stopped to check her appearance in the mirror. Her eyes were bright and her cheeks were flushed, but other than that she looked completely presentable. No one would suspect she was about to walk through the restaurant pantyless, consumed by the thought of Hudson’s skilled fingers bringing her to climax again and again.
The Michigan Room was on the south end of the building. When Allie pushed the door open she found the intimate space to be completely empty except for one lone table. Draped in white linen, it was set for an elegant dinner for two. Black-and-white china with gold accents sat atop gold chargers, perfectly accenting the city lights that glimmered in gold at her feet. Groupings of crystal stemware flanked each setting, and in the center of the table flickering votives circled an arrangement of fresh flowers.
But it wasn’t the sight of the sumptuous private accommodations that rendered Allie speechless as she walked into the room. It was Hudson, standing against the backdrop of the city’s skyline, that took her breath away.
“Hi,” was all she managed to say when she was finally standing in front of him.
He smiled as he pulled out her chair. She sat, taking note that the other chair was adjacent to hers at the square table and not across. The words ‘within arm’s reach’ popped into her mind and she shifted slightly in her seat.
“You look so lovely in the candlelight,” he said, joining her at the table. “But then, you look lovely in any light.”
Allie felt a warm flush spread across her cheeks. Why in the world was she so nervous? Was it because she was sitting at a table perched high above the city with her panties in her purse? Or because she was sitting at a table perched high above the city with the man she loved? While it should have probably been the former, she suspected the latter was more to blame. Sex had never been a problem for them. They jumped into that rather quickly and their chemistry was undeniable. But a relationship was unchartered territory for them. How would it be now that they didn’t have to sneak around? How would their friends and co-workers react?
Co-workers.
The thought hit Allie like a cold bucket of water. She’d been so busy basking in the glow of their newly professed feelings, she hadn’t even stopped to consider the ramifications their reunion would have at Ingram.
“Hudson, we need to talk about . . . ,” she began. But a commotion on the far side of the room interrupted her midsentence. A waiter backed through the door pulling a cart laden with dome-covered plates.
“I hope you don’t mind, but I took the liberty of preordering.”
Allie tried to feign righteous indignation but couldn’t pull it off. “Looking to forgo a lengthy ordering process?” she teased.
“Perhaps.” He wore a sheepish grin. “You do have a tendency to, how should I put it, complicate the process.” When her mouth popped open Hudson reached across the table and took her hand. “And I wouldn’t change a thing.” His thumb stroked the back of her hand, the simple gesture sending a tingle down her spine. “But yes, I’d like to get you home and beneath me before midnight if at all possible.”
Allie glanced over her shoulder. The waiter was busy arranging platters.
“He didn’t hear. And once the dinner is served, he won’t be returning.”
Every muscle below her waist clenched in response to the seductive tone of his voice. Forget about privacy once the dinner was served. The way she was feeling, she was likely to spontaneously combust before the man had even poured their wine.
She reached for her water and took a calming sip.
“I decided to forgo the first course, so we’d be sure to have room for dessert.” Hudson winked. “I know you have an insatiable appetite for guilty pleasures.”
She choked on her water.
“Are you alright, ma’am?” the waiter asked, suddenly beside her.
“Yes, yes, I’m fine.” As ladylike as possible, she wiped the water off her chin while Hudson watched, clearly amused.
The waiter poured a tasting of wine into Hudson’s glass, and after being given the go-ahead, filled both their glasses. He returned a moment later pushing the cart.
“So what’s on the menu for the evening?” Allie asked. Hudson’s eyes widened infinitesimally and she knew at once her innuendo hadn’t gone unnoticed. Good. She smiled to herself. Two can play this game.
“Perhaps you’d be so kind as to do the honors?” Hudson asked their waiter.
“Of course.” He began to uncover plates of food, describing them in detail as he placed them on the table. “Tonight the chef has prepared a surf and turf featuring a petite filet and lobster tail, served with a pink peppercorn buerre blanc, toasted farro, and haricot verts, as well as a sautéed salmon prepared with a Parmesan risotto and a tomato relish.” He reached for several smaller plates. “We also have a side of roasted mushrooms, cauliflower with a bacon crust, and Lyonnaise potatoes.” After arranging the side dishes around the entrees, he asked, “Can I bring you anything else?”
Anything else? Could there possibly be anything left to order?
No, thank you,” Hudson said. “That will be all.”
Allie took in the spread with wide eyes before meeting Hudson’s curious stare.
“Expecting a few more guests?” she asked.
“Hardly.” His lips curved into a lascivious grin. “I might be a kinky bastard at times, but I’m not about to let someone watch you.”
Allie swallowed hard. Watch? Watch what?
“I simply wanted to make sure I ordered something to your liking.” He reached behind him and lifted the silver dome from the only plate remaining on the cart. Allie’s mouth watered at the decadence beneath. “Although for dessert I knew you’d want the chocolate mousse cake.”
She shifted her gaze to Hudson and all thoughts of chocolate mousse left her. “I’d rather have you.”
He narrowed his eyes. “Are you sure I wouldn’t be a close second? I know how you feel about chocolate, Alessandra.”
“A tie, perhaps. So how about a compromise—you, covered in chocolate mousse?”
He chuckled. “I’m not sure Ernesto offers that on the menu.”
Allie matched his mischievous grin, “Well I’m quite sure he could arrange for dessert to go.”
“Eat,” he said, setting the plate with the filet and lobster tail in front of her.
“How do you know that’s the one I wanted?”
“I know your body, Alessandra.” His voice was low and seductive. “Let’s just say your reaction when he set that plate on the table was vaguely familiar.”
She rolled her eyes, but there was no denying he was right. And as much as she would have rather ordered takeout and eaten it while lounging in Hudson’s bed, now that the food was in front of her she was acutely aware of just how hungry she was.
The setting in front of Hudson remained empty. Instead of eating, he was merely sipping his wine, gazing at her over the rim of his glass as she cut into the tender beef. “Oh no, none of that ‘I like watching you eat.’ You need your strength tonight, Chase.” She waved her fork at the remaining plates. “Dig in.”
Hudson smiled and shook his head as he pulled the salmon closer.
Allie watched him take a bite, then drop his hand beneath the table. Her legs parted slightly in anticipation, but he simply reached for his napkin.
