Текст книги "Forever with You"

Автор книги: Laurelin Paige

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Текущая страница: 5 (всего у книги 22 страниц)

He ran his hands up and down my back and kissed along my temple. “I know you wouldn’t be like this if something hadn’t happened. And you came in here upset. What’s going on, precious?”

I clung to him, my hands digging into his jacket. Now that he was holding me, I didn’t want to let him go. This was where I was safe.

“Alayna, talk to me.”

I turned my head so my words wouldn’t be muffled in his clothing. “It’s Celia.”

Hudson pushed me away to meet my face. His eyes were wide with concern. “What did she do?”

“She’s following me.”

His brows furrowed. “What do you mean, following you?”

“Like, showing up where I am and going wherever I go. Following me.” I showed him the picture on my phone and explained how I’d spotted her tailing me while I ran errands and added that Jordan had seen her that morning. Plus, she’d been on the boat the night before.

I feared he’d say I was overreacting, that he wouldn’t believe me like the time before. I had a picture, but what did that show? Would he think I was the one who’d followed her?

But his response this time made up for his previous doubts. “Fucking bitch!” He spun away from me and ran his hand through his hair. “I swear to god if she does anything to you…”

Tears sprung to my eyes, half from terror, half from relief that he was on my side. “What does she want from us? From me?”

Hudson circled around to the other side of his desk. “It doesn’t matter. She can’t do this. I’ll call my lawyer. We’ll get a restraining order.” Before I could interject, he’d pushed his intercom. “Patricia, get Gordon Hayes on the phone.”

“Yes, Mr. Pierce.”

I shook my head and sunk into one of the armchairs. “It’s not that simple.”

“I don’t care if it’s simple or not. I’m getting a restraining order.”

I’d never seen him so worked up. His calm aloofness had vanished and in its place was a wild passionate man.

It was me who was the voice of reason. “Hudson, you can’t get a restraining order for simply being followed. She had a measurable distance, didn’t approach me, didn’t threaten me or pull any crap at any of the places I stopped. We have nothing on her.”

His eyes were pinned on the phone, as if he could make it ring by staring at it. “That’s ridiculous. She has you scared. I can see it on your face.”

“Yes, she has me scared. But there’s nothing you can do about it.” Again, I was reminded that I had done this same thing to other people. Paul Kresh had filed a restraining order against me. It had been the first one I’d received. He hadn’t been the first person I’d stalked. “Trust me. I’m well-versed in the art of terrorizing someone while evading police involvement.”

“Don’t talk like that.” Hudson’s tone echoed the pain I felt.

“It’s the truth. I used to do this to people, Hudson! It’s horrible. How could I be this horrible to other people?” The tears that had been just at bay broke through.

Hudson rushed to me and pulled me from my seat into his arms. “Hush now, Alayna.” He stroked my hair as I sobbed on his shoulder. “This isn’t the same. You were searching for love. Celia’s actions are quite different.”

I pushed him away. Though I wanted and needed his touch, I didn’t feel like I deserved it. “Are they? Isn’t she doing this because she wants your love? How is that different?”

He sighed and perched on the edge of his desk. “I don’t believe that’s why she’s doing this. She means to keep me unhappy. She knows that hurting you would destroy me. This is payback for my past. This has nothing to do with yours.”

I swiped the tears off my cheeks. Dammit, Celia had screwed with both of us so easily. Here we were, regretting our pasts, hating ourselves, undoing years of progress—fucking bitch was right.

I sat down again and laid my head against the chair back. “I really don’t care why she’s doing it. She’ll keep on doing it, though, because she’s winning. You’re down on yourself and I’m a mess. I’m paranoid and anxious and I’m afraid I’m reverting back to my old self.” My voice cracked as a new set of tears threatened to fall.

Hudson moved to kneel in front of me. He put his hands on my upper arms as if he meant to shake sense into me. “You aren’t. You have valid reasons to feel this way today. She’s thrown you off balance, but you’ll get ahold of yourself. You’re stronger than her.”

I wiped at my eye with my knuckle. “I’m strong with you.”

“And I’m not leaving you. I’m here. We’re in this together. Do you hear me?”

I nodded weakly.

The phone beeped. Hudson stood and reached across the desk to push the intercom. “Did you reach him?”

“No.” Trisha’s voice filled the room. “I’m sorry but Mr. Hayes has gone home for the evening. It’s after five.”

Hudson glanced at his watch. “Shit,” he muttered. He paused and I suspected he was toying with calling his lawyer’s cell. “I want him on the phone first thing tomorrow.”

“Yes, sir. Anything else before I leave?”

“No. Thank you, Patricia.” He turned the intercom off and turned back to face me. He studied me for long seconds. “She won’t win, Alayna. You kept it together in front of her, didn’t you?”

“Yes.” There was no way in hell I’d have let her see that she got to me.

He beamed with pride. “Of course you did. You’re incredible like that. Stronger than you give yourself credit for.”

I didn’t feel incredible. But his assurance bolstered me.

Hudson leaned against the desk, his expression glazed. I recognized it as his calculating look—the one he got when he was considering a big business deal. “Celia has no idea if she hit her target or not. That puts us at an advantage.”

I hated to interrupt whatever he was planning, but I couldn’t stop the thought that bubbled to the front of my mind. “What if she doesn’t stop at stalking?”

His eyes came back into focus. “Jordan is ex-military. Special ops. He can protect you. You can never go anywhere without him in the future. Promise me.”

“I rarely go anywhere without him now. Today was a fluke.”

“Just promise me.” His tone was insistent.

“I promise.” I’d known Jordan was more than a driver but hadn’t known the specifics of his background. Knowing it now wasn’t what prompted me to agree—I’d have agreed to anyone being charged to me, just to ensure I’d never be alone with Celia again.

“Good. I’ll hire another bodyguard for when Jordan’s not available. I know you didn’t want one—”

I cut him off. “I’ll take it.”

He nodded a thank you. “I’ll bring someone in to check the security cameras at the club and make sure they’re sufficient. The penthouse is already monitored. And I’ll talk to my lawyer—”

I interjected again. “He can’t do anything.”

“I’m talking to him anyway. I want to know our rights. If I have to throw money at the situation, I will.”

I chuckled. I’d never heard Hudson talk so candidly about what his wealth could buy. It was a foreign concept to me—that solutions to problems could simply be bought. It’s why I’d always feared someone else would be more suited for Hudson than me. Someone like the blonde we were currently discussing. “Celia has money, too.”

Hudson shook his head dismissively. “Money is only good in the right hands. I have no doubt that my power extends beyond her and the Werner family.”

I nodded as I brought the knuckle of my index finger to my mouth and sunk my teeth into the skin. It was either that or let out the scream that had been building the last few minutes. Though Hudson was performing with the take-charge attitude I needed, he couldn’t make the promises I wished he could make.

He read my anguish. “Alayna, I’ll take care of this.”

“I know…”

He leaned forward and pulled my hand from my mouth, lacing my fingers through his instead. “But…?”

“She’s never going to be out of our lives, is she?” Even if she were on her best behavior, she’d still be there. Her life was so intertwined with Hudson and his family. I couldn’t imagine any scenario that would remove her from being a constant presence.

Hudson rubbed his thumb gently across my skin. “She will. I’ll figure something out. Do you trust me?”

“Yes.” With my whole heart.

“Then believe me—I’ll take care of her.” He squeezed my hand once more before he let it go. “In the meantime, stay with Jordan. No more outside runs for a while.”

Running was one of my favorite ways to calm myself. It was a necessity for my mental health. The treadmill worked, but it wasn’t the same as being outside with the sun beating down and the breeze blowing across my sweaty body. “I’ll just have Jordan run with me. I’m sure he won’t mind. I know he’s in good shape, and if he’s Special Ops, he must do some running.”

“No. Not good enough. He can’t be on his best game when he’s exerting himself physically.”

“I don’t know,” I mumbled. “You’re on your best game when you’re exerting yourself physically.”

“What was that?”

“Nothing. I just don’t want to live in a prison.” I hated giving up one of my only sources of solace because of Celia.

“Alayna, please.” His eyes were soft but determined. “Just until I get a better plan together.”

What was I thinking? Hudson was my true solace. I could give up everything else if I had him. “Okay. Fine. I’ll keep my runs to the treadmill. For now.”

“Come here.” Hudson pulled me out of my seat and into his arms. “I only want you safe. I couldn’t bear it if anything happened to you.”

I nuzzled into his neck, breathing in his scent and warm words, hoping they’d envelope me in calm.

But as soon as I’d start to relax, a new haunting thought would make its way to the forefront of my mind. I let myself ask the worst. “Do you really think Celia would do something besides scare me?” I’d suggested she might earlier, but I didn’t know if I really believed it. I’d never done more than stalk. Well, nothing harmful, anyway.

Hudson’s grip tightened around me and he buried his face in my hair. “I don’t know what she’d do. I’m not willing to find out.”

The edge in his voice coupled with his uncertainty caused another spike in my blood pressure. “Hudson, I’m scared.”

He pushed me away enough to cup my face in his hands and meld his gaze with mine. “I’m not, Alayna. Not in the least.” It was a one-eighty from his last declaration, and I suspected his words now were only for my benefit, that he was more worried than he was letting on. He couldn’t fool me.

But it felt good to hear him try.

“Trust me.” He placed a kiss on the tip of my nose. “I’ll take care of it.” He kissed the side of my mouth. “I’ll take care of you.”

He licked along the seam of my lips. When I parted my mouth, he eased inside, mesmerizing me with sensual strokes along my teeth and tongue. He kissed me slow and deep and with careful attention. With his lips he did the thing his words had failed to do—he made me feel better. Or he distracted me, at least. Either way, he gave me what I needed.

In fact, I needed more.

I pushed into him, lifting my breasts to meet his chest.

Hudson smiled against my mouth. Then he wrapped up the kiss with a final peck on my lips and pulled away.

My fingers curled into his jacket, drawing him back to me. “Don’t stop. I need you.” I pressed my body against his, my desire growing with an intense urgency.

“Alayna…” His eyes traveled to the phone on the desk behind him. He wanted to be making calls, setting things in motion. It’s what he needed to do to feel better. To feel safe. I got that.

But what I needed to feel safe was much simpler. More tangible. More within reach. “I need you, Hudson.” I moved my hand to stroke against the ridge in his pants. “Please. Please make it better.”

“Dammit, Alayna,” he growled. “You’re making it hard for me to do what I should be doing.”

I continued rubbing his crotch. “I’m trying to make it harder.” God, I’d never had to beg, but if he wanted me to, I would. “Hudson…please!”

“Fuck.” In one swift motion, he turned me so that the desk was pressed against my behind. He leaned down, and with the length of his arm, pushed aside the files that lay on top. Then he lifted me so that I sat on the edge of the mahogany surface. “Take off your panties,” he commanded, as he undid his buckle.

He didn’t have to ask me twice. Hudson had his cock out by the time I’d slid my panties off and kicked them to the floor. I watched as he stroked himself, his shaft thickening with each pump.

I ran my hands along his chest and squirmed, spreading my legs further apart. I ached to have him moving inside me—ached with an intensity that I couldn’t recall having ever felt before. I was desperate. Frantic. “Hudson.” I couldn’t stop pleading. “I need—”

He cut me off. “I know what you need. Trust me to give it to you.” With one hand still wrapped around his cock, he placed his other hand between my folds and swirled his thumb across my bud.

I moaned and tilted my hips to increase the pressure.

Hudson leaned his forehead against mine. “You’re so eager, precious. It’s going to hurt if you don’t let me get you ready first.” He slid his finger along my lips and back to dance across my clit.

“I don’t care if it hurts.” It hurt not having him inside me. I tugged at his tie. “Come on!”

He swore under his breath. Then he let himself go. Tangling his hand in my hair, he pulled me roughly toward his lips. “It’s hard enough to control myself around you as it is. If you give me permission, then you better believe you’re going to get fucked.”

I wanted to reply, Thank god, but his mouth had claimed mine with frenzied passion and speaking was no longer an option. At the same time, he drove his cock into me with a deep, forceful jab. I cried out at the pleasure/pain. I’d been wet, but he’d been right—I hadn’t been quite as ready as I could have been.

And it didn’t matter. I loved him inside me, and my snug channel let each of his short stabs rub against every wall. I cried into his mouth at each stroke. God, oh god, oh god.

Still it wasn’t enough. I wrapped my legs around his waist and bucked against him, meeting his thrusts. I closed my eyes. I was aroused and insane with needing the release I knew would come if I could just get there.

He let go of the lip he’d been sucking on. “Jesus, Alayna. Slow down.”

“No. Can’t. Want you.” I couldn’t even speak in complete sentences.

“I know. I know what to give you.” He nipped at my jaw. “But if you don’t let me take care of you, you aren’t going to get where you want to go.”

“Need,” I corrected. And I couldn’t slow down. I was crazed.

Hudson huffed my name in frustration. Wrapping a handful of hair around his fingers, he pulled my head back until I gasped. His strokes slowed to a steady pulse. “Listen to me. Are you listening?”

I nodded.

“Look at me.”

I opened my lids and met his gaze. Immediately, his gray eyes soothed me.

“You need to let me take charge, Alayna. You need to trust me. I’m going to take care of you.” He wasn’t talking about achieving an orgasm. He was speaking about much more. “Okay?”

I did trust him. Implicitly. I’d told him over and over.

But even with my declarations, I was still recovering from his recent abandonment and the pain of it lingered. Saying I trusted him was easier than actually letting myself go to fully act on that trust.

He was calling me out on that now.

And I wouldn’t let him down. “Okay,” I said.

“Good. Now let’s do this.” With one hand still pulling my hair, he moved his other to my clit where he rubbed with expert circles. “Hold on to the desk.”

I moved my hands to grip the edge of the desk. He picked up the tempo of his thrusts, his tip knocking against the same spot on the inside that his thumb massaged on the outside. The sensation in that one concentrated area built quickly. Soon, I felt the tightening in my lower belly, and my limbs began to tingle.

And Hudson was feeling it too. “God, Alayna. Your pussy feels so good. So tight. You make me so hard. I’m going to come so hard.” He quickened the pace again, and the sound of our bodies slapping and his sex words pushed me higher and higher and higher.

When I was about to orgasm, he urged my hips up and drove into me with staccato jabs that sent us over together with a shared moan. He rubbed into me for several long seconds, spilling everything he had, my own fluids mixing with his.

“Better?” he asked before I’d even caught my breath.

“Yes. Much.” But even as I was still soaring on the tails of my climax, I recognized that I’d just done the thing I’d always accused him of—used sex to solve a problem. “I, um, I’m sorry about—”

“Shh.” He put a finger to my lips and smiled. “It’s nice to be on the opposite side for once.”

“Well, thank you.” I kissed his finger then laced my hands around his neck.

“Anytime you need it, I’m happy to fuck away your woes.”

I laughed. After cleaning up and putting my panties back on, I left him to begin the tasks he felt were necessary for our protection.

Celia was nowhere in sight as I climbed into the back of the Maybach, but I shuddered, still feeling her eyes on me from the last time I’d been in the car. Hudson believed he could rid her from our lives. And I had total faith in him.

But I loved the man more than I’d loved anyone. It was totally plausible that my faith was biased.

Chapter Seven

Instead of going back to the club, I decided to call it a day. Besides, Hudson and I had planned that morning to be home to eat dinner together, and even though the new developments of the afternoon were keeping him at work late, I didn’t want to waste the cook’s efforts.

At the penthouse, I put our dinner trays in the warmer and sat at the dining room table nibbling on my salad while I tried to concentrate on a new book. I’d picked Lady Chatterley’s Lover by D.H. Lawrence, hoping it would help me focus on the romantic and sexual aspects of my life rather than the dread Celia had instilled.

But reading required more attention than I was able to devote to the task. Giving up, I tossed the book on the table. A blank business card poked out between the pages at the bottom. I hadn’t seen it before—throwing the book must have jostled the card from where it was lodged inside. I flipped the book open to the page the card marked and then turned the card over to see if the other side was also blank.

It wasn’t. And the name on the back almost made me drop the card.

With a hand on my chest, I talked myself down from my panic attack. Hudson had ordered the books from Celia and her design company—it was only natural that she’d stick her business card between the pages.

Except the books were new. And the page that the card had marked had a quote highlighted in yellow: “She was always waiting, it seemed to be her forte.”

Had Celia marked that quote? And had she meant it for me or for Hudson? And whoever the intended target was, what did she mean by it?

“Good book?”

I jumped at Hudson’s voice behind me. I’d been too absorbed in the book and Celia’s mark on it to hear him come in.

He leaned down to kiss my neck. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to sneak up on you.”

“It’s not that. Look.” I showed him the card and held the book up for him. “I found this business card in this book—it’s one of the ones you got me. And this quote is highlighted.”

I felt Hudson’s body heating with rage. He crumpled the card in his hand and threw it across the room. “Goddammit!”

“What does it mean?”

“Who knows?” He took a deep breath and reined in his fury. “You know what? Don’t even think about it. That’s what she wants. She wants it to mess with you.” He grabbed the book from me and took it with him to the kitchen. “Have you eaten?”

“I waited for you. It’s in the warmer.” I sat quietly until he returned with our dinner plates. “You took her key away, right?”

Hudson set our plates down. “She didn’t just leave that in your book now. This has to be from before. When she had the boxes delivered.” He disappeared again into the kitchen.

That hadn’t been an answer to my question and his avoidance made me nervous. I waited until he came back, this time with a bottle of wine.

“Hudson—her key?”

“Yes. I took away her key.” He poured me a glass and then one for himself. He had his half finished before I’d even taken one sip. “The day after she made the delivery.”

He hadn’t told me about seeing her then. But I’d seen Celia many times without telling him so I supposed it was fair.

Instead of dwelling on why he’d never mentioned it, I thought about what else he’d said—that she must have put the note in the books before they’d been delivered. There were hundreds of books. How had I happened to find the one with the note? Unless there were more. “So there could be secret notes and messages in all of the books.”

Hudson took another swallow of his wine—a swallow that finished off the glass. “I’ll replace them all.”

“You don’t need to do that.” Truthfully, I was already planning to search them. Curiosity was pretty much my middle name, after all.

Hudson refilled his drink. “I’ll do it anyway.”

He had made up his mind and when he made up his mind, there was no arguing with him.

I glanced at the clock on my phone. It was after eight. “You got home late. Does that mean you came up with ideas on how to deal with her?”

Hudson didn’t look at me as he took a bite of his fish. “I have something in the works,” he said when he’d swallowed. “But I’d rather not talk about it, if you don’t mind.”

“Um, yes, I do mind. This affects me and I want to know what’s going on.” If he thought he was doing this on his own, he had another think coming.

“You know what you need to know. I’ve hired security, the new cameras are being installed at the club tomorrow, and I have some preliminary ideas to try to make Celia lose interest in her game.” His entire demeanor was dismissive.

And my demeanor was getting pissed off. “Ideas that you aren’t going to share?”

“No. I’m not.”

I set my fork down, a little more forcefully than I’d intended. Or maybe exactly as forcefully as I’d intended. “Hudson—transparency, honesty—remember? Are you hiding something from me? Is it illegal?”

“No. And no. And you said you trusted me.” He raised a brow. “Remember?”

“I do trust you. But we’re supposed to be in this together and this is not together. This is you keeping me in the dark while you go play superhero. Or I assume you’re playing superhero, because I don’t really know.”

He sighed and closed his eyes. When he opened them again, he looked at me directly. “We are in this together, Alayna. And I’ll tell you. Just not now.” He covered my hand with his own. “I’d rather spend my evening with you. Alone.”

It hadn’t occurred to me that he needed a rest from the subject. It was how he dealt with things—internally and on his own. We both needed to learn to work things out as a couple. But he’d said he’d tell me later. Maybe tonight I could let it go too.

I turned my palm up to lace my fingers through his. “Okay. No more talk of Celia.”

We exchanged smiles. Then Hudson let go of my hand to continue his meal.

We sat in silence for several long minutes. Hudson finished most of his plate while I poked at my food, my appetite long gone. I could agree not to talk about Celia, but that didn’t mean I could stop thinking about her. She’d penetrated so deeply into our relationship—did she realize that she consumed our thoughts? That our time together was now so intertwined with her that we were practically a threesome?

Hudson swirled his wine in his glass and watched me. “Now you’re quiet.”

I chuckled. “I don’t know what else to talk about.”

He ran his hand across his face and I knew he was thinking the same thoughts I’d been thinking—about how we couldn’t even have a simple meal without Celia there. He opened his mouth to say something, and for a moment, I thought he was going to go ahead and let her win.

But then his face changed and he became resolved. “Well, let’s see. I know how today went. What’s on your agenda for tomorrow? You’re interviewing Gwenyth, right?”

“Her name’s Gwenyth? Hmm.” That was the first time I’d heard her full name. And it bothered me. Hudson was not one to use nicknames.

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

“Nothing.” I was probably making a mountain out of a molehill. But I couldn’t help myself from pursuing it. “I’ve heard you call her Gwen.”

He shrugged. “That’s what she goes by.”

“You never call people by their nicknames.” My irritation was showing.

And so was his. “Are you suggesting it means something that I use hers?”

“No.” Why did this bother me so much? “I don’t know.” It was Celia. The mood had been set and now, even as we tried to move past it, we struggled.

It was my turn to sigh. “I’m just tense. I’m sorry.”

“I know. I am too.” Hudson took another swallow of his wine. “I don’t know why I call her Gwen. I knew her as that first. I suppose it’s in my brain now.”

“You don’t need to explain.” But I was glad he had.

I took a sip from my own glass, trying to focus on something that wasn’t going to piss either of us off. He’d asked about my agenda for the next day...fuck. I remembered something we needed to talk about. But it was definitely not going to be a pleasant conversation. Might as well get it over with.

“About tomorrow…” I began tentatively. “I do have plans I should tell you about.”

“You better not be planning a run in Central Park. Your new bodyguard will tackle you down.” His tone was light, but his eyes said he was serious.

“I said I wouldn’t run outside. Trust me works both ways, you know. Do I get to meet this bodyguard? Is he also very attractive but unavailable because he’s gay?”

Hudson smirked. “That’s not even a little funny.”

I knocked his knee playfully under the table. “It totally is and you know it.”

“I’ll introduce you on his shift tomorrow. He’s not gay. And I trust you so I’m not worried about whether or not he’s attractive.”

“Good boy.”

“Now what do you need to tell me?” He took a bite of his risotto and pinned his attention on me.

I paused, hating to destroy the lighter mood. “I’m, um, having lunch with Mira tomorrow. And Jack.”

Hudson froze, his fork mid-air. “What did you say?”

The look on his face said he’d heard me fine. But I played along, trying to sound more confident the second time around. “I’m having lunch with your sister and father.”

“Like hell you are.” His eyes blazed with fury.

His reaction wasn’t a surprise, but I fought not to get immediately defensive. “I’m guessing it’s the Jack part that has you upset and not the Mira part.”

His jaw twitched. “I’m not upset about any of it because you are not having lunch with my father.”

With as much lightheartedness as I could muster, I said, “I’m not sure you can tell me what I am and am not doing.”

“Oh, yes, I can.”

I groaned, running my hands through my hair. “Hudson, this is ridiculous. I’ve told you before, I’m not Celia. I’m not going to sleep with your father—even if he comes on to me. Which he won’t because your baby sister will be there.”

He wiped his mouth with his napkin and tossed it on his plate. “Why do you even need to spend time with him?”

“I don’t need to. I didn’t plan to. Mira didn’t want to be alone with him, and so I offered to be a buffer.”

“She doesn’t need a buffer. Cancel your date and have coffee with her later. Just Mira.”

I considered for about half a second. Then I abandoned that and started to get angry. “I don’t want to cancel. I want to have lunch with Mira. And Jack. I like him. Not because I’m into him, but because he’s your father. And I don’t have a father anymore and bonding with Jack makes me feel good.” My voice cracked, but I kept on. “Maybe he’s not a great replacement, but he’s the closest thing I have. Plus, knowing him helps me feel closer to you. And when you keep things from me, H, I need all the access to you I can get.”

“Alayna…”

Immediately I felt bad. “That last part was uncalled for. I’m sorry.”

Hudson pushed his chair away from the table. Then he reached over and pulled me into his lap.

This was better. The tension that had hung thickly in the air began to dissipate.

He ran his hand up and down my arm. “I’m not keeping things from you, Alayna. Really, I’m not. I just want a night without…her.”

“I know,” I said, burrowing deeper into his chest.

“And please, don’t use my father to get close to me. He’s not the road to my heart.”

“Where is the road to your heart?”

With one finger, he lifted my chin to meet his eyes. “Don’t you know? You’re the one who paved it.”

I bit back tears, not wanting to spoil the moment with crying. “Don’t think I’m going to cancel my lunch because you’re being sweet.”

He laughed. “Don’t worry. I don’t think that at all. Have lunch with him if that’s what you want. At least I know you’ll be safe from Celia with him around. They aren’t friendly anymore. And I wouldn’t deny you something that makes you feel good.”

Desperate to hold on to his lighter mood, I chose to respond playfully. “It’s not your right to deny me anyway.”

He pretended to sigh. “I hate that.”

A rush of emotion swept through me. God, this man…he stopped his whole world to look out for me, to take care of me, and now he’d accepted my decision to meet with his father—a decision that had to be tearing him apart inside. Maybe he wasn’t perfect, but he was pretty darn near.

I wrapped my arms around his neck and held on to him tight. “I love you.”

“And that’s why I’m letting you win this conversation.”

I pulled back to meet his eyes, my brow raised. “Letting me?”

“Please, indulge me a little.”

“How about this—” I shifted so I was straddling him. “How about we cease conversation altogether and indulge in an activity where we can both win?”

“Can we both win twice?”

“Honey, we can win three times if you’re up for it.”

The growing bulge beneath me told me what he thought about that before he even spoke. “Now that sounds like a plan.”

* * *

Mira tapped her pursed lips with a French-manicured finger. “I just don’t understand why he wouldn’t tell you what he’s planning. It makes no sense.”

When I joined Mira for lunch the next day, I hadn’t meant to tell her about Celia’s stalking, but the words poured out the moment I’d seen her. If Jack had been there, I knew I wouldn’t have shared as much, but his tardiness had me spilling everything, including Hudson’s deflection when I’d asked him his ideas for dealing with the bitch. He’d had a valid reason for not giving me more information, but it continued to nag at me.