“Please, Miss Sinclair. He’s not alone.”
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.
Release Me Page 11
