He paused for just a moment to grab a condom from the bedside table, and she watched with hungry anticipation as he sheathed himself.
Her forwardness seemed to rid him of his restraint, and to her amazement and pleasure, he took her hands in his and lifted them high above her head, clasping them in one hand as he reached down with the other to guide himself into her. Annabelle opened to him and stared into his eyes as she felt the tip of him slip inside. Her muscles clenched tight around him as he filled her and she lifted up to meet him.
Instinctively, her legs wrapped around him as they slowly began to move together in an increasing rhythm, pleasure spreading out from her center to the ends of every nerve in her body. Their hands clasped together on the bed above Annabelle’s head, fingers intertwined as Hudson pushed inside of her again and again, deeper and harder with each thrust, filling her completely. She cried out his name as the heat within her rose higher and higher, gathering to a single focal point, then erupting through her body like an explosion. She felt him grow harder as he reached his climax, slowing to a few final, powerful thrusts before collapsing on top of her, their bodies damp from the frenzy of their love-making.
Hudson’s heartbeat pulsed against her own as they clung to one another, neither of them willing to let go as their breathing gradually slowed.
“So much for my amazing self-control,” Annabelle said with a laugh as Hudson rolled over to lie beside her on the bed.
“If it had been up to me, we would have done this a long time ago,” he teased. He pulled her tightly against his side so that she lay snuggled against his naked body, one leg thrown over his.
“Trust me, if I had known it could be like this, I wouldn’t have been able to resist you,” she said, running her fingertips across his bare chest and stomach.
Hudson kissed the top of her head and squeezed her tight, his tone more serious as he said, “When I realized that you were in trouble, it really scared me, Annabelle. I don’t know what I would do if something happened to you.”
His words were those of a lover and even a true fiancée, but Annabelle knew that even though they had gotten caught up in the heat of the moment, they could never have a relationship that would last. Once the acquisition was signed and Hudson found out who she really was, there would be no future for the two of them.
Until now, she’d been able to accept that future. But lying there in the darkness of his room with the moonlight streaming in through the windows, and the sound of the waves caressing the shore below, Annabelle realized just how difficult it would be to let him go.
In the early morning light, Hudson watched as Annabelle slept peacefully by his side. Last night, he’d finally gotten what he’d been longing for the past week, but his hunger for her had not abated. Instead, he found himself wanting more. Wanting her.
Sleeping, her guard was completely down for perhaps the first time since they’d met. There was something so strong and stubborn about her, and while that drove him completely crazy, it also made him yearn to really know her.
It had been a very long time since he’d had feelings this strong for anyone.
Since Haley.
The thought of his ex-fiancée made him tense and angry.
Hudson first met Haley Richardson during his Freshman year at the University of Georgia. He was instantly drawn to her, and once they started dating they were inseparable. She was the first woman he’d ever loved.
He was still a kid back then. He wasn’t ready to settle down and get married. But Haley was impatient. She wasn’t willing to wait for him to be ready, so she tried to trick him into it. He would never forgive her for that. Or himself for falling for it. She broke his heart, and every woman since had paid the price.
His heart was untouchable. Until now.
But could Annabelle be trusted?
She had a chip on her shoulder, that much was certain. If he had to guess, he would say it was from losing her parents so young and always feeling like she’d gotten the short end of the stick when it came to life. Without parents to guide her, she must have met a lot of people who wanted to take advantage of her situation.
Hell, she probably saw him as just another one of those kinds of people. And in some ways, he was, wasn’t he? He was using her for his own selfish purposes, after all. But he was also fully prepared to offer her payment for her time and cooperation, as agreed.
Of course, he still wasn’t sure what she wanted from him. He’d been convinced she would ultimately ask for a large sum of money. Millions, probably.
Now, he wasn’t so sure. The whole time she’d been at Cottonwood, she had barely taken an interest in his money or the finer things they had to offer. When she’d first moved in, he’d given her a credit card to take care of any expenses. Any other woman would have taken that card and gone shopping till they dropped from exhaustion, but not Annabelle. As far as he knew, she had yet to even look for a dress for the formal ball next weekend.
So, if it wasn’t money she was after, what was it?
Before he could think any more on the subject, Annabelle sleepily turned over on her stomach. Her tousled blonde curls fell over her face and Hudson gently moved them out of the way so he could see her. He ran the tip of his finger along her soft cheek and his heart skipped at the simple contact. Continuing along her jawline, he outlined her face with his fingertip, amazed at her natural and easy beauty.
Slowly, Annabelle’s eyes opened and she smiled a sleepy smile, then buried her face in the pillow with a giggle.
“I didn’t mean to wake you,” he said, moving his palm to her bare back and gliding his fingers over her warm skin. “But since I did, I have an idea about something we could do.”
Annabelle lifted her head and laughed again. The sound was like bottled sunshine and it made him feel warm all over. “I see you’re wide awake,” she said with a laugh. “Have you slept at all?”
“Not a wink,” he said, moving his hand down the length of her body. She shivered as he ran his fingertips softly along the small of her back. “I’m not tired.”
“Perhaps I didn’t do a good enough job of exhausting you the first time.”
“The first time?” Hudson raised his eyebrows inquisitively. “Does that mean there’s going to be a second time?”
The devilish smile that crossed her face sent a jolt of pleasure straight to his groin. Just the thought of touching her, of being inside her again, made his pulse quicken.
He moved to position himself on top of her, but she put both hands against his chest and pushed him onto his back. “This time, I’m in control,” she said, pinning him down on the bed.
Hudson laid back and let the feel of her bare hands running across his chest take him to another world. Her touch was intoxicating, and he felt drunk with the pleasure of it. When her hands explored lower and wrapped around the base of him, he breathed in sharply and closed his eyes. His hips lifted to her, wanting more as she teased him relentlessly.
“Annabelle.” Her name came out as a plea, and just as he felt that he was on the verge of losing control, she slowed and began kissing him with soft, supple lips. The flick of her tongue sent a shock of lightning through him, and his eyes opened wide. It took every ounce of self-control not to switch their positions and have his glorious way with her.
Over the past year, Hudson had taken his ability to control himself to new heights. With his playboy past haunting him like a bad shadow, the press was always ready to pounce on him if he was seen with a new woman, so his relationships with women had been all but nonexistent for a while now. Hudson suddenly felt as if the waiting and the resisting of temptation he had done since his father passed away had all been worth it. No woman had ever made him feel the way Annabelle did, both in and out of the bedroom.
Since Haley, Hudson had been scared to let any woman past his thick skin. He was careful never to let a relationship grow beyond a single night. But with Annabelle, it was so easy to just be himself.
Could there
be a future for them beyond this business deal? Hudson pushed the idea from his mind. There was still so much more he needed to know about her before he could think about a relationship. For now, he was content to explore her body and make the most of their time together.
As she brought her lips to his throat and kissed a warm, wet trail down his chest, Hudson groaned with impatience. When he couldn’t take it anymore, he lifted her into his arms and kissed her with passion he wasn’t aware he was capable of until that moment. Rolling her body over on the large king-sized bed, he positioned himself on top of her and kissed his own delectable trail from her neck, down her ample breasts, across her flat stomach and down even farther until she was writhing beneath him.
Slowly, Hudson put a hand on each of her thighs and gently spread her legs apart. At first, she seemed shy and unwilling to open herself to him, but the moment his fingers found the wet center of her pleasure, she loosened and gave in, her legs falling open to give him access to her most intimate parts.
Hudson focused solely on Annabelle’s pleasure. He took his time, tasting her, exploring every tiny cry and moan that escaped from her. He wanted to possess the power and knowledge to make her body sing. When her release finally came, it was beautiful and free and incredibly sexy, making him want her more than ever.
“Please,” Annabelle half-whispered, half-moaned. Hudson knew what she wanted, and he was more than willing to give it to her.
His control on the absolute edge, Hudson donned another condom and pushed himself inside her slowly, taking his time to relish the wet heat of her body. The electrifying wave that pulsed through him as she began to move under him threw him into oblivion. He thrust into her again and again, their hot breath intermingled as they stared into each other’s eyes.
Hudson felt the tension rise as the pleasure built deep inside, rushing toward the surface in an explosion that rocked his very foundation. He cried out as Annabelle’s muscles constricted around him, intensifying his release as her body convulsed beneath him.
When the height of the moment had passed, he lay down close beside her and pulled her into the crook in his arm. She threw one leg over his while her fingers made lazy circles in the patch of hair on his chest.
As he drifted off to sleep, finally exhausted, part of him hoped Mr. Takahashi would take his sweet time signing that contract.
Chapter Eight
Mid-morning sunlight streamed in through the French doors of the master suite. Annabelle reluctantly opened her eyes and stretched her arms high above her head. Hudson was no longer sleeping beside her, and when she looked at the bedside clock and saw that it was already well past ten in the morning, she understood why.
Annabelle’s face flushed with warmth as she thought about the previous night. Being with Hudson was like opening the door to some forbidden world only to find out that life’s greatest pleasures lived there. She certainly never intended to let things go so far, but now that it had happened, she couldn’t bring herself to regret it.
Hudson Montgomery wasn’t at all the person she first believed him to be. Underneath that hard business-only exterior, he was full of passion and warmth. The way he had burst through her door to protect her was fearless.
The only thing that still didn’t make sense was the way he had treated her cousin. Annabelle wished she could ask him about it point-blank. She was tired of the charade and the lies.
Deceiving someone you despised was a lot easier than lying to someone you... what? Surely she wasn’t in love with him? No, she wasn’t ready to even think about the consequences of falling in love with Hudson Montgomery. They had a sexual connection that couldn’t be denied, but beyond that, Annabelle was at a loss as to an exact definition of her feelings. All she knew was that lying to him didn’t feel right anymore.
But how can I possibly tell him the truth now?
She couldn’t. Until the business deal in Japan was finalized, Hudson didn’t owe her anything. After all she’d been through so far, she had no choice but to see it through to the end. Telling him now would be the worst thing she could do. It would ruin everything.
Last night, it seemed like the right thing to do. Tell him and get it over with, like ripping off a bandaid. But now...
Annabelle winced when she thought of what Hudson’s reaction would be when she finally revealed what she wanted out of the deal. He was expecting her to ask for money, of that she was certain. The fact that she wanted his family to take responsibility for Harlan’s one-night stand with Julia was probably the farthest thing from his mind.
No matter how lovely last night had been for the two of them, Annabelle was certain that once Hudson knew the truth, it would ruin everything between them. He’d never be able to trust her again.
She could only hope the family would believe Annabelle had acted completely alone. Once a paternity test proved Julia’s baby was in fact a Montgomery, they would welcome Julia and her child into the family with open arms. All Annabelle wanted to do was make them open their eyes to the truth.
She was beginning to think she may never get that chance. Mark’s threats flooded back to her. What if he showed up again, demanding money? What if he tried to hurt her?
Lying in bed all day thinking about it isn’t going to change anything.
Knowing that Hudson’s security guards were watching out for her made her feel a lot better. She simply needed some time to process everything that had happened the night before, and then she could figure out what to do next.
She decided to let Hudson’s luxurious shower wash her worries away. Six shower heads meant that a steady stream of warm water was hitting her from several angles. She only wished Hudson was still there to enjoy the shower with her. The thought of his sculpted muscles and smooth tanned chest sent excitement soaring through her body.
Anxious to see him again and judge his reaction after their night together, she finished her shower and wrapped one of Hudson’s plump blue bath towels around her wet frame. The only clothes she had to wear were the ones she’d had on last night, and they were covered in sand. Instead, she rummaged through Hudson’s closet and selected one of his oversize t-shirts and a pair of his boxer shorts.
When she was dressed, she went searching for Hudson, expecting to find him in his study. From the stairway, though, she heard voices coming from the dining room. Listening for a moment, she recognized the voices of Hudson’s mother and sister, as well as the housekeeper, Nora. Not wanting anyone to see her wearing Hudson’s clothes and obviously coming from an upstairs room in the house, she turned and tiptoed back up the long staircase.
“Annabelle? Oh my goodness, bless your heart! Get down here girl, and let me give you a big hug.” Sue Ellen Montgomery must have been walking into the hallway just as Annabelle tried to make her escape. Annabelle froze on the stairs and slowly turned around, embarrassed to be seen this way by his mother.
“Mrs. Montgomery, good morning. I was just looking for Hudson.” At Sue Ellen’s urging, Annabelle made her way back down the stairs. The two were soon joined by Hudson’s sister, Jilly, and finally Hudson himself.
Her eyes locked onto his and she blushed, biting her bottom lip in embarrassment. She watched as he looked her up and down, then raised his eyebrows at her choice of outfit.
“I see you found something to wear,” he said, a teasing smile on his face as he lifted his coffee mug to his lips.
“Yes,” she stuttered, unsure what to say in front of his family. “I probably should head back to the cottage to get some clothes.”
“You poor thing,” Sue Ellen said, grabbing her into a bear hug. She didn’t seem at all surprised by Annabelle’s lack of clothing. “Hudson told us all about the break-in last night in the cottage. I just couldn’t believe it! Thank God, you weren’t hurt!”
“I would be so angry if someone broke into my place,” Jilly said, ushering them all back toward the dining room. “You must have been terrified.”
Annabelle sat down at the large table a
nd Nora set a heaping plate of bacon, eggs, biscuits, grits and fruit in front of her with a large glass of orange juice. “Thank you,” she said before turning back to Jilly. “Hudson was a real hero last night. If it hadn’t been for him, I don’t know what might have happened.”
“Did you get a good look at his face?” she asked.
“No,” Annabelle lied. “It all happened so fast.” She hated being dishonest when they were all so obviously concerned, but it couldn’t be helped. If she told them the truth about Mark, he would expose her secrets.
“Well, I hope you won’t think of sleeping in that cottage alone anymore,” Sue Ellen said.
“She’s moving into the Big House with me.” If anyone was surprised at Hudson’s announcement, they certainly kept it well hidden. Maybe his family already sensed that their scam of an engagement had progressed into a more significant relationship. Then again, Annabelle knew there were at least five other bedrooms in the house besides Hudson’s. He was probably planning to move her into one of those.
“I’ve also increased security around the plantation.”
“On a lighter note,” Sue Ellen said with an excited note in her voice, “I was wondering what you are planning to wear to the engagement ball next weekend?”
Annabelle glanced at Hudson. He had already reminded her several times to go shopping for a dress, and as much as she loved to shop, she hadn’t been able to bring herself to go alone and look for a dress to wear to a fake engagement party.
“I don’t actually have anything to wear, yet.”
“Great! Jilly doesn’t have anything either, and Lord knows she could use some help.”
Jilly looked up from her plate and groaned. “Mom, seriously. Are we back to this again?”
It would be a relief to have a shopping partner, but Annabelle had been secretly hoping to spend some more time with Hudson. She couldn’t very well turn down his mother’s request though, and she did need a dress. “Sure, I’d love to shop. It’ll be fun. Where should we go? Savannah?”
Hold Me Closer (Sea Island Brides Book 1) Page 10