Not wanting to disturb him, I walked in quietly and perched on the edge of his desk behind him. I must not have been quiet enough, because he spun to look at me, not once halting his conversation. Wearing jeans and a tight blue polo that accentuated his firm abs, he looked hot—fuck, he was always hot, but his casual look was one I still wasn’t used to. It made me squirmy and aware. Especially as I listened to him conducting his business. He always said my brain turned him on. I wondered if he had any idea that his turned me on as well.

He was equally enraptured by me, his eyes never leaving me as he continued his call. Perhaps the way I ate my banana was a bit sultry. I couldn’t help myself. Could I ever when Hudson was in the room?

When he’d finished his call, he set the receiver in the cradle on the desk and swept his glance down my body, as he often did, like he was already f**king me in his head.

His gaze roused me instantly. My body was humming with electricity, my legs swinging with restless energy. “Am I interrupting?”

“Not at all. I’m done for the day.” He hissed as I moved my lips slowly over my final bite of banana. “Done with work.”

“Sounds like your phone call was a lot more productive than mine was then.” I sucked at the tip of my thumb, pretending to clean off banana remnants when there weren’t any there.

When I began to move on to my index finger, Hudson grabbed it and sucked it instead. “It’s amazing I could even concentrate with your gorgeous mouth wrapped around your fruit. But that was your intention.”

I gave a one-shoulder shrug. “I have no idea what you’re talking about.”

His mouth lifted up into a smile. “Such a wicked, wicked tease.” He sat in his desk chair and rolled to face me square on. “Who was your conversation with?”

“My brother. It was painful.”

“Want to talk about it?” His hands slid along my calves, sending electric sparks through my body.

“Nope.” Not yet anyway. “I’m not letting him ruin my day and this day is fabulous. You know why?”

“Because I’m about to pounce on you?”

“That too.” God, that too. My heart quickened with the anticipation. “But also because the event planners I met with agreed to make a deal.”

“Of course they did. You’re brilliant, remember?” His hands slid past my knees to my bare thighs, his fingers dancing lightly over my skin. “This is with Party Planners Plus?”

I tensed unwittingly. “Wow. Good memory.” I’d hoped he would forget the details. The fact that he paid attention made it harder to believe he wouldn’t discover Paul Kresh’s involvement.

“Only where you’re concerned.”

That’s what I’m afraid of. But I smiled, letting him believe I enjoyed his attention, which I did in general. Just not where Party Planners was concerned.

“Congratulations. I can’t wait to see what you do with them.” He leaned forward to place a kiss on the top of my thigh, so close and so far away from places that wanted his mouth more thoroughly.

“Me neither.” My breath caught as he kissed me again, this time on my inner thigh. “It’s a start. I’m excited about it.” I wasn’t certain I was talking about business anymore.

Hudson took my hand and tugged me forward to straddle him in his chair. “Then we both have good news today.”

“Tell me yours.” My hands wandered over his shirt, enjoying the feel of the firm landscape underneath.

His eyes closed in a long blink, and I knew he was enjoying my touch as well. Mirroring my movement, his palms fondled my braless br**sts through my top. “I was on the phone with a contact in Japan. I’ve asked him to arrange for me to make a trip there in the next few days.”

My hands stilled. “What? Why?” Japan was so far away. The thought of him going there for even a short time made my chest ache.

“To make a bid for Plexis.”

“Really? Oh, Hudson, that’s so great!”

“I approached that gentleman you heard talking. His name is Mitch Larson.” Hudson continued to knead my br**sts as he spoke, my body arching into his touch. “Turns out he doesn’t have any selling power in his company, but he arranged for me to bid directly to his boss in Japan. I wouldn’t have gotten the meeting if I hadn’t gone through Mitch.” I moaned as he pinched my ni**les to two proud peaks. “And I wouldn’t have known to approach Mitch if it weren’t for you.”

I squirmed, trying to get pressure where I needed it, low in my crotch. “I wouldn’t have even been at that party if it weren’t for you.”

“You could easily have tuned the conversation out. Or not bothered to tell me. You did. For which I’m grateful.”

His hands, still on my br**sts, felt too far away. I needed them on my bare skin, ached for him to touch me without a barrier. Soon. He’d have to take me soon.

I bent to whisper in his ear. “How grateful are you?”

“I think you know.” He bucked up and I could feel his erection—finally—meeting me at my core.

His mouth lifted to meet mine, but he took his time, brushing my lips with his nose, licking along the curve of my chin. His teeth nipped at my bottom lip and I couldn’t take it anymore. Putting my hands on each side of his face, I held him steady as I crushed my lips to his. My tongue stayed shallow, teasing along his lower teeth until he plunged his tongue into my mouth. Then I claimed his mouth fully, sucking his tongue like it was his cock, reveling in the moan at the back of his throat as I did.

His hands stroked up and down my back but still hadn’t gone under my shirt. I pulled on the bottom, hinting what I wanted, what I needed.

Instead of following my lead, he placed his hands gently on my shoulders and pushed me back. We were both breathless, and I, more than a bit confused, and so utterly aroused I couldn’t sit still.

“Alayna, there’s something I need to say.” Hudson moved his hands to my h*ps to stop my fidgeting. “About yesterday. About moving in.”

Fuck, was he taking it back? In the middle of a really hot make-out session? “Yes?”

“I don’t want you here…”

He paused, and I got nervous that he’d reached the end of his statement.

But then he continued. “…so I can control you. I want you here because I can’t bear it when you’re not. I want you here because I want you with me—always.”