“I’m fine.” I placed my hand over his and craned my neck up to meet his eyes. “Jack’s been showing me around Mabel Shores. I’ve had an amazing time.”

Hudson’s tone was skeptical. “Then he hasn’t tried to come on to you?”

“No, he has.” I smiled over at Jack. “But we’re all good.”

Hudson moved around to sit next to me on the loveseat, resting his hand possessively on my knee.

As if challenged by his son’s marking of his territory, Jack said, “I’m telling you, Laynie, with age comes experience. If you really want an amazing time…”

Hudson’s grip tensed. “I don’t like this.”

Jack laughed, confirming my suspicion that he enjoyed toying with his son. “Relax, Hudson. It’s all in fun.”

I uncurled my legs and leaned into Hudson’s side, secretly thrilled with Hudson’s jealous show. “We’re fine, H. He knows I’m hopelessly devoted to you. Don’t you, Jack?”

“I do.” He paused, eyeing Hudson. “I wonder if my son does.”

Hudson didn’t respond, not with words anyway. But he gazed at me for several long seconds, perhaps attempting to discern exactly what had transpired between Jack and me. Or maybe he sensed that his father knew something he didn’t—that my emotions were genuinely growing deeper. That my fondness for him was real.

Whatever he decided, he pulled me closer into him and nuzzled his cheek against my head. He’d promised his actions in public would all be for the benefit of our audience, but this one felt different. Almost like he wanted to believe our relationship was real, too.

Chapter Eighteen

“Lunch is ready. Should I serve it out here?”

I twisted in Hudson’s arms to see who had spoken and saw an older woman in the doorway of the house. Her hair was completely gray, and her face had more wrinkles than Jack or Sophia, but I suspected she was near their age. She wiped her hands on the white apron she wore over her plain navy dress.

“Millie, you’re an angel,” Jack said. “Out here is a terrific idea.”

“I’ll let Adam and Chandler know they should join you.” It wasn’t quite a question, but I understood her statement gave the Pierce men a chance to object, which they didn’t.

A short time later, Adam and Chandler sat with us on the veranda enjoying a lunch of cold meat sandwiches, fruit salad, and lemonade. Even though it was simple, it was one of the best lunches I’d had in ages.

I waited until my curiosity couldn’t be contained any longer to ask why Sophia and Mira weren’t eating with us. Not that I wanted Sophia’s company, but I would have loved to spend time with Hudson’s sister.

“They’re out shopping for baby stuff,” Adam said in between bites of ham sandwich. He took a swallow of his lemonade. “Mira wanted to invite you. She looked for you before she left, but she couldn’t find you.”

“Darn. That must have been when we were touring the grounds. Sorry, Laynie.” Jack didn’t look at all remorseful.

My own response to the idea fell out unfiltered. “Fuck that. Like I’d go anywhere with Sophia, let alone shopping.” I covered my mouth with my hand. “Sorry!”

Chandler was the first to burst into laughter, joined a moment later by Jack and Adam. Even Hudson let out a chuckle.

“I’m totally with you there,” Adam said when he could speak.

“I think Mom feels the same way about you,” Chandler said, putting his feet up on the edge of the table. “She seemed to be glad when Mira couldn’t find you.”

“Chandler.” Hudson’s tone was a warning.

“It’s okay, H.” I put a hand on his thigh, careful not to let on everyone see how much I enjoyed feeling his tight muscles through the material of his slacks. “Your mother and I are a long way from friendly. It’s not a secret.”

Hudson nodded, but his brow furrowed. Did he really care that much about his mother’s opinion? Jack was right—that was too bad.

After lunch, Adam and Chandler corralled me into playing X-Box 360 with them in the media room. Hudson spread out on the couch near us, his thick reports and folders taking up most of the sofa while he worked on his laptop. Eventually Jack brought out a deck of cards and we played poker using pistachios for chips. As I’d suspected, Jack won a great deal of the time, though Chandler also had a surprising knack for the game.

After losing all of my pistachios in a bluff that Chandler called me on, I stretched and looked over at Hudson. Even though he hadn’t participated in our games, I never forgot he was near, his presence invading every part of my body like a constant electric pulse. Occasionally when I glanced over at him, which happened often, I saw he was already staring. It was our own game of secret foreplay—looking at each other, undressing each other with our eyes. Later, I knew, he’d make good on the promises in his sexy stare.

This time, his eyes were glued to his screen, his glasses resting low on his nose while his fingers moved on the keyboard at a pace that suggested he was thinking as he typed. I crossed behind him and leaned down to rest my chin in the crook of his neck, wrapping my arms around him.

At my touch, Hudson lifted a hand from his computer and patted my arm. “Game over?”

“For me.” I pulled to a standing position and rubbed my hands along his shoulders. “Wow, H. You’re tense.” He sighed as I massaged my fingers into the knots of his back. “What’s getting you stressed out?” I hoped it wasn’t our girlfriend/boyfriend show, though his tight muscles could have been attributed to the activities of the night before. The man had performed some moves that had to have required a great deal of strength.

“This situation with Plexis.” He paused and I knew he was deciding whether to say more or not. It wasn’t in his nature to share, but I’d thought I convinced him that he could talk business with me. I continued working his back as I waited, giving him a chance to continue.

My patience was rewarded. “The board is moving to sell. I need to come up with an attractive proposal to convince them it’s more profitable to keep the company.”

Even though he couldn’t see me, I nodded. I studied the screen over his head, enjoying the quiet moans that escaped from his throat as I massaged his tension away. “You’re redistributing production?” I asked. But I didn’t need his answer. I could see from what he’d entered that he was. “You’d make a whole lot more if you moved those North America lines to your Indonesia plant. You’re far from capacity there.”