“You’ll see when we get there.” He fastened his own belt, likely for my benefit, then threw his arm around my shoulder. “And precious,” he whispered at my ear, “you aren’t going to be needing any clothes.”

***

“Wake up, precious. We’re here.”

I must have fallen asleep leaning against Hudson, because the next thing I knew, we were stopped and he was gently nudging me.

I blinked several times, letting my eyes adjust to the light. “Where’s here?” I yawned.

“Come on out and see.” He tugged me out of the limo.

We were by a log cabin surrounded by lush green woods. A line of wildflowers bordered the stone walkway, butterflies dancing from blossom to blossom. The blue sky was clear and free from smog. Birds sang and a pair of chipmunks scurried up a tree nearby. A little way beyond the house, I could see a lake. The scene was so remote, and the limo and Hudson’s two-piece attire were out-of-place. It completely satisfied the yearning for nature that I’d been experiencing.

“The Poconos?” I guessed. He nodded, his eyes watching mine as I took in the beauty. It was perfect. “It’s absolutely gorgeous.”

Hudson’s face relaxed into a smile. He turned to the driver of the limo who was unloading a small suitcase from the trunk of the car. “Seven p.m. on Sunday.”

“Yes, sir.”

I watched as the driver got back in the car and drove off, leaving us alone in what I was calling paradise. Hudson picked up the suitcase with one hand and took my hand in the other, leading me to the door of the cabin.

I gestured toward the luggage. “I don’t need clothes, but you do?”

He laughed. “It’s essentials. For both of us. I assure you, if you’re naked, I will be as well.”

At the door, Hudson pulled a key from his pocket. “This cabin’s been in our family for years,” he offered before I could ask. “We have a hired manager that opens the place up once a week to keep it from getting musty. Other than that, Adam and Mira are the only ones who come up here on a regular basis. I thought it was time to get my own use out of the property.”

“As I said before, H, good thinking.”

He opened the door and swept his hand for me to go in first. The interior was as perfect as the outside. The design was rustic and homey—not typical of the Pierce’s usual gravitation toward luxurious spaces. I could see why it wasn’t a place that Sophia would hang out, or even Jack for that matter. The front room had large comfy sofas and leather armchairs. Two log columns separated the space. A stone fireplace broke up the floor to ceiling windows that overlooked the deck and the lake beyond. It was peaceful and breathtaking.

And we were alone—no coworkers with crushes, no bodyguards, no crazy stalkers. Completely alone.

I heard the click of the door and Hudson came up behind me. I felt it then—the crackle of energy that always existed between us. It kicked up to a high buzz, as if someone had just turned on a switch, and all my lingering fatigue and anxiety instantly left me, replaced with an intense, immediate need for him.

It wasn’t just me that felt it. In one swift movement, Hudson had me turned around, one hand on my ass, the other pinning both of mine behind my back as he kissed me frantically. Mercilessly. His tongue tangled with mine, twisting in a dance that was new and consuming. He backed me up as he held his lock on me, leading me somewhere, leading me I-didn’t-care-where. The only place I wanted to be was in his arms, in his mouth, in this bubble of frozen space and time that only contained me and him.

God, I was lost—Hudson’s lips sent me spiraling into a haze of lust and desire. Then his hands were under my bodycon dress, gathering the material and shimmying it up my thighs and up over my br**sts, over my head until I was free from the garment. He tossed it aside and pushed me against one of the log pillars. Again, he pinned my hands, this time over my head. His other hand stroked my skin at my hip. He broke away from my lips and lowered his mouth to my breast. He nipped through my bra, sending an electric shock through my body. The rough wood against my back, his teeth biting my sensitive flesh—it was a mix of such strong sensations, sending my nerves into full alert.

His fingers trailed along the skin at the top of my panties, then slipped inside to find my clit, already swollen and wanting. His hand slid lower through my folds. “Ah, you’re so wet. I want to lick your lips clean. But I want to be inside you.”

“Hudson.” I wriggled against the post. “I need. My hands.” I couldn’t speak in full sentences. “Need to touch you. Need you naked.”

His mouth returned to mine. He bit my lower lip and followed it with a soothing suck. Then he let my arms free. “Okay,” he said.

He shrugged out of his jacket while I began on the buttons of his shirt. My hands worked so frantically, so urgently, that I popped a button. I paused. “Whoops.”

With a groan, Hudson pulled at the material, popping all the remaining buttons. It was impressive. And hot. My hands flew to his chest. I pressed my palms along the smooth planes and down over the ridges of his abs. His skin felt like fire, the solidness of his flesh such a stark contrast to the softness of mine.

As I explored his torso, he explored mine. He pushed the cups of my bra down and plumped my br**sts with strong, sturdy hands. My ni**les stood at avid attention. A brush of his thumbs across them set my knees to buckle and my thighs to press together.

With another groan, Hudson let go of me and took a step back. “Fuck, you’re so gorgeous like that. Your br**sts standing up for me. Your legs begging for me to push my way between them.”

I moved toward him, unable to bear the absence of his heat. As I reached him, though, he surprised me by picking me up and throwing me over his shoulder. “Time for a change of scenery,” he said.

He spoke as we walked. “Mini tour. Kitchen’s there. Bathroom. And here’s the master bedroom.”

I craned my neck to peek at each of the rooms as we passed, not really caring about them, but curious as to our destination. In the master, he plopped me onto the bed. “Though I plan to mark you in every room of this house, we’ll be spending most of our time here.”

I wasn’t even tempted to glance around. I sat, propped on my elbows behind me with my eyes pinned on him while he undid his belt and pushed off his pants. His hard, thick c**k poked from the top of his briefs. My mouth watered as I waited for him to take them off, too.

But he didn’t. Not yet. “Turn around,” he ordered.