Hold Me Closer (Sea Island Brides Book 1) (18 page)

A
polite applause broke out across the crowd. As Annabelle looked out
at the sea of unfamiliar faces, she concentrated on the warmth of
Hudson’s hand holding hers.

As
his mother spoke about the various plans for the arts council this
upcoming season, Annabelle noticed that waiters in white were passing
around glasses of champagne. Her stomach knotted with nerves.

“If
you’ll please lift your glasses, my oldest son Hudson has a
very important announcement he would like to make while we are all
gathered here together.”

Giving
her hand another squeeze before releasing her, Hudson made his way to
the microphone. His mother took his place beside Annabelle and put
her arm around her, hugging her close.

“I
am so happy that you could all be here with us this evening,”
Hudson began. “As you know, the annual arts council benefit is
very important to my family since it was my grandmother who started
the event over fifty years ago.”

Jilly,
who was standing on the other side of Sue Ellen, gave Annabelle an
encouraging wink, but it did little to calm her nerves. How had she
ended up in this position? She was used to being the one with all the
control. If things weren’t going her way, she was quick to get
out and try something new. But this time things had spun so far out
of control that she couldn’t see a way out. All she managed to
do was get herself in deeper with each day that passed.

“I
only wish my grandmother could be here tonight as I make this special
announcement. I am very happy to tell you that my lovely Annabelle,
whom many of you have recently gotten to know, has graciously agreed
to be my wife!”

A
loud cheer rang out in the room as glasses were raised. Sue Ellen
placed her hand on Annabelle’s back and gave her a gentle push
toward Hudson, who was reaching for her with an outstretched hand.

Scarlett
made her way to the microphone and continued the speech as Hudson put
his arm around Annabelle. He handed her a glass of champagne, then
took one for himself. “Please join me in a toast. To my brother
Hudson and his Annabelle.”

“To
Hudson and Annabelle!” The crowd shouted out their toast as
glasses were raised toward the stage. To her surprise, Hudson handed
his champagne glass off to his mother and took Annabelle in his arms.

Time
stood still and the roar of the crowd faded as Hudson caressed her
face gently with one hand and leaned close, their lips meeting in a
soft kiss.

Annabelle
reminded herself that it was all for show, but she felt his warmth
all the way down to her toes. Her body leaned into him and he
responded, his mouth opening slightly to taste her more deeply. Their
tongues met and she pulled him closer, barely registering the shouts
of the crowd below. For the first time that evening, her crazy nerves
focused into a single ball of energy within her and she put all of
herself into that kiss.

In
that moment, Annabelle suddenly wished it were all real. If only she
could have met Hudson and fallen in love under different
circumstances. If only she had not gone to such lengths to deceive
him. She kissed him as though it might be the last important kiss of
her life.

When
she pulled away, her face was flushed. Her eyes searched his, and she
could tell that Hudson was just as rattled by the depth of emotion in
their kiss as she was.

She
watched as he downed his champagne, throwing his head back as the
golden liquid disappeared down his throat.

When
he was finished, he raised his glass again to the happy crowd, then
led the family off the stage. The moment they stepped onto the heart
pine floors, they were engulfed in a sea of well-wishers. Annabelle
was pulled through the crowd by a rush of people wanting to
congratulate her, and before she knew it, Hudson was nowhere to be
seen.

She
smiled and played the part of a blushing fiancée, answering
questions about how they first met and how he had proposed. Her
answers were all well-rehearsed, and thankfully, no one seemed the
least bit suspicious, but she was frantic to have a moment alone with
Hudson. As the crowd passed by her, her eyes searched for him in
vain.

After
an exhausting hour of endless congratulations, Annabelle finally had
a moment to herself. She wandered back into the ballroom where the
lights were now dimmed. The band struck up a slow song that she
recognized instantly as an old Etta James classic about finding your
love after years of waiting. Annabelle felt the words cut straight to
her heart.

It
was useless to keep denying how much she had come to care for Hudson.
She had fallen in love with him.

When
she first came to Sea Island, everything had seemed so simple. Smile,
answer questions, and pretend to be the doting girlfriend until the
deal was finalized. Then, collect payment. A paternity test to prove
Harlan Montgomery was the father of Julia’s baby. She had been
so confident that her plan would work and that in the end, she would
bring happiness and security to her cousin and her new niece.

How
had everything become so complicated in two short weeks? It seemed
like an eternity since she’d first had the idea to blackmail
Hudson with a few scandalous photographs.

A
hand reached out and caressed her lower back. She didn’t turn
to see who it was. She knew his touch. No one else had ever caused
such sizzling heat to stir within her. Even the simple brush of his
hand on her back had her leaning into him and wishing they were
alone.

Hudson
swept her into his arms and whirled her around the crowded dance
floor. The singer’s smooth voice was lost under the sound of
Annabelle’s racing heartbeat. She lifted her eyes to meet his
and for a moment she was terrified he would see right through to her
soul.

She
loved him, but she knew she could never have him. Not after all of
her lies. It was only a matter of time now before he knew the truth,
and losing him would break her heart.

Everyone
around them faded into the crowd, and Annabelle felt as if it were
only the two of them on the dance floor. His strong arms holding her
were her entire world, and she wanted nothing and no one else but
him. All of her life she had longed to feel something half as strong
as this, but why now? Why him?

Trying
desperately to hold back her tears, Annabelle rested her head on
Hudson’s shoulder, pulling him close as they twirled around the
room. When the music stopped, she had to force herself to let go, not
wanting to face his inquisitive eyes and wonder what he would say or
do when morning came.

“Hudson,”
she began, but he cut her off with his lips, crushing her body to
his.

She
met him with eager anticipation. The warmth of his soft lips was
inviting and she leaned into him. An involuntary moan escaped her and
Hudson’s kiss deepened, sending streaks of warmth through her
body.

Annabelle
pulled herself from Hudson’s arms, emotions rolling through her
like the waves she knew were only footsteps away. Everything was
different now that she had admitted her true feelings to herself.
Kissing him was like tasting forbidden fruit, and she knew that it
would only lead to trouble and more heartache if she gave in to him
tonight.

“I
can’t,” she said, taking a step back and searching her
mind for any excuse to get away from him. “If you’ll
excuse me, there are some things I need to take care of before the
evening is over.”

It
took every ounce of self-control in her body to walk away from him
then, and she only managed to get as far as the staircase before he
caught up to her again and took her in his arms.

“You
can’t walk away from me now,” he protested. “Not
tonight. Tonight your walls come down, Annabelle Day. And there’s
nothing you can do to stop it.”

Hudson
didn’t care that he had a house full of guests. He wanted her.
Now.

His
mouth descended on hers. The sweet taste of champagne lingered on her
lips. He felt her palms press against his chest in protest, but he
was wild with passion. He simply couldn’t let her go. His
fingers tangled around the small gathering of tiny curls at the base
of her neck while the other hand caressed her lower back.

An
inferno raged within him, and he crushed her body against his own.

He
wasn’t sure where her protests ended and her passion began, but
soon he felt her form melt against him, her mouth open in response.
Pure adrenaline soared through him as her arms circled his neck and
she gave herself over to his kiss.

“I
want you, Annabelle,” he whispered between frantic kisses. “I
need you.”

Her
nod was all the permission he needed, and he scooped her into his
arms and carried her up the stairs, just as he had a few short nights
ago. He was careful not to step on the black lace of her gown as it
trailed across the steps. All he could think about was the warmth of
her breath against his neck and the feel of his heartbeat thumping
against hers as he pressed her close.

Once
inside his suite, they might as well have been the last two humans
alive on the planet. This was more than just a fling, and he knew
pretending it was a small flame that would burn out in a few days was
futile. It might take years, decades even, to sate this thirst, this
throbbing need to possess her.

Ribbons
threaded through more than fifty loops held her dress together in the
back. He yanked at them with impatient hands, then pushed the dress
downward. He ran his palms along the smooth cool skin of her back.
She wasn’t wearing a bra under the dress, but her lace panties
and garter with thigh highs certainly caught his attention as the
dress swished toward the floor. Now that he had her bare skin at his
fingertips, he slowed, relishing the perfection of her figure.

Kissing
the back of her neck and across her shoulders, he traced a
feather-soft pattern down the side of her body with his fingertips,
exploring the soft curve of her breasts and the slope as her waist
dipped. The moan that escaped her lips made him yearn for her. He
felt his hunger for her take over as he pressed toward her back,
cupping her breasts in his hands.

When
he could no longer stand it, he turned her around to face him. He
watched in awe as she stepped out of the dress and made her way
slowly to the bed. One hand went up to her hair and gently tugged at
the pin holding it up, and he watched as her beautiful curls fell
down and around her shoulders. She gave her head a slight shake and
in that moment, she was everything he’d ever wanted in a woman.

Sexy.
Beautiful. Smart. Strong.

She
wasn’t afraid to stand up to him and to speak her mind. She was
so easy to talk to and open up to that it scared him. He had never
wanted to know a woman so completely in his life, and as she reached
to untie his bow-tie, his wish to be with her outweighed any doubts
or fears.

The
secrets she was hiding no longer mattered. Suddenly he felt that
whatever problems she faced with Mark could be dealt with, the same
way he was used to dealing with scandal and trouble in his own life.
He realized that he was already starting to think of Annabelle as a
part of his life. Of his family, even.

Letting
his heart fall into the wrong hands was one of his biggest fears, and
even though he’d tried to be careful, he knew that it was
already too late to protect his heart. He pushed all thoughts of
secrets and doubt aside and thought only of tonight.

His
tuxedo shirt fell to the floor and Annabelle sat down on the bed,
need shining in her eyes as she reached for his belt. Hudson groaned,
his need growing once again impatient as she unzipped his pants and
pushed them down to the floor. He needed to feel her hands on him. He
pulled away the final barrier, then felt her delicate hands wrap
around him.

Hudson’s
breath quickened and he closed his eyes as he
leaned his head back in ecstasy. God, she knew just how to
touch him. He felt the heat rising inside and knew that he could wait
no longer.

Taking
her hands in his own, he instructed her to lie
back against the soft bed. He quickly grabbed a condom from the
drawer and positioned himself above her, looking deep into her eyes.

Their
gaze stayed locked as she guided him inside of her, their chests both
rising and falling together as their breath became fast and their
hearts raced on. He took his time at first, sliding into her with a
shudder of pleasure. The rocking of her hips as she urged him to give
her more of himself drove him insane with need.

Their
bodies began to move together in a rhythm as ancient as time, her
hips lifting beneath him to meet each thrust. Unable to take his eyes
off of the beauty of her flushed face, he watched as their
love-making took her to the brink of orgasm. Her own pleasure excited
him more and he followed her lead, speeding their rhythm until they
both trembled with release. His body came alive with the current of a
thousand lightning storms.