Hold Me Closer (Sea Island Brides Book 1) (2 page)

She
pushed past him, her eyes watering so much now she could hardly see
where she was stepping.

“What
is that supposed to mean?” he asked, his footsteps closing in
on her from behind.

She
twirled around, everything she’d been wanting to say to him for
weeks right there behind her closed lips. She narrowed her eyes at
him.

“You
don’t want to know,” she said, turning around again and
heading for the door.

He
didn’t deserve her time. And if this was the way the Montgomery
family really was, up close and personal,
maybe her cousin Julia was better off, anyway.

If
Annabelle was smart, she’d get the hell off this property and
never look back. Hudson Montgomery was every bit the asshole she’d
believed him to be, and the last thing Julia needed was to be—

Annabelle
didn’t finish her thought before a strong, warm hand closed
around her bicep.

“Wait,”
Hudson said again. He pulled her back toward him, but as she turned,
her foot slipped on a wet tile and she lost her balance.

Annabelle
began to fall, her arms frantically reaching out for something to
hold onto. She imagined the cold water against her flesh, a scream
just starting in the back of her throat.

Then,
like a miracle, she felt Hudson’s strong arms loop around her
waist, pulling her against his body. Surprised, Annabelle gasped and
opened her eyes as his arms continued to circle her waist, their
bodies pressed together. Her face was tantalizingly close to his, and
she felt the full length of his hard body against hers.

She
could hardly catch her breath, her eyes locked onto his and her heart
pumping violently in her chest.

They
stood together for what seemed like an eternity, Annabelle unaware of
the heat of the day or the sun beating down on her skin. All thoughts
of Julia and blackmail were wiped from her mind as she stared into
Hudson’s blue-green eyes, her breath uneven, her heartbeat
racing. She could no longer hear the crash of the waves against the
nearby shore. All she knew was the smell of his cologne and the way
it felt to be in his arms.

“What
did you mean by everyone being right about me?” he asked, his
breath smelling lightly of apples and champagne.

She
searched his eyes, wondering at what point he had been able to turn
her knees into jello.

“Nothing,”
she said, breathless. She honestly couldn’t remember. She
wasn’t sure she’d have been able to remember her own name
if he’d asked.

Hudson
lowered his gaze to her slightly parted lips and something flashed in
them that made her breath catch. She leaned into him, her fingers
digging into his shoulders even though she’d regained her
balance minutes ago. Hudson met her halfway, his mouth dipping toward
hers. Her eyes closed, and she pushed up
onto her toes as his lips touched hers.

Warmth
spread through her entire body from head to toe, a wildfire of
emotion and need blossoming downward. Her hands rose to his neck and
she urged him closer as they kissed.

She’d
completely forgotten the photographer hiding just a few feet away in
the bushes.

Hudson
released Annabelle from their embrace and cursed. What on earth had
gotten into him? Instinct kicked in the moment he saw her falling. He
couldn’t help but reach for her.

But
did he have to kiss her?

Even
worse, all he wanted to do was kiss her again. There was nothing that
could have prepared him for the rush of adrenaline once she was in
his arms. Damn, had he really been out of the game so long that one
simple kiss could make him feel like he could barely remember his own
name?

Holding
Annabelle had stirred up some primal urges he’d almost
forgotten he had. If it wasn’t for the upcoming merger and the
promise he’d made to his family, he might have taken her up to
his bedroom right then and there.

Now
is not the time to be playing with fire. Especially not with a
reporter.

He
cursed again and ran one hand through his hair. “I’m
sorry, Ms. Day. That won’t happen again.”

“Sorry?”
Annabelle said, her voice breathless and incredibly sexy as she
panted for air. “I’m the one who should be apologizing.”

“Are
you alright?” She was shivering. Whether from fear or surprise,
he wasn’t sure. Forcing his eyes away from her mostly bare body
was difficult, but he had to get himself under control before he did
something else he might regret. He grabbed a towel from the nearby
stack and handed it to her. “Here, please take this.”

Annabelle
wrapped the towel around her shivering body and looked up into his
eyes. There was something in her gaze he didn’t quite
understand. She seemed apologetic, as if the kiss had been her fault.
She looked so damned innocent and beautiful.

Hudson
fought the overwhelming urge to pull her back into his arms and seize
her mouth with his own.

“I’m
fine,” she said, her voice trembling.

“Everything
okay over here?” A voice tore him away from his thoughts and he
looked toward the beach to see a redheaded young man in jeans shorts
and a t-shirt coming their way. Hudson’s jaw tensed when he saw
the camera hanging from the strap around the kid’s neck.

“You
must be Ms. Day's photographer?” Hudson extended his hand. The
kid smirked and finally reached for Hudson’s hand.

The
sudden presence of a photographer made him acutely aware of the
lingering warmth on his lips. What if this guy had gotten a picture
of that kiss? A relationship scandal would be a disaster right now
for his family.

“My
name's Mark,” the kid said, chewing gum and flashing an awkward
smile toward Annabelle. Hudson didn’t like the way the kid’s
eyes roamed over her body. “Sorry I'm late, was just snapping a
few shots of the house and beach and lost track of time.”

Hudson
didn't trust this kid for some reason, and it left him feeling uneasy
and anxious to get away.

What
kind of interview was this, anyway?

“I’m
afraid I have to get going,” he said. “Sorry our time was
cut short, but feel free to stay and take as many pictures of the
house as you need. Mildred will show you out when you’re
finished.”

He
nodded toward Annabelle, his eyes lingering on hers for a moment too
long.

Something
felt unfinished between them. There were secrets hiding behind those
deep brown eyes of hers, and part of him wanted nothing more than to
pull her into his arms again and spend some time exploring that
hidden side of her.

The
moment he stepped into the air-conditioned
house, he took a deep breath. He had dodged a real bullet there.
Annabelle was dangerous, with her blond
curls and those gorgeous tanned legs.

Hudson
had promised his family he would keep his libido on a short leash,
and he owed them his complete dedication. At least until the merger
was finalized.

A
merger with Takahashi International would make the Montgomery family
a leader in the global travel marketplace. So what if he had to
sacrifice his physical needs for a little while in order to secure
the company's future?

His
family was counting on him, he reminded himself, trying to erase her
from his thoughts. Those dark brown eyes that held a hundred secrets.
Those soft, pink lips that opened to him so eagerly.

He
was lucky she didn’t live around here or he wasn’t sure
he’d have been able to live up to the promise he’d made
to his family when his father had passed away.

Seven
a.m. had come way too early this morning, and Annabelle was
exhausted. She had tossed and turned half the night, unable to get
Hudson Montgomery’s kiss out of her mind. She’d woken up
about fifteen minutes late and had to skip her morning Starbucks,
which is how she’d found herself standing in the break room
with a lukewarm cup of bland office blend.

As
she stirred another scoop of sugar into her cup, two girls broke into
a giggling fit behind her.

She
casually ran a hand through her hair, wondering if she’d
forgotten to brush it. Or maybe she was wearing two different colors
of shoes? It wouldn’t have been the first time.

She
looked down, though, and saw that her black heels matched perfectly.
She turned and caught a brief glimpse of her reflection in the glass
door leading out to the center cubicles, but nothing seemed glaringly
out of place.

So
why was everyone staring at her?

The
three minute walk through the maze of cubicles back to her desk made
her increasingly more paranoid. Everyone seemed to be clustered in
groups, hovering over some piece of paper, their eyes darting toward
her every five seconds.

What
had she done this time?

Annabelle
was known for being a little clumsy on photo shoots, but overall
she’d been keeping her head down and getting her job done the
past few months. No incidents.

Her
stomach fluttered as she thought about Saturday’s stunt in Sea
Island, though. Surely no one had found out about that?

What
if Mark had talked?

She
felt ill and wondered if she had enough time to make it to the ladies
room before her boss came around for his normal Monday morning pep
talk.

Annabelle
stood just as her boss—Barry Johnson—peeked around the
tan corner of her cubicle.

“Good
morning, Barry,” she said, forcing a smile onto her lips.

He
didn’t smile back.

“My
office. Now,” he growled.

Everyone
within a hundred feet went silent. Not even their keyboards made a
noise.

Annabelle
took a deep breath and stood, straightening her skirt. She held her
chin high and tried to seem casual and confident as she walked toward
Barry’s office.

Surely
no one had found out about this weekend, right? Mark had promised not
to tell a soul.

But
when she glanced over toward Mark’s cubicle at the end of the
row, it was empty, the bobble heads he collected completely cleared
away as if he’d never worked here.

Her
stomach knotted and she thought for a second she might have to make a
break for the bathroom.

She
stopped just outside Barry’s office and took a deep breath.
Everything would be fine. There was no way Barry could have found out
about Sea Island.

OUR FAVORITE SOUTHERN PLAYBOY IS BACK!

For anyone who thought his good boy days were here to stay, do I
have news for you! Hudson Montgomery's womanizing days aren't over,
folks, and from the looks of it, he's found himself a real hot
tamale. An unidentified woman was seen lounging by his pool this
weekend—and FYI, she got up close and personal with our
favorite billionaire. Just look at that kiss? /swoon.

Is this a new relationship? Or just a fun weekend fling? Only time
will tell, but sources close to the family say that the pair just met
and have no plans to see each other again. I, for one, am glad he's
back on the market. Maybe it's time for a girl's weekend at the
beach!

Hudson
stared down at the front page of
The Informer
, rage boiling
inside of him.

He
crumpled the paper in his hand and pictured that redheaded kid, Mark.
He must have shown up earlier than he let on, and decided to keep his
photos a secret. Some people would do anything just to make a few
dollars, and the tabloids ate it up.

A
source close to the family? Please.

Just
then, his assistant buzzed in. “Mr. Montgomery, Jack is on Line
1.”

Hudson
let his head fall into his hands. He cleared his throat,
picked up the line, prepared
himself for the yelling that was coming next, and
glanced at his set of digital clocks.

“This
is Hudson,” he said casually, as if his face hadn’t been
plastered across six separate magazines and news blogs this morning.