Found in You(48)

Placing his arm at the small of my back, Hudson directed me out of the Esplanade.

“It doesn’t have to be now,” I said, realizing his intention to take me up on my information at that very moment. “You can finish your mingling first.”

His mouth was hot at my ear. “The only mingling that interests me at the moment is the mingling of our genitalia.”

“You’re insatiable. You had me in the car.” But his suggestion caused my skin to tingle with want and anticipation.

“It wasn’t enough.” He pulled me off the path through a hole in the hedges—somewhere we certainly weren’t allowed to be—and pushed me up against a tall tree, his hip anchoring me in place. “I can never have enough of you.”

My breath caught in a moment of complete adoration for the man in front of me. This man who had worked through his own demons to let me in his life, had ignored every natural inclination to stay closed off and instead was trying his damndest to be with me in the way we both wanted.

I buried my gaze in his eyes. “I love you.”

He bent closer, his nose grazing the skin of my cheek. “Is that what you pulled me away to tell me? I’m not complaining if it is.”

I giggled. “You pulled me away, not the other way around, silly. And it’s not what I had to tell you. But I’m glad every time I get to say it.”

Hudson’s mouth curled into a slow smile, but movement on the path nearby caught my attention. I turned my head toward the small group walking up and spotted the salt-and-pepper man walking past. “Actually, you picked the perfect location. You see that man over there?”

Hudson followed my eyes. “The one in the tan?”

“The man next to him.” I gave him a minute to make sure he got a good look. “Do you know him?”

“Not that I recall. Should I?”

I shrugged. “Not necessarily. But I overheard him talking with another guy—” I swiveled my neck around, looking for the other man. “—that I can’t see right now. Anyway, not important. The salt-and-pepper man works for the company that purchased—wait for it—Plexis.”

Hudson relaxed his hold on me and studied the man one more time before he walked past. “How do you know this?”

“I heard him. When I was wandering earlier. He was boasting about how he was lucky to snatch such an amazing company from the likes of Hudson Pierce.”

Hudson’s posture stiffened. “Go on.”

I bit my lip. “You were right. They’re planning to dismantle the company.”

“Damn it.” It wasn’t often that Hudson showed any emotion where business was concerned—or showed any emotion period—yet I’d guessed he’d felt passionately about the company he’d lost. Now I knew for sure.

It made my next bit of news so much sweeter to deliver. “But he mentioned that they might be interested in selling if they got a good offer first.” I waited until I saw the wheels spinning behind his eyes. “You know what that means? It means all you need to do is get in there with a good offer.”

In a flash, he had me pinned again, pushing his body heavily against mine. “How about I get in you with a good offer?”

“Hudson!” I pushed lightly at his chest. “I’m serious.”

“So am I.” He nibbled along my jawline.

Unable to ever resist his advances, my body was already yielding, melting underneath him, throbbing with need to be closer. Still my brain continued to pursue answers. “I thought Plexis meant something to you.”