Allie felt a stab of disappointment. “You’re going to the office?”
“No, I’m working from home today.”
Not her first choice, but better than the alternative. She propped a pillow against the headboard and leaned back, crossing her arms over her chest. “Well, I still I need to call my office,” she pouted.
“Already took care of it. I texted Harper last night, let her know you weren’t feeling well.”
Her mouth popped open. “How did you do that?
“With a phone. Now rest.”
Allie wanted to ask him to elaborate, but Hudson disappeared into the bathroom before she could get the words out of her mouth. She shook her head. Under normal circumstances, such an intrusion would have annoyed her. But how could she be angry with him for going all alpha male when somehow he always seemed to know exactly what she needed?
The sound of running water came from the master bathroom. Hudson was in the shower. Naked. Her thoughts drifted to images of water cascading over his chest . . . his body pressing hers against the cool granite . . . his fingers gliding over her wet skin . . . his hand lifting her leg around his hips . . .
For a moment she considered joining him, but she knew Mr. Overprotective would flip even though she was pretty sure he’d climbed out of bed hard as a rock.
Honestly, what was all the fuss about? She felt fine. Actually, she felt great. Liberated, even. She was finally taking charge of her life. The first step had been ending things with Julian. Granted that hadn’t gone very well, but the end result was the same. He was out of her life. As for her parents, she was done letting her sense of family obligation dictate her decisions, and she planned to confront them about their lies and manipulations as soon as the rest of her life was in order. At the top of her to-do list was reconsidering the job offer from the Harris Group. Just thinking about a new position based on her own merits, not her birth certificate, put a smile on her face.
A fresh start. That was exactly what she needed. And the sooner the better.
Her mind made up, Allie threw back the duvet, not wanting to wait another minute to start this new chapter of her life. She slipped out of bed and into the adjoining study to call Oliver Harris. Hudson would be thrilled when she told him the good news. A celebration would definitely be in order.
As the phone rang, she leaned back in Hudson’s leather chair. The gentle rocking motion brought back memories of the call she’d interrupted. A lascivious smile spread across her face. On second thought, maybe she would join him in the shower after all. No need to wait until tonight to start celebrating.
A receptionist answered the phone, interrupting Allie’s illicit thoughts. She was all business as she efficiently transferred the call to whom Allie assumed would be a personal assistant.
“Mr. Harris,” she said, surprised to hear him answer the call directly. “This is Alessandra Sinclair. We spoke a few weeks ago?”
“Of course, Miss Sinclair, how could I forget? Not every day I ask someone to join my company.”
“That’s actually why I’m calling. I’d love to come to work for the Harris Group.” A thought occurred to her, and she quickly added, “Assuming the job is still available.”
“Absolutely. This is wonderful news, Alessandra. We’ve already discussed salary but I’m sure you have questions about our benefits package. My HR director can go over all that with you and start the necessary paperwork. Let me give you her name and number.”
Allie swiveled Hudson’s chair, searching the drawers for a paper and pen. When she opened the center drawer, a name on a document caught her eye. She scanned the paragraphs of legal jargon, barely listening as Oliver Harris provided the necessary information.
. . . extensive due diligence of significant assets . . .
“I have a very good feeling about this,” he said. “And I’d like you to start as soon as possible.”
. . . resistance to acquisition . . .
“I assume you’ll need to give notice to your current employer?”
Allie answered without giving the question any thought. “Yes.”
. . . through shell companies and charitable foundations . . .
“Would you be able to start in two weeks?”
. . . Chase Industries . . . sufficient shares . . .
Her throat burned and she swallowed hard. “That’s fine,” she mumbled.
“Great. I’ll see you then.”
. . . for controlling interest of Ingram Media.
Allie wasn’t even sure she managed a good-bye before she hung up the phone and fell back against Hudson’s chair.
Chapter Forty
Hudson leaned against the wall of the shower, the hot water cascading down his chest and abs. As the soap ran down between his legs and dripped off the end of his still-erect cock, he tried not to think about the woman in the other room who he was dying to make love to. He’d managed to convince his brain not to go back into the bedroom, but his hard-on was still behind the curve.
God, did he really have it in him to go through with this, knowing the personal cost to her? The alternative was to tell her he was the one taking her father’s company piece by piece in an intricate deal designed to force Richard Sinclair out of the trade.
Fuck. As if he had a choice.
“Allie,” Hudson yelled as he turned off the water. Stepping out of the shower and into the hell of his own making, he snapped a towel off the rack and wrapped it around his hips. “Allie?”
He strode out of the bathroom and, seeing an empty bed, started toward the living room. He halted midstride outside his office door. “There you are. What are you doing out of bed?”
“I needed to use the phone. I wanted to accept the job at the Harris Group, have a fresh start.” The blood seemed to drain from her face as she finished the sentence.
Dozens of thoughts fired in Hudson’s head. “You okay?”
Allie’s eyes dropped to the document on the desk in front of her. “I was looking for a pen . . .”
Hudson moved farther into the room and stopped dead in his tracks at the sight of his company’s letterhead. “I was going to tell you. I wanted you to hear it from me.”
Her eyes shot up to his. “When, Hudson? When were you planning to tell me?”
“I was waiting for the right time.”
“And how much longer were you going to fuck me before the time felt right?”
Hudson’s jaw tightened and his shoulders straightened. “You were never just a fuck.”
“Funny, since right now that’s exactly how I feel.” Allie’s bitter exterior slipped and tears pooled in her eyes as she pushed up from the desk and stormed back into the bedroom.
Hudson followed after her, tightening the grip on his towel. “Damn it, Allie. Let me explain.”
“I think it’s pretty clear. What I don’t understand is why?”
“It’s simple. The company fits nicely into my portfolio. I saw an opportunity and I took it.”
“And all the better since it’s my family, right?” Allie’s eyes darted toward the bathroom where her bloodstained dress hung over the side of the tub. She grabbed the sweatpants he’d offered her the night before and yanked them up her legs. “Was this all some plan to get back at me for hurting you ten years ago? Or was it just part of the thrill, taking the company while taking me to bed?”
“You were never a part of the plan, Alessandra. The wheels were in motion long before I saw you at the museum.” Hudson blew out a harsh breath. “Christ, I didn’t even know it was your family’s company.”
“You expect me to believe that?” Allie rolled her eyes at him while shoving her feet into her pumps.