I felt very off-kilter, yet managed to step inside.
My mind raced with a million thoughts as we made our way down to the lobby, though one particular question stuck out. My building didn’t have a doorman. We had a buzzer system, and visitors had to be buzzed in. “How did you get in?”
“Fisher. He was heading out for a run when I arrived.”
I’d have to remember to thank my friend for the heads up. He knew I thought I was going with Olivia. He’d raided my refrigerator while I packed and told him all about my trip last night. But whatever—I had bigger fish to fry. Like how I was going to keep my distance from the man standing next to me in the elevator when he looked so damn good. Hudson had on a simple pair of navy slacks and a white dress shirt. I was standing a half step behind him, and it was impossible not to notice how nicely the material hugged his round ass. I bet he did a shitload of squats.
He looked over at me, and my eyes jumped to his in the nick of time. At least I hoped they had. Though the corner of his mouth might’ve said otherwise. Great. Just great. This is going to be one hell of a long trip.
Hudson had to take an overseas call on the ride to the airport, and then once we arrived, he was sent to a different line since he had security pre-check and I didn’t. I was grateful for the reprieve. It wasn’t until we boarded the plane that we really had time to talk. We were seated next to each other in row three of first class, which I hadn’t expected.
“Well, this is comfy.” I buckled my seatbelt. “I’ve never sat in first class before.”
“I could do coach years ago when there was more space between the seats, but over the last ten years they’ve made it impossible for someone over six-feet tall to sit comfortably—especially on a six-hour flight to the West Coast.”
A flight attendant walked over with a tray of orange juice in champagne flutes. “Mimosa?”
“Uh, sure,” I said. “I’ll have one.”
She passed me a flute and then looked to Hudson.
He held up his hand. “No, thank you. But I’ll take a coffee whenever you get a chance.”
“Sure thing.”
After she walked away, I held up my glass to Hudson. “Not a morning drinker?”
He smiled. “Not usually.”
“I probably should have skipped it, too, but my nerves are shot.”
“Nervous flyer?”
“No…not really. Though I sometimes get a little nauseous if there’s turbulence.”
“Great.” He pointed to the aisle. “Tilt your head that way.”
I laughed. “I’m guessing you’re the type who doesn’t even notice you’re on a plane. You probably work through half of it and then close your eyes and take a nap.”
“Close. I usually work through most of the flight.”
The flight attendant came back to deliver Hudson’s coffee. Service was definitely better up here than in coach.
“So what are you nervous about?” he asked. “If it’s not the flight?”
“Oh, I don’t know…maybe having my picture taken by a famous photographer so it can be plastered all over the Signature Scent marketing materials?”
Hudson looked back and forth between my eyes. “You want to know a secret?”
I smiled. “Sure.”
He leaned close and whispered. “You can do anything.”
I laughed. “That’s the secret?”
“Well, technically it’s not a secret since the only person who doesn’t seem to know it is you.”
I sighed. “That’s very kind, but I’m not so sure it’s true.”
Again Hudson took a moment to look at me. It seemed like he was debating whether he should say something.
“Do you remember your first day working in the office?” he finally asked.
“At Rothschild? Yes, why?”
“You asked me why I changed my mind about investing in your company.”
“You said your sister was very persuasive, or something along those lines.”
He nodded. “That wasn’t the whole truth.”
“No?”
Hudson shook his head, and his eyes dropped to my lips. “I wanted to get to know you. The week after my sister’s wedding, I couldn’t stop thinking about you. It wasn’t because you’re beautiful—don’t get me wrong, you are. But I was attracted to your strength. You’re not a woman who needs a man. You’re a woman a man needs. I’m not sure I even recognized the difference years ago. But you make it impossible to forget now.”
I blinked a few times. “Wow. I think that might be the nicest compliment I’ve ever received.”
He frowned a little. “I assumed that jackass ex of yours was an idiot for the crap he pulled on you. But now I’m positive he’s a colossal moron.”
The flight attendant interrupted our conversation to collect our drinks since we were about to push away from the gate. Then the safety check started, and we watched the woman standing a few feet away from us put on a plastic, uninflated life jacket and show us how to buckle the belts we were all already wearing.