Embrace Me (10 page)

“Please, right this way, madam.” The young man motioned toward the seaplane waiting for them at the end of the dock. Allie kept her cell phone in her hand, wanting to text Hudson the moment she was on board. The flight back to their resort was barely a hop, but her mind was running away with her and she needed reassurance that everything was all right. Her phone lit up in her hands before she'd even had time to buckle her seat belt.

Meet you at the bungalow. Clothes off at the door.

Relief flooded her veins, followed by a ripple of heightened awareness. Every nerve in her body sprang to life, responding to him as though he was right in front of her, not miles away. Even from that distance she could feel the attraction that pulsed between them, a magnetic pull drawing her to him. This was the power he had over her, one she was helpless to resist even if she'd wanted to. A hum of anticipation built inside her as the plane swooped low over the tranquil water, and by the time they landed she was more than ready for whatever Hudson had in store for her.

But when Allie stepped through the sliding glass doors of their bungalow, she came to an abrupt halt. Dozens of flickering votives lined a carpet of white rose petals that led to the center of the room, where overstuffed pillows were arranged atop a blanket that had been stretched out alongside the section of glass floor. The lights beneath the bungalow illuminated the crystal-clear water, displaying a rainbow of tropical fish and casting the room in a hypnotic blue glow. But it wasn't the romantic setting straight out of a travel magazine that held Allie completely transfixed; it was Hudson, bathed in the soft light, that took her breath away. His hair was still damp from his shower and his clothes were nothing more than a white T-shirt and a pair of faded jeans, yet he looked absolutely perfect. There was only one small problem.

Allie cleared her throat. “I thought you said clothes off at the door?”

“I did.” Hudson looked up from the bottle of wine he was opening and his lips curved into a lazy grin. “For you.”

“That doesn't seem very fair,” she said with a playful laugh.

Slowly and methodically he poured two glasses of white wine, then set the bottle on the wet bar. “Take it off, Alessandra. All of it.”

The rough, authoritative tone in Hudson's voice was unmistakable and heat swept through her like a slow, burning flame. She loved when he was gentle but she might have loved this side of him even more. Because it was in those moments she felt as essential to Hudson as the air he breathed. It was that knowledge that allowed her to trust him completely.

His eyes followed her hands as she slowly lowered the zipper on the side of her dress. She could feel his expectant gaze tracking her every movement as she reached behind her neck. With a gentle tug the knot pulled free, sending the thin fabric to the floor in a billowing cloud.

Hudson's lips parted on a sharp intake of air as she stepped out of her shoes and dress. His hungry gaze traveled over every inch of her bare skin, but he said nothing. He simply watched her, waiting for her to finish. Allie hooked her thumbs into the delicate lace of her thong and eased the fabric over her hips. For a moment she considered asking if that was more what he had in mind, but there was no need. He was hard for her, his arousal a visible ridge against the fly of his jeans. There was a time when being naked in front of a fully clothed man would have made Allie feel shy and uncomfortable, but with Hudson she felt safe, and his unquenchable desire made her feel sexy and wanton and utterly his.

Her heart pounded as Hudson sauntered barefoot toward her, a wineglass in each hand.

“Take a seat,” he said, nodding toward the blanket as he set the two glasses on the floor.

Once she was settled he knelt before her. Digging into the pocket of his jeans he produced what looked like a silver chain. But when she got a better look Allie realized it wasn't just any chain, it was the anklet Hudson had given her for Christmas. Custom made to his specifications, it was a pair of entwined white gold ropes that were anchored in the center by a single seashell charm set with flawless diamonds. It was meant to replace the now tattered shell anklet he had given her so many years ago, but in reality Allie had taken to wearing both. Why was he giving it to her again?

“Look closer,” Hudson whispered, answering her unspoken question.

It was then that Allie realized there was now a second charm hanging alongside the seashell, a small heart. She reached for the charm and turned it over to read the inscription.

My heart is at your service.

She looked up at him with tear-filled eyes. “It's beautiful.”

“I hope you don't mind a bit of plagiarism, but given our history with the Bard's words I thought it appropriate,” he said, referencing the Shakespeare-inspired texts they'd shared during their first trip to Italy. The image of Hudson standing beneath Juliet's balcony sending sweet but naughty text missives never failed to bring a smile to Allie's face, just as it did then.

“I love it,” she said.

Hudson moved to sit beside her.

“Wait,” she said. “Aren't you going to put it on me?”

“Not yet.” He reached behind them for a platter of cheese and fruit. “I have a different kind of anklet for you to wear after dinner.” He leaned closer so his lips brushed against her ear. “Of the leather variety.” Anticipation coiled low in Allie's belly as Hudson's tongue traced the vein pulsing wildly in her neck. There was no denying the effect he had on her when his more dominant side surfaced. It was a side of her she never knew existed, and one she was more than happy to explore.

“You brought the cuffs?” she asked, slightly breathless.

“Not quite.”

She felt him smile against her skin.

“Oh?” Allie glanced up, then followed Hudson's gaze to the oversize bed at the rear of their bungalow. There, atop the thick white duvet, sat a pair of red leather cuffs separated by a gleaming sliver bar that looked to be well over two feet. “Oh . . .”

“Oh, indeed.” Hudson reached for the glasses of chardonnay and handed one to Allie. “We might be leaving the islands tomorrow, but we still have tonight.” His eyes darkened. “And I assure you,” he said, the husky tone of his voice full of delicious promise, “It's going to be a long one.”

Allie lifted her glass, swirling the wine a bit before bringing it to her lips. She took a sip, then smiled at her husband over the rim of the glass. She couldn't imagine anything better than a long night with Hudson Chase . . . except maybe a lifetime of them.

Though thousands of miles apart,
 Ann Marie Walker 
and 
Amy K. Rogers
 are in constant contact, plotting story lines and chatting about their love of alpha males, lemon drop martinis and British supermodel, David Gandy. They are the authors of the Chasing Fire novels, including 
Remind Me
, 
Release Me
, and 
Reclaim Me.

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