I watched the wheels turn in Mira’s head as she processed all I’d said. But she didn’t say anything else. And then the waiter was there, telling us that Jack had paid for our bill on the way out, and our lunch was over.

“Monday for your fitting?” Mira asked as we parted.

“Yep. I’m looking forward to it.”

I pulled out my phone, ready to text for my ride when I saw Jordan waiting for me across the lobby. With my bodyguard in tow, I walked to meet my driver. “Jordan, is there something wrong?”

“Not exactly, Ms. Withers. But I wanted to warn you that Ms. Werner is outside. She’s been here throughout your lunch.”

“Fuck.” So much for thinking bodyguards and Pierce family members would protect me from Celia. “What is she doing?”

“Nothing. Sitting on a bench down the street is all. She even waved at me.”

“Yeah, she’s a very friendly stalker, isn’t she?” I chewed on my lip, thinking. “Did you tell Hudson?”

“I texted him, yes.”

“Would you take me to him?”

“Of course.”

Maybe Hudson would share his plans for my stalker now. I just hoped he actually had something in the works.

My new bodyguard, Reynold—who was only mildly attractive—insisted on coming with me into the Pierce Industries building. Having only had him around one morning, I hadn’t yet gotten used to always having a shadow. Fortunately, Reynold was good at his job. He tailed me inconspicuously and made it easy for me to forget he was even there.

Reynold stayed in the lobby while I took the elevator up to Hudson’s floor. As soon as I saw his secretary, I realized I hadn’t called or texted ahead of time. I had a feeling my unannounced visits irritated her, but Hudson had never claimed to mind so I smiled and pretended my presence was no big

deal. “Hi, Trish. Could I possibly stick my head in to chat with Hudson for just a minute?”

Trish returned my smile. “I’m sorry, Ms. Withers, but Mr. Pierce isn’t back from his lunch date.” She seemed a little too happy to really be apologetic.

I glanced at the clock on the wall. It was after two. Still at lunch? “Oh. Okay. Thanks.”

Disappointed, I pushed the elevator call button to go back down. While I waited for it to arrive, I pulled out my phone and texted Hudson that I’d stopped by.

I had just pushed send when the elevator doors opened. Standing there was Hudson. With Norma Anders.

Immediately I tensed. They were the only two people in the elevator—was that who Hudson had been on a lunch date with so late in the afternoon?

“Alayna. I didn’t expect to see you here.” Hudson didn’t seem put off by my presence, at least.

“I almost missed you.”

“I’m glad you didn’t. Come with me into my office.” He began to usher me toward his door. Then he stopped. “Norma—”

She cut him off. “I’ll email you.”

Hudson nodded. “Good. Thank you.”

Norma took off down the hallway, I guessed to her own office. I hadn’t realized she shared a floor with Hudson. I’d never thought about it, really, but now that I did, it bothered me how close they worked together.

Once the door was shut behind us, Hudson put his hands on my upper arms. “Why are you here? Did something happen?”

The original reason I’d come to see him seemed like nothing compared to how I now felt at the sight of him and Norma together. My blood was boiling and my stomach was knit tight. “I don’t know—did something happen?” Jealous accusations had always been one of my fortes.

Hudson leaned back, confusion on his face. “What do you mean?”

I wrapped my arms around his neck, hoping I’d sound less bitchy if I was in his arms. Also, I was sniffing for women’s perfume. “Let me rephrase—was Norma your lunch date?” The only scent I came up with was the usual Hudson smell that tended to set my pheromones on overdrive.

“More like lunch meeting, but yes.”

I’d hoped the evidence had been misleading. “Did you dine with her alone?”

Hudson withdrew from my embrace and pinned me with a stern stare. “Alayna, keep this up and I’m going to have to put you over my knee. Except I know how much you like that.” He bopped my nose with his finger and headed toward his desk.

His patronizing attitude made me all the more infuriated. “I don’t like that you had lunch with her. Alone.”

He shuffled some papers, his attention obviously elsewhere. “Well, I don’t like who you had lunch with either, so we’re even.” Before I could react, he looked up at me. “And no, that’s not why I had lunch with her. It was business. We’re working on a deal and we needed to hammer out details.”

Of course it was business. Did I have any reason in the world to think otherwise?

I didn’t.

I still didn’t like it.

I walked over to the other side of his desk. Memories of our last encounter here helped take the edge off my emotions, leaving me sounding less accusatory but whinier. “Did you have to do it in a social setting?”

Whinier seemed to work in my favor. Hudson’s eyes softened, though his tone was still straightforward and aloof. “I chose a lunch meeting with you in mind, Alayna. Would you rather that we’d stayed in my office with the doors closed and no one around?”

With the lingering images of the things I’d done with Hudson in his office behind closed doors, the question made me a bit ill. I slumped into an armchair. “You are not helping the situation.”

Hudson sat across from me. “You know that Norma is one of my key employees. My business frequently requires me to interact with her. In person. Sometimes, we’re alone.”

The explanation of his working relationship with Norma made sense. And sounded familiar. I decided to suggest a one-size-fits all solution. “Maybe you could transfer her.”

“With what reason?”

“The same reason you transferred David.” It was the exact same deal, after all. In reverse.

Hudson pinched the bridge of his nose. “While I understand your comparison of the situations, I’m not transferring Norma.”

I stood with a shriek of frustration. “This is really unfair you know.” I paced as I spoke. “I can’t work with someone you don’t trust but you can work with someone I don’t trust? And since you’re the big business owner in this situation, you were able to just take care of things with David, transfer him, and if he refused, fire him. What can I do? Nothing. I’m helpless.” I paused my walking and shook a finger at him. “Norma has a big fat crush on you, Hudson. I can see in her eyes that she’s not afraid to make a move.”

Hudson jiggled his mouse and focused on his computer screen. “She is quite aware that I don’t return her feelings.”

“How does she…?” The only way she’d know that was if he’d told her and the only reason he’d tell her…“Has she already made a move?”

“Alayna, this conversation is going nowhere. I have appointments—”

“Hudson!”

With a deep sigh, he leaned back in his chair and met my eyes. “She’s told me that she wishes there were more between us. If that counts as making a move, then yes, she’s made a move. But, as I’ve said, I’m not interested. And she knows it.”

I gritted my teeth to insure my next words didn’t come out in a scream. “Can you explain how this is different than me working with David?”

He blinked. Twice. “I can’t. You’re right. It’s not different.”

“But that’s all I get? You won’t change it?” It wasn’t going to be much of a victory if he answered the way I suspected he would.

“I can’t lose Norma. She’s too valuable to my company.”

And that was what I’d expected he’d say.

I leaned on the back of the armchair. There was nothing to say. Nothing I could say. He agreed with my point but was unwilling to do anything about it. Now we were at an impasse. Our eyes locked on each other as we each silently refused to back down.

After several long seconds, Hudson swore under his breath and looked away. When he turned back, he asked, “Do you want David to stay?”