“I’ll join you in both.” It was three in the morning on a weeknight. He had work in the morning. And the man had jet lag from a week overseas. But he never faltered at caring for me. He was always there. Even when I kicked him away to Japan, he still made sure I was looked after—sending his sister to check in, calling the doorman to deliver messages. When would I stop being surprised by his attention?

Never. That’s when.

I undid my robe and hung it on a wall hook, enjoying the lust in Hudson’s gaze as I stood naked before him. I stuck a toe in to test the heat. The water was perfect—almost too hot, just like I liked it. I stepped in and leaned forward so that Hudson could slide in behind me. It dawned on me that we’d never bathed together. How could it feel like we’d been through everything yet there was so much we had left to experience? It was a comforting thought—to realize that we were still only in the new, that we could look forward to more.

When he was settled, I leaned back against his chest.

He nuzzled his nose along my cheek. “This is nice.”

“The temperature is perfect.” My muscles were already loosening in the warmth, the tension of my dream easing.

“I meant holding you.” Hudson’s voice was soft, as though his words were difficult to admit. “I’ve missed this.”

God, I’d missed it too. That was one of the reasons I felt so uneasy—I was still recovering from the time we’d been apart. My mind was still processing what I’d almost lost—everything.

I’d almost lost everything.

That was surely why I was so worried about Stacy’s supposed evidence. The questions that remained between us didn’t help my anxiousness. We still had so many things left undeclared.

We soaked in silence for long comfortable minutes. When the water began to cool, Hudson reached for a bottle from the built-in ledge behind the marble tub. He poured a dab of soap into his hand from my cherry blossom body wash—a new favorite scent of mine—and worked it into my skin with deep massaging strokes. When he’d finished with my arms, he nudged me forward to continue the treatment on my back. Then he pulled me against him and bent my legs so he could reach every part of my body.

Last, his fingers splayed along my belly and up my chest. He spent a sweet amount of time on my breasts, kneading them with just the right amount of pressure until my nipples perked up. He nibbled at my earlobe and one hand began its descent to my lower regions. The thickening of his cock against my lower back told me exactly what was on his mind.

But first there were things to say. I didn’t believe there was anything worrisome enough to crush our potential future together, but big enough that things had to be said.

I turned to straddle him, the water sloshing at my sudden movement.

Lacing his hands in mine to keep them occupied, I began. “We have stuff to work through.”

His eyes stayed pinned on my breasts, as he raised an eyebrow. “We do?”

“We do.” I bent my head to catch his gaze. “Who’s going to run your club?”

His smile was mischievous. “You.”

I smirked but didn’t agree. I also didn’t disagree. He claimed he wanted me to take over The Sky Launch, but I was convinced it was only an excuse to get rid of David Lindt. Hudson achieved part of his agenda—David was leaving in a little more than a week to take over one of Hudson’s clubs in Atlantic City. I’d been pissed, but as the idea had settled over me, I’d realized it had been the right move on Hudson’s part. Working every day with my ex wasn’t exactly a good idea. I wouldn’t want Hudson working with one of his exes, after all.

It didn’t mean I was ready to run the club myself.

I also wasn’t quite willing to give it to someone else.

Perhaps that would have to be tabled for a time when Hudson’s cock wasn’t pressing against my core. His cock could make me say yes to anything.

His fingers still linked with mine, Hudson began to seduce me with his lips, leaning forward to take my breast in his mouth.

I sighed with pleasure, my body yielding to him. My head, however, was still wrapped up in details. “And what happens next with Celia?”

His lips left my breast. “Really? You want to talk about Celia now?”

“I never want to talk about her. But I need to know that she isn’t a threat to me.” I swallowed the unexpected lump that formed in my throat. “To us.” I hadn’t realized how scared I still was about her possible influence on my relationship with Hudson.

“Hey.” Hudson cupped my face in his hands. “She’s not a threat. She has no solid proof of her claims, and she’s not pressing charges. Even if she did, I’d still be here with you. You know that.”

I nodded weakly. “But what about going forward?”

“Simple. We don’t see her. We don’t speak to her. We don’t answer her emails.”

“We don’t?” Of course I wouldn’t see her—I hated the bitch. But what about Hudson?

“Yes, we. I don’t have room in my life for anyone who is against us.”

Another wave of tension rolled off of me. “Your mother is against us too, you know.” I was pressing my luck. Sophia Pierce, monster that she was to both her son and me, would likely always be a staple in Hudson’s life. I would never ask him to cut her off. Though I disliked her, I recognized the importance of family.

“I know.” Hudson sighed, his hands leaving my face. “At least she hasn’t tried to sabotage us. If she does, I’m done with her. You’re the only one that matters.”

“Thank you.” I kissed him softly. “But I hope it doesn’t come to that. It would be nice to believe that there could one day be reconciliation where Sophia is concerned.” It had only been a few days since I’d reconciled with my brother Brian. It had relieved a constant knot in my belly that I hadn’t even been aware of. The same scenario wasn’t likely to happen with Hudson and Sophia, but, hey, what did I know?

My thoughts travelled back to Celia, her reasons for playing me still unclear. “But why did she do it, Hudson? Why was Celia against us?”

“Not us. Me.” His jaw tightened. “She’s mad at me.”

“Still? For what you did all those years ago?” My heart panged at his obvious torment. Hudson wasn’t proud of his past and how could he be expected to move on when it kept coming back to haunt him?

Then anger took over. “I don’t care what you did to her—she’s a bitch. It was awful and terrible and horrible to do what she did. Especially when she claims to be your friend. Is she still in love with you? Is that her problem?”

Hudson lowered his eyes. “If she thinks she loves me, hurting you isn’t the way to win my affection.”

“Well, she certainly acts like a jealous lover.”

“Without reason.” He brushed his hand across my cheek. “Celia and I have never had anything together. Nothing. Except for…” His voice softened. “Except for what I made her believe I felt for her.”

“She knows that wasn’t real.” I hated that this still tormented him. “And that was forever ago, now. If she’s trying to get you back, it seems she already did that when she slept with your father and trapped you into claiming to be the father of her baby instead of Jack. Why didn’t you tell me about that, by the way?”

“I should have.” His tone was filled with regret.

“Yes, you should have.” It would have made things much clearer to me about his relationships with both Celia and his father. And it had been yet another thing that stood as a wall between us—though most of the secrets keeping us apart had been mine. That was my regret.

Hudson released his hands from mine and swept them down my ribs. “It didn’t feel like it was my secret to tell.”

“Okay, that’s fair.” I shivered as his fingers kneaded the skin at my hips. He was getting restless, wanting more, wanting me. The time for talking was nearing an end. I had to jump to the meat of my concerns. “But some things have to change between us. We have to be able to share these things with each other. You could have at least told me you had good reasons not to trust her, reasons I shouldn’t trust her.”