“I was hoping you’d say that even more.” Allie leaned down to kiss him again. “I love you, too.”

“How about you get up here with me?”

“Oh no.” Allie let out a throaty laugh. “Save it for when you’re all better.”

“I assure you we won’t be waiting that long, Mrs. Chase. But how about a honeymoon when I’m better?”

“Sounds perfect.”

Hudson’s hand stroked Allie’s hair. “Where would you like to go?”

She placed another kiss on his lips. “Anywhere but Paris.”

Chapter Thirty

Allie peeked up through the canopy of the elliptical chaise. The month of April was said to be one of the most desirable times to visit the Maldives, and so far it had lived up to its reputation. In fact, after a solid week of blue skies and sunshine, she and Hudson were seriously considering moving their corporate headquarters to the remote island chain. At least for the winter months.

She popped her earbuds in and settled back against a cluster of white pillows. With its thick cushion, the dark wicker lounger was more of a pod-shaped daybed than a chaise per se, making it the perfect choice for two people on their honeymoon. Sunbathing side by side with their fingers entwined had become a daily ritual, as had stargazing at night. Although to be fair, that usually involved a lot more than holding hands.

With a swipe of her thumb, Allie pulled up the playlist she’d created especially for the trip. Ed Sheeran began to sing and she closed her eyes, picturing the dances she and Hudson had shared not only when they eloped in January, but at the small reception they’d had with family and friends the night before their trip. Originally they’d discussed having a big society event, something befitting the union of a billionaire tycoon and his heiress bride. But in the end that wasn’t the type of celebration either of them really wanted. So instead of a ballroom full of five hundred people they cared little to nothing about, Hudson and Allie renewed their wedding vows in an intimate ceremony attended by the people who mattered most to them.

The first song rolled into the second, and Sinatra crooned about summer winds. Allie pressed the center button on her phone and stole a glance at the lock screen photo. It was a picture of Hudson she’d taken when they first arrived on the island. They’d been sitting on the deck that ran the length of their over-water bungalow, enjoying a fruity cocktail, the kind served in a coconut shell with a tiny umbrella. The panoramic view was right out of a travel brochure, but it wasn’t the breathtaking views of the Indian Ocean or even the pod of curious dolphins that inspired Allie to take the first snapshot of the trip. It was Hudson, flashing a grin she’d come to know quite well over the three months they’d been married; the one that said “you’re about to be naked.” His eyes were the same blue as the turquoise lagoon, and the tropical breeze was playing in his hair, giving it that sexy, unruly look she found so irresistible. “Freshly fucked” was the style Hudson sported most days, whether in the boardroom or the bedroom, but recently, at least, it had lived up to the name. It seemed her new husband had spent the entire first week of their honeymoon buried deep inside her.

When the second week began she’d insisted they see something besides the inside of their bungalow. Hudson had finally agreed, but only to one day. He jammed it full of everything the resort’s concierge suggested. They’d spent the previous morning exploring the remote island hideaway and visited the Marine Discovery Center where Hudson made a generous donation to the sea turtle fund in his new bride’s name. After lunch they went snorkeling with manta rays and strolled hand in hand along the pristine white sand that stretched the length of the atoll. Allie even gave paddle boarding a try, but she drew the line at shark feeding, stating she’d had enough danger to last her a lifetime. When they finally made it back to the room, she was hardly through the door before Hudson tackled her to the oversize canopy bed. They’d fallen asleep sometime just before dawn and she’d barely dragged herself to the chaise by noon. Honestly, the man was insatiable.

Instinctively, her gaze shifted to the sex god himself. He was sitting on the edge of their private infinity pool, staring out across the lagoon wearing nothing but a pair of black swim trunks. Shielding her eyes from the sun, she took a moment to appreciate her husband, drinking in every detail, from the hard planes of his tanned chest to the rippling muscles of his abs to the super sexy V of his hips. The only imperfection on his otherwise flawless body was the small scar where a bullet had pierced his lung. The sight of it should have brought a pang of sorrow, triggering the memories of that horrible night. Instead it centered her and gave her a sense of calm. Because as much as she hated to be reminded of the night she almost lost her husband, that scar was also a reminder that he’d survived.

His emotional scars were healing as well. Hudson had been more open with her since the conversation on the couch the night before their wedding. He was still hesitant to talk about his past, but little by little he was sharing details of his childhood, both the happy and the sad. Nick had even been able to convince him to give a few sessions of therapy a try. Hudson grumbled about having his head shrunk, but Allie could already tell the burden he carried had lessened. Of course some of that had to do with how Nick was doing. Six months of sobriety had done wonders for him. Not only was he holding down his job at the coffee shop, but he was even being considered for a management position. Hudson had asked him numerous times to join him at Chase Industries, but Nick insisted he had to take responsibility for his own life. Allie imagined the two brothers would eventually end up in the same building, but she respected the fact that Nick wanted to do it on his own terms. When the time came, he would no doubt insist on starting at the bottom, and she would no doubt have to convince Hudson to go along with the idea, but in the end they would be just fine.

Allie wondered if Nick’s presence would be enough incentive to persuade Harper to join her at Ingram headquarters as well. While Allie continued to work closely with the foundation, she missed day-to-day contact with her best friend. Now that Allie was married and Harper was spending nearly every night with Nick, their girl time was far less frequent. Her best friend and her brother-in-law had become fairly serious over the past three months, and even though their relationship thrilled Allie to no end, she still missed their chats over cocktails at Tavern or a salad at her desk. These days Harper was a homebody, opting for a quiet night of Netflix with Nick and Harley over a night out with just about anyone else.

Allie closed her eyes again and a smile stretched across her face at the thought of her canine “niece.” Little Harley had not only been a welcome addition to the family, she’d taken quite a liking to her Uncle Hudson. Despite his best efforts to keep the Yorkie at arm’s length, Harley always managed to find her way onto Hudson’s lap. He would roll his eyes and pet her as though she were hazardous material, but deep down Allie knew Hudson not only liked the effect the tiny dog had on Nick, but that he’d grown fond of her as well. He might refer to her as a barking squirrel or curse about a chewed up shoe, but no amount of protesting could offset the secret stash of doggy treats she had discovered in his desk drawer.

A shadow crossed Allie’s face and water dripped onto her bare stomach. She opened her eyes to see Hudson looming over her, his body glistening in the late afternoon sun, and her smile widened.