“What is it?”
“A stock transfer.”
“Hudson, I don’t want your shares of Ingram. How they were acquired is irrelevant now. And I rather like being Mr. and Mrs. CEO. I want us to remain partners.” She fixed him with a teasing grin. “Assuming of course you can handle it when I dominate the boardroom.”
Something dark flashed in his eyes. “Bring it on. Just be prepared for a rough night in the bedroom.”
Her breath caught. While Hudson loved to go toe-to-toe with her in the boardroom, he made no apologies for his caveman tendencies once he had her alone in their bed. Or bent over her desk. Or chained to the ceiling. And truth be told, she fucking loved it. “If that was supposed to be a deterrent—”
“It’s wasn’t.”
She cocked her head to one side. “Then what’s all this about?”
“Open it,” he mouthed.
Allie tugged the ribbon free and unfolded the pages. What she saw stopped her cold. As promised, it was indeed a document authorizing a transfer of stock to Allie’s name. But the company in question wasn’t Ingram Media. It was Chase Industries. Her eyes were wide when she met his steady gaze. “I can’t accept this.”
“You can and you will,” he said matter-of-factly. As if he was offering her a Mai Tai and not fifty percent of a multibillion dollar empire.
“You built Chase Industries from the ground up. I can’t let you sign half of it over to me.”
“The company wouldn’t exist if I hadn’t met you,” he said. “The first time I saw you, my world shifted on its axis. Quite simply, you made me want to be a better man. For you.” The breeze kicked up, rustling the thatch roof above their heads and blowing a loose curl across Allie’s face. Hudson tucked it behind her ear, letting his knuckles brush across her cheek after he did. “And besides, that’s your name on the building too, Mrs. Chase.” He leaned closer so his mouth hovered mere inches from hers. “You’re my wife, my lover, and my partner. Not just at Ingram or Chase. In everything,” he whispered just before their lips met.
The word partner echoed in Allie’s heart and mind as Hudson deepened their kiss. He was right: no matter what obstacles or hardships they faced, they had each other, and they always would.
Forever.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
Our acknowledgments always begin with a nod to our agent, Pamela Harty, and this book is no exception. We thank our lucky stars to have an agent who not only offers continuous support and encouragement, but who loves our characters almost as much as we do. Pamela, the Chasing Fire series wouldn’t exist without you and the fact that you teared up when we told you how it ends made the journey seem all the more complete.
Huge thanks to our editor Leis Pederson and her assistant Bethany Blair. We could talk about Hudson Chase with you ladies until the restaurant closes around us . . . oh wait, we did! To Erin Galloway and Ryanne Probst, thank you for helping us spread the word about our sexy CEO. And to Lisa Filipe, you are the Queen of Blog Tours. You not only came through for us when we needed it the most, but you always go the extra mile. Not to mention coining the hashtag #HudsonChaser, which in case we haven’t told you is flipping amazing!
Each book in the series has been dedicated to David Gandy, our inspiration for Hudson Chase, but we would be remiss if we didn’t also thank his assistant, Laura Terhune, and the people who make up the Gandy Nation. Thank you for the chance to fan girl along with you on a daily basis. Laura, it was an honor and a privilege to have you as our guest at our first official signing. So glad to call you friend!
To the bloggers and readers who astound us with their support: whether Tweeting, posting on Facebook or just telling your friends and family, your endorsements and kind words mean so much to us. To those who maintain the Chasing Fire fan sites and to the role players who devote their time and talents to making the series interactive, thank you for your creativity and dedication. We will never forget the day we got an e-mail that said, “Hudson Chase is now following you on Twitter.”
Keep reading for an excerpt from the first book in the Chasing Fire series
REMIND ME
Available now from InterMix
There were few things in life Hudson Chase couldn’t control. He’d conquered Wall Street, dominated the business world, and had a net worth that made him a regular on the pages of Forbes. But rushing a woman when she was getting ready for a black tie affair was a power even he didn’t possess.
“Cut the overhead by twenty percent.” With the cell phone tucked under his chin, Hudson’s free hand pushed up his sleeve. He stole a glance at the platinum watch peeking out from under his French cuff before turning his attention back to the hired suit billing by the hour on the other end of line. The bastard had the balls to feed him an endless stream of excuses.
“The ‘how’ isn’t my problem.” Hudson’s tone was razor sharp. “That’s why I pay your law firm a ridiculous amount of money.” He crooked a finger, tugging at his black bow tie. How long does it take to put on lipstick and a pair of shoes, anyway?
Just when he’d reached his limit, the limo door swung open to reveal a red dress and a set of legs splitting open a convenient slit to heaven. Goddamn if he didn’t plan to have his head in the clouds.
Sophia slid onto the bench seat beside him and adjusted her gown, optimizing his view as she languidly crossed her legs. The dress clung to her, accentuating voluptuous curves maintained by the top trainers in Chicago. Hudson’s gaze swept over every inch then settled on the Harry Winston nestled between her breasts.
The limo pulled away from the curb and he immediately hit the button to raise the privacy screen.
“Liquidate the assets we discussed,” he said, cutting off the suit from enjoying the sound of his own voice. His hand came to rest on Sophia’s knee. “This isn’t personal, it’s business. Start letting people go on Monday.”
As the limo picked up speed down Michigan Avenue, so did Hudson’s hand. He smoothed his palm up Sophia’s leg while listening to his lawyer fast talk his way back into good graces. Just picturing the sweat forming on the guy’s brow caused Hudson’s mouth to curve into a satisfied smirk.
“No, tomorrow. I’m attending an event tonight.” And hell if it was by choice. Hudson would have preferred to simply cut a check to the charity and spare himself the glad-handing. He’d been flying under the radar since his arrival in Chicago, but with his name going up on a building, his PR department decided it was time for him to make the rounds. Their persistence was the only reason he was sitting in a godforsaken limo being strangled by a motherfucking bow tie.
Hudson glanced at Sophia as she purposefully uncrossed her legs. His eyes flared slightly at the panties she wasn’t wearing. “Keep me posted,” he said, abruptly ending the call.