Total pages in book: 136
Estimated words: 139259 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 696(@200wpm)___ 557(@250wpm)___ 464(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 139259 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 696(@200wpm)___ 557(@250wpm)___ 464(@300wpm)
I can’t be with him. It would never work out. Just the thought of giving myself fully to someone like that has my mind unraveling.
I’d have to tell him everything . . .
I’m not ready for that.
He continues to smile down at me. How is he not completely unraveling like I am?
Maybe he’s not as affected by you as you are by him.
Bullshit.
He is.
He’s just stronger.
A few minutes later, the plane takes off, and I try to focus on anything other than the heat radiating off Hudson or the fact that Mason is watching us like a hawk. Of course, Mason is watching. The man lives for drama. He’s practically a card-carrying member of BravoCon.
I pull out my phone, scrolling aimlessly through old pictures. I can feel Hudson’s gaze on me.
“You’re fidgeting,” he says after a few minutes.
“I’m not fidgeting.” My fingers stop moving, and I hold perfectly still to make a point.
“You’re absolutely fidgeting.” He leans closer. “I forgot you don’t like flying. Is there anything I can do?”
I turn to face him, scrunching my nose. “No. It’s not that. It’s just after yesterday, I’m not sure I want to be trapped next to you for so many hours.”
He grins. “Afraid you’re going to want to join the mile-high club? Sorry, I’m so irresistible.”
“Out of curiosity . . . is there a law against murdering someone at thirty thousand feet? Or is it like maritime law, where anything goes? Asking for a friend.” I give him a sugary-sweet smile.
Before he can reply, Mason cuts in. “Hey, Wilde, wonder if you can help us out.”
“What’s up?”
And just like that, the focus is no longer on me, and I can breathe again.
“We were just talking about all your worst habits. Got anything you’d like to add?”
Hudson groans, tipping his head back against the seat. “Just how I wanted to spend the flight. Public humiliation courtesy of people I once considered friends.”
“Oh, come on,” Mason says, clearly enjoying himself. “This is all for Molly’s benefit.”
“I’m not following,” Hudson says. “And truly, I’m not sure I even want to.”
“You know, in case she ever has to do damage control for one of your PR disasters.”
I freeze, my stomach flipping. Does Mason know? He couldn’t possibly. No, he can’t. He’s just messing around. Stirring the pot. That’s kind of his thing. Still, the way Hudson’s eyes flick to mine for a split second makes me want to sink into my seat and vanish.
“All right.” I can see Mason rubbing his hands together from the corner of my eye. “Let’s start with the fact that Wilde cannot, for the life of him, remember to turn off lights. You could walk into his house at any hour, and I guarantee every single light is on.”
“I like it when things are bright,” Hudson says with a shrug.
“Electricity isn’t cheap.” I scoff.
“Especially if you care about the planet,” Mason retorts, but I don’t know who he’s trying to kid. The irony is so thick, I could choke on it. I’ve been around Mason for years, and I have never in all the time I’ve worked for the team seen him do anything that would allude to the fact that he gives a lick about the environment.
Hell, the man doesn’t even recycle. I saw him throw a Coke can right in with the regular garbage, despite the bright blue bin begging for his trash. Who is he to tell Hudson how to save the planet? I don’t respond with that, though, because I don’t want Mason to think I’m defending Hudson.
I move closer to Hudson, leaning in for only him to hear. “Do you leave lights on?” I ask, arching an eyebrow.
“Maybe,” he admits, a faint grin tugging at his lips. It’s the kind of grin that screams, “Guilty, and what of it?”
“Maybe?” Mason says. “What about the time you left the lights on in the team bus and drained the battery?”
I turn toward Mason and narrow my eyes. “Why are you listening?”
“You were whispering, so I thought it might be important.”
“So you decided to eavesdrop?”
“Obviously.”
“Mind your own business, Mason,” I fire back while rolling my eyes.
“That was one time,” Hudson answers super late to the conversation.
I twist in my seat to face him. He looks exhausted but hot at the same time. This man is dangerous to my health.
“It was twice,” Aiden chimes in from a row behind us.
Seriously? Is this a whole team convo? What’s next, an intervention? Maybe someone will bust out a sign containing a chart of Hudson’s shortcomings.
It’s not such a bad idea now that I think about it. Maybe it will help me not fall into bed with him every time he looks at me.
Hudson groans, dragging a hand down his face. “Okay, fine. Twice. But in my defense, someone should’ve reminded me.”
“That’s not how responsibility works,” I say, unable to hide my grin.