Madly Yours (Nora Reed) novel Chapter 693

Nora sat in a lounge chair, a half-finished tropical drink in her hands, her lips curving into an irrepressible smile as she watched the group of disappointed girls scurry away. She had been debating whether she needed to walk over and mark her territory, but Hudson's icy dismissal had handled the situation with lethal efficiency. She hadn't needed to lift a finger. Reveling in her quiet amusement, she caught movement out of the corner of her eye. Hudson sat up from his lounger, hooked his sunglasses onto his collar, and turned his predatory gaze straight toward her. The moment their eyes met, Nora's instincts screamed at her to run. She spun around, ready to bolt, but before she could take a second step, a muscular arm wrapped around her waist, effortlessly hauling her off her feet and pulling her flush against a rock-hard chest.

"What are you doing?" she gasped, nearly dropping her drink.

She shot him a glare, though the effect was ruined by the way she squinted against the glaring sun. Hudson tightened his grip on her waist, his free hand reaching up to pinch her cheek until her lips puckered.

"Honey, were you just sitting there enjoying the show?"

"I most certainly was not!" she argued with feigned indignance.

Hudson let out a low, rumbling laugh. "You've been sitting there for ten minutes. Your eyes were practically crinkling from smiling so hard... and you expect me to believe you weren't entertained?"

Nora quickly ducked her head, biting down on her straw as if suddenly fascinated by the coconut water. Hudson leaned in, his voice dropping to a husky, dangerous register against her ear. "Your husband gets hit on, and instead of coming to my rescue, you just watch?"

His warm breath sent a shiver down her spine. She shrank her neck, unable to suppress her smile any longer. "You handled it perfectly on your own. You didn't need my help."

"That's entirely missing the point."

She finally broke into a laugh, turning her head to look at him. "I trust your ability to fend off unwanted attention. If I ever find myself dealing with a homewrecker, I expect you to have the same faith in me—"

Hudson scoffed before she could finish. "My wife has the right idea. From now on, any bad romance that comes near our family will be ruthlessly crushed by me."

Nora was left completely speechless, highly amused by his twisted logic. Hudson stared down at her radiant, smiling eyes, his gaze darkening. Without warning, he cupped the back of her head and crashed his lips over hers. The kiss swallowed her laughter instantly. She gave a half-hearted struggle, pressing her palms against his chest and murmuring a breathless protest about the people around them. Hudson didn't yield. He deepened the kiss, relentless and intoxicating, until her breathing grew ragged. Only then did he pull back slightly, resting his forehead against hers.

"We're legally married," he murmured, his voice hoarse with desire. "Let them look."

Nora glared at him, knowing she could never win an argument when he resorted to such shameless tactics. Taking her silence as a victory, Hudson pressed a tender kiss to her forehead, then the tip of her nose, and finally, a lingering peck on her lips. Her cheeks burned with heat. Catching sight of Arthur approaching from the corner of her eye, she immediately shoved against Hudson's chest, darting over to a nearby chair to sit down. Hudson chuckled softly. By the time he looked up, Arthur was standing at attention, accompanied by Harvey Holloway.

Archer gave a curt nod, then shot Harvey a meaningful look. "Let's go."

As the two men walked away, Nora picked up her drink and took a slow sip. The cool sweetness slid down her throat as she gazed out at the impossibly blue ocean. Listening to the crashing waves, her smile deepened. She knew it. Hudson hadn't brought her to The Bahamas just for a random vacation. This was a calculated strike. She tilted her head to look at him.

"What exactly did Archer's old company do?"

"Venture capital."

Nora nodded thoughtfully. She had heard from Olive O'Neil a few days ago that Lawrence Lancaster was hospitalized with severe injuries. The fact that Hudson had quietly flown her out to a tropical paradise meant he was pulling off a massive, devastating blindside while Lawrence was incapacitated.

"You are terrifyingly brilliant," she murmured in awe.