Page 35 of Abyss

“Great.” I give him an insincere smile. “Then why don’t you continue yourSilence of the Lambsroutine, and I’ll keep working.”

He blinks. “What?”

I lift my screen and frown at the words I was typing on the slides, which no longer make any sense. “Nothing. Never mind.”

Another sigh. “Is this about last night?”

I close my laptop screen, leaning back with my arms wrapped around my chest. The movement stirs the air around us, and I tilt my chin down to look at my exposed cleavage as goosebumps rise over my skin. Hudson follows my gaze, not even attempting to disconnect his heated perusal. “I’m wondering the same thing.”

His brow arches. “Care to elaborate?”

“Yeah, I’ll elaborate.” I nod, determined to either shove that stick up his ass even further or take it out and whack him upside the head with it. “From the time I called you this morning, ensuring you got up on time so we could be here for the early meeting, to now, you’ve only said a handful of words to me—four,in fact, if I’m being technical.‘Get me my coffee,’ when I asked you how you were doing this morning.” I recount his words, mimicking the small flick of his hand in my direction. “And you didn’t even have the decency to look at me when you said them.”

A few beats go by as his eyes stay on me. “I’m looking at you now.”

“Yes, but—”

He rises from his seat abruptly, closing his laptop. “Come with me.”

My brows crease while he stows his belongings into his bag. “Wh-where are we going?”

Our flight isn’t for another four hours, and we had plans to catch up on a few pending items from other projects.

Zipping up his bag, he casts a questioning glance in my direction, like he’s wondering why I haven’t moved. Clearly losing patience, he turns toward the exit, speaking over his shoulder. “To find you an apartment.”

Say what?

I quickly stash my things in my bag and hurry after him,wobbling in my new orange heels. How do people walk in these?

Finding him waiting for the elevator, I saddle up next to him, a little breathless. “What do you mean, ‘to find me an apartment’?”

The elevator doors open and we huddle inside. I’m beginning to realize a lot of our notable conversations happen inside elevators.

Bag in hand, he looks straight ahead. “I’m pretty sure I spoke English.”

“Yes, butwhy?” I press. “Why are you concerned with finding me an apartment here?”

He side-eyes me, moving his lips minimally as he speaks. “Didn’t seem to bother you when Casanova Corbin suggested it.”

I’m momentarily caught off guard, almost forgetting to step off the elevator behind him, but spring into action at the last second. Is he . . . jealous? Is that what all that jaw popping and chest-puffing was about last night?

“Firstly,Casanova Corbin? Is that the best you can do? And secondly,” I follow him out of the building with him ignoring the fact that I can barely keep up with his long strides in this ridiculous skirt and heels. “I didn’t get a chance to respond to him because you did that for me.”

Jaw grinding, Hudson throws me a grimace over his shoulder. “And what would you have said?”

“I’m here for work, Hudson.” I scoff. “You’re the one who pays my salary, so I would have said no.”

Apparently, my answer only deepens his frown and my boss gives me another one of his disapproving looks.

What the hell did he want me to say?

Three minutes later, we’re sitting in the back seat of another chauffeured car, with me chewing on my fingernails. I look out the window, trying to glean where we’re going, butof course, I don’t really know because I’m not familiar with the city.

I glance at Hudson sitting next to me, typing away on his phone, his watch gleaming as it picks up the sunlight.

I’m momentarily distracted by his long fingers and clean, rounded nails. Was that an older man thing—strong, manly hands that look both soft and rough? I don’t recall any men my age having hands like that. And I definitely don’t recall staring at them so brazenly, imagining those fingers doing all sorts of fingerly things.

I mentally shake myself out of my daze, recalling what I was going to say. “I’m not really sure what I can afford just yet. Maybe this is all too soon. I don’t even know where the hospital is.”

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