Page 20 of The Prey
He just looked at her from those big brown eyes of his, a wicked smirk on his lips.
Oh, the man drove her insane.
“I was counting on it. Grab your bag. Lunch is on me.”
Minutes later, they were in his truck. He even opened the door for her. Probably so he could throw her off. Probably. His hand brushed her spine. Scorching her. The man had hands like fire.
Hudson seemed to dwarf the overly large truck—which was ridiculous. Three of her brothers drove the exact same make and model of truck. She’d ridden with her brothers millions of times and never felt this… almost trapped. On edge.
Aware.
That was what it was—she feltawareof him in a way she hadn’t in a long time. Damn him, why had he changed everything?
She studied her personal nemesis as he drove. He really was a physically beautiful man. He was taller than all of her brothers—a bit broader through the shoulders. Strong, too. She’d seen him without his shirt a few times. He was definitely a very beautiful man. It hid his demon soul—that was the only explanation she had.
Maybe Gunn should do an exorcism? She was so going to discuss that with Hala very, very soon.
Then she and Hudson could go back to the way things were before. Before he went insane and everything.
“What do you want to say to me?”
“About Martinell…”
“I decided you were right. I’m going to rework things. The jurisdiction argument is weak. And we probably won’t use Bernard at all. I’m waiting on copies of the reports about him you mentioned.”
“You don’t believe me?” Of course he didn’t—Mr. Have to See it For Himself Hanan. She’d been proving herself to him for three years now. She was about ready to chuck him straight out the window.
“I do believe you. And if that man is abusing his power, I want to know about it. See what else he’s done.”
Gia just stared at him. Hudson Hanan backing down?
She checked the sky. No pigs flying this time. “You’re admitting you’re wrong?”
This was insane. Utterly beyond insane.
He pulled into the parking lot across the road from the diner. “Stay there. I’ll help you down.”
“I’m not helpless, Hudson. And this is not a date. Let’s just make that clear.” Probably best to get that out there before the man started getting ideas. She fought a shiver. She could imagine what those ideas would possibly be.
Or…more ideas. It was obvious he had already hadideashe shouldn’t be having.
He hadn’t touched her even once while in the office or anywhere else on the clock, but his eyes—the way the man looked at her…
This man was completely and utterly dangerous to her.
It was time she admitted that.
He might be a pain in her ass, but apparently she was aware of him physically. In a way she hadn’t been with a man in a long time. She was going to have to figure out what that meant for her soon. Very soon.
Then he was around the truck, opening her door. Gia acted instinctively and turned, ready to slide out. His hands were there, on her waist. She felt the press of the cast against her. Then his good hand was sliding up, running along her spine, to cup the back of her neck just below the heavy braid.
“What are you doing?” She squeaked—she actually squeaked. His hand felt so hot, so…dangerous. Her entire body shivered.
He was playing her now. She knew exactly what the man was doing. Gia spun, getting herself away from danger—andtemptation—as fast as she possibly could. “Nothappening, Hanan. Just what are you after here, anyway?”
She was a Hiller; they faced challenges head on.
This man was definitely a challenge.
