Page 6 of The Prey
So Hudson could figure outthiswoman instead of the one he’d thought he’d known all along.
He could think of far too many things they could do with each other now, in this empty house. Just the two of them. On that couch, right there.
Hudson pulled his mind out of the gutter fast. How in the hell had his mind even headed in that direction so quickly anyway? He didn’t feel that way abouther.He just didn’t.
There must have been something seriously potent in the antibiotics he’d been prescribed at the hospital. It was the only real explanation.
But as he looked at her in those tight jeans and that soft cotton Mamaw’s Place T-shirt that clung in so many beautiful ways it became very, very clear. Diamond bright clear, actually.
Hudsonwantedher. Bad. More than he had wanted a woman in a long, long time.
The woman fascinated him. And he wanted to figure her out. More than anything. He wanted to know this part of her so much. So he could figure out all of her.
“Of course. He usually comes in for a few minutes. Anthony is always early to everything.”
Well, didn’t Anthony sound like a pillar of the community?
“He does when Aunt Gia is watching us, mostly,” Marnie said, snickering like she knew everything about the universe at nine. “He likes Aunt Gia a lot, you know. He’sdivorced.Mom really wants him to take Aunt Gia on a romantic date and stuff. She thinks Gia would be just perfect for him, much better than our old auntOlivia. Olivia wasn’t very nice to Uncle Anthony at all. Or anybody really. Aunt Gia is much nicer. Mom says they’d make really pretty babies, too.Oliviadidn’t want babies,but Mom says Aunt Gia probably does. She can have babies with Uncle Anthony, if she wants. Lots of them.”
“I’ll keep that in mind,” Gia said, dryly.
“Then when they have babies we’d get to be double cousins with them,” Marlie, the next girl, said. “But they have to get married and stuff first. Before they do the babies stuff. That’s how it works.”
“That’s not how it really works,” Marnie told her. “They’d have to get married first, and thendo thatkissingstuff in the bedroom to make the babies. Just ask Mom about how babies happen later. She’ll tell you.”
Hudson looked at Gia. Her cheeks were bright red. He definitely wanted to see this guy in action. “I see. Does Aunt Gia want to date Uncle Anthony?”
Hazel eyes stared into his. “I’m…thinking about it, actually. Not that that is anyone’s business but my own. Eat your eggs, girls. You can figure out my love life for me later. Again.”
Like the girls had summoned him out of thin air, someone knocked on the door. Hudson bit back the instinct to answer it himself. To protect the ones inside this castle that most certainly wasn’t his. He just stayed where he was and watched the woman who now fascinated him answer the door and step outside for a moment. To talk toUncle Anthonywho she should date and have lots of babies with. The man who was sobeautifulandnice,as his own little sister had said before.
Hudson really wanted to meet Uncle Anthony again.
Gia laughed when the knocker said something. Hudson’s hackles immediately rose. Damn it.
Hudson bit back a growl when a big blond linebacker who was vaguely familiar came inside—and kissed Gia on the cheek. “Good morning. Gia, you look gorgeous with your hair down like that. I just can’t resist stealing a kiss.”
The guy played with a lock of her hair teasingly.
Her cheeks flamed even more. Seriously? Over this blond jock? She was attracted tothisguy?
Hell, no.
Dr. Anthony Lake wasn’t going to get her. That just wasn’t going to happen.
Then she was hurrying the kids along, and the guy was making small talk with Hudson. Their paths had crossed a few times before, he was sure of it. And not just the day Judge Felner’s crimes had been revealed—and Gia had been shot. Hudson thanked him for taking Ryan with the rest of the kids.
He knew how to keep his uncivilized side hidden from the masses when necessary. The guy was doing him a favor—he’d be appreciative.
“No problem. I’ve taken Calvin several times.” The guy scooped his third niece up and cuddled the little girl, a year or so younger than Ryan, for a moment. Then her younger sister. Both small girls looked a good deal likeUncle Anthony,but the youngest one…had Aunt Gia’s smile.
“He’s a good driver, Mr. Huds. He goes lots slower than Aunt Gia does. Daddy says Aunt Gia gives him gray hair when she drives, but I can’t find gray hair on his head. I looked,” Calvin added, shoveling in the last of his toast. His aunt was there with a washcloth to clean the jelly off. She nabbed Ryan next and cleaned him right up. His son grinned at her, looking just like Hudson’s sister for a moment.
Giavonna leaned down and kissed Ryan right on his nose, making his son giggle. “You’re going to have an awesome day today, because you are an awesome kid, Mr. Hanan. Remember that.”
Ryan threw his arms around her and hugged her. The demon woman hugged his son just as close, and kissed him on the dark brown curls. Like she’d done it a thousand times before.
He had to admit to himself, even when they’d been arguing like cats and dogs she hadfascinatedhim. Even when she’d driven him crazy with irritation. He’d be more energized and charged after dealing with her every day. He hadn’t realized that right away, though.
