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“You are doing better than you even realize, Hudson,” Nora continued. “I hope you know that. Hannah feels your dedication to her in the same way I do."
Hudson felt a glow in his chest that he couldn't quite understand. He shoveled a big spoonful of mushrooms and rice into his mouth, trying to distract his emotions. Nora munched on the Kobe beef, groaning as she did.
“God, this is delicious. Too bad it’s so fucking expensive."
Hudson chuckled again. Her poignant observation of his inner workings eased his sense of feeling unguarded. He raised his head, placing the stem of the wine glass between his fingers once more.
“Well, as long as you’re around, I will be sure to make you some of this beef. As much as you want, whenever you want.”
“Is that so?” Nora said, placing her fork down and sliding her tongue along her teeth. “What if I ask for it at three in the morning?”
Hudson raised the wine to his lips, watching her. He felt like he could see into her, her salacious thoughts teased by the parting of her mouth and the continued emergence of her tongue. The bear inside him growled.
The sight of it, slithery and daring, made his cock twitch.
“Then you would have it, dear Nora. There are several great reasons to have a chef on site.”
She smiled broadly, lighting up her entire face. It was difficult to look at someone so pretty, so striking that it made his bear grumble. He took another big gulp of wine to calm the beast.
“Only if you personally serve it to me,” Nora whispered in her dusky, deep tone.
Hudson’s bear positively whimpered inside him, and it was both enticing and terrifying.
He cleared his throat, ripping himself from her mesmerizing glare, and returned to the food that remained before him.
“If there is anything else I can do to aid in helping Hannah, I do hope you will let me know. I want to be as much help as I can.”
With that, Nora pulled away, reverting to the professionalism with which she had first introduced herself.
“I will be sure to do that,” she said.
They had flirted around dangerous waters. It would be quite something to have her in his bed, Hudson ruminated once dinner had finished, but it wasn't worth the risk of losing her. He had picked up her attraction to him in her voice, which was blaring rather than subtle. His bear had caught on and wouldn't shut up about it.
But he needed to focus. He was still worried about the accident that had cost Frank and Alice’s life and endangered Hannah’s, and he wasn’t sure it was an accident at all. He needed to focus his attention on that, not seducing Hannah’s pretty nurse.
And even if he had time for a woman, it could never be Nora. Not considering what she meant to Hannah. Hannah came first. Her health was the top priority. Not some romp in the sack, no matter how spectacular it would be.
ELEVEN
NORA
At some point during one of their conversations, Hudson mentioned that he still had some of his toys from his childhood. Of course, Nora had insisted they get them and surprise Hannah.
And so they had gone into the attic to see what he had. Nora sorted through the first box and cooed at an adorable elephant plush she found. “Aww, this little guy is adorable. Do you remember what his name was?”
Hudson raised an eyebrow. “His name?”
She rolled her eyes. “Oh, come on. You don’t have to be embarrassed. We’ve all named our stuffed animals something ridiculous. I’m pretty sure I had a stuffed horse I named Lollipop.”
Hudson studied the elephant for a moment before shaking his head. “No, I don’t think I ever named him.”
Nora frowned. He wasn’t acting like he was lying or couldn’t remember. Or even that he was too embarrassed to say. He sounded like he really hadn’t named this cute little elephant. And what kind of kid didn’t name their toys?
She put the elephant in her lap and dug more through the box. Her eyes lit up when she spotted a set of toy soldiers. She pulled them out and lined them up like they were going to battle each other.
Hudson furrowed his brow. “Now, what are you doing?”
Nora grinned at him. “Come on, you had to have done this at some point. Set up mini battles for them to fight in.”
