She nodded weakly. The response seemed to satisfy him because he released her arm and walked out the door.
Hudson trailed after him, glad that he was in front of her so he couldn’t see the determined set of her shoulders. Her show of agreement hadn’t meant shit, because she had no intention of staying for one measly night.
She needed to find a way to convince Connor to let her stay.
3
“Bath’s ready.” Connor stepped out of the bathroom and found Hudson on the edge of the double bed, bending over to unzip her leather boots. She kicked one off, then the other, while he stood there trying not to check out her endless legs.
He was getting tired of the lust surging through his veins. He’d been sporting a hard-on since the moment he’d met her, but he was determined to ignore his dick and start using his head.
He’d given her the cabin closest to the lodge, the one right next to his, mainly because he wanted to keep an eye on her, but also because the cabins in the forest were in shambles. He’d asked Kade to bring some clean sheets, fluffy pillows, and a thick duvet, and he’d even set the water temperature in the bath to lukewarm instead of frigid. Not out of the goodness of his heart, though. Oh no, he wanted her to lower her guard, to trust him, and once he lulled her into a false state of security, he would go in for the kill and get the answers he needed.
Hudson stood up. “Thanks again.”
“You’ll find soap and shampoo in the cabinet under the sink,” he said graciously.
She disappeared into the bathroom and closed the door behind her, but Connor made no move to leave. He stood outside the door instead, waiting, listening. He heard rustling, fabric sliding over skin and softly hitting the tiled floor.
His mouth grew dry as he envisioned her naked body, imagined kicking open that door and yanking her into his arms, feeling her tits crushed against his chest, her hot pussy clamped around his cock.
The carnal image did nothing to put out the fire building in his groin. Didn’t help that he couldn’t remember the last time he’d fucked a woman. Months, maybe. Yeah, at least four months. He’d gotten wasted and allowed Rylan to drag him to the whorehouse in the mountains. It was no wonder his body was so out of control. Put a beautiful woman in front of it and he was bound to get worked up.
He wandered over to where Hudson had left her jacket. Curious, he picked it up and investigated the inner pockets. His eyebrows rose when he found the arsenal hidden in the various sheaths sewn into the material. He counted six sharp-as-fuck knives before dropping the jacket and unzipping the duffel bag she’d been carrying.
He rummaged through the bag, pushing aside random items of clothing, a pair of sneakers, until his hand connected with a 9 mm.
The final tally ended up being five guns and eight knives, not including the ones in her jacket. The woman was armed to the teeth. He wasn’t sure if he was impressed or suspicious. Probably both.
A splashing noise caught his attention. Hudson was getting in the tub. Good.
He squared his shoulders and made his move, striding into the bathroom just as her breasts slid beneath the water.
“What are you doing?” she squeaked. She’d been tying her hair in a knot atop her head, but she let the golden mass drop the moment he walked in.
He couldn’t help it – he took a good long look at her full, perky breasts with their rosy pink nipples, then the mouthwatering paradise between her legs. Her pussy was completely bare, and his cock was totally enjoying the view.
“Taking advantage of the situation.” He smirked. “I want answers, sweetheart, and you’re gonna give them to me.”
Dismay flashed in her eyes as she attempted to shield her nudity from him. One hand splayed over her mound, while the other folded over her breasts, and the self-conscious actions triggered another jolt of suspicion. Outlaw women didn’t hide their bodies – they were used to living in camps where privacy didn’t exist. Where modesty didn’t exist.
“Can you please go?” Her voice was tight with contempt.
“No.” He propped his shoulder against the doorframe and fixed a hard stare in her direction. “Who are you? Where did you come from?”
She met his gaze head-on, and though her cheeks were flushed with visible embarrassment, she didn’t look afraid of him. “I was living in the East with a group of people.”
“Who were all killed.” He recited her story back at her. “Tell me, how exactly did that happen?”
“It was during a sweep. The Enforcers ambushed us at night and dragged everyone out of their tents. I was walking in the woods when it happened. I heard the screams and gunshots and knew something terrible was going down. So I hid.” She paused. “Can I have some privacy now?”
“No.” He cocked his head. “Might as well soap yourself up, baby, before the water gets cold.”