Hudson (10 page)

She grinned but Tawny didn’t buy it.  “Hmm.”

“Merry Christmas and go soak up some more attention from
your men.  Despite your earlier appetizer, they’re looking at you like a
steak.” 

Without an ounce of shame, she said, “You need to let us
drop you off or I’m liable to fuck them in the car on the way home.”

“Forget it!  I’m not being accused of cock blocking.  Thank
you for everything.  I mean it.” 

She hugged Tawny tight and stepped into the open elevator. 
The other woman watched her with a small frown, her arms crossed over her
chest. 

The man who filled in for Carlo called her a cab and they
spent a few minutes catching up while she waited. 

Hudson’s Rolls pulled up out front and Leonard walked around
to open rear passenger door.  She watched Natalia step from the back wearing a
calf-length fur coat and heels. 

Something told Brie she was naked beneath it.

She wanted out and away.  “Forget the cab.  Merry Christmas. 
Give my love to your girl.” 

“Brie…wait, it’s freezing out there.”

Pretending not to hear, Brie walked quickly for the street
and nodded at the night doorman.  She passed within a foot of Hudson’s lover
but kept her eyes on the sidewalk. 

A block away, she shrugged into her big coat and wrapped her
scarf up to cover her ears.  She tugged on her gloves as she walked, headed to
her apartment across town, and did not care if a cab appeared or not. 

The weather broke the next day and Brie’s family made a
surprise visit the week of New Years.  It gave her an excuse to beg out of Riya’s
festivities at the building. 

It was familiar and nice to have her parents and sister with
her. 

It lessened the confusion she felt over Hudson’s behavior.  Of
all the ways they could have parted after making out in Riya’s house, what
actually went down made no sense to her.  She’d been certain he wanted her. 

Of course, it wasn’t the first time she’d read a man wrong. 

With renewed purpose, she decided to keep her head down and focus
on her own dreams, her future in New York, and put men on the back burner
indefinitely.  She didn’t need another man getting inside her head.  They’d
caused her enough grief.

She shoved him forcefully from her conscious thoughts.

Four months later…

The woman Hudson wanted to fuck lived in his old apartment
and worked in his building but she might as well have been on another planet. 

In all this time, he’d caught a glimpse of Brie less than a
dozen times.  There was no doubt that she increased her efforts to avoid him
after the party on Christmas Eve.  He thought she was adept at the skill before
but her ability to
just miss him
now surpassed ninja status.

He handled the situation wrong the first time he touched
her. 

The only thought that played in a pounding rhythm that night
was fucking her in every way imaginable.  He wanted to show her all the sinful
acts her body was created to commit. 

Instead, he managed to hurt her feelings.  Deciphering her
mindset was almost impossible for someone like him.  They were different at
their cores. 

The majority of his psyche told him to leave her in peace
and stop trying to fit her into his world.  A small portion told the majority
to
fuck off
. 

It kept him awake at night and made him hard at unexpected
times. 

Leonard pulled to the curb and Natalia slid into the car
beside him. 

He looked at her expectantly and she smiled.  “No.  She
hasn’t made an appearance at the club.  Tawny told me tonight that they intend
to sponsor her membership.  When I asked when they might bring the darling with
them, she said they had to get her out first.”

“Why does she hide?  I don’t understand.”

With a small shrug, his best friend wrapped her arm around
his.  “Hudson, not everyone is as driven as you are.  Not even I can keep up.”

He put his hand over hers and sighed.  “I don’t understand
why I’m obsessed with this woman.  It makes no sense.”

“First, she isn’t falling all over you and the life you
could give her.  That must be a wonderfully unique experience for you.”  He
grunted in agreement.  “Second, she is our polar opposite.  From the many
things I’ve heard about her over the last few months, she couldn’t be more
different in the way she views the world.”

Hudson turned to look at her.  “I need to stop this.”

“Why?  Few things hold your interest for so long.  I feel
like we’re playing
Cloak and Dagger
and enjoying myself immensely.”  Her
head tilted slightly.  “How are you feeling otherwise?”

“Much more relaxed.  Thank you for last night.”

“Stop thanking me for accepting orgasms, Hudson.”  Sitting
back against the seat, she added, “I knew adding the bondage room was an
excellent idea.  Thank you for helping test the new apparatus.  We’ll see how
many of my members decide to book it.”

“If they’d seen you suspended, covered in wax, and your pink
ass fucked until you passed out, I’m sure you’d be booked through the end of
the year.”

He felt the tremor move over her body and gave her a hungry
smile. 

“We haven’t performed in front of a crowd in a
very
long time, Hudson.”

Instantly, both of them remembered their last trip to Dallas. 
The Playground
was a BDSM club that changed hands more than a decade
ago.  They’d been members since college and the new owner improved everything
from the food and restrooms to the suites, which could be rented hourly or
included in annual membership dues. 

The basic purpose had not changed.

Much harder core than
Trois
, sex and bondage were
enjoyed in the open with a full audience.  It was a solid mix of exhibitionists
and voyeurs who kept the atmosphere ramped the three nights a week that they
were open. 

He still visited when he had business in Dallas and assumed
Natalia did as well.  The deal that took him to the city several years ago made
him ask his friend to go with him. 

Her instant agreement told him she knew exactly
why
he wanted her to go.

Three hours after their plane landed, they dressed in masks
and leather.  Hudson chained her naked to the ceiling of the club as he striped
her back with a cat-o’-nine. 

When she was pink and evidence of her arousal glistened on
her inner thighs, he freed his cock, and pounded into her body until she was
incoherent with pleasure. 

The new owner entered the recovery room and complimented
their performance. 

Natalia glanced up from her position in his lap and smiled
tiredly.  “We were performing?” 

The small and exquisitely lovely Asian woman returned the
smile.  “I’m Kikiama.  You can call me Kiki.  I took the liberty of looking you
both up.”  He stiffened and her smile broadened.  “As always, your privacy is
assured.  I simply hoped you lived closer so I could book a regular show.”

“We don’t get here often.  Not nearly as often as we used to.” 
Natalia petted her hand over his chest.  “I love what you’ve done with the
place.”

“Thank you.  I inherited it.”  The way the woman watched
them confused Hudson but he said nothing.  “I’ll let you relax.  The trust
between you is stronger than most I’ve seen.  The next time you plan a trip,
I’ll clear the schedule for you.”  A small incline of her head and she was
gone. 

“Do you still have your membership?”  Natalia’s voice was
filled with longing. 

“I do.”  He stared into her eyes.  “I have two business
interests I can check on in Dallas…should you decide a trip is in order.”

Her mind worked and he could tell she
wanted
to make
the trip.  That was why her answer took him by surprise. 

“Let’s see where things go with Brie.  I don’t want to split
your focus more than I already do.”

“You don’t split my focus.  What are you talking about?”

The heavy sigh was unexpected.  “Hudson.  Darling, I adore
you but you can be a trial on my peace of mind.”  Angling her body on the seat,
she held his hand in both of hers.  “Don’t you ever wonder why you can’t commit
to a long-term relationship?”

“I’ve had them.”

“Killing time.  It is the sex between us that holds you
back.”  She shook her head.  “Any woman would have an issue with a friend such
as me in your life.  Our sexual history is obvious even to those who haven’t
known us long.”

“Natalia, what are you saying to me right now?”

“I have
no
idea.”  He could see that was absolute
truth.  “All I know is that our relationship makes relationships with other
people impossible.  What we’re doing isn’t exactly working.”

“Then we
make
it work.”  The vehemence of the words shocked
them both.  “I…”

She smoothly interrupted him.  “What about Gabriella?”

Instant, hot need flared through his body.  “Explain.”

“I shouldn’t have to but I will.  I love women almost as
much as I love men.  Maybe she’s the answer.  The
home-and-hearth
type
neither of us will never be.”  Her blue eyes were brilliant.  “We could…
share
her.” 

The majority of the ménage relationships among the members
of
Trois
were two men and one woman.  Somehow, his mind had conveniently
skipped over the
other
alternative. 

Two women and one man.  Specifically, Natalia, Gabriella,
and
him
. 

“You get what you need, what you want from me openly and
honestly.  You also gain a woman who represents what you need most…a wife and
mother type that might not be able to provide the same…benefits that I do.”

“You’ve considered this.”

“I have.”

“You’ve been watching her…following her.”

“Yes.”

“You’re a little in love with her already…aren’t you?”  She
nodded carefully and a slow smile broke over her face.  “Natalia, I’ve always
known you were smarter than me, I just didn’t know how much.”

With a snort, she faced forward, sliding her sunglasses over
her eyes.  “I could have told you, had you thought to ask.”

The building called Brie to cover for one of her
co-workers.  The young woman worked the graveyard shift in the business center
but an emergency appendectomy meant it would be a while before she could return
to work. 

It was quiet at night but she’d seen the value of the
twenty-four hour service center several times for residents who needed shipping
handled or last-minute presentations prepared.  She used the downtime to work
on ideas of her own while playing with a few of the websites she designed. 

By morning, she wasn’t overly tired but needed coffee sooner
rather than later. 

She grabbed her backpack after changing into street clothes
and headed out to say goodbye to the other staff just coming in.  Henry showed
her pictures of his new grandchild on his cell phone. 

“He’s gorgeous…what did they name him?”

The proud grandfather put his chest out and his shoulders
back.  “Henry Jacob.”

“An excellent name!  I know you must be thrilled!”  She
hugged him tightly. 

“They’ve been trying for three
years
.”  He smiled at
the photo.  “It finally happened for them.”  Henry shook himself.  “Look at me
keeping you when you’ve worked all night.  I’ll see you tomorrow, Brie.”

She gave him another hug and waved to Carlo. 

As she moved for the door, a voice behind her said, “You
must be
Brie
.”

Turning slowly, she faced Hudson’s lover less than three
feet away.  She blinked.  “Yes, ma’am.  Did you need something?  I’ll be happy
to grab one of the girls for you.”

“Oh no.  I wanted to meet the young woman Riya and Tawny
keep going on and on about.”  She tilted her head slightly.  “You’ve made
quite
an impression on the club darlings.  You’re just as lovely as they described. 
Fresh and happy.” 

Moving closer, she held out her hand.  “I’m Natalia Roman. 
I’m the hostess at
Trois
– the club they’ve been trying to get you to
visit.”

“Yes, it’s nice to meet you, ma’am.”

“Natalia.  Call me Natalia.  I desperately need coffee and a
walk.  Will you join me?”  Brie opened her mouth to object.  “Please.”

A lifetime of manners made it impossible to refuse.  “Alright.” 

The much taller woman motioned for her to proceed through the
door Henry held with an unreadable expression and she slipped through it to the
sidewalk.  Natalia walked in the direction of her favorite café. 

Silence stretched between them and Brie didn’t have a clue
what to say.  She felt self-conscious in her jeans and trail runners.  The
height of the chic woman highlighted how short she was.

At the café, Natalia insisted on buying their coffees.  As
they settled at a small corner table, Natalia sat back to sip from her cup. 
“You really are
quite
lovely.”

“Thank you.  Very different from you, I know.”

She smiled.  “What does that mean?”  

“You remind me of my sister.  Everything in the right
proportion.  You look like you belong in the city, with…a…a life like the one you
probably have.”  She almost said
man
instead but caught herself.  “I
take after my grandmother.  I look like I should have eight kids and start
dinner at nine in the morning.”

“You want Hudson.”  Brie’s immediate denial rose to her lips
but she shook her head.  “I want you to
have
Hudson.”

“What?  I don’t…we aren’t…I mean, he wouldn’t.”

Natalia’s laughter was bold and unashamed.  “Oh?  He
wouldn’t? 
Really
?” 

Sitting forward, she crossed her arms on the table and Brie
noticed faint rope lines on her skin.  The other women
let
her see
them. 

“Do you know what these marks mean, Brie?”

She considered lying and immediately changed her mind. 
“BDSM.  You like to be tied up.  Hudson likes to do the tying.”

“An over simplified explanation but close enough.  There is
an aspect of my nature and his that
needs
the feelings the ropes
inspire.  Has anyone ever tied you up before?”

“No.  I don’t trust anyone to do that.”

Sleek black hair bobbed forward as she nodded.  “Trust is
crucial.  I trust Hudson completely.  You could trust him, too.”

She was unable to hide the small frown.  “Why…I don’t
understand what you want exactly.  You’re with Hudson.  Why are you trying to
see if I’m interested?”  It was an evasive tactic and not a very good one.

“First of all, your interest is already there.  As is his.” 
She took a sip of her coffee.  “The stress of his life and his personality
almost
require
regular release.  Much like therapy or meditation.  As
far as my relationship with Hudson…he fucks me because he has to fuck
someone
. 
If he had his choice, I think he’d be fucking you.”

“That seems like a pretty shitty deal for you, if I may say
so.”

Natalia stared at her with wide eyes.  Finally, she
blinked.  “An…interesting observation but incorrect.  I reap the benefits of
our time together as surely as he does.”  She leaned forward and whispered, “He
fucks like a machine.”

No one had ever been so blunt with her about her personal
sex life and she couldn’t control the heat that seeped over her features. 

“My, you
are
innocent.  In all the years I’ve known
him, I don’t think he’s ever even
tried
to capture a tender morsel like
you.  He thinks he’d break a gentle woman.  Do you break easily, Brie?  I think
you’re a lot stronger than people think.”

She sat there thinking about how to respond.  Her initial
reaction was to make some mumbled excuse and run away from this extremely
uncomfortable situation. 

No.  Sometimes, people needed to be told about themselves.

“You’ve been…blunt with me.  Allow me to return the favor. 
You do not fucking
know
me.  Hudson does not fucking
know
me. 
You think I’m some sweet little quasi-virgin from the sticks who needs some
fabulous man to make my life complete.  I don’t.  In fact, men do nothing but
fuck shit up in my personal experience.”