“About six months. I bought it in the spring about the same time I bought the penthouse.”

“Must be a hit with all the ladies.” The words slipped out before she could stop them. She was about to tell him she was sorry and that it was none of her business when his answer left her with nothing but a gaping mouth.

“You’re the only person I’ve ever brought up here.”

He held her stare for a long moment, so much going unsaid between them, until Allie broke the awkward silence. “How about that tour?”

His lips pressed together in a thin line and he nodded. “Right. A tour.”

She followed him through the kitchen, where he pointed out more high-end appliances she suspected got little to no use, and back into the Great Room. He showed her the two guest suites that made up the rest of the main floor and then held out his hand.

“Would you like to see the upstairs?” he asked. Seven words that held such promise.

She placed her hand in his and he gave it a gentle squeeze before leading her up the staircase to the master suite. Hudson’s bedroom had the same devastating view as the great room, even more so given the added height. Leather club chairs sat in front of a fireplace that opened on the other side to what she presumed was the master bathroom, and an acoustic guitar sat propped against the hearth. She would have asked if that was an instrument he actually played, but her thoughts were interrupted by the sight of his larger-than-life bed.

The headboard and footboard were covered in rich dark-brown leather that was tufted to mimic a chesterfield sofa. As she trailed her hand over the rolled padded edge of the footboard, she couldn’t help but think how similar it looked to the arm of the sofa in Hudson’s game room. Images of blindfolds and leather cuffs consumed her thoughts, and her heart began to pound. A hand touched her shoulder and she jumped. Hudson was suddenly behind her, sweeping her hair to one side as his lips found the curve of her neck.

“Put this on.” He held out his arm and her babydoll nightgown dropped down from his hand. “And when you return, I want to tie you to my bed.”

A soft moan escaped her lips as he ran the tip of his tongue up the column of her throat.

“Look at the bed, Allie.” Her heart raced with a mixture of excitement and anxiety. “Imagine yourself completely at my mercy. Now go change.”

Chapter Thirty

Allie kept her eyes closed, doing her best to block out the sunlight flooding the room. She wasn’t ready to wake up. Not when her dreams brought images of silk ties and satin blindfolds. And had that been a feather? And ice? The barrage on her senses had been overwhelming, exhilarating . . . mind-blowing. Her blood began to heat from the memories, and a sleepy smile stretched across her face. She reached out, her hand sliding across the cool sheets, but found nothing but an empty bed.

She blinked a few times as the room came into focus, then stretched her deliciously sore muscles. Allie had always prided herself on keeping in good shape, even in college when pizza was its own food group, but the past week with Hudson had brought its own unique form of exercise. And speaking of Mr. Insatiable, where was he?

The bathroom door stood open, with no sounds of running water coming from inside. In fact, the whole room was quiet except for the intermittent chirping of a few birds.

And a revving engine.

What the hell?

Allie sat up, the sheet slipping from her naked body, and looked toward the large picture window. All she could see from her vantage point was a clear blue sky. She peered over the bed where her lace nightie lay in a pile on the floor. Hudson had been so intent on bringing it with him and then had barely left it on her.

Looks even better on my floor. His words distracted her until the engine revved again.

With no bathrobe in sight, she wrapped the sheet around her and climbed out of bed to investigate. A pair of French doors led to a small balcony, and when she opened them she discovered Hudson sitting on the driveway below her. On a Harley. Wearing leather.

Allie’s mouth went dry. Up until then she’d only seen him dressed like a CEO in custom suits or cashmere sweaters. But now he looked like a bad boy from the wrong side of town. Her skin warmed at the sight of him; from his motorcycle boots to his faded jeans to his black leather jacket. She knew she was gawking, but she couldn’t help it. Below her, straddling that sleek black and chrome machine, was the boy she once knew. Only now he was powerful, in control, and if possible, ten times hotter. It was like Hudson Chase 2.0.

He cut the engine and smiled up at her. “Good morning, sleepy head.”

“Good morning.” Allie dropped her chin and tucked a stray piece of hair behind her ear. For some reason, she found herself feeling incredibly shy. Perhaps it was being outside in her current state of undress, or perhaps it was their night of raw, uninhibited sex. She felt her face flush just thinking about the things he’d done to her the night before; things she’d like him to do again. She cleared her throat and tried her best to keep her voice level. “So that’s the bike I keep hearing about?”

“The very one.” He shifted the motorcycle back to engage the kickstand and climbed off. “Get dressed. We’re going for a ride.”

A thrill shot through her. “Be right down.”

Allie hurried back into the house, quickly changing into jeans and a lightweight sweater. She brushed her teeth and pulled her hair into a haphazard ponytail before grabbing her leather jacket and flying down the stairs. She was going for a ride on Hudson Chase’s Harley! When she reached the gravel drive she found Hudson leaning against the bike seat with a helmet in his hands. “I was beginning to wonder if you were ever going to wake up.”

“Must be all the fresh air.”

He raised a brow as he straightened and stepped away from the bike.

“Well, I would have been up earlier if you hadn’t kept me up all night.”

“I clearly remember being given specific instructions.” He drew her against him and let his hand glide over the curve of her ass, holding her tight as his hips rolled against hers. “Don’t stop, Hudson. Oh God, don’t stop.”

Heat pooled between her legs as her traitorous body responded to his words over her wanton behavior. Placing both hands on his chest, she gave him a playful shove. “Well, you can stop now.”

Hudson chuckled. “Here,” he said, handing Allie the helmet. “Put this on.”

Allie took the helmet from him and eyed it skeptically. “I don’t think it will fit over my ponytail.”

“It’s not up for debate. But you might be more comfortable with your hair down.” He reached up and gently tugged the hair tie loose, letting her long blond curls cascade around her shoulders. His knuckles brushed her cheek. “You look beautiful.”

His touch ignited her skin. She looked up at him from beneath her lashes and began to wonder if they’d make it back in the house, let alone on a bike ride. If he wanted to take her right there on the gravel, she’d probably let him.

“So how does this thing work?” she asked, breaking the connection. Her hand trembled as she lifted the helmet in the air.

“Let me.” He carefully lowered the helmet and buckled the chinstrap. When he deemed it sufficiently secure he reached for her jacket, yanking the zipper up to her chin. “It can get cold on the bike.”

She resisted the urge to roll her eyes. One moment he was reducing her to a puddle on his driveway, and the next he was fussing over her as if she were a child.

“So where are we headed?” she asked.

“Thought we’d ride north, grab a bite to eat, and maybe hit one of the wineries. There’s one in a restored mill that looks interesting, and it’s not too far.” Hudson mounted the Harley, strapped on his own helmet, and then started the bike. The engine roared to life. “Get on, baby.”