Kept

I tried to fake a smile as I stood, and then walked out. Somehow, it had seemed so quiet and private behind the curtain, but inside, the club was hopping. I went over to the bar and grabbed a tray of shots before walking around and starting to offer them to the men in business suits.

“Hey, honey. I'll have one of those over here.” A middle-aged man who was balding called over to me. He snapped his fingers, and I briskly walked over and bent slightly as I had been taught while holding the tray. There was a very bunny-esque feeling to the way that we delivered drinks.

“Here you are, Sir. Is there anything else I can get you?”

“Some peanuts at the table would be good, darlin’.”

I nodded and smiled sweetly. “I'll get right on that for you.”

I hauled ass back to the bar, but when I tried to reach behind the counter for the peanuts, someone grabbed my hand behind me. I turned around to shake them off, but I was met by the dark eyes that constantly reeled me in. Hudson had responded to my e-mail, just not online.

“You're here.”

“You asked me to come.”

That was true. I had.

“Can we talk? Privately?” He nodded to an alcove near the stairs. It was dark.

“Fine.”

I set down my tray on the bar and followed him.

As soon as we were cloaked in darkness he pressed his body against mine.

“I missed you.”

I sighed, “I know.”

He chewed on his lower lip. It turned me on. I knew I shouldn’t be here with him. I shouldn’t want him to kiss me. But I did so desperately it hurt.

“Did you miss me?”

“Maybe.” I knew the an

swer that was just beneath the surface of my skin. Every piece of me ached to be with him.

“I missed you.” He dragged a finger along my skin and sent chills down my body. “And I know that's against the rules, and that it's not what this place is about. But I don't care about any of that, I care about you.” He put his hand on either sides of my cheeks, and pulled me in to him. Our lips met like a magnetic force was pulling us together, even though my brain was screaming to stop. I didn’t care what my head thought. For this moment it was just Hudson and I in the darkness. His hands moved down my body and onto my hips. He pushed against the wall. I turned my head and he laid sweet kisses down my neck onto my collar bone. I was worried someone would see, but part of me didn’t care. As his lips brushed against the top of my breasts I inhaled deeply.

He had betrayed me, he had hurt me, and he could ruin my life. But, in his hands, I felt safe, content, and like I could trust him again. But, even while my brain and my heart disagreed, the logic won out. I pulled away.

“What do you want Hudson?”

“What do you want to know?”

“Everything. Why you told the detective I was involved in a case I have nothing to do with. What you do for a living, why you’re so secretive all the time. Everything.”

He shook his head. “I wanted to protect you.”

“From whom?”

“From the people I work for.” He ran his fingers through his hair. “I work in pharmaceuticals.” He looked around my shoulder like he was watching someone else. “I can’t tell you more than that.”

“You better or this is the last time you see me Hudson. No more games. I can’t take any more stress right now. In case you forgot I have to testify in court, because of you.” I spat the last word at him like poison.

He sighed and looked back into my eyes. “Fine. I give drugs to people who have not been approved for them medically. Is that good enough for you?”

He was infuriating. “You’re a pharmacist and that means I’m not safe. I don’t buy that.”