Dare to Tease (Dare Nation 4.5)

Son of a bitch. Although he was tempted to ignore the call, his father would only try again later. The man was persistent, and Hudson had been ducking him lately, if only to give himself some peace.

He hit the button that accepted the call. “Hi, Dad.”

“Hudson, I’ve been trying to get ahold of you,” his father said in his typical annoyed tone, which came through the car speakers.

Hudson rolled his eyes. “I’m fine. How are you?”

“Your mother and I are fine as well, something you would know if you’d picked up or called me back.”

“I have two jobs,” Hudson reminded his father. “My free time is minimal.”

“You wouldn’t need to work those hours if you came home and took a job with Northfield International.” The family international trading business that Hudson wanted nothing to do with.

He let out a low chuckle. “Are you forgetting you paid for medical school?”

“Yes, well, as you know, I had your brother to ultimately run the company then.” Fate had disrupted Martin’s plan.

To this day, Hudson didn’t know how his father felt about the death of his firstborn son beyond the fact that he no longer had an heir to take over. Martin and Lucille Northfield thought they were nobility and treated everyone as a commodity that was either useful to them or not. For years his parents’ attitude had suited Hudson fine because he’d been able to live life on his own terms. Now they needed him, and he wasn’t about to give in.

“Are you coming home this weekend?” his father asked when Hudson didn’t take the bait and answer the jab about his brother’s death and Martin wanting Hudson to work with him.

“I’ll be there,” Hudson muttered.

“Good. I’m looking forward to talking about this further.”

In other words, to harangue Hudson and try and change his mind. What he needed was a distraction, something or someone to shift his father’s focus. Someone to keep Hudson busy and away from his family. His mind drifted back to Bri and that stunning kiss. It was more potent than anything he’d ever experienced, and he could have drowned in her and died a happy man.

“I’m bringing a date,” he heard himself say.

And despite not knowing whether he could pull off the barely formed notion, he couldn’t deny he liked the idea of taking Bri with him to the city. She was everything he’d just thought about and then some. A beautiful distraction to keep Hudson too busy to get pulled into endless conversation with his father except for the one about his trust fund. Not to mention, it gave him the opportunity to get to know her better away from her overprotective brothers.

His father began to cough, and Hudson waited for him to pull himself together. “You’re what?”

Hudson frowned at the ridiculous question. His father had heard him just fine. “I’m bringing a date,” he enunciated just to be sure. Though it wouldn’t be easy, his cousin would add one to his table. Hell, she’d be thrilled he was bringing a date and had offered him a plus-one with his invitation.

“But what about Corinne? Surely you know she’s excited to see you again after all this time,” Martin said.

Hudson glanced up at the sky before shifting his gaze back to the road in front of him. “She’s not invited to the wedding, and we haven’t spoken in years,” he said of a family friend’s daughter his parents approved of as a match for Hudson.

They’d never dated, not for Corinne’s lack of trying to corner him at events. His parents would like nothing more than a marriage within their social circle. It wasn’t happening.

“Well, at least you’re coming,” his father said begrudgingly. “I’ll let your mother know.”

The bride knew he was coming, had known for months, but he’d let his parents wonder because then they wouldn’t attempt to make plans for the weekend that included him and someone else … like Corinne. And now that he was bringing a date, they wouldn’t even try. At least he didn’t have to worry about how his parents would treat his guest. They believed in good manners and appearances, and they’d treat Brianne with respect.

“I’ll see you soon. Bye, Dad.” Hudson disconnected the call just as he turned onto the street leading to his apartment.

Jesus, it had been a long day. He thought about what he’d just told his father and drew a deep breath, exhaling as he realized what he’d done.

Now he just had to convince Bri to join him for a weekend in New York. With his family. After sharing just one kiss.

Okay, so he had his work cut out for him, but he was up for the challenge.

* * * *

The next morning, Bri struggled to get dressed and ended up taking off the gauze on her hands since she’d all but ruined the wrapping anyway. The skin was raw and painful, and she gave up on a blouse with buttons and ended up in a pair of black slacks and a shirt she could pull over her head. Despite her love of high heels, she wasn’t feeling all sexy and powerful, so she slid on a pair of ballet slippers instead.