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She had bawled like a baby when she had turned on the laptop he had given her and realized that Simon had downloaded every game that she had ever played on his computer lab. Myth World-both games-had been first on the list.
Wiping furiously at an escaped tear rolling down her cheek, Kara knew she had to stop mooning over Simon Hudson; she just wasn’t sure how to do it. The silly, thoughtful things that he did, such as taking the time to download all of those games, tugged at her heart. Then, she would remember the sight of the blonde supermodel on Sam’s porch pulling Simon’s lips to hers and she’d be pissed all over again. How could any man be so thoughtful, yet be such a dog when it came to women?
“Hello, Kara.” A deep, rumbling voice sounded right next to her. Her eyes jerked up to discover Sam Hudson leaning a shoulder against the wall next to her. Instinctively, she backed up several steps, putting distance between her and a man she didn’t like or trust.
Sam advanced, but left space between the two of them.
“What do you want?” Her tone was sharp and she put her hand up to stop him from coming any closer.
He raised his eyebrow at her defensive move. “I just want to talk.” He looked as arrogant as he had at the party, even dressed in casual jeans and a black t-shirt, but there was a thread of remorse running through his words, and his green eyes were clear and bright. “Please.” That addition actually sounded painful coming from Sam, as though he had to force it from his throat.
“I don’t know you and I have nothing to say,” she snipped at him, eager to get away. The last thing she wanted was to chat with Sam Hudson.
“I’m not going away until you talk to me, so you might as well do it now.”
Kara wanted to stomp her foot in frustration, but she wouldn’t give Sam the satisfaction. “Just say whatever it is you have to say and leave.”
He motioned toward the restaurant door. “I could use a cup of coffee. It’s been a long day.”
She shook her head. “I just interviewed there. I really don’t want to go back in there.”
He waved to the eatery across the street. “We can go there.”
Rolling her eyes, she answered, “Been there, done that one, too. There isn’t a place in this neighborhood where I haven’t interviewed.”
Taking her arm lightly, Sam led her into the fast-food place next door. She jerked her arm out of his hold, but followed behind him. It was obvious that she needed to let him have his say or he wouldn’t leave her alone. He had the same stubborn, Hudson male look that Simon got whenever he wasn’t going to budge until she relented or compromised.
They both ordered a coffee from the front counter and Sam took a small booth in the corner. She stalled, loading her coffee at a side table with cream and sugar before joining him. Fingering the disposable cup, she finally looked up to find Sam watching her with the intensity of a hawk ready to swoop down on its prey. Squirming and uncomfortable, she still refused to look away. Sam’s gaze wasn’t sexual. It was as though he was trying to examine a perplexing microbe underneath a magnifying glass. If he wanted to do some intensive search of her personality…so be it. It wasn’t as if she had done anything wrong, except fall in love with Simon Hudson.
Interestingly enough, Sam caved in first. “I’m sorry.” He diverted his eyes as he muttered the statement. It was sincere, but she could tell it wasn’t something this man said very often. “That was a shitty thing I did at Simon’s birthday party. I was so drunk I could barely stand, but that isn’t an excuse. A man needs to be responsible for his actions, drunk or not.”
“Why did you do it? Why are you doing this? Did Helen send you to apologize? I didn’t mention a word about what you did. I’m not sure how she would know.” Kara had only spoken to Helen once, and she hadn’t mentioned Sam’s appalling behavior that night to his mother.
Sam shot her a dark look. “My mother knows everything, and I appreciate the fact that you didn’t mention it. You didn’t have to. Simon figured it out and beat the hell out of me when I confessed. Our barroom brawl ended the party rather abruptly, soon after I came inside and you left.” He hesitated, taking a swig of coffee. “And no, my mother didn’t send me here. I’m here because I want to be. Because Simon is miserable and I was wrong. He doesn’t know I’m here and would probably smash my face in again if he knew I’d approached you.” He stared out the window beside them.
Kara searched Sam’s face, noticing the faint bruises above his left eye and his right cheek. Simon must have done a job on his brother. Ten days after the event, Sam still had a faint bruising to his face that she hadn’t looked close enough to see before. “Why? Why would Simon do that? He was already in the process of lining up another woman. I saw him kissing her on the terrace when I walked outside. It makes no sense.”
Sam’s head jerked back to her. “He didn’t line up anyone. What did she look like?”
“Tall, thin, blonde, perfect make-up but she’d probably look just as good without it.” Kara frowned at Sam. “Beautiful.”
His head nodded once. “Constance. I saw her march in as I was stepping outside. I saw you go out on the terrace, but I got caught up by a client for a few minutes before I could follow you. If it makes you feel any better, he didn’t take her up on her offer. Connie was coming in angry, and Simon was already gone.” Sam’s gaze dropped to his cup, fidgeting with the half-empty container. “Simon would never fuck Connie. She’s married to a man old enough to be her grandfather, but her husband isn’t exactly generous with his money. My brother doesn’t do married women. And if he was fu…uhh…having a relationship with you, he certainly wouldn’t be arranging another one. Simon may not get emotionally involved, but he only has one woman at a time.”
Kara sputtered, nearly choking on her coffee. Sam’s comment about Simon not getting emotionally involved hit her hard. She could believe that Simon wasn’t having an affair with a married woman. For some reason, she believed that just wasn’t something that he would do. Simon might not believe in relationships or marriage for himself, but he just didn’t seem like the type of man to step over that line. But really, did it matter? Maybe it made her feel better to know that Simon wasn’t tying up, blindfolding, and screwing the centerfold woman who had been kissing him at his party, but the fact that Simon didn’t do relationships hadn’t changed. She was so connected to Simon that she could barely breathe. In the long run, she would end up completely shattered when he moved on. “Thanks for telling me all of this. And for apologizing.” She tried to keep her voice flat, free from emotion.
Sam looked concerned, his eyebrows drawing together as he looked at her. “He cares about you. I didn’t know or I would never have made you an offer.”
“Why did you? I’m sure there are plenty of women who throw themselves at you every day.”
“Because I’m a billionaire,” he answered, his tone disgusted, his expression harsh. “I saw how happy Simon was after you came to live with him. I’ve heard my mother talk about you. I guess I thought that once you and Simon split, that I could grab a little happiness for myself. I was drunk. Feeling sorry for myself. I’m an asshole. You’re the first woman my brother has ever cared about and I betrayed him. And I insulted you. You didn’t deserve that.”
Kara leaned back against the hard plastic of the tiny booth seat, stunned. “Simon doesn’t care about me that way. But I admit, I was insulted. You can’t buy any woman you want, Sam. And I don’t believe it was really me you wanted.”
Sam released a ragged sigh. “I wanted…something. I guess in my drunken pity party, I was ready to try anything. And there’s only one woman who cared about anything except my money in the past. And I blew it.” His voice was filled with an aching sadness and remorse. “Are you going to accept my apology?”
The charming smile was back, lighting up his face, bringing back the Adonis she had seen at the party. Strangely, it didn’t bother her now. Sam Hudson was troubled and the radiant smile that he was throwing her way was nothing more than a cover for a man who wanted much more than monetary gain in his life. She had seen a small crack in his unemotional façade. “Yes, I accept. I guess we all say and do things that we wouldn’t normally do when we drink.” Her words brought back the day that she had told Simon he had an incredible body and that she wanted him after she had had a few drinks at the restaurant. “But I’m not sure why it matters to you.”
Sam’s eyes grew stormy and he grasped her wrist as she went to slide out of the booth and make her escape. “Kara, Simon cares. He’s had a rough time and he may not know how to express it. But he does. Please don’t judge my brother because I was an asshole.”