Page 29 of The Prey (The Hillers of Barratt County #6)

Hudson smirked at the beautiful woman sitting on his bed, one leg bent beneath her, the other foot trailing against the floor. She was wiggling her bare little toes on the rug.

Her hair was down around her shoulders everywhere, tangled from his fingers. His.

She was his now.

She wore his old FCU: LAW T-shirt and a pair of his gym shorts that bagged on her. And nothing else.

His body stirred with the urge to confirm that for himself.

She had one of his law books open in front of her.

Not exactly how he’d expected to find her after he’d fetched ice cream from the freezer. “What are you doing?”

“Checking something you said the other day when you were being obnoxious, about Martinell. I don’t have this particular edition in my collection.

I think this is a misprint, though. No wonder you are so confused.

You might want to check it before you use it on Tuesday.

If the defense knows it’s a misprint and you get called on it, it could unravel your opening.

” She looked up at him, that challenging expression that always drove him crazy on her face.

This…this was exactly what he wanted from life, he realized.

Them... together . It didn’t matter what they did, just that they did it together. Him, her, Ryan…any other kid who came along. He wanted more kids—especially if she was their mother. Wanted that more than he’d ever wanted anything in his life.

Tonight, he’d loved her the way he’d been wanting to for a long time. Now they could spend the rest of the night just being together. Nothing more perfect for a man and woman than that. He stretched out on the bed next to her, running one hand up her inner thigh beneath the shorts, to tease.

He didn’t miss how she shivered at his touch. “I’ll make a note of that. Later. Close the book…”

He didn’t want to talk law tonight. Not when he had her to himself for the first time. Hudson wanted his mate once again. And again and again.

She was his now. And Hanans mated for life.

Maybe he’d be able to talk her into coming home with him and Ryan tomorrow night, too. For dinner, and nothing more. She’d not be comfortable staying the night in his bed with her family knowing. With Ryan there, either.

Not her. She had some old-fashioned ideas, after all.

And her brother being a minister, with them both in the public eye around Value, they’d have to be circumspect.

Until he had a big shiny ring on her finger where one most certainly belonged.

He’d have to go pick one out very soon; Finley Creek or Dallas would be the best places to check.

The local jewelry store in Barrattville might have something, but probably not. He’d want something unique for her.

Then again, he was getting a bit ahead of himself here. He couldn’t just scoop her up and move her right in. Not yet. She’d need more time than that.

He reminded himself he had to be patient. He didn’t want to confuse Ryan, either. They had time. He could wait. Just a little longer. He’d pick out a ring next weekend when his schedule was a bit lighter. A week away, that was waiting, right?

Hudson would have her in his cave permanently soon. When she was ready.

It was all part of his plan. He just wasn’t going to wait too long. Not for her.

But for now… He pushed the four— four— opened texts toward the foot of the bed. He had his woman on his furs where he wanted her, now it was time for what needed to happen next…

The ice cream would just have to wait. Or hell…there was more in the freezer where it had come from. The bowls could just stay there on the nightstand forever, as far as he was concerned. “Come here…I need to kiss you again.”

Her hazel eyes widened. “Again?”

“When it comes to you, the fire constantly burns, I’ve discovered.

Probably why I fought it so long. A fire like you can consume a mere mortal man if he’s not ready.

” He was on his knees next to her. His hands sank into her hair.

“You terrified me for years. You are the most frightening creature I have ever met.”

“You are full of baloney.”

It would just take a single nudge to have her leaning backwards onto the pillows piled up behind her head, just how he wanted her. Hudson covered her mouth with his own, and?—

Glass shattered.

Gia screamed, her nails sinking into his shoulders. Hazel eyes met his instantly.

Something wet landed on Hudson’s own shorts.

The damned books at the foot of the bed ignited.

Ignited.

Engulfing the bed and sheets themselves.

Fire bulleted straight toward where Gia sat.

The shorts Gia wore were burning right before his eyes.

Hudson cursed and covered the flames with his hand, ignoring the burn. Smothering flames against her thigh. She screamed again. His damned pillows had just ignited.

He acted, grabbed her and rolled her off the bed, away from the flames. He pulled her up and nudged her toward the door. “Go! Get out!”

Glass shards sliced through the bottoms of his feet. Glass. Hell, those toes had been barefoot on his rug. She was going to slice her damned feet to hell.

He scooped her up and got them both to the door. He put her in the hallway.

“Get outside!” He had a fire extinguisher. He grabbed it from the master bathroom and used it on the bed until the canister was empty. He pulled the door closed, hoping it would be enough to save his entire damned house. To slow the flames enough…

But they’d already engulfed the rug.

He could see the flicker of flames beneath the door.

“Come on, Hudson, hurry!” Gia yelled.

Gia. Gia was in the house and the damned house was on fire.

That was all that mattered to him right now. It was time to get her away from the flames. Screw the house. Hudson could rebuild.

He was getting her out of there right now.

He pulled her toward the back door, as he heard the damned squeal of tires. He grabbed his cell, wallet, and keys from where he’d dropped them on the island and pulled her behind him into the night. He put his body between hers and the damned road.

He almost dragged her toward his truck, unlocked the door as quickly as he could, then lifted her in—protecting her as best he could. And dialed 911.

Hoping he’d still have a house left when this was done.

Then he pulled Gia close and just held her, right there in the open door of his truck. As what he could have lost sank in forever.

The woman in his arms mattered far more to him than the house. Let it all burn, as long as he had her safe.

Whoever had done this, though…he was living on borrowed time.

Hudson…was going hunting now.

He just pulled her closer, as they waited.