Page 9 of The Prey (The Hillers of Barratt County #6)

“Holy hell, Hudson, what did you do to Giavonna at lunch?” Mike asked, while he and Hudson were preparing for the next meeting. “I have never seen her look like that. ”

Mike was a few years older than Hudson, divorced, with three kids around Ryan’s age and younger. Mike was the office nice guy. Everyone said so—and everyone got along well with him. “I don’t know what you mean.”

Hell, yes, he did. Both men watched her as she hugged Ryan again. Her hair was down everywhere. She wore that thin little pink blouse that showed every perfect inch of her. She looked…damned intriguing right now.

“I didn’t realize just exactly how gorgeous that woman is. Why in the hell does she hide behind the furniture here lately?” Mike asked in a tone that made Hudson want to slug him.

“Probably so guys like you…don’t realize how gorgeous she is at the office. ” Hudson fought the urge to growl at a man he certainly considered a friend. “She’s a professional.”

“No denying that. But just look at her. She’s flat out hot and I never saw her quite like that before. I think maybe I was blind for a little while there.”

Hudson couldn’t help it. He growled, and looked at her. As she scooped his son up and spun him lightly. She smiled, her entire face lighting up. She was beautiful. And Mike wasn’t wrong—she was damned hot. In every way.

“I didn’t even realize she liked kids that much, Hudson. I never knew. Hell, I have three of them. Three. Including a cute little baby girl she can cuddle all she wants. Gia can come visit them this weekend. I’ll even feed her dinner. As long as that hair is down and she?—”

“Back off, Mike. Don’t even go there.”

Mike smirked at him, then settled into the chair across from the desk.

There was a knowing, appraising look in his friend’s eyes.

One that told Hudson he’d probably just gotten played.

Of course, Mike was a shrewd man, after all.

“So…that’s how the wind is blowing, then?

You already knew her little secret, didn’t you?

You’ve known her since she was a kid, she told me once.

And isn’t that…your boy and your little sister with her now? ”

“Giavonna and my sister are close friends, yes. And Giavonna helped with Ryan after we were in the accident recently. I’ve been friends with her brothers since she was Ryan’s age.

” He struggled hard to keep his warning out of his tone.

He had been told many times before that he was a very primitive man at heart.

Now he could add possessive to the list. At least where a certain woman was concerned.

He didn’t like other men looking at her.

Even for a moment. Hell, maybe he was afraid another man would see immediately what Hudson had missed… for years? “Ryan adores her.”

“But how does Ryan’s daddy feel about her? I also heard through the grapevine you…stayed with her brothers all last week? And she’s moved home recently, Shayna said. Was she there at the Hiller Ranch with you, too? Things getting a little personal perhaps? Can’t say I blame you…”

Hudson bit back the growl. “Can it, Mike. We have work to do.”

“I hear you. I hear you. Just…If you make a move on her, good luck. And you’ll need to go very slowly and very gently.

A woman like her—regardless of what she looks like or what she wears—she’s the real deal.

She deserves a guy who treats her like she’s as special as she truly is.

I’ve known what kind of woman she is for a long time.

And if she wasn’t so damned nervous of men in general, I’d have already asked her out long ago.

A woman like that…doesn’t come along often.

A smart man goes after the treasure when he sees it. ”

Hudson would have said more, but there was a knock on his office door.

His admin showed the two men from the public defender’s office in.

He’d heard there was a new attorney assisting the public defender now, who would eventually be taking over when Walters retired.

The attorney had started off working for Hudson, around the same time Gia had, but had only stayed six months or so.

The guy was an okay attorney, but not remarkable.

Still, Barratt County was small. Finding someone willing to do the job was harder than he wanted to think about.

“Clarke, I heard you were back. Switched sides?” Hudson held out his hand to the other man. From what he’d heard last, Jason Clarke had been working out of Wichita Falls, where he had family.

“Doing this part-time. Money is better in private practice. You should try it sometime.” Clarke shook his hand and was introduced to Mike quickly. “I see Giavonna Hiller is still here—she’s the only one I recognize, or only one I remember. She married yet? Who’s the kid with her?”

He’d forgotten Clarke had had a thing for her before.

When she’d first hired on. Until the man had left suddenly, leaving Hudson short an attorney.

Fortunately, Mike had more than replaced Clarke.

“That’s my son, Ryan. And my sister, Hala.

She and Gia are good friends and have been for over a decade.

Ryan is very close to Giavonna, too. As you can obviously see. Ryan adores her—and it’s mutual.”

“She looks just as good as she always did. Her hair is a lot longer though. I look forward to being in a courtroom with her. She always did get things…going. Always a challenge. ” Clarke sent a look toward the bullpen.

Gia and Hala were in a quiet conversation that looked intense.

Hala hugged her and then his sister and son left.

Leaving Gia sitting at her desk, an odd expression on her face Hudson had never seen before.