The Invitation by Vi Keeland

CHAPTER 16

Stella

“You’re not going to have another?”

Hudson held up a hand. “I’m driving.”

I hiccupped. “And I’m tipsy. Nice to meet you, driving.”

He chuckled. “You’re cute when you’re drunk.”

I shook my head. “I’m not drunk. I’m tipsy.”

“And the difference is?”

“Tipsy, I’m still in control.”

“So drunk you lose control?” Hudson stopped our waitress, who happened to be walking by. “Could we get another wine when you get a chance? And really fill the glass, please.”

I laughed. “Tonight has definitely been more fun than my last date. Wait…” I waved my hand around. “This isn’t a date.”

“Of course not.” He smirked and sipped his water. “Things not going so well with Ken?”

“Ben.”

“Whatever. Trouble in paradise?”

I sighed. “He’s a really nice guy. There’s just no…chemistry, I guess.”

Hudson’s eyes dropped to my lips. “No chemistry, huh?”

The air in the room started to crackle so loudly I was surprised everyone eating dinner wasn’t looking around to find the noise. This… This was what was missing between Ben and me. Hudson only had to look at me in a certain way and my body temperature rose.

I swallowed. “He brought me flowers on our first date and Godiva on our second. He’s very thoughtful. I guess I’m hoping the connection might develop.”

Hudson’s eyes darkened. “It won’t.”

“How do you know?”

“Because you can’t force chemistry to exist where it doesn’t—the same way you can’t stop it from existing where you don’t want it. There are some things we’re just powerless over.”

I felt a little powerless at the moment. Like if Hudson were to slip his hand under the table and up my skirt, I wouldn’t be able to bring myself to stop him. Luckily, the waitress brought my wine, which was practically filled to the brim.

She winked at Hudson conspiratorially. “Would you like to see the dessert menu?”

He nodded. “That would be great. Thank you.”

When she came back with the menus, she said she’d give us a few minutes. I thought the interruption might help Hudson and me change topics, but he set his glass down and obviously had other ideas.

“So when are we dumping Len?”

I smiled. “We? Are you going to let him down with me?”

“I’ll happily do it for you.” He held out his hand. “Give me your phone.”

I chuckled. “Thanks, but I think I can handle it on my own.”

“But you will be handling it? Meaning bye-bye Benny boy?”

“Of course you’re able to get his name right when we’re talking about dumping him.” I rolled my eyes. “Besides, you and I look at relationships differently.”

Hudson’s eyes narrowed. “How so?”

“You said yourself that you enjoy spending time with women, but you have different expectations of where things will end up.”

“I meant I break things off if I can’t see a future and the woman I’m seeing seems to be growing feelings. I’m not averse to a relationship, if that’s what you’re thinking.”

“Oh.”

He grinned. “With you and me, our feelings are mutual. So it’s not a problem.”

I chuckled. “So I take it you’re not seeing anyone right now?”

“Not at the moment, but I’m working on it.” His eyes sparkled.

“When was the last time you had a date?”

“I guess it was the weekend before my sister’s wedding.”

“And how was that?”

“Well, we went to a Mexican restaurant. She asked me if I’d like to share an appetizer and told me to pick one, so I ordered chips and guacamole they made tableside. When I was done, my date turned to the waiter and said, ‘Guatemala. He means chips and Guatemala.’”

I laughed. “You’re making that up?”

He shook his head. “I wish I was.”

“I take it you didn’t go out with her again?”

“No. Though I met someone who spiked my interest the next weekend, anyway. She’s kind of hard to get out of my head, so it wouldn’t be fair to go out with someone else, even if they did know the difference between Guatemala and guacamole.”

I tried to cool the warm feeling in my belly with my wine. But the way Hudson was watching me didn’t make it easy.

“Did you meet Miss Guatemala on a dating site?”

“No. I actually met her at a fundraiser. I’m not on any dating sites.”

“Really? Then how do you meet people? The old-fashioned way?”

“Yes, I pay for prostitutes.”

“Liar.” I smiled. “You’ve never had to pay for it in your life. I meant bars. Is that where you meet women?”

“Sometimes. I don’t know. Wherever.”

I rolled my eyes and waved my hand at his face. “You have no trouble meeting people because you look like that.”

“Are you saying you like what you see?”

“You know you’re hot. You have a mirror at home, don’t you? I’m sure all you have to do is walk into a bar and snap your fingers and women run over.”

Hudson chuckled. “What am I, the Fonz?”

“Maybe?” We both laughed.

His smile faded as his eyes roamed my face. “You’re really beautiful when you laugh.”

I looked down, feeling a little shy. “Thank you.”

Hudson was still watching me intently when the waitress came back. She seemed to have impeccable timing—for me, anyway. Because when Hudson’s eyes dropped to my lips, I’d been a hair away from suggesting something that wasn’t on the dessert menu.

“See anything you’d like to try?” she said.

Hudson’s eyes blazed, and the slightest twitch at the corner of his mouth confirmed we were on the same page. “I’ll leave it up to the lady to decide what she wants.”

I swallowed and focused on the menu. “Umm... They have crème brûlée cheesecake. You want to share a piece?”

Once again his eyes flickered to my lips for a moment. “Whatever you’re in the mood for.”

This was definitely my last glass of wine. I nodded to the waitress.

Hudson took my menu and lifted it with his for her to take back. “Thank you.”

After she left, I sipped my wine, and Hudson and I talked some more. I couldn’t remember the last time the conversation had flowed so easily when I’d gone out with someone. I’d also smiled the entire night. Though of course, this wasn’t a date. And I kept forgetting that.

By the time my glass was empty again, I’d entered the short hallway that led from tipsy to drunk. Which was probably why I’d lost my filter.

“How long is considered normal to go without sex?”

Hudson’s brows nearly reached his hairline. “Are you asking because you think you’ve surpassed whatever the acceptable limit is?”

My smile was lopsided. “Maybe.”

He groaned. “I said I wouldn’t ask you out again. But I could offer some help taking care of that problem for you.”

I laughed. “Seriously. What’s normal?”

“I have no damn idea.”

“Well, how long has it been for you?”

“I don’t know. A few months now, I guess. How about you?”

I cringed. “More like a year.”

“Not a fan of hookups, I take it?”

“Does Theo James count?”

“The actor? You hooked up with him?”

“Well, no—not the actual actor. But I sort of named my vibrator after him.”

Hudson groaned again. “Don’t tell me that shit.”

“What? Is that too personal? Surely it’s not a shock that a single woman has one.”

“No, it’s not that. But now I want to punch Theo James.”

I laughed.

Hudson shook his head. “I take it you named it that because that’s who you…envision?”

I bit my lip. Theo had been my go-to fantasy for years, although lately, my battery-operated boyfriend should have been renamed for the man whose eyes were currently growing darker as we spoke.

I was grateful the waitress was quick and returned with dessert. At least my big mouth would be kept busy for a while.

Some time later, I looked around the restaurant and realized it was almost empty. “What time is it?”

Hudson checked his watch. “Almost eleven. I didn’t realize it was that late. No wonder the waitress has checked on us three times since she brought dessert. She probably wants to get the hell out of here.”

“I think you’re right.”

We left the restaurant, and Hudson drove me home. As usual, there was no parking in front of my building, so he parked a few doors down.

“I’m going to walk you.”

“That’s not necessary.”

“Yes, it is.”

He got out and came around to my side of the car to open the door, then extended a hand.

“Thank you.”

He nodded.

We were quiet as we made our way to my building. I debated whether I should invite him in for coffee or something, and I still hadn’t decided as we entered the lobby and stood in front of the elevator. Of course, the run-down thing usually took ten minutes, but tonight the doors slid open immediately after I pushed the button. Hudson put one hand on the edge to stop it from closing and held the other out for me to enter—though he didn’t follow me in.

“Congratulations again on today. You killed it.”

I smiled. “Thank you. For everything, Hudson—taking a chance on me, getting me the opportunity at the network, all the things you’ve done to help make everything come together, and even celebrating with me tonight. I don’t think it’s fully hit me yet that I’m going to be on the Home Shopping Channel showing the world Signature Scent. And truly, I owe it all to you.”

He shook his head. “I just cracked open a few doors. Everything else was all you.”

We stared at each other until the elevator tried to close. Hudson’s hand stopped it, but he took that as his cue. “Goodnight, Stella.”

“Goodnight, Hudson.”

He stepped back, removing his hand.

The longest fifteen seconds ticked by while I stood in the car, waiting for the elevator doors to slide closed again. A sense of panic washed over me when they finally started to move, and at the last second, I stuck my hand between them, causing them to bounce open again.

Hudson had turned to leave, but he looked back when he heard the elevator open.

“Would you…want to come up for coffee or something?” My heart pounded inside as I waited for him to speak.

“Coffee?” he eventually said.

I bit my lip and nodded.

Hudson searched my face. “You sure you want me to come up?”

When I took too long to debate my answer, he smiled sadly. “That’s what I thought.”

I let out a relieved exhale and shook my head. “I’m sorry.”

“Nothing to be sorry about. I tease you that I’m waiting for you to ask me out, but it’s not really about you making the first move. It’s about your head being clear on what you want. This isn’t over. I’m just waiting for that little whisper in your head to get loud enough for you to listen.”

“What whisper?”

“The one that keeps telling you that despite your trust issues and concerns about our business relationship, you want me as much as I want you.”

I smiled halfheartedly, and Hudson took both of my hands in his. He lifted his chin to the empty space in the open car behind me.

“Now why don’t you get back in the elevator before I lose the last shred of self-control I have and join you.” He raised one of my hands to his lips and kissed the top. “Go.”

I nodded and stepped back in. Pushing the button on the door panel, I said quietly, “Thanks, Hudson.”

He winked as the doors began to slide closed. “Enjoy Theo.”