Page 87 of All the Beautiful Things
She smirked. “That is awfully specific.”
“Nina—”
She flipped her hand into the air. Bright red nails that matched her dress slashing marks in the air. “We were good once. We could be good again together. It can be that simple.”
“Did you ever love me?”
She slid her feet to the carpet and stood, coming to me with a swish and sway of her hips I’m certain I, at one time, found incredibly sexy.
Now it seemed too forced, too scripted. Like so much of this day since the moment she stepped into my office under the guise of being in town, checking up, seeing how I was doing without Melissa.
How naïve of me to think she’d truly came out of the goodness of her heart.
I was beginning to believe she didn’t have one.
“You were once incredibly attracted to me,” she purred. Her voice raked down my skin like claws.
“And you didn’t answer my question.” I slipped one hand into my pocket and brought my glass to my mouth.
She continued to move closer until she was close enough to place her hand on my chest. I allowed it for the mere fact curiosity blossomed at where she wanted to take this game even if I wasn’t planning on getting off the bench.
Her eyes were dark twinkling sapphires, full of bright light and schemes.
“Did you love your mom?” she asked.
“Excuse me?” I shoved her hand off my chest and stepped out of her reach.
“Did you love your mom? Or your sister? What about your dad?”
My chest went white-hot with rage. “You are a bitch.”
“No. I’m practical, Hudson. Love hurts. And I’d rather live my life without the unnecessary emotions that come from that kind of loss. Marriages, even long-lasting successful ones can be based on other emotions. Things like respect, loyalty, friendship if you feel that’s necessary, and also… attraction.”
My vision blurred, red tinted the edges of my sight as she spoke. I was so lost, so completely pissed off at what she was saying, I didn’t see her coming until that hand was at my chest again.
Screw being a gentleman. I’d hoped if she was still harboring hurt feelings over me breaking up with her we could take this time to talk and clear the air.
It would be a pointless conversation.
I smacked her hand away, but as I did, I hit her other hand I didn’t see raising. Red wine splashed into my face. It dripped off my nose, my chin, and a wetness immediately seeped through my shirt.
“Damn it.” I shoved her off, not hard enough to make her stumble, and wiped my face clear of red wine that somehow smelled like her.
Fuck this. I was trying to be a decent guy to a woman I was quickly suspecting had no heart. What good would trying to clear the air do? If any of this caused problems for our company, projects where we had to work in conjunction with her family, I’d deal with that bullshit then.
“Go home, Nina.”
“Hudson.”
“No. I don’t love you. I’m not marrying you. It’s really as simple as that.”
Her eyes narrowed. More scheming and plotting. I could practically hear gears turning inside her brain. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to be so blunt.”
“Whatever.” Turning my back to her, I began unbuttoning my shirt. It was one of my favorites, and now it needed to soak. “Leave or stick around for more of me telling you why there’s no way in hell I’d ever marry you, or into your family.”
I could now only imagine the strings her father would try to pull over me, my father’s company, and my personal life if I allowed that to happen. I was no one’s marionette.
In my room, I ripped off my shirt and tossed it into my bathroom. I’d soak it as soon as Nina left and I could get into the shower to wash away this ridiculously stupid and worthless day. I’d upset Lilly. I sat through a dinner from hell and been manipulated by a woman I’d once cared about.
