Hold Me Closer (Sea Island Brides Book 1) Read Online Free PDF

take advantage of her like that. They took one
look at her long blond hair and her curvy figure and they assumed
they could treat her like an object instead of a person. Admittedly,
Annabelle had gone to Hudson’s house to use those exact
features to manipulate him, but she felt terrible about it and wished
she’d never gone down there in the first place.
    Unlike
Harrison, Hudson Montgomery was single and gorgeous, but they were
made from the same mold. Old money. Power. Fame. Men like that didn't
need excuses to take advantage of the people around them. They
deserved what was coming to them.
    “I'm
not here to reprimand you,” Hudson said, flashing a charming
smile at her. Even though her mind protested, her stomach did a
double flip. “Actually, I need to ask a huge favor of you.”
    “You
need my help?” What could he possibly want from her that he
couldn't get on his own? He certainly had her interest now.
    “Can
we talk about this inside? We could certainly use some privacy after
the events of the day, don't you think?”
    Reluctantly,
Annabelle slid the chain from her door.
    Hudson
walked past her with long, confident strides. As she closed the door,
she suddenly felt the strength of his presence increase now that it
was just the two of them in the small apartment. His large frame
seemed to take up more room than she expected.
    “It
seems that your little poolside fall has become the story of the
moment,” he said calmly, not bothering to sit down.
    “That
was an accident.”
    “Yes,
I know.” He turned to look at her, but paused when he saw her
attire. She thought she detected a smile forming in the corner of his
lips as he stared at her in nothing but a pink fuzzy blanket. Next to
his tailored suit, she felt completely childish and ridiculous. “I
was there.”
    “Is
there something I can do for you, Mr. Montgomery?” She pulled
the blanket tighter around herself and lifted her chin.
    “I'm
sorry, but did I interrupt something?” He laughed, and
Annabelle felt the rush of warmth on her cheeks.
    “I
walked home in the rain,” she explained, her confidence
beginning to falter. “It’s already been a very long day,
so please tell me why you came.”
    “There
is something very important I need you to do for me,” he said,
not taking his eyes off of her for even an instant. “Annabelle,
will you marry me?”

 

Chapter Three
     
    “Marry
you?” Annabelle nearly dropped her blanket. “This has to
be the weirdest day of my life.”
    Hudson
slipped his hands into the pockets of his grey trousers and smiled.
“Not exactly the response a man hopes for when he proposes.”
    “We
both know this isn't a real marriage proposal.” Annabelle paced
the room and tried to ignore the sparks that flashed inside her when
he moved closer. “There's no way I'm going to marry you, and I
can’t even imagine why you’re asking.”
    “You
can’t?” The look on his face told her that he was not
going to give up easily. In fact, it looked as though her refusal
amused him. “The other day by the pool you seemed eager to, uh,
get to know me better, if I remember correctly.”
    “And
if I remember correctly, you turned me down.”
    Mischief
glimmering in his blue-green eyes, Hudson took a few steps toward her
until she was pressed against the flat wall of her small apartment.
She looked up at him defiantly, refusing to let him bully her with
his charm.
    “Things
have changed,” he said, so close now that she could smell the
heady scent of his cologne. “I need you.”
    Hearing
those words made her feel dizzy. She bit her lower lip and tried to
steady her breathing. “You need me?”
    She
was reminded of how it felt to have his muscular chest pressed
against her that day by the pool. He was making it very difficult for
her to concentrate. What kind of game was he trying to play?
    “I
have a business proposition for you, Ms. Day. And after losing your
job, I think you should hear me out. Or has the