Page 50 of Hudson
“Gina.” He picked up the two drinks the bartender had set down.
Her eyes dropped to them. “So, you’re not alone tonight.”
“No, ma’am.” He held her gaze just long enough to make it clear, then turned and moved back through the crowd to Blair.
He didn’t look back. He didn’t need to. He could feel her eyes following him the whole way across the room.
He set a glass of red wine in front of Blair, pulled out his chair and sat down, taking a long pull of his beer.
Blair picked up her wine but kept her eyes on him. “What’s wrong?”
“Nothing. Why?”
“You came back different.” She glanced toward the bar, then back at him. “Ah. I see her.”
“We dated for a while. It’s been over for some time.”
“Does she know that?”
“She does. She just doesn’t like it.” He set his beer down. “Do you want me to go talk to her?”
“Absolutely not.” Blair sipped her wine and settled back, unbothered. “If she wants to stare, let her stare. That’s her problem, not mine.”
Something about the ease of that made him relax. “I ended it well before I asked you out. I want you to know that.”
“I believe you.” She smiled at him over the rim of her glass. “We’ll ignore her. Maybe she’ll take the hint.”
He laughed. “Yes, ma’am.”
They danced every slow song that came on, and by the third one Hud knew he was in trouble. Having her that close, her hand in his and her head tipped toward his shoulder, was doing nothing to help his patience. And patience had never been his strong suit to begin with.
He wanted to get out of here. He wanted more than that, but he wasn’t going to push her. He’d made that promise to himself and he intended to keep it.
Even if it killed him.
Which, at the moment, felt like a real possibility.
As they walked back to their seats, Blair looked at him,
“I need to use the bathroom. I’ll be right back.”
“Sure.” He watched Blair walk down the hallway to the bathrooms, then took his seat.
****
Blair stood at the sink, washing her hands when the door opened and she looked into the mirror to see Gina enter.Here we go!
“You know you’re wasting your time with him, don’t you?”
Blair turned to face her. “I don’t see where that is any of your business.”
Gina laughed and it was like fingernails on a blackboard.
“You don’t have a clue about that man.”
“I suppose you do.”
“I do. He’s great in bed and very easy to fall for, but he doesn't fall. At. All.”
