Hudson (Anderson Billionaires #4) - Melody Anne Page 0,4

this, Hudson sometimes walked around with a stern expression and a do-not-touch attitude, keeping all but the most persistent away. Well, it kept strangers away. His family, on the other hand, was as tight as could be. The thought of them made him smile even though he was ready to punch a fist through his computer. He loved all of his family immensely.

As Hudson reached for his drink, his fingers slipped and the cup began to fall. He spun quickly, trying to save his computer when his elbow connected with the incredibly sexy neighbor he’d tried to pretend wasn’t there. Between her curious little glances she thought were covert, and the smell of her exotic perfume, she’d been driving him crazy, making him want to either move or pull her into his lap.

Now, his elbow had just connected with her stomach, and he felt like the monster she probably thought he was with the scowl he was sporting. He opened his mouth to apologize when her hand swept over her stomach while she looked at him full-on for the first time, her expression shocked.

“Ouch,” she muttered. Then to his amazement, she laughed. It started as a little chuckle then turned into a full-blown laughing spell that made no sense. Had he knocked her so hard he’d made her crazy? “Wasn’t expecting that today, but I’m not surprised,” she finally managed. He stared at her, unsure what was happening.

“I didn’t do that on purpose. I apologize,” he said. If she had any idea of who he was, she most likely wouldn’t hesitate to sue. Obviously she was an American, so no foreign lawyers were needed.

“I’m surprised I get an apology, I didn’t expect it,” she said. Her laughter had settled into a giggle.

He couldn’t read her, which shocked him. It normally only took seconds to figure out a female. They flirted, flaunted, and threw themselves at him. The youngest to pour out her heartfelt love had been his four-year-old niece, the daughter of his eldest brother, Finn, the oldest had been eighty-one and had offered marriage and nightly dinners. He was used to marriage proposals and vows of love. This woman wasn’t putting out any sort of flirting vibes. She actually seemed . . . what was the word he was looking for?

Dismissive!

That was it, she seemed dismissive. She’d already turned away from him. He was so shocked, he found himself giving her his full attention, an amazing feat for a complete stranger, especially some rumpled passenger in a crowded airport.

“Accepting an apology is the polite thing to do,” he finally said, feeling stupid the second the words were out. Feeling anything other than superior was a new concept for Hudson. He wasn’t enjoying that one bit.

“The polite thing is to not elbow random strangers,” she countered as she giggled again. “But I don’t mind. I’ve had a crap-show of a day, and this is just one more crappy thing.”

“If I’d done it on purpose you’d have a valid argument, but since it was an accident, you could be gracious and accept my apology,” he told her.

“If you’d done it on purpose, you’d be sporting your own red mark . . . on your cheek,” she said with a wink.

It took a couple of seconds for him to process what she’d said: if he’d attempted to hit her, she would’ve given it right back. He glanced over her, head to toe and back up again. When he reached her face, he saw a blush on her delicate cheekbones. The woman couldn’t be more than a hundred and twenty pounds. A slap from her would hurt less than a mosquito bite.

“A man doesn’t hit a woman,” he said emphatically. Then he felt as if he needed to add more since she seemed to have zero self-preservation. “But if for some reason you were in that situation, the smart thing to do would be to run and get help. You don’t seem . . . um . . . capable of taking down a man.”

She glared.

“I can certainly take care of myself. Don’t let my size fool you.”

Unbelievably, Hudson felt a grin turn his lips up. He couldn’t remember the last time he’d had a stimulating conversation with a stranger — especially a female stranger.

Hudson’s family owned a few private jets that he preferred to take on the rare occasions he traveled, but this trip had been last minute and he’d wanted to fly commercial. He’d wanted an adventure. He hadn’t thought it