Page 30 of SEAL's Secret

Layton shot him an exasperated look. “Well, yeah. I had my furniture shipped over. It’s not like an overnight FedEx delivery. I’ve actually handled numerous international moves before. That’s fairly normal with the transient D.C. area population. State Department and other federal employees move abroad or are returning home, and at times I’ve helped in overseeing things. This is no different. There was a delay with my shipping containers, but they’ll get here eventually.”

“I know, I just—” He cut off, shaking his head. “I know how moves work, princess. I’m in the military, remember?”

“Don’t be snarky.”

Hudson eyed her carefully. “I just thought you had more here. A sofa or something. Borrowed furniture. I don’t know. You’ve got a blow-up mattress in the middle of your living room and a plastic patio table. Do you even have stuff in your kitchen?” he asked, wandering in there. He shook his head as he set the bags of food on the table. “I was deployed on an op and didn’t have a chance to totally think this through when I sent you groceries, but hell, Layton. You can’t live like this.”

“I won’t be living like this forever,” she pointed out. “It’s temporary until we’re settled in.” Whipping out her cell phone, she clicked a few buttons. “My shipping containers are on track to arrive—soon,” she added.

“How soon?”

Layton blew out a sigh. “Not soon enough, all right? We’ll get a hotel room if it takes too much longer. Emersyn’s apartment flooded, so we can’t stay with her. That’s a bit of a disaster in and of itself.”

“Was her stuff ruined?” Hudson asked.

“No, thank goodness. A pipe burst under the kitchen sink, so water ruined the flooring in there and then flooded the apartment below. But since they’re redoing her floors, they decided to redo them in the entire place. Not ideal at all. It’s related to insurance, and since it’s the same flooring throughout….” She trailed off as she noticed him staring at her. “What?”

His jaw ticked. He was insane for even offering this but couldn’t help but blurt it out. “You and Caroline can move in with me.”

“What? Don’t be silly,” she said, looking shocked. “We still hardly know each other.”

“I know you better than most people,” he quipped, looking at her pointedly.

“We’re fine getting a hotel until my personal effects arrive. You don’t want us moving in with you, even temporarily.”

“Layton, that’s silly. I’ve got a house. I’ve even got furniture in my guest room. You and Caroline could share a room,” he said, pausing. “No, you can take my room. I’ll sleep on the sofa.”

“Hudson.”

He smiled. Crazy as it seemed, he absolutely loved when she said his name like that. “Princess.”

She tried not to smile back, pretending to glare at him. “You’ve got to stop calling me that.”

“Why?” His smile grew bigger, because he knew exactly what she was thinking as she blushed.You don’t have to beg me for anything, princess. Come for me right now.

“Stop looking at me like that.”

“Like what?” he asked huskily. Deny it all she wanted, there was clearly something between them. Something that madeHudson feel bigger than himself, like he might actually matter to someone. Because damn if Layton, her daughter, and the baby didn’t matter to him.

She playfully swatted at him, and he caught her hand, his fingers circling around her dainty wrist. She shivered as his thumb brushed over the tender skin there, and Hudson’s blood heated.

“Like you want me,” she said breathily.

A beat passed, and he released her hand, his gaze intense as he looked at her. “Maybe I do.”

Chapter 17

The next evening, Hudson gripped a large suitcase in each hand, the pink looking almost comical given his gruff looks and muscled body. Briefly, Layton’s mind flashed back to his big hand on her pink panties that night they slept together. It was a random thought, and Layton blushed, glad he couldn’t see her face as he walked in front of her. She’d replayed that entire night a million times in her mind, not that she’d ever admit that to him.

Hudson’s gaze swung back to her. “What?” she asked. He obviously couldn’t have known what was on her mind, but she was embarrassed to even be having those thoughts.

They were…friends. More than friends, but definitely, absolutely not together.

Pregnancy was making her hormones surge, and that’s all that this was. She was fine. She could live with Hudson for a week or two and not want to jump his bones. He was an attractive man, and her body was responding accordingly. She was thankful that Caroline would be staying here, too. That thought alone was like a splash of cold water on her overheated body. They certainly wouldn’t be having wild, crazy sex all over Hudson’s home with a four-year-old around.

Hudson looked at her quizzically. “I was just making sure you didn’t try to carry anything in. I’ll handle it.”

“Yes, sir,” she joked, and Hudson’s eyes flared. He’d clearly enjoyed being in control that night on the beach. Not that they’d be having a repeat of it now. She cleared her throat. “Carolinewas thrilled that Em and Aaron took her out to dinner tonight. Knowing my sister, she’ll load her up on ice cream afterward.”

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