Free Web NovelChapter 260: Chapter 260 Someone’s Jealous Tantrum
Christina’s POV freёwebnovel.com
"What are you doing today?" I asked Hudson over breakfast, spreading jam on my croissant. "Planning to play tourist while I work?"
"Meeting some people later," Hudson replied, focused on his coffee.
I paused mid-bite. "I didn’t know you had contacts in Paris."
Hudson looked up, something unreadable in his expression. "Aren’t you curious who I’m meeting?"
"Business people?" I guessed, taking a sip of my orange juice.
"Sort of."
"Figured as much." I shrugged, turning back to my breakfast.
"That’s all you have to say?" Hudson’s tone was casual, but Akira immediately sensed something off.
"Something’s wrong," she whispered in my mind.
I glanced up from my tablet where I’d been skimming coverage of yesterday’s jewelry showcase. "What do you mean?"
"What if I just lied to you?" His voice remained even, but his eyes had darkened to that stormy blue that meant trouble.
"Why would you lie?"
"What if I was meeting a woman? Remember Rowan Hale?"
My eyebrows shot up. "You’re meeting Rowan Hale? Since when is she in Paris?"
"I’m not. She’s just an example. She started those dating rumors about us last year, remember? I went to a business dinner and suddenly tabloids were announcing our engagement. Stories like that happen all the time. Aren’t you even slightly worried I might be tempted by someone else?"
I couldn’t help smiling. "You just explained exactly why I’m NOT worried. You told me about Rowan right away. I was literally next to you when she called at midnight, and you put her on speaker." I leaned over and kissed his cheek. "I trust you, Hudson."
The same way Hudson trusted me when it came to Daniel ’s constant attempts to contact me.
My mother Caroline had always been the jealous type. She’d lose it completely if she found a single blonde hair on my father’s jacket or caught a whiff of unfamiliar perfume. Not that it excused Franklin’s terrible parenting, but I understood why he avoided home.
I promised myself a long time ago that I wouldn’t turn into her.
Hudson was unusually quiet on the drive to the design studio. He was never exactly talkative, but since our engagement, he’d become almost clingy with longer calls, random texts, and surprise visits at my office.
Now it felt like he’d gone back to his cold, unreadable Alpha self.
"Something’s definitely bothering him," Akira told me.
I touched his arm. "What’s going on with you?"
"Nothing," he said, eyes fixed on the road even though the only interesting thing outside was construction work blocking half the street.
"You seem... off."
"Do I."
"Yeah. Since breakfast. Something bothering you?"
"No."
"Problems at The Sabreridge pack? I heard you talking to Beta Dominic earlier. Everything okay back in Highrise City?"
"Fine."
"Seriously?"
"Seriously."
"I don’t buy it."
"Why not."
I stared at him. "Because if everything was fine, you wouldn’t be answering with one word like some brooding teenager."
He gave me a sidelong glance. "What do you think is wrong?"
"I don’t know. That’s why I’m asking you."
"Maybe think harder."
"Oh," Akira laughed in my head. "He’s jealous. How adorable." freewebnoveℓ.com
But jealous of what? What had I done?
"Is this about the salt in your coffee? That was an accident. I was distracted. You can’t still be mad about that, right?"
He grunted.
I would have pinched him if he wasn’t driving. "Was that a yes or a no? And don’t give me ’hmm.’ That’s not even a real word."
"Why were you distracted?" he asked instead.
"Work stuff. The autumn/winter collection launch is coming up fast, and we’re practically starting from scratch. Fabrizio texted this morning. He’s taking me on an inspiration tour today. We’re going..."
"You didn’t tell me you were going out with him," Hudson interrupted, his knuckles whitening on the steering wheel.
"Going on a tour," I emphasized. "Don’t make it sound like a date. It’s for work."
"Didn’t realize jewelry design required wandering around Paris," he said dryly.
"It’s called gathering inspiration," I explained. "You think we just sit around and magically conjure designs? We need ideas: shapes, textures, feelings. Our theme this season is ’L’Ombre de la Ville,’ Shadow of the City, so it makes sense to explore the corners most tourists miss. Ivy climbing stone walls, wrought iron balconies, rain-slick cobblestones catching lamplight. That kind of thing."
I could already visualize the collection in my mind.
"I could have taken you myself," Hudson said, his jaw tense.
"I don’t need tourist spots. But we can go sightseeing together, just not today or tomorrow. How about the weekend? We’ll do the Eiffel Tower, a Seine cruise, whatever you want."
"But you’re still going with Fabrizio today."
"Would it help if I told you we won’t be alone? He’s bringing two assistants. I’ll mostly be talking to Louis-François, our engraver. I need his opinion on whether champlevé enamel works with the materials I have in mind. Then there’s Peter Carl, our gemstone specialist. We’re looking at peridot and black diamonds..." I stopped myself. "Anyway, it’s strictly professional."
Hudson slowed the car. "We’re here."
When we stopped, I didn’t immediately reach for the door. "So... are we okay?"
He looked at me, then tapped his cheek with his finger.
I leaned over and gave him an exaggerated, loud kiss. "Better?"
He grunted.
"You’re jealous," I grinned. "Admit it. But there’s no need. Fabrizio isn’t remotely my type. Besides, remember Lover’s Bridge? Our locks are still hanging there, and the keys are gone forever. No one’s prying them off. My heart’s literally locked with yours."
Okay, that last line was total cheese. I stole it from a movie last week. But if it worked, it worked.
And it definitely worked.
Hudson curled his finger. "Come here."
I leaned in, and he cupped my face, kissing me hard. Until I was breathless.
He pulled back. "That’s a proper kiss. Yours wasn’t."
I had to fix my lipstick afterward, but it was worth it.
Hudson being moody and possessive was strangely adorable. No one else got to see this side of the powerful Alpha but me.
I resisted the urge to mess up his perfectly styled hair. "See you later."
"I checked. Fabrizio’s company closes at seven. I’ll pick you up then."
"No need. We’ll be out in the city all day. I don’t know when I’ll finish, and we’ll probably end up having a working dinner."
The moment the words left my mouth, I knew I’d messed up.
