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Uh& not exactly, bro, Simon answered. I don t think Maddie s the type of woman who wants to
be told what to do. She s kind of like Kara in that way. You have to let Maddie think she s managing
things once in a while.
Why? Sam demanded, shooting his brother a disgusted look. If I do that, she could bolt. I m not
willing to let her get away this time. She s marrying me.
Simon nodded emphatically. Right. Well, in that case, you don t have a choice. You ll just have
to make her marry you.
Oh, good grief. Am I really hearing my two sons discussing marriage as though they were
arranging something in the Stone Age? Samuel Hudson, you are going to court that woman
appropriately and then politely ask her to marry you. Their mother, Helen Hudson, strode into the
room, shooting Sam a harsh, admonishing look.
Oh, shit. I hate that look. Makes me feel like a five-year-old.
Sam shot his mother a charming smile, even though he knew it wouldn t work. Mom had been on to
him forever. We were just discussing possible options, Mom.
Helen walked over to him and craned her neck to look up into his eyes. Strange, but even though
his mother had to look up at him now, that knowing glance still made him want to squirm like a
naughty child.
You treat that woman right or you ll lose your chance, she warned him sternly. I saw the way
you were with her today. You need her.
Sam couldn t argue with that statement. He definitely needed Maddie. The question was& how to
get her where he wanted her.
Simon was sitting behind the desk, his mother s back to him, and Sam saw him smirking.
And don t be sassy, Simon. You married a wonderful woman today. You need to treat her right,
Helen admonished, without even turning around, making Simon sit up in his chair and wipe the smile
from his face.
Sam looked at his mother affectionately. The woman really did have eyes in the back of her head.
I treat Kara like a princess, Simon objected, slouching back in the office chair.
You better continue to do it, his mother answered.
Helen was still dressed for the wedding, looking stunning in a navy blue dress with matching
pumps. Her blonde hair was still nicely coiffed and she didn t look in the least bit wilted from the
long day she had put in helping from sunrise until just this moment. Even though Sam had told her to
go home, she had stayed to oversee the clean-up.
Wish I would have remembered she was still here. I would have closed the door.
Folding her arms in front of her impatiently, Helen asked sharply, Did I& or did I not hear you
say you were going to make that girl marry you, Samuel?
Dammit. He was really in trouble if she was calling him Samuel.
She s going to marry me, he told his mother stubbornly.
She s educated, she s smart and she s beautiful. Stop treating her like you have dominant
caveman genes and maybe you ll succeed. You can t just club the woman over the head and drag her
away to your cave. She deserves your respect, Helen admonished him.
I do respect her. I wouldn t want to marry her if I didn t, Sam argued.
Then treat her well and stop acting like an ass, Helen retorted. I d like to see you as happy as
Simon is, Sam, she finished in a wistful voice. She lifted her palm to cup his cheek. You both
deserve to be happy.
Sam bent and bussed his mother s cheek. Helen Hudson hadn t had an easy life, and she had given
both he and Simon as much as she possibly could when she was raising them, including her love. He
knew she wanted him to be happy.
Are we ready? Kara strode into the room dressed to travel in jeans, a trendy sweater and ankle
boots, Maddie following behind her.
Simon jumped out of the chair so fast he nearly tipped it over. Yeah. I m ready, sweetheart. Let s
go.
Sam nearly burst into laughter at Simon s eagerness. He knew his brother was not only ready to
start his honeymoon, but impatient to get away from Mom when she was in one of her rare lecturing
moods.
Maddie stood beside Kara, having showered and changed into jeans and another breast-hugging
shirt. The three women locked arms and headed toward the door, hugging and kissing like they would
never see each other again. Kara had been a friend of his mother s for years, and Maddie had become
very friendly with Mom over the last year.
Sam started after them, ready to see everybody out. He wanted to be alone with Maddie.
Simon snagged his arm, uttering in a low voice, I say stick with the plan. Use the club if you need
to.
Sam nodded, mesmerized by Maddie s gently swaying hips as she walked with Kara and his mom
to the door.
Mine.
Feral possessiveness slammed him in the gut as he watched his woman smile at his mom and Kara.
He turned his head to see Simon staring at Kara in exactly the same way.
Simon turned to Sam and the brothers eyes locked, exchanging an intense look of understanding
and agreement before they both nodded emphatically at the same time.
He d give Maddie as much time as he could, but eventually he d give in and use the caveman
tactics. He wouldn t be able to help himself. He needed her so damn much, even if he didn t deserve
her.
Thinking about his reaction when she d attempted to touch his cock, he frowned. He should have at
least tried to explain. But that was a part of his past he didn t want to remember, didn t want to
explain, even to Maddie. Especially to Maddie. He didn t want to see the look of revulsion when he
told her, when she realized just how contaminated he was by his past. He d done what he d needed to
do to protect his brother. Still, it had tainted him, and Maddie might be a doctor, but she was still so
incredibly sweet. That part of his life was in the past and he wanted it to stay there.
But I rejected her, pushed her away.
Because he had needed to do it. Thinking about it just made him feel less worthy of a woman like
Maddie. She didn t need to be polluted by his bullshit.
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