Madly Yours (Nora Reed) novel Chapter 279

It was a night of pure, unbridled passion.

Hudson claimed her over and over, demanding her surrender until dawn.

He moved with a desperate urgency, as if trying to cram two weeks of agonizing separation into a single night.

Nora couldn't even remember when she finally passed out from sheer exhaustion.

She vaguely recalled the faint morning light creeping into the room, and the sensation of soft lips pressing a lingering kiss to her forehead.

"Wait for me, honey."

Her eyelids were far too heavy to open. She let out a muffled hum of agreement, burying her face deeper into the pillow as she surrendered to sleep once more.

A tender smile touched his lips before he turned and walked out of the bedroom.

Outside, Archer was already waiting in the car.

He was the only one accompanying him on this trip.

Olive and Arthur had been ordered to stay behind and guard Nora.

Between Olive's raw combat skills and Arthur's meticulous planning, she would be completely safe.

The SUV rolled smoothly out of the gates of Cloudwater Estate.

Sitting in the back, Hudson glanced out the window.

The familiar bedroom window remained dark, the curtains drawn tight. His wife was still fast asleep.

He pulled his gaze away, leaning back against the leather seat and closing his eyes.

Ten days.

He would be back in ten days at the absolute most.

...

By the time Nora woke up, the sun was high in the sky.

Rays of sunlight slipped through the gap in the curtains, painting a thin, golden streak across the hardwood floor.

The space beside her was empty.

She pulled the sheets tight around herself and rolled over, burying her face in his pillow.

It still carried the scent of his cologne—a clean, crisp fragrance underscored by a faint hint of cedar.

What was she supposed to do?

She was already missing him like crazy.

Biting her lip, she reached blindly for her phone on the nightstand.

She opened her chat with Hudson, her thumb hovering over the keyboard for a long moment before finally exiting the app.

Ever since her promotion to Music Director, she had been given her own spacious corner office.

Floor-to-ceiling windows offered a breathtaking view of the towering skyscrapers that made up the San Francisco skyline.

She draped her coat over the back of her chair. Just as she sat down, her phone buzzed.

It was a text from Chloe. [Nora, are you in yet? I brought you coffee!]

A small smile played on her lips as she typed back: [I'm here. Come on up.]

A moment later, Chloe pushed the door open. "Here you go. Latte, light on the sugar."

"Thanks." Nora took the cup and sipped it. It was the perfect temperature.

Chloe sat down across from her, resting her chin on her hand as she gave Nora a scrutinizing look. "Nora, why do you have dark circles? Are you not sleeping well?"

Nora rubbed at the skin beneath her eyes, choosing not to respond, though the tips of her ears betrayed her with a pink flush.

She had barely gotten a few hours of sleep last night. Of course she had dark circles.

"Oh, right! The front desk called up a minute ago. They said a family member is downstairs looking for you."

Nora frowned slightly.

A family member?

Could it be Xavier?