Was that how he saw her?
Hannah craned her head back to look at him fully. “I’m not,” she said lamely.
Benleaned down until their lips were a hair's breadth apart. He gave her ample opportunity to pull away, but she remained rooted. He did what he had been longing to do since meeting her again, he gently pressed his lips against hers and slightly pulled back to gauge her reaction.
Hannah’s hands slid up his chest and clenched his t-shirt in his hands. He leaned back down and kissed her again with a little more pressure. “Tell me to stop and I will,” he groaned out. Her lips were so soft and inviting. She tasted of pizza, he wanted more.
“Keep going,” she said keeping her eyes closed and enjoying his attention. A kiss hadn’t felt so powerful or drugging since he kissed her at the lake all those years ago. Every fantasy she had built up around him, came flooding back. Ben Grant was in her arms again and it felt so right. It wasn’t as passionate of a kiss as he gave her at the lake, but it was just as moving. So perfect. He certainly knew how to kiss. If anything, he was better at it now. She tried not to let that information go to her head. She couldn’t have expected such a viral man to remain chaste. She didn’t have room to talk. She had hardly stayed pure after he left.
His lips were soft yet firm against her mouth. Hannah felt herself drowning in his kisses. She felt liquid pool between her legs and knew she had to stop. She couldn’t allow herself to become intimate with him. Even though it was all she ever wanted with him, she wasn’t ready. She didn’t know if she would ever be ready. With great reluctance, Hannah pushed against his chest and separated herself from him.
Chapter Six
Benwas breathing just as heavily as she was, passion clouding his eyes. He looked at her confused on why she stopped them from going any further. She had returned his kiss with just as much enthusiasm as she had when they kissed at the lake. It made him harder than trigonometry, he was ready to divest her of her clothes and truly explore her the way he could have only fantasized about before, but he saw the change in her eyes. They were no longer clouded with passion but instead with fear. He cursed his libido. She had been a prisoner of sex traders. She probably never wanted to be touched again. She would hardly allow him to ravish her right here in his living room. Hannah was opening her mouth, probably to explain her hesitation when he stepped even further back from her and walked towards the staircase.
“You must be tired, let me show you to your room.” He was trying to save face and will his erection away. He may have initiated the kiss and she allowed it to continue but he knew he had been in the wrong to start something she obviously couldn’t finish. Hannah remained quiet and followed him upstairs.
Benshowed her to a small bedroom with a bed and dresser that had a connecting bathroom. He opened a closet in the hallway and pulled out towels and handed them to her. “Bed sheets are clean and there are towels if you want another shower. There are shampoo, conditioner, and soap in the bathroom under the sink. I’ll get you something to sleep in. I don’t have pajamas, so t-shirt and sweatpants will have to do.” No point scaring her by telling her he preferred to sleep naked.
He said everything so efficiently, Hannah wondered if she had imagined the kiss. Gone was the carefree Ben she was coming to know. He was on edge, and she didn’t know how to fix it. She knew she had to be the cause of it. She should never have let him kiss her. “Thank you,” she said and rushed into the room closing the door. Ben was an enigma that Hannah didn’t have the energy to solve. She just wanted to savor being free, as well as help Ben and his team end the reign of terror by Alejandro.
Even though she had just showered, she was ready for another one. She doubted she would ever truly feel clean again. She went into the bathroom to turn on the water and started shedding her clothes. She turned around to turn on the fan only to stop when she sawBenwalk back in the room with clothes in his hands. He froze when he saw her half-dressed standing in the doorway with steam billowing behind her. He gulped audibly and seemed to struggle with himself. He lifted his foot as if he would approach her but thought better of it. He averted his eyes, threw the clothes on the bed and quickly retreated.
Hannah fell against the bathroom sink and shook her head. She warred with herself. She wanted him, there was no doubt about it, she had wanted him since she was old enough to like boys if she was honest with herself, but she couldn’t have him. Staying with him had been a mistake.But where could she go? She didn't know anyone here, and she didn't trust anyone the way she did Ben. Her only choice was to stick it out and not allow herself to be alone with him. Simple and effective.After all, they had been able to avoid each other for the past thirteen years. How hard could it be?
“Oh, Hannah," she said to her reflection. "What have you gotten yourself into this time?" Sadly, her reflection didn't answer her back. She just stared back at her. A woman she didn't recognize. Hannah was in desperate need of a haircut. Loose, uneven strands hung around her face. Shower, sleep, new clothes, then a haircut. She would figure things out after that.
The next morningHannah padded silently down the stairs to the kitchen for something to eat. The slice of pizza from last night had only whetted her appetite. She was also parched. She tried to walk through the house quietly, so as not to wake Ben, but she should have known that hope would be in vain. Ben was already standing in the kitchen, in a sweat covered gray t-shirt and shorts with a bottle of water halfway to his mouth whenhe noticed her. Hannah tried not to gawk at the man before her. Sweat dripped down his face and disappeared under his shirt collar. She watched a few droplets fall before realizing she was staring at him.
"Morning," she said casually, trying to collect herself.
~
Bencontinued to watch her while he took a few deep gulps of water. Hannah was trying not to steal sidewaysglances at him as she stood in his kitchen looking lost. His clothes swamped over her already frail body. Her hair was mussed, and he longed to run his fingers through it and smooth it out. "Good morning," he said casually turningaway from her, so she didn’t see his growing erection. Why did she affect him this way? It didn’t make sense. He had had hundreds of women before, and none had affected him like this.Because it’s Hannah and you’ve always wanted her.He went out on his usual run this morning, hoping itwould alleviate some tension. The twelve-mile runhad helped. He felt exhausted and clear-headed, but all it took was one look at Hannah and it all came rushing back.
Last night's kiss had kept him up most of the night. She had tasted so good, he swore he could still taste her now. If he thought, her kiss was potent when they were teenagers, it no way compared to last night. She had been so responsive to him, then suddenly froze up. At first, he feared he had done something wrong, but realized she must be feeling conflicted after being a hostage to those monsters, then be attracted to him. He should have taken the hint and left her alone, but she and the kiss haunted him. He knew he would regret it the rest of his life if he didn’t have her. She was not a conquest, but every fiber of his body screamedmine. He had to claim her. To mark her. It was so Neanderthal, but he couldn’t resist. He had to resist because it was Hannah, he had to keep his distance. They were from two different worlds; Hannah would be going home soon, and he would still be here doing missions. It wasn’t worth the gamble. The mission. The mission had to come first though. Someone had set them up, and he wanted to know who. Someone had wanted to kill off two Delta Force teams, and they would pay for that, but first things first.
"What do you say we go into town and we get you some clothes, maybe a haircut?"
Hannah's hazel eyes lit up, and he vowed to himself, at that moment, he would do all he could to keep that look there.
"When can we leave?" Hannah asked all but jumping up and down in place.
"As soon as you're ready,”Bengrinned.
"Now?"
"Don't you want to eat first at least?"
Hannah opened her mouth at the same time as her stomach gave a rather loud audible grumble. She tried to place a hand over it to quiet it down, but it wouldn't be ignored. She had only had two pieces of pizza last night and Ben had kicked his friends out before Hound could come back with more pizza.
"Well, I guess that answers that.”Benput his water bottle down and headed for the fridge to pull out eggs and bacon. He hoped she liked those.
"Can I help?" Hannah asked next to his right side.
Bentried to breathe slowly through his mouth when her honeysuckle scent wafted in his face. Any chance his boner would go away just died a swift death as blood went rushing back down. "No, I'm good,"Bengroaned. "Why don't you get some juice or coffee for yourself while I whip this stuff up?” Anything to get her away from him.
Seeming obliviousto his inner turmoil Hannah went to the fridge to get the juice out.
