As they sat around the living room, they all received a group text. Tension grew thick in the air. The guys left the house quietly, butBenwas slower, turning to her. “I have to go into the office. I’ll be back soon.”
“What’s wrong?” Hannah asked desperately. Something felt wrong.
“I can’t talk about it. Just wait here for me to get back.” He kissed her on the forehead and left. Hannah sat on the couch with her knees pulled to her chest, waiting forBento come home. No one had looked happy about the text. What had it said? She hated the military and all its secrets. She was so deep in thought she hadn’t heard Ben come back until he slammed the door shut behind him.
Hannah stood up and watched him as he walked in. He looked unhappy, his fists were clenched at his sides. “Are you okay?” She knew he wasn’t. Something had happened on base that had upsetBen. Did his commander discover she was here? Was he sending her away?
“I have to go back out on a mission. I leave in the morning.”Bendragged his fingers through his hair in frustration.
Hannah fell back down on the couch. He was leaving her to go out on a mission? She wasn’t ready to be parted from him yet. He was the only thing that seemed to help pull her out of her nightmares. What would she do if he was gone when one happened? What if he didn’t come back? The last mission he had gone on he had been set up and almost died. What if this was the same thing.
Bensat down on the couch next to her. “Talk to me, Hannah.”
“I can’t lose you,” she admitted.
“Oh, baby,” he sighed and pulled her to his side. “Nothing bad is going to happen. This isn’t like the last mission if that’s what you’re thinking. We’re prepared this time. I’ll come home to you,” he vowed. He shouldn’t because he could never guarantee the future.
Come home to her. This was his home, not hers. She liked the thought of him coming back to her though. “Promise me you’ll come back.”
“I’ll do everything in my power to.” It was as close to a promise as he could give. She knew he couldn’t predict the future, it was irrational for her to make him promise her, but she was so scared to be apart from him. This would be the first time they would be parted since he rescued her. This could be their last night together. She had to make it special for both of them. Every night he gave her a kiss, and every night it became more heated. She was finding it harder to resist him and not drag him into her room to kiss him all night long. He was ever the gentleman, ending the kiss first. The bulge in his jeans no longer scared her as it had that first time. No, she wanted to touch it. She tried to once, butBencaught her hand and held it to his chest. Soon. It was Ben. The man she had loved for most of her life. He would never do anything to harm her. Hannah wanted more than just a simple kiss goodnight or a handholding, but she didn’t know how to ask. She had hardly been a virgin when she was captured, but she was hardly experienced either. Ben had always been an alpha, even in his teens. How did she tell him she wanted him? She had always wanted him.
Hannah leaned forward and kissed his lips. She pulled back when he didn’t respond.
“What are you doing, Hannah?”Benasked looking deep into her eyes. Searching for something. It was a rhetorical question because it was obvious what she was doing.
“I want…” Could she do this?
“Tell me,” he asked gently, caressing her cheek.
“I want to kiss you,” she rushed out.
Apparently, it was the right thing to say becauseBensmiled down at her. “Is that a fact?” he teased.
Hannah looked at his lips and nodded.
“Who am I to disappoint such a beautiful woman?”Benleaned forward and claimed her mouth. Hannah scooted into his lap and straddled his legs, holding his head while he ravaged her mouth.
~
Benhad died and gone to heaven. That was the only thing he could think of with Hannah straddling and kissing him. He normally had to initiate every kiss, the good night kisses were becoming torture and most nights he had to jerk off just, so he could be around her and not walk around with a constant boner. The last time she had seen it she panicked, and that was the last thing he wanted. When they did finally make love, he wanted her only to think of pleasure. He had hoped to coax her with good night kisses would loosen her up and be more receptive to more from him. He didn’t think it would affect him as much. Nothing could compare to feeling Hannah in his arms. He vowed long ago to keep his distance from Hannah, and it worked out well until he rescued her. Now, he was tired of avoiding her. This was his every fantasy about her coming to life, and he didn’t want it ever to end.
When Commander Brady told them, they were leaving on another mission for Africa in the morningBenfor the first time since joining the Delta Force, didn’t want to go. He didn’t want to leave Hannah. Her nightmares were less frequent, but she could relapse without him. Who could watch her while he was gone? None of the guys had girlfriends. He had his neighbor, Cora, who always checked on the place while he was gone. Come to think of it, he hadn’t seen her in a while. He didn’t have time to see her before he left but he would make it a point to check in on her when he got back.
WhenBengot home, he was angry thinking about leaving Hannah alone and seeing her jump up from the couch when he walked in reaffirmed his thoughts. The guys knew he was struggling, but the mission came first. As he thought, when he told Hannah he was leaving, she panicked. She worried he would not come back. He didn’t blame her. The last mission had been a disaster. And he would not have Bulldog and his team to back him up. Not that he needed them.
Benwas equally shocked when Hannah suddenly leaned forward and kissed him. He was so shocked he didn’t move. He asked her what she was doing to make sure she was aware of her actions. When she told him, she wanted him to kiss her, he went hard in seconds. It was all he could ever hope and dream for. For almost two weeks, he had been lusting after this woman, and now she was giving him the green light. To be honest, he had been lusting after her for over fifteen years.Benkissed her and groaned when Hannah straddled him, but the couch was becoming uncomfortable, and he wanted them to be horizontal. He pulled away from the kiss and at the look of confusion and hurt on Hannah’s face, he slid her off and took her hand and led her upstairs. She wanted him, and by god, he would give himself to her, but it would be on a comfortable bed, not a couch.
He walked into his bedroom and felt her pause in the doorway. He looked back and saw panic threatened to kick in. She wanted him, but past experiences were trying to take over. He couldn’t have that.Bencame back to her side tilting her face, so she would look at him.
“Kissing, no more,” he promised. “Anytime I do something you don’t like, or feel uncomfortable, all you have to do is say stop, okay?”
“Okay,” she said the words but didn’t look convinced. He would have to work on that.
Benpulled her into his room and guided her to the bed. “We’ll even keep our clothes on, so I won’t be tempted.”
Hannah said nothing but sank down into his bed, andBenfollowed her down. He cupped the side of her face and slowly lowered his head towards her lips giving her plenty of time to turn away, if she changed her mind. He kissed her softly, a tentative touch. He pulled back and looked at her for any signs of distress. Hannah leaned towards him capturing his lips this time. Hannah gripped his shoulders and pulled him towards her.
Chapter Eight
