“I can do this myself." Hannah tried swatting his hands away,but she might as well be swatting air forall thegood it did her.
"Just let me help you," he growled.Lord knew it had probably been a long time since anyone had. He was just trying to be nice, she acted like he would strip her and take her right there.
"Thank you, Ben," she said softly lookingdown at her feet.
Once the temperature felt right Ben stepped back from her. It felt foreign to hear his first name. Since going the Army, he had either been called Grant or Midas. Most days he forgot he even had a first name. It felt right to hear his name from her lips. It made her unique and special.
Hannah’s hazel eyes snapped up to his. She licked her lips, Ben's gaze followed the movement. "Why are you looking at me like that?”
“Like what?” Ben’s raised an eyebrow in question. She was observant, so he knew she saw him staring at her lips, but he would play dumb, it had gotten him out of a lot of other dangerous situations.
“Like you don’t know what to make of me.”
“It’s just so strange seeing you again, after all this time.” She wasn’t as observant as he thought, which was good. No reason for her to know all the fantasies he was having now. The last thing she needed was to see him with a growing erection. He needed space from her. Space would be good right now.
Hannah looked away and gave half a smile. “The lake was the last time we saw each other. When we…” Hannah looked up and shut her mouth. Ben barely held back the groan as the memory flashed through his mind. He knew what she would say. When he kissed her. He couldn’t resist her that day. In only her bikini and a smile. She called to him like a siren and he had been helpless to do anything but go to her. He had almost claimed her that day. It was why he left that day and never looked back. She alone could sway him from his path.
Ben cleared his throat. “You’ve changed a lot since then.”
Hannah nodded. "It’s only been thirteen years. I was bound to grow up eventually.” Her calm demeanor changed in an instant. “The other women. They’re okay?"
Hehad no idea. Buthe wanted to reassure her before she went off on another throwing rampage. "I’m sure they are fine."
"They’re not. They are in danger."Hannah said cryptically.
"No, we’re in the states. Ona militarybase inFlorida. Remember? Y’all couldn'tbe safer."
“He will find us all and take back his drugs," Hannah told him, her knees shaking.
Drugs? Was that what was in the shipment? His team and Bulldog’s had been sent to intercept it but hadn’t been told what was in it. He had assumed it was drugs. He just followed orders and didn’t ask questions.
Hannah swayed again. Ben reached for her and held her in his arms. She looked up with a look in her eye, that reminded him of lust. Not that he would take advantage of her. She had been through enough.
"Showerthen I'lltake you to the chow hall and get you something to eat."
Hannah looked like she wanted to argue but nodded. "You’ll wait for me?"
Ben knew he shouldn't. The more time he spent with her, the more he wanted to get to re-get knowing her. And yet he nodded and stepped out ofthe room to give her privacy.
~
Hannah washed her hair and body three times, still not feeling clean enough. She scrubbed her skin until it was red, thinking she could scrub the past off her but it was past skin deep. Ben didn’t understandherwhen she said they were all still in danger. She would have to explainbut the need for a shower and food pressed upon her. Alejandro couldn't organize a team to come after them so quickly. She had time. At least she hoped so. Ben would not like what she had to tell him.
Hannah compared the Ben of her childhood to the one she saw today. He had always been built but being in the military made him fill out even more. His hands had felt callused on her arms and she didn’t know if that was from his time on the ranch or holding a weapon. His face had still been covered in paint, so shecouldn’t see any ofthe other changes. He seemed more rigid now. With Adam, he had always been relaxed and ready to have a good time. He was harder now. She supposed that came from the military life. If this was what he did for a living no wonder, he was always so uptight. It didn’t surprise her he had made a career out of the military. He had always been playing soldier and hostages growing up. All the playing around had obviously paid off. He was the poster boy of an American soldier. He had achieved his dream and left her far behind. The memory still pinched. She had never been good enough for him no matter how hard she had tried.
She had always admired Ben and felt attracted to him even in her early teens. Adam had been kind to always include her in whatever he was doing since her own family couldn’t be bothered with her, unless her mother wanted to show her off to someone. Her mother had tried polishing her into a perfect debutante and marry a rich man. It wasall well and goodin theory, but Hannah had always longed for more in life than afternoon tea and the next charity event. When she met Ben all she longed for was for him to come riding in on one of his horses and whisk her away. Instead, he kept her in the friend zone and made sure she knew it. While she was not a fan of the outdoors and dirt, she had done it just to be closer to Ben. That plan backfired when he used her to practice hiding from the enemy and other war games. The last summer before Ben left for military training she had been swimming in the lake by herself and wondering how she would avoid her mother all summer from dressing her up when Ben came upon her. Hannah thought he would make a joke about her or suggest another war game, making her feel more like a little sister than a ripe young woman, but instead, he watched her intently. It was a look he had rarely given her. A look he always masked quickly when he thought no one was looking. Knowing this couldverywell be a now or never moment and if her plan failed could be the last time she saw Ben again, Hannah swam up to shore and walked up to him. His eyes scanned her from head to toe. He made her feel sexy, so she put an extra sway in her step. He stood rooted for a moment soaking in the sight of her before his feet moved and closed the distances between them and lowered his head towards hers slowing. He would kiss her. She knew it. Finally, after wanting him for so long, Ben Grant wanted her. Or at least he wanted to kiss her. Hannah stood on tippy toes and met him in the middle. The kiss was everything she could ever hope for and more. He plundered her mouth like a man possessed. His hands roamed all over her body, heating her up faster than the sun above, then suddenly he pulled away. He raked his fingers through his hair in frustration and walked away without a backward glance. Hannah was confused and devastated. Why show her heaven only to send her back to hell? Why torture her and walk away? But he left, and Adam told her he wasn’t coming back. He didn’t even have the audacity to tell her good bye. With no other choice, Hannah became the thing she hated most. A social climber. Without Ben, life had little meaning anymore. Her young hearts fantasy was torn a sunder. Her first and real last kiss would forever be a bitter sweet memory.
Hannah stepped out of the shower and was toweling off when she realized that shedidn't have a change of clothesand there was no way she was putting her filthy clothes back on if that’s what you could call them. She was debating the wisdom of goingaround in a towel whenthere was a knock on the door frame. Ben stood there on the thresholdlookingdown with a stack of clothes in his hand.
"One of the nurses had an extra pair ofclothes," heexplained then thrust the bundle towards her while keeping his eyes down.
"Thank you." Hannahwatched him to see if he would turn around and give her privacyor leave.
Ben must have sensedher hesitation becausehe turnedhis back to her. She could have told him to leave, but she liked having him near. She didn't know why he had broken her heart all those years ago, but she trusted him.She was such an idiot. She must be a glutton for punishment, why else would she still have feelings for him?
"How have you been?" Hannah asked turning away from him as she changed.
"Fine," was all he said.
