I quirked my brow. “Standing here. What are you doing?”
“Smug fucker. What do you expect when you’re pinning me to a wall, looking likethat?”She pointed at my chest. “How many tattoos do you have, anyway?”
“I’ve never counted.”
“And you don’t work in IT. No IT geek has ever needed that many muscles.”
I gave her a slow spin. “You like what you see. Noted.” I wasn’t sure where this hostility was coming from. I’d expected Hana to be meek, fragile, but face to face like this, Hana was likea wild animal, poised and ready to attack, and I wanted every scratch and bite she had to offer.
“You’re something else, which is why I think you broke into my house and, for some weird reason, fixed my heating.”
I tutted dismissively. “I’ve been at work all day. Started a new job, remember? I have witnesses and better things to do with my time.” I’d have to remember to thank the workman who brought his crew in when I offered them double time if they could get it all sorted in a couple of hours and keep it secret. They flushed the system and replaced some parts, telling me it would do the job until I could get a new boiler, because I thought she might notice that.
Hana frowned. “So you didn’t?”
“I didn’t step foot in your house today. Scout's honour.”I was in there last night though, watching you sleep while I jerked off like a desperate teenager.
“I bet you were never a Boy Scout. But then… how is my house hot all of a sudden? It doesn’t make…” Her words fell away as if she was trying to make sense of it all.
“Maybe you had an airlock. I hear the place has been empty for a while. Maybe it just needed you to use it for a week or two.” I tried to come off as matter-of-fact and not like someone who googledwhat could make a faulty boiler start workingearlier to make my lies believable.
“I guess that could have happened.” Then her expression hardened, a flush reddening her cheeks as if she was embarrassed by her accusations. “Fine, I’ve made a tit of myself. I should leave.”
I tried to play it cool. “Maybe you need to take a breath before you go accusing people.” Hana pushed away from the wall, storming towards the open doors. “And…” She halted, glancing back over her shoulder at me, her hair rippling like waves as she moved. “If you want to look at me topless again, you just needto ask.” I winked, and she flipped me her middle finger before vanishing outside.
With my palm tingling from touching her, I turned my attention back to lifting weights, only stopping when the power cut out, plunging the place into darkness.
11
HANA
I steppedout of that garage, my heart hammering and my clit throbbing, begging for some relief. Roman Black was hot with his clothes on, but shirtless… I’d almost lost my mind. I’d only been such a bitch to him because the alternative involved me dropping to my knees and begging him to let me taste his cum.
Heading back to my car, I mumbled to myself about how ridiculous I’d been, thinking that someone would break into my house to fix something for me. How stupid could I be? How big was my ego? I huffed out my annoyance, climbing in and jamming the key into the ignition. I used the rearview mirror to focus on the garage again, hoping to find Roman there, watching me, but of course, he wasn’t because I’d fabricated something that wasn’t happening.
He was just a man—a hot, god-like man—who happened to be in the right place at the right time. He wasn’t seeking me out or trying to save me. I was making all this up in my overactive imagination.But you’d like someone to take care of you,the voice in my head whispered.
I brought my hand to my throat, letting my head fall back against the headrest as I remembered the feel of his grip. Fuck. Pleasure pulsed through me, soaking my underwear.
I’d spent years dreaming about someone wrapping their hand around my throat and taking what they wanted from me… degrading me, using me. It was impossible to trust someone to get that far since men didn’t seem to want me, so over the years, I’d left my fantasies in my head and presumed I’d never get to explore them, but Roman—nope, I refused to go there.
I sighed. My head was all over the place, and the needy ache between my thighs and the desire to run back in there and drop to my knees for him was all too much. I needed some space. And some time with my vibrator. It was time to go home.
I turned the key, waiting to hear the engine start up, but there was nothing.
Not now, I begged the universe silently.
I tried again, but it was dead.
Leaning my head against the steering wheel, I banged it slowly as I remembered I’d left my phone on the counter at home. When I thought it was Roman behind my boiler, I’d turned off the shower, thrown on some clothes, and stormed out of the house. I didn’t even stop to put a bra on. All I could think about was confronting him.
I weighed up my options: I could go back inside and ask Roman for help, but I’d probably burnt my bridges there, and with no phone, there was only one other thing I could do. I climbed out of the car, slammed the door and started walking. And just like the sky wanted to remind me what a shitty evening I was having, thunder rolled in the distance and the heavens opened.
12
ROMAN
The rain hammeredoff the roof, making me reach for the hoodie I’d brought in here with me, pulling it on and zipping it up before I headed outside.
