Chapter Eight
H unter didn’t want to kiss Hannah. He wanted to devour her. Every ounce of self-control had been spent dragging his gaze off those lush lips on the deck. He wanted to take care of her, and like an ass, he’d nearly let his overwhelming desire derail their conversation. Being present to support her emotional needs came before the physical ones. Still, her expression had burned through his chest, making him want for things. So many things. Now, she was sitting on his lap, trusting him enough to give her comfort and update him on her dysfunctional family. He didn’t get a warm, fuzzy feeling from the conversation Hannah had with her mother. The one with her sister had a red tinge hazing around his vision.
When he left, he was going to call in some of the tech guys on base. He should’ve run a background check on her family members earlier. It might seem excessive, but he’d been up close and personal with the evil that shadowed the edges of society. And sometimes, that evil was the center of society.
Hannah had been quiet for several seconds, not that he minded. He was content to let her gather her thoughts while he enjoyed the feel of her snuggled on his lap. There were so many firsts he wanted to experience with her, and having her settled over him while they talked was one of them. His last relationship was an innocent elementary school crush. As he got older, his focus had been on doing what he could to support his parents while they battled his sister’s mental health crises, then when he enlisted, that focus had landed squarely on surviving BUD/S and making an impact on the Teams. There had been women, but they were few and far between, and only for a night. Less than, actually. If he hooked up with a woman, it was strictly physical. Hannah was different. She was everything.
“What are you thinking?” he asked, catching the pretty scent of her hair. She tensed, then relaxed.
“I’m worried about Vivienne. I took Wednesday and Thursday off today to pack and get ready. Now I’m wondering if I should’ve gone down earlier. Made sure she’s okay.”
“There’s always time to change the flight. If you want to go to down early, I’ll make it happen.”
Her brows were adorably scrunched as she contemplated the idea.
“It’s late, baby. Let’s get comfortable and you can think on it.” He toed off his shoes, then slid his hand over her smooth skin, just below her knee then down to her ankle. Fuck, had he ever noticed a woman’s ankles? He slipped off her right shoe and then reached down and took off her left. As he moved his hand up, he kept his palm in contact with her skin, right up to the frayed hem of those sexy-as-all-get-out shorts. The view of her legs dangling over his lap combined with touching her silken skin had the blood rushing to his pelvis. Before she could feel how hard he’d gotten, he’d shifted them both. They were nestled in, bodies angled together, heads side by side on the mountain of throw pillows that had been propped against the arm of the chair.
Right away, he realized he’d made a tactical error. Hannah was staring up at him, eyes wide, pupils so large and dark, the gold of her irises was a mere halo. She inadvertently licked her lips, and the zipper of his shorts dug into his hard flesh. Her hands were on his chest and those fingers curled in, clutching the material of his shirt.
“Wanna kiss you, Han.”
A sly little smirk lit her face and she tangled her leg in between his, brushing up against his erection. “I can tell,” she teased. Cute as hell.
With both arms still around her, it wasn’t difficult to get her right where he wanted. Flush against him. Fuck, he never wanted to let go. He pressed his lips to hers, so soft and warm a shiver coursed through him. He drew back only to kiss her again, this time nibbling at her bottom lip. He wasn’t sure who deepened the kiss, but suddenly they were moving, tongues sliding together. Neither stopping when their teeth bumped in a raring attempt to get closer. He couldn’t stifle the desperate groan ripping from deep inside. Their passion ignited and flared like a column of fire racing up an accelerant-soaked rope. She had goose bumps popping up on his skin. With every little sound that escaped her throat, he got more desperate.
She wiggled closer as his frantic hands roamed over her body. Her tank top had ridden up, and his fingers found her warm, bare stomach. He shifted, placing her slightly beneath him as he smoothed his hand up over her rib cage, cupping one full breast. He dragged the pad of his thumb over the sheer fabric of her bra and the swollen nipple straining beneath. She arched up, seeking his touch, and whimpered when he rolled the hard peak between his thumb and finger.
He heard a tumble of footsteps in the hall and they both stilled and drew in a breath. “Hooooly shit!” Collin’s animated voice had them jumping apart, Hannah pushing at his chest to break free. She righted her shirt as a full-body blush pigmented her skin.
“Collin, what are you doing up?” she squeaked. He placed his hand on her knee, trying to calm her, but she swatted it away.
“What are you doing?” he echoed. “What are you doing on the couch with Hunter Branch Green?” There was no anger in his voice, just surprise.
“We were, ah…” She trailed off, sending him a panicked side glance.
“Kissing!” he sang out, absently moving his fingers back and forth in front of his eyes. “Mom and Hunter kiss. Collin and Hunter make pizza.”
He didn’t think it was possible for Hannah to turn a deeper shade, but that comment did it.
“Yup. I like kissing your mom, and I like making pizza with you.” Hannah gaped as he rose and crossed the living room to Collin. “Come on, bud. You’re gonna be beat for school tomorrow if you don’t get some sleep. Say goodnight to your mom.”
Collin bounded across the room and gave Hannah a quick hug, then rapidly clapped as he shot past Hunter on the way to his room. He followed, kicking himself for not talking to Collin about his feelings for Hannah. Not ideal for him to catch them kissing before that conversation happened, but it had, and now he’d answer whatever questions came up. Collin was a teenager, but he wasn’t sure what the kid knew about dating and sex. He had a hard time believing Hannah would shy away from that conversation with him. She was protective and armed him with knowledge as much as she could. He’d witnessed that firsthand. Collin’s door was open, but he knocked anyway. “Can I come in?”
Collin was sitting up in bed, and he had a smile on his face. That was a good sign at least. “Yes.”
“Thanks.” He crossed the room and stopped a few feet from the bed. “Can I sit?” he said, pointing to the end of the mattress.
“Yes,” he said, seeming to sober a bit. He didn’t want Collin to think he’d done anything wrong by walking into the living room. It was his house after all, and he hadn’t intended on the kiss getting so heated. It had, though, fast. Hands down the best kiss of his life. “You saw me kissing your mom. How do you feel about that?”
Collin picked up a fidget toy from his dresser and began pushing in the rubber bumps. It reminded him of Bubble Wrap. “It’s not surprising news.” Collin practically sang the words.
He smiled. “Why is that?”
Collin glanced up from the toy, a puzzled look on his face. “Mom is in your blue circle. You can kiss her. If it’s okay with her and it’s okay with you, kissing and touching is A-okay.”
“What’s a blue circle?” Collin was very intelligent, but sometimes struggled putting words to his complex thoughts. Still, he was very confident in his answer, so he was intrigued about what these circles were.
“You’re in my blue circle, too. We can give big hugs, but no romantic kisses. That’s what you and Mom were doing. Having a romantic kiss.”
“Yes. I care about your mom a lot. I care about you, too, Collin. Nothing’s going to change that.”
“I know.” He yawned and rolled to his side. “You’re in my blue circle.”
He sat there for a moment contemplating what Collin had said. He’d run it by Hannah and see what he was missing as far as the circle thing. Maybe it was a place or code for something. The bed creaked as he stood and he flipped on the sensory night light that cast the room in a blanket of calming stars. He gave Collin one last glance before quietly shutting the door to his room and walking down the hall. There was a rustling noise in the kitchen. Sure enough Hannah was standing at the sink. She’d thrown on a sweatshirt and unbraided her hair so it fell loose and wavy over her shoulders.
“I was burying my embarrassment in the rest of my milkshake.” She lifted her chin toward the paper takeout cup. “I just…that was unexpected.”
“What was?” He tried to tamp down the smile.
“You’re laughing at me.” She pouted. He stalked into the kitchen, and all those sensations she’d sparked on the couch came rushing to the surface.
“Not laughing. Smiling because you’re gorgeous and cute as hell at the same time.” He started across the space. She looked cozy in her relaxed clothes, and he couldn’t wait for a time they could unwind together at the end of each day. Maybe it was soon to be thinking that way, but he knew exactly where he wanted this relationship to go, and that was all the way.
“I should go talk to Collin now.” A line formed between her brows, her gaze focused intently on the countertop. “It should’ve been me to follow him. Instead I was a big chicken.”
Now he laughed outright. “No, baby. You. Are. Brave. Remember? Collin’s out cold.” He took a step closer and fingered the smooth tips of her hair.
“You were brave. I was a wimp.” She puffed out a breath.
“We’re a team.” He smoothed his palm over her cheek. “Bravest together. We’re going to have times when we’re not at our best. When we need to borrow each other’s strength. Times the other will need to fill the gaps one of us can’t. That’s healthy and good.”
She looked up at him under those thick auburn lashes. “I like that. Bravest together. I don’t have examples of what a solid relationship looks like, but I know when we’re together, it feels right.” She covered his hand with her own, and leaned her cheek into his touch. “The only thing my parents shared was living in the same estate and the mutual interest in their reputations.” She tugged at her bottom lip with her teeth. “Was he confused? Upset?”
“No.” He moved his thumb back and forth over her soft skin. “He said he wasn’t surprised by it. And something about a blue circle?”
“What did he say about it?” She absently spun the revolving spice rack to the side of her.
“He said you were in my blue circle and you and me were in his blue circle.” He studied her expression for some meaning.
Her big, beautiful eyes glazed with tears. “Circles is the curriculum Mr. Bloom uses with his class. It divides people in your life into circles and helps set clear boundaries about what’s appropriate and not.”
“Why’s that making you cry?” A tear tumbled down her cheek, and he caught it.
“The blue circle is the people you love the most. The people you can tell and trust with anything. It’s the family circle, but it’s also where your romantic partner is, too. I think Mr. Bloom calls it the space for a someday sweetheart. I knew Collin loved you, but hearing it like that…it means a lot.”
His heart thudded and the breath he’d just taken burned into his lungs. Collin had accepted him into the fold. Didn’t care that he was with Hannah. “That’s a gift. One I’m going to handle with care.” He’d never had feelings so big for anyone like he did for Hannah and Collin. “So, what was unexpected? Collin walking in? The kiss?”
He stepped closer, put the shake on the countertop, and lifted her up beside it. “What was it, baby?”
He loved how her pupils instantly dilated at the intimate position. He was standing between her open legs, her core pressed against him. She opened her mouth to speak, then closed it again. “How it felt. That’s what was unexpected.”
“How did it feel, Hannah?” God, she was killing him.
“Like my brain shorted out. I forgot we were in the middle of my living room. It was…overwhelming. Like I’d die if I didn’t get you inside me. Clearly I didn’t and I’m still alive.” She rolled her eyes, looking adorably put out.
He laughed at that, but her words alone made him harden to the point of pain. “I think it’s me who’s gonna die.” He dropped his head, nuzzling her neck, coating his lungs with her sweet scent. “If I kiss you again, I’m not going to be leaving until morning and you can’t pull a twenty-four-hour shift on no sleep. I’m changing our flights. We’ll leave Wednesday night so you’ll have the day to pack. I’ll run errands. Help with whatever you need. Is Collin staying with Brynn and Ransom?”
“Yes. I’ll get him on the bus in the morning and he’ll get off at Jacob’s house for a sleepover. Hopefully, I can get in touch with Vivienne before my shift starts. I can’t thank you enough, Hunter. Never mind pay you back anytime soon for the flights, the hotels, the inevitable date-change fees.” She pulled in a breath, then slowly released it.
“It’s been a long time since I’ve taken a vacation. Plus, I might not be rolling in it like Ransom, but I have more than enough to spoil you and Collin. Why don’t you text Vivienne my number? If something comes up while you’re on shift, at least I’ll be able to send her a response.” He should back away from the counter and give her space to rest before her shift.
“Thank you,” she whispered, but she was looking at his lips now.
“Never have to thank me for taking care of you.” He stroked her cheekbones with his thumbs as he buried his hands into her long hair.
He lowered his voice, all too aware of his thundering heart. Of the mild pain in his chest that had nothing to do with his health and everything to do with the feelings expanding the organ. “I said I wasn’t going to kiss you again, but I can’t get enough.” He met her eager lips, and like the time before the feel of her slammed into him, nearly knocking him to the ground. She was everything he wanted in a woman. He caught her wrists when he felt those petite hands dipping under the hem of his shirt. “Meant it when I said you needed sleep, but fuck if I don’t want to keep you up all night.”
“I’m not tired. Not at all.” Her smile left him light-headed.
He briefly touched his forehead to hers. “You’re lethal. If your safety wasn’t involved or I could convince you to call out in the morning, I’d have these clothes off of you in a millisecond but I know that’s not going to happen.” He kissed her mouth hard and lowered her to the floor. They said their goodbyes at the door, and as soon as he got outside he dialed Ransom’s number.
He answered on the first ring. “These late-night calls are becoming a pattern,” he grumbled.
“Something’s off,” he said.
“Tell me.” Ransom went from bitching to alert with the flip of a switch. He told him about Hannah receiving threatening calls from her mother and sister. After Brynn was run off the road by a man her biological brother hired to kill her and Sam was kidnapped by her own mother, no one on their team took things lightly when it came to the women in their lives. He was probably being overprotective. But he’d rather have all the facts to ensure her and Collin’s safety than be kicking his own ass later. He was part of the motherfucking blue circle, and he’d damn well keep it safe.