Chapter Seven
Someone pushed her violently from behind, and the yellow scarf came loose as she staggered forward, trying to regain her balance. She cried out as she saw the scarf falling, falling, falling…
Hannah’s eyes flew open and, scrambling upright, she covered her mouth. With shaking hands, she switched on her bedside lamp just as her door flew open.
Darryn stormed into her room shutting the door behind him. She barely had time to register that he was only wearing a pair of jeans before he was on the bed beside her and had gathered her close.
“What happened? Are you okay? Why did you cry out?” he demanded as his hands stroked unsteadily over her back.
“Bad dream,” she got out, but didn’t move away immediately. Her heart was beating frantically, and she wasn’t sure whether it was because of the dream or because of the very sexy near-naked man holding her.
Gulping in a hysterical giggle, she pressed her face against his body. She’d just had a bad dream; she should still be in shock, not lusting after Darryn Cavallo. He pulled her head onto his shoulder.
Her hands splayed over his muscled torso and she leaned against him. It would only be for a minute. She stared at her hands. At least while touching him, they weren’t shaking.
She closed her eyes. It was so good to be able to literally lean on someone. To have a physical body with her to chase away the bad dreams.
Her hands moved, exploring each hard muscle. He inhaled sharply and, beneath her fingers, his heart skipped a beat. She stilled.
“Hannah,” he whispered, and she lifted her head, unable to do anything else.
He kissed her softly, his tongue gently stroking her lips, and she shuddered.
“You’re killing me,” he groaned, and folding his hand behind the back of her neck, pulled her closer.
*
He shouldn’t be doing this. She’d had a bad dream and his brother and sister-in-law were two doors down, but the moment Hannah’s lips opened and she invited him into her mouth, he forgot about everything else. He finally had his arms around the woman he’d been dreaming about for two damn years.
He wanted to savor the moment, wanted to prolong their pleasure, but she was all curves and angles beneath his hands, her body moving in sync with his, and with a growl, he lifted her pajama top.
“Hannah, sweetie, are you okay?” Caitlin’s voice called from the other side of the door.
Darryn heard her voice from far away, but ignored it. Hannah pushed against him, and he lifted his head.
“Hannah?” Caitlin’s voice was more persistent now, and she knocked on the door.
“I’m fine!” Hannah called out.
As she slid off the bed, Darryn gulped in deep breaths. Damn it to hell! He looked down. He was in no state to get up. He looked up, finding Hannah’s eyes also on his crotch. Giggling, she rushed to the door and opened it.
“I…had a bad dream, but then Darryn came—”
“Darryn is in your room?” Caitlin asked, and with a sigh, Darryn turned around so he was lying on his tummy, facing the door.
“Yes, I’m with her. You can go back to bed,” he said tersely.
“Well, in that case, I’ll leave you two alone,” Caitlin said, her voice full of mirth.
“Thanks for checking up on me,” Hannah said softly before she closed the door.
Turning around, her hands still behind her, she locked the door.
He’d barely registered the locking bit when she lifted her pajama top over her head.
Walking toward him with those long legs of hers, her blue eyes dark, deep pools of navy, she let the top slide down her arm until it dropped to the ground.
Without taking his eyes off of her, he edged closer to the side of the bed. She moved closer and shimmied out of her very short, very sexy pajama bottoms, which fell to the floor. She stepped out of them and moved between his legs with one movement.
He’d stopped thinking when she locked the door. Feeling had taken over his mind and his body. His hands moved without a message from his brain and glided down her sides. Her flesh was smooth, hot, irresistible.
She pushed him and he fell backward, watching as she crawled over him, her glorious long, blonde hair tumbling forward. He remembered this from before, was his last rational thought.
This time, she kissed him, plunging her tongue into his wet, waiting mouth. His fingers got lost in her hair as he swallowed her soft moans. But he wanted, needed more. With a quick flip, he reversed their positions so she was lying underneath him.
Reverently, his hands followed the contours of her body, down her sides and then back up.
Satin and velvet, slopes and curves—she was irresistible.
He tried to keep a tight rein on himself; he could devour the whole of her.
But she was vulnerable, shook up, and he had to at least try to be civilized.
Her breath was coming in short gasps, her body stretching and bending beneath his touch. He watched her as he touched her breast.
“Darryn,” She gasped.
“I’m here,” he crooned and bent his head, needing desperately to taste her skin. Time stood still as he teased, caressed, and loved every sexy centimeter of her body with his hands and mouth until the heat radiating from beneath her skin was almost scorching him.
When he cupped her heat, she bucked beneath his hand and muttered his name over and over again as she let go.
After long minutes, Hannah opened her eyes to find Darryn staring down at her.
“That was the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen,” he murmured and bent down to catch her lips with his again.
And immediately the heat, the hunger, the longing to be a part of her, was back. But it seemed this time she was bent on making him lose control. She smiled slyly, turned her body quickly, and had him on his back again so she could straddle him.
He grinned wickedly. “Oh, so you want to be on top?”
“Yeah, I do. Besides, I have to take these off.” She started pulling at his jeans. “You are wearing way too many clothes.”
He lifted himself so she could pull his jeans down.
Her eyes widened as she pushed and pulled. “No briefs?” she asked breathlessly as her hands grazed him in the process.
He moaned, quickly kicking the pants away. “Come here. Enough torture for now.” He pulled her up so she was lying on top of him. He looked down at their bodies as his hands stroked down her back. “Look at us,” he muttered. “You are a perfect fit—we were made for each other.”
She caught her breath and stared down at him.
A tear escaped and rolled down her cheek.
“I love you,” she said brokenly, touching his face. “I’ve always loved you.”
For a minute Darryn thought his heart would explode. Hugging her close to him, he whispered her name over and over again.
“It’s okay, you don’t have to say it. I know you don’t feel the same way and it’s—” she said, but when he registered what she was saying, he cursed and sat up quickly.
He had both arms around her to make sure she didn’t move before he had his say.
“Damn it to hell, Hannah. How can you say that?” he snapped.
“Look at us! We’re both naked and I’m in your bed!
” He shook her gently. “Two years ago I lost my heart to you, and however hard I tried, I’ve never been able to get it back.
It belongs to you—always will. Because,” he said, cupping her face, “I love you. You’ve touched my very depths, and no one else will ever do for me but you. ”
“But you have a different woman on your arm every—”
He kissed her. It seemed to be one sure way of shutting her up. He really only meant for it be a quick kiss, so she would stop talking nonsense, but the moment he tasted her and her lips moved under his, he was lost.
“It’s only ever been you,” he murmured, before he lifted her up so he could become a part of her.
She gasped as he pushed into her. Her eyes opened, and she started moving with him. It had always been like this. It was if she knew what he wanted and moved with him as if they were one.
“I love you,” he said as he increased the rhythm. He tried to watch her, tried to stay focused, but his senses spun into overdrive, spiraling him out of control.