“You kids enjoy your date.”
After he left, Will sat there for a moment. “I don’t know whether to kiss you or kill you for that.”
Hannah made a face. “Definitely kissing would be better. You were having fun up there. I could tell.”
“I was, but I damn near puked before he started playing.”
“I thought you looked a little green. But you know what? I think you surprised yourself and you certainly did a good job of surprising everyone in this place. I don’t understand why you don’t see how good you are.”
This time it was Will who shrugged. “If you say so. Who are Terry and Hawkeye?”
“Record producers. Like he said, they are always looking for new talent.”
Will chortled. “Record producers? This night can’t get any weirder.”
“They’d love you. Master Z. is right. You have that whole hot thing going for you and you play as well as anyone else I’ve heard here.”
Hannah picked up a nacho and bit into it.
He liked the fact that she ate like a real person. So many of the girls he dated in the past existed on salad and liquid shakes. Though with Hannah’s energy, he figured she burned through calories like matchsticks on a bonfire.
“Boss wants to chat with your man,” Raymond said from behind her. Will hadn’t even seen him walk up.
“Well, tell him to come over. But if it’s about him playing here, he’s going to have his work cut out for him. Will doesn’t think he’s good enough.”
Raymond waved a hand in front of his face. “Ludicrous. You’re the best thing that’s happened in here in a long time. I’ll send the boss over.”
By the time they’d left the club Will had promised the owner that he’d play when he came back to town. He couldn’t believe everything that happened. And he owed it all to Hannah.
She might be chaotic and a little off-the-wall, but she was also one of the most incredible women he’d ever met.
“Your hotel is about six blocks that way.” She pointed down the street as they reached the subway.
“I’d feel better if you’d let me take you home either on the subway or a cab. I don’t like the idea of you going alone.”
Hannah patted his chest. “I’m a big girl and I’ve been living in the city all my life, Marine. I don’t need a bodyguard.”
How could he tell her that he wasn’t ready for the night to end? “I— Please. You’ve done so much for me tonight. Let me do this.”
She gazed into his eyes. “You told me that you have an early day tomorrow. If you take me home, I’m going to drag you upstairs and make wild, passionate love to you. Are you up for that?”
Pretending to think about it for a minute, Will finally said, “I guess that would be okay. I mean, you did promise the possibility earlier in the evening.” He said it dejectedly but couldn’t hide his smile.
“Well, don’t sound so happy about it. We could grab a taxi but subway would be faster,” she promised.
“Subway it is. And you know I’d invite you to the hotel but—” Will wrapped an arm around her shoulders.
“No way. Too many prying eyes. I don’t want your dad to know that I’m continuing my evil plan to corrupt the venerable Captain William Hughes.” As she rubbed her palms together, she gave an evil cackle.
“Corrupting me?” Will tried to hide his smile. As if her sweet soul could compare to his darkened mass of nothingness.
She gave him a sexy look. “Oh, I have my ways, Marine. Trust me. You be nice, or I’ll show you.”
“Promise?” He pulled her close and kissed her hard.
Her cheeks flushed pink and he liked the idea that he caused the reaction. “Oh, yeah,” she said breathlessly.
At her loft, she began stripping as soon as the elevator door closed behind them. She threw clothes off as she half ran to the bedroom. Will resisted the urge to pick them up. He unbuttoned his shirt as he followed her.
She was on her knees waiting for him, beautiful and naked, the moonlight giving her a not-of-this-earth quality, her waves of hair falling over her breasts. Her silky skin called to his hands to touch her. She was a gorgeous creature. His heart tugged at the sight of her eagerness.
She wanted everything to be free and easy. He’d agreed. But after tonight, the way she’d taken him to the club because she knew he liked the music… No one had ever done anything like that for him. Not that grand gestures mattered—it was that she cared enough to go to the trouble. And she’d encouraged him even though he’d been unsure. And she’d helped make a dream he didn’t even know he was allowed to have come true.
She was a treasure. His treasure.
She clapped her hands. “You’re thinking too much and you’re too slow, Marine.” She pulled his belt through the buckle and unzipped his pants. Her hand slid to his member and she pumped him through his boxers. Will managed to rid himself of the rest of his clothes before she slid her mouth up and down his cock. Her lips and mouth suckled and teased him, and he wasn’t sure how much longer he could hold on.
“Hannah,” he gritted through his teeth. “You have to stop. I can’t…keep control when you do that.” The last words came out as a grunt. She was wicked with her mouth. He’d never felt anything so good—well, except when he’d been inside of her.
She didn’t stop and his hand slid down to pull her head back, but he found himself gently twisting her hair in his hands. Every muscle in his body contracted as he forced himself to hold on, but her tongue wouldn’t stop. The tension below his cock was building and the sensation of her mouth riding him was more than he could take. He let go of her hair and stepped back. The cold air on his cock was exactly what he needed.
“Hannah,” he begged her, his voice hoarse. “Please.”
She lifted her head, her face full of innocence. “Please what, Will?”
“Stop.” He put his hands on her arms. “It’s your turn.” He pushed her back and brought her hips forward to the edge of the bed.
“Will?”
He shook his head and knelt down so that his face was even with her heat. His tongue pushed hard at the nub there and he gently pulled her in with his teeth. She squirmed beneath him and her soft moan urged him on. His machinations continued, sending her into a frenzy.
“Will,” she begged, her voice full of need. That he had such power over her body was heady, but giving her pleasure was the biggest high.
She hissed a breath and he saw her hands fist the sheets.
The third time she arched her back and screamed his name he caved. Standing, he lifted her legs and put her feet over his shoulders. Eyes at half-mast, she reached around so she could guide him to her.
Home. This was where he belonged. She met him thrust for thrust, her hooded eyes never leaving his. A small smile on her lips was his undoing.
“Come for me, Marine. Come for me.”
As always, he followed orders.
13
WILL STIFLED A YAWN and then smiled. He had exactly two hours of sleep before he’d raced back to his hotel to change clothes in time for his first team meeting of the day. They were in the conference room at the hotel, but would be heading over to the UN in an hour. Then he had his special team of attachés who would keep eyes on the American ambassador for a hostile Middle Eastern country.
“Sir?” Rafe stopped as he walked in the room.
“Lieutenant?”
“Uh…” The other man had a huge grin on his face.
“What?” The word sounded harsh but luckily Rafe wasn’t someone who cared about his tone. Their friendship went deeper than that.
“I’d like to preface this by saying it’s about damn time. But you need to lose the grin or your pops will find out what you were doing until the wee hours of the morning.”
Will shot him an evil glare.
Rafe laughed loud.
“I don’t care what he thinks, she’s good for you. I’ve never seen you smile like that.”
Will shrugged. His
friend was right but the last thing he was going to do was share his feelings.
“I played the blues with Master Z. last night.”
“Wait. What? Oh, hell, no.” The quick change in subject caught his friend off guard.
“Oh, hell, yes. An entire set. H—” The general walked in with his team and Will couldn’t finish the sentence. When his father looked his way, Will made sure he had his usual surly frown on his face. Rafe was right about that. He wouldn’t dare let the old man see him happy.
“Marines, we have a problem. Captain, I think you’re our go-to man on this particular subject.”
Will sat up a little straighter. His dad seldom ever looked at him during these meetings, let alone called on him.
“Sir.”
The general leaned back in his chair and crossed his arms. “Seems the ambassador and his family have some domestic problems. You’re in charge of that team, so it’s up to you to take care of it.”
Will stared at his father. This was some kind of setup. He could feel it coming. Determined to take whatever came his way, he steeled himself. “I’m afraid I don’t understand, sir. Are you saying that you need me to vet a new staff for their household? We processed the list yesterday and everyone checked out.”
“No. That isn’t it. I’m told the family’s belongings are on a ship somewhere in the Indian Ocean, with little hope of arrival anytime soon.”
That happened a great deal, but the staff could easily replace anything the family wanted. Still, he didn’t argue with his father.
“As you know, the family can’t leave the compound and the ambassador’s wife has made a request.”
Will nodded.
“She needs a stylist. From what I understand that has to do with fashion, and given your latest escapades I thought you would be the right man for the job.”
The general’s men didn’t bother to hide their snide grins.
Rafe’s hands tightened into fists on the table. His friend always had his back.
Fine. The general wanted to dress him down in front of his peers. He could take it.
“Brilliant, sir.” Will was surprised when his voice didn’t crack. “I am exactly the right man for the job. I have people who would be happy to help. I’ll get right on it.”
The rest of it was worth it when he saw the frown on his father’s face.
Two can play this game.
HANNAH AND ANNE MARIE ushered the last of the buyers out the door. Their day had been spent going through the designs with editors and buyers, and it had been an exciting day in so many ways. They had more orders than they could ever imagine.
“We’re going to be so rich.” Anne Marie fist-pumped the air.
“I have to admit that was epic.” Exhausted, Hannah sat down at the conference table. It had been almost as stressful here in the studio as the show and they had three more days of this. “How are we going to fulfill these orders? It’s at least ten times what we projected.”
“You don’t have to worry about it, remember. That is my problem.”
Hannah put her hand on Anne Marie’s. “No, it’s our problem. You are doing a great job.”
“I hear a but…” Anne Marie drew her hand away.
“No, but I do want to be more involved, that’s all. I need to know what’s going on here.” She waved a hand around the room. “You’ll still be in charge of making it happen. In fact I’m making you vice president of operations.”
Anne Marie sat there with no expression on her face. “That’s a really big title.”
Reading the other woman was impossible. She thought her friend would be happy. “You’re already doing the job and that of ten other people. You might as well have the title.”
Hannah jumped up to grab her purse and from it pulled out a box.
“I had these made this morning and I forgot to give them to you.”
Her friend opened the box. “Business cards?”
“Yes.”
She ran a finger across the raised type. Hannah had ordered the best she could find and had them do a rush job. “Oh, my Gawd, this is so awesome.” A grin spread across Anne Marie’s face and Hannah was relieved. For a moment she thought her friend might toss the cards in the trash.
“I’m glad you’re happy. Now tell me how we’re going to make this happen.”
“With all the buzz, I had a feeling we would have more orders than we projected. Our suppliers are ready, I’ve already interviewed potential staff and we’re good. Seriously good. I’ve been working on a report just to make sure I have the planets aligned. I’ll email it to you.”
“You are a wonder, Anne Marie.” Hannah smiled at her friend. “And you never fail to amaze me with your talents. I loved the way you covered the fact the sunshine blouse was missing by saying it was couture only. People were fighting over it. Oh, and if we have it in the budget I’d like to give Kathryn, Brenda and Jesse raises. I can’t believe what they accomplished in forty-eight hours.”
Anne Marie continued fingering the cards. Hannah was grateful her friend liked them. It seemed like such a small thing, and she should have done it long ago.
“I’ll check the numbers to see where we are with the budget, but with all the orders we should be good. I guess now we are onto London. Do you have an idea of how you want the show to run? I have the specs from the venue.”
Anne Marie glanced up. “I don’t want to ruin a great moment but has Rafe or Will heard anything about the investigation?”
As much as she wanted the clothes back, Hannah hated that her friend still felt so responsible. “Nothing yet. Will talked to Rafe last night, but it will work out. You’ll see.” Hannah hoped her friend didn’t notice the fake optimism.
Her phone rang and she saw it was Will.
“Sorry, it’s the hunky marine.”
“Well, pick it up.” Anne Marie flapped her hand as if to tell Hannah to hurry and answer.
“Hi, Will, how are you?”
“Good.” There was a long pause. “I need you.”
“I’m here for you.” Her voice sounded more suggestive than she meant.
He chuckled. “That’s good to know. But right now I have a job to do and unfortunately that means finding evening dresses for the ambassador’s wife and daughter for tomorrow night.”
Hannah’s jaw dropped. Will was out saving the world and they had him hunting down dresses? It didn’t make any sense.
“We’re on lockdown at the embassy. I can’t tell you why, but the ambassador’s family can’t leave the residence.”
What he didn’t say was apparent to Hannah. The family had received some kind of threat.
“There is a special reception here tomorrow and we are tripling security. But the mother and daughter won’t have the opportunity to shop as they planned. It was actually my father who asked me to contact you.”
The general? Now that was just crazy.
“Will, as much as I want to help you there is no way I can design and make dresses by tomorrow.”
“Oh, no. I didn’t ask you the right way. I mean, do you know someone who would have those kinds of dresses all made up? And is there any possibility you could bring them here? We’ve already got you clearance.”
Hannah’s mind whirled. Leland could help her out. He had a huge warehouse of new and vintage designs. She had a few of her own, but it depended on what size they were. She wanted to do this. For Will, and the other reason was to show the general that she was a good person. She had no idea why that was so important to her.
He’s Will’s dad and you want him to like you.
She didn’t have time to think about what that meant.
“Can you have someone text me their measurements? It’s going to take me a few hours to pull several looks together.”
“Hannah?”
Her mind was whirling with details of what she would need. Shoes, accessories. “What?”
“I’ll owe you big,” he said, the words as a whisper.
Her he
art fluttered and her nether regions tightened with need. “Oh, and I’m so going to make you pay up, Marine. Just you wait.”
THREE HOURS LATER Hannah pulled the van up to the gate and passed through security without incident. The Gothic structure of the building made it look like something on a street in Paris. The size of it rivaled her parents’ Hamptons house and took up most of the block. Will and Rafe were there to meet her.
She wanted to hug Will but remembered he was on duty. No longer would she do anything to embarrass him.
“Hi.” She waved to both of them.
Will gave her the sweetest smile. “You didn’t have to do this but I’m grateful.”
It was the least she could do after everything she’d put him and Rafe through. “No problem. I’ll need help getting the racks out of the van.”
“Sawyer and Rankin, help get these clothes out of the van,” Will called to two men in uniform. His voice was authoritative and it made her grin.
This tough-marine side of him was a huge turn-on, especially since she knew ways to make him beg.
He collected her keys from her and walked toward his men. She couldn’t hear what he was saying but he was there for a good minute.
“Okay, they’ll take care of getting the clothes upstairs. I’m also going to have them replace your fuse, check the tires and fill it up.”
“Will, you don’t have to do all that.”
“But I want to. Why don’t you come with me and I’ll introduce you to the ambassador’s wife and daughter.”
She followed him upstairs, grateful that she’d changed into her new leather boots and a wrap dress. Growing up around wealth did have its advantages. She knew when to throw her funky fashion proclivities to the wind and dress like a grown-up.
At least every once in a while.
When they reached a long hallway, he stopped and took both of her hands in his. He kissed her quickly on the lips. “I’ve missed you.”
Those tender words launched butterflies in her stomach and her breath caught. The man could be so charming when he wanted to.
“I’ve missed you, too. You didn’t wake me when you left this morning.”
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