by Katie Knight
Jake put on the new tire in record time.
“That should last until you can make it to a mechanic,” he said, wiping his hands on his jeans. “But I’d go sooner rather than later if I were you.”
“Thank you so much, son,” the man said, reaching out to shake Jake’s hand.
“You too, dear,” the woman said, putting her hand on Hanna’s shoulder and squeezing. “We were just saying how you two remind us of us, when we were your age.” She smiled warmly at both of them. “Such a lovely couple.”
“Well, thank you,” Hanna said. “That’s very sweet.”
Jake was getting wary of this charade. He knew the more they pretended to be a couple, the more they would start to feel like one. And since he couldn’t allow a repeat of last night, he had to nip it in the bud.
“We’re not a couple,” he cut in. As if it really mattered that these total strangers knew that. But it made him feel better to say it aloud. “We’re just friends.”
Hanna looked at him, eyebrows raised, and he just shrugged.
“Come on,” he said, grabbing her bag of snacks. “We have to get back on the road.”
They walked back to the SUV in silence, but when they were out of earshot of the couple, he turned to her.
“You can’t do stuff like that,” he said. “I know they seemed harmless, but remember, we don’t actually know who’s after you or what they look like. So you have to be suspicious of everyone.”
“I really don’t think we have reason to fear an elderly couple driving a sedan from the eighties,” she said.
“You would be surprised at the lengths some people go to remain inconspicuous. Besides, the bad guys could threaten them into acting as a decoy. You can never be sure.” He turned to her. “And saying we’re a couple?”
Hanna shrugged. “I don’t see the big deal. They were total strangers. Besides, we make a convincing couple, don’t you think?”
“It doesn’t matter,” he said. “We’re not actually traveling undercover, remember? We’re just Jake and Hanna.”
They had reached the SUV, and as he opened the passenger-side door for her, she gazed up at him.
“For what it’s worth, you’ll never be ‘just Jake,’” she said.
He sighed as Hanna climbed into the SUV. As much as he wanted to hear her say things like that—to validate him and acknowledge that she didn’t regret carrying his child—now was neither the time nor the place to have such a conversation.
“Look,” he said, trying to stay focused on the task at hand. “You can’t do that again. You can’t go running around helping people. Old ladies, children, anyone.”
“Fair enough,” she said. “I get it. I was perfectly safe the entire time but I understand why you were worried.”
“Just promise me you won’t do anything like that again.”
“I promise.”
“We should also avoid using our cell phones,” he said. “No calls, no texts, no emails.”
“Okay.”
“I can’t risk losing you again.”
“I know.”
Jake shut the passenger door and walked around to his side. As he did, he thought about what he had just said. He had meant every word, and he wasn’t just referring to the situation at hand. With every day they spent together, he realized he couldn’t lose her, period. Even after this whole mess was resolved, he wanted to stick around. He wanted to be there for her and the baby for the rest of his life.
And he found that thought terrifying.
Chapter Fifteen
Although rustic and quaint, the accommodations at the safe house were downright luxurious compared to the motel they had left a few hours earlier. It was a tiny cabin located on the edge of a lake, nestled among the trees and out of view of the main road. The dusty dirt path that led to it dead-ended at the house, and there wasn’t any other residence along the road. It was as secure as they could get. Hanna couldn’t dream up a more perfect place to spend a few days with Jake.
He may not have checked all the boxes on her checklist, but in the time they had spent together, she realized there was one very important box he did check, a wildcard if you will. And that was their mutual attraction.
She found him irresistibly sexy—and she knew it wasn’t just the pregnancy hormones. She had been attracted to Jake from the moment they met, and now here she was, living out the kind of fantasy she could only imagine over the past five years.
After arriving at the cabin and parking, Jake turned to Hanna.
“I’ll get you set up inside,” he said, “and then I’m going to secure the perimeter.”
He carried their bags inside and told her to follow him as he inspected each room in the house. It was the same routine he’d followed when inspecting his own apartment just two days prior. Once the house was cleared, he left Hanna to settle in and headed back outside.
She wasn’t sure what “securing the perimeter” entailed, but she was glad he didn’t need help. It sounded utterly boring. She put the now melted pint of ice cream in the icebox and stashed the rest of the snacks in one of the cabinets. She noticed it was already stocked with a few staples: flour, sugar, baking powder, salt. Good. They would come in handy in the morning. Perhaps she could make them pancakes. Then she wheeled her suitcase to the sole bedroom in the house—complete with a single king bed—and started putting her clothes in the drawers. She wasn’t sure how long they would be staying, but she had a natural inclination to start nesting. Maybe it was the pregnancy, or maybe it was the fantasy of being here with Jake.
She let her mind wander and pretended, just for a moment, that their lives weren’t in jeopardy. That they were just taking a trip together—that they were a couple, and were happy.
Her heart warmed at the thought. And it wasn’t because she had been wanting a husband for so long. It was because she had wanted Jake. She was starting to realize that part of the reason she hadn’t found anyone to settle down with in the past five years was because she had been comparing every guy she met to him, and none of the others had measured up. She hadn’t necessarily been conscious of it, but it was becoming clearer with every passing day. She hadn’t made a connection with anyone—including those who checked all the boxes—because they were lacking the key ingredient, which was an undeniable chemistry. Jake, on the other hand, may not have had all the qualities she was looking for in a husband, but he did have the one thing no one else did.
After Hanna finished unpacking in the bedroom, she walked out to the living room and put some logs in the fireplace. As she got a crackling fire going, she considered what the next few days might entail. While she certainly wanted this madness to be over, the thought that she and Jake would no longer be “on the run” together saddened her. She realized she didn’t care what happened—or didn’t happen—in the future; she just wanted to make the most of whatever time they did have together. She had spent the past five years worried about the future, and look how little progress she had made doing so. For once, she committed to just living in the moment. The future could sort out itself.
So when Jake came back inside, she strode over to the tiny icebox and took out the ice cream.
“What do you have there?” he asked, sitting on the couch and sprawling out.
“Toffee vanilla swirl,” Hanna said. “My favorite.” She didn’t bother getting a spoon and instead joined him on the couch. “Indulge with me?”
He laughed. “You know I don’t eat that stuff.”
She peeled away the plastic and took off the lid. Then she dabbed her finger in it—it was still soupy and melted from the long drive—and held it to his lips. “Just a taste?”
Jake sighed as if it were a major chore and licked her fingertip. Then he nibbled it playfully before she could pull her hand away.
“Is that how it’s going to be?” she asked, dipping her finger back into the ice cream until it was dripping with toffee goodness.
“You’re right,” he said, grabbing her hand
and holding it to his mouth. “That is good.” He licked her finger again, but didn’t bite it this time. Then he reached out for the container. “Here,” he said, taking it from her and dipping his own finger in. “Your turn to have a taste.”
Jake held out her hand and Hanna licked it. He dipped his finger back into the ice cream, but before she could lick it a second time, he dabbed her neck with it.
“What are you doing?”
“Payback,” he said, before leaning in and licking the cool ice cream off her warm skin. “For the ice stunt you pulled last night.”
She laughed and leaned her head back, giving him easier access. He dripped more ice cream onto her skin, this time along her collarbone, and then leaned forward to lick it off. The scruff lining his jaw scratched her skin, but his warm, wet tongue more than made up for it.
He pulled her shirt up and over her head. Then he traced the curvature of her breasts with his fingertip, leaving a trail of ice cream in its wake. When he leaned down to lick it off, a low moan escaped her lips. The cool ice cream coupled with his warm tongue felt amazing on her swollen, tender breasts. It was as if he knew exactly what she needed without having to ask.
Without picking his head up—or breaking the contact his soft lips had against her skin—he reached behind her with one hand and undid her bra. She shrugged it off and his tongue found one nipple, and then the other. His tongue was cold from the ice cream, and a shiver raced down her spine. Thanks to the crackling fire, though, the room had become cozy and warm. All the contrasts were so enticing that she had no objection when he reached for the fly of her pants.
After he peeled off her jeans, leaving her in nothing but her panties, he picked her up and carried her over to the kitchen. He set her down on the countertop gently, then got down between her legs.
“What are you doing?” she breathed, tugging at his hair with one hand.
“I’ve got a craving for more than just ice cream,” he murmured. Then he pulled aside her panties and licked the tip of her crease.
Hanna writhed in pleasure. The deft tip of his tongue stroked her in all the right places, while the scruff lining his jaw tickled the smooth skin on her inner thighs. She gripped his strong shoulders and squeezed, trying to contain herself so the pleasure would last as long as possible.
Jake placed a hand on each of her thighs and buried his face between her legs as if he couldn’t get enough of her. The thought that he was enjoying this as much as she was drove her crazy. She tugged at his hair and grinded against his face until the sensation was more than she could take. Waves of pleasure washed over her, leaving her flushed and panting.
Jake stared in awe, then kissed her tenderly on the inside of her thighs before standing up. She instinctively wrapped her legs around his waist, and he carried her to the bedroom. Now it was his turn to take what he wanted, and she was more than happy to give it to him.
He lay her down gently on the bed before shrugging off his clothes in record time. She peeled off her panties and tossed them aside just moments before he entered her in a single, swift thrust.
Hanna moaned as he filled her. His tongue had felt good, but it was nothing compared to their entwined bodies becoming one as he pushed deep inside her. She wrapped her legs around his waist again, and he leaned down and kissed her, all the while still thrusting inside her.
It was sticky and sweaty and utterly sexy. Before long, they were both panting.
Hanna could feel the pressure building up inside her all over again. She could tell Jake was on the edge, too, because his thrusts started getting faster.
With a single grunt, he pushed deep inside her and held himself there. He leaned down and bit her shoulder as he poured inside her. The slight pain from the bite and the immense pleasure from everything else merged into a single swirling release. Hanna closed her eyes and clenched her toes as pleasure washed over her once more.
Chapter Sixteen
It seemed silly not to share a bed after all that had happened between them—regardless of what might happen in the future—so while Hanna was showering, Jake grabbed some logs from the stack in the living room and used them to make a fire in the stone fireplace against one of the bedroom’s walls. Soon he had a roaring fire going in it.
Jake took a quick rinse after Hanna got out of the shower and then joined her in the bed. She snuggled up against him, and he couldn’t help but put his arms around her so they were spooning. Her damp hair smelled like strawberries and cream, and he chuckled to himself. Even her shampoo had to be sweet.
“This safe house kind of reminds me of the cabin my family rented for Tyler’s graduation,” Hanna murmured.
“It’s pretty similar, isn’t it?” Jake said. He remembered that cabin well. He also remembered what almost happened there. “You know I always regretted not kissing you that night?”
“Really?”
He nodded, his chin pressing against her shoulder. “After you went to bed that night, I actually walked back to your room and waited outside the door for a minute. Eventually I chickened out, though. And that was that.”
“Are you serious?”
“Of course.”
“Wow. I wonder what would have happened if you had actually knocked on my door.”
“Honestly, I think about that all the time,” Jake admitted. “Now more than ever.”
His arms were wrapped around her, and she squeezed them. “Well maybe it was for the best,” she finally said. “If something had happened that night between us, I think you and Tyler never would have gotten as close in the years since.”
“Maybe,” Jake mused. “He’s really protective of you, huh?”
Now it was Hanna’s turn to nod. “Our dad left before I was born. So he became the man of the house when he was still just a kid. And he’s been protective of me ever since.”
“I can understand that,” Jake said. “Our dad was around, but he wasn’t always present because of his alcoholism. So I’ve always been pretty protective of my little sister, too.”
“Oh yeah? Do you give every guy she brings home a hard time?”
He laughed. “I’ve been known to question their intentions, yeah.”
“And what would you do if she brought home someone like you?”
He thought for a moment. That was a good question. “I’d like to think I’d be warm and welcoming, but honestly, I think I’d warn her of what she had in store. Being in a relationship with someone in the military isn’t easy.”
“You keep saying that,” she pointed out, “but people do it all the time. If it was so hard, why would everyone be doing it?”
He shrugged. “Plenty of people try, but they don’t all succeed—not every military marriage is built to last.”
“But some are,” she argued.
“Yeah, I know. I guess at some point, love takes over. It doesn’t matter how hard it is. Once you find that person, all the challenges that the military brings are worth it.”
“So you just haven’t found that person yet then.”
Jake didn’t know how to answer that. He was almost sure Hanna was that person, but he wasn’t ready to say that out loud. Or even to admit it to himself. Not when he couldn’t see any way to be both the husband and father he’d want to be and the SEAL he’d worked so hard to become. So he just stayed quiet.
“What about your sister?” Hanna finally asked, breaking the silence. “Is she protective of you, too?”
“What do you mean?”
“Does she give the girls you bring home a hard time? Does she believe no one’s good enough for you?”
He laughed. “Julie might think that. If I ever actually brought a girl home.”
“You’ve never brought anyone home to meet your family?”
“Nope.”
“Wow.”
“I’ve just never been with anyone long enough for it to matter,” he explained. “There was no point in meeting my family if they weren’t sticking around.”
“Well I’
d like to meet your family someday,” she said. “Since they’re going to be my baby’s family, too.”
Jake squeezed her, burying his head in her hair. “I’m sure they’ll love you.”
“Really?”
“Of course. You and Julie actually have a lot in common.”
“We do?”
He nodded. “You both know how to get under my skin.”
Hanna laughed, then reached behind her to punch his shoulder playfully.
They lay in silence for a few minutes, reveling in the calm of the cabin as they listened to the crackling fire. It was a much-needed break from the chaos of the past few days. Jake sighed contentedly and pulled Hanna closer. He’d never been one to cuddle after sex, but with Hanna he thought it was something he could get used to.
“What does your tattoo mean?” she finally asked, breaking the silence.
“My tattoo?”
“On your shoulder. I noticed it yesterday when you were working out. It looks like a bird.”
Jake didn’t think now was the time to tell the woman who was carrying his child that his tattoo meant he never wanted to be tied down. It was a bird in flight, symbolizing the fact that he always planned to soar, with nothing weighing him down. Since she had explicitly asked, though, he had to give her something.
“It’s just something I got with the guys a few years back. Some of my squad mates and I thought it would be cool to have a tattoo tying us together after the hell we’d been through, so we all got images in the same style on our shoulder.”
“Why a bird, though?”
He shrugged. “I just liked it.” Then, changing the subject, he asked about hers. “What about your tattoo? That blue heart on your thigh?”
“You noticed that?”
“Of course. So what does it mean?”
“There’s no big story behind it,” Hanna said. “I got it in college. I was in a serious relationship at the time, and I was convinced he was the one. So it just seemed appropriate. I thought love was enough to build a happy life with someone, and I got the tattoo as a reminder of that.”
