by Leigh James
Karen sighed. “I think that’s too much pressure.”
“Why? It’s been months…she went through so much…”
“You’ve both been through so much,” she corrected me. “And as someone who is treating both of you, I think trying to make it especially special is putting too much pressure on the situation.”
“What do you recommend?”
“Go away this weekend, have a glass of wine, and then have sex. Don’t overthink it.” She shrugged. “I don’t think I’m violating patient confidentiality by telling you that Hannah is just as anxious as you are for things to get back to normal—the new normal—between you two. I think you should follow Hannah’s lead in a way that makes the experience just as authentic and healing for you.”
“I’ll see if I can do that.” If I can figure out what the hell that means.
She cocked her head and looked at me again. “Our time is almost up. Anything else you want to talk about?”
I was more than ready to be done, but I did need help with something. “Just one question.” I paused for a beat. “How can I tell Hannah I hate tofu?”
Karen almost spit her tea out. “She’s a vegetarian?”
“She eats fish. But she’s really pushing the tofu.”
Karen wrinkled her nose.
“She keeps making it for me. Marinated. Grilled. Infused with kimchi.”
“I’m sorry to hear that.”
I sighed. “Apparently, the fact that it’s a vegetable-based protein is going to save the world from climate change. And of course, she likes to stress the fact that it’s cruelty-free and Bambi didn’t have to die for it.”
“My ex-husband was vegan. I feel your pain.” Karen shuddered. “But Hannah’s feelings for you appear unconditional. Go ahead and order a nice steak this weekend.”
Maybe therapy wasn’t as bad as a slab of rectangular bean curd.
She smiled. “Have a nice weekend. I want you to come back and see me again next week—alone and with Hannah. I want to hear about your progress in the bedroom.”
On second thought…
* * *
Hannah slid off her blazer and looked curiously at our bed. “Baby? Why is our luggage out?”
“Because we’re going to Point Reyes for the weekend.”
Hannah put a hand on her hip and scowled. “Did my sister call you?”
Of course she did.
“No. I just thought it would be fun. You remember fun, don’t you?”
“Ha-ha. I invented fun.” She bit her lip. “I want to go, but there’s some stuff I really need to deal with.”
“Your boss gave you the weekend off. In fact, she insists.”
“I knew Lauren was behind this!”
I held up my hands. “I have good ideas too, you know. I booked a sick resort for us—and get this, it’s rated the ‘top green’ hotel in the country. They have poolside yoga. And an antioxidant smoothie bar.”
Hannah’s eyes lit up, and I chuckled.
“Are you teasing me?”
“A little. About the smoothie bar.”
She sighed, but she was still smiling.
I captured her hand under mine, and she leaned down for a lingering kiss.
“Is that a yes?” I asked when she pulled back.
“Like I can say no to you.” She went to the closet and started whipping out outfits. “It’ll be nice for us to hang out. And I’ve heard there’re some cool hiking trails down there I’ve been dying to check out…”
She chatted happily. I watched her examining lingerie, and as she folded it neatly, an unbidden thought popped into my head: Does my dick still even work?
I swallowed nervously. I had a feeling I was about to find out.
* * *
We had a driver and Brian with us for the two-hour drive, along with three additional Betts security agents in another car.
“Nothing like a weekend just for two,” Hannah joked.
“They’ll give us plenty of space. Right, Brian?”
Brian rolled his eyes. “We’ve got the entire floor at the resort rented out. We’ll be there at the ready—we’ve got you covered.”
“Great,” I said under my breath. I turned my attention back to Hannah. “What’s the latest at Paragon?”
“Lauren and I are working on that new…initiative.” Her eyes sparkled.
“The prototype?”
“Yes, the one we discussed at the meeting—Lauren’s been brainstorming plans, and she thinks she might have something ready to go soon. And Fiona’s decided to go ahead and license her technology to Li Na and then use that technology we discussed.”
The technology that would disrupt the antibody therapy’s design from the inside out.
“When did she decide that?”
“Today. We talked a little while ago. She said Ellis promised to protect her and the girls no matter what, so she felt safe enough to go for it.”
I arched an eyebrow. “Ellis made her a promise?”
“Yes.” Hannah’s eyes were wide. “It meant the world to Fiona. She said he makes her feel safe, and that even the girls have been able to sleep because they’re getting used to having security around. I’ll have to do something nice for him. Fiona’s so crushed about Jim, it’s a blessing that at least she feels safe.”
“Huh.” I was going to have ask my brother about all this. He must really be taking his new civilian status seriously. “What else is going on?”
Lauren had been adamant that Hannah take a few days off. There had to be something more.
Hannah played with a lock of her blonde hair. “I’ve proposed hiring a Jiàn Innovations employee to simultaneously work for Paragon. I need to make an offer to someone when we get back.”
“Excuse me?”
Her mouth twisted. “I’m hiring one of Li Na’s employees to spy for us.”
“Um…are you sure that’s a good idea?”
The last thing I wanted was for Hannah to get in Li Na’s line of sight again. I wanted her completely under the radar, not poking the bear.
Hannah pushed her shoulders back. “I’m absolutely sure it’s a good idea. We’ve been too passive for too long with Li Na—it’s time to go on offense. I need to make sure this works so we can ruin her.”
“Okay?” I couldn’t agree with her, but the blush in her cheeks and the firm set of her jaw indicated disagreeing with her was not my best move at the moment.
“Okay.” She put her hand over mine and squeezed. “Enough about all that. How was physical therapy today? And regular therapy?”
I shook my head. “I think both of those women might be trying to kill me.”
Hannah giggled.
“It’s not funny.”
I told her more about my day until we pulled down the long drive toward Solange, the resort I’d booked, a little while later. The Spanish-tiled, sprawling building was softly lit with twinkling white lights. A massive fountain bubbled next to a large tree with low-hanging branches. The intimate, sparkling courtyard had a magical feel, making me wonder if wood nymphs or very expensive gnomes lived somewhere nearby.
Hannah sighed deeply. “Oh Wes, this is gorgeous. It’s so serene—I love it.”
I grinned, proud of my googling skills (and also that I’d taken Gabe’s advice to book this particular resort). “It’s okay.”
I tried to hide my wince as I got out of the car, but, as usual, Hannah missed nothing.
“What the hell did Ashley do to you today?”
I shrugged, but even that hurt my muscles. “She punished me for going rogue and getting rid of the wheelchair. But it doesn’t matter”—I gestured to the bellhops, who were collecting our bags—“everything’s taken care of. I don’t need to lift a finger.”
I tried not to grimace as we climbed the steps to the entrance, but Hannah still frowned at me.
All frowning ceased as we entered the lobby, which boasted a floor-to-ceiling fireplace, gorgeous tiled floors, and more artfully arranged couch
es than I could process.
“This is stunning,” Hannah said. “Wow.”
Our suite was even better—we had our own private courtyard, complete with a plunge pool and several bottles of local wines chilling in the dedicated wine fridge.
I grabbed a bottle of Pinot and opened it. The plunge pool and what Hannah and I could do in it were already making me sweat. Could Brian and the other guys hear us out there?
“We did not have accommodations like this in the marines.”
“This is high-class.” Hannah accepted her glass of wine and smiled approvingly. “Me likey.”
“And you didn’t want to come.” I licked my lips, which had gone dry. Jesus, I can’t even say the word “come.”
Hannah wrinkled her nose. “Baby? Are you okay?”
The therapist’s words came back to me. “Go away for the weekend, have a glass of wine, then have sex.”
I put my glass down untouched. “I’m good.”
“Are you…” Hannah’s voice trailed off, and she looked unsure. “Hungry?”
I stood up immediately, and my stupid thighs screamed again. “Starving.”
“Okay. Just let me get changed, and we can go eat in the bar?”
I kissed her forehead, yearning for so much more—but simultaneously feeling like I was dodging a bullet. “It’s a date.”
Chapter 18
Hannah
I knew what was bothering Wes, even if he didn’t want to say it.
He had stage fright. Sexy-hotel stage fright.
It takes one to know one.
Taking a deep breath, I gathered my courage. I changed into skintight, black faux-leather pants (which were vegan) and a low-cut tank top, making sure my lacy bra was visible underneath. I put on extra mascara and dotted my lips with gloss. For the finale, I shook my hair loose so it hung it waves, the way Wes liked it, and put on sky-high spiked heels.
I looked ready for…date night. Date night with my big, sexy boyfriend, who I could tell needed me to hold his hand tonight and let him know everything was going to be okay.
But everything was not okay when I went back to the bedroom. Wes took one look at me and put a hand over his heart, clutching it.
I rushed to him. “Oh my God, Wes!”
His face was red. “Babe, you look so hot—my heart stopped.”
I clutched him with one hand and put the other over my own heart. “So you’re not having tachycardia?”
Wes chuckled and pulled me against his massive chest, careful not to smudge my makeup. “No—I mean, maybe, but it’s the best tachycardia ever.”
After I was certain he wasn’t about to have a heart attack, I swatted him.
He grinned, pulling me close as we headed out the door.
I relished the feel of his big body—even though I was five foot eight and wearing three-inch heels, he made me feel dainty and protected. “Do Brian and the other guys have to come to dinner, too?”
He shrugged. “They’ll sit at the other end of the bar. We can send them a drink.”
We sat at a secluded table in the corner, while Brian and the other guards sipped seltzer and watched the area like hawks. I perused the menu, which was fabulous. “I think I’m going to have the asparagus salad and the black cod with the dry miso rub. What looks good to you, babe?”
Wes peered at me over the top of his menu. “Do you want the truth?”
“Of course.”
“The rib eye.”
I scowled at the menu. “You mean, the twenty-ounce rib eye with the béarnaise sauce?”
Wes looked at me pleadingly. “That’s the one.”
I giggled. “So order it, silly. Just make sure you don’t eat any other red meat this week! You need to be heart-healthy.”
He threw his menu down and smiled. It was like the sun coming out. “You’re the best, babe.”
I smiled back, even if I didn’t approve of the steak. “So are you.”
* * *
After predinner cocktails and sharing a bottle of wine, Wes and I felt no pain as we headed back to our suite. We waved to Brian and the other guards. “Don’t wait up,” Wes joked.
Brian offered us a rare smile. “Good night, you two. We got you covered.”
I complained about having security, but it was nice to know that we didn’t have to worry about you-know-who…
I pushed the thought from my mind as we headed inside, and then all of a sudden, we were alone again, and I was a bundle of throbbing, frazzled nerves. But not about you-know-who; about you-know-what.
I licked my lips as I watched Wes strip out of his polo shirt and dark jeans. His muscles rippled, and even though I agreed his physical therapist was Evil Spawn, she had been effective.
He smiled when he caught me staring. “Are you checking me out?”
I twisted a lock of my hair. “Yes.”
He came over and pulled me against him. “If I didn’t say it before, you look beautiful tonight.”
“You did say it—but thank you again.”
His blue eyes flashed as he ran his hands down my body. “And I love the pants, by the way. Very hot.”
“Thank you.” I sucked in a deep breath as he gently cupped my ass. “They’re fake leather. Vegan, in case you were wondering.”
He arched an eyebrow and laughed. “Vegan leather pants? Now I’ve heard everything.”
I buried my face in his chest and giggled, too, but it was more from nerves than anything else.
He could sense it immediately. “Hey.” He removed his hands from my ass and gently kissed the top of my head. “We don’t have to do this tonight. We can just go to sleep.”
I looked up and straight into his eyes, so kind and concerned. “Oh, we are doing this tonight.”
He crushed his lips against mine, and I shuddered in pleasure as our tongues connected, lazily at first, then growing in urgency.
I was breathing hard when we finally broke apart. “We are so doing this. Get on the bed, big boy.”
Wes held up his hands in mock surrender, biceps bulging, and headed for the bed. Once he was settled, I turned on some music and slowly stripped off my clothes, letting him watch. I felt a little self-conscious, but I wanted him to know that I wanted him badly, and that I was ready. Because I was so ready. I don’t know if it was the crazy light machine or telling him what had really happened to me or if it had just been enough time, but I was done with waiting. I needed him. I needed to feel him inside me.
I headed to the bed and straddled him. He was already rock hard, ready for me, and I sucked in a deep breath as I pressed myself against him. Do I still know how to do this?
He stroked my face gently, gazing into my eyes. “Baby? Are you sure?”
In that moment, all the fear and anxiety fell away—because I knew in my heart that if I said no or showed the slightest hesitation, he would be fine. We would be fine.
“I’m sure. Wes, I need to tell you something.”
“Babe?”
“I love you. I love you so much.”
“You do?”
I nodded, feeling solemn. “I wish I’d told you sooner.”
His eyes looked like they filled with tears for a second, but he gave a manly cough and they were gone. “I love you, too.”
I grinned. “You do?”
“I wish I’d told you sooner, too.”
He sat up straighter to kiss me, but I didn’t miss the flash of pain on his face.
“Wesley Eden, you’re still hurting,” I scolded.
“I’ll live. But not without you,” he growled, and crushed his lips against mine again.
He sank his big hands into my hair. Our kiss quickly turned urgent, and I moaned as he deepened it. I pulled back, a little breathless, and asked, “Can we switch places?”
He tenderly brushed the hair back from my face. “We can do whatever you want.”
I rolled off of him and onto my back. Wes knew I thought the missionary position was the most romantic, and I wanted to feel
his big body covering mine. He made me feel safe.
He gently placed himself on top of me, keeping his weight on his arms. His muscles strained, and I wondered if this was too much on him, but then he kissed me again, and I could feel his erection throbbing between my legs, and all I could think about was getting him inside me.
“I can tell you’re worried about me—don’t be. I’d stop if I felt like I needed to.”
I let out the deep breath I hadn’t known I’d been holding. “Okay.”
Another thing I could let go: worrying about him breaking.
Wes trailed kisses down my neck, and I sighed in relief and pleasure. Relief showed on his own face as he kissed me, ecstatically moving down to my breasts. He grunted in pure pleasure as he took one of my nipples in his mouth, kissing it reverently.
Then he stopped and smiled. “Oh my God, I’m in heaven.”
I arched my back and moaned, begging for more.
I was wet now, aching for him. All the things I’d worried I wouldn’t be able to feel? I felt them, lighting up under Wes’s touch, his tender caresses and enormous, chiseled body. I didn’t think about anything but Wes and his rippling muscles and protruding manhood and having him inside me right now.
And the fact that he loved me back.
I slid my sex against his—his erection was thick, heavy, and wet at the tip, ready for me.
He slid my panties off and his body covered mine, protecting me from the rest of the world, claiming me. He kissed me again until we were both breathless and I felt dizzy. His erection rubbed against me, his body slick with my wetness. “Are you ready?”
“Yes.” He tenderly kissed me again. I ached against him—feeling overwhelmed with love and with longing.
I put my hands on his firm ass and guided him against my wet heat. He entered me slowly, inch by thick, marvelous inch.
We both sighed when he was all the way in. It felt so good.
He held my face gently in his hands as he began to thrust. I laughed and groaned in pleasure at the same time. Wes was huge, and I always felt like I was about to come as soon as he was inside me. This was no different. I cried out as he pumped his hips, absolute joy coursing through me because we were back together, bodies entwined.
