Teacher

by Fiona Cole

  “You okay?”

  “Yeah,” I said, stepping further in the room. “Can I sleep with you tonight? I don’t want to be alone.”

  He paused for only a second before scooting to the left. “Of course. Sure.”

  I climbed in, and without hesitation, he pulled me into his bare chest. We didn’t discuss if this broke any rules or what issue this was helping me with. In that moment, we were two people finding comfort in each other after a long day.

  I curled up like I belonged there, and in moments fell asleep, one final thought following me into sleep.

  I was falling for Daniel, and I never wanted to let this go.

  19

  Daniel

  “Are you okay?”

  Hanna glanced away from the window and offered a smile that didn’t reach her eyes. “Yeah. It’s just been a long time since I’ve been to the beach.”

  “I’m so sorry. If I would have known…” I’d almost called the whole thing off when she’d told me she hadn’t been to the beach since her vacation where she and Sofia were taken. She’d promised me everything was fine, and I’d made some phone calls to ensure she didn’t question her safety at all.

  “No,” she rushed to reassure, fully facing me in the backseat now. “It’s okay. I’m with you. I’m okay.”

  That shouldn’t make me feel as good as it did, like superman ready to conquer anything for her.

  Something shifted between us in the mountains. I’d kissed her. Not for her or some effort to help her, but for me. Because I wanted to, and despite her crawling in my bed each night, curling into my chest, we hadn’t done it again.

  I wasn’t sure how I felt about that.

  Every night I thought about it, and every night I convinced myself it was a mistake. We were friends. Friends supporting one another. Friends that didn’t kiss because it made us feel better than we had in years. Friends who’d specifically made a rule to not kiss to avoid the feelings tickling my chest.

  “I hope you like it.”

  “I have no doubt.” She beamed at me, her green eyes shining under the flashes of sunlight pouring in. “I can’t believe you expedited a passport.”

  “It helps when you have certain clients at Voyeur and a bit of luck. A little cancellation and pushing a paper to the top and viola—a passport in less than two weeks.” Looking past her shoulder, I saw the large cream archways greeting us. “We’re here.”

  She whirled around and, like a kid in a candy shop, she pressed as close to the glass as possible. “Holy. Shit,” she said, her breath fogging the glass. “This hotel is huge.”

  “We’re actually not staying in the hotel.”

  “What?” She turned back, eyes wide with curiosity and excitement.

  “I uh…” I stumbled over my words, running a hand through my hair. “I may have gone a little overboard. I got a cabana on the ocean.”

  Her jaw dropped and stretched into the biggest smile I’d ever seen. “Holy shit,” she screeched so loud even the driver cringed.

  “You’re okay with boats, right?”

  “Yeah.”

  “Good. We have to take one to the island with the cabanas.”

  Another squeal. This one accompanied by bouncing in her seat.

  After checking in, our driver took us around to a boat that then dropped us off at the dock of our island. Hanna almost squealed again, bouncing from foot-to-foot when the hotel staff greeted us with champagne before taking us to our cabana. Hanna looked around in wonder as our bags were delivered.

  “Thomas will be your butler for your stay,” the attendant explained. “If you need anything at all, please let him know.”

  I waved everyone off and turned to Hanna, who looked like a bomb waiting to go off.

  “A butler? A BUTLER,” she exclaimed when the door shut. She set her champagne down and jumped in my arms. “Thank you, Daniel.” She wriggled with excitement, and I had to laugh. Her joy was contagious. “God, my cabin sucks ass. I’m glad we went there first because this would be impossible to top.”

  I sat her down and handed her a glass. “The cabin was amazing—perfect.” She scrunched her face, doubtful but still smiling. “I hope you don’t mind the single bed. If so, I can sleep on the love nest or that big net out there.” I gestured to the round swing on the deck and the rectangle hammock above the ocean. “So many options.”

  “It’s not like I haven’t been sleeping with you these past few days. And I’m not sure that can be classified as a bed. It’s its own island.”

  The cabana was only one large room with a dinette area to the left, the bed in the middle, and the bathroom closed off on the right. The most real estate was outside, past the glass walls, on an oversized patio. Two seating areas, an infinity pool, outdoor shower, a dock that led down to the water, and the large hammock took up all the other space.

  “Daniel, look at this.” Hanna pulled my attention to where she stood in front of the bed. “We have a glass floor. I can see fish. This is insane.”

  “How about we order another bottle of champagne and enjoy our room for the rest of the day?”

  “Hell yes.” She downed her glass and dug into her suitcase for her suit before disappearing into the bathroom.

  I lingered on the deck, taking in the clear blue ocean stretching on for miles, only broken up by dark patches of seaweed.

  Sound behind me had me turning around and freezing. “Jesus, Hanna.”

  She looked down at the scraps of black covering everything important. “What? It’s not like you haven’t seen it all anyway.”

  I held my breath, waiting for one wrong move to have her breasts spilling out of her tiny top. My cock grew hard just imagining it, and I realized that maybe we should have stayed in the mountains, where she’d been bundled under layers.

  “I know,” I choked out. “But barely wrapped up like that is alluring as hell.”

  She waggled her brow and wiggled her body, pulling a groan from deep in my chest. “Well, go get changed so I can ogle you too. It’s only fair.”

  I walked into the bathroom and wondered if I had time to jerk off before heading back out there. Deciding against it, I quickly pulled on my trunks and went back out. She greeted me with over the top catcalls from the infinity pool, breaking the tension from before.

  “You want to head into the ocean?” I asked.

  “I want to do it all,” she exclaimed, exiting the pool, rivulets of water trailing down her soft skin.

  We walked down the steps and jumped into the water, our toes digging into the soft sand. She swam around me in circles, and we talked about nothing and everything. Work, family, games we liked to play, everything.

  “We should dry off if we want to have dinner at some point tonight.”

  “You want to rest on the hammock?” she suggested.

  Honestly, I would have done whatever she wanted me to. My feelings were tipping in a dangerous direction, and I wasn’t sure there was anything I could do to stop them. The longer they continued, the less I was sure I wanted to stop them.

  I climbed on first, and she followed, log rolling into my side, laughing. She rested her head on my shoulder and got comfortable pressed to my side.

  “Daniel,” she said, tipping her head back to look at me. “I have a confession to make.”

  Her breath tickled my skin, and I held my breath, scrambling to prepare for whatever came out of her mouth next.

  “I’m a little tipsy,” she giggled, pressing closer against me. “Maybe we can nap here for just a bit before dinner.”

  My lungs compressed, exhaling the tension. “Sure. That sounds perfect.”

  I didn’t sleep. And when she rolled to her side, I slid my arm around her shoulders. I held her close, relishing each puff of air brushing against my chest. Unintentionally memorizing the way her curves pressed to my hard edges, doing my damnedest to convince myself that the warmth expanding in my chest was friendship. Just friendship.

  “We don’t have to go out
. They can set up a whole dinner here on the patio if you want.”

  Hanna popped her head around the corner from the bathroom. “This resort is too nice to not explore.”

  “I know. I just didn’t know if you’d feel more comfortable not roaming.”

  “It’s okay,” she said, not concerned at all. “I have you by my side. I’m good.”

  The warmth from earlier grew until she stepped out from behind the door, and then it all flooded south. “You look…stunning.”

  “This old thing? I’ve had it for years.”

  Pastel flowers decorated the light blue material that stretched all the way to her feet. The slits on each side played peekaboo with her slender legs. The thin spaghetti straps looked tested to their limits containing her breasts.

  “You look good, too. I like the buttons undone. Very sexy.” She pursed her lips in an exaggerated sexy pout. She was playing with me, and here I was about to come with a strong breeze because of some cleavage.

  I was a dick.

  Taking a deep breath, I shoved it down and offered my arm, leading her out to where the boat would take us back to the main island.

  We chose to immerse ourselves in the location and taste the Caribbean flavors at an upscale restaurant. The breeze from the ocean blew strands of her dark hair across her smiling face the whole meal and she would laugh each time.

  This Hanna, the one who’d bounced her way from one thing to the next, hyped up on excitement and pure joy, this was the real Hanna. This was the Hanna who let go of any trauma that clung to her. The one who didn’t wear the weight of survivor’s guilt.

  This was the Hanna I wanted to crack open permanently and not only away on vacation. I didn’t want her to bury herself back into work and pull back from every touch when we left here. I wanted this joy for her all the time.

  And when she smiled across the candlelit table, I knew I’d do anything to make it happen.

  I also knew I needed to remember it wasn’t my place to make it happen. She didn’t want a relationship just as much as I hadn’t—didn’t. Still didn’t. Nothing had changed in this, and I needed a strong reminder of it.

  “How’s flirting going?” I asked abruptly.

  She blinked, thrown by the subject change. I kicked myself when her smile dimmed, and she dropped her gaze to her glass.

  “It’s okay,” she said, shrugging. “I haven’t really tried much.”

  I shut down the gloating arrogance trying to break free. “What about Sean?”

  She bit her lip and smiled. This time it pierced painfully because it wasn’t for me. “I think he’s tried to ask me out a few times, but I manage to run before I’m forced to answer.”

  “Do you want to sleep with him?”

  Say yes.

  Say no.

  Say yes.

  Please, say no.

  God, the thought of her saying yes shouldn’t squeeze my lungs like a half-ton of bricks.

  “I don’t know.” Another shrug. “What if I can’t?” she whispered.

  I swallowed the lump threatening to choke me. “You will. It will come. With comfort and time.”

  Her wide eyes jumped to mine and held like she was probing for an answer. Her gaze poked and prodded, and I did my best to hold her stare. When I was sure I’d lunge across the table and drag her to a dark corner, she finally looked away.

  “Are you seeing anyone?” she asked before downing the last of her wine.

  “No. And I don’t usually see anyone for longer than a night,” I added to reaffirm for the both of us that I don’t date. “Even so, I’ve been busy.”

  No one had grabbed my interest since her, but I figured that was better left unmentioned.

  “Oh.” She licked her lips and opened her mouth, only to be cut off by the waiter.

  “Any dessert?”

  I looked to her and she shook her head. “No. I think we’re good.”

  “Very well. Thank you for dining with us this evening.”

  When he walked away, I dropped some cash on the table for the tip. “Are you ready to go?”

  “Sure.”

  On the boat, Hanna closed her eyes for the short trip and let the wind blow her hair back. Stunning. It was the only word I could use to describe her. Full lips, sharp cheekbones, bravery embedded in every inch of her. She was just stunning.

  I climbed off first and offered my hand, helping her out of the boat. She immediately stripped out of her shoes, and just before we could head to our cabana, she stopped, turning toward the open bar on the other side of the dock.

  “Let’s go dance.”

  “What?”

  A devious smile in place, she grabbed both hands and tugged me toward the vibrant music and steel drums.

  As nice and organized as our dinner was, this place was the opposite, more like a bar, and the dance floor was wherever you wanted it to be.

  Hanna decided that the edge of the open area was where she wanted to be. She held my hands and swayed side to side, her thighs peeking out from her slits. Her head rolled on her shoulders, her hair brushing her skin. I barely swayed with her, merely holding tight and getting lost in her moves.

  She tugged me forward, licking her lips as she collided with my chest. Sliding her hands around my neck, she smiled up at me, and I held onto her waist, growing harder with each pass of her hips.

  I tried to repeat that this was nothing, that this wasn’t a lesson I could teach her on. This was two friends dancing on vacation together.

  My words were worthless, and my eyes slid closed as her nails dragged over the back of my scalp, sending chills down my spine. She pulled me down until she could whisper in my ear.

  “You know,” she started and then hesitated.

  I tugged back to see her eyes. They dropped away, but I saw the nerves. “Hanna, what is it?”

  They flicked back to mine, and I tried to be the comfort she always found within me. “You know, we haven’t tried everything yet. Just because we’re not at Voyeur doesn’t mean we can’t do a lesson.”

  I swallowed, trying for the same aloofness I’d had the first time I’d offered to be hers. “Like I said, my body is yours.”

  Her eyes darkened and she breathed hard through her nose. “Will you sleep with me? Wi-will you let me go down on you?”

  Oh. Holy fuck.

  Without thinking it through, my grip tightened on her waist, and I shoved her back, needing the distance.

  Hanna’s face fell, her eyes immediately brimming with tears. “I-I’m sorry.” She looked away, dropping her hands. “I shouldn’t have taken advant—”

  “No, stop,” I pleaded, pulling her hands back to my shoulders, but still keeping a little distance. “Hanna, you are delicious, and in case you couldn’t tell, I’ve been hard this whole time, and here you are, offering to put those luscious lips on me.” I closed my eyes and breathed in deep before continuing. “I needed to step back before throwing you over my shoulder and taking you in a dark corner.”

  “Oh,” she breathed.

  “Yeah. Oh.”

  “So, that means you want to?” she asked slowly.

  Fuck yes, almost tumbled from my lips without thought, but this wasn’t a woman propositioning me at Voyeur. This was Hanna, and I wanted to handle her offer with care. “You are a gorgeous woman and if this is what you really want—”

  “It is. With you,” she interjected.

  “Are you sure?”

  She laughed. “Daniel. You’re pretty gorgeous yourself, and I’m comfortable with you. If there’s anyone I think I can do this with—want to do this with—it’s you. I trust you.”

  The last woman who trusted me, I’d let down spectacularly.

  I wouldn’t do that to Hanna.

  “Okay.”

  20

  Hanna

  “Okay?” I asked, just to confirm I didn’t imagine what I wanted to hear.

  His lips tipped up on one side. “Yes. I’d be honored.”

  With my lip pin
ned beneath my teeth, I looked down, unable to meet his sky-blue eyes when nerves kicked in. “Do you want to head back?” I asked softly.

  “Not quite yet. Give me one minute and maybe a few more dances.”

  “Okay,” I answered slowly.

  He walked toward an employee and talked briefly before returning. “Now, about those dances.”

  He held his hand out, and I didn’t hesitate to let his large palm engulf my smaller one. The slow beat reached across the sand and begged us to get closer. It was like the musician knew we’d made a deal to sleep together tonight and encouraged the mood. Although, I was sure half the people here were couples with plans to sleep together. Not many friends rented out romantic ocean bungalows.

  I slid my hands up his chest and over his shoulders, letting my fingers sink into his hair. His fingers wrapped slowly around my waist, resting just above my bottom, pulling me in tight. His hard length reminded me that he’d been that way all night.

  How would he feel inside me? Would it hurt? It’d always hurt before, but this was Daniel, and I had faith he would never do anything to hurt me. It was what made him the perfect candidate. That, and the desperate ache that brewed inside me, begging to bubble over and be set free.

  His leg slid between mine, and he tugged me tighter. The slit on my dress parted over my thigh and made room for his leg to press right against my core. He swayed back and forth, and the motion grazed my clit, heating my body from the inside out. Somehow, I kept from pressing down and dry-humping his leg. The cool breeze off the ocean brushed my bared thigh, making me imagine what it would feel like to be naked in front of him tonight. He’d seen every inch of me, just never all at once, and the fact that I’d be completely bared felt more intimate than anything else we’d done.

  He leaned down and pressed a soft kiss to the corner of my mouth before resting his forehead to mine. “Are you ready?”