his pulse returned to close to normal. He righted himself and pulled his jeans up while Hannah turned, sat down and pulled on her bra, t-shirt, and thong. She didn’t say a word or look at him.
He sat down next to her and waited. She stayed still for a while before bending down to find her jeans on the floor. When she found them, she stood up, pulled them on, bent over to smack his knee and said, “Thanks for that, buddy. You’re awesome. I’d better get back to work now. See you later.”
And then she was gone. He couldn’t formulate a single response to get out while she unlocked and practically flew out the door.
What the fuck?
He’d thought they’d turned a corner. Hannah had just given herself to him. Wasn’t that a concrete sign she wanted to be with him? Hell, it felt like more than a sign.
There was no doubt Hannah had some issues, but if she wanted to just have him as a friend with benefits she would be sorely disappointed. It had to be all or nothing. A relationship just didn’t work like that, and they had to start off the right way if they were going to have a chance to make it together.
He double-checked to make sure his clothes were on straight before he left the office and marched into the bar. Roxy hadn’t moved. The older woman caught his eye and then winked. Chris furrowed his brows, and Roxy tilted her head towards Hannah who was serving a couple of young guys wearing sweatshirts from the local college.
Roxy was giving him her approval. Chris looked at Hannah again. She was a completely different person from when he’d walked in tonight. Her posture was relaxed, and she smiled and laughed with the guys like nothing had happened.
He’d done this. She was smiling because of him. His chest filled with pride and excitement.
Until one of the little college pricks put his hand on Hannah’s ass. Hell, no!
Chris knocked over a chair in his rush to get to Hannah’s side, and everyone in the bar turned to watch him. Hannah’s eyes widened when she saw him coming. She put her hand out.
“No, Chris!”
“That asshole had his hand on your ass!” He could feel the blood pumping through his veins. Just one punch into that kid’s face and he’d be able to let the incident go.
Hannah’s hand made contact with his chest, and she pushed him back. He resisted. “What are you doing?” she spat, frowning.
“He can’t just put his hands on you, Hannah. You’re with me, now.”
Her face paled, and she stilled. She squeezed her eyes shut and opened them again only to focus on the floor.
“You are with me now, aren’t you, Hannah?”
She jutted her hip out and put her hand on it. “I’m not with anybody, Chris. I don’t want to be with anybody. No one owns me.”
His mouth dried up, and he swallowed. “What do you mean, you’re not with anybody? And nobody said anything about owning you, so can cut that bullshit out now.”
She pursed her lips. “I mean I’m not with anybody. You’re fun, you know? What we do is great, but it doesn’t mean anything. Right?”
He staggered backwards as if she’d thrown a punch into his gut. She might as well have. Her words had the same effect. A punch might not have hurt as much.
“I can’t do this, Hannah.” His voice came out much calmer than he felt.
Her eyes darted to his face. “Can’t do what?”
“I can’t be your boy-toy. Friends with benefits. Whatever you want to call it. I love you, Hannah. It has to be all or nothing, or it won’t work.” He’d never been closer to tears, but part of him remained numb. The shock of what was happening could kill him.
“Nothing?” Her eyes filled. “You’re my friend, Chris. We’ll always be friends, right?”
He shook his head. “All or nothing, Hannah. We crossed a line. And even though you don’t want to admit it to yourself, it’s incredible. Better than anything I’ve ever experienced before. I love you. I want to be with you. But it can’t be this way. It’s too …
He sat down next to her and waited. She stayed still for a while before bending down to find her jeans on the floor. When she found them, she stood up, pulled them on, bent over to smack his knee and said, “Thanks for that, buddy. You’re awesome. I’d better get back to work now. See you later.”
And then she was gone. He couldn’t formulate a single response to get out while she unlocked and practically flew out the door.
What the fuck?
He’d thought they’d turned a corner. Hannah had just given herself to him. Wasn’t that a concrete sign she wanted to be with him? Hell, it felt like more than a sign.
There was no doubt Hannah had some issues, but if she wanted to just have him as a friend with benefits she would be sorely disappointed. It had to be all or nothing. A relationship just didn’t work like that, and they had to start off the right way if they were going to have a chance to make it together.
He double-checked to make sure his clothes were on straight before he left the office and marched into the bar. Roxy hadn’t moved. The older woman caught his eye and then winked. Chris furrowed his brows, and Roxy tilted her head towards Hannah who was serving a couple of young guys wearing sweatshirts from the local college.
Roxy was giving him her approval. Chris looked at Hannah again. She was a completely different person from when he’d walked in tonight. Her posture was relaxed, and she smiled and laughed with the guys like nothing had happened.
He’d done this. She was smiling because of him. His chest filled with pride and excitement.
Until one of the little college pricks put his hand on Hannah’s ass. Hell, no!
Chris knocked over a chair in his rush to get to Hannah’s side, and everyone in the bar turned to watch him. Hannah’s eyes widened when she saw him coming. She put her hand out.
“No, Chris!”
“That asshole had his hand on your ass!” He could feel the blood pumping through his veins. Just one punch into that kid’s face and he’d be able to let the incident go.
Hannah’s hand made contact with his chest, and she pushed him back. He resisted. “What are you doing?” she spat, frowning.
“He can’t just put his hands on you, Hannah. You’re with me, now.”
Her face paled, and she stilled. She squeezed her eyes shut and opened them again only to focus on the floor.
“You are with me now, aren’t you, Hannah?”
She jutted her hip out and put her hand on it. “I’m not with anybody, Chris. I don’t want to be with anybody. No one owns me.”
His mouth dried up, and he swallowed. “What do you mean, you’re not with anybody? And nobody said anything about owning you, so can cut that bullshit out now.”
She pursed her lips. “I mean I’m not with anybody. You’re fun, you know? What we do is great, but it doesn’t mean anything. Right?”
He staggered backwards as if she’d thrown a punch into his gut. She might as well have. Her words had the same effect. A punch might not have hurt as much.
“I can’t do this, Hannah.” His voice came out much calmer than he felt.
Her eyes darted to his face. “Can’t do what?”
“I can’t be your boy-toy. Friends with benefits. Whatever you want to call it. I love you, Hannah. It has to be all or nothing, or it won’t work.” He’d never been closer to tears, but part of him remained numb. The shock of what was happening could kill him.
“Nothing?” Her eyes filled. “You’re my friend, Chris. We’ll always be friends, right?”
He shook his head. “All or nothing, Hannah. We crossed a line. And even though you don’t want to admit it to yourself, it’s incredible. Better than anything I’ve ever experienced before. I love you. I want to be with you. But it can’t be this way. It’s too …
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