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
