She stepped back, her arms crossed over her chest. “Is that why I’m here?”
“What? What are you talking about?” He sat on the bed, so confused now.
She blew out a breath, annoyed. “Are you just trying to fuck me? Because that’s not why I came over. Are you mad because you didn’t get in my pants the other night?”
“What? No.” He stood, gripping her shoulders when she started to back away. “Were you not paying attention earlier? I miss you. I want you. Yes, I’d love to finish what we started on Friday night, but that’s not why I invited you over. If you don’t want to do that, then we won’t do that. We can go back and watch TV or you can keep reading if you need to. I just want to spend time with you.”
Her eyes narrowed, her face skeptical, but she didn’t shrug off his hands or twist out of his grip, so he took that as a good sign. But her words were less encouraging. “I should go. I have homework.”
“More than what you brought with you?” She jerked her head to the side once, a quick negative. He rested his forehead against hers. “Stay. Read here. Don’t go yet. Stay.”
She softened under his hands, the tension draining from her, and she dropped her arms, her posture more open and less defensive. “Fine. I’ll stay for a little while longer.” She pulled her head away from his and stuck a finger in his face, her eyes narrowed again. “If you try anything that keeps me from getting my reading done, I’m gone.”
He couldn’t help the smile that took over his face. “Fair enough.” He kissed her once, hard, but with no tongue, pulled back, and opened the door. Turning her to the opening he smacked her ass once more. “Time to get to work.”
She glared at him over her shoulder and pinched one of his nipples through his shirt.
“Ow! Hey!”
With a devilish grin on her face she sauntered out the door, an extra sway to her hips that he knew was for his benefit. He followed her into the living room. “Careful, Hannah. Keep that up, and I might not be able to keep my hands to myself after all.”
She shot him another glance over her shoulder. “Okay. Just remember that I’ll leave if you don’t keep your promise.” After settling into the corner of the couch opposite him, which made him growl and move closer so her legs were over his lap, she gave him a thoughtful look. “I believed you earlier when you said you’re sorry. But that doesn’t erase what happened. I can’t pick up with you where we left off like it was nothing.”
He swallowed, rubbing a hand over her shin up to her knee and back down to her ankle. “I get it. I can be patient. But I’m not willing to let you go again so soon after getting you back.”
She stared at him a moment longer, drawing in a breath like she might respond, but instead she just nodded and turned her attention back to her book.
Matt continued to stroke up and down her legs, contenting himself with the simple amount of contact that she allowed. He hadn’t realized how much damage his actions had done to her. The trusting, open girl that she’d once been was gone, leaving this cautious woman in her place.
Was she this cautious with everyone? Or just with him?
It didn’t matter. He’d do whatever it took to make her trust him again and get back to the way things had been before.
Chapter Twelve
Hannah took a deep breath before knocking on the door at Matt’s house. Her nerves were worse than normal, because today she wasn’t here to see Matt. She was here to model for Megan. Hannah had been over here for at least an hour or two almost every day after work since Tuesday. On Friday, Matt had come to her apartment and spent the evening. They’d had the place to themselves since Elena had gone home for the weekend.
Things had gotten a little more heated between them, but she hadn’t let him get as close to stripping her as that first night after the club. True to his word, he backed off whenever she wanted him to, waiting for her to initiate each step, only putting his hands under her shirt when she did it to him, each of his actions mirroring hers. And there hadn’t been any dirty talk since the spanking incident on Tuesday.
She felt conflicted about all of that. While she appreciated that he respected her boundaries, she liked it when he took control and did things to her. She’d liked it before, and that hadn’t changed. That had been part of the reason she’d been disappointed with every other sexual relationship. She wanted a guy who took charge in the bedroom. Bossiness in any other aspect of life was annoying, but in bed it was hot. Since Matt had been her first, that was what she’d expected the next time she’d had a boyfriend and hadn’t gotten it, or with anyone since. Not even bossy Derek could manage to dominate her the way she liked when they had sex. But she’d revoked Matt’s permission to treat her that way when she’d established their boundaries on Tuesday. It was up to her to let him know when it was okay to cross them again.
The dirty talk, though. That was something new. He’d never talked to her quite like that when they’d been together before. It had shocked her, but turned her on whenever she remembered it. She found herself squirming on the doorstep thinking about it when Megan opened the door.
“Oh my God, Hannah. You’ve been here every day this week. You don’t have to knock and wait. Sorry I didn’t answer sooner. I knew it was you and figured you’d just come in.” The animated brunette grabbed
