The embrace wasn’t particularly carnal.

It was a slow and thorough exploration that was emotionally charged.

On my part, there was definitely a desperation to thoroughly acquaint myself with this woman, and to reach her emotionally when words had failed me.

I wanted her to know that I felt and understood every word that she’d said, and that I was here for her in a way that I hadn’t been before.

Christ!Hannah was probably the bravest woman I’d ever known.

Maybe she didn’t see that, but I did.

She’d walked through hell alone, clawing her way to get to the other side when it would have been far easier to just give up.

She put her hand on my chest as my tongue explored her beautiful mouth, but she wasn’t pushing me away.

She opened for me, and started to boldly rediscover me, just like I was relearning her.

I couldn’t say the kiss didn’t get heated.

With Hannah, it was impossible to be this close to her without my cock clamoring for more, but there was so much more to this kiss than just…sex.

Mine!

I wanted to claim her.

Hannah Griffinwasmine.

She’dalwaysbeen mine.

Strangely, I felt that certainty now even more than I had when we were together. And that was saying something because I’d been a pretty possessive asshole when it came to Hannah.

Every muscle in my body tightened as Hannah moaned against my lips.

My arm reflexively tightened around her.

Mine!

My emotions started to war with my carnal instincts.

Hannah wanted, and I immediately needed to satisfy my woman’s needs.

My dick and the rest of my body suddenly realized how much I needed physical satisfaction myself, but…

Now is not the time for that, idiot. You need Hannah’s trust more than you need to fuck her.

When I forced myself to end the intimate contact between us, Hannah was panting, and the raw need in her eyes almost broke me.

I only saw that vulnerability for a second before she looked away, but Ihadseen it, and for just a moment, she’d let me in.

Hell, she’d let me in by telling me about what had happened to her in Seattle, and about her mental health issues.

Okay, maybe that didn’t mean she completely trusted me, but it was…something.

She made a brief attempt to climb off my body, but I held her there with brute strength. “Don’t,” I said, my voice husky with emotion. “You were brave enough to share what happened to you. Don’t back down now. After that kiss, can we just admit that we still have feelings for each other? I’ll be the first to admit that I want a hell of a lot more than just a friendship with you, Hannah. We can’t get back what we had before, but I don’t think either of us want that. We’re different people now. But we could start over and have something different this time. Something even better than we had before. I’m done bullshitting you about wanting to be your friend. I mean, I do want that friendship, but you and I were never meant to be just friends, Hannah.”

She didn’t pull away.

She boldly straddled my body and looked down into my eyes. “I just confessed that I lost my mind for a while in Seattle.”