Page 81 of Hannah.

Despite her sarcastic comment, I pull her against me, my lips capturing hers. Hannah sighs into the kiss, her arms winding around me and clinging to me. Having this gorgeous creature in my arms makes me feel ten feet tall. It’s all so surreal.

“That’s a hell of a compliment,” I reply just as sarcastically before nipping at her earlobe. Hannah shivers and then gently pushes at me.

“Let's get going before we end up back in bed,” she teases and then takes my hand. Our fingers link together, and it’s the most natural thing in the world.

We head down to the car, and as we’re driving, I point things out to her. “There's a smaller, clear blue that’s perfect for swimming if you’re okay with the spring-fed water being frigid.” Beyond that, an old stone bridge connects us to the neighboring estate, more heavily wooded and wild-looking. “My father has wanted to buy that property for years,” I tell her, and Hannah raises her eyebrow. “He talks about expanding, moving out here for retirement, building a stable...you know how it is––dads and their constant planning.”

She nods knowingly. “So why doesn’t he? It seems a great area to retire in.”

“I guess the neighbors aren’t interested in selling. At least, not to him.” We’re quiet for a moment, and then I glance overat her. Hannah’s face is glowing in the sunlight, her bright eyes taking in the scenery, and her lips parted as she breathes deeply. “Hannah?”

“Yeah?”

“Would you consider a place like this as a second residence?” Her eyes go round, and she turns to look at me. “Not here, exactly, but someplace quiet. Quaint. For the future?”

She looks startled, and I wonder if I’ve gone too far. I could punch myself for letting the words slip out–we just slept together for the first time hours ago, dammit! Still…Hannah’s been a part of my life for a very long time. That’s got to account for something, right?

“Johan, I….” She’s shaking her head, and my stomach sinks. Shit. I’ve pushed too far. “Should we be talking about all this? That’s crazy, right? I mean, we just had sex, and now we’re talking about the future….” She twists the fabric of her shirt in her fingers nervously. “I don’t want to ruin this good thing we’ve got going. But….”

My hands clench and unclench on the steering wheel, and I’m desperate to burn off some of this nervous energy. “But what?”

“But on the other hand, I want to talk about it. It feels right. I’m just not sure that it is,” Hannah admits. “I mean, do you really see us...together for the long haul? I know you said you’re all in–thatwe’reall in–but discussing the future is even more serious than that.”

My initial instinct is to backtrack, maybe make a joke, and take the heaviness out of the conversation. Except…I don’t think that’s the right move. I don’t like lying to this precious woman who has bared herself body and soul to me.

Bloody hell. Well, in for a penny, in for a pound. If I’ve freaked her out, I might as well be totally honest. We’ve come this far, after all. As I keep my eyes on the road and turn left,I casually say, “Well, I might have been picturing an eventual future together since that day in your grandmother’s office.”

Her breath hitches, and her eyes grow wider still. All she can say is my name. “Johan.”

I take one hand off the steering wheel, holding it up. “I don’t want to pressure you or scare you, but yes. I want this. A lot. I want us.”

The rhythm of the conversation halts when I pull over into a parking spot near the garden entrance. It’s mostly deserted and serene, and it looks like we’ll have a fair portion of it to ourselves. That is…if the things I just said aren’t going to send her running for the hills.

While Hannah and I aren’t strangers to heartfelt, difficult conversations, the fact that we’re having one now, right after sleeping together, is a huge step forward. She hasn’t said anything since I last spoke, maybe two minutes ago, but those minutes feel like hours. Eternities, even, I should let her take her time, not rush her, but Hannah makes me reckless and impatient. So, like the fool I am, I press on anyway. “Do you want it too?”

Hannah inhales deeply, filling her lungs until her chest puffs out before slowly releasing the air through her pursed lips. Gathering herself, maybe. But her answer is one I would have waited forever for if she would have wanted me to.

“Johan, that’s what I’ve always wanted. It’s everything. But…where do we go from here? Back at Cambridge, there are so many obstacles….Astrid, of course. Conrad. Our families, eventually. My, um…tendency to have sticky fingers…” She waves her hands, quickly adding, “Which I’m completely done with, of course! Just…are you sure?”

“Yes,” I tell her firmly. My days with Astrid are officially done. If I’m being honest, I could make the cut a little cleaner and tie up some loose ends. It wasn’t as clean of a split as I’dhave liked, but I’ll fix that the second my feet step back on the soil of campus. “It’s you and me, Hannah. Completely.”

Her face softens, and she smiles at me, which lights my heart on fire. Again, all she can say is my name, but within those two syllables is a world of feelings. “Johan.”

“I love hearing you say my name.” God, I’m getting hard for her again already, and we haven’t even gotten out of the car. Just watching her lips shape the sounds might do me in. “You've gotten inside of me, Hannah. In my mind and heart. I feel like I can do anything, be anything, so long as you’re here. You make me feel bigger than life.”

It’s a huge confession, but I’ll be damned if I don’t mean every bit of it. Hannah touches my face, the gentle tips of her fingers skimming over my cheek. “You’ve made me very happy too. I just don’t want us to get ahead of ourselves and screw this up. I’ve wanted this…you…forever, and now that you’re saying everything I’ve ever dreamed of, I don’t want to ruin it.”

“How could we possibly ruin this?” I sweep my arms out in a grand motion, encompassing her and me and even the sunset on the horizon.

“What happens if it doesn’t work out?” she asks softly. “I’m not sure I could stand it. Not after the pain of accepting that I’d never have you and then suddenly getting this second chance.”

“Hannah, Ipromiseyou, this is going to work out. It’s us, darling. Just you and me.”

She bites her lip and then nods. Hannah looks resolved, leans forward, and kisses the corner of my mouth. “Okay. We can figure this out, right?”

“Absolutely. Just take it one day at a time.”

“I can handle that,” she says and kisses me again. “For now, show me the garden.”

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