Page 53 of Hannah.

I lay Hannah down carefully but with all of my intentions clear. I take her wrists in one of my hands, stretch her hands above her head, and hover over her, kissing her until she's breathless beneath me. “I’m going to show you everything I’ve imagined doing to you,” I say, voice gravelly with desire.

I release her long enough to pull my shirt over my head, throwing it aside before lowering back down to her once more. Hannah's hands roam my bare chest, her palms pressing to mypecs and then my shoulders. Her touch is soft, her skin smooth, and the feel of her hands on my skin is a thousand times better than anything I could have dreamed.

My mouth finds the line of her jaw, kissing and licking my way down the column of her neck. The urge to mark her is strong; the desire to have her bear my possession is visceral, but I restrain myself. Instead, I nip lightly, teasing her skin and reveling in the way she gasps.

I work my hands under her shirt, helping her slither out of the sweatshirt and leaving her in just a bralette. It’s black and contrasts with the pale expanse of her skin, but as hot as it is, I want what is under the fabric so much more.

Sliding my fingers under the edge of the fabric, I wait for her to arch her back so I can continue to undress her. But for the first time tonight, Hannah hesitates, and I notice.

I drop my hands and run them down her sides instead, holding her gaze as I pull my lips from her skin. “Are you okay?”

“Yeah, eh, I just…” Hannah, face bright with lust, looks away from me, and my stomach twists.

“Just what?” I insist, searching her averted gaze for an answer. “I can stop what we were doing if you’re unsure.”

She shakes her head and reaches towards my face. “It’s nothing. Forget it.”

I let her touch me, but I don't give in when she tries to pull me back down. “Hannah. Tell me. You can trust me.”

She bites her bottom lip nervously, hands wandering over my chest once more. Finally, she inhales and asks, “Are you sure you won’t be mad?”

“Positive.”

Now she sucks in a breath, and her confession comes out fast, “I’ve never gone this far with anyone else before.”

“Oh.” Her admission catches me off guard, but it makes sense. Hannah's always been private and reserved. There's asecond of possessive triumph in me, but I know it isn't the response she needs from me right now. “Seriously?”

She nods, her mouth turning down at the corners. “Did I just ruin this?”

“Of course not,” I answer immediately.

“Are you sure?” She wets her lips, looking at me in a different way. “I still want you, you know….”

I can’t believe how lucky I am. How did I get here, in bed with her? Looking at her in the lamplight, waiting for my touch, my kiss, I know one thing for sure—my modest apartment in Cambridge is not the place for something as important as Hannah losing her virginity. It’s like those damn Cartier bags—she’s too classy, too special. She deserves the world.

“I also want you,” I rumble, nudging her jaw with my nose until she turns her head and I can kiss that sweet spot on her neck that makes her gasp. “What if we spend the weekend away, just the two of us?”

Her next words feel like a bucket of cold water. “What if Astrid finds out?”

“She and I are not in a relationship,” I remind her. “We are just friends.”

“I know, but…” she sighs, pausing for a beat. “But she has feelings for you, and if she finds out….”

“That's why we leave,” I insist, looking her in the eye. “So we're alone, away from all of this. Just the two of us, Hannah, imagine it.” There's a stiffness in her body, a hesitation that I hate. I suck at her pulse point on her neck, moving slowly down, convincing her with my hands and mouth since my words aren't working. Waiting for her approval, I’m moving down her neck to her collarbone and then across her chest, leaving wet kisses on the skin peeking out over her bralette.

When Hannah finally moans, “Okay,” I’m so relieved.

I pull back long enough to murmur, “Yes?”

“Yes. Fine. We can go away for the weekend.”

I’m grinning from ear to ear, and my smile must look ridiculous. “This weekend, then. We'll have an adventure. And you won’t regret it.”

That's enough talking for now, and I claim her mouth with mine once more, telling myself that we won’t take this far tonight. But I can't get enough of simply kissing her like this, skin to skin, the softness of her breasts pressed to my chest.

The thought of making her mine, truly and completely, has me half hard and aching for her already. And with Hannah's moans of pleasure, her body squirming underneath mine, I don't have the willpower to pull away.

So I don't. She might not be able to stay much longer, but while I have her, I will make the most of every second.

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