Page 70 of Hannah.

“I never thought I’d have the chance to bring you here,” Johan whispers, his voice husky with emotion. “And yet...here you are.”

“Here I am,” I echo, feeling a profound connection to this place and to him. The moment feels timeless as if the world has paused just for us.

Slowly, carefully, he turns to me. His fingers reach up, pushing a strand of hair out of my face and cupping my cheek. Silence stretches between us, long and charged, and my mind is filled with the million questions I’ve been trying to hold back. It’s so beautiful here; everything is so romantic, but my thoughts keep circling back to one thing.

Are we going to have sex tonight? Am I ready?

Johan smiles, the expression gentle, and I see him lean in closer. He's going to kiss me, and this time, I know that there's no stopping him, no interruptions, and no one around to witness. It’s just him, me, and the stars.

I lean into him, ready to taste him again, and his lips brush mine softly. His arms come around my waist, and he holds me tightly, kissing me tenderly. Then his hand slides down my neck, along my shoulder and hip, and finally rests on the small of my back. I feel the heat of his hand seeping through the fabric, making me shudder.

Johan's kisses grow hotter, his teeth nip at my lower lip, and his fingers dig into my skin. There's no doubt in my mind what he wants, and the molten sensation coursing through me makes it clear that I crave it just as much. New things don't usually scare me—I’m usually the most adventurous of my siblings, but this is different. Besides going to Cambridge, I can't remember anything I have wanted as badly as Johan.

He breaks the kiss slowly, sliding his nose against mine and kissing the corner of my mouth before separating.

“Come on,” Johan tells me, his voice low and warm. “Let’s finish that wine, and then we'll head up to the bedroom. What do you say?”

“Sounds good,” I manage, despite feeling the weakness in my knees.

After a while, Johan guides me back down into the rose garden, stopping by the terrace to grab the half-empty bottle of wine and two glasses. We then sit outside on a porch swing, and Johan pours each of us a glass and then settles back. The swing gently rocks us as we sip our wine, basking in the magic of the night.

“What a beautiful night,” I breathe, looking up at the sky in amazement. “You can really see the stars here.”

Johan chuckles. “One of the many reasons I love this place so much is that the beach is only a mile away, so sometimes, you can hear the waves if you listen carefully.”

I close my eyes and concentrate, and sure enough, I can faintly hear the waves. Smiling, I lean over and put my head on his shoulder. Johan is still for a moment before his arm comes around my shoulder and pulls me tighter.

“You’re so beautiful, Hannah,” he tells me softly.

Heat burns my cheeks, both from the compliment and the wine. “Thanks. You’re not so bad yourself.”

He finishes his glass and sets it aside, motioning for me to do the same. I down the rest of the red and sit my glass on the ground next to the swing. When I pivot back to face Johan, he’s already there, cupping my face and pulling me in for a kiss that is so much more heated than the one we shared earlier.

His tongue brushes my lower lip, and when I part them, he delves deeper, tasting me. His tongue strokes against mine and sends a lightning bolt of arousal shooting through my body.

Before I realize it, Johan has his hands on my hips, pulling me into his lap. Instinctively, I straddle him, feeling his erection pressing against me. Johan groans and breaks the kiss, staring up at me with eyes full of heat.

Johan takes things slow, his hands stroking up and down my thighs, over the curve of my hips, and his thumb brushing against the underside of my breasts. Part of me wants him to take us upstairs already, but the other part wants to luxuriate in this moment and the feeling of his lips ghosting over my jawbone.

“I’ve imagined doing this so many times,” he murmurs, his voice husky. “This is perfect.”

My hands fist in his shirt, and I lean into him, feeling the cool air brushing against my heated cheeks. He kisses a path to my neck, barely making contact with his lips until he finds a spot he likes, marking it with his tongue and teeth and making my breathing hitch.

Johan lifts his head, his eyes dark and full of desire. “It’s getting a little cold out here. Want to go inside and continue this?”

All I can do is nod. His words and the intent behind them have stolen mine.

Johan picks me up and sets me on my feet, then stands, gathering the wine glasses and empty bottle, and leads the way back into the cottage.

The whole way back, he’s touching me, his fingers grazing my elbow, the small of my back, and he cups my ass briefly. By the time we're in the master bedroom, my entire body is tingling and aching for his touch.

Johan is on me, all around me, using his body to corral me until my shoulders hit the bedroom door. He grabs one of my legs and hooks it around his waist, and as if we’re on the same wavelength, I immediately pull him closer with it until our hips are flush. Johan grinds himself against my heated core, and when I close my eyes to suck in a breath, I see a million stars.

Oh, it’s going to be a long night.

20

Hannah

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