Page 9 of Hank

"Take care of me."

Just saying those four words sent a surge of relief flooding through her body. And Hank was there, holding her tight when the weight of responsibility left her shoulders, and she collapsed against him. Had it always been that heavy? She’d had no idea—not until it had been lifted. She took in a shallow breath, waiting for everything to come crashing down on her. Why hadn’t she done this a long time ago?

Simple.

Hank hadn’t been there to catch her.

"Ah, sweetness," he murmured into her hair, before pulling her onto his lap. "I’ve got you."

Hank gently urged her to lay back in his hold, then began a slow unbuttoning of her sweater. Her heart lurched at how the concentration on that one task drew his brows together. Like it was the most important thing to him in the world.

How could it be, when his own need was digging into her ass?

However Hank managed it, wasn’t something she could dwell on, not when the sides of her sweater fell open. Watching how his lips parted and nostrils flared, made her feel like she had on something other than hersounsexy, plain, white bra. A grin kicked up one side of his mouth when he fingered the front clasp.

"Convenient," he murmured. "Let’s see." With a quiet snap, the cups fell to her sides and his grin disappeared.

"Jo." The reverent way he said her named matched the awe in his eyes as they focused where his fingers brushed over one distended nipple.

"Hank," she whimpered, while her hand between their bodies clutched at his shirt, then held tight.

"It’s okay," he said, his eyes flashing to hers as those same fingers trailed down her abdomen to the button on her jeans, her clit pounding harder and harder when he popped it loose and lowered the zipper.

Rough fingertips skimmed across her panty line, sending her emotions rioting as much as her pulse. Then her body clenched in anticipation when his hand slid inside the barrier of her panties into what she knew from her own fingers to be damp, smooth, bare skin.

"Ohhh…" she shuddered out. Her own fingers had never felt like this.

"Shhh…" Thenheshuddered when his big fingers furrowed between her lower lips and spread them apart, forcing the nub centered there out. The first brush of his now wet fingers over that piece of flesh had her melting into his hold.

"That’s right," he whispered, while all she could do was hold her breath to keep from crying out at how good it felt.

"Breathe, sweetness," he murmured, and she tried to, she really did. But then his fingers went lower to her opening, and she held it in again when one finger entered her, nearly bringing her off his lap.

"Jesus," he groaned. "You’re so tight, and…" His finger slowly dragged in and out, and she couldn’t keep from moving with it, while the heel of his hand ground against her clit. "Wet." Another finger joined the other.

Filling her.

Stretching her.

Fucking her.

"So good," she moaned, finally breathing—but harsh and panting—while her free hand went to his upper arm and twisted the fabric there in her fingers. Losing herself in the sensations he created, her hips worked in time with his hand, her body straining when his fingers went deeper.

It was too much as her eyes fluttered shut on his intense, hard features and the furor of response building at her center blossomed. And then she wasthere.

Tingling heat coursed through her bucking, gasping body, while a riot of sensation took hold and launched her from Hank’s hold to someplace else. Higher and higher she went, her body transforming into one solid pulse of pleasure that hovered inside a blinding light, until she slowly floated back down.

And there was Hank, waiting for her, holding her, his fingers gently stroking her overly sensitive flesh until she was sweaty, limp, and smiling. And so relaxed she couldn’t move.

"Thank you," she breathed out, then managed to open her eyes and make her fingers let go of his shirt sleeve.

"You’re welcome," he said grinning down at her—though it came across as strained. "I feel likeIshould be thankingyou." The touch of his tender gaze roaming over her face had her mind and heart going into that whole, he could be her forever mode.

Great sex doesn’t equal love or forever.

She knew this.

It didn’t make it any easier to drive that knowledge home.

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