Page 10 of Opening Hearts

Chapter Five

Hannah’s phone buzzed with a text alert from Matt.

I’m here.

Excitement bubbled up in her chest, now stronger than the slight case of nerves she still felt before seeing him after spending the last few days together. “Alright, I’m going. Be back later tonight.”

Elena’s mom, Paola, looked up from the magazine she was reading at the kitchen table. “Okay. When should we expect you?”

“Um, midnight?”

Paola narrowed her eyes, and Hannah shot a glare at Elena, who snorted on the couch.

“Doesn’t this boy have to work?” Paola’s voice pulled Hannah’s attention back to her.

“Yeah. So, um, eleven?”

Paola stared a moment longer before shaking her head. “I’m fine with midnight as long as he’s okay with staying out that late when he has to be up early. If you need a ride, just give us a call, and we’ll come get you.”

Hannah flashed a grin and settled her tote bag on her shoulder. “I won’t, but thanks.” It was the same thing that Paola had said the last few days when Matt came to pick her up. Yesterday she hadn’t let Hannah leave until Matt came in and met both of Elena’s parents. They said that since Hannah was spending so much time with Matt they needed to meet him. He’d been charming and sweet, chatting with Elena’s family for almost an hour before they left. Now that he had Paola and Marcos’s stamp of approval, they were willing to let Hannah stay out later.

With a wave to Elena, she sped out the door, the little niggle of guilt for abandoning her friend for the third day in a row quickly overwhelmed by her excitement at seeing Matt waiting for her next to his truck.

He greeted her with a smile and a kiss, his fingers sliding under her tank top. She wrapped her arms around his neck, losing herself in the pressure of his lips on hers and his tongue sweeping into her mouth to slide against her own. It was amazing how quickly she’d gotten used to this level of physical intimacy, but she had no complaints.

A growl rumbled in Matt’s chest.

Nope. No complaints whatsoever.

He pulled back, his hands still on her hips. “Mmm. It’s good to see you too. But we shouldn’t do much more of that in the parking lot. Otherwise, I might not be able to stop.”

Hannah’s cheeks heated, but she smiled at him. “Oh, really? Well, then, we better get somewhere else.”

He raised an eyebrow at her, but she just laughed and stepped away from him, reaching for the handle of the passenger door.

His hand covered hers on the handle. “Hey. That’s my job.”

She pulled her hand back, giving him another smile, and he pulled the door open for her. Stuffing her bag behind the seat like usual, she climbed in. They’d given up the pretense of surf lessons after the second day, but she still brought along a towel and a bathing suit in case they decided to go play in the water at some point.

Matt climbed in on his side and started the truck. “So, what do you want to do today?”

Hannah shrugged. “I don’t care. I just want to spend time with you.”

Matt’s nostrils flared as he sucked in a breath and his eyes grew heated. “That sounds perfect to me.” He pulled out of the parking spot and maneuvered his way onto the main road, taking them toward town.

When he turned onto a back highway surrounded by dense trees going away from town and the beaches they’d been to the last few days, Hannah turned to look at him. “Where are we going?”

He glanced at her, flipping on his turn signal and slowing to make a right turn onto a smaller road. “My house. Is that okay?”

Hannah looked around some more. The trees gave way to driveways here and there. “Sure. That’s fine.” She swallowed, pausing. “Um, will anyone else be home?”

He shook his head and pulled into a driveway. “No. My dad’s working the swing shift at the harbor, and my mom has book club tonight. She’ll be gone for hours.” He pulled into a graveled area with weeds poking up through the rocks off to one side of the driveway in front of a slate blue one-story house. The yard was bordered by a variety of trees, all varying shades of green. This whole area was so green and lush, much different from the arid Columbia River Valley area where Hannah lived. She couldn’t get enough of the green.

Matt killed the engine. “I thought we could watch a movie and hang out. Sound okay?”

“Sounds great.”

Matt smiled, his neutral face dissolving into happiness at her answer. “Great.”

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