Page 6 of Accepting Love

“I can feel your power.”

I don’t know if this is a good thing or a bad thing, but I’m kind of glad. “I’m feeling extremely helpless right now, Hannah. My instinct is to gather you up in my arms and reassure you that nothing has to change just because we accidentally met in real life.”

“My instinct is to let you, but that scares me to death.”

I nod and then tentatively reach out to slowly clasp her hand in mine. Her fingers are cold. I bet they weren’t cold while she was playing the piano. I stroke her knuckles with my thumb when she doesn’t pull away.

She’s breathing heavily. “I’m not Little in my real life.”

She’s wrong, but I don’t point that out. She’s so Little right now that it’s thick in the air.

“Or maybe you’re not a pianist in your real life,” I tease, hoping to lighten the mood.

She gasps, her eyes wide, mouth falling open.

I’ve struck a nerve.

She jerks her gaze down.

“I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have said that.”

She shakes her head. “No. You’re right. I’ve thought that many times in the past few years. It’s just shocking to hear someone say it out loud.”

I need strength to handle this carefully. “I understand now why you’re so private at the club and why you turned me down when I suggested we go out.”

“I never should have joined the club. It was too risky. This is exactly what I feared.”

I squeeze her hand. “Hey, I know you’re shocked and panicking, but nothing has changed.”

She jerks her gaze to mine again. “Everything has changed. Do you have any idea how I’m feeling right now?” Luckily she continues without needing a response. “My worlds have collided.”

I suck in a breath. Those are the exact words I thought when I first saw her face.

“People expect things from me. I have a public persona to uphold. I can’t be seen as weak. I can’t be Little.”

“Nothing about you is weak, Hannah, and I feel sad that you obviously work so hard to deny yourself something you crave just to appease other people.”

She glares at me. “You don’t understand. How could you?”

She’s right.

She jerks her hand out of my grasp, scoots the bench back, and rises.

I want to drop my forehead down onto the bench seat as soon as she steps away. I hate the distance she puts between us. I rise but don’t move from my spot as I watch her hurry over to the windows. I doubt she’s seeing anything outside. I know I’m not.

My focus is on her and how she’s wrapped her arms around herself. How her hair is still lying down her back in perfect waves. I’ve stroked that hair before in a parallel universe. I’ve spanked the curved bottom I’m seeing. I’ve felt her heat even though I’ve never reached between her legs.

I’ve held her down when she has squirmed across my knees. I’ve experienced the swell of her breasts on my thighs. I know the scent of her arousal. I know the color of her favorite panties.

My chest is tight. My God, I’ve wanted her for a long time. If I could just…

“What do you think of the room?” she asks in a different voice. “The acoustics suck. I know it needs insulation or panels or something. Maybe a lower ceiling. I hate to lose these windows if I can help it. The view is amazing.”

I close the distance she’s put between us because I can’t stop myself, and I don’t want to. “Hannah…”

She glances at me when I step next to her. “You can’t call me that either. It sucks me into Little space. I can’t be her when I’m not at the club.”

I nod. “Would you like me to call you Carolina?”

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