Flirting With Desire (Contemporary Romance) Complete Collection (12 page)

“Anything I can do to make the aches go away?” he asked, stretching on his side next to her. Hanna’s body began to come alive when she felt his hand push back her collar with a gentle brush of his fingers. He slowly rubbed on her shoulder, digging softly into the flesh. She closed her eyes and sighed. She felt drowsy but she’d been sleeping so much already. Squirming, she edged closer to his solid frame, nestling her face against his neck. Her lips parted and she gave the strong, corded flesh at his throat a slight lick.

Damian groaned low in his chest. “What are you doing?”

“Making you want me,” she said factually. She could no longer deny it to herself least of all him. A part of her had worried if he still found her as irresistible, or even attractive.

“Hanna, I don’t want to take advantage of you. Not in your condition,” he said, his voice slightly hoarse. He stroked her shoulder. “Rest now.”

Hanna wanted to say something lippy, such as telling him he should be worried she’d take advantage of
him.
She pouted, but let him pull her into his arms chastely, his chin settling on the top of her head. “Much as I’d like to go against my better judgment, you simply aren’t strong enough,” he added gently, kissing her hair gently and then ordering her once again to sleep. Surprisingly she did, almost in an instant.

Wonderful smells came from the kitchen when Hanna woke up. She saw that the room had dimmed slightly. She followed her nose and found Damian in the kitchen, busy prepping vegetables. Something divinely delicious was cooking in the oven and she inhaled with appreciation. Working her shoulders slightly to loosen them, Hanna stretched her right arm over the kitchen bar as she sat down.

“Whatever you’re preparing smells delicious. I’m starved,” she said, realizing she meant it. The hospital food hadn’t exactly been inspiring.

“Good. Hope you like pork chops,” he said as he finished with the salad.

“Mmmm, definitely like pork chops,” she said with an enthusiastic nod. She watched in amazement as Damian worked the kitchen, moving like he whipped up delicious meals all the time. Watching him was a delight and she shook her head realizing how much more there was to him that she’d yet discovered.

After eating Damian suggested they retire to the living room. Hanna settled in the couch next to him but thanks to her bruised side could hardly get comfortable as she shuffled on her side. She knew she needed the pain pills again but didn’t want them because they put her out so fast. She’d find herself laughing at any little thing and she’d feel like a twat acting that way around Damian.

Hanna was sure Damian could tell she was in pain and felt him put his arm around her gently, tucking her into his side. “You know the pills are actually good for you,” he said lightly as if he’d read her thoughts. Hanna shrugged and made a noncommittal sound.

“Or you could simply kiss the spot and make it better,” she suggested, eyes lifting hopefully to his. He chuckled and shook his head.

“You and I both know it’s not going to stop at kissing, so don’t even start,” Damian said. But he did tip her chin up and pressed his lips against hers gently. Hanna purred, closing her eyes and opening her mouth. He groaned, pulling his lips away from hers and began to kiss the length of her neck. Hanna’s pain was forgotten for a few moments as she began to release short, soft moans. Her one available hand caressed his back beneath his shirt, navigating his toned muscles and reveling in each hard sinew.

“Touch me, Damian. Please.”

His breath snagged, and he tenderly cupped her right breast over her top. His mouth worked its way along her collar bone and down between her neckline. Hanna held her breath as his fingertips brushed over her nipple. She could feel him hard against her thigh and that made her moan louder. But before she had the chance to reach for him there, he gripped her wrist and stopped her.

“Enough, Hanna,” he said, his tone rigid. She stared up at him and saw his cheekbones flush as if with anger and some other emotion. Hanna felt like an idiot.

“I’m sorry.” She exhaled and sat back, wincing slightly as the pain hit in full force.

“Don’t be,” he said more gently. Without another word he
rose and left the room, returning with a glass of water and a pill from the ones the hospital had given her.

She thanked him softly and swallowed the water and pill down, knowing there’d be some time before they took effect. They watched TV but Hanna felt drowsy. She barely felt Damian’s warm, gentle kiss on her temple or his fingers combing back her hair from her cheek, a strange look on his face she’d have found hard to describe if she’d seen it.

*

After two more days recuperating and being confined to the house, Hanna couldn’t help feeling restless. She knew that there was an investigation going on into the accident but she didn’t believe they’d be stuck at home because of some imagined threat. Okay, maybe not exactly imagined but still, she didn’t like the idea of being cooped up.

“We could go for a drive if you want,” Damian suggested, his small smile indulgent when she suggested they do something outdoors for a change.

“But what about, you know,” she said hesitantly. She thought it was commendable that Damian had no problem going behind the wheel again after what happened. But would it be safe?

He seemed to read her mind, and said, “You have nothing to worry about. No one will get the chance to come within a foot of us and we’ll certainly not be in any danger. My father hired top-flight security and even though you won’t be able to see them or notice them, they’ll be in the background at all times because it’s part of their job to be inconspicuous.”

“Great,” Hanna said enthusiastically, as she jumped to her feet. “Because I was thinking of rustling up a picnic.”

Getting outside again felt like a great treat. Damian drove them around town and they even rode by the wrecking yard where Damian’s totaled Audi had been taken. Hanna shook her head in amazement that they’d got out alive or that they weren’t more hurt than they had been.

Damian then decided that since she wanted a picnic they could have it at the nearby lake. When they arrived, Hanna’s delight increased when she took in the scenery. The slight breeze coming off the water was chilly, but she loved the nip in
the air. She felt more grateful to be alive in that moment. As Hanna walked closer to the shore she felt Damian place his jacket over her shoulders and she turned to him with a grateful smile. Then she watched him grab a handful of rocks and began to send them skipping across the water.

“Chet called me earlier today,” Hanna began, and saw Damian stiffen as he turned to look at her. She shrugged. “He was worried about me. He heard about the accident from my brother. My family doesn’t really know that I’ve broken up with him. Anyway, he got the number of the house from my brother and we talked a bit. He said he came by the hospital but for some reason, wasn’t allowed to see me. And that he was told only close family
were allowed – even when he explained our connection. Would you know anything about that?”

“I have nothing to do with hospital policy, Hanna,” Damian said lightly, before dropping the rocks in his hands and brushing the dust off. “But if I had my way, Chet wouldn’t get to come close to you. I’m not sure you understand that no one can be trusted, not until I find out who pulled the stunt with my car.”

Hanna felt suddenly put off by his controlling tone. “I can’t let you babysit me forever. And I promise I don’t hold the accident against you. I just want to get my life back. My friends, my family…”

“I’m not keeping you away from any of them. They can get to you whenever they want,” Damian said stiffly.

“Like you let Chet get to me?” Hanna asked with a slight tilt of her head. She knew he had something to do with Chet being kept from seeing her, no matter how much he tried to beat around the subject. She stared at him and wished she could see deeper into his heart. “Damian, I don’t understand why you have to be in control
all
the time. I didn’t sign up for that level of power exchange. I’m not exactly sure what I did sign up for. Your girlfriend, lover, submissive?”

“I never knew you were the type to put much stock in labels.” Damian’s thick dark brow cocked in her direction. “It’s enough that I want you in my life. I know I can be good for you. You’re certainly good for me.”

He took her hand, and brought it to rest on his chest. Now they only had inches separating them and Hanna’s throat suddenly went dry. How could she go from being angry at him to panting with heated need for him to possess her?

“I know I’ve been holding back in a lot of ways,” he said, his other hand trailing over the side of her face. “Especially since the accident and not getting to touch you. Does my kitten feel neglected?”

Hanna’s cheeks grew rosy. Why did he have to make this about sex? Did he think she was all antsy because he’d refrained from touching her since she’d moved in to his place? She liked to believe she wasn’t that infantile.

“You know what, forget it,” she said in a rigid voice, turning sharply away and heading for the back of the car to get the picnic basket. She really didn’t like being made to look like an idiot – a sex-mad one at that.

His hand easily caught her wrist and he pulled her to a stop. Hanna wanted to look anywhere but at him. Without saying a word he drew her gently in his arms and leaned down closer to her face. His lips hovered inches from hers and he held her gaze piercingly. His hands fell lightly just above her hips and she quelled a wince as she felt a slight twinge on her injured side. The next moment her eyes drifted to his beautiful mouth as it moved closer, closer. His deliciously cool lips pressed against hers and she closed her eyes dreamily to let this sweet, melting kiss sink in.

In no time at all warmth had seeped from both his mouth and hers turning the kiss hot and fierce. She opened her mouth wider to him and Damian’s tongue darted deep inside to snake around hers. Still, she knew he was using restraint, felt it in the tension radiating from him. Beneath her palms resting on his chest, she felt the pound of his heart and her inner folds moistened and twittered to the beat. When he pulled his lips from hers, her eyes were still closed and her mouth parted remained parted in panting expectation.

“I think of your sweet body every single minute we’re together,” he murmured softly against the corner of her mouth. “But then I think of what you had to go through and I feel more and more like you’re my responsibility. I tell myself I need to be sensible and put my desires on the back burner. On the other hand…it’s obvious you’ve got all this energy that needs channeling. I’m beginning to consider the fact that if I’m very, very careful, we could…”

He didn’t finish, his lips lifting at the corner in a decidedly wicked smile that stirred the molten droplets slicking up the V between her legs. Hanna wanted to moan as her nipples grew in size till they pushed restlessly against the inner cup of her bra. “Were you serious about those security agents? I mean about them watching us even without being seen?”

Damian’s dark eyes twinkled. “Yes. So unless you don’t mind having an audience, I suggest we save the raunchy stuff for back in the house and just enjoy our picnic.”

Hanna’s face had a playfully disappointed look. “And there I was looking forward to my first foray into outdoors sex,” she teased.

The resultant flash of fire in Damian’s eyes left Hanna breathless. “Now that’s a definite top priority on the to-do list,” Damian said approvingly, his gaze growing hooded in the way that convinced Hanna she only had to voice out her fantasies and he’d see to it that they found fulfillment one after the other…

*

Hanna woke up to a lonely bed again and sighed. Judging from the time on the clock by the bed as well as the warmth of the sheets next to her, it wasn’t that long Damian had risen from her side. Images of the time they’d spent making love had her cheeks growing hot along with the parts of her still aching from his attentions. They hadn’t had actual sex, but did everything else that could be close enough to be labeled as such. Hanna figured he was still worried about hurting her
hip which still had a fading, painful bruise. Aah, but his tongue, fingers and lips had more than made up for it. She loved getting oral from such a skilled, dedicated lover and being who she was, had no qualms returning the favor which she believed she’d done to his maximum satisfaction.

However, he never stayed the night in her bed and she wondered if that was simply one of his means of staying detached, keeping some distance. In a way, the fact that
she took note of his absences and that it affected her made her wonder why she had to be so needy. Hadn’t she vowed she wanted nothing from Damian?

Unable to go back to sleep, she walked downstairs and when she didn’t see him in the living room or the kitchen, she decided she knew just where to find him: the study. If not then he’d probably be in his
bedroom which she’d never seen.

She paused at the door to his study/office, about to knock. She smiled when she looked down at her skimpy
tee-shirt which was all she’d managed to pull on. She was back in seduction mode and wondered if she could finally break down Damian’s last walls and get him to take her powerfully with his cock. Her body shivered from her mind thinking such dirty thoughts.

Goodness.

For the ever-efficient and work-driven exec assistant she normally was, she was turning into one hell of a vixen, she noted to herself as she lifted her knuckles to the closed door.