She hadn’t known back then that people were the worst monsters.
—
Hannah whistled and waited for Winnie to lope over to the pasture fence as the roar of Lexie’s motorcycle dwindled into the distance. Her last student had left hours ago, all chores were done. Winnie chuffed and snorted. Hannah dug in her pocket for a sugar cube and held out two closed fists beneath Winnie’s muzzle, playing their guess-which-hand game.
It had only been a few days since she’d seen Stephen, but still…it bothered her that she hadn’t talked to him. Of course he didn’t have her number, her own choice. But she couldn’t help wondering…would he have called her if he did have it? Did men call women after a date? If they were dating? How many dates meant you were dating?
He wasn’t a boy looking for a girlfriend. He was a man, looking for…she had no idea. “What do you think, Winnie? You’re a girl. What would a man like that be looking for?” Physically, she wasn’t even sure what she had to offer. She had no idea when she’d be ready. If she’d ever be ready. She’d just barely crossed the hurdle of dating, kissing. But she wanted to kiss him again.
Because she was ready or because it was Stephen?
She gave Winnie a few more minutes of love before returning to the barn office. With the calendar spread before her, she marked her new student’s first appointment for next Tuesday and her gaze landed on the day before it. D-Day. She’d received another official letter from the city, this one giving her a date and time to state her case.
She’d researched governments taking private land and found a lot on eminent domain. The way she understood it, they would have to prove that taking her land was necessary for the good of the state or community. She’d been instructed to bring any and all legal documents, but her name wasn’t actually on the deed. She figured they knew that. Even so, she’d gone through everything left in the house, pulled out and looked at every scrap of paper. There was nothing about a will. No mention of any lawyer. But she still had a case. She still had Mr. Bradley’s letter.
Absently, she circled the date five days out, around and around, making the black line of ink thicker. She still hadn’t told Lexie, and she sure as hell hadn’t told her brothers. There was a certain empowerment in handling it herself, mixed in with the doubt and fear. What she did here was important. She’d make them see that. More important than any road or whatever they wanted the property for.
Of course, if the worst happened she’d have to tell everyone because she’d be moving.
Even Stephen? Would she need to tell him?
The sound of a motorcycle had her smiling. Lexie always forgot something. Taking one last glance at the calendar, she stood and went to meet Lexie. “What’d you forget?” She stepped out of the office with a grin, and walked right into the wall that was Stephen’s chest.
Chapter 14
With a squeak of shock, Hannah’s hands flew up to grip his biceps, and he caught her around the waist. “You have a motorcycle?”
“I have a lot of things.”
“What are you doing here?”
“Had a girl I needed to kiss.” And see and touch. He’d only been back in town a few hours. Hadn’t planned it. Couldn’t explain it. “Any students here?”
She shook her head. “No.”
“Brothers?” His hands slid lower down her back.
Her breath came faster. “Um…no.”
Her eyes were wide on his, their bodies flush chest to thigh, and he couldn’t remember ever being this happy to be back from a trip. His fingers grazed her cheek, then slid around until he cupped the back of her neck. “Anyone at all I should worry about?”
“Worry about?”
He covered her mouth in answer, savored the softness of her lips under his. She’d been skittish and shy when they last parted, so he went slow, and he felt the exact second she let go and relaxed into him. She smelled sweet and fresh, like vanilla and honey. Felt even better as her fingers slid up and into his hair, her breasts pressed against his chest. Maybe he hadn’t lost as much ground as he’d feared.
He continued loving her mouth, sliding his tongue against hers. When she sighed and slipped more fully into his arms, he walked her back into an empty stall, took his time, kissed her like he wanted to. Like he’d thought way too much about. And, holy hell, kissing her shouldn’t make him this hot, not in all the places he was now burning. He deepened the kiss, tightened his grip at her neck and waist. The kiss was hot and hard and when he lifted his head, he found her eyes were still closed.
“So damn sweet.” Which only made him want her more.
She blinked up at him, eyes dazed, looking every bit like a girl who’d been thoroughly kissed. “It’s hard to breathe around you.”
“Is that a good thing?”
“I don’t know.”
She smiled up at him and he was nearly knocked off his feet. This quiet, unassuming girl was going to kill him. He took a deep breath and forced himself to step back. “Let’s go for a ride.”
“On a horse?”
Stephen half laughed, half groaned, thinking of the kind of ride he really wanted, and dropped a kiss on her nose. “Yes. We need to do something with you standing here sexy as hell, your mouth all red and shiny.” It was either ride or go home and take a cold shower. Of course, a ride might be damn uncomfortable at the moment.
He let her step away, knowing his attention clearly baffled her. He liked that too. “I’ll ride Roma.”