by Katie Knight
She was certain his choice of words was deliberate, and she took them as confirmation of their relationship. Or lack thereof. Regardless of what had almost happened between them, he thought of her as nothing more than a friend. She stepped toward him as if she were going to embrace him, then punched him in the shoulder instead.
“Ow!” Jake rubbed his arm as he stared at her in mock offense.
Hanna shrugged. If he was going to treat her like a little sister, she was—albeit begrudgingly—going to act like one.
“Really?” she said. “You had to swoop in and ‘save’ me?”
Jake held up his arms. “Whoa, whoa, whoa. I was just trying to help.”
“For all you know, my future husband was in that crowd, waiting to bid on me,” she said. “And now I’ll never meet him.”
“Trust me, Hanna,” Jake said, shaking his head. “Your husband was not one of the men bidding before I stepped in.”
Hanna sighed. Then where was he? She must have gone on more than a dozen first dates in the past year, and none had led to anything remotely meaningful. If she was being honest with herself, Jake Hendrix was partially to blame for that. After all, she hadn’t felt as much chemistry with anyone as she had with him. That didn’t necessarily mean she wanted to get cocktails with him, though. Not if he was going to treat her like an annoying kid sister.
Now, if he was actually interested in her, that would be a different story. If he had bid on her because he regretted rejecting her so long ago, because he actually did want to kiss her… to pull her against his chest, wrap his strong arms around her… brush the hair out of her eyes with his callused fingertips… Hanna often found herself imagining what might have happened had they followed through on that kiss. But seeing as they hadn’t, it didn’t matter.
It didn’t matter that the lavender in his tie made his green eyes mesmerizing. It didn’t matter that his broad shoulders filled out his jacket perfectly. And it didn’t matter that he had a sexy layer of scruff lining his rugged granite jaw because it was well after 5 o’clock.
At the end of the day, it didn’t matter how irresistible she found Jake because he thought of her as a little sister. Even if a couple of drinks helped to rekindle that chemistry she’d been so certain she’d felt between them and they ended up falling into bed together, she was certain that he’d regret it in the morning—and would reset their relationship back to zero. There was no way that would work for her. Hanna was not there for a one-night stand.
At least, that’s what she told herself.
In reality, it didn’t matter because Jake had already rejected her. The chemistry she’d experienced had been one-sided, and she was just fooling herself if she tried to think otherwise. Which meant even if she was open to pausing the husband hunt and following her heart instead of her head—if only for one night—Jake wouldn’t care.
“I appreciate that you’re trying to protect me from whatever creeps you think are in the audience,” she said as the reality of the situation hit her, “but I was actually looking forward to meeting someone tonight.”
“At Save the Turtles?” Jake said. “Really?”
“Why not? I’m sure there are at least a few quality men in attendance.”
Jake winked. “There’s at least one.”
Hanna rolled her eyes. “If you’re such a catch, why’d you have to spend two thousand dollars just to get a date with me?”
“I’m passionate about sea turtles,” he said with a shrug. “I wanted to make a sizable donation. The date is just an added bonus.”
The thought of going on a date with Jake, knowing full well he was merely doing her brother a favor, was more than she could bear.
“Well we don’t actually have to go on a date,” Hanna said, cutting to the chase. “I’m sure there’s a way you can withdraw your bid. Maybe I could just go on a date with the next highest bidder.”
“Negative,” Jake said. “I was standing right next to three of the ones bidding on you, and I wouldn’t trust them any further than I can throw them. Those guys were animals.”
“Look,” Hanna said, trying to keep her cool, “I wasn’t planning on catching up with an old friend tonight.” She wished the term “old friend” stung him as much as it did her. “I was hoping to make a connection with someone.” And apparently you don’t feel the connection between us, she wanted to add.
She was getting indignant. A clear sign that the whiskey she’d tossed back to gain the confidence to walk out on stage was catching up to her. She realized she had to get away from Jake fast, before she blurted out something she couldn’t take back.
As if on cue, the man who had bid nine hundred dollars approached.
“Hanna Masterson?” he asked, holding out his hand. “I’m Roy Braxton.”
“Hi, Roy,” Hanna said, giving him a coy smile. It may have been petty, but she wanted to make Jake jealous. Or at least show him that other men saw her as a vibrant woman instead of a surrogate little sister. “It’s a shame you didn’t get the winning bid.” She watched Jake from the corner of her eye for any sign of a reaction from him.
“I agree,” Roy said. He glanced at Jake, as if sizing him up. “Honestly, it all happened so fast. I’d love to buy you a drink right now, though.”
“It’s an open bar, dude.” Jake scoffed. Then, suddenly feeling territorial, he added, “And she’s with me.”
“Not by choice,” Roy said, looking to Hanna for confirmation. When she didn’t dispute the statement, he added, “Perhaps you could let us chat for a bit. She clearly doesn’t want to spend any more time with you than she has to.”
Jake wasn’t interested in a pissing contest with Roy. He knew he could take him out with a single punch, but he would never start a brawl—or finish one—at an event hosted by Brody and Natalie. He decided it was time for another drink, so he turned and headed for the bar without another word.
“Another Manhattan, please,” he said, placing his empty tumbler on the bar.
“You got it.”
Jake turned to watch the conversation between Hanna and Roy unfold as the bartender made his drink. When Hanna put her hand on Roy’s arm and started laughing, he felt his chest tighten.
And he knew it wasn’t because he was worried for her safety.
He was jealous.
When he’d rejected her kiss at that cabin in Illinois, it wasn’t because there was no chemistry between them. On the contrary, he found her incredibly attractive. She was curvy in all the right places, and her big brown eyes had an air of innocence that he found irresistible.
Jake had rejected her advances because he had just graduated from Navy Boot Camp and a distraction like Hanna—as enamored as he was with her—was the last thing he needed. He had been determined to become a SEAL from the day he’d joined the Navy, and he knew the path to finishing BUD/S was littered with obstacles that demanded his full attention.
Of course, he would never tell Hanna that desire actually had gotten the better of him for a short time that night. After the rest of the family had gone to bed, it was just he and Tyler sitting at the fire. When Tyler went out back to get the last of the logs they’d brought, Jake had tiptoed down the hall to Hanna’s room. He must have stood outside the door for two or three minutes, just considering the situation from all angles—wanting desperately to go inside, knowing he shouldn’t. When he heard Tyler come back inside, he realized he had lost his chance so he darted to the bathroom instead.
And that was it. He hadn’t seen Hanna in the five years since. But he had gone on to become a SEAL. Further proof that eliminating distractions was essential to success.
Once the bartender finished his drink, Jake took a swig and decided enough was enough. He had just spent two thousand dollars to go on a date with Hanna, and he wasn’t going to let someone else win her affection before he even got the chance to try. His animal instincts were kicking in—or was it the rye?—and all that mattered was taking her home tonight.
Hanna ha
d crossed his mind repeatedly over the past five years. And since it rarely took him more than a shower to get over a hookup, he reasoned it was because they had never actually hooked up. If he and Hanna had kissed when they’d had the opportunity, he wouldn’t have had to deal with all those nagging “what ifs” in the years since. In other words, he had to take advantage of tonight. Otherwise, he might never have another chance to get the closure that he needed to focus solely on what he did best: being a SEAL.
Jake realized if he was going to make Hanna his date for the evening, he shouldn’t return from the bar empty-handed.
“Hey, can I get a glass of sauvignon blanc, too?” he asked the bartender.
“Coming right up.”
After getting the wine, he sauntered over to Hanna and Roy with all the confidence in the world. He’d never had any problem getting—or stealing—dates, and tonight would be no different.
As he approached, he held out the glass. “You weren’t of legal drinking age the last time I saw you,” he said, winking. “But I guessed you are a white wine kind of girl.”
Hanna scrunched her brow as if she were trying to figure out his angle. A tiny scar was visible in the crease over her left eye. Jake made a note to ask how she got it once they were alone again.
“Actually,” Hanna said, “I’m a whiskey kind of girl.” She took the glass anyway, and from the eager way she began drinking it, he got the sense that Roy had already started annoying her, even if she wasn’t ready to give up on him yet.
Roy’s lips turned up in a twisted smile. Evidently he was hoping for a wild night, and he thought he’d wandered into one.
“The wine will do for now, though,” she said. “Thanks for stopping by.”
“Don’t think you can get rid of me that easily.”
“Look, man,” said Roy. “She’s clearly not interested. There’s a nice little strip club not too far from here. Mention my name—they’ll treat you right. Why don’t you head over there and let me take Hanna on a proper date? You’ll find the women there are more than happy to exchange dollars for dates.”
Roy was facing Jake, which put his back to Hanna. That meant he didn’t see the look of disgust on her face when he mentioned being well-known to a bunch of strippers. But Jake saw it. And he couldn’t help but smirk as he watched Roy’s chances with Hanna disappear even faster than the wine in Hanna’s glass. “I’m not interested in strippers,” Jake said. “And Hanna’s not interested in you.”
“Oh but I’m interested in you?” Hanna blurted. Even though she had meant to insult him, her cheeks reddened as if she had just revealed an embarrassing secret. That was all Jake needed to see.
“Yes,” he said. “You are.”
“You seriously need to back off, man,” Roy said, taking a step toward Jake. He clearly thought he had staked his claim for the evening and now saw it slipping through his fingers.
“Wait.” Hanna put her hand on Roy’s chest and turned to look at Jake. “Why do you think I’m interested in you?” She gulped the last of the wine as if she needed to brace herself for his answer.
“Because five years ago, you started something between us,” Jake said. “And tonight, I’m going to finish it.”
“Hang on,” Roy said, brushing Hanna’s hand off his chest. “You know this guy? Has he been stalking you for five years or something?”
“Of course not!” Hanna said. “I mean yes, I do know him, but he hasn’t been stalking me.”
“Well, he’s still stepping out of line.” Roy started cracking his knuckles.
“Come on, man,” Jake said. “This is a classy affair.”
Roy took off his jacket, tossed it aside, and rolled up his shirt sleeves. “I don’t care.” Apparently, he was itching to throw a punch. And Jake knew it wasn’t just because of the beer on his breath. This guy seemed like he’d be a Grade A asshole even when he was sober.
“I’m not gonna fight you, bro,” Jake said, holding up his hands. “Look, let’s just let Hanna decide, okay? She’s a smart, beautiful, independent woman. We’re both idiots for thinking we have control over who she spends the evening with. And I guarantee if we got into a fight, she wouldn’t choose to spend another minute with either one of us.” He turned toward Hanna. “Right?”
Since her mouth was agape, she could only nod. Jake chuckled. “Why do you look so surprised? I can be a gentleman.”
“You can be a dick, too.” Roy rolled his sleeves back down. “Fuck this. I don’t have to beg chicks to choose me over someone else.” He gathered his jacket, then turned and walked away, leaving Hanna staring at Jake, her mouth still opened in disbelief.
“What?” Jake said.
“Did you really mean that?” Hanna asked.
“What?”
“That I’m smart and… and beau—” She hiccupped, then rubbed her mouth with the back of her hand. “And beautiful?”
“Well, that’s a stupid question.”
“Why?”
“Because you’re smart enough to know you’re beautiful.” Jake tossed back the last of his drink and put the empty tumbler on a passing busboy’s tray. Then he held out his hand. “Come on,” he said. “Let’s get out of here.”
Chapter Three
As they waited for the valet to bring the car around—Jake had promised they’d return for her vehicle after their impromptu date—a cool breeze blew off the water. Hanna shivered in her cocktail dress, but her cheeks remain flushed. Somehow, during the twenty-five-second walk from the ballroom to the porte-cochère, Jake has gone from totally off-limits to the sexiest date she’d had in over a year.
As he led her out of the ballroom, she found his take-charge attitude incredibly alluring. She was impressed by the way he’d diffused the tension with Roy—without throwing a single punch—and then taken control of the situation. He hadn’t tried to convince or coerce her into going with him—he hadn’t even asked if she’d wanted to leave. He’d just made his interest clear and then made his offer, leaving it up to her to decide if she was willing to step up and admit what she wanted. When she’d taken his hand, they’d both known what it meant—that she was accepting that she was his for the night.
When the valet pulled up in a gray Subaru WRX STI, Hanna rolled her eyes.
“Of course,” she said.
“What?” Jake asked.
“I shouldn’t be surprised,” she said. “You’re the ultimate bachelor. Of course you have a sexy little sports car with a spoiler on the back.”
The valet laughed as he stepped out of the car. Then he walked over to the passenger side and opened the door for Hanna.
“Hey,” Jake said after they had both gotten in. “Ruby’s so much more than a sexy little sports car. Wait ’til you see what she can do.”
“Ruby?”
Jake nodded. “Ruby the Subi.” He leaned toward her, and for the first time that evening, they were close enough for Hanna to smell him. Pine, cinnamon, and a touch of burnt ember. His cologne was subtle and manly, and it made her want to swoon—but she wasn’t about to miss out on a second of this time with him.
He reached toward her harness. “Here, let me help you with that.”
Hanna swatted his hands away playfully. “I’ve got it, thanks.” She clipped in each buckle like a seasoned NASCAR driver. After she adjusted the straps on her shoulders, she looked at him expectantly. “Well? Are we gonna sit here all night? Let’s see what Ruby can do.”
He laughed. “If you say so.” He buckled his own harness, and they peeled out onto the road.
“So does Ruby still have the EJ25 engine?” she asked as they cruised down Silver Strand Boulevard.
Jake laughed. “What do you know about the EJ engine?”
“I know enough to rebuild one,” Hanna said.
He turned to her, eyebrows raised. “Tyler?”
She nodded. “He worked at an auto body shop when he was in high school. Since our mom was always working, I would do my homework there after school.”
“And by ‘do your homework,’ you mean ‘rebuild engines.’”
Now it was Hanna’s turn to laugh. “Pretty much.”
“Well, to answer your question, yes. Ruby does have the EJ25. I wouldn’t have it any other way.”
“Nice. And where is she taking us tonight?”
“A scenic overlook,” he said. “It’s kind of hidden away, just outside the city.” He glanced over as if to gauge her reaction. “If that’s all right.”
The thought of sitting under the stars with Jake was more than all right, but Hanna wasn’t about to let him know that. So she just nodded, trying to play it cool.
As they raced out of the city, Hanna watched the buildings morph into mountains. Jake was a fast driver, but he wasn’t reckless. He had total control of the car, and he seemed to know not only his next move but also the next move of every vehicle in the vicinity. She was in awe at how he maneuvered through traffic as smoothly and effortlessly as water traveling down a ravine. It was as if he instinctively knew the path of least resistance and always took it without hesitation.
Hanna realized that she ought to approach their date like he approached driving. Maybe giving in and following her heart for once wasn’t actually reckless. Maybe it was merely going in the simplest, most natural direction.
And maybe giving in didn’t have to mean giving up control. After all, even if something happened between them, wouldn’t she still be in control if she could walk away in the morning?
“I wasn’t planning on going on a date tonight,” Jake said, interrupting her thoughts as they pulled off the highway. “But I think I have a six-pack in the trunk.”
“Wait a minute. Why were you at the auction in the first place? Doesn’t really seem like your kind of scene.”
“I’m on leave right now, and I had to make good on a favor for Brody.”
“That’s right. You guys all went to basic together. So Tyler didn’t tell you to go and bid on me?”
“Actually, no. I didn’t even know you were going to be there.”