I shook my head and rolled my head to look at her. ‘I need you to know that this is the man you’ll be with. That this is the man others here see.’
Hannah crouched onto her knees and climbed over me, straddling my lap. She peered down at me, her face solemn. ‘I don’t care what other people see,’ she said. ‘I don’t care one little bit.’ She pressed a hand to my bare chest, over my heart. ‘I only care about the man you are now. And I’m in love with that man. I’m in love with you. Do you hear me, Bear? I’m in love with you.’
My eyes glossed, but I blinked the tears away. I nodded.
‘We are what we are now because of our past, but the past isn’t who we are. I’m not an abused woman, because I once was. And I hope you’ll never see me that way. The same way I’ll never see you for the boy you used to be. That’s just not fair. And it’s not right. And as for others, they can think what they like. I don’t care.’
I nodded and strained a smile. ‘Thank you.’
She leant over, her naked breasts grazing my chest as she kissed me. ‘I love you, Bear.’
I pulled her down onto me, my legs tangled with hers, and kissed her hard. If anyone would understand, it was Hannah. Relief sunk into my skin, forcing the anxiety away. And in its place, my love for her bit deeper, consuming me from the inside out. Me and Hannah, we fit. Two slightly damaged pieces that somehow fit together.
Chapter 51
Hannah
‘Ready to leave?’ said Bear, poking his head into my office.
‘In a tick. I just want to email my book to Mum. I’d like her opinion before I send it to my editor.’
He nodded. ‘Sure.’
My stomach knotted as I attached the file to the email and clicked send. This was what I had written it for. If Mum didn’t get from the story what I hoped, what Gran hoped, then I would have failed.
Bear strode in, bent down and kissed my cheek. ‘The book is perfect. If your mum doesn’t understand what happened after reading it, then she never will.’
I took a deep breath, shut down my computer and closed the lid. ‘Done.’
‘Good. Now let’s go.’
Bear had been distracted and excited all week since Rebecca confirmed that she wanted to come home. Distracted because he was worried about her future, and excited because he couldn’t wait to see her. We were going to make the trip together, because I wanted to be a support for him, and because we were incapable of leaving our hands off each other even for a single night. Since his confession of love almost three weeks ago, we’d not spent a night apart, staying at each other’s houses alternatively.
Bear helped me float around the house, locking the windows and doors. We packed our overnight bags in the boot of my car and Penny jumped in the back. She was going to stay the night at Nat’s house.
We pulled in to Natalie’s driveway a short time later. She ran out to meet us. I clipped Penny’s leash to her collar and helped her out of the car.
‘Oh, my little darling,’ Nat squealed, grinning wide. ‘You’re going to spend the night with Aunty Nat. Look how gorgeous you are. Yes you are.’ Penny, of course, soaked it up, panting and wagging her tail.
Nat took the leash from me and kissed me on the cheek. ‘I’m so happy for you and Bear,’ she whispered in my ear.
I grinned and mouthed, ‘Thank you.’
‘Hi, Bear,’ she said when he climbed from the car.
‘Hey, Nat.’
‘So sorry to hear that Bec didn’t want to stick it out.’
He shrugged. ‘I guess she has to do what makes her happy.’
‘Absolutely.’ She waved us away. ‘Now run along. Me and Penny are going to have heaps of fun together.’
I laughed. ‘Thank you for looking after her.’
‘My pleasure. I’ll see you both tomorrow.’
I took the steering wheel after four hours to give Bear a break. I shuffled the playlist I’d prepared for the trip and pressed play.
Bear turned to me and smiled. He was so gorgeous, with those cheeky dimples.
‘Hey, I’ve got a notepad and pen in the glove box. Do you want to grab them out?’ I asked.
He opened the compartment and found what I wanted. ‘What are you planning on doing?’
I smiled. ‘I thought you could help me write my new bucket list. I figured, since our lives have joined, maybe we can check a few items off together.’
He faced me, one eyebrow arched and half his mouth curled into a cheeky grin. ‘I can think of a few already.’ He clicked the bottom of the pen and brought it to the notepad with concentration. ‘Number one,’ he said as he wrote. ‘Pull off the side of the road and let Bear fuck Hannah on the hood of the car.’
My stomach tensed with need. Just hearing him talk like that stirred a bounty of lust I had in my belly.
‘Hmm. I do like the sound of that.’
He grinned. ‘Number two. Let Bear fuck Hannah in the ocean before a morning of surfing.’
I clenched my thighs together and squirmed in my seat. ‘I like that one too. But they can’t all be about sex.’
We both laughed. ‘No. I guess not. But seriously, you need to pull over soon, because I’m aching to start on number one.’ He took one hand of mine from the steering wheel and placed it on his erection. ‘Feel the urgency there?’
I attempted a laugh, but desire burned through me, softening my voice. ‘Yes. Very urgent.’ I squeezed through the material at the long, steely length.
He groaned. ‘Yep. Definitely need to pull over.’
‘There’s too much traffic. It’s too open.’
‘I don’t care,’ he growled.
‘Bit of a voyeuristic streak, don’t you.’
‘I didn’t before you teased me with your bucket list … There,’ he said, pointing to a side dirt road that led down into bushland.
I indicated and turned off the main highway, my breaths already faster.
I parked a little off the track behind a tree. We’d be visible from the road, but barely. Bear unclicked his seat belt and jogged around to my side, opening the door. He held both hands out and helped me from the car. As soon as my feet touched the ground he was kissing me.
‘God, Hannah. I can’t get enough of you. Do you realise that?’
Yes, I understood because the hunger I had for him was unquenchable.
He pushed me towards the car, smothering my body with his. His arms wrapped around me and pulled me into the hard line of his body. Desire burned me from the inside, rippling through my blood, making me so hot. He lifted me to the bonnet and pushed my knees wide apart. With his hand on my back he ground me hard against his erection. He moaned and it was almost more than I could handle.
I gripped his hair and pulled his lips to mine. He kissed me, hard and dirty, demanding. Taking all he could. Wild. I dug my fingers into his shoulders, wanting more. Needing so much more. I needed to be naked. Spread wide for him. Have him pounding into me.
‘You taste so good,’ he said. He fisted my hair and angled my head so he could take even more.
I arched and bucked, desperate to have him inside me. He was so damn hard. I was so damn hot.
‘I need you right now,’ I panted.
A broken groan left him and he reached for his jeans, undoing the button and pulling down the zip.
‘Grip me.’
My eyes widened, but I reached down into his pants and gripped his shaft. He sucked in a breath as I released it and slid my hand up and down. A deeper moan hissed from his mouth.
He shoved my skirt up to my waist and hooked my leg over his arm, opening me up for him. He pulled my knickers to the side with his free hand and shoved hard into me. I whimpered, my head lolling backwards as he moved inside of me. In. Out. Over and over.
My desire was white hot. How I burned for him. His finger found my clit and he circled there as he continued to thrust deep and hard.
‘That’s it,’ I hissed, panting, rocking against his hand, urging his cock further ins
ide. It wouldn’t take long. He had this power to work me into a frenzy, make each touch feel so powerful and all-consuming. The wave started low, deep.
‘Oh, I’m going to …’
‘Come,’ he growled in my ear.
I thrust, commanding the pleasure to take me. Devour me. It did and I was left panting, my chest heaving. Bear pulled out, grabbed my hips and spun me. He pushed me belly down against the car. I spread my legs wider and held onto the bonnet as he positioned his cock at my entrance.
A guttural sound rumbled in his chest as he entered me, filling me all the way. He wasn’t gentle then, but rough with his movements, forceful, gluttonous. He held my hips and pushed inside me. Again and again.
‘Oh, fuck, Hannah,’ he moaned, jerking into me until he stilled. Breaths heavy. I laid my head on the warm bonnet. Not wanting to move. Relaxed, awash with post-coital bliss.
He pulled out and I turned to face him.
‘Feeling better?’ I asked, sliding hair behind my ears and straightening my skirt and knickers.
‘Much better.’ He looked so delicious, his face flushed and tinged with sweat.
‘Can you concentrate now?’
He laughed. ‘I’ll try.’
We climbed back in the car. Me in the driver seat again and pulled back onto the highway.
A short distance down the road, I nodded towards the notepad. ‘So how about we write South Africa on there. Surfing slash safari holiday. But I’ll just hang back at the resort while you go surfing. I’m not getting near sharks, nor seals.’
He shook his head, the corners of his mouth quirking as he wrote that down. ‘I tell you what I’d love to do—go snorkelling at the Great Barrier Reef. We could head up there anytime. The weather is always perfect.’
‘Definitely,’ I agreed. ‘Write that in.’
‘Marriage?’ he asked.
I took my attention briefly off the road to gauge his expression. ‘You’re serious?’
‘Deadly serious. Wouldn’t you want to marry me?’
‘Um. I’d love to marry you at some point.’
The small lines around his eyes softened. ‘Good. I’ll write that one in then, hey?’
I breathed in deeply and nodded. ‘Yeah.’
‘So first comes love. Then marriage. I guess that leaves babies in carriages.’ He met my gaze with a cheeky grin.
I stared at him, wide eyed, for as long as I could before needing to turn back ahead. ‘You want children?’
‘I’d love to have children.’
I nodded. ‘Me too. Mercy Island is the perfect place to raise kids.’
‘Kids it is then. Any specific number?’
I shrugged, unable to contain a grin. ‘Um. Two?’
He laughed. ‘Two it is.’
I fell silent as we cruised along the highway. I was so lucky to have him. Thanks to Gran, my life was now moving in the right direction. I’d never contemplated marriage or children with Allister because I didn’t want that with him. Ever. And I assumed it was a decision that I would carry with me. But now, having fallen in love with Bear, I knew so strongly that these were things I wanted with him.
I would want to marry him at some time in the future and I would love to have children with him. He would make a great father and a kind, caring husband. But, as we tried to navigate our new relationship, Penny would be it for the time being.
His hand rested on my thigh. ‘Everything okay?’
I looked at him and smiled. ‘Yeah. Everything’s more than okay.’
‘I love you, Hannah. And I want to make a happy life with you. I think we both deserve it.’
I nodded. ‘Yeah. I think we do too.’
Chapter 52
Bear
I couldn’t keep my hands still on the steering wheel as we approached Becca’s unit. I was buzzing to see her again after all these months. So much had changed in my life since she left for uni. So many different decisions had been made.
We pulled into the driveway of the unit complex. Before we had even hopped out of the car she was running down the driveway to meet us. Tears were streaming down her face and she was waving. I had to bite the inside of my lip to stop myself from crying.
‘Bear,’ she yelled.
I held my arms out and she flung herself into them wrapping her arms around me and crying into my chest. ‘Oh god, it’s so good to see you. I never thought I’d say that in my life. But I’m so glad you’re here. I missed you so much. I just want to go home, Bear. I just want to go home.’
I held her tight and rubbed her back until she calmed. It took all my will not to fall apart right there hearing such anguish. Why did I allow her to stay so long?
Becca soon pulled away and wiped her eyes. I smiled. ‘Let’s go get your gear and we’ll head off. I’ve booked a hotel for tonight. We’ll drive home tomorrow.’
She sniffled and nodded. ‘I just want to get out of here.’ She looked at Hannah and grinned sheepishly. ‘Hi, Hannah.’
‘Hi, Becca. It’s good to see you again.’
She nodded. ‘You too.’
We cleared all her luggage out of the unit and loaded it in the back of the car. On the way to the hotel, Becca started to cry again.
Hannah swung around to look at her sitting in the back seat, while I managed glimpses into the rear-view mirror while navigating through heavy traffic.
‘What’s the matter?’ asked Hannah.
Becca shook her head and covered her face in her hands.
‘What is it?’ I asked.
She lifted her face and met my gaze in the rear-view. ‘Have I disappointed you, Bear?’
My brows furrowed. I shook my head. ‘Of course not. Not at all. Not one bit. You hear me?’
She frowned and wiped at her cheeks. ‘Do you mean that? Really, truly?’
‘Yes. Of course I do. Sometimes plans just don’t work out. You tried your hardest. You gave it a good, hard shot. That’s all that matters.’
She nodded.
‘Okay?’ I asked.
‘Yes.’
Hannah frowned. ‘So what do you think you want to do once we get back to Mercy Island?’
I caught Becca’s wince through the mirror. Our eyes met again. Whatever she was going to say, she was worried about my reaction. I remained silent, waiting for her to build the nerve to just come out and say it.
‘I would like to be a hairdresser.’
My mouth gaped. Not because I disapproved, not at all, but because it shocked me. Physiotherapist to hairdresser in ten seconds flat.
Hannah nodded and smiled. ‘Yeah. I wanted to be a hairdresser at one stage.’
‘I’m going to try to find an apprenticeship when I get home.’
I smiled at her and nodded. ‘Sounds like a great move, Bec.’
She smiled back, relief evident in her expression.
The weather in Townsville was stifling, despite it being the middle of autumn. It clung to my skin and clothes like a wet rag. The steakhouse we were in was well air-conditioned. If it wasn’t, I think I would’ve left. I don’t know how Becca coped during the dead of summer.
I placed my elbows on the table and smiled at Becca, who was sitting across from me. ‘I have some news of my own which I wanted to wait to tell you face to face.’
Becca gasped then shrieked. ‘You’re having a baby.’
I narrowed my eyes and shook my head. ‘No. That’s not what I was going to say.’
Hannah giggled into her next mouthful of wine.
Rebecca frowned. ‘Damn it. I thought I was going to be an aunty.’ She leant over the table and laced her hands together. ‘So what is it?’
‘I’m not moving now.’
Her lips trembled and a tear rolled down her cheek. She pushed her chair back and stood, then ran to Hannah and slung her arms around her shoulders, hugging her tight. ‘Thank you.’
Hannah cuddled her back, but shook her head when Becca released herself from her arms. ‘I didn’t change his mind.’
/> Becca smiled as she made her way back to her chair. ‘I think you had more sway than you think. He’s been googoo gaga over you since he first saw you.’ She wiped at her cheeks. ‘Grinning into his phone as he sent texts. Calling me up to tell me little things you did. See look, he’s blushing,’ she said pointing at me. ‘It’s totally true.’
‘Becca,’ I said. ‘You don’t go telling Hannah that. I might just have to leave you up here if you keep it up.’
Hannah pressed her shoulder to mine and kissed my burning cheek. ‘That’s sweet.’
Rebecca laughed. ‘It’s gross that’s what it is.’
I threw my napkin at her.
‘Hey,’ she protested, catching it. ‘You didn’t let me finish.’
Hannah and I peered at her across the table.
‘I was going to add that yes it’s gross, totally gross, but that it makes me glad to see you both happy.’
I blinked back tears, unwilling to be called sweet, as well as a sook, in the same night. ‘Thanks, Bec,’ I managed through a tight throat.
‘Thank you,’ said Hannah.
‘No worries,’ she said sitting straighter and opening her menu. ‘Now are we going to order or what?’
Chapter 53
Hannah
Bear didn’t surf as much as he used to. He preferred, on most mornings, to wake with me in his arms and make love to me as the sun was rising. But after our weekend of travel and a hectic week of work, now that he was officially running the business, he was still sound asleep in bed. I wasn’t going to wake him, not on a Sunday morning, so I snuck out on my own to walk Penny.
When I got home, I refilled Penny’s water bowl and went inside for a shower. I was just about ready to jump out when Bear pushed the door open. He held my mobile in the air. He was naked. His eyes were puffy and red from sleep, but he looked as sexy as ever. I trailed my gaze from his toes to his head and the unending stream of lust in my body flowed. He always had this effect on me. I hoped he always would.
‘It’s your mum,’ he said. ‘She’s rung four times in the last minute.’
I nodded, turned the taps off and grabbed the towel from the railing. I tied it around me and took my phone from Bear. ‘You go back to bed.’
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