A Man Apart

by Joan Hohl

  “Because I’m sexy as hell?”

  Justin gave him a droll look. “Since when?”

  “Since I was fifteen,” Mitch shot back, as he shot out of the parking lot at the rear of the house. “Of course,” he qualified, “I was following your bad example.”

  “Hmm. Bad example, huh?” he drawled. “Personally, I never considered it bad to be sexy.”

  After returning to the hotel, Justin closed his room door behind him and leaned back against it. He inhaled deeply and released the breath on a soft “Whew.”

  Old fashioned? Prim? Proper? Virginal? And probably plain? Had he really held such a preconceived opinion of who Hannah would turn out to be?

  “Hah.” Shaking his head as though he had just taken a blow to the temple and was still groggy in the mind, Justin pushed away from the door muttering to himself.

  “Hannah Deturk is the most cool, composed, beautiful, long-legged woman this ol’ son’s weary eyes ever landed on.”

  He chuckled. “And you, Justin Grainger are talking to yourself.”

  Well, at least he wasn’t cursing, Justin consoled himself, releasing a half groan. He was surprised at his unexpected emotional, and physical, reaction to the blond goddess.

  Sure, it had been a while since he’d been with a woman, but not nearly long enough to explain the immediate surge of lust he’d experienced at first glance. He’d felt like a teenager in the throes of a testosterone rush.

  In that instant Justin decided he had to have Hannah Deturk, in every way possible. Either that or he just might expire from the mind-blowing need.

  The tricky part was; how and when? Well, he knew exactly how, Justin mused, a smile twitching the corners of his mouth. But the trick was when. Time was limited.

  There were only a few days to go until the wedding. As Maggie and Hannah hadn’t seen each other for six months, they’d likely be spending most of those days-and nights-together, chattering away.

  Poor Mitch was going to be sleeping alone from now until his wedding night. He’d probably be a bear until then, working overtime to conceal his feelings.

  Then Justin realized something-Mitch wouldn’t be the only man working to control strong urges.

  Damnation.

  He mulled over the problem of private time and place with Hannah as he sat on the edge of the bed and pulled off his best pair of boots. Standing to shuck out of his clothes, he folded them neatly before sliding them into the plastic laundry bag provided by the hotel. His mother had been a real stickler about neatness.

  Naked as a newborn, he stretched his length between the chilled sheets, doused the bedside light and started up at the ceiling. Of course, he really couldn’t see the ceiling, as the closed drapes shut out even the tiniest glimmer of moonlight and the room was as dark as pure nothingness.

  It didn’t matter to Justin, because he could still see a shimmering image of Hannah Deturk.

  “Oh, hell,” he muttered, his breathing growing shallow as his body grew hard. “Think, man. When are you going to have the chance to approach her?”

  The days leading up to the big event were out. There was the rehearsal late in the afternoon the day before the wedding, to be followed by the rehearsal dinner. That night was out, as well. Justin knew full well his family would make a lengthy celebration of the dinner.

  Naturally, the actual day of the wedding was out.

  The day-or night-after the wedding? Justin mulled over the problem, allowing his body to cool down a few degrees. He was in no hurry to get back to the ranch, he could spare a few days for fun and games.

  Not in a hotel room. Justin gave a sharp shake of his head against the pillow. Not with Hannah. He didn’t want to delve into why it mattered. It never bothered him before where he spent time romping with a woman-a hotel room, motel room, her apartment, it made no difference to him. This time, if there were to be a time with Hannah, it did matter.

  So then, if not the hotel, where?

  He could probably have the use of Mitch’s apartment, seeing as how he and Maggie were off the day after the wedding to one of those island resorts exclusively for couples.

  No, that wouldn’t do. Mitch’s apartment was on the top floor of the casino, and there was no way Justin would escort Hannah either through the front entrance of the casino or up the back stairs.

  Without knowing how he knew, Justin felt Hannah was definitely not a back stairs kind of woman. Scratch Mitch’s place. The same for Maggie’s attic hide-away. He felt positive that Hannah would not for a second even consider her friend’s home for what he had in mind.

  Suddenly he was struck by a memory. There was an apartment two floors below Maggie’s place. Karla had lived there before marrying Ben. It hadn’t been rented since then. So they would have privacy for their baby, Ben and Karla were staying in it now. They were planning to leave the morning after the wedding, as well.

  Perfect. All he had to do was inform his brother of his intention to stay in the apartment for a couple of days after the wedding. It would be empty. Besides, the house belonged to the family, and he was a member, wasn’t he?

  The best part was he had already laid the groundwork by telling Mitch he would be looking for female company while he was in town.

  Suddenly Justin laughed aloud. Damned if he wasn’t planning a seduction. Hell, he had never in his life made plans to actually seduce a woman. He had simply homed in on a female who appealed to him, made his move and, if the woman was willing, let it all happen.

  His laughter faded as fast as it had erupted. Of course, everything depended on when Hannah was planning to return to Philadelphia and, more important, if she would be willing to spend some mutually entertaining time with him.

  Of course, Hannah hadn’t appeared overwhelmed by his masculine appeal. Come to think of it, she had barely spoken or looked at him during dinner. But he had a feeling something shimmered between them from the moment he touched her hand. And damned if he wasn’t going to give it his best shot.

  “So, I understand our family’s going to go off in separate directions right after the big day,” said Justin who was seated at a small table in Mitch’s office the following morning. He’d called his brother and invited himself for breakfast. They had finished their meal, and Justin sat back in his chair, sipping at a mug of steaming coffee.

  “Far as I know, everybody’s taking off about the same time,” Mitch replied from opposite Justin, his hands cradling a matching mug. “Aren’t they?”

  “I’m not.” Justin took another sip. “Ben can take care of things at the ranch, so I think I’ll lug my gear over to the apartment Ben and Karla are presently occupying and camp there for a couple days.”

  “Why?” Mitch raised his eyebrows.

  Justin gave him a slow, suggestive grin. “I do recall telling you I’d be on the lookout for some female companionship, didn’t I?”

  Mitch grinned back. “You’re incorrigible.”

  “Not at all,” Justin denied. “I’m just hot to trot, is all. You don’t mind if I use the place for a while?”

  “Why should I mind?” Mitch shrugged. “The house belongs as much to you as it does to me.” He gave Justin a wry look. “As long as you wait until everybody has left to track down a playmate.”

  “Everybody?” Before Mitch could respond, he went on, digging for information. “Just the family, or does that include other guests?”

  “Other guests?” Mitch frowned. “What other guests? Since Maggie’s parents decided not to fly in from Hawaii after we informed them we’d stop by on the way to our honeymoon, the only other guests are employees and a few local residents.”

  “And Hannah.” Justin kept his voice free of inflection, other than a slight hint of disinterest.

  “Oh, yeah, Hannah.” Mitch pursed his lips. “Hmm…you know, I don’t have a clue as to her plans. Maggie hasn’t said a word. I’ll have to ask her.”

  “Is it important?” Justin had to focus to retain his near-bored tone. “I mean, does
Hannah come under your no-shock edict?”

  Mitch pondered the question for a few seconds, then said, “I haven’t given it a thought. Does it matter?”

  “Only if it’s going to cramp my style. Such as it is.”

  Mitch shook his head. “I wasn’t aware that you had a style. I thought you just jumped the first woman that appealed to you.”

  “Only if she’s willing.”

  Mitch raised his eyes, as if seeking help from above. “You are not to be believed.” His lips twitched. “My very own brother, a philanderer, of all things.”

  “Hey,” Justin objected. “I am not a philanderer. I’m a normal male, with a healthy sexual appetite. And do you have any idea how long it’s been since I’ve appeased it?”

  Mitch let rip a deep, rich laugh. “I don’t think I want to know anything about your sex life, thank you.”

  “Sex life? Who the hell has a sex life?” Justin chuckled. “I talk to horses most of the time, and most of the time I don’t mind. But, every now and again, a man needs a woman. And in my case, buddy, it’s been months.”

  “Okay. Okay.” Mitch held his hand up in surrender. “I give up. Have your R and R, but try not to lose the ranch at the tables downstairs.”

  Justin didn’t bother to respond. Mitch knew damn well he wasn’t stupid; he would set a limit, a fairly low one, and stick to it. He hid an inner smile. “If things break my way, I’ll be too busy with more important-and a helluva lot more interesting-things than gambling.”

  Three

  Friday arrived much too soon to suit Hannah. Although they talked almost nonstop, there hadn’t been nearly enough time for her and Maggie to catch up with each other’s lives. Not once had either one of them run out of things to say.

  The rehearsal was scheduled for five in the small church just a few blocks from the big Victorian house. Dinner would be at the Bullock Hotel immediately following the rehearsal.

  By four o’clock Maggie was a nervous wreck.

  “All this over a rehearsal?” Hannah said, trying hard to contain a laugh. “I can’t wait until tomorrow. You’ll probably be a basket case. Instead of walking in front of you, Karla and I might have to walk behind, in case you collapse on the way down the aisle.”

  “Not at all,” Maggie said, giving a dainty but superior sniff. “Don’t forget, I’ll have Mitch’s brother Adam to walk me down the aisle.” She no sooner had the words out, when she burst out laughing. “And believe me, friend, Adam’s big enough to handle delicate little ol’ me.”

  “Shall we be off?” Hannah asked.

  “I suppose we’d better,” Maggie agreed.

  Giggling like two teenagers, they clattered down the stairs and out of the building to Hannah’s rented SUV.

  The streets had been cleared of snow and the short jaunt to the church took only minutes. That parking lot, also cleared, already contained several vehicles.

  “It looks like we’re the last to arrive,” Maggie said, her voice quavery with tension.

  “Yes, it does,” Hannah agreed, tossing her friend an exasperated look. “And will you calm down, for pity’s sake? It is only the rehearsal.”

  “I know…but…”

  “No buts.” She pushed open the door. “Let’s go and get this show on the road, so we can get to dinner.” She grinned at Maggie, hoping to ease her nerves. “I’m starving.”

  The rehearsal went off without a hitch…for everyone except Hannah. She was fine at the beginning. Maggie introduced her to more of Mitch’s family including his brother Adam. Hannah had immediately liked him.

  Adam was just as tall and handsome as his brothers, a little older, but pleasant and charming. His eyes, unlike Justin’s, were warm, friendly. So she was feeling good, relaxed, until she began leading the procession. The sight of Justin, standing beside Mitch at the end of the aisle, had the strangest effect on her.

  In direct contrast to Mitch, who was wearing a dark suit, white shirt and striped tie, Justin was dressed in a soft brown pullover sweater, tan casual pants and the same black boots he’d worn at Maggie’s that first night.

  Hannah couldn’t help but wonder if he were planning to wear the boots for the wedding. The errant thought flittered through her mind that at least the boots were shined.

  But his footwear or clothes weren’t the cause of her weird reaction. It was his eyes, his laser-sharp eyes. After slowly raking the length of her body, they seemed to bore right through her, to her every thought, every emotion. And Hannah’s range of emotions were running wild, shaking up every particle of her being.

  She suddenly felt nervy, excited and vaguely frightened, chilled and hot all over, as if in anticipation of something earth-shattering about to happen.

  Weird hardly described it.

  It seemed to take forever for her to traverse the relatively short aisle, and yet she reached the end way too soon. And there he was, his piercing gray gaze glittering with a sometime-soon promise of that anticipated, dreaded, earth-shattering event. The heat causing the glitter left little doubt in her mind what he intended that event to be.

  Hannah’s breathing was labored, uneven. Relief rushed through her when she stepped to the side, out of his direct line of vision. Hannah rigidly avoided his eyes through the rest of the proceedings.

  After that, everything went off without a hitch…until they arrived at the hotel.

  Dinner itself was fine. The food served was excellent, Mitch’s family friendly, easy to talk to…that is, except Justin. He had waited until Hannah was seated, then, deliberately, she felt certain, seated himself directly opposite her. At once he proceeded to renew sending his silent, visual messages to her. Hard as she tried-and she gave it her best shot-Hannah couldn’t misinterpret his intent.

  She was not without experience in the nuances of eye conduct and body language. He had plans, for her and him together, those silent messages promised. And, as she had suspected in the church, every one of those plans were sexual in nature.

  While Justin’s hot-eyed gaze revealed his carnal thoughts to Hannah, his occasional and brief comments were bland, almost banal.

  Hannah didn’t know whether to be amused or run for her life.

  She attempted to assure herself her feelings were caused by revulsion, but she knew she was lying. The truth, which she would fiercely deny if questioned, was that her feelings stemmed from excitement.

  Hannah was fearful her feelings, the heat steadily building inside, were clearly revealed on her face, in her eyes. She hoped the picture she presented to the company, even the most keen of observers, was that of cool, controlled composure.

  Especially to Justin.

  Justin could read Hannah like an open book. Far from being repelled by his stare of unconcealed desire, Hannah was receptive, her own needs and desires revealed in the depths of her so-cool eyes.

  He couldn’t wait to get her alone, feel her mouth yielding to his kiss, her naked body sliding against his, her long legs curling around his waist.

  Stop it, Justin ordered his wayward thoughts. Damned if he wasn’t getting hard, right there under the table. He drew a mental image of himself, trudging across the frozen tundra, chilled to the bone.

  Moments later he was surprised by the strains of music from a group positioned in front of a small dance floor at the end of the private dining room. Leave it to Mitch to have arranged for dancing after dinner.

  In a flash, Justin was on his feet, circling the table to Hannah. “I suppose we’re expected to rehearse the wedding party reception dance, too,” he said, holding out his hand in invitation.

  “Ahh…” she responded, her voice laced with uncertainty and a strong hint of reluctance.

  “That’s right,” Maggie said, laughing-bless her heart. “We want everything perfect.”

  Hannah sighed, but complied, placing her hand in his as she rose from her chair.

  Justin’s own heart was starting to speed up as he led Hannah to the dance floor. While he wouldn’t be able to feel her
satiny skin sliding against him, or her tempting mouth pressed to his, or the embrace of her slender legs, he was determined to feel the thrill of her supple body held close to his in the dance.

  Not exactly the dance Justin would have preferred, but it would have to do…for now.

  Fortunately, the group was playing his kind of music, a ballad, allowing for only slow dancing. At the edge of the dance floor, Justin drew Hannah to him, circling her waist with his arms, leaving her little choice but to circle his neck with her own. The sensation created by the feel of her tall body held closely against his was thrilling beyond anything he had ever felt while fully clothed.

  Scratch that last thought, he corrected himself, drawing in a quick breath at the sensations sent skittering through him at the touch of her hand sliding from the back of his neck to the center of his chest. Though he knew her movement was intended to keep some distance between them, Justin was forced to suppress an involuntary shiver at the scorching feel of her palm against him, right through his shirt.

  “What are you afraid of?” he asked, his voice pitched low for her ears only. “You don’t like dancing?”

  Hannah lifted her head to gaze at him, a wry curve on her maddeningly tempting lips. “Not particularly,” she drawled. “And I don’t need my suit pressed, thank you.”

  He laughed, refraining himself from telling her he intended to press a lot more than her clothes. He held himself in check for one reason; he had heard the slight breathy catch in her voice underlying her dry tones.

  Deciding to play it cool, he made a half step back, feeling a chill, even from that tiny span between them.

  “I’m glad you find me so amusing,” she said, keeping her hand solidly pressed to his chest.

  “Oh, I find you a lot more than amusing,” he said, fighting an urge to be explicit, and a bigger urge to show her, right there on the dance floor.

  But no, the room was full of people, most of whom were family members. If he gave in to the urge, Mitch and Adam would be all over him like a bad rash in no time. He’d hate like hell to have to deck the two of them in front of the family. The thought made him smile.