Nothing to Fear

by Claire Boston

  As he got out of the car, there was a low growl in the bushes off to his right. He paused. “It’s me, Joe.”

  Joe trotted out and sniffed him, before trotting over to the shed.

  Hannah sighed and frowned at him. “Did Lincoln ask you to come over?”

  “Yes.” He shut the car door.

  “He’s such a pain.”

  “He cares about you,” Ryan said as he walked on to the concrete slab that was her front porch. “Mind if I take a look inside?”

  She waved her hand. “Go ahead.”

  She was avoiding his gaze, and he couldn’t blame her. He was embarrassed by their conversation on the beach as well.

  The light inside illuminated the destruction as if a tornado had ripped through. Many of her possessions were scattered over the floor and the kitchen was a complete mess.

  He turned back to Hannah. “How are you feeling?” He kept his distance, sitting on the deck chair on the other side of the outdoor table.

  “Tired.” She sat back down, angling her chair a little away from him. “Sick and tired of all of this.”

  “I’m sorry. It must be hard for you.” What an inane thing to say.

  “Of course it is. I’ve done nothing, nothing to deserve this.” Her voice rose and her eyes flashed.

  He took in a quick breath. She was stunning. Her blonde hair shone in the light like a mane and her green eyes narrowed. For the first time, she looked like a warrior rather than a victim. He’d think twice before crossing her. “I’m glad you’ve found your fighting spirit.” He kept his words light, hoping to calm her.

  She shrugged. “Maybe your class helped after all.”

  “I hope so.” Memories flashed through his mind of what it felt like to have her breasts pushed up against his chest, her body so close to his and the scent of frangipani invading his senses. He blinked. Talk about inappropriate. “We should, uh, make another time to train.” Now he sounded like a fool.

  “Why not now?” she demanded, getting to her feet. “You’re going to stick around until Lincoln comes back. We might as well make good use of the time.” Defiance ran off her in waves. She was spectacular.

  “The ground’s pretty hard.”

  “So we work on technique – hand holds and such.” She was standing straight, but the tiny shake of her hand showed her vulnerability. He couldn’t say no.

  “All right.” He stood and grasped her wrist lightly, wanting her to work on this technique first.

  She reacted fast, freeing herself, so the next time he held her tighter. Her concentration was intense. He could almost see her considering the steps, working through them one at a time until she worked free. “Good. Now faster this time.” Her skin was soft and smooth, and when it grew red from his hold, he swapped to her other hand.

  They went through it a dozen times, with both hands, each time she was faster and more relaxed.

  She turned away from him, laughing. “I’m getting the hang of it.”

  Her laughter was so joyous, and it tugged at something deep inside of him. He wanted to hear more of it. But that wasn’t why he was here. He couldn’t be distracted.

  She still had her back to him and she was unprepared, so he seized her from behind. She froze.

  He couldn’t let that sway him, had to ignore the softness of her body against him. “Come on, Hannah,” he murmured in her ear. “You can get out of this.”

  She struggled and whimpered. The noise cut through him, but he didn’t relax his hold. “Grab my fingers.”

  She shook her head, her whole body stiff.

  He hated the fear radiating off her. “Hannah, there’s no need to be afraid. I’m not going to hurt you. You can get out of this. Grab my fingers.”

  She did it this time, peeling his two little fingers back until they hurt and he let her go.

  She spun around and took a couple of steps back, her breath coming fast. He couldn’t read the expression on her face. “Are you all right?” He was an arsehole for not letting go, but a real attacker wouldn’t.

  She hesitated, then nodded.

  This was a great way to win her trust. Disgust filled him. “Do you want to try it again?”

  She was silent for a moment, staring at him. Had he gone too far? Finally she said, “OK.”

  He stepped up, wrapping his arms around her. “Remember, if you can’t get my fingers there are other things you can do,” he said, keeping his voice low, near her ear. “Stamp on my instep, throw your head back and hit mine, do a Calypso, or you can use your butt to hit me in the groin.”

  She chuckled at the reference to Mai’s cat and wiggled her butt backwards as if trying to get a sense of where he was. He was instantly hard. Shit. He loosened his hold as she gripped his fingers and twisted them, spinning on the spot and grasping his shoulders, pretending to bring her knee up into his groin. His hands found her hips and she stilled.

  Ryan was unable to step away. Her eyes captured him, gazing at him with an expression he didn’t want to interpret. He had to let go now, before he did something foolish, but the message wasn’t relaying from his brain to his body. Ever so slowly, Hannah rose to her toes and lightly brushed her lips against his.

  The kiss was sweet, sensuous, and all the paths in his brain said more. He wanted more. He was an idiot to believe he wasn’t attracted to Hannah. A fool not to want to see where this could go. He deepened the kiss, slowly bringing one hand up her side to cradle the back of her head, as he kept things gentle, focusing on the kiss.

  Hannah moaned, the sound sending a shot of lust straight to his groin. He pulled her closer, his hands tight on her butt, and she broke the kiss. “No!” She pushed against his chest.

  Alarmed, he let go and she took a couple of steps back. “Shit. Sorry, Hannah.” He ran his hand through his hair. “I shouldn’t have done that.” What kind of creep was he?

  “Don’t be sorry. Just give me a second.” She paced away, shaking her hands as if she was shaking something off.

  Ryan was the lowest form of scum. He’d taken advantage of the kiss and pushed her too far. He knew what she’d been through and had forgotten the second his hormones had taken control.

  Hannah turned back to him, her hands clenched together. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have kissed you when you said you weren’t interested.” Her cheeks flushed. “Then I panicked when you kissed me back. I’m not trying to be a tease. It was the way you held me.”

  He shook his head. She shouldn’t be apologising to him. “Hannah …” He wasn’t sure what to say. She’d been so honest with him, he had to be truthful in return. “You read me right. I am interested in you.” He closed his eyes for a second. “And I’m also scared as hell about stuffing up another relationship and how it might affect Felix.”

  Her eyes widened. “I’m sorry. I’m being completely selfish.”

  He took her hand. “Paula left me with a lot of baggage and Felix will always be my priority,” he said. “But if you’re OK with that, we could take it slow? Starting with telling me what I did wrong with that kiss?”

  She hesitated and then smiled. “I’d like that.” Slowly, she took his hands, putting them on either side of her hips. “This is OK. I can deal with this. But this,” she moved his hands around to her back and pulled him closer. “This harder grip hits all my brakes – short-circuits all the pleasure and goes straight to panic.” She let go of his hands.

  This was foreign territory for him, but he wanted to kiss Hannah again. He placed his hands lightly on her hips. “So this is all right?”

  She nodded.

  He brushed his lips against hers, enjoying her sweetness, and ran his hands lightly over her back. “What about this?”

  She arched into him and closed her eyes. “Really nice.”

  The trust she was showing hit him right in the gut. Hannah was unlike any other woman he’d ever known. He wanted to experiment with her, find out what she liked. He kissed her again and then trailed kisses down her neck.

&nbs
p; Her gasp sent heat straight to his groin and he hardened again. He deepened the kiss, tasting her, and let his hands slowly, gently, travel down her back and over her butt.

  She moaned again and he was careful to keep his touch light, not to let his other brain take over. Then he heard a car approaching and saw the flash of light between the trees. He pulled back reluctantly.

  Hannah’s eyes were full of desire.

  He cleared his throat and shut down the part of his brain that told him to ignore the sounds. “Lincoln’s almost here.” He gestured and she took a step back.

  “Damn,” she said.

  “I couldn’t agree more.” He moved away from her as Lincoln drove up.

  Lincoln was in the police car, which reminded Ryan why he was here. Hannah’s place had been trashed.

  “Thanks for dropping by,” Lincoln said to Ryan.

  Ryan shifted his feet. He wasn’t sure Lincoln would be thanking him if he’d known what they had been doing. “Are you going to process the place now?”

  Lincoln nodded.

  It would take a lot of time with only one person. “I can help.”

  “What about Felix?” Hannah asked.

  Ryan nodded to the car. “He’s in the backseat fast asleep.”

  She frowned. “Do you want me to take him back to the cabin? You’re not going to want me in the way here,” she continued. “Felix can go back to bed and I’ll stay at your place to keep an eye on him.”

  It was a lovely offer. And they would both be safe there. The cabin was only a couple of hundred metres down the road. “If you’re OK with that?”

  “Yes.” She held out her hand for the keys. “I’ll check what’s on television.”

  “I’ll drive you while Lincoln sets up. Felix is heavier than he looks.” Ryan waited until they got into the car before squeezing Hannah’s hand.

  She turned to him. “Would you prefer Lincoln didn’t know we kissed?”

  “No. I wasn’t sure how you felt.”

  “I’d like to kiss you again.”

  “Me too.” But this wasn’t just about the physical. He wanted to get to know her better. He cleared his throat. “Have you got any plans tomorrow?”

  She smiled. “It’s pancake day at the park.”

  “Pancake day?”

  “Sunday mornings I make pancakes for whoever wants them at the park. We fire up the barbecues and have a communal gathering so guests can meet each other. You’re welcome to come down if you want. I’m usually done by ten and the last guests are arriving by lunch.”

  She’d been working every day since he’d arrived. “Do you get much time off?”

  “It’ll settle down during the week without the check-ins and outs. Then Lynette works nine to three and Shirley has a few shifts so I can work out here.”

  Yet still, it was work. “I’m taking Felix on a picnic tomorrow, maybe to the beach. Would you like to come with us?” He was surprised by how much he wanted her to say yes.

  He parked in front of the cabin.

  “I don’t want to intrude if it’s father–son time.”

  He liked that she considered it. Paula never would have. He wanted to see Hannah and Felix together before things got more serious. If they didn’t get along, he would end it before it went too far. “I don’t think he’ll mind, particularly if you bring Joe.”

  She laughed. “They have bonded to each other.” She smiled at him. “I’d love to go with you, but ask Felix first. I won’t be upset if he doesn’t want me there.”

  He unlocked the door. “All right. Let me get him.”

  He carried Felix into his bedroom, and laid him gently on the bed. Felix snorted and immediately turned on to his side, burying his head into the pillow. Love flooded his body. He was the luckiest guy in the world. Ryan adjusted the sheets so they covered Felix, and brushed a kiss against his cheek. Felix didn’t stir.

  Hannah stood near the couch with Joe, her gaze a little uncertain. He wanted to kiss her again. Slowly he walked over to her. She stepped forward to meet him halfway.

  She wound her hands around his neck and he reminded himself to be gentle as he slid his hands down to her hips and bent his head to kiss her.

  He wished he could spend the whole night kissing her, but he had to get back to Lincoln. They had to find whoever was doing this to her so they could stop it and Hannah’s life could get back to normal.

  He broke the kiss. “Lock the door behind me.”

  She nodded, her tongue running over her lips. He resisted the urge to pull her close again.

  “I’ll see you later.” He walked out the door.

  Lincoln was already at work when Ryan got back. “So, you and Hannah, huh?” were his first words.

  Ryan blinked. Lincoln sat back on his heels and looked at him. “You think I didn’t notice how close you two were standing when I arrived, or how you took your time driving her back?”

  “I, uh …” No real words came out.

  Lincoln laughed. “Relax. I know you wouldn’t take advantage of her. She’s a great girl. I’m surprised you aren’t more wary after Paula.”

  “Hannah’s different.”

  Lincoln nodded. “That she is.”

  Relieved Lincoln wasn’t going to give him the third degree, Ryan put a pair of gloves on and got to work.

  Chapter 11

  Hannah woke early after not enough sleep. With a sigh she stretched, groaning at the aches in her muscles before heading for the shower. She tried to be quiet, not wanting to wake Lincoln. It had been late by the time Lincoln and Ryan had finished processing her shed and so she’d accepted Lincoln’s invitation to crash at his place. She was quite pleased by her progress – she hadn’t been scared about staying with him at all. Lincoln had offered her his bed, but she’d refused to make him sleep on his own couch. She kind of regretted the decision now. She needed to be at the park in half an hour to whip up a whole heap of pancake mix for the guests. She stood under the warm spray and stretched out the kinks.

  Last night had been a roller coaster. Seeing all her things flung about the shed had been hideous, but it had led to the best make-out session of her life. She wanted to celebrate – she felt like a woman again. She felt sexy and aroused and normal.

  When she finally got out, she almost bumped into Lincoln in the hallway.

  “What are you doing up so early?” she asked.

  “I could ask you the same question. We didn’t get in until late.”

  “Pancakes,” she explained. “Go back to bed and when you get up again, stop by the park and I’ll make you some.”

  “I’ll come with you now.”

  “You don’t need to,” she protested.

  He shook his head as if he couldn’t believe she was arguing with him. “Chances are you’ll need to call me as soon as you arrive anyway. What’s today’s gift – six geese-a-laying?”

  Her mood deflated. For a second she’d forgotten all about it. “Yeah.”

  “Give me five to have a shower.”

  While he was in the bathroom, she called Mai and asked her for a couple of bee stings and two coffees to go.

  “What was it this morning?” Mai asked.

  “Nothing as yet. I’m at Lincoln’s place. He’s coming with me to the office.”

  “Why Lincoln’s?”

  She explained what had happened to her shed.

  “Oh, that sucks. I’ll come out and help you tidy up this afternoon.”

  “Thanks, Mai.” She hesitated, her face growing warm. “I, uh, might be going on a picnic with Ryan and Felix this afternoon.”

  “Woo hoo. Tell me more.”

  Hannah smiled and looked over her shoulder as Lincoln came out, dressed in his civilian clothing. She hated that she was taking up so much of his time. “I’ll tell you later. I’ve gotta go. I’ll drop by in five.”

  “I’ll be waiting.”

  “Where are you going?” Lincoln asked.

  “Ordered us a coffee and treat from Mai’s,”
she said.

  Lincoln’s face brightened. “Have I told you lately how much I love you, Hannah Banana?”

  She smiled. “You’re such a sucker for Mai’s bee stings.”

  “Yep,” he agreed. “Let’s go.”

  They took two cars and made it into the office without seeing any gifts. Hannah made pancake batter while Lincoln logged in to check the video feed of the cameras he’d installed. “Nothing at Fleur or Kit’s place,” he called. “I’m checking yours now.”

  Hannah wandered out, bowl under one arm as she mixed the batter. She peered over his shoulder. The camera had a good view of her whole porch. “Is this live?”

  “Yeah. There’s nothing there.”

  “That’s good, isn’t it? Maybe he’s stopped.”

  “Or maybe he saw me set the cameras.”

  Disappointed, she checked the time. “Help me carry some things out to the barbecue area?” she asked. Going back into the kitchen, she poured the batter into two jugs and handed Lincoln a box of condiments. She never knew how many people were going to turn up, but this would be enough to get started.

  Her footsteps slowed as she reached the barbecues. Frustration welled in her as she took in the damage. The walls had been decorated in eggs and there was a carton of half-dozen eggs sitting on the table with a red ribbon tied around it. She should have known it was too good to be true.

  They both swore.

  “We need to get this cleaned up fast,” Hannah said. “I can’t have this affecting my guests.”

  “Hannah—” Lincoln began.

  “No, Lincoln.” She was pleased that her voice was calm, despite the turmoil surging around inside her. “I’ve had enough. Take the carton and do what you have to do with it, but egg stains are a bitch to remove.”

  “Let me get a couple of photos first.”

  She dumped the jugs of batter on one of the benches and went to get a bucket of warm, soapy water.

  When she arrived back, Lincoln was dusting the surface near the carton. She left him to it as she quickly scrubbed the walls. The egg was almost dry, and the walls of the enclosed area were exposed brick, but she managed to remove it in the end.