HannasHaven (8 page)

“Except, would you mind…” She trailed off, not wanting to
sound as though she were an idiot, but knowing she needed that light on.

Again, he said nothing. He simply turned the lamp back on,
setting it on dim.

“Okay?” His voice held no judgment.

“Yes,” she lied.

Marcus rolled to his side, his back to her.

She lay there for a moment, willing the urge to fade. It
didn’t. “I’m sorry, I just have to…” She slipped from the bed and hurried through
the house, checking that the windows were shut, the doors locked. When she was
finished, she slid back into the bed.

“Sorry,” she whispered.

“Doesn’t bother me,” he said gruffly. “Now go to sleep.”

Marcus knew it wasn’t possible to die of a hard-on. But
having a stiff cock sure as hell made it impossible to be comfortable, let
alone sleep. He swiped his hand down his face over her latest behavior. Didn’t
she know that if he wanted her that no amount of clothing would stop him? He’d
simply overwhelm her with desire until she was begging him to take her.

Damn.

These thoughts were not helping to lessen the pain in his
cock.

He was starting to wonder if he was a masochist. He should
have just slept on the couch or in her room. There was no real reason for him
to insist they sleep together, other than the fact that he wanted her close. He
knew it would be hard having her in his bed, but he hadn’t realized how deeply
she’d gotten under his skin. Her soft, sweet scent glided over him, enveloping
him, bringing him under her spell.

The glimpses he’d seen of that smooth, pale skin were like
being given little tastings of rich, deep whiskey when he really wanted the
whole bottle.

She rolled, pressing herself up against his body, curling
against him.

Torture.

Marcus closed his eyes, found that only made things worse,
and opened them again. He should push her away, should get up and get some air.
Or better yet, take a cold shower, get away from her completely.

But try as he might, he couldn’t seem to move.

Yep, it was going to be a long, long night.

Hanna was deliciously warm, her head resting on something
hard. She rubbed her face against the pillow, startled when it moved.

Opening her eyes, she stilled then threw herself back,
climbing from the bed to stand beside it.

Marcus rolled from his back to his side to stare at her. His
eyebrow rose. “Something wrong?”

Hanna flicked her hand at him, then herself, indicating the
space that was now between them. “When I went to sleep we were like this, when
I woke up we were…” Embarrassed, she couldn’t finish her sentence.

“Plastered up against one another?” he filled in. “Lying
with limbs entangled? Cuddled in together? Stop me when I’m close.”

“Yes!” she replied, her teeth clenched. “All of those. Why
would you do that?”

“I didn’t. You did. I was lying here, trying to sleep, next
thing I know you’re molded against me.”

She gulped. Had she really done that? She’d never cuddled up
to Dan.

“I wouldn’t.”

He shrugged, his face displaying no real interest. And she
knew she must have plastered herself against him. “I’m sorry.”

“No one said you had to apologize.”

She licked her lips nervously. “I’m not used to sleeping
with someone.”

He raised a brow. “You slept with Dan.”

She searched the room for something to rescue her. Ah, her
pajamas.

“Hanna? You had sex with Dan so you must have slept in the
same bed with him.”

Hanna nibbled her lower lip and snatched up her pajama top
that had been abandoned last night, folding it neatly.

“Hanna.” Pure demand.

“We only had sex a few times. He went out at night a lot,
gambling.”

“All night?” he asked. Disapproval was evident in the set of
his jaw. “You didn’t go with him?”

She reached for her pajama pants. “No. He said it was too
dangerous.”

His eyebrow rose. He didn’t think much of Dan. Hell, a lot
of the time she didn’t think much of him either. The gambling, the fact that
he’d tried to kill Laney. Granted, he’d done it to save her so she couldn’t
hate him for it. Then again, if it wasn’t for his father’s gambling addiction
they wouldn’t have been in that position in the first place. Those horrible men
would never have kidnapped her to gain Dan’s cooperation.

And then she’d never have met Marcus.

“We didn’t really cuddle. Neither of us was very
affectionate.”

Agitated, she turned away and paced.

“Hanna.” This time the command was sensuous. Hot.

She couldn’t resist. She faced him. He rested back against
the headboard, staring at her, the sheets pooled around his waist. His eyes
turned amber as the wolf peered out, watching her within those sizzling
eyes—assessing her.

Whether he found her lacking she didn’t know. Wasn’t sure
she wanted to know. She didn’t need more rejection.

“Did Dan ever bring you to orgasm?”

Shock held her immobile. “Jesus, Marcus, why are you asking
me that?”

“Because I want to know. Tell me what sex with Dan was
like.”

She was uncomfortable talking about her intimacy with Dan.
But Marcus would persist until she did. “I don’t know, I guess we just didn’t have
any spark between us. It was fine. It was sweet.”

“Fine? Sweet?” He shook his head. “Oh Hanna.”

“What?”

“Sex should never be sweet or fine. It should be hot, heavy
and mind-blowing.”

“Can we not talk about this?” She couldn’t stand his pity.
“I’m going to make some breakfast.”

She turned but didn’t move quickly enough. Marcus nabbed her
wrist, tugging her back to the bed. She fell against him. She tried to shove
away but he held her tight, pulling her to sit on his lap.

“Let me go,” she demanded.

He simply held her, laying kisses on her forehead. Gradually
she calmed, leaning against him as he swayed.

“Talk to me,” he urged her.

“I don’t want you to pity me. It wasn’t that bad. Okay, so
it was kind of awkward and strange, like being with my brother.”

Over far too soon, leaving her with no satisfaction.

“I tried, but I couldn’t make myself feel anything more for
Dan than gratitude.”

“Ahh, Jesus,” he muttered.

“I used him to get away from my pack and I couldn’t even
work up any interest in him.”

“Tink, you have to let go of this guilt. Yes, Dan helped you
out. But he also used you. He knew you had no choice and he went for what he
wanted with no thought as to your needs, your wants. He could have helped you
without insisting that you mate him. He took advantage of your vulnerability.
You shouldn’t feel guilty over your lack of attraction for him, over the fact
that you didn’t really love him. You can’t force feelings where there are none.
He should have taken care of you without conditions.”

She patted his arm. “Not everyone is as good a person as you
are, Marcus.”

She was looking at him as if she thought he could conquer
the world.

He should do something to wipe that look of worship off her
face. Except he liked how she looked to him to protect her. He was a dominant
wolf. And in any relationship, however short, he had to be in charge. Maybe it
was an ego boost, maybe it made him feel more in control, but when Hanna stared
at him that way, he wanted to be all those things for her. Lover. Protector.
Warrior.

Mate.

Lust surged through him, almost blinding him.

Rye was right. He needed to focus on his job. He couldn’t do
that if he became too involved with Hanna. But his lust grew stronger with each
passing minute. She wanted him, he could scent her arousal. Perhaps they could
just slake their need, maybe one night was all it would take and then he could
go back to doing his job with his mind clear and his cock under control.

Christ, what an asshole he was. She wasn’t a one-night sort
of girl.

“Marcus?” The vulnerability in her voice brought him
crashing back.

“I want you, Hanna,” he drawled, riding the edge of his
control. “I want to throw you onto your back and push my way inside you. I want
to fuck you until you scream, until we both reach satisfaction. Don’t ever
mistake me for a good guy, because give me half a chance and I will use you.”

Her fingers tapped against her arm, her eyes wide, breath
coming in heavy pants. “And if I wanted the same thing?” she asked.

Marcus peered down into her too-innocent eyes. “You don’t
want what I’m offering, sweetheart. You need a man who can give you kindness,
who can help you grow, a man who will give you all of him. All I can give you
is sex.”

She swallowed. Pain flashed through her eyes, gone as
quickly as it appeared. “I understand.”

With a nod at her decision, a decision that made his wolf
howl in anger even though the man approved, Marcus put her on her feet beside
the bed. But she grabbed his hands, refusing to let him go.

“I understand you can’t promise a relationship. But I still
want to have sex with you. Please. I… I need you.”

Hanna took a deep breath to still her nerves. She knew this
could never be more than sex. But she wanted him, even if it was just for one
night.

“But maybe you don’t want me. I’m not attractive. I look
like a boy. I’m weird. I’m probably frigid.”

Marcus narrowed his eyes. “Let’s make something clear right
now. You are a gorgeous, sexy women. There is no way you are frigid and if I
didn’t want you, my dick wouldn’t be rock hard and throbbing.”

“Then why couldn’t I feel anything when Dan touched me?” she
wailed. “I’m a fucking joke.”

Suddenly she found herself spinning, lying facedown, her
stomach landing over Marcus’ lap.

Smack!

She squealed in surprise as Marcus spanked her. Again and
again, his hand landed a stinging slap on her poor bottom.

“I don’t ever—”
Smack!
“ever—”
Smack! Smack!
“want
to hear you talk about yourself in such a way again.”

He raised the shirt up over her back. Grabbing her panties,
he completely stripped them off before she could take another breath.

“Marcus!” she yelled. “Have you gone mad?”

“I’m spanking you. You’ve been asking for this a while, my
girl.” He rubbed her warm butt cheeks.

Smack!

She tried to throw herself off his lap. “Stop it!” He held
her easily. Grasping her flailing hands with one of his, he brought them to the
small of her back.

“You do not put yourself down like that, understand me?”
Pain flashed over her, burning her. Tears pricked her eyes. She kicked her
feet, disbelief and shock washing over her, along with something else,
something she didn’t want to acknowledge.

Pleasure.

Each spank made her clit throb harder, made her folds
slicker as her pussy rejoiced in his punishment.

This was crazy, it was embarrassing, wrong.

And so hot she could explode.

“You are not frigid,” Marcus paused to brush his hand over
her heated cheeks. “Maybe what Dan offered wasn’t anything you were interested
in, ever think of that? I bet he was soft, that he asked you for direction,
didn’t he?”

She shivered as he moved his hand lower, brushing it against
her shaved mound.

“Uhh-hmm, bet he never spanked this little bottom, did he?”
Marcus pressed one finger through her folds.

“And I bet you never got this wet for him, did you, Hanna?
You liked your spanking, didn’t you?”

“No,” she cried out, squirming, humiliated.

Smack!

“No lying or I’ll keep going.”

She froze. Surely not. No way could she handle any more,
could she?

He returned his finger to her pussy, pushing in deep. Just
one digit, but it was enough to make her arch and cry out.

“Oh yes, you like your pleasure with a bit of pain, don’t
you, Hanna? And I reckon Dan never realized that about you. I bet he never took
the time to truly figure out what you wanted, what you needed.”

He moved his finger in and out, pressing deep. Hanna
couldn’t catch her breath.

“So tight. So warm and snug. Been a while, hasn’t it? My
poor girl, you need this so bad.”

Marcus slipped his finger out and Hanna whimpered, pushing
her hips up, wanting more.

“No moving. You move without my permission and I start
spanking again, understand? Hanna?”

“Yes,” Hanna groaned. She was willing to do anything to get
him to touch her pussy again. She knew she was on the cusp of something great.

“Good girl.” His praise emboldened her. “Now part your legs.
Wider. Excellent.”

Hanna blushed at how exposed she was. She could only guess
how she looked, lying on his lap—her legs spread wide, her butt pink and
glowing.

“I reckon this luscious little pussy is just crying out for
the attention it deserves.” He skimmed his fingertips over her mound and rolled
one finger over her clit, pushing down on the swollen nub.

Hanna gritted her teeth, holding back the urge to grind
against him.

“Very good, sugar. I know how hard it must be to stay still.
You’re doing so well. Don’t worry, I reward good behavior.”

She liked the sound of that.

He circled her clit, drawing out from her a whimper. “Have
you ever played with this sweet little nub? Did you think dream about someone flicking
it with their tongue, sucking on it while thrusting their fingers into your
pussy?”

Did he really expect her to talk? While pleasure coursed
through her? Of course she’d dreamed about it, about having him do all of those
things to her.

“Hanna, I don’t like waiting.”

“Y-yes.”

Marcus stilled and Hanna grew tense, wondering what she’d
done wrong.

“Yes, what?” he asked. “Tell me. Who did you dream about
while you touched yourself?”

She took a deep breath.
Be brave.
“You.”

“Good,” he told her as his finger slowly circled her clit. It
was all she could do not to yell at him to finish it already. Every nerve in
her body was smoldering, waiting, wanting to explode into flames.

“I can’t wait to eat you out. I want to get my tongue deep
inside you, lick up all your sweet juices. Then I’m going to explore you, eat
at you leisurely until I’m full.”

Hanna quivered, more aroused than she’d ever been in her
life. Her pussy clenched, released.

Marcus pressed his thumb against her passage and tapped his
finger against her clit. He let her hands go. “Keep them there, please,” he
told her.