“You can have both,” I told her, trying hard to ignore my throbbing cock. “I promise. Just not tonight.”
Hanna pouted. She kissed me gently on the lips and nodded. “I get it,” she said. “But what about tomorrow? Dinner?”
“Absolutely,” I told her, stroking her cheek. “Come on, let’s get you home.”
After helping Hanna inside the car, I snuggled close and wrapped my arm around her. I was still achingly horny and wanted nothing more than to tear her clothes off, but I knew that I had to be responsible. After all, just because I was falling in love didn’t mean that I could blow off work.
Falling in love, I thought to myself as Hanna rested her head on my shoulder. Am I? Is this really possible?
But I didn’t have to think for long. I didn’t know every detail about Hanna’s life, but that didn’t matter. I was starting to realize that she was the exact woman I wanted to spend my life with.
Nick pulled up in front of Hanna’s building and slowed the car to a stop.
“I wish I could take you home with me,” I said, taking Hanna’s hands in mine and kissing them. “But I’ll see you tomorrow.”
Hanna grinned. “You’d better,” she said. “And I’m counting on dinner.”
She kissed me – a long, lingering passionate kiss – then climbed out of the car. I watched her ass sway from side to side as she walked into her building. When the door closed behind her, I had the irrational urge to run after Hanna and grab her, pull her into my arms, and spirit her away to my condo. Damnit, man, I thought as Nick pulled away from the curb. You’re losing your mind over this woman!
I barely slept that night. Instead, I sat at my desk and tried to make sense of the documents Mark had sent me earlier in the week. There were tentative plans for a Magnate office in Seoul, as well as Beijing, and while ordinarily the prospect would have excited me, I just couldn’t tear my mind away from Hanna. By the time I felt like I’d gotten a good handle on the paperwork, the sun was starting to rise in the sky. I took a quick shower, dressed, and went into the office.
“Mr. West, I’ve got coffee for you,” Maggie said, rising from her desk and handing me a warm latte. “Oh, and this came for you in the mail.” She handed me a padded envelope with no return address.
I frowned. “Who sent it?”
Maggie shrugged. “I’m sorry, Mr. West, I don’t know – it was on my desk when I got in this morning. Do you want me to call down to the mail room?”
“No,” I said shortly. I was starting to feel grumpy and exhausted from lack of sleep…and lack of Hanna’s hot body against mine. “Thanks, though.”
I went into my office and shut the door, flopping down on the couch and kicking my feet up on the table. I had twenty minutes before my meeting with Mark, so I ripped open the envelope. It’s probably more shit from him that I was supposed to have read already, I thought. Today is going to fucking suck.
Shiny photographs tumbled out and fell face-down to the floor. My heart sank as I sat up abruptly and grabbed one, expecting a close-up of my face against the backdrop of a London street.
But it was worse.
The picture was of Hanna. She was standing on a beach, laughing, and I realized the photos were from last Christmas, in Jamaica. My hands began to shake and I dropped the photo. It fluttered to the ground and I stared down at the glossy surface for a long time before getting to my feet and grabbing my phone.
“Hello?” Andrew yawned. “James?”
“Yeah,” I said. “And I need some fucking help, now.”
“What’s wrong? Did something happen?”
“I got more pictures,” I said. “But these were taken last year – in Jamaica.”
Andrew was silent for a long moment. “James, I’m sorry – there hasn’t been a break in the case yet. I’m working as hard as I can, but I’m afraid I don’t have anything to tell you.”
I felt panic swelling inside of my chest and I wanted to scream and yell, to throw my phone at the wall, to tell Andrew to fuck right off with his proper British nonsense. But instead, I took a deep breath.
“Well, there needs to be something soon,” I growled. “Or else, you’re fired and I’ll make sure you never work with a high-profile client for the rest of your life. I can ruin your career, Andrew, and I think you fucking know that.”
“James, I—“
“Don’t start,” I snapped. “These aren’t pictures of me – they’re pictures of my girlfriend, Hanna Parker. And I need to find out who the fuck is stalking the both of us!”
Andrew swallowed. “James, I…I’m sorry I don’t have anything more for you. But for the moment, you need to do whatever you can to keep her safe. Limit your distance from her publicly. Make sure that you’re not together, and for god’s sake, do not tell her the reasons why.”
I closed my eyes and sank down into the chair at my desk. “I have to break up with her,” I said. “There’s no other way – I have to keep her safe.”
“Yes,” Andrew said curtly. “At least, for the time being. It will be the best decision for everyone involved.”
I hung up the phone without replying. Inside, I was completely and totally numb. I couldn’t even be angry – this was exactly the last thing I’d wanted to happen. I couldn’t believe that after practically confessing my love to Hanna, I was going to have to break her heart.
The day dragged by. I was barely present in my meeting with Mark, to the point where he kept calling me out on it. I couldn’t help it – all I could think about was Hanna, and how badly I was going to hurt her…not to mention, how much she would hate me after this was all over.
At four-thirty, I walked over to Hanna’s office. She grinned when she saw me, and I felt a stab of guilt at the sparkling diamonds wrapped around her wrist.
“Hey,” Hanna said. “Decided on dinner yet?”
“Yeah,” I said. I swallowed and rocked back and forth on the balls of my feet. “Listen—”
“Because I was thinking maybe we could try that new Chinese place, you know, the one that does the fusion tapas? Like, Italian-Chinese?”
I didn’t answer.
“James?” Hanna narrowed her eyes and frowned. “Is something wrong? You’re acting weird.”
“No,” I lied. “There’s nothing wrong. I’ll ask Maggie to make reservations.”
Hanna beamed and I felt like the world’s biggest piece of shit.
“Good,” Hanna said. She licked her lips and leaned closer, and my heart ached at the obvious love in her eyes. “Because I can’t wait to go out with you, James.”
I nodded. “Can you meet me there at seven-thirty? I’ve got a lot of work to catch up on?”
Hanna’s smile faltered slightly but she nodded. “Of course. I owe Danielle some girls’ time, anyway.”
“Okay,” I said awkwardly. “Well, see you then.”
Hanna looked crestfallen as I walked out of her office.