had done to her had much less to do with sex, and more to do with violence. Dominance. Humiliation.
The feelings she had towards Dylan as she snuggled closer into the cocoon of his arms had nothing to do with any of those descriptors. In fact, he represented the opposite. Safety. Respect. And, dare she hope, love?
"Penny for your thoughts?"
She'd missed him waking up, and spoke without her normal filter. "I was just thinking about how lucky I am that you came into my life. Who knows where I'd be right now if it weren't for you?"
Dylan tried to make light of his part in keeping her safe. "Yeah, well, Lukus and Derek would have protected you with or without me."
"That's bullshit and you know it. The only reason they even knew about me was through you. I'd have just blended into the rest of Jake's hell if you hadn't protected me."
She was glad he didn't disagree. They lay silent, gently stroking each other wherever their fingers connected with skin.
As the minutes passed, Hannah grew bolder, moving her touch lower with each swathe across his hard chest, getting closer to the sexy trail of masculine hair that started under his bellybutton and pointed the way lower, disappearing into his boxer briefs.
"Hannah."
"Dylan."
"What are you doing, honey?"
She loved the terms of endearment he used with her, although they confused her. If he had to ask what she was doing, she was obviously doing it wrong.
She yanked her hand back, feeling foolish at her failed attempt at seduction. He wasn't interested in her that way. He couldn't be. She'd practically thrown herself at him the night before, and he'd maintained their chastity.
She had just started to roll away from him to try to escape to the bathroom to hide her embarrassment when he rolled her onto her back in the middle of the bed. The weight of his body blanketed her, making her feel warm and protected. He pushed his upper body up, resting on his elbows near her shoulders.
His face was just inches away. She recognized the heat in his dark grey eyes at the exact moment she felt the length of his hard cock pressing into her body. Her sex physically clenched with anticipation as she realized he'd been reading her intentions right all along.
"Now, young lady, you are making it impossible for me to be the gentleman I'm trying to be during your recovery. What exactly is it you're trying to do to me?"
The grin on his face was playful, and this time it was her heart that fluttered. She played back. "I don't know what you mean."
Dylan laughed. It was the rich, genuine laugh of a man who was having fun. It filled her with a hope for something she hadn't even known was possible. The hope for love. For the kind of closeness she had seen and coveted in others, like Derek and Rachel.
He gently swished the few stray strands of hair from her face, growing suddenly serious. The playful grin was gone. In its place was an intensity she'd grown accustomed to from Dylan.
"I wanted to wait longer until you were fully recovered, but I don't think I'm strong enough to wait anymore," he said.
His words were cryptic. "Wait for what?" she prompted.
"To do this." His lips descended on hers in a crush. As gentle as he'd been with her before, this kiss was the opposite. Hard. Demanding. Possessive.
Dylan's tongue commanded entry, pressing into her mouth just as his erection ground against her through his thin underwear. He'd started rocking his body forward and back, emulating what she was sure he wanted to do once they lost their clothes. The friction of their bodies rubbing together mixed with the naughty kiss they shared, filling the space with the aroma of sexual need.
Sheer bliss. That was how it felt as she turned her body over to the man above her. She wanted to protest when he broke the kiss, but realized it was only so he could pull the pajama top she had been wearing over her head, throwing it over his shoulder haphazardly.
Instead of returning his mouth to her own, Dylan lunged forward to take her nipple between his lips. Hannah arched her back as waves of desire poured through her body. He'd moved to his knees, straddling her hips, his shaft jutting out against her tummy as his mouth claimed one nipple and his calloused hand claimed the other. The nip of his fingers lightly pinching her