it like a politician. How did you get so good at being interviewed?”
For a moment she wanted to tell him everything. To open up about what she’d done—how she’d stayed by her partner’s side—supporting and protecting him as Green Spaces rose and then dramatically fell. How it had all blown up in her face, leading to a court case, a media uproar, and the need to start over with a new name and a new identity. Would he still be so eager for her help once he knew about her past? Hannah frowned. He’d probably never want to talk to her again after he heard what she was capable of.
“Hey, you still here with me?” Chad waved his hand in front of Hannah’s face.
“Yeah, sorry,” she replied. “I thought it went well, too. You’re a natural, and it helped that she totally had a crush on you.”
“Not like it matters,” Chad replied, glancing at Hannah out of the corner of his eye.
She shrugged. Once the campaign was over, Chad would be free to go back to romancing anyone he pleased, even local celebrities. Hell, if he were discreet, he could start now.
“I need to get back to Aria,” Hannah said abruptly, turning on her heel. “She probably wants lunch.”
Chad grasped her arm gently, stopping her. “What’s wrong? You’re not yourself today.”
“I’m fine,” she lied, attempting to put on her PR smile. “Everything is going according to plan.”
Chad frowned at her. “It’s Tripp, isn’t it? You’re upset because he cornered you again. Hannah, I’m sorry, I really need to step up and start paying more attention. I just got so caught up in my conversation with Hank and the guys that I didn’t realize you needed me. My job is to keep you safe, and lately I’ve been doing a shit job. I’m sorry.”
Hannah gave him a sad smile.
If only Chad knew that he was the one who needed protection. From her.
14
As always, the casual quarterly Cattlemen’s Association meeting was slow to break up after the official business concluded. Most of the men got along well on a social level, and the promise of a beer or two before heading home was too much of a temptation to resist. There were always more deals to be made and casual business to conduct sitting in the back room of the Saddle Joe’s Bar while throwing back a few.
But Chad didn’t really feel like talking even though everyone kept peppering him with questions about some of the new plans he’d suggested. There had been a slow but gradual shift in the way that he and his ideas were viewed by the others. At first, it was clear they hadn’t taken him seriously. But over the past few weeks, he could see the more senior members looking at him differently. They listened when he spoke. Respected his opinions. Checked in with him for answers when debating a problem.
And the change was all thanks to Hannah, who seemed so unaccountably distant from him now.
He drained his beer and tried to figure out what had changed between them since the last time they’d been alone together. They’d had sex and it had been amazing. Mind blowing, really, unlike anything he’d experienced with other women. The way Hannah had looked at him once she’d finished … he let out a long, slow breath to try to calm himself. He was used to desire, but what he felt for her was on a whole different level. And it went way beyond sex. He wanted to be with her—talk to her, get her opinions, make her laugh—all the time. He’d always thought he wasn’t cut out for relationships—that it was smarter to stick to one-night stands where no one expected more from him than a few hours of fun. But Hannah made him want more, want to give more.
Chad scanned the room and his eyes landed on Tripp, laughing too loud and calling attention to himself like always. Now that could be the problem. Hannah always seemed to be working to advance Chad’s campaign, but he wasn’t doing as good a job at keeping the persistent a-hole away from her. He remembered how scared she’d look that first day, on the sidewalk, and felt his hands involuntarily curl into fists. If she still felt scared, it was all his fault for not stepping up to protect her.
Maybe if he could finally get Tripp to back off, Hannah would finally realize that she could count on him—trust him, even with