Page 55 of Unhinged

She laughed and lightly smacked his chest but didn’t say anything else. He studied her for another moment, a strange combination of emotions radiating through his chest. He recognized part of it as lust for the beautiful woman in his lap. Another was joy that she’d allowed him into her life, trusted him with her body—and maybe even her heart.

That remaining feeling eluded him, though. It ran deeper, more powerful than the other two; he felt it down to the tips of his toes. Whatever it was, he wanted a lot more of it.

CHAPTER

TWENTY-THREE

Hannah's phone vibrated on the counter, and she swiped her thumb over the screen as she lifted it to her ear. “Hello?”

“Hannah, how are you?”

“I’m fine, Andrew. How about you?” She shifted the phone so it lay cradled between her ear and shoulder as she moved around the kitchen.

‘Fine’ was a drastic understatement. Her body still pulsed with unrequited desire, and her skin buzzed like a live wire where Luke had touched her. He’d walked out the door half an hour ago, but the warm, fuzzy feeling he’d stirred inside her had yet to subside.

From the tingling of her skin, she doubted it would go away anytime soon. And the thought of dinner with him tonight, maybe going back to his place… A welcome heat spread through her chest then lower to her core, making her feel needy and restless.

He was so different from any other man she’d ever dated. He seemed to intuitively know exactly what she needed; he pushed her out of her comfort zone but still managed to respect her boundaries. The last line that lay between them had become slightly blurred. Did she want Luke to be her first?

Trepidation mixed with anticipation coursed through her veins when the immediate answer popped into her mind. Yes. She could practically feel the heat rising in her cheeks as she envisioned him in her bed, suspended over her⁠—

“Did you hear about the exhibit the art gallery downtown will be hosting?”

Andrew’s question tore her from her daydream, and she forced herself to focus. “I didn’t. Are they featuring anyone good?”

“I’m not really sure. I just read about it this morning, and I thought maybe we could go tonight.”

She froze. Should she tell him about Luke? Probably not yet. She didn’t want to hurt his feelings, and this was a conversation best had in person. Andrew had been the one to suggest she start dating again, but he’d more than likely meant she should date him. No, for now, she’d just keep quiet until she figured out exactly how to break the news.

“Oh, I’m sorry, I can’t. I promised Audrey I would come see her today. She’s supposed to get released sometime this afternoon.”

It wasn’t a lie, exactly, just… not the whole truth. A trace of disappointment lined Andrew’s tone when he spoke again. “Do you think you’ll be there all evening?”

“Possibly. I hate the thought of her being there all alone. They’ve been monitoring her for internal bleeding and keeping a close eye on her head for any trauma she may have sustained. Last she heard, everything was normal. They kept her just as a precaution, but she should be fine to come home today.”

“Wonderful.”

She couldn’t tell if the statement was genuine or if there was a hint of sarcasm in there. Either way, it didn’t matter. A thought popped into her head. “Did Steve Iverson ever contact you?”

“No. In fact, I left a message for him a few days ago but he never returned my call.”

She really hoped he’d gotten the message. She had no desire to ever have another run-in with him. “Well, then, I wouldn’t worry about it. I think we were beyond what he initially came for and he was hanging on out of habit.”

Andrew made a thoughtful noise on the other end. “Do you suppose he was infatuated with you?”

“Could be.”

She’d told Detective Sanchez of the possibility of Steve Iverson lashing out, but the idea just didn’t seem to fit. Of course, nothing was ever as it seemed. Sometimes people hid their deepest secrets right below the surface.

“Well, you should be extra careful, especially in light of recent events. I love you, Hannah. I just want to make sure you’re safe.”

She cringed at his words. Though she’d told him before that she loved him as a friend, she had a feeling his love went a whole lot deeper. She swallowed hard before speaking. “I’m sure everything will work out.”

He was silent for a moment when she didn’t return his sentiment. “Well, maybe I’ll give you a call tomorrow and see if you’re interested in dinner or something.”

“Sounds great.”

She disconnected the phone and set it on the counter. She really needed to come clean—and soon. Guilt was already weighing down her conscience and she couldn’t bear to see him hurt.