Unwilling to be intimidated when I was just trying to be truthful, I refused to back up, even when he stopped so close I had to tilt my head back to look up at him. “It’s the truth,” I snapped.

“So you’re confused. That gives you the right to treat me like shit?”

The guilt was back. “No.” Without even thinking, I brushed my fingertips over his chest, a gesture of reassurance. “I’m sorry for today. It wasn’t fair. I’m just… confused.”

For a moment I wasn’t sure how he was going to react.

Then slowly the tension seemed to ease from him despite the hardness that remained in his eyes. “I don’t ever want a repeat of today. We got problems, we talk. You don’t leave me standing out in the cold like a fucking idiot.”

Feeling like one of my scolded schoolchildren, I crossed my arms over my chest and answered somewhat petulantly, “Were you always this bossy?”

A dangerous glint entered his eyes. “Oh, babe, you haven’t seen bossy.”

I let out a gasp of surprise as he pushed me against the arm of the sofa so I had no choice but to sit on it, and shoved my skirt up to my waist in one rapid, smooth movement.

I clung to the sofa, feeling a heady mixture of apprehension and excitement as he roughly yanked my underwear down my legs. He pushed in between my legs, gripping my nape with one hand and tugging at his zipper with the other.

His kiss was hard, desperate, and that plus the torturous press of his throbbing cock against my sex was too much. He rubbed against me, stole me out of myself with his erotic kisses, and teased me until my skin was inflamed.

By the time my mouth was swollen from his kisses, I felt his fingers slip inside me, testing my readiness. He practically growled in satisfaction before he removed his fingers and thrust his cock inside me.

I cried out in pleasured pain, holding on to Marco for dear life as he gripped my hips and fucked me on the arm of my couch. It wasn’t like before. It wasn’t slow and deep and driven by longing. This was driven by frustration, confusion, desperation, and lust. It was ragged. It was intense. And I was so hot for him I came fast and I came hard.

Coming down from my climax, I felt my inner muscles spasm as Marco growled, “Fuck, Hannah. Fuck, feels so good,” before groaning as he came inside me.

Panting for breath, feeling somewhat bewildered by how different and yet exciting that had been, I waited for Marco to make the next move.

His next move was to kiss me slowly, sweetly, and pull back to ask in belated concern, “You okay? I wasn’t —”

I covered his mouth with my hand, smirking in satisfaction. “I might have to piss you off more often.”

He rewarded my humor with a wicked grin. “My baby likes it hard.”

“I like you,” I whispered, feeling that ache in my chest expand.

He brushed his knuckles along my jaw, tenderness burning in his eyes now. “Does that mean you’re going to give this a real shot? No more avoiding us?”

I thought about him sitting out on my front stoop in the winter cold.

“Yes.” I slid my arms around his neck, pulling him close. “This is me officially giving us a shot.”

CHAPTER 15

Years ago, when I was attempting to understand the rings Joss made Braden jump through before finally admitting they were meant for each other, Joss had told me that she had been so happy for the first time in so long that it paralyzed her with fear.

Instead of being able to enjoy what they had, Joss was thinking one hundred miles down the road in front of them, fearing a bend in that road, one that they’d take too sharply and end up careening headlong into disaster.

I understood how she could feel that way, now more than ever.

The next week with Marco was exhilarating in its simple beauty. He spent every night at my place, including the weekend, and we made love. Sometimes it was sweet and sometimes it was wild, and every time it was mind-blowing. When we weren’t going at it like teenagers who’d just discovered the power of sex, we hung out like always. It was addictive. He was addictive. I felt so content I was scared of it.

Distracted by Marco, distracted by my tumultuous emotions, I was behind on work.

The following Thursday I knew I had to skip out on lunch and use that time and the free period I had next to catch up on my marking. My head was down, my stomach was growling, and I was lost in papers when a knock on my door brought me out of them.

Although my heart jumped at the sight of Marco standing in my doorway, I frowned. “What are you doing here?” My eyes ran the length of him. He was wearing his work clothes. I tried to ignore the fact that I found him sexy like this.

Marco shrugged, taking long-legged strides toward me and I noted the brown bag in his hand. “Anisha let me in at Reception.” He pulled a wrapped sandwich out of the bag and placed it on the desk in front of me. A bottle of water followed it. “You sounded stressed this morning.” Grabbing a chair he put it opposite my desk and sat down, pulling another sandwich out of the paper bag. “I just wanted to make sure you ate something.” A pucker appeared between his brows. “You’ve lost weight recently.”

Touched by his thoughtfulness, I smiled as I picked up the sandwich. “The weight loss is because of all the sex. Someone hasn’t left me alone for the past week and a half.”

He grunted. “Like you’re complaining.”

I shrugged noncommittally and he smiled before biting into his sandwich.

“FYI, I got my period this morning, so no sex for us for the next few days.”

“Nice timing. I’ve got my family thing this weekend.”

There was that sinking feeling back to piss me off some more. “Family thing. Right.”

Marco shot me a knowing look. “Soon,” he promised. Changing the subject quickly, he gestured to my marking. “You can work, babe.”

He sat quietly, eating his lunch, while I ate mine and did my marking at the same time.

An hour passed in perfect, comfortable silence and by the end of it I couldn’t help myself.

I felt it.

That night I felt it even more. After I’d told him about my period, a small part of me (okay, a large part of me) assumed I wouldn’t see him that night since we couldn’t have sex.

If I’d bet on that I would have lost big.

After my literacy class, I returned to the flat to find Marco waiting for me. He cooked dinner. I read a book while he watched a movie. And when it was time for bed, we fell asleep on our sides, my legs tangled in his as he held me tight.

It was weird not to have Marco stay the night on Friday, nor wake up to him on Saturday morning. We’d been in a relationship for less than two weeks, and yet it felt like it had been so much longer. I guessed that was the history between us playing its part.

“I’m so bored,” Jo huffed, lolling her head back against the arm of the couch.

I’d chosen to hang out with Jo this weekend. Since arriving at her flat, I was somewhat regretting that decision. “Gee, thanks.”

“What?” she frowned at me. “What? Oh, no.” She waved my comment away. “I mean in general. Mick made me finish up work almost four months ago. I’ve literally read every book on the bloody planet. I’ve counted every crack in my ceiling a million times. I’ve seen more TV movies than I ever wanted to see in a lifetime. This baby needs to get out of me and get out of me soon.”

I eyed her baby bump and put a fresh cup of tea down on the table beside her. She was almost eight months pregnant. “Not long now.”

“I know.” She sighed wearily. “I’m so agitated. Ellie, on the other hand, is all relaxed and sweetness and light. I want to kill her,” she growled, and I believed she might have meant it. “Being pregnant together was supposed to be fun, but she’s ruining the fun by being normal and rational.” She said the word “rational” like it tasted like dirt.

I laughed. “The old hormones getting to you, eh?”

“I am such a bitch.” She widened her eyes in horror. “I don’t even recognize myself sometimes and I can’t stop myself when I’m in the middle of being a bitch. Cam’s turned Cole’s old room into a sanctuary. I even caught him looking at locks the other day. I think he’s genuinely considering fitting a lock to that bedroom door so he can keep me out.”

It was difficult not to laugh at the visual and the fact that out of everyone, Jo would be the last person I’d have thought would be crazy with pregnancy hormones.

She was right. Ellie had been very chilled out when she was pregnant with William, and she was just as laid-back this time around, if not more so.

Suddenly Jo blanched. “I’m sorry, Hannah,” she whispered. “I don’t mean to complain.”

“You’re allowed to complain. Don’t ever be sorry.” My phone buzzed before Jo could respond.

Swiping the lock screen, I frowned at the text message that appeared.

“Marco?”

“No. It’s Suzanne.”

So? New guy, no time for your girls?

I held it up to Jo so she could read it. Jo curled her lip in annoyance. “Why are you friends with that girl?”

Shoving my phone back in my pocket without texting back, I shrugged. “The hope had been that she’d finally grow up and become a real person, but so far no such luck.”

“I’d just ignore her until she gets the picture.”

“I’m not sure if I want to completely cut her out of my life. She was once a close friend.”

“Pfft. Hannah, she’s never been much of a friend to you. Ever.”

I exhaled, not really knowing what to do about Suzanne. The truth was, I hadn’t seen Suzanne or Michaela in weeks. I’d spoken to Michaela on the phone, and she was cool because she understood – she was just as busy with work and with Colin.

However, after the run-in with Suzanne when I’d met Marco for drinks, my patience with her had frayed beyond repair.

“Okay.” Jo shuffled up into a sitting position. “On to a much more interesting subject.” She grinned, looking like a mischievous little girl. “Marco: the high school fantasy come to life.”

I laughed. “He’s definitely a fantasy.”

Jo’s eyes lit up. “I’m guessing he knows what to do with that fantastic body of his.”

Feeling more than a little smug I replied, “Oh, yes. Definitely.”

“You should bring him over for Sunday lunch again.”

“Now that we’re actually seeing each other I think it might be a little weird with you guys there… being all nosy.”

Jo rolled her eyes. “We’re not nosy. We’re grown adults. We’ve got better things to do than spy on you.”

“Liar.”

“Okay, we probably would. Some of us have been cooped up for months, though. Your lusty romance with Marco is our only form of entertainment.”

“Great,” I muttered.

“So are you seeing him tonight?”

At the reminder that I wouldn’t be seeing him because of his “family thing,” I felt my mood sink. “He disappears every other weekend. He says it’s a family thing and that he’ll explain when the time is right.”

“Withholding information.” Jo raised an eyebrow. “How do you feel about that?”

“What can I do?” I smiled sadly. “He’s not the only one withholding, remember.”

Jo’s expression turned sympathetic and concerned. “Right.”

Thankfully, the sound of the front door opening broke into the suddenly gloomy atmosphere. “It’s me!” Cam called, his footsteps growing louder as he strode toward the sitting room. He smiled at me as he entered the room, carrying a white plastic bag. “Hannah, how are you, sweetheart?”

“I’m good.” I smiled back. “You?”

His eyes flicked to Jo. “Uh, aye, good.”

It took everything in me not to burst out laughing at his hesitation. I was guessing Jo wasn’t the only one who wanted this baby to come out soon.

“Did you get me them?” Jo asked him, her eyes riveted on the plastic bag.

In answer Cam pulled out a packet of pickled onion crisps and a multi-pack of Kit Kat biscuits. Jo frowned at the biscuits. “They’re ordinary two-finger Kit Kats.”

“Aye?” Cam asked in wary confusion.

“I like the king-size Kit Kats.” She pouted at him. I’d never seen Jo pout in my life. “The four-finger Kit Kats. They taste better.”

His answering smile was tight. “Fine. I’ll go back and get them. It’s only an hour’s walk to the supermarket and back.”

“You don’t need to be snippy,” she snapped.

Cam closed his eyes as if he was trying to draw patience from somewhere, anywhere. He opened them, looking at me. “Remind me that I love her.”