Drake Sisters 05 - Safe Harbor

sneak you out," he promised.
    "Sarah will have a fit," Hannah warned.
    "No she won't. She knows you can't stay cooped up in the house and you can't go in public, so this is the next best thing. No one will think of looking for you there. You'll be safe, Sarah will approve, and I'll get to wonder whether or not you're wearing thong underwear or nothing at all."
    "You're awfully obsessed with my underwear," she teased.

    "Or lack of," he admitted. "I think about it more than I should."
    She glanced up at the honesty in his voice. How in the world could that simple admission make her hot all over? "Let me assure you, I almost always wear underwear." She had to clench her teeth together to keep from laughing at his expression.
    "Almost always? That's just wrong, Hannah. Now I'm never going to have a moment's peace around you."
    She looked smug. "I know."
    Jonas laughed, the sound deep and real, filled with amusement and making her heart soar. She did a small dance pattern in the sand, throwing out her arms, for a moment forgetting entirely she was disfigured and someone hated her enough to kill her. She glanced at the sky. "We could probably build a sand castle before the fog is gone."
    "We don't have any tools."
    "Tools?" She gave a sniff of disdain. "Amateur."
    "You did not just call me an amateur."
    "I did. You build your sand castle over there. You have twelve minutes. That's it and we have to go."
    He was already crouching down, digging for wetter sand. She was on her knees doing the same. A few minutes later, when Jonas glanced over at her, she was cheating, directing little wind flurries to etch out the castle walls. He opened his mouth to call her on it, but she looked so absorbed, a child playing, carefree and happy, and he wasn't about to interrupt even to tease her.
    Hannah dug her hands into the sand, absently guiding small bursts of wind to carve the castle. The sand felt good, earthy and grainy, the castle taking shape quickly. She formed a bridge over her moat by sending a spear of wind blasting a tunnel through the sand. It burst out the other side, spraying Jonas hard enough to sting him.
    She covered her mouth, muffling her laughter when he whirled around so fast he lost his balance and fell into the wet sand which he'd been carefully avoiding. "Poor baby.
    And your sand castle looks a little anemic." She leaned over to push her finger into the sloping side where the sand kept caving in. "You have to pack it solid, Jonas."
    He caught her arms and tugged until she lost her balance and fell across him. He took both wet, sandy hands and rubbed them dry on her denim-clad butt, leaving smears all over her bottom. "You deserve that for cheating."
    "I didn't cheat."
    "You used the wind."

    "I can't help it if it likes me and not you." She stayed sprawled across him, lifting herself up to look down into his eyes. "You're a beautiful man, Jonas Harrington. You really are." She brushed the hair from where it spilled across his forehead.
    "I'm glad you think so, Miss Drake."
    "If I kiss you after all, will you think I've lost my mind?"
    "Kissing doesn't mean we're going to have sex, Hannah."
    "I know, but you've given me…" She broke off. Hope . The word shimmered in her mind and she sent it to his. Laughter . She bent to brush a kiss on his chin. My life back . She kissed the corner of his mouth, rubbed her lips over his. I felt broken, Jonas, and you make me feel whole .
    She settled her lips over his, sliding her tongue shyly along the seam of his mouth, uncaring that he was seeing her face in the early dawn. She needed to kiss him, to find a way to show him she loved him. Because she did. Bone deep. Her entire heart. Even her soul. She poured her love into her kiss, opening her mind a little, wanting him to feel what he meant to her. Wanting him to know what he did for her. She could face her future. And she could be strong even when she felt as if she wanted to crawl into a hole.
    "You gave me that," she murmured against his mouth. "Thank you."
    He reached up to cradle her head, holding her to him. "I love you, Hannah. Whatever you need, I'll be it for you."
    She smiled into his eyes. "So the whole bossy thing was just an act?"
    "Of course, to impress you. And it worked." He lifted his head to cover the few inches separating them and captured her lower lip with his teeth, tugging gently. "Kiss me again."
    He didn't wait for her, taking the initiative, sliding his mouth over hers, gentle, tender, small