Chapter 3-Ryan

When I went downstairs the following morning, Hannah was already awake. She was in the kitchen making eggs and bacon. The smell made my stomach growl, and I was thankful that for once, I wouldn't have to grab a bagel or donut

as I rushed out the front door.

She glanced at me over her shoulder and grinned. "Morning. Hope you're hungry."

"Starved." I was exhausted, too, because I'd spent all damn night thinking about her, about the way her lips had felt on my bare chest, about the way her fingers had trailed over my skin like she was trying to memorize me.

My cock thickened in my much too thin pajama pants, and I quickly took a seat at the bar before she could see me like that.

"Good, because I think I made too much." She spun around, frying pan in hand, and scooped a generous helping of scrambled eggs onto a plate.

My jaw dropped. "What are you wearing?" I asked, each word spoken slowly and carefully.

She glanced down at herself then back up at me. "A tank top?"

It might have covered her, but it didn't leave a goddamn thing to the imagination. I could see the dark circle of her areola and the rosy pink tips of her nipples-her hard nipples. My dick twitched, and my balls drew up painfully, demanding relief.

Turning her back to me, she returned the pan to the stove. "Want some toast with your eggs?" She walked-no, she

sashayed-toward the toaster, her hips swaying as if she were moving to music only she could hear.

Dare I see what else she's wearing with that tank top? Without thinking, I stood and walked out from behind the bar.

Her long, slender legs were bare, and her ass was barely covered with a pair of deep purple shorts that looked too much like underwear. She leaned across the counter and dropped two slices of bread into the toaster, her ass cheeks jiggling in the most erotic way I'd ever seen.

"How about some coffee?" she asked, her back still to me.

I reached down and adjusted my cock, but there was no hiding the beast in these pants. Maybe if she saw me like this, hard as fucking steel and hornier than a teenager who'd just discovered what a vagina was, maybe she'd stop whatever game she was playing. Or maybe this is exactly what she wanted, to push me over the edge, make me snap.

"Ryan?" She finally turned around to face me.

Big fucking mistake! My gaze was immediately drawn lower, to the unmistakable slit between her legs.

I could clearly see the outline of her pussy lips, and my cock jerked involuntarily. "Okay, that's it." I grabbed her by the waist and hoisted her onto the counter. "What's going on, Hannah?"

"Well, I was trying to make breakfast." Her brown eyes twinkled with mischief,

and her lips twitched with an almost smile.

I'd bet anything her lips were soft, that they'd be pliant and eager against mine. Focus, jackass. I shook the thought from my mind. "You know damn well that's not what I'm talking about.

" I put my palms flat on the counter on either side of her legs and leaned forward until we were eye-to-eye. "You show up here out of the blue, without my daughter, and parade around half-naked in front of me.

" My tone was harsh, but I didn't care. She needed to understand that what she was doing was dangerous-for both of us.

"I really don't see what the problem is, Ryan. I'm more covered wearing this than I am in a bathing suit." She leaned back, propping herself on her hands, giving me a perfect view of her barely-clothed body. She casually swung her legs, making her breasts shake with each movement.

Wonderful; now I was going to have an image of her in a bikini in my head. I inhaled deeply, my nostrils flaring with frustration. "You came home for a reason, and I have a feeling it's because you want something." And I'd be lying if I denied any hope I had that it was me she wanted. "Why are you home?"

"It's a long story."

"We have all day."

"Maybe I just missed home. Ever think of that?"

I lifted a brow, waiting. I knew she was lying.

"What do you want me to say, Ryan?" She sat up, bringing her body much too close to mine, her breasts lightly pressing against my chest. I knew I should move, but I didn't. I couldn't.

"I want you to tell me the truth."

"Fine," she bit out. "I'll tell you, but I don't want any judgment from you. Got it?"

I nodded. She opened her mouth to speak, but I stopped her before she could. "Go put some damn clothes on first.

Or a bathrobe or something." I helped her off the counter, my hands lingering on her hips. For a brief moment, I considered

yanking her against me and showing her the effect she had on me.

Instead, I released her and said, "And from now on, when I'm around, you are to be covered at all times. Understood?"

She rolled her eyes. "Whatever you say, Dad." She spun on her heel and walked out of the kitchen.

The sarcasm dripping from her tone only aroused me more. I blew out a breath and turned my attention to the coffee pot, needing a strong dose of caffeine to get me through the day.

The comforting scent of coffee filled the kitchen, and I closed my eyes, savoring the smell. But the second my lids closed, I was bombarded with images of Hannah-her hard nipples, the way her perky breasts bounced, the way her ass shook.

The way her eyes filled with lust when she looked at me.

Groaning, I slipped my hand down the front of my pants and fisted my cock, giving it a hard squeeze. It had been far too long since I'd been with a woman, and even longer since I'd been this aroused. It wouldn't take me long to get off, not when I had Hannah front and center in my thoughts. And I was going to need the release if I was going to make it through the day without crossing the line with her. Freeing my cock, I gripped the edge of the counter and stroked my shaft. Fuck, that felt good, but it would feel better if it were Hannah's delicate hands wrapped around my swollen, aching flesh. Or her pussy.

I stroked myself a little harder, my hand picking up speed as I imagined rubbing the head of my dick along her pussy lips. Bet they were slick and hot. My balls tightened painfully, and pre-cum beaded on my tip. She was probably tight as hell, too. I could hear her screams as I filled her with all nine inches of my hard, throbbing cock. And then she'd beg me for more, to fuck her harder, faster, deeper. "Oh, God," I moaned, tugging on my shaft furiously.

Just as the first spurts of come erupted, Hannah returned. "This better?"

"Shit." I grunted, frantically working out the rest of my release, my face hot. I hoped to hell she didn't realize what I was doing.

As soon as the last drops of come fell from my cock, I quickly tucked it back into my pants and grabbed the washcloth from the sink. I cleaned up after myself, willing my heart rate to slow to normal.

When I was sure all evidence was gone, I snatched my mug from the coffee maker and turned around. She'd put on a too-large T-shirt that reached her knees. It was very clearly a man's shirt, and that pissed me off. "It'll do," I said, sipping my coffee.

"Now that breakfast is cold, we might as well sit in the living room.

" She once again walked out of the kitchen, but this time I followed. She settled in the corner of the couch, knees tucked to her chest. "His name is Brendan," she started.

I should've known this was about a guy. I sat on the opposite end of the couch and set my mug on the coffee table. "What did he do to you?"

Averting her gaze, she fidgeted with the hem of her shirt. "I met him almost immediately after arriving at college. We hit it off, and it was a whirlwind. After only a month, we'd declared our love, and he said he was going to marry me the day after we graduated." She smiled wistfully.

I clenched my hand into a fist.

"Then, our schedules became more intense with classes and jobs and other commitments. I held out hope that things would get better once the semester was over. But the semester ended, and another came and went. Things only got worse."

My stomach knotted at the sadness in her voice. I had no idea what this guy did to send her running home, but I wouldn't hesitate to kill him for hurting Hannah.

"We hadn't had sex in months."

"Fucking Christ," I grumbled. I did not want to hear about her sex life.

"Anyway, I found out he'd been cheating on me. So, I left and came home.

" She shrugged.

I studied her. "Is that all?"

"Isn't that enough?"

"Yes, but you seem like you want to say more," I said.

"There's nothing more to tell." She stood. "I had my heart broken and needed some time away. End of story."

She was lying, but pushing her to talk would only backfire and piss off both of us.

"Brendan sounds like a dumbass."

At that, Hannah let out a surprised laugh, and my heart soared at the melodic sound. "I thought he was the one." She hung her head.

I stood and put my finger under her chin, tilting her head back so she had to look at me. "Any guy who breaks your heart like that isn't worth your time, Hannah. You're better off without him."

"I know." She sighed. "It still hurts though. I'd spent an entire year of my life with him, only to find out he's a lying, cheating bastard."

"Do you love him?" My heart thundered in my ears as I waited for her to answer.

After a moment of hesitation, she said, "I think so."

Relief flooded over me. "The fact that you didn't immediately say yes tells me you don't." I slid my hand along her neck and cupped the side of her face, caressing her cheek with my thumb.

"You're young and smart and beautiful. You'll find someone worthy of you."

Leaning into my hand, she smiled and looked up at me under her lashes. "Thank you."

My muscles tensed, ready to lean forward and kiss her, and it took every ounce of self-control I had not to do so. I had a feeling she wouldn't stop me if I did. Hell, I bet I could have her naked and my cock buried in her and she wouldn't ever utter the word "no." I could see it brewing in her eyes-the forbidden desire, the lust. The want. It raged inside me, too.

I dropped my hand to my side and cleared my throat. "Want to get out of the house today? Go do something?".

Getting out of here and in public was the only way I'd be able to keep my hands to myself.

"Not really," she said. "I'd much rather veg out on the couch and watch movies all day. Pig out on junk food." She laughed.

All day on the couch with Hannah? I might as well go check myself into an asylum right now. Or maybe jail, because the shit I wanted to do to her had to be a crime.

"You still have the blackout curtains, right? It will be like our own private movie theater. We can order food, and I saw the fully stocked cabinet of goodies, so we won't even have to leave for snacks."

Fuck. She was going to kill me. I nodded, not sure I could speak coherently. "Uh, yeah, if that's really what you want to do."

"I do."

"Okay," I said reluctantly. It was bad enough I'd jacked off this morning to thoughts of her, but at least I hadn't put my hands on her. Yet.