HannasHaven (7 page)

“No security is one hundred percent foolproof. If someone wanted
in, they’re going to go for the weakest point of entrance, which at the moment
is your bedroom. That’s unacceptable.”

“So I’m sleeping on the couch?” she asked.

“No, you’re sleeping in here.”

“No, I’m shorter, I should take the couch.”

“No one is sleeping on the couch. You’re sleeping in here.
With me.”

Marcus turned away as soon as he’d delivered his shocking
statement.

“Where are you going?” she asked.

“For a run,” he answered. He stopped. Damn. Without turning,
he spoke back to her. “You’re coming with me.”

“No.”

He half turned, pierced her with his gaze, saw her pale but
couldn’t feel guilty. He was angry. Angry that he couldn’t have her—couldn’t
show her how desirable she was. All she needed was for someone to show her.

He wanted that someone to be him.

“Excuse me?” he asked, aware of how cold his voice had
grown. The wolf shone close to the surface, assessing her, watching as she
swallowed heavily. Marcus couldn’t rein him in anymore. He needed to run, or
else man and wolf were going to take her.

Long and hard.

Hot and heavy, until they both lay exhausted.

“I’m not coming for a run.”

“Yes, you are.”

She straightened her shoulders. “Don’t think you can bully
me, Marcus. I’m not letting anyone bully me again.”

Part of him cheered her on. The other part wanted to tie her
up and show her what happened when she challenged him. This is exactly why he
wasn’t any good for her. She needed space to grow. What she did not need was
him smothering her.

He stalked back, looming over her. When he reached out, she
flinched away. That one action pushed back his need, the wolf, as nothing else
could.

“Don’t,” he said gruffly, running his fingers down her
cheek. “I would never hit you.”

She swallowed heavily. “You’re furious.”

“Doesn’t matter. No matter how angry I am, I won’t hit you.
Spank you, certainly. Hit you, never. Now come on, we’re going for a run. I
need to let the wolf out and you must need to as well.”

He grabbed her hand, tugging her forward but she dug her
heels in. “I’m not going. I’ll stay here.”

“No.” She needed to change. Going without changing for a
long time could be dangerous.

“Marcus!” she yelled.

He turned once more, knew his eyes were pure wolf. Using his
most commanding voice, he spoke quietly, calmly. “We’re going for a run. Now.”

“Okay,” she agreed reluctantly. Then let him pull her out of
the house.

“Did you just threaten to spank me again? What’s with that?”
There was no small amount of outrage in her tone.

Inexplicably, a smile tugged at his mouth. But he wiped his
face with an impassive expression when he turned around. “Yes, I did. Turn you
on?”

She gulped. “No.”

He grinned. “Liar.”

Her jaw dropped.

“Now change.”

Marcus paced in wolf form, waiting for her to appear. She’d
insisted on changing out of his eyesight, something the wolf didn’t understand
and wouldn’t have allowed. But the man thought differently.

Finally a small, dark-haired wolf appeared out of the trees.
He prowled toward her, sniffing her, snuffling against her warm fur, drawing in
her sweet scent. Barking in joy, he took off.

He had to curtail his stride, slow down so her shorter legs
could keep up.

They ran. They played.

He jumped back and forth, playful in a way he hadn’t been
since he was a pup, spooking up rabbits for her to chase, showing her what a
good provider he could be.

And when she tired, he took immediate action, nudging her
around, pointing her home.

Stubborn little thing wouldn’t move.

He pushed harder, shifting her with his larger body. She
snarled, snapping her sharp teeth at him. Biting her flank in retaliation, he forced
her back toward the house, angry that she hadn’t immediately obeyed him.

Guiding her toward her clothes, he left her with a last
growl of warning to stay put.

Changing quickly, he pulled on the boxers and sweatpants he’d
worn earlier.

Then he waited and waited and still she didn’t appear. He
could hear her, smell her, knew she was there but there was little movement.

“Hanna? You better not be sulking. Hanna?”

Growing increasingly alarmed, he stalked toward where he’d
left her.

“I’ll be out in a minute,” she called.

Marcus didn’t like the quaver in her voice. Stepping into
the glade, he found her lying facedown, naked, her pale skin gleaming in the
sun.

“Hanna?” Alarmed, he crouched beside her. Her heart beat too
fast. She was panting, exhausted.

“What’s wrong?”

“Nothing,” she cried. “Leave me alone to dress.”

“Right. You can’t even move, and you think I’m going to just
leave you lying here? Tell me what’s wrong.”

“Nothing. I’m tired.”

He ran his hand over her back, trying to ignore her pert
little bottom or how silky her skin felt.

“You’re freezing.” Not a good sign. Werewolves tended to run
hot. “Are you sick?”

“No. Just tired. Please, I need a bit longer and I’ll be
fine.”

“Has this happened before? Does this happen every time you
change?” Unsettled, he reached over to grab her t-shirt.

“Not always this bad. It’s why I don’t change much. It takes
so long to recover.”

“Which is why you didn’t want to go for a run, and why you
didn’t want to come back. What were you going to do? Stay as a wolf forever?”
Concern sharpened the edge of his tongue. He grasped her gently to turn her
over.

“No! Leave me. I’ll put my own clothes on.”

“Hanna,” he sighed. “You’re a werewolf. I’ve seen plenty of
my packmates naked after a run. You’ve got nothing I haven’t seen before.”

Liar.

She whimpered but allowed him to roll her over and slip the
t-shirt over her head. The back of his hand brushed against her breast,
eliciting a soft gasp from her. Whether his touch had been deliberate or not,
even he wasn’t sure.

He reached for her panties, but she weakly slapped at his
hand. “I’ll do it. Turn your back.”

Growling inwardly, he turned his head but didn’t move away.
When she was done, he gathered her up into his arms, ignoring her protests.

Marcus carried her inside to the bathroom, setting her down
on the cabinet. He turned on the taps and sprinkled some scented stuff Laney
had brought for Hanna into the water.

“What are you doing?” Her teeth chattered as she spoke.

“Running you a bath.”

“Why?”

He stared at her. She looked back at him, confused. Then her
face blushed.

“Oh, do I smell? Sorry.”

“You don’t stink,” he muttered. “No more than I do. You’re
freezing, Hanna. You need warming up. Cold Hanna equals warm bath, not rocket
science. Now do you need help undressing or can you do it yourself?”

“I can do it,” she squealed.

“Good,” he grunted, turning off the taps before leaving.

Hanna slid off the counter and stripped with slow, sluggish
movements, cursing her quivering hands. She was so tired of being weak. She’d
always been smaller than everyone else.

Getting into the bath took far more effort than it should
have. But she managed to get herself in without slipping and splashing water
everywhere. The hot water soothed her muscles and eased her shivering. She
dropped her head back, shutting her eyes and letting the calm scent of lavender
relax her. What the hell was wrong with her?

But she lusted after Marcus. No one had ever affected her
like this. She hadn’t let them. Yet she let Marcus touch her. She more than
enjoyed his touch. Warmth pooled in her belly. Caused entirely by the brusque
werewolf who took care of her in his own rough way.

“Hanna.” Marcus banged on the door. “Get out, your dinner’s
getting cold.”

Had he always been so blunt and bad-tempered?

He was arrogant, bossy, at times talkative, and other times
she couldn’t get him to do more than grunt. Yet she always knew where she stood
with him. Whatever he said, he meant, and whatever he promised, he did.

And that was worth more than any soft words or gentle
gestures.

It also helped that he was the sexiest man she’d ever met.

* * * * *

Hanna dressed in her thickest pajamas, sweating slightly. It
wasn’t cold enough to wear the heavy, fleecy night attire, let alone the two
t-shirts she wore underneath. But they gave her a needed sense of protection.
Not because she was scared or worried Marcus might try something.

No, she was worried
she’d
jump on
him
.

She’d never felt sexually attracted to anyone. Certainly not
Dan. The few times they’d slept together confirmed that. There’d been nothing.
Nada. No interest at all.

With Marcus, it was the complete opposite. She constantly
burned. And although she wanted him—Lord, that was an understatement—she knew
it would be a mistake. The extra clothing was juvenile. But she’d lost the
fight over the sleeping arrangements. He’d simply ended the argument by pulling
out a pair of handcuffs and telling her he’d cuff them together if she didn’t
do as he’d told her.

Damn, she got all shivery when he spoke that way. His voice
dark, demanding. She should protest his domineering ways. But that was hard to
do when that was part of what she found so attractive.

She had just lost Dan. Even though she hadn’t loved him, he
was her mate and she shouldn’t be wanting another so soon. She’d just have to
stay strong. Right? Right.

“Hanna,” Marcus called. “You’ve been in there long enough.
You need your rest. I won’t touch you. Well, not unless you ask me to.”

Her knees weakened at the sensual promise in his voice.

Taking a deep breath, she found the courage she needed to
open the bathroom door and walk into his bedroom. He sat up in bed, his chest
bare, showing off his sculpted muscles—smooth, clean, delicious. Hanna slammed
her mouth shut.

The pillows she’d placed down the center of the bed were now
behind his back. Marcus peered up from his tablet, his gaze judicious as it
wandered over her body. She blushed, swearing she saw his lips twitch. But if
he’d been about to smile he quickly managed to get it under control.

“Cold, Hanna?” he asked.

“Y-yes.”

“Better hop under the covers then, hadn’t you?” He whisked
back the bedding and she wondered for one brief, insane moment whether he was
naked beneath the sheets.

Surely not.

Except now she couldn’t stop thinking about him naked.
Images raced through her mind, tumbling without end.

“Hanna. Hanna.” His voice finally infiltrated her thoughts.
“Get into bed. I promise I’ll stay on my side like a good boy.” When she didn’t
move, he frowned. “Now, Hanna. I won’t be happy if I have to get up and haul
you in here.”

She quickly obeyed the command. As soon as she was under the
covers he turned back to his tablet. Immediately Hanna fidgeted.

Hot and overwhelmed, sweat coated her skin. She rolled onto
her side away from him. More naughty, naked images flitted through her head. She
prayed he couldn’t smell her arousal.

“Hanna.”

“Hmm?” she murmured, not turning. She didn’t want to see him
looking all serious and sexy as he worked. It was too much, more than one woman
could be expected to resist.

“Either you take some of your bedclothes off or I will,” he
ordered.

“I’m fine,” she replied. Take off her safety net? Was he
mad?

“You’re overheating. You’ll make yourself sick.”

“I’m fine. This is how I always sleep.”

He sighed, the sound filled with exasperation. “I don’t know
why I bother to warn you. I should just do it.”

She yelped as he flipped her and ripped the pajama top from
her, buttons flying everywhere.

“Marcus!” She struggled to get free of him.

“You’re too hot and too stubborn to do anything about it.
What did you think? That I was going to force you to have sex with me?” he growled.

“You wouldn’t have to force me.” She slammed her hand over
her mouth. She couldn’t believe she let that slip out.

His eyes flashed amber. “Good to know,” he crooned. “Take
the pants off,” he ordered.

She opened her mouth to tell him what she thought of that
idea, but the words got caught in her throat, trapped as she took in the
perfection of his large body.

He was deeply tanned from the top of his shaved head to his
toes, his skin smooth, muscles sculpted into defined lines that she suddenly
longed to run her tongue along. The covers had slipped down and she discovered the
answer to her question.

He wasn’t naked.

But his boxers were molded to him, leaving little to the
imagination. He was built large everywhere. He got out of bed and padded over
to his chest of drawers.

“Put this on.” He handed her a black t-shirt. She took it, a
little uncertain.

“Why?”

“It’s longer than the ones you have on. It will make you
feel better when you strip off those ridiculous pants.”

“Oh.” She sat, clutching it, looking at him.

“Well?”

“Aren’t you going to turn away?”

With a loud huff, grumbling under his breath, he turned. His
hands landed on his hips, every stiff line of his body chiseled with
exasperation.

Hanna wasted no time stripping off her pajama bottoms and extra
t-shirts. She slipped into his cotton shirt. It hung like a loose nightgown. Even
though it was freshly laundered, she could still catch his scent.

Sexy male with a hint of mint. Delicious.

He turned back, folding his arms. “Ready to sleep now?”

“Of course. I was ready ten minutes ago.”

He said nothing, just climbed into the bed and turned off
the light.