“Which one of me will you hit?”
“Both,” she muttered, trying to uncross her eyes.
She stumbled against him again, and he held her close, deciding not to point out the obvious. By the time they were in the car she felt sleepy, burying her head in the wool of his jacket, her voice languid as she continued to spout a mouthful of drivel.
“Do you remember when we first met?” she asked him. “You were all smart in your evening suit, and I was a hot ball of mess.”
“That’s not how I remember it.” He was murmuring into her hair, breathing in the aroma of her shampoo. “You looked hot as hell in that waitress uniform.” Memories of black hair and kohled eyes assaulted his senses. “I couldn’t wait to show you my PlayStation.”
She laughed, then hiccupped. “Is that a euphemism?”
“I’m not sure,” he admitted, looping his arm around her shoulder and rubbing her arm with his finger.
“I can remember being impressed by your…ardor,”
Jack brought the car to a stop. Even at eleven o’clock on a Tuesday night, the streets were crammed with traffic. Richard wondered if Hanna would make the journey without falling asleep.
“I’ll take that as a compliment.”
“You should.”
The car was filled with silence, and Richard let his head fall back, working out his next move. He wanted to make sure she got back to the apartment safely, knowing today of all days was difficult for her. If he could just put her to bed and watch her sleep, he’d feel better about the whole thing. He tried to suppress the anger he felt with himself, and her friends, for letting her go through this alone.
Twenty minutes later, Jack pulled up outside the apartment on the Upper East Side. Hanna was so quiet that he wondered if she really had fallen asleep. But as soon as the car came to a stop, she lifted her head up and stared at him.
“Thank you for the lift.”
He was confused for a moment, before realizing she intended to go into the apartment without him. For some reason, that wouldn’t do.
“I’ll see you in, make sure you’re safe.”
She laughed. “I think all the druggies and murderers have gone home for the evening. The scariest thing in there will be Mrs. Van Kemp staring at my shoes with disdain, and telling me I’m lowering the tone again.”
“Humor me.”
She nodded rapidly, then started to jab her hand, trying to release her seatbelt. He bit back a chuckle before leaning across to unfasten it for her.
“Stop laughing at me.” She gently slapped at his arm. “It isn’t funny.”
He’d spent enough time at his father’s apartment to know the doorman, nodding at him as he half-carried Hanna to the elevator. Through the thickness of her winter coat she felt small and vulnerable, and he wondered if his need to protect her was just a natural reaction to her size. Perhaps, as with Ruby, he wanted to shelter her from the world and keep her safe.
The thought cheered him as he grabbed the door key from her bag and slid it into the lock. Flicking the light switch on with one hand, he supported Hanna with the other, his arm curving around her waist. She kicked off her shoes, and they landed on the tiled floor with a clunk.
“Do you want to do a scan of the apartment, make sure Ted Bundy isn’t hiding in the washer-dryer?” A flash of amusement lit her eyes.
He offered her a small grin before taking her coat and hanging it neatly in the hall closet. “The scariest thing you need to worry about is the hangover you’ll have tomorrow morning.”
Walking to the kitchen, Richard pulled a tall glass from the cupboard. Filling it with water, he carried it to the guest room, placing it on the bedside table.
“Where do you keep your painkillers?” he asked, trying not to watch as Hanna unpinned her hair. It cascaded down her shoulders. “I’ll grab you a couple, and then I’ll be gone.”
She blinked in the mirror, her eyes meeting his. “In the vanity cabinet above the sink.”
Richard walked into the bathroom, surprised at the lack of cosmetics and products littering the sides. Grabbing the blister packet of Panadol, he brought it back to her bed.
Hanna sat on top of the coverlet, her head resting against the headboard, and he popped two pills out, placing them gently in her mouth. Lifting the glass to her lips he encouraged her to drink, unable to stop himself from running his hand through her hair as she swallowed.
“That feels good.” Her eyes were closed as his hand caressed her. “Can you stay for a while?”