“Not here. I don’t want you anywhere near my family.” Hanna gasped as he said the words. “I know I can’t avoid you at Maxwell Enterprises, but I don’t intend to let you anywhere near my private life.”
“But I’m your mother.” Caroline pulled herself up to her full height. “I deserve your respect. I can’t believe you’re choosing her over me. Stop this nonsense.”
Richard gestured at the door, shooing his hand like he was dismissing a dog. “I’m just grateful I get to choose. I’ve found choice a very scarce option in the past few years.”
Caroline gave him a final, angry glance, her thin lips pursed as she shook her head and reached for the door. As he watched her retreating back he felt nothing but relief. It was like the final block to his future had been smashed to smithereens. He allowed a small smile to tug at his mouth.
After Caroline left, Hanna seemed muted, like somebody had painted her over with a grey-wash. He wanted to steal back the moments to when he had her in his arms, her legs wrapped around his waist. Things had seemed so joyful and easy; he didn’t know how to recapture that feeling.
“I think I’m going to bed. It’s been a long day.” Hanna gave him a wan smile. “Hopefully things will seem less bleak in the morning.”
He knew she was right. The moment had passed, for now, and they needed to give themselves time to let the wounds heal over. It didn’t make him feel any less disappointed, though.
“If it makes you feel any better, the worst is really over. Our parents know, and none of their reactions were unexpected.” He tried to reassure her.
“Even Steven and Claire are angry with me.”
Richard shook his head. “They’re not. They were shocked, and surprised, but I spoke with Claire today and they’re planning on visiting soon. They’re so excited to have you and Matty in their lives.”
He reached forward and cupped her cheek with his palm. Her skin was soft and damp with tears. Richard ran his thumb across her high cheekbone and pushed his fingers into her hair, pulling her toward him until her face was buried in his chest.
“I forgot to tell you, Ruby called today. She’s coming back to New York next week.” Hanna’s voice was muffled by his shirt. “She wanted to know how you felt about Tom coming with her.”
Richard laughed, his chest vibrating against her face. “Does she really want to know?”
Hanna pulled back, lifting her head to his, her eyes crinkled with amusement. “Not really. I told her to call you directly.” She ran a finger along his stubbled jaw. “You’re not going to give her a hard time are you? I think the two of them are meant for each other.”
He winced at the thought of his sister being meant for anybody. “I suppose it would give me a chance to have a frank talk with Tom,” he replied, his tone teasing.
“Poor Tom, I suppose it’s a good thing I don’t have a big brother to come and hunt you down.”
His face grew serious. “I wish you did have someone who would have hunted me down. I know Tom was on your side, and eventually he told Ruby, but an angry guy with a shotgun could have prevented so much misery.”
“By burying you underground before you even met Matty?”
Richard shook his head. “No, by looking after you and making sure I lived up to my responsibilities.”
Her hand still lingered on his face. He turned his head to kiss her fingertips, his body reacting as she stroked them along his lip. He watched through heavy lids as her mouth opened, and she pulled her full bottom lip between her teeth, worrying it in a way that sent heat straight to his groin. She plunged her thumb into his mouth, her expression leaving him in no doubt about her feelings toward him.
“You should get some sleep.” His voice was thick with need. He wanted to follow Hanna into her bedroom and drag the clothes from her body. He wanted to comfort her with every inch of his own. But he told himself to take things slowly, regardless of how desperate he was to be inside her. They had the rest of their lives to be together, he wanted to do this right.
Hanna nodded. “It’s been a long day.” She smiled wanly, her hand reaching out to stroke his handsome face. “You should get some sleep, too.”
“I need to finish up some work before I go to bed.” He knew he wouldn’t be able to sleep, regardless of the fatigue weighing him down. The knowledge she was only a room away was certain to keep him awake.
Richard leaned forward, brushing his lips across her soft cheek. “Sweet dreams, Hanna.” Digging his fingernails into his palms to stop himself from carrying her to his bed, he turned around and walked to the office, aware of her eyes burning a hole in his back.
He hated taking this slowly.
HANNA SLEPT FITFULLY; the covers weighing down on her body making her feel sensitive and overheated. She almost woke herself up, thrashing in the bed, perspiration beading on her chest as a rivulet ran down into her cleavage.
In her dream she could see Matty and Richard. She was standing on dry, arid ground, her feet glued to the earth as her boys ran away from her, until they were just tiny figures in the distance. She screamed at them to wait, but they didn’t hear her. She tried to run, feeling the earth crumbling beneath her bare feet, making no progress. Perpetually moving yet staying in the same place.
“No…” She started to cry, wanting to catch up with them, watching through a curtain of tears as they walked farther into the red horizon. Her legs gave way, her body crumpling into the hot, dusty ground, and she hammered her fists against it, tears dropping onto the parched earth.
“Hanna.” She heard Richard’s voice, and in her dream she saw him turn, his movements halting when he noticed her crumpled form. “Hanna, can you hear me?”
“Come back.” She was vaguely aware of her dream-like state being invaded by reality, the image of Richard and Matty fading into the fog of her consciousness.