Once again Justin’s low, ultrasensual tones sent an unfamiliar, unwanted and unappreciated chill down Hannah’s already quivering spine. At the same time, the spark in his eyes caused a strange melting heat deep inside her.
Hannah resented the sensation but, to her chagrin, she felt every bit as attracted to Justin as she was wary of him. All he had to do was look at her to make her, in a word, sizzle.
Dammit.
It had been some time since Hannah had warmed to a man and she had certainly never sizzled for one. But innate honesty compelled her to admit to herself that she did indeed sizzle for Justin.
And she didn’t like it at all.
The conversation around the small table was general; for Hannah, desultory. Appearing for all the world comfortable and relaxed, inside she felt stiff, frozen solid.
Later that night, after the brothers had finally left, Hannah lay awake in the surprisingly comfortable roll-away bed Maggie had prepared for her. She examined the conflicting emotions Justin Grainger had so casually and seemingly effortlessly aroused inside her mind and body.
She felt empty, needy. It was almost frightening. How could it have happened? Hannah asked herself. She was hardly the type to become all squishy and nervy from the mere expression in a man’s eyes and the low, sensual sound of his voice.
Certainly, Justin had not said or done anything out of line. He had been every bit as polite and respectful as had his brother Mitch.
Except for his eyes. Dear heavens, Justin Grainger’s sharp and compelling eyes.
A shiver trickled through Hannah, and she drew the down comforter more closely around her. She knew it wasn’t the coldness of the air but an inner, deeper chill that wouldn’t be banished by burrowing under three down comforters.
Hannah decided that getting through the next days-the rehearsal, the dinner, the wedding and reception ought to prove more than a little interesting. In fact, she was afraid it would be an endurance test.
Was she up to the sort of sensual challenge those glinting, gray eyes promised?
Hannah believed she was. She was her own woman, which was why she had struck out on her own, preferring to work her tail off to establish herself rather than work for somebody else.
There was just one tiny flaw in all this-while Hannah believed she could handle the situation, return home unscathed by Justin Grainger, she wasn’t absolutely certain.
And that was frightening.
“So what did you think of her?” Mitch asked as he and Justin settled into his car after leaving the large house.
Her? Justin hesitated. “Who?”
Mitch glanced over to give Justin an are-you-kidding? look. “Maggie, who else. You remember-the woman I’m going to be marrying in just a few days.”
“Well, of course I remember,” Justin retorted, feeling like an idiot and not liking the feeling. ‘But if you’ll recall, there were two women in the apartment,” he said in his own defense. “Although I did notice you had eyes only for Maggie.”
Tossing him a grin, Mitch flicked on the motor. “I do recall that there were two, smart-ass,” he chided. “I also recall that you seemed to stare at Hannah a lot.”
Justin shrugged in what he hoped was a carefree way. “Hey, she’s an attractive woman.”
“Yes, she is,” Mitch agreed. “But, that doesn’t answer my question. What did you think of Maggie, your future sister-in-law?”
“She is both beautiful and nice, as you well know,” Justin answered, relieved to have the topic back on Maggie and off Hannah. “And she is most obviously head-over-heels in love with you. Although I can’t imagine why.”
“Because I’m sexy as hell?”
Justin gave him a droll look. “Since when?”
“Since I was fifteen,” Mitch shot back, as he shot out of the parking lot at the rear of the house. “Of course,” he qualified, “I was following your bad example.”
“Hmm. Bad example, huh?” he drawled. “Personally, I never considered it bad to be sexy.”
After returning to the hotel, Justin closed his room door behind him and leaned back against it. He inhaled deeply and released the breath on a soft “Whew.”
Old fashioned? Prim? Proper? Virginal? And probably plain? Had he really held such a preconceived opinion of who Hannah would turn out to be?
“Hah.” Shaking his head as though he had just taken a blow to the temple and was still groggy in the mind, Justin pushed away from the door muttering to himself.
“Hannah Deturk is the most cool, composed, beautiful, long-legged woman this ol’ son’s weary eyes ever landed on.”
He chuckled. “And you, Justin Grainger are talking to yourself.”
Well, at least he wasn’t cursing, Justin consoled himself, releasing a half groan. He was surprised at his unexpected emotional, and physical, reaction to the blond goddess.
Sure, it had been a while since he’d been with a woman, but not nearly long enough to explain the immediate surge of lust he’d experienced at first glance. He’d felt like a teenager in the throes of a testosterone rush.
In that instant Justin decided he had to have Hannah Deturk, in every way possible. Either that or he just might expire from the mind-blowing need.
The tricky part was; how and when? Well, he knew exactly how, Justin mused, a smile twitching the corners of his mouth. But the trick was when. Time was limited.
There were only a few days to go until the wedding. As Maggie and Hannah hadn’t seen each other for six months, they’d likely be spending most of those days-and nights-together, chattering away.
Poor Mitch was going to be sleeping alone from now until his wedding night. He’d probably be a bear until then, working overtime to conceal his feelings.
Then Justin realized something-Mitch wouldn’t be the only man working to control strong urges.
Damnation.
He mulled over the problem of private time and place with Hannah as he sat on the edge of the bed and pulled off his best pair of boots. Standing to shuck out of his clothes, he folded them neatly before sliding them into the plastic laundry bag provided by the hotel. His mother had been a real stickler about neatness.
Naked as a newborn, he stretched his length between the chilled sheets, doused the bedside light and started up at the ceiling. Of course, he really couldn’t see the ceiling, as the closed drapes shut out even the tiniest glimmer of moonlight and the room was as dark as pure nothingness.
It didn’t matter to Justin, because he could still see a shimmering image of Hannah Deturk.
“Oh, hell,” he muttered, his breathing growing shallow as his body grew hard. “Think, man. When are you going to have the chance to approach her?”
The days leading up to the big event were out. There was the rehearsal late in the afternoon the day before the wedding, to be followed by the rehearsal dinner. That night was out, as well. Justin knew full well his family would make a lengthy celebration of the dinner.
Naturally, the actual day of the wedding was out.
The day-or night-after the wedding? Justin mulled over the problem, allowing his body to cool down a few degrees. He was in no hurry to get back to the ranch, he could spare a few days for fun and games.
Not in a hotel room. Justin gave a sharp shake of his head against the pillow. Not with Hannah. He didn’t want to delve into why it mattered. It never bothered him before where he spent time romping with a woman-a hotel room, motel room, her apartment, it made no difference to him. This time, if there were to be a time with Hannah, it did matter.
So then, if not the hotel, where?
He could probably have the use of Mitch’s apartment, seeing as how he and Maggie were off the day after the wedding to one of those island resorts exclusively for couples.
No, that wouldn’t do. Mitch’s apartment was on the top floor of the casino, and there was no way Justin would escort Hannah either through the front entrance of the casino or up the back stairs.