I smiled. I was happy for Nina but scolded myself for being so self-centered and for choosing to take the blind side. Why didn't I help her back in high school? I could have done more. Teenage life can be so messed-up.

I took her hand. "Nina, I'm sorry I wasn't there for you back then. You were my lab partner in Chemistry class. You were my classmate and I should have helped you with this."

She blinked rapidly. "It's okay. We were kids, all trying to fit in and make friends. It's not your fault at all. High school can be a cruel place."

I gave her hand a slight squeeze. "Thanks for telling me all this. I'm so glad that things worked out."

"Thanks, Dani. You've always been my inspiration. I wanted to be just like you. I still do." She laughed.

"So why are you are here with your aunt? I mean, since you don't live with her anymore?"

She shrugged and pursed her lips. "That's the power of my aunt's control. I'm doing it to help keep the peace between my uncle and my aunt. When he and Margaret took me in, my aunt got furious and threatened to make life miserable for all of us. And knowing how much of a controlling bitch she is, that could have turned out bad. So I made this compromise to stay with her for three weeks every summer and a week at Christmas."

I was shaking my head, speechless.

"Trust me, Dani. It's not because she wants to spend time with me. It's all about power and control. She wants to win, and regarded my leaving her as if she had lost a round to my uncle."

Nina sat back in the chair, exhausted from spilling her guts to me.

It was a lot to take in and the mood was getting heavy. Time to lighten things up.

I lifted my glass. "Well, here's to new beginnings. Tonight, we're forgetting the past and letting loose." We clinked our glasses and emptied them as if there were one drop in the bottom.

I slammed my glass on the table and shouted, "Waiter, another round here." And we both laughed.

"So, where are we going after this?" I could see the hopeful glint in her eyes. I hadn't planned on spending the entire evening with Nina, but after hearing her story, there was no way I could send her back to her aunt so soon. "Have you been to that place yet called The Bar?"

She shook her head. "I haven't been anywhere at night."

"Let's go there, then. They usually have a band and it is a fun place to go. Lots of cute guys."

We finished our dinner and half an hour later we walked into The Bar. It almost felt like coming home again. Not that that made any sense, after all, I had only been here once before, and that had been nearly two weeks ago. But I had a fond memory of it from spending my first evening with John here. The place was filling up fast with seaside vacationers. Some wore sandals while others wanted the authentic experience and wore cowboy boots. We managed to score the last available high tables along the side. No sooner had we sat down before the cute bartender from last time came to our table.

"Not working in the bar tonight, Jasper?" I said, casting my eyes over the crowd. I was scouting the place for any signs of John. I was dying to see him again but how would I explain Nina, my lab partner from high school...from New York, not Boston?

"I'm impressed," Jasper replied. "You remembered my name. I'm just helping out with the dinner crowd. Don't worry, I'll rule the bar later." His smile got wider. "So, you came back," he narrowed his eyes. I could see the gears churning in his head. "Dani...ella, right?" He pointed at me.

I clapped my hands together. Well, that sucked. He remembered my real name. "Very good, but don't forget that everyone calls me Hanna now."

"Right," he nodded and smiled. "So what can I get you ladies? Are we having any food?"

"No, just drinks. I'll take a vodka and cranberry," I said.

Nina chimed in, "I'll have the same."

"Great. If I just can see your ID?" he said to Nina.

She showed her driver's license and he did a double-check on her picture. Nina looked so much better now. "Thanks Nina," he said and winked at her. "Your drinks are coming right up."

He walked away and Nina looked at me with her mouth wide open. "OH. MY. GOD. He is so hot."

I chuckled, "I told you there were cute guys here."

"Hell yeah." She looked around. "I don't think I've ever seen this many hotties in one place before. If I lived in this town, I would come here every day." She laughed. "Hey, tell me, what was that Hanna stuff about?"

"Oh, it's just something I like to do when I go out," I lied. "Also, if anyone asks I am from Boston, not New York, okay?" I raised my brow.

She took a hit of her drink and looked at me suspiciously then let it go. "Okay, Hanna. I'll play your silly little game."

Three cranberry and vodkas later, we dominated the dance floor with some ridiculous "twerking," to the delight of the onlookers. Neither one of us cared how we looked. We were having a blast, dancing and singing along to the songs with our own version of the lyrics created out of the cloudy, vodka-induced haze in our brains.

"I need a breather," Nina said, breathless, and headed back to our table. I made a stop at the bar and ordered another round from Jasper, who was back in charge behind the counter. Then I saw him.

John!

John walked through the door.

My heart flipped and I ducked over to our table, slipping into my chair before he could spot me. Maybe if I slouched down low, I would be invisible. Too late. Damn these high-top tables and chairs. He pushed through the crowd, wearing a big smile. "I was hoping I might find you here, Hanna. Just thought I would stop by and say hi."

"John, I'm glad you came." I pointed to Nina. "John, this is-"

"Dominique," Nina interrupted. "My name is Dominique."

I had to turn my head away to stifle a spontaneous laugh. John's face was unreadable. But had I noticed a hint of amusement in his eyes? Maybe it was just his smile.

"Great to meet you, Dominique. So how do you two know each other?"

"We were lab partners back in high school," I replied, almost choking on my fourth vodka cranberry.

"Oh, so you're from Boston too?"

Nina played along. "Yeah, we were best friends all through high school. Um, how'd you two meet?" Real smooth, Nina.

"At the bus station." We spoke at the same time and laughed.

"We sort of bumped into each other...literally," John added.

The waitress came with our drinks and John ordered a beer. He spotted an empty chair and brought it to our table, sitting between us.

He looked straight at me. "I'm glad I found you tonight. I was home thinking about our date tomorrow, getting all lonely and feeling sorry for myself. I missed you."

Nina looked at me with confusion. "Date? You told me you were leaving town tomorrow."

"I am...but I promised to have a breakfast date with John before I leave for Charleston, right, John?" I kicked him under the table and I saw his jaw twitch.

John turned stiffly toward Nina. "Right...of course, that's what I meant. We're both going on a little trip."

"We are?" I blurted out.

He shot me a sideways glance and then focused on Nina. "I've never been to Charleston and Hanna promised to show me around for a weekend trip."

"Right," I chimed in and clung to John's upper arm. "I'm so excited for our trip together, sweetie." This shit was getting complicated. Our weekend trip to Charleston was a ridiculous story and the timing of our delivery sucked. Keeping all these lies straight hurt my brain, one lie led to another, and soon there was an entire web of lies to get caught in and I didn't know if I could keep myself from getting entangled in them.

Nina looked at me suspiciously, but she bought it. "Wish I could come with you guys, but there's no way my aunt would let me go. She has big plans to take me sightseeing all day tomorrow." She sighed and checked the time on her phone. I glanced over as she stared at her phone, and I could tell by the glowing text on the screen that there were at least five messages from her aunt.

"I should get back to my hotel," Nina said, looking back up at me. "Thank you so much for taking me out tonight. I really needed it. You're the best."

I could see the emptiness in her eyes and I felt awful for Nina. No doubt an earful was waiting for her back at the motel room. I wished I could have done more but this was between Nina and her aunt. She would have to sort it out herself, but at least she had made big strides by moving out from under her aunt's shadow.

"I'll walk with you, Nina," I said.

John looked at both of us and emptied his beer. "I'll come along and make sure you girls get home safely."

We dropped off Nina at the lobby of her hotel and said good night. John slipped his hand over mine and turned me in the direction of Emma's Bed and Breakfast. As our feet hit the pavement outside the glass doors of the Hampton Inn, John swept me up in his arms and pulled me to his chest.

His eyes locked on mine and with his lips a breath away he said, "I've been waiting all night to do this."

He pressed his lips to mine and held me possessively against his waist. My thoughts turned to the rock-hard body which I felt through the thin fabric of his shirt, and the sensation of his tongue thrusting in my mouth shot hot tingles of excitement down between my legs. It made my toes curl and I felt the Hanna side of me coming out. I wanted to be wild and lustful and free, to run my tongue over his firm stomach. It made my head spin to be in his arms, to have his powerful body up against mine, swaddling me, protecting me-from what, I didn't know. I had forgotten the money and all thoughts about people following me. I didn't care about anything right now except being in John's arms. I settled back down on my heels from our kiss and looked around the starlit street of this lazy little town. The streets were practically empty, as all the vacationers had gone to bed.

I started to walk, pulling him by the hand. "Hey, wait, why are we headed in the direction of Emma's place? I thought you were taking me to breakfast?"

He looked at me, confused. "It's the middle of the night."

"Exactly." I gazed up at him from beneath my long lashes.

"Ah, breakfast...after we..." He pointed back and forth between us. "The two of us...you and me...spend the night."

Hanna was being a demanding little nympho. I leaned in and whispered, "Take me to your house."

Amused by my forwardness, John raised an eyebrow. "I'm all yours, baby. Let's pick up my bike at The Bar and go."

Before long, we were back in front of The Bar, and with a sense of urgency he whisked us away on his Harley to his beach house.

We were barely inside the house when we started tearing each other's clothes off. Shirts, skirts, and socks all ballooned down to the floor as if a hurricane had just blown them around the house. When everything had settled, I stood there in his bedroom with his body pressed tighter to mine than I thought possible. I could feel every inch of him, every muscle and every curve. His fingers tangled in my hair as his other hand pressed into the small of my back then slid down to cup my butt cheek. His breath feathered lightly on my waiting lips and my heart thumped in response. I felt like I was falling. I closed my eyes and he sucked in my lips, twisting into a passionate kiss. It felt like I was floating on air.

John pulled back and watched me with an intense gaze. He tipped his forehead to mine and pulled in jagged breaths. He put his hands under my arms and lifted me up. I sprang up and wrapped both my legs around his waist, and he spun me around to place me on the bed. We went down together, locking lips and gasping for breaths between heated kisses. His body was so strong and he maneuvered it expertly as he hovered over me. I could feel the hardness of him against me. He was a powerhouse of lust, thick and stiff, bulging as if he could barely be contained. I wanted him desperately. The way his hands felt on my skin made heat spark in me like no other. Every time I took a breath, my chest expanded and my nipples peaked up toward him, aching for his touch, longing for the wet flesh of his tongue to rake across their hard nubs.

As if he read my mind, John lowered his mouth to meet my swollen breasts. He cupped one breast and pushed a finger into my wet folds between my legs at the same time. My heart pounded harder in my chest. The way he teased with his fingers, touching me down there, and his tongue on my nipples at the same time, made me crazy. I had never reacted like this before with any man. Most of the good-looking guys I'd met were shallow, so it was easy to resist them. But the moment John's blue eyes locked on mine and he paralyzed me with his smile, I knew he was like no other guy I had met. And what made this whole thing even more insane, was that I had allowed myself to fall for him while pretending I was Hanna. But I couldn't help myself. It felt right, and with his fingers strumming me like a guitar, it also felt so incredibly delicious that I wanted more.

As he licked up the side of my neck, I rolled my head to the side with a moan and threw all caution to the wind. Hanna was free. With pure hot lust surging through my veins, I slid my hand down between his rock-solid abs and my body, and sheathed his hardness with my entire hand. I stroked him hard up and down, with my fingers wrapped around the wide girth of his shaft. A guttural pleasure-sound rattled in the back of his throat, and he nipped at my lower lip. He teased it with his teeth, and then covered my mouth with his soft and full lips. My body was charged, ready for him. My wet folds tingled and vibrated, and my legs trembled in anticipation. I wanted it. I couldn't wait a minute longer or I'd burst.

My breaths were ragged and panting. I wanted to please him, to feel him shudder with pure, raw, carnal delight when he pushed into me. He knew what I wanted and he wanted it too. He pulled back just far enough to position the tip of his shaft at my pleading opening. I was still stroking and guiding him. Then I arched my pelvis up and shoved him into me. Reaching both hands around, I clawed at his back, pressing my breasts into his steel-hard chest. We rocked together and wailed out each other's names as the intensity of our synchronized thrusting increased.

It was wild. It was raw. We scratched, we clawed. He slung his arms under the backs of my knees, bending them damn near up to my ears. I liked it rough this way. His advances were full of passion and fire. He then rose up like a stallion on his knees, and slammed inside of me hard, groaning through gritted teeth.

I threw my arms above my head, reaching for the flimsy wooden headboard for stability as he thrust himself deeper. I could barely breathe. The headboard wobbled and banged the wall but I didn't care. The loud thumping was just confirmation of our intense desire for each other. The rapid pace of my heartbeat banged out a fast reverberation inside my body, and I was lost as crashing waves of desire came sweeping through me. My mind was numb and barren of thought. The room was like white noise. Everything was pure sensation now. Only touch, taste, sound, and smell existed as I rose to the summit of my orgasm. I closed my eyes, in order to intensify the remaining senses. Two heartbeats after I came, John released inside of me and groaned out a deep satisfied breath.

He slumped over to my side and caught my face in his cupped hand as he rolled. He smiled a wide, contented smile and released my face as quickly as he had touched it. We both were spent, breathless and waiting for our breathing to slow to normal. I flung an arm out to my side, casually letting it flop onto the mattress. I felt joy. He rolled toward my side again, and I could feel his breath breeze past my ear as he spoke softly into it. "Hanna, you are a wild woman...a beautiful wild woman." He stroked my cheek with his fingers and nuzzled into my neck.

I smiled with my eyes closed. "Was I too much for you?"

He nibbled at my earlobe and answered with a mock tiger growl, "Gr-r-r-r. I loved it."

My eyes fluttered open and I gave him a teasing slap on his muscular tattooed arm. "Just wait until you see what's in store for breakfast."

Chapter Fifteen.

Emma twirled in front of me, showing off the outfit I had given her. "How do I look?"

"You look stunning. It fits you perfectly." It really did. It looked so much better on her than on me. We had spent most of the afternoon going through her ancient wardrobe trying to find something dressy that wasn't resurrected from the 1990s. She confessed that she had only been on one date since her separation from Brian, so most of her "party" clothes were from years ago.

Luckily, we wore the same size, and the new Guess outfit I had purchased the day I left New York looked perfect on her.

"Are you sure you don't want to wear this?" Emma said. "I feel bad taking your new clothes. You barely wore them."

"Oh, I'm sure, Emma. Trust me, you need this more than I do. Besides, we don't want to scare your date away, do we?" I teased her and held up the out-of-style pink dress she had just tried on. It looked like something straight out of an old Madonna music video. "You should save this one, though. You never know when you might need a dress for a retro costume party." I laughed and twisted away as she tried to snatch the eyesore out of my hands, and then we both plopped onto the bed, rolling in laughter.

I stopped to catch my breath and took a second look at Emma from a new perspective. She seemed different with makeup and her hair put up, so pretty now that she wasn't in her "mom" outfit.

"What's his name again? Your hot date..." I asked.

She blew a lock of hair out of her eyes and sat up on the bed. "Eric. He's nice. And young."

"Oh?" I raised my eyebrows.

"Five years younger than me."

"You go, girl," I said elbowing her. "How do you know him?"

She laughed and shook her head. "You're not going to believe this, he's my gynecologist."

I stared at her and my mouth fell open. "Really? That's...well...cool? I guess." I was dumbfounded. It was all I could think to say.

The expression on Emma's face changed to a more somber one. "I feel a little awkward though. He has a big advantage over me."

"What's that?"

"He's already seen me naked, and I don't know a thing about his...his junk...in the trunk."

I had to bite my lip to keep from laughing at Emma's faux pas. "Emma, men don't have their 'junk' in the 'trunk'. You mixed up the expressions."