Chapter 2- Hannah

I flopped down on my bed with a loud exhale and rubbed my hands over my face. Then, I glanced around my room that hadn't changed a bit since I'd left. The bedding, the posters, the wall hangings...the pictures were all as I'd left them. Sure, I'd visited a couple times since going to college, but it's not like I spent a lot of time in this room. Kennedy and I were usually busy hanging out with friends from high school, shopping, or going to the beach. And more often than not, I'd just crash in her room.

I stood and walked across the room. Hundreds of pictures were taped to the wall. Mostly candid shots of me and my friends, but the one in the center, the largest photograph, caught my attention. It was a professional photo of me and Mom, taken long before she went crazy and decided I was the devil's spawn. I was seven in that picture. So innocent and naïve.

Snorting, I turned away, refusing to let happy nostalgia creep into my mind. That woman turned her back on me. She'd betrayed me and then kicked me out of the house. Out of her life. I didn't owe her even a single second of thought.

Thank God for Kennedy and her dad. I didn't know where I'd be right now without them. Kennedy was literally the sister I never had, and Ryan? He was my rock during the toughest time of my life. And now here I was, again, needing him to be strong for me. To help me through another difficult time. Of course, this time it was my fault. Last time, it hadn't been. I hoped that didn't change his opinion of me.

It didn't hurt that Ryan was fucking hot, either. Crying on his shoulder wasn't exactly terrible. Neither was the feel of his arms around me, holding me, his whispers comforting me. Not that I'd ever admit that to anyone, especially Kennedv. She'd freak if she knew I was attracted to her father. But I was. And I had a nagging suspicion he might feel the same.

My phone beeped with a text, startling me. I pulled my cell from my pocket and swiped my thumb over the screen. It was from Kennedy. did you make it home? I responded with a simple yes. Another messaged arrived. did you tell him? Sighing, I rolled my eyes and typed a response. not yet.

I'd barely hit send when my phone rang. Kennedy's smiling face filled my screen. If you're calling to yell at me, I'm hanging up," I said.

"You have to tell him."

I groaned. "I know that, but I literally just got here like half an hour ago. He had friends over. I haven't had the chance to tell him."

There was a heavy sigh. "You are going to tell him tonight, though, right?"

Kennedy was right. Sooner or later, I was going to have to tell Ryan why I'd left college and came running home. Straight into his arms. But not tonight. Maybe not even tomorrow. I still couldn't process what had happened, and there was no way I'd be able to explain it to him.

"You know he'll understand," Kennedy said softly. "He'll help you."

"I know he will." But I was admittedly embarrassed to tell him how badly I'd screwed up. Kennedy knew that. She also knew I had no one else to turn to, which was the only reason she'd been able to convince me to leave campus without her.

"Then talk to him."

"I will. I promise." My stomach rumbled, reminding me I hadn't eaten all day. "Okay, I'm going to find some food. I'll talk to you later."

"You'd better." She laughed. "Love you, Hannah, and I'll see you in a couple days."

"Love you, too." I ended the call, tucked my phone back into my pocket, and headed downstairs.

When I walked into the kitchen, Ryan was there, cleaning up. He wore a pair of navy-blue pajama pants and nothing else. My breath caught at the sight of him. It wasn't like I hadn't seen him shirtless before-I had-but I hadn't been so aware of him before. And based on the way he'd hugged me earlier, I was guessing he was much more aware of me, too. His naturally tanned skin was flawless, his muscles rippling with every movement. His dark hair was mussed, as if he'd been running his hand through it repeatedly. He reached for the pizza box, and I stepped forward.

"You're not throwing that away, are you?"

He turned to look at me, startled. "I was going to put it in the fridge. You want some?" He held the box out to me.

I nodded. "I'm starving."

"Help yourself." He smiled.

I sat on a stool that had been pulled up to the kitchen island, flipped open the box, and grabbed a slice. It was still warm. Taking a bite, I watched as Ryan leaned against the sink, arms crossed. My gaze lowered from his impressive biceps down to his perfectly sculpted abs, every line and indentation hard and purposeful. It was obvious he'd been working out. A lot. I licked my lips and took another bite, slowly returning my gaze to his face. He watched me with narrowed eyes, and a shiver wiggled down my spine.

"Would you like something to drink?" he asked.

"Sure."

"Water okay? Or I have some soda."

"Water's fine."

He got a bottle of water from the fridge and set it on the counter in front of me.

"Thanks."

Planting his hands on the counter, he leaned forward, putting him much closer to me. "How long are you staying, Hannah?"

My eyes widened, and I sat back, shocked. "I don't know." I shrugged and finished my slice of pizza. "Why? Do you want me to go?" I twisted the top off my water and took a long drink, but the cold liquid did nothing to calm the sudden fire burning inside of me.

He flinched. "No, of course I don't want you to go."

"Then what's the problem?" I was being unnecessarily mean to him, and he didn't deserve that. I shouldn't make him pay for what Brendan had done to me. But if he was pissed at me for being a bitch, maybe he wouldn't be too pissed at me for what I'd done. With a sigh, I said, "Sorry. It's been a long day. I'm tired and cranky. I should probably just go to bed."

Ryan returned to his position against the sink, and he nodded. "That's probably a good idea. I took tomorrow off, so I'll be here all day."

"Wow. Thanks." I hopped off the stool. "I promise we'll talk tomorrow, too." As soon as the words were out of my mouth, I wanted to take them back. Why had I said that? I wasn't ready to tell him about Brendan or how he'd completely embarrassed me and ruined my life.

"Whatever's going on, I'm here for you.

Okay?" He held out his arms, and I stepped into his embrace.

He wrapped his strong arms around me, and I rested my face on his chest, clasping my hands behind his back. God, he had a fabulous body. If he were my husband, I wouldn't let him out of my damn sight. In the years I'd lived here with him and Kennedy, I had never once heard him having sex-with anyone. I was positive he'd be damn good at it, though. Sex appeal dripped from him no matter what he said or did.

Ryan buried his face against my neck, and I heard him inhale sharply as his hold on me tightened. His breath caressed my already warm skin. Heat radiated from him, igniting an inferno inside of me. Unable to stop myself, I ran my hands up his back, then down, settling on his hips. He trembled, a low

throaty groan rumbling from his chest. My heart raced, and my body hummed to life, throbbing in all the right places.

Even though Brendan and I had only broken up a couple weeks ago, it had been a long time since we'd been intimate in any way. Not so much as a hug or kiss in months. And I craved some type of affection. Before I realized what I was doing-before I could stop myself-l puckered my lips against his chest, my eyes fluttering closed. I dragged my hands from his back around to rest on his stomach, my fingers tracing the well-defined lines of his abs.

Ryan tensed. "Hannah..." His voice was strangled.

My eyes snapped open, and I froze. What the fuck did I just do? Swallowing hard,

I risked a glance up at his face. His eyes were hard and piercing, his jaw clenched. "I'm...I don't...I'm sorry." I dropped my hands from his body and stepped away from him.

"What the hell was that?"

I shrugged. I wasn't about to tell him I was starved for attention. Or that I was inappropriately lusting after him.

"This is wrong. I'm like a father to you. You're my daughter's best friend. It would do us both good not to forget that." He dragged his shaking hand through his hair.

A slow smile pulled at my mouth, and I raised a brow.

"You think this is amusing?" he snapped.

"No." But I had to fight not to laugh.

He scowled.

"But I do find it...interesting that you said we both need to remember." I knew I hadn't misread the way he'd hugged me earlier-or just now.

"I'm going to bed," he said, and then stormed out of the kitchen, leaving me to stare after him.