Page 16

Hannah

“Hey, Han,” Dylan’s voice calls out over the noise of the kitchen, and I know he’s here to grab lunch.

Without missing a beat or even stopping to talk to him, I grab the to-go container where I have it waiting and hand it off to him.

It’s the lunch rush and I really don’t have time to stop and chat, even though I really need to tell him that just because I now live on the Somerville property, that doesn’t mean I want him dropping by unannounced.

This morning was the first unexpected visit in what I’m sure is going to be a long line of them.

He doesn’t need to know I’m hooking up with Leo because it could be a one and done thing.

Even as I think it, I don’t believe it. We were on fire last night and there’s not a chance I’m turning him down if he shows up on my doorstep, and I’m absolutely certain by the way he couldn’t keep his hands off me this morning that he feels the same way.

“Can’t even stop for a second to greet your baby brother, huh?” Dylan quips, taking the container from my outstretched hand. “And to think, without me, you wouldn’t have a job here.”

“Little busy here,” I shoot back, tossing the brussels sprouts and apple mixture around in a pan. “How about I come bother you in an hour when you’re back at work?”

“Wanna have dinner tonight with Tess and me?” he now asks, ignoring my question.

“Oh my god, do you miss me already? It’s only been one day since I left.

” I push my bottom lip out, pretending I feel bad.

Bad is the last thing I feel. No one wants to live with their baby brother and his pregnant fiancée.

And I never would’ve hooked up with Leo the way I did if I had still been living with Dylan.

“Please, if anything, Tess and I threw a party when you left. The kind of party that involves—”

“Nope, don’t say it. It’s not like you two didn’t go at it all the damn time when I lived there anyway,” I hit back, not wanting to hear about their celebration. If he only knew about the celebration I had last night. That would shut him up pretty quickly.

“But I can’t,” I reply. “I’m working dinner tonight too. I have a break for a few hours before I need to be back here for dinner and then I have a catering menu I need to finalize.”

“I thought you took the job here to have more free time?” Dylan says, and while I get what he’s saying, this is the kind of busy I like. I’m appreciated and valued; my ideas are applauded, and we work as a team here.

“Yes, but listen,” I say, holding a finger to my lips, my eyes closed. “Do you hear anyone yelling?” I open my eyes and let out a long, slow exhale. “This,” I add, opening my arms and smiling, “is the sound of happiness.”

“Well, when you get a chance, check your busy schedule and see if you can fit me in,” Dylan teases, planting a kiss on my cheek and thanking me for lunch as he leaves the kitchen.

“Tomorrow?” I call out. “Lunch?”

“Sounds good,” Dylan answers back.

When the lunch rush finally dies down, it’s well after three and I need to be back at Somerville’s at five.

Basically, Leo and I are switching places since we’re down a few assistants this week.

He’s been working on hiring a few more people, so once that’s taken care of, I’ll be over in the kitchen at Somerville’s until they start renovations, while Leo will spend most of his time at Apple Jacks.

But until then, we’re both working our asses off.

And then there’s the catering aspect of it all too.

I toss my chef’s coat into the bin, letting out a hard sigh, and despite being exhausted, I’ve never been happier. I have about two hours to head back to my house, take a quick shower, eat and be back in the kitchen doing what I love.

Living on the property and being close to Leo isn’t the only bonus.

I normally wouldn’t have been able to go home and shower between shifts, but today, I’m happily walking back to my little house, the sun is shining, the air smells of apples and I got laid.

Like the best lay I’ve ever had in my life.

I’m still reliving it in my head and I’m about to relive it in the shower.

I push open the door to my house, laughing when I see the stack of boxes still cluttering up the entryway. At least my bedroom is sort of unpacked. I really need to find the time to get all this stuff put away, but really, I have what I need. My bed, my toys and now Leo.

I start up the shower, stripping off my clothes, needing to wash all this smell and sweat from the day off me.

My mind can’t seem to focus on anything but what went down in my bedroom with Leo yesterday and this morning though.

Distracted and needing release, I skitter out of the bathroom and grab a dildo from where Leo had stashed them in my nightstand.

As I’m jogging back to the bathroom, I catch a glimpse out the window of my bedroom.

It feels totally weird to live in the middle of nowhere, but still in the heart of this vineyard.

I’m surrounded by nothing but openness, and I have zero worries that someone is going to see my naked ass scampering around my house.

It’s not like living in the city where my neighbors could literally see into my house from their living room.

The bathroom is warm and already fogging up when I pull open the glass shower door and step inside. The hot water hits my skin, setting it on fire and doing nothing to cool down the need to get myself off to thoughts of Leo.

I wet the suction cup on the bottom of my dildo, positioning it on the tile wall and I bend over to make sure it’s in the right spot, but just as I do I hear a voice.

“Need a hand.”

“Oh my fucking god!” I screech, yanking the dildo off the wall, ready to use it as a weapon. Without even thinking about it, I smack a very naked Leo in the chest with it, hard, and he yelps.

“Fuck, Hannah!” he yells out, his hand covering where I just hit him. “I was trying to surprise you.”

“Well, you fucking did,” I reply, my heart racing, my breathing amped up as if I’ve just run a mile.

“What were you going to do there? Beat me with a fucking dildo?” Leo now asks, laughing as he joins me in the shower.

“I thought you were someone breaking in here to assault me, so yeah, I was going to beat the shit out of you with this dildo,” I reply, shaking it around in my hand, causing Leo to burst out laughing.

“I mean, I was coming in here to assault you, but in the best possible way. But now I’d like to know what you were about to do.” His tone is laced with curious seduction and there’s nothing hotter than making him wonder what I was up to.

“I was going to get myself off in here, but since you’ve shown up,” I say, alluding to exactly what I’m hoping he’s here to do, my eyes falling to his already erect dick.

“I’m kinda wondering what you getting yourself off looks like, Hannah,” he growls, his fingers moving up the inside of my thigh. “I’m guessing you’re wet and ready.”

“Yes,” I moan, when his fingers slip inside me.

“Show me, Hannah. I want to watch you get yourself off,” Leo murmurs, guiding my hand to put the dildo back on the tile.

“But why would I want to when I have the real thing?” I ask, positioning myself and pushing back against it until it’s fully inside me.

“Fuck,” Leo hisses, as he watches me. “You look so fucking hot.” And while I’m sure I’m rocking this thing like a fucking porn star, I’d much rather have him inside me.

“Are you really going to watch me come like this when I have you and your amazing dick here?” I ask, moaning as the dildo begins to hit the spot. “I’m close, you wouldn’t even have to try very hard,” I add, making Leo smirk.

“We’re out of condoms,” Leo replies, but the way he says it tells me he’s just fucking with me.

The conversation about condoms and birth control was touched on briefly this morning, and while we agreed that we’d make sure we were safe since Dylan and Tessa had an accidental pregnancy, I assured him that I’m clean and I’m up to date on my birth control.

“Just don’t come inside me,” I murmur, letting his imagination run wild, and mine too, if I’m being honest. I love dirty sex and with Leo it feels like I can be myself and he’s totally into it.

“Oh, that feels like an invitation,” Leo groans, his hand gripping his dick as I stand up and hook my leg around his hip, pulling him close.

He backs me up against the wall, the tile cold against my skin and my nipples harden instantly.

Having Leo this close to me, his body flush with mine, our hearts racing together, it’s like a dream come true.

Everything about him is what I look for in a guy and I can’t help but wonder if I was meant to work here, that we were meant to find each other.

I’m not usually a big believer in fate and all that bullshit, but as I stand here with Leo buried inside me, my body responding to him like it never has, that’s all I can think about.

“Your body was made for me,” Leo whispers in my ear, his mouth trailing down my neck, sucking and biting as he goes. “Every fucking inch of it.”

“Mark me,” I moan, my head falling back as Leo’s mouth sucks hard at my breast now.

The tension between us is building, our chests are heaving, both of us close, both of us needing release and when I call out that I’m going to come, Leo pulls out.

Replacing his dick are his fingers, his thumb pressing right where I need.

He guides my hand around his dick, jerking him off, until he comes between us, marking my stomach as the water falls around us.

“Amazing,” I tell him, breathless and exhausted, wondering how the hell I’m supposed to go back to work after that.

“Like high school all over again. I never thought I’d want to go back to heavy petting, but fuck me, you made that so hot,” Leo replies, smiling, his lips connecting with mine.

“Me?” I question. “I think it was us.”

“Us. I like the sound of that,” he says, kissing me again. “I only had an hour and fuck, that was a good way to spend an hour.” He shakes his head, leaning in, he whispers in my ear, “I gotta go, gorgeous.”

When Leo leaves, I collapse against the shower wall, closing my eyes, I let the water run over me, reminding myself that I do actually have to get back to work.

Two hours later I’m back in the kitchen, distracted by orders and cooking and making sure the staff is staying on track.

“Hannah,” one of the assistants calls out as he emerges from the walk-in, “we’re out of onions.” That’s an easy fix, and I shoo him off, telling him to take over the salad prep while I go grab them from the detached storage area.

I open the door, flipping on the light, I begin searching for what I need when I feel someone come up behind me, their arms wrapping around my waist.

“Oh my god, Leo, will you stop scaring me!” I yell, not even turning around to see if it’s him.

“I’m sorry,” he replies, kissing my neck. “I also wanted to tell you I’m sorry for running out on you like that.”

“What are you talking about?” I ask, turning in his arms so I’m now facing him.

“The shower. After I left, it felt like I sorta just fucked you and ran.”

“Well, I was thoroughly fucked and happy, and that pretty much checks off all my boxes. You also don’t have to dote on me. I’m good.”

“But what if I want to dote on you?” he now asks, grabbing the bag of onions from my hand. “Like how about I help you with that catering menu tonight after work?”

“Talking appetizers and entrées, nothing sexier,” I tease.

“And maybe some wine pairings,” he murmurs in my ear, making both of us laugh. “Dirty talk for chefs.”

I push up on my toes, kissing him and when I pull back, I can’t help but be overwhelmed with how well things are going for me.

It’s not just the job, or the house, or even Leo; it’s the combination of it all.

Everything is falling into place after a shitty few months of working my ass off and being screamed at and feeling like I wasn’t good enough.

“Thank you,” I murmur against his lips.

“For what?”

“For everything.”