THE NEXT MONTH flew by for Christopher. The Maddens returned as planned, and Hannah went back to their home, while Gwen returned to her parents. Christopher was once again left alone in his townhouse, and where he used to enjoy his freedom, he now cursed the loneliness without Hannah. He spent as much time at the Maddens’ as he could until he had to leave in the evenings and came home feeling empty without her, despite the daisies he filled the house with.
One afternoon he and Clayton surprised the girls with a picnic basket and an offer for lunch in the park. The couples made the short walk to the city’s favorite outdoor place to see and be seen and found it filled with people enjoying the sunny day.
“Oh, look. Margaret’s here,” Emma said and grabbed Hannah’s hand. “Clayton? Do you mind if I introduce her to Hannah?”
Clayton smiled. “Not at all. We’ll be over by the willows.”
Christopher released Hannah with a squeeze of her hand, and Emma pulled her over to meet her friend. Introductions were made, and after a few minutes of small talk, the girls made their way back to the men.
Emma gripped Hannah’s arm and stalled. Hannah glanced up at her and then toward Christopher. He stood with a tall blonde woman, whose dress was entirely too low cut. She was touching Christopher as they talked, despite his attempt to deflect her hand. Hannah pushed down her jealousy. “Who’s that?”
Emma sighed. “Delilah Patton.”
“Emma,” Hannah growled. “Who is Delilah Patton?”
“Stay calm.”
“Emma,” Hannah seethed.
“According to Gwen, she’s someone who’s had her eye on Christopher.”
“Like a girlfriend?”
“More like an ex... although, I don’t think they made it official.”
“She’s all over him, isn’t that frowned upon?” Hannah scowled. “Chris will barely hold my hand in public.”
Emma frowned. “She’s pretty bold. But don’t worry, she’s got nothing on you.” She moved forward and grasped Hannah’s hand. “Come on.”
Delilah laughed and laid her hand on Christopher’s forearm as they approached. “Oh, Chris, you are so funny.”
Clayton coughed into his hand, and Christopher raised a guilty face to Hannah.
Clayton held his hand out to Emma and smiled. “Sweetheart. Do you remember Miss Patton?”
Emma took his hand and gave a slight nod. “It’s nice to see you again.”
Hannah’s glance at Christopher quickly turned to a glare when he didn’t physically remove the hand that Delilah had slipped into the crook of his elbow. Emma pulled Hannah close.
Christopher glanced at Delilah. “Delilah, this is Miss Nelson.”
Delilah nodded regally, and Hannah raised an eyebrow at Christopher. He didn’t elaborate on their relationship... or remove her hand from his arm.
“Are you a friend of Christopher’s?” Delilah asked.
Hannah bit her lip and then forced a smile. “You could say that.”
“Hannah is staying with Emma while she’s in town,” Christopher said.
“Oh?” Delilah mused and smiled up at Christopher. “So, acquaintances, then?”
Clayton coughed into his gloved fist and Hannah narrowed her eyes at Christopher.
Christopher shifted from foot to foot. “Yes.”
“We’re going with that, are we, Mister Butler?” Hannah challenged and squeezed Emma’s hand so hard, she whimpered and yanked it way.
“Han,” she whispered.
Christopher grimaced, but said nothing further.
Delilah giggled... well, more of a cackle, really. “Chris and I were just getting reacquainted. I haven’t seen him in—”
“You know, I have another engagement. I should go. It’s nice to meet you, Delilah,” Hannah interrupted.
She turned and stalked away, her anger rising when she heard the woman say, “Well, that was rude. I didn’t give her leave to use my first name.”
Hannah made it to the edge of the park before Christopher caught up to her. “Hannah, stop.”
“No.” She walked faster. “Just leave me alone.”
Christopher flanked her and took her hand. “Talk to me, please.”
Her head whipped up. “Why? So you can lie to me?”
“I haven’t lied to you.”
She yanked her hand away from him. “You didn’t see the need to share anything with me, either.”
“What are you talking about?”
“Who the heck is this Delilah person?” she hissed. “And why did you need to the hide the fact we’re engaged?”
Christopher grimaced. “I wasn’t trying to hide anything from her.”
“Seriously?” Hannah rushed toward Emma’s house. Reaching the front stoop, she rushed up the stairs, through the front door, and into the parlor. She ripped her bonnet and gloves off and was brought back to reality at the sight of her ring.
Christopher strode into the room and laid his hat on the side table. “Sweetheart, let me explain.”
Hannah took her ring off. “We were probably rushing everything.”
“Hannah, don’t do this.”
The sting of tears pricked her eyes. “Don’t do what, Christopher?”
“Delilah is no one of significance.”
“She’s the one who was hanging on your arm, while I was the one you referred to as a guest of the Maddens! I’m apparently no one of significance either.”
“Hannah.” Christopher ran his hands through his hair. “It’s complicated. I have business with her father and have yet to share the news with them.”
“So? You’re the one who wanted to scream your love from the mountaintops.” She scowled. “You’re hiding something else. Who is she to you... really?”
Several minutes passed before he said, “She’s a young woman I met at a presidential dinner a little over a year ago. We formed a friendship.”
“A friendship?” A tear slipped down her cheek. “A courtship.”
“No, it hadn’t gotten that far.” Christopher reached out to wipe her tear, but Hannah pushed his hand away. “I have made no promises to her.”
“Are you insensitive, or just playing dumb?”
“Neither.” Christopher took a deep breath. “I recognize that she may have some affection for me, and it was my intention was to speak with her when I returned.”
“You’ve been back for over a month! Did you speak to her and she ignored you?”
He shook his head. “No.”
“So, you proposed to me when you had another waiting for you somewhere else?”
“Delilah is not waiting for me.”
“Could’ve fooled me. You lied to me.” She grabbed his wrist, slipped the ring into his palm, and walked up the stairs to her room.
* * *
Hannah didn’t turn when she heard a knock on her door, and she didn’t turn when the door opened. She just let the tears stream down her face and stared out the window.
“Han-Han?” Emma closed the door and made her way to Hannah’s side.
Hannah angrily wiped the tears from her cheeks. “He lied to me.”
“Did he?”
Hannah shrugged.
“Hannah, what did he say?”
Hannah stood silent for several seconds before answering. “He said that he intended to speak with her when he got back to D.C.”
“Okay. So, explain to me where the breakdown is.” Emma turned Hannah to face her.
“We have been back for over a month, and he has not only not told me about her, he has failed to speak with her.”
Emma rubbed her arms. “I’m not sure that there’s anything for him to say.”
“You saw her, Em. She had her hands all over him, and he let her!”
The door opened, and Hannah glanced over to find Christopher standing at the threshold. “Go away.”
Christopher shook his head. “I won’t. Emma, would you please excuse us?”
Emma nodded and made her way out of the room.
“Traitor,” Hannah growled.
Emma blew her a kiss before she closed the door.
Christopher held his hand out to her. “Hannah, please let me explain.”
She crossed her arms and gave a curt nod. “Explain.”
“I should have told you about Delilah—”
“Yes, you should have,” she interrupted.
“However, there honestly isn’t anything to tell. I don’t have an affection for her, and I’m not even certain of her feelings for me—we’ve never even approached the subject. I had planned to speak to her the Monday we returned, but everything has been so busy and, quite frankly, my focus has been on spending time with you.” He pried her arms apart and lifted her palm to his lips. “I will make an appointment to speak with her this week. I will resolve it.”
Hannah took a deep breath and forced the scowl from her face. She knew he was telling the truth. “You should have told me.”
“You’re right, I should have.”
“And you should have told her right then and there that you loved me more than life.”
Christopher chuckled. “I should have. I will rectify that as soon as I can.” He pulled her close and wrapped his arms around her waist. “Will you forgive me?”
She shrugged. “I don’t know.”
Christopher smiled as he leaned down and kissed her cheek.
Hannah glared up at him in challenge, but was lost as soon as she saw his sincerity. “Yes, Knight. I forgive you. But only if you promise you’ll speak with her soon.”
“Absolutely.” He pulled her ring from his pinky finger and slid it onto her hand. “Now, no more taking this off, please.”
“On one condition.”
He cupped her cheek. “Anything.”
“I don’t want to see any other women popping up in your life.”
“I don’t think I can handle more than you.”
She smacked his chest and found herself lifted off her feet and kissed thoroughly.
Setting her down, he smiled. “I love you, Hannah Nelson. Never doubt it.”
“I’ll do my best.”
“I have to get back to work.” He lifted her chin. “Will you be all right until dinner?”
Hannah rolled her eyes. “I’ll make every effort not to pine for you.”
Christopher chuckled and led her downstairs, where Clayton waited with his coat and hat. “Ready?”
Christopher nodded. He gave Hannah a quick kiss and followed Clayton out the door.
Hannah found Emma sitting in the parlor, an open book on her lap. “You are not reading, Mrs. Madden, are you?”
Emma smirked and set the book aside. “I thought I might give it a go.” She lowered her voice to a whisper and patted the seat next to her. “It’s not like I have television to distract me.”
Hannah sat with a sigh and dropped her head to the back of the sofa.
“Everything okay?”
Hannah turned her head and nodded. “Yep. He’s going to talk to the harlot this week.”
Emma patted her knee. “And here I thought green was a good color for you.”
Hannah grimaced. “I’m disgusted with myself, Em. Jealousy was never my M.O.”
“Well, he’ll talk to Delilah and come home to you with everything resolved. In the meantime, why don’t you take a nap. You look tired.”
“I am, actually. What are you going to do?”
“I may do the same.”
Hannah rose to her feet. “Okay, wake me before dinner.”
* * *
Hannah didn’t wake again until an orange haze filtered through her windows. She rubbed still-tired eyes and pushed her hair away from her face as she sat up and took a moment to appreciate the colors streaming over her. Sliding off the bed, she made her way to the window and watched the sun set as a soft snowfall began.
A knock on her door brought Emma with a fresh pitcher of water. “You’re up.”
Hannah nodded. “Just now. What time is it?”
“Almost six.” Hannah set the pitcher on the bureau and handed her a washcloth. “Clayton and Chris are here.”
“They’re early.”
“They’ve only just arrived.” Emma moved back to the door. “Dinner in ten minutes.”
Hannah washed her face and tried her best to fix her hair, but she was desperate to see Christopher. In the end, she left her hair to fall down her back. She rushed down the stairs and into the parlor, her heart racing when Christopher stood and greeted her with a kiss.
Hannah wrapped her arm around his waist. “How was your day?”
“I managed to meet with Delilah.”
Her head whipped up. “Really?”
Christopher nodded, his expression unreadable.
“Tell me everything.”
“She was hurt, which I wasn’t expecting.”
“Oh, Knight, you just break hearts everywhere you go, don’t you?” He raised an eyebrow and Hannah smiled in sympathy. “Sorry... what happened?”
Christopher pulled her to the high-backed chair and sat across from her. “She looked excited to see me and showed me into their parlor. I told her that I had met you and proposed, and wanted her to hear it directly from me. She cried and ran out of the room.”
“Oh, no!”
“Her father came in looking quite angry, so of course I had to explain everything to him. It was a nightmare. I had no idea her feelings went that deep for me.”
She bit the inside of her cheek and tried not to laugh. “Sweetheart, you’re handsome, and I can only assume, well connected. Who wouldn’t fall in love with you? I mean, seriously, that’s why I’m here, after all.”
He cocked his head. “For my connections?”
“And, as I said before, your incredibly tight bum.”
Christopher chuckled. “At least it’s done, and we don’t have to think about her again.”
“Amen to that.” Hannah sank further into the chair with a sigh. “I’m really looking forward to finally being married to you.”
“As am I.” He settled an ankle over his knee. “I hate leaving you at night.”
“I’m not a big fan of it either.”
“I’ll try and find some time for us in the coming weeks. Does that sound acceptable?”
“Yes.” She grinned. “Alone, please.”
He nodded. “Alone.”
* * *
Two days before Christmas, Christopher invited Hannah over for a rare private dinner. They’d been pulled in so many different directions since the public announcement of their engagement and had only managed a few nights alone.
Clayton and Emma were visiting friends, so the plan was for them to drop her off on their way. He heard the doorknocker and rushed to open it.
“Hi.” She greeted him with the smile that could turn his insides to liquid.
They waved to Clayton and Emma, and then Christopher pulled her through the door and into his arms. “I have missed you, precious girl.” He gave her a lingering kiss.
She wove her arms around his neck and he relished the feeling of her tiny body folding into his. She was home. He moved his hands up her hips, then her ribs, and stopped just below her breasts. Hannah groaned. “You frustrate me to no end, Knight.”
“Why is that?” He stroked her cheek.
“Because you kiss me like that and I want more.”
Christopher chuckled. “Two weeks, sweetheart.”
She took a deep breath. “I know. Two long weeks.”
He kissed her again and then led her down the hall, bypassing the dining room.
“Why are we going to your office?”
As they reached the room, Hannah let out a low whistle. The only light in the room came from the fireplace and two taper candles sitting on a small table in the middle of the room.
Hannah covered her lips with a gasp. “Wow.”
“Do you like it?”
Turning to him, she pulled his head down for a kiss. “It’s exquisite.”
“We have the place to ourselves tonight. The housekeeper and the rest of the staff are spending Christmas with their families.”
“Does that mean I can take full advantage of you?”
Christopher chuckled. “One can only hope. Now, come and sit.”
“One thing first.” She slid her boots off and set them in the corner. “Much better.”
He led her to the table and once she was settled, he served her. His housekeeper had prepared a simple, but delectable meal of chicken and dumplings, and Hannah’s mouth watered at the smell. She waited for Christopher to pour them both wine and then they dug into the food. They spent the meal making last-minute plans for their upcoming wedding and enjoying each other’s company. Once dinner was over, Christopher pulled out a surprise.
Hannah let out a little squeal. “Is that cheesecake?”
“Of course,” Christopher said with a chuckle.
He took a fork, measured out a bite, and then slipped the portion into her mouth.
“Mmm, amazing.” Hannah wrapped her mouth around the sweetness. “It melts in your mouth. You need to try it.”
“I’d prefer to watch you enjoy it.”
She took him by the collar and pulled him forward. “Taste it.” She kissed him and smiled when he groaned and broke the kiss.
“Two weeks.”
Hannah chuckled, which made his arousal worse. He took a deep breath and tried to think of mundane things. They shared dessert and port, and then Hannah decided to explore. She sipped her port as she walked around Christopher’s office and snooped at his books. “You are extremely well-read, Knight.”
“Thank you.”
She looked over her shoulder at him with a grin. “Have you actually read all of these?”
“Most of them, yes.”
Suddenly, they heard a loud crash and Christopher jumped up, grabbing a pistol and putting his finger to his lips.
“Who do you think that is?” she whispered as she set down her wine and moved close to him.
“I don’t know. It sounded like it came from the parlor. The house is dark, so whoever it is more than likely assumes no one is home.”
“Give me a gun.” Hannah grasped his arm.
Christopher shook his head. “You’re not getting involved in this, it could be dangerous.”
“Knight, I can shoot. Just give me a gun. I’ll stay out of the way, I promise.”
He looked at her briefly and realized he should probably trust that she could take care of herself. He handed her the pistol he was holding and grabbed another one. “Stay behind me.”
Hannah nodded. He blew out the candles as she moved the dishes out of sight in case the intruders came into the room. He opened his office door, and they hugged the wall as they made their way to the parlor. Christopher stayed in the shadows and peered around the doorframe. Two men, dressed in black, stood in the middle of the room.
Christopher had no idea what they were looking for or why they would start in the parlor. He backed up and pushed Hannah into a small alcove in the hallway. She laid her head on his back as the men moved down the hall and into his office.
“I thought you said she’d be here,” he heard one of them say.
“I had it on good authority that she would be.”
Christopher recognized the voice of Thomas.
“It would appear you were misinformed.”
“Damn it.”
“So where are they, Thomas?”
“I don’t know,” Thomas said with a frustrated sigh. “They were supposed to be here. I overheard Chris complaining to Clayton that he and Hannah haven’t spent any time alone. He and Clayton were both invited to the dinner tonight, but Clayton suggested he bow out and spend it with Hannah. We can’t get close to her at Clayton’s... he’s got that damn bodyguard watching her and Mrs. Madden.”
“Perhaps you heard incorrectly.”
“No, I didn’t. I heard everything.” Thomas opened a door down the hall and pulled it closed again. “I thought at the very least, we could ambush Christopher... but you didn’t want that before.”
“And I don’t want it at the present time. I’m really more interested in getting to the girl. She must go back.”
Hannah stiffened behind Christopher, accepting his hand as it found hers in the dark.
“Or die,” Thomas added.
“That would be preferable. She’d be trouble in the future as well.”
Christopher stepped forward, but Hannah silently pulled him back.
“I’d like to be the one to kill her,” Thomas said. “Slowly.”
“You haven’t found her to do that, moron.”
“What does ‘moron’ mean?”
“Your incompetence drains me.”
“We should cut our losses,” Thomas said, and they moved out of the office and down the hall. Neither of them noticed Christopher and Hannah squeezed into their hiding place as they made their way back into the parlor.