Hannah woke with a start, not sure for a moment where she was or what had woken her. There was something warm, but harder than her pillow under her head. She frowned then remembered the day before, and the night before. That’s when she knew it was Justin. In her sleep she’d curled against him, using him as a pillow. Her face heated and she opened her eyes to find him watching her with a slight smile.

“How did you sleep?” His voice was rough.

“Good.” She tried to pull away, but he held her against him, dropped a quick kiss on her forehead then released her. She rolled over and got out of bed, forgetting for a moment she had no clothes on. Desperate, she snatched the robe off the floor and wrapped it around her as she rushed into the bathroom. A slight ache between her legs made her remember what had happened the night before, the pain, yes, but the pleasure too. Her mother had told her that it would hurt, but not that it could feel like that. As her body craved that heady sensation again, she understood why.

She washed her hands, splashed water on her face and looked at the tangled mess of her hair with a sigh of frustration as there was nothing she could do without at least the brush in her purse, then went back to the bedroom. There she found Justin, wearing a pair of boxer briefs and nothing more, coming in from the front room, her suitcase trailing behind him.

“Look what I found,” he said with a smile.

She stood staring at him a moment before she could speak. Had he gone out into the hallway, the one shared with his office, dressed like that? What if someone had seen him? Had anyone seen him? Unable to decide what to say she shook her head and let it go.

“Thank you.”

He lifted it up and set the bag on the bed. “Go ahead and unpack. If there’s not enough room in the closet, let me know and I’ll clear some things out.” He gave the small bag a second look. “Is that all you have? Do we need to do some shopping?”

“No, I have plenty more, I just didn’t want to have to deal with it all last night. The Agency said they would have them delivered. I’ll have to check on that and see when they’ll be here.”

“Whenever. Unpack what you have, feel free to go downstairs and get what you need until there rest arrives.” He turned to leave then stopped at the door. “What do you want for breakfast?”

Hannah frowned, surely he wasn’t going to cook. “Whatever you’re having. I’m not picky.”

“Coffee?”

“Please.”

Justin nodded and stepped back into the living room, still in nothing more than his underwear and pulled the door closed. Hannah wondered where breakfast was coming from and if he often wore nothing more than what he had on now.

She wouldn’t complain if he did, it was a nice view, but it would take a little getting used to. She unzipped her suitcase and hurried to get things put away. Twenty minutes later her bag sat empty in the corner of the bedroom, she didn’t know what to do with it. She was dressed in a blouse and a pair of loose cotton pants and her hair had been combed out and piled artfully on top of her head. She was ready for anything she could think of, aside from a society party or business meeting, not like she had any chance of needing to attend that later, she thought as she opened the bedroom door to see what Justin had planned for the day.

Hannah stood on the balcony with the open glass door behind her. She’d come out of the bedroom and found Justin standing out here watching the city, from here the cars below looked like toys and the people barely more than ants, but it was the city that drew her attention.

“They’re bringing breakfast up soon.” He kissed her cheek. “Don’t worry about letting them in, they know what to do, but I don’t want you scared when they do.” With that, he left her standing with her collar fluttering in the breeze as he disappeared into the bedroom, leaving both the door to the balcony where she stood, and the bedroom door standing open.

She took one look out across the city, and the mountains across the valley then turned back inside. It wasn’t too warm yet, so she left the door open for a little fresh air and followed him.

She stopped in the bedroom doorway and leaned against the frame as she watched him pull a clean white shirt on and button it up, everything but the collar. She suspected he started every day that way, and depending on what happened through the day, unbuttoned one or two more buttons through the day. She enjoyed watching him, the way his fingers moved. With each movement she couldn’t help but recall the gentle, almost loving, way he’d touched her the night before. Her face heated.

“What’s up?” Justin’s voice pulled her from her thoughts.

“Just thinking.” She didn’t want to tell him what.

He smirked as if he could guess. “Hmm… You’re thinking while watching me and it makes you blush. I wonder why.” He moved close and snagged her with one arm around her waist, then pulled her close. “I wonder what you’re thinking about that made you turn that pretty shade of pink.”

“Um.” She really didn’t want to have to say. His gaze dropped to her mouth and she hoped he’d kiss her instead of making her tell him.

“Hm… I bet I could figure it out.” He leaned in and covered her mouth with his.

Hannah put her hands on his shoulders and opened her mouth to him. After last night she wasn’t so afraid to touch him. Heat pooled low in her belly. She pushed one hand around his neck and up into his hair. Justin growled into the kiss and pulled her tight against him. The hard thickness of his erection pressed into her belly, his heat seeped through their clothes and she had an urge to push him backward until they hit the bed then push him down on it and crawl in after him.

“Good morning!” an unfamiliar voice somewhere behind Hannah startled her.

She leapt away from Justin as if she was a kid caught with her hand in the cookie jar. Her face heated and she knew it was bright red.

“Good morning, Karen.” Justin grinned at Hannah as if he knew what she was thinking, then turned his attention to the woman in a uniform who’d come in with a cart. “Set it up on the table please.” He waited while the woman set up their meal as if they were dining in a private restaurant.

Once she was done she turned him. “Is there anything else I can get you?”

“I’m good, thank you.” He turned. “Karen, I want you to meet someone. This is Hannah, my wife.” He turned to Hannah. “This is Karen. She is in charge of the housekeeping on this floor and has been in charge of my laundry and making sure this place stays stocked for me. If you’ll let her know what you like, brands of shampoo, perfume, whatever, she’ll do the same for you.”

“It’s nice to meet you, ma’am. Please let me know if there is anything you would like me to do differently or to make you happy, and I will.”

“It’s nice to meet you, too, Karen. Give me a few days to settle in then we can sit down and discuss things, does that sound all right?”

“Yes, ma’am.” She nodded in Hannah’s direction then turned back to Justin. “Anything else, sir?”

“That’s all for now, Karen. Thank you.”

“Thank you, sir.” She went back to her cart and pulled it along behind her as she went to the door and out the door.

“Come eat before the food gets cold.”

Hannah followed him to the table where he pulled out her chair. Once they were seated, he took the covers off their plates revealing a full breakfast of eggs over medium, hash browns, sausage, toast and she wasn’t sure…she poked at the small bowl, she thought it might be grits.

“How do you like your coffee?” Justin picked up a small carafe and poured her a cup.

“A little sugar’s fine. I can do it.” She sweetened her coffee and took a drink while she watched him.

He dug into his breakfast as if he was as starving as she felt. A small smile curved her lips as she watched the pleasure on his face when he took a bite of the sausage. There was an honesty about his reactions that she wasn’t used to seeing.

“What?” he asked, having noticed her watching him.

Hannah shook her head, set down her cup and picked up her fork. She didn’t know him quite well enough yet to share all her thoughts.

“What is the plan for today?” The wedding had been a little sudden and she wouldn’t be surprised if he’d been unable to reschedule everything, or had even tried, it wasn’t like this was a romantic match. There was no reason he needed to rearrange his entire schedule to spend time with her.

“I have one meeting this morning I couldn’t get out of,” he checked his watch, “it’s in forty-five minutes, and shouldn’t take more than twenty or thirty. After that I’m free. I can show you The Aussie, or the Strip or we can check out the rest of Vegas, whatever you would like.”

Hannah was a little surprised he’d even tried to take the day. But she would take what she’d get. “I’m open to whatever you’d like.” She smiled and realized it was true. She enjoyed being with him, talking with him and getting to know him.

“Hm. I think I’ll show you around The Aussie, then maybe around town a little.” He looked her up and down. “If you’re comfortable, that’s fine, but so are jeans. I’ll probably change after the meeting.” He tugged at the open collar of his shirt as if it pulled at his neck. He looked at her a moment, watching her eat. “How are you this morning?” His voice had taken on a husky tone. “Sore?”

“A little, but I’ll survive.” She shrugged and tried to ignore the heat in her face.

“You’ve got plenty of time, why don’t you take a bath? Soaking in hot water will ease some of that.”

“That sounds nice.” Hanna looked down at her plate and wondered if she should say what she was thinking, then decided why not. “Will you have time to show me how the tub works before you go?”

Heat flashed in his eyes. “You have about three minutes to eat while your food’s hot, then it’ll get cold before you have a chance to finish it.” He picked up his cup and took a long drink, his eyes never leaving her.

She finished her sausage and her toast, without rushing then pushed away the plate, it was still more than she was used to for breakfast.

“I’m all yours.”

Justin took her hand and pulled her into the bedroom, she couldn’t help but laugh at the eager look on his face. He started the water running in the tub then turned to peel her clothes off. She reached for his shirt buttons, but he stepped out of her reach.

“You’re the one taking a bath here, remember?” He lifted the hem of her shirt up and over her head.

“Tell me about your meeting.” She didn’t want to think about being naked in front of him while he was still fully dressed.

“It’s a video conference with a barrister in London.” Justin made a face. “That’s what they call lawyers over there. Barristers.”

She laughed. “So, it will just be you in front of a computer?”

“Yeah, so much fun.” He tugged her pants down. The elastic waist slipped off her hips way to easily, and the soft pants fell in a puddle at her feet, leaving her only wearing a pair of tiny black lace panties and matching bra.

“Can I ask what the meeting’s about?” She wasn’t sure he’d tell her, he had told her so little about himself. But then, she’d known him less than a day. She reached back an unhooked her bra, but left it in place.

“You can. You can ask anything you like. I may not answer every question, but you can ask anyway.” His eyes skimmed her body, followed by his hands, which pulled the loose cups away from her breasts and paused a moment to squeeze and knead them a bit before sliding down her tapered waist and rest on her hips for just a moment before he looked up and met her gaze. She tossed the loose bra aside. “These will just get wet in the tub.” He hooked his fingers in the lace waistband and pushed them down until they fell on top of the pants he’d just removed.

She shivered. “Will you tell me about the meeting?”

“It’s a negotiation. I’m looking at buying another hotel.”

“A second one?” she gasped as he lifted her off her feet and set her, seated, on the vanity next to the sink.

“No, my sixth.” Justin eased her knees apart and stepped between them, his fingers skimmed along her skin until they found the sensitive button of nerves at the apex of her thighs.

“Wow.” All thought of what she’d been asking him flew from her mind as he teased her. His mouth lowered to hers, ever so slowly.

“That’s what I thought,” he breathed just his lips covered hers in a searing kiss. His fingers never stopped moving as they teased her clit, the other hand cupping her breast and gently pinching her nipple until she cried out in need.

“Please.” Her breath came in ragged gasps and she could barely form words.

“What do you want?” He smiled with a pleased look on his face.

“You. Please. It hurts.”

“It will only hurt more if I take you the way you want.” He glanced toward the tub she was only half aware of by now. “But I know what will help.” A knowing smile spread across his face as he slowly sank to his knees in front of her. She tried to close her legs, but he wouldn’t let her.

“You can’t do that!” She wanted to cover herself, but one look from him stopped her. Hannah watched breathless as his mouth descended on her most intimate spot, wondering why. Seconds later her head fell back and she gasped as flames of pleasure licked up her body. Every caress of his tongue sent whips of fire through her until she thought she was going to be burned alive. She fell back until her shoulders and head were pressed against the mirror, but that only gave him better access.

Once she caught her breath and learned to think again she found him watching her with a satisfied smirk.

“I told you so.” He shut off the water in the nearly full tub that was now frothing with bubbles tall enough she wouldn’t be able to see much around them.

“You did.”

Justin helped her off the bathroom counter and into the tub. “Soak a while, I’ll come back after my meeting and we’ll find something to do.”

“I can think of something to do.” She glanced down the length of his body wondering how he would respond if she did the same to him.

“I bet you can.” He went to the bathroom door. “I’ll see you when I’m done.”

A moment later Hannah heard the apartment door closed and knew he’d left. She sighed, leaned against the edge of the huge tub and closed her eyes, wondering what else this marriage had to teach her. So far it hadn’t been anything like she’d feared. She also hadn’t discovered why he’d sent away for a bride either. There had to be some reason he couldn’t find the right woman on his own.

As she let the warmth seep into her skin and ease her aches, she worried that whatever Justin was after, whatever he’d requested from the agency, he’d find her lacking. She didn’t know what would happen if he sent her back. It was too late for her to be paired with another bachelor now. She’d given up one of the few requirements for women. Her virginity.