HannasHaven Read Online Free

encountered his chest. His bare, muscular,
tanned chest. He’d pulled on a pair of jeans but left the top two buttons
undone.
    “You missed a spot,” he repeated.
    “I did not!” She scrutinized the floor.
    “Did so,” he replied lazily. He leaned against the doorway and
pointed to the far corner. “Right there.”
    Leaning over, she stared at the spot.
    “That’s an indent in the floor.”
    Marcus raised an eyebrow. “Guess you’re finished then. Or
are you planning on vacuuming the living room next?”
    She flushed. “Sorry if I woke you. I wasn’t always like
this, you know. This obsession I have with cleaning and security gets worse
when I’m upset.”
    He stared at her for a long moment. “You finished?”
    Hanna nodded. She wouldn’t sleep. But the least she could do
was lie quietly in her bed so he could.
    Without warning, Marcus grabbed her. Pulling her up, he
scooped her into his arms and carried her down the hallway.
    “Marcus, what are you doing?” Her wolf delighted in his show
of strength.
    She wished she dared cuddle close and rest her head against
his chest. Wished she had that right. But he wasn’t hers and he never would be.
She didn’t deserve him.
    Useless. Weak.
    Striding into her bedroom, Marcus placed her on her feet and
pulled back the covers of her bed.
    “Hop in.”
    Hanna climbed onto the mattress. Marcus surprised her by pulling
the blanket up and tucking her in.
    “I was going to come back to bed. You didn’t need to carry
me.”
    He shrugged and grinned. The smile transformed his face,
making him look years younger and less churlish.
    “Maybe I wanted to.” He grabbed the chair in the corner of
the room and carried it closer to her bed.
    Hanna rolled over to better see him slouch down into the
chair and prop his feet on the foot of her bed.
    He closed his eyes.
    Hanna watched him, unsure what the hell was going on. “Umm,
Marcus?”
    He grunted.
    “What are you doing?” she asked.
    He opened one dark-brown eye, glaring at her. “I’m trying to
sleep.”
    “Here?”
    “You can’t sleep, you’re worrying about things. I’m keeping
you company so you won’t worry. Go. To. Sleep.”
    Sleep? With him in touching distance? In her bedroom?
    Was he delusional?
    “Close your eyes. Breathe in. Out. In. Out. In. Out.”
    Hanna fell asleep with the sound of his voice still running
through her head.
    * * * * *
    Marcus put down his phone and looked over at Hanna who was
dusting the bookcase. Again. She’d been cleaning nonstop for the last two days.
    “That was Cooper. He and Rye are coming tomorrow.”
    Her shoulders tightened. He could feel her stress levels
rise, but she didn’t stop cleaning.
    “Okay.”
    “Hanna.” He said nothing else, just waited. His wolf studied
her, feeling her fear and anxiety.
    Hanna turned, a pinch of temper on her face. The tense knot
in his stomach eased. Her temper he could deal with, but her fear made him want
to do something stupid. Like hug her and tell her that everything would be
okay.
    He couldn’t promise her that.
    Little wonder she was scared. She had no pack, no mate, no
security. The fact that she could force herself past the terror, could face him
with fight in her eyes ignited his admiration.
    “What?” she snapped, hands falling onto her hips. “What is
so funny?”
    Marcus realized he was smiling and immediately blanked all
expression from his face.
    “Sit. I want to talk you.” He gestured to the chair beside
him.
    “Not a dog, remember?” she snarled.
    Brave little wolf.
    His wolf answered her small challenge with a growl. He might
admire her guts, but she needed to know who was in charge.
    “Don’t try to intimidate me. We both know you’re not going
to bite.”
    Ooh, some claws. He took her attitude as a sign she trusted
him and his wolf basked in the knowledge. Still, just because she felt more
comfortable with him didn’t mean she could disobey him. She continued to
persist in thinking that he had a nice