Free Intimate Strangers by Laura Taylor Page A

does happen again, you’ll definitely end up in my bed."
    She paled even more, and then she squared her shoulders. "Let’s just chalk up last night to the tensions of the moment, and forget it even happened. Easier for both us that way, don’t you think?"
    Nicholas seized her and jerked her to her feet. "You don’t get it, do you?"
    "Don’t shout at me!"
    "Hannah…"
    "And no, I don’t get it." She tried to squirm free of his hold, but her body went very still when she caught a glimpse of the expression on his face. "I also don’t understand why what happened between us even happened in the first place, unless you were just trying to shut me up. If that was the case, then next time just tell me you are tired of hearing the sound of my voice."
    "You wanted me!" he gritted out.
    "And I thought you wanted me!" she blazed, matching his decibel level. "But what’s the point of even discussing it? You obviously suspect me of… of… God! I don’t even know what you suspect me of. You keep treating me like some sort of deranged mass murderer." Hannah took a steadying breath. "Be reasonable, Nicholas. We’re hopelessly mismatched. You’d never become involved with someone like me. You don’t even like me. And I’m not the sort of woman who has meaningless affairs. If and when I become intimate with a man, it’s only because I’m sure it’s right for both of us and he cares enough to treat me with respect and honor."
    "Containment," he muttered more to himself than to Hannah as he shifted mental gears with an agility honed to a knife’s edge during his past.
    Containment was his next logical move, perhaps the only tactic that would sober Hannah sufficiently for her to grasp her current jeopardy. He heard the voice of his conscience as he studied her through narrowed eyes. Registering the bewildered look on her face, he silently acknowledged that he wanted the time to know her better while also safeguarding the lives of his friends.
    Hannah gave him a wary look. "What did you just say?"
    "The only way to deal with you is to contain you."
    She bucked beneath his hands. "Don’t you dare try to tie me up and shove me into a closet."
    He tightened his grip on her shoulders, shooting her an incredulous look. "I’m going to contain you, not terrorize you."
    "You’ve already done more than enough terrorizing."
    "Talking to you is like talking to a wall."
    "How flattering!" Her tone of voice would have withered a lesser man.
    He gave her a little shake. "Pay attention. You’re not to wander around. If you want something when I’m working, use the intercom."
    She flushed. They both already knew that she had a tendency to ignore his edicts. "I will."
    "I’m serious, Hannah. You could be injured if you stick your nose where it doesn’t belong. You’ll restrict yourself to the use of the living room, the kitchen, and the guestroom. That’s it, unless I’m with you. You will not go outside unescorted. I don’t want to deal with the inconvenience of having to search for you if you get lost, or explain to the authorities why a civilian was taken out while on my land."
    She stared at him. "Taken out?"
    "You heard me."
    "As in killed?" she squeaked.
    "Now you’re getting it."
    She exhaled, the sound tremulous. "Now I know how Alice must have felt."
    "Alice, who?" he demanded.
    "In Wonderland."
    Nicholas swore.
    "Colorful." After a searching look, she further shocked him when she said, "I agree to your terms, Nicholas. All of them."
    "You’re out of your mind."
    A faint smile lifted the edges of her lips. "Possibly."
    "There’s no possibly about it."
    Triumph flickered in her eyes. Nicholas didn’t miss it, but he already cared enough about her to allow her this small victory.
    He exhaled a harsh breath, trying to persuade himself that having Hannah with him suited his purposes. He had the uneasy feeling that Hannah possessed the ability to bulldoze her way through any and all emotional blockades he might erect. As for