Defending Hannah

It was why he left that day and never looked back. She alone could sway him from his path.
Ben cleared his throat. “You’ve changed a lot since then.”
Hannah nodded. "It’s only been thirteen years. I was bound to grow up eventually.” Her calm demeanor changed in an instant. “The other women. They’re okay?"
He had no idea. But he wanted to reassure her before she went off on another throwing rampage. "I’m sure they are fine."
"They’re not. They are in danger." Hannah said cryptically.
"No, we’re in the states. On a military base in Florida. Remember? Y’all couldn't be safer."
“He will find us all and take back his drugs," Hannah told him, her knees shaking.
Drugs? Was that what was in the shipment? His team and Bulldog’s had been sent to intercept it but hadn’t been told what was in it. He had assumed it was drugs. He just followed orders and didn’t ask questions.
Hannah swayed again. Ben reached for her and held her in his arms. She looked up at him startled and dare he think lust? Not that he would take advantage of her. She had been through enough.
"Shower then I'll take you to the chow hall and get you something to eat."
Hannah looked like she wanted to argue but nodded. "You’ll wait for me?"
Ben knew he shouldn't. The more time he spent with her the more he wanted to get to re-get to know her. And yet he nodded and stepped out of the room to give her privacy.
Hannah washed her hair and body three times still not feeling clean enough. She scrubbed her skin until it was red, thinking she could scrub the past off her but it was past skin deep. Ben didn’t understand her when she said they were all still in danger. She would have to explain but the need for a shower and food pressed upon her. Alejandro couldn't organize a team to come after them so quickly. She had time. She at least hoped so. Ben would not like what she had to tell him.
Hannah compared the Ben of her childhood to the one she saw today. He had always been built but being in the military made him fill out even more. His hands had felt callused on her arms and she didn’t know if that was from his time on the ranch or holding a weapon. His face had still been covered in paint so she couldn’t see any of the other changes. He seemed more rigid now. With Adam, he had always been relaxed and ready to have a good time. He was harder now. She supposed that came from the military life. If this was what he did for a living no wonder he was always so uptight. It didn’t surprise her he had made a career out of the military. He had always been playing soldier and hostages near her home. All the playing around had obviously paid off. He was the poster boy for American soldier. He had achieved his dream and left her far behind. The memory still pinched. She had never been good enough for him no matter how hard she had tried.
She had always admired Ben and felt attracted to him even in her early teens. Adam had been kind to always include her in whatever he was doing since her own family couldn’t be bothered with her unless her mother wanted to show her off to someone. Her mother had tried polishing her into a perfect debutante and marry a rich man. It was all well and good in theory but Hannah had always longed for more in life than afternoon tea and the next charity event to be seen at. When she met Ben all she longed for was for him to come riding in on one of his horses and whisk her away. Instead, he kept her in the friend only zone and made sure she knew it. While she was not a fan of the outdoors and dirt she had done it just to be closer to Ben. That plan backfired when he used her to practice hiding from the enemy and other war games. The last summer before Ben left for military training she had been swimming in the lake by herself and wondering how she would avoid her mother all summer from dressing her up when Ben came upon her. Hannah thought he would make a joke about her or suggest another war game making her feel more like a little sister than a young ripe woman but instead, he watched her intently. It was a look he had rarely given her. A look he always masked quickly when he thought no one was looking. Knowing this could very well be a now or never moment and if her plan failed could be the last time she saw Ben again Hannah swam up to shore and walked up to him. His eyes scanned her from head to toe. He made her feel sexy and so she put an extra sway in her step. He stood rooted for a moment soaking in the sight of her before his feet moved and closed the distances between them and lowered his head towards hers slowing. He would kiss her. She knew it. Finally, after wanting him for so long, Ben Grant wanted her. Or at least he wanted to kiss her. Hannah stood on tippy toes and met him in the middle. The kiss was everything she could ever hope for and more. He plundered her mouth like a man possessed. His hands roamed all over her body heating her up faster than the sun above and then suddenly he pulled away. He raked his fingers through his hair in frustration and walked away without a backward glance. Hannah was confused and devastated. Why show her heaven only to send her back to hell? Why torture her and walk away? But he was gone and Adam told her he wasn’t coming back. With no other choice, Hannah became the thing she hated most. A