“You’re just in time for dinner. Hannah says there’s enough if you want to join us.”
“Do you ever think of anything except food?” Mitch asked Ethan, reluctantly shifting his attention from Hannah to Ethan.
“Sure. I think about sex a whole lot more, but since my chances of eating are a lot higher than getting laid right now, that’s where my focus is. You did make a pie, didn’t you?” Ethan asked Hannah as if he just now thought about dessert.
“Of course. A deal is a deal. Ethan set up my website last week and I already have two jobs from it,” she told Anna and Mitch.
“What do you do?” Anna asked her.
“I’m attempting my hand at photography. Between Aunt Mary using her social networking skills and Ethan’s excellent job at setting me up online, I’m off to a good start.” Seeing Mitch again, all Hannah could think about was how his body felt moving inside hers and the pleasure those calculated moves gave her. Needing a few minutes to compose herself and steer her thoughts toward being a good hostess instead of pondering ways she could find out if Mitch would be willing to come upstairs with her again tonight, she stated, “Come in when you’re ready. I’ll wash up and get dinner on the table.”
As soon as Hannah entered the house, Anna turned a knowing grin up at Mitch. “Mitch, what on earth are you thinking? That woman is so not your type. And don’t even try to tell me nothing’s going on because I won’t believe it. The air was practically sizzling between you two.”
“I’ve helped her out a few times, like Mary asked me to. That’s it. Don’t read more into it, Anna,” he warned, reluctant to discuss anything else about Hannah with her. If she knew he already had sex with Hannah, the first thing she’d do is tell Olivia and Kayla and when those three get together, there was no telling what plotting they’ll do. Like Anna said, his neighbor was not his type.
Anna lightly patted his rock solid chest, her grey eyes warm as she replied, “If you say so, Master Mitch. I’ll go see if she needs any help.”
Mitch glared at her back as Anna trotted up the four steps to the front door and let herself in. As if he wasn’t having enough trouble struggling to do the right thing by keeping his distance from Hannah, now he had others meddling and more likely than not, handing out more unwanted advice like, ‘she’s not your type’. As if he didn’t already know that.
While mowing, Ethan noticed the way Hannah had kept glancing towards Mitch’s house as if she was hoping to catch a glimpse of him. Remembering Mitch’s attitude last week concerning his neighbor, he struggled to hold back a grin. If Hannah, with her innocent flair and boring, sexless clothes, has already snared his attention, then he had it bad. “You’ve already banged her, haven’t you?” Ethan blurted then took a hasty step back when Mitch turned a glacial look on him. Holding his hands up, he quickly said, “No offense, man! She’s a nice lady. Hell, you could do a lot worse.”
“Ethan, shut up.”
“This is a beautiful kitchen,” Anna said when she stepped inside, her curiosity about the woman who put that look on Mitch’s face itching to be appeased.
“Mitch remodeled the entire house, but most of the big changes were made on this floor. The kitchen is now twice the size as it was when I lived here fourteen years ago.” After giving Anna a smile, Hannah turned back to the sink and drained the potatoes, her mind and body still struggling with chaotic confusion after seeing Mitch again. She thought there must be something seriously wrong with her for her to react so strongly to a man she barely knew despite having had sex with him. It couldn’t be right to want someone so much, to desire him above what common sense told her was normal. She hoped this meal wasn’t as awkward for her as last weeks. Even though Mitch had done his best to make that brief hour after coming downstairs easier for her, she had still been so tense with the ‘time after’ uncertainty and questions, she barely tasted her food or could recall if they talked about anything besides their work.
“Can I set the table?” Anna asked, indicating the plates and utensils sitting on the counter.
“Yes, thank you. Have you known Ethan and Mitch long?” Hannah asked her, eager for any information on the man whom she was obsessing over.
“Only about seven months, but I can tell you they’re both great guys. I met Mitch through Donovan, who I married five months ago.” She could still vividly recall the one time Donovan had shared her with Mitch. Mitch had instinctively known how uneasy she had been thinking Donovan didn’t want her and did everything he could to make the experience not only highly erotic, but made her feel as if she was the only woman he wanted at that moment. The look he gave Hannah reflected that same intense desire, only exponentially higher. Lucky woman if she was smart enough to grab onto him. “So, this isn’t the first time you’ve left your Amish community?”
Hannah wasn’t surprised she knew about her background. If her plain attire didn’t hint at it, she was sure Ethan had mentioned it. She explained how she came to live with her Aunt Mary for a year at Caleb’s insistence, then said, “When my grandparents started insisting I give serious thought to accepting another man’s proposal, a widower in his late forties with three children in their early teens, I knew it was time for me to leave, make my own way for a while until I knew exactly what I wanted. Aunt Mary’s invitation to housesit for her and Patty was a Godsend.”
“It’s hard, isn’t it, to leave all you’ve known, to want something different that might go against what you were raised to believe was right?” Turning from the small table under the four paned window that looked out on the newly cut backyard, Anna smiled at Hannah’s surprised look.
Hannah’s hands tightened on the beaters. “Either you’re very astute or you’re a mind reader.”
Laughing, she assured her, “I’m definitely not a mind reader. I know little about the Amish other than they are very devout people who live simply. My father was a preacher for a small, tight knit, very judgmental congregation.” Not sure how much to reveal, Anna kept her comparisons simple. “I made the mistake of marrying my first husband to please my parents. My father’s deceased now, but neither he nor my mother would approve of Donovan or some of the things we do, yet I’ve never been happier, emotionally, physically or spiritually.”
“Marrying Caleb wasn’t a mistake,” Hannah returned defensively. Regardless of their differences, she had loved Caleb and didn’t regret the years she had with him.
“I’m glad. It’s difficult to live with a mistake such as mine, to know the tragedy that befell both of us could have been prevented if I had as much strength as you to seek out what I really wanted.”
“I’m sorry for your loss.” Hannah turned back to the counter and started mashing potatoes, adding milk and butter as she blinked back tears. Other than her aunt, no one has given her such a compliment concerning her decision to leave Ohio. Such a simple statement to have such a profound effect on her, but sometimes that is all that is needed.
“Hannah.” Anna laid a hand on her tense shoulder and squeezed encouragingly as she heard Ethan and Mitch come in. “I’ll leave you my number in case you’d like to go to lunch sometime.”
Turning to look at her, Hannah replied, “I’d like that,” keeping it as simple as Anna was.
> By the time she was cutting the still warm berry pie, Hannah was more relaxed and more comfortable with both Anna and Mitch. She remained mostly silent during dinner, listening to the three of them banter back and forth. Anna made her laugh at the animal antics from her patients, Ethan pulled at her heartstrings when he admitted to being dumped by his girlfriend of two months this past week and Mitch made her feel uncomfortably damp between her legs just from listening to his deep voice as he spoke of his frustrating day dealing with paperwork while looking at her across the table with smoldering dark eyes. At least with Ethan and Anna present, her arousal wasn’t threatening her composure or her sanity. Instead, enjoying the company, it simmered warmly rather than burning hotly, and gave her a pleasant, mellow feeling. Duke lay between her and Ethan and sneaking food down to him helped divert her attention.
“This is awesome, Hannah,” Ethan mumbled with his mouth full. Casting a worried look at the three other servings, he asked, “Is there going to be enough for me to take some home?”
“Your brothers need to teach you some manners,” Mitch drawled. The pie was good, but that didn’t excuse the kid’s rudeness.
“I always keep my promises, Ethan. Of course you’ll get some to take with you.” Smiling at Mitch, Hannah added, “There’ll be enough for you also, if you want it.”