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She was still looking up at him. “I can understand that.”
“I know you can.” He gave a short laugh. He wanted to touch her so badly that it hurt. He jammed his hands in his pockets. “Probably better than anyone else.”
“Irish told me that it was okay for me to start acting like a grown-up, instead of like a kid with something to prove. I don’t think I’m the only one.”
“You’re not.” He paused and looked down at her. “So . . . you and Irish . . . ?”
He let that thought trail off.
She turned and started walking, but she didn’t torture him too long. “We’re friends.”
Michael fell into step beside her. “That’s all?”
“That’s all. I’m still too hung up on someone else.”
His heart tripped and stumbled and raced to catch up. “Oh yeah?”
“Yeah.”
He caught her arm and turned her to face him. “Hannah—you’ve seen what we’re up against. It won’t stop.”
“Irish says that things are changing. That the Guides are losing the power they once had.”
It was so surreal to hear her talk about it like she’d known all his secrets all along. Bemused, Michael shook his head. “Maybe. But change is never immediate.”
“Maybe we could deal with it together?”
He didn’t say anything.
She grabbed his arms and shook him. “Damn it, Michael, this is one of those times when you can let someone else carry the load.”
He grinned. “Like I said, change is never immediate.”
She smiled back and started walking again.
He reached out and caught her hand. “So we’re okay?”
“Nope.”
Her voice was light, so his eyebrows went up, and he matched her tone. “Nope? What do you want from me?”
“A grown-up relationship.”
“You mean we should argue about home equity loans and where to find the cheapest gasoline?”
She smacked him on the arm. “No. I mean no more hiding our relationship from your brothers.” She paused. “Or my father.”
“I was never hiding you, Hannah.”
“I don’t mean hiding, exactly.” She paused. “I mean no more acting like we don’t have a right to be together.”
“Oh.” He nodded and stopped her again, but this time he slid his hands under the jacket to catch her waist in his hands. “I think I can do that.”
“No more big secrets, either.”
“I can do that, too.”
He leaned down to kiss her, but she put a finger against his lips. “If you kiss me like a grown-up,” she said, “are you going to start earthquakes and stuff? Just how dangerous are you?”
