Page 41 of Mending Our Chance

“You told my father I was your girlfriend,” I began softly.

Relaxing into my body, Marcus nodded. “I did.”

“Why?”

“I was letting him know what is mine, especially this pretty little mouth,” he smirked. Marcus reached out and traced a finger over my cheek. “Since it was your father, I thought it was the right thing to do—to finally claim you. Sorry I didn’t ask you first, but I had decided you were mine weeks ago.”

I melted. “It’s okay,” I returned softly. I tugged at Marcus’ shirt, and soon we were both equally naked and melded into a perfect fit. Only then did I face him and add, “If I agree to be your girlfriend, I don’t want it to be like last time. I need to know where we stand, so we both have to agree to being completely honest with each other.”

“Are you saying that you want to be more than my business partner?” There was no smirk on his face. If I wasn’t mistaken, there was a note of concern there.

“I’ve been more than your business partner for weeks. It was high time to quit dancing around the issue and make this all official.” I nuzzled into his neck, planting a few kisses there before continuing, “I want to be your girlfriend since I already think of you as my boyfriend.”

I peeped back up at him and saw his eyes darken to a true lapis blue. My chest was rising and falling. It might have been the anticipation of more sex, but I suspected it had more to do with the reason his look was so possessive. However, there was still doubt laced with fear in his eyes, but to my innermost satisfaction, I could see it was warring with something more. Marcus wanted me—and the Good Lord help me, I wanted him too.

“I swear to you, Felicity, I won’t use you.” He bent down so that our faces were inches apart. “I won’t use you up and spit you out. You’re mine.”

“Say it.”

My demand cracked a wolfish grin across his lips. “You’re my girlfriend.” One of his fingers began to trace a line down my chest to my sternum, then to my navel. He looked down even further to where he would soon go before he paused and speared me with a look. “Your turn.”

I gave him what he wanted. “Marcus, it’s damn time I made you my boyfriend.” As his lips brushed over mine, I managed to add, “But someday, I want more. I won’t keep that a secret this time.”

A sound of sheer pleasure escaped his throat right before he captured my mouth. His reaction to my proposition made my heart explode. As his hands crushed me closer, I thrust my fingers into his hair. We had just awoken something primal with our declarations of intent—something I could never have dreamed existed. It felt as if his hands were claiming the places he was never going to let anyone else touch. One hand grasped my breast while the other slid over my waist and cupped my ass. I slid over a little at his insistence, enabling the junction between my thighs to grind against his erection.

“Let’s take this to the bed,” I managed to groan around his lips. “All that family money and you have such uncomfortable, cheap furniture.”

“Not for much longer if we keep the business climbing.” Marcus lifted me easily. “You know how I feel about their money.”

“Still, the furniture in this place—it’s pitiful.” I punched his shoulder a touch too hard, and tried to wiggle free.

“Settle down.” Marcus dropped me on the bed and grabbed my legs before I could squirm free. “I chose you, not my family, to help me. I choose you, Felicity, always.”

I stilled, twisted in the bed, and looked back over my shoulder at him. Eyes narrowing, I probed, “Keep talking.”

“I chose you, city slicker.” Marcus planted a kiss on my calf. His hand rubbed its way up the back of my thigh. “I couldn’t fucking do anything right without your help. Didn’t I prove that already?”

“Yes.” I let out an exaggerated huff. Pursing my lips into a smile, I asked him, “How are you going to make it up to me?”

“Make what up?” His eyes narrowed. “You want me to do penance?”

That brought a Cheshire Cat grin to my lips. “You had better know now that we are going to make this work.”

“I don’t want the alternative.” Marcus’ playful façade dropped, and I reveled in his serious oath.

“Well, you’d better show me what a good boyfriend you are then.”

And he did. Spending the night locked together, we went on one wild ride. There were numerous starts and finishes, and the briefest of pauses before the cycle began again. Any worries or problems we carried would wait for the morning light. Tonight was just for us.

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