by Melissa Blue
Not once had he regretted it either. That was the man he was, a man just like his da.
He shrugged at his cousin's accusation. “Likely, but I still need an office and that's why you're here. Not to meet my neighbor or give me advice. I prefer work.”
Those last words echoed in his head and his mouth curled in disgust. “Don't say a fucking word,” Marcus added to the tense silence.
This was Tristan though. “When you go to grovel for being an arse, take her flowers.”
He didn't bother to ask what he needed to grovel for. Marcus wasn't that out of the loop when it came to relationships. She'd showed him comfort and he'd thrown it back in her face, like she was the one in the wrong. A lover didn't deserve that kind of contempt.
He sighed. “She's a floral designer. I can't get her flowers.”
His cousin laughed and then laughed harder. It was going to be a long day.
7
Ivy positioned her phone over the opened velvet boxed that she'd laid out on her comforter. Her hands trembled, ensuring the picture would come out blurry. Really, calm had left the building. Her phone made the artificial snapshot sound. Yep. Blurry shot.
Still she pressed send and then placed the phone back up to her ear. “Did you get it?”
Adeline huffed. “Technology is awesome and fast, but not that fast. Describe it to me.”
Ivy pulled a hand through her hair. “Details won't do it justice. I can only say if I took it to a pawn shop, I could probably pay off Sallie Mae.”
“So he's trying to get into your pants with gifts?”
Grateful her sister couldn't see the guilt scrunching her face, Ivy shifted on her mattress. She might have left out the fact she'd had sex with Marcus. She'd known him for a little over a week and given him The Nookie. How exactly did one confess that? I waited twenty-eight years to find the right man and a Scottish rogue breathed in my direction...Yeah.
Ivy closed her eyes. “You'd have to meet him to get it.”
“Get what?”
“Him.”
“And you get him?” Confusion and disbelief laced the simple question.
Ivy pursed her lips. Did she know, know Marcus? She wouldn't stake money on it, but she knew more about him than any man she dated. That included Jerome whom she dated for a year and a half. She'd loved him, loved his family more—a big reason why they didn't last—but the core of him didn't resonate inside her. Marcus...she got.
Ivy said, “Enough to know that—”
“Holy shit!”
No explanation needed. Her sister had received the picture. “I know! What am I supposed to do with this?”
“Are those diamonds?”
She glanced down at the necklace. In the scheme of things it wasn't extravagant. A single platinum strand embedded with diamonds. The mid-afternoon light made the gems sparkle with such clarity that she didn't doubt each and every one was the real deal.
Fat gaudy stones that whispered, “Sallie Mae. Sallie Mae. We could pay off Sallie Mae.” Well Ivy could if she was mercenary, and she only felt that way after she paid bills at the beginning of the month.
It said enough though her sister continued to sputter on the end of the line. “What does he do for a living?” Adeline asked.
Another secret Ivy had chosen to keep from her sister. She owed Marcus no loyalty, especially after he'd acted like a dick to her the day before. Yet telling Adeline he was the former CEO of Scotland International and had his sights on Bain Corp seemed...skeevy. She could, and would, encourage her sister to search for a new place of employment—advice her sister probably didn't need stated. Corporations that went under new management tended to cut employees to protect the bottom line. A shuffle her sister knew well. It's how Addy ended up at Bain. Though Adeline had lingered much lower on the totem pole then.
Still Ivy’s stomach fluttered when she told the half-truth, “Clearly he wasn't a pauper before he turned into a handyman.”
“Does it look used? Like he's given it to someone else?”
Ivy hadn't allowed herself to touch it. If she did, she might put it on and then model the damn thing along with outfits, hairstyles...Yeah. Best if she didn't take it out of the velvet box.
“I'm returning it. Does it matter?”
“Hell, yes, it matters.”
She picked up the box and brought it really close to her face. “It looks new.”
“What did you feed him?” Adeline made a disgusted noise. “Sorry. I'm blinded by the bling. He could have just apologized and saved himself some money.”
Ivy sprawled backward on her bed. “That's my point and why I'm...befuddled is a great word here. This is how he would apologize.”
To a lover.
They'd spent a night together. An incredible night. One she would never forget. Overstepping their boundaries didn't call for rude. A verbal apology would have sufficed. Flowers would be too romantic and a bit redundant with her occupation.
She huffed out a breath looking at the necklace again. She was starting to feel like an outdated computer that refused to process anymore data. She didn't know what to think.
Ivy said, “So it's not just me? Even for a rich guy this is a bit much for being a dick?”
“Yes. Not your problem he felt uncomfortable his cousin made an assumption about your relationship.” Adeline paused. “And why were you over there so early in the morning?”
“Wanted to clear the air.” And technically she had. She'd wanted to talk, again. The terms of their arrangement were still vague. Case in point: what to do when a family member drops by while one or both of them were half or fully naked?
“Plus, he had groceries.” Also true.
“Hmmmm,” Adeline said.
She knew that skeptical noise. Her sister smelled the bullshit coming out of her mouth through the phone. “All that aside. What do I do with the damn thing?”
“Give it back and tell him two words would do.”
“That simple?”
“What's complicated?”
She'd offered him her virginity. He took it with great relish and then a tenderness she hadn't expected. She'd bitten off more than she could chew. She should try the necklace on at least once to see how it looked.
“You're right,” Ivy said. “I know you're right. It's just...”
“The extravagant gesture makes you wonder why he thinks two words wouldn't be enough to convey how he feels.”
The second the words fell out of her sister's mouth, a chill shimmied down Ivy's spine. “Exactly,” she muttered then had to close her eyes.
Marcus had the kind of father who would give his word to come to his son's wedding and not show. She couldn't imagine either her own father or her step-father doing the same. Not for something that important.
How many promises had Marcus likely thrown around as a CEO, knowing or at least aware he probably wouldn't be able to keep them? Of course “I'm sorry” or “I apologize” wouldn't suffice. He'd kept his word with her so far but that had been for little things, not apologies. A diamond necklace that cost him a mint, that took time for him to find and to get to her within twenty-four hours—that meant something to Marcus. Ivy didn't know if that made the gesture better or worse.
To really get the advice she needed Ivy would have to confess. Unease decided to make a home in her gut and roll around. She grabbed a pillow, threw it over her face and then whispered, “I had sex with him.”
The silence on the end of the line lasted so long, Ivy asked, “Did you hear me?”
“Yup,” her sister replied in a no-nonsense tone. “I'll see you in about four hours.”
She groaned. This is why she had wanted to keep her mouth shut. “Why?”
“I'm bringing wine, food and probably a recorder. I need details in person.”
“Adeline,” she said, insistent. “I need advice. I don't know what I'm doing here.”
“No one does. They say they do, but they don't. And, now, really don't keep the necklace. It f
eels too mistress-y.”
Amused, she snorted. “That's not even a word.”
“I used it correctly in a sentence so now it is.”
Ivy just shook her head. “Okay. I don't have to go into work until noon today. I'll drop it off first.”
“Keep the exchange short, unless you want more sex. Then start an argument in the kitchen or the bedroom. I will still see you tonight.”
“Adeline!” she said, exasperated with the heavy-handed advice.
But her sister had already ended the call. Ivy pushed the pillow away from her face. She couldn't be too annoyed. Her sister had come through. Ivy would give back the necklace. After that, she and Marcus probably needed some time away from each other. That included not watching him out of any windows if he worked outside.
Decided, Ivy dressed in a simple shirt and jeans. When she caught sight of herself in the floor-length mirror hanging in her closet, she changed into a long dress with short sleeves.
But after five minutes of frowning at the outfit, she picked a short dress with no sleeves that showed just enough cleavage to make Marcus woozy. He needed to know what he was missing by being a dick. The longer she stood in it, the more certain she felt a dress like that required an updo and heels.
When satisfied with her entire appearance, she had no will left to fight. “You're an idiot,” she muttered to herself as she put the necklace on.
“Oh, God.”
Really, it was a simple design. One strand of diamonds that rested along her collarbone. They made her neck appear so delicate, especially with the strapless jersey dress she wore.
The necklace was beautiful and no man had ever given her diamonds. Yet, keeping the gift was too much like her forgiveness could be bought. Unlike him, words still mattered. To him the necklace would say all that needed to be said. She'd craved the words that meant he knew why his actions had hurt her. It wasn't about the sex, not entirely. She'd given him comfort and then he'd made her feel stupid for offering him a space to feel vulnerable. He'd made her feel like one of the women she never wanted to be.
That reminder made it easy to unclasp the necklace and place the jewelry back into the box. She didn't doubt the gesture was his way of apologizing. Ivy just needed more.
Pushing back her shoulders, Ivy marched her way to his home. Of course she didn't change out of her sexy outfit—she looked fucking fantastic. It would only serve him right to drool as she returned the gift.
After the second round of knocking, Marcus opened his door. Once again he was pretending to be a handyman. Streaks of dirt peppered his jaw and smeared his denims. His black shirt held sawdust and plaster.
He was...beautiful in a masculine, sexy way that she couldn't really put into words. Standing near him just felt like being caught in an electrical storm. Every hair on her body tingled from the charge in the air. So, yeah, pretending or not, she had to bite into her lip to keep back a groan.
She pushed the box against his chest with a little more force than she'd intended. “No thank you.”
He wrapped his hand around her wrist before she could turn away. “You didn't like it?”
There was a weight in his tone that gave her pause and told her to tread lightly. “I liked it.” Her words were slow, cautious.
“But you don't want it?” His brows furrowed.
“Why did you get it? I mean, you could have bought me chocolate, wrote me a note. This, though? Why?” She shook her head because the answer didn't really matter. “The next time you feel guilty, don't buy me something extravagant. I don't need that. Don't want it. If I kept this, I'd feel cheap.”
His sigh sounded frustrated. “Is it the words you want? All that you want from me? I could tell you lies.”
Ivy leaned into him. He didn't smell out of her league today with expensive aftershave. His scent was filled with the sun and freshly cut wood. “If I only wanted lies, I would have kept the necklace.”
He dropped her hand and stepped back, his jaw taut and his blue eyes dark. “I didn't mean to make you feel cheap. I guess...My cousin poked at me and then I took it out on you.”
She'd figured that much. “I'm curious.”
“About?”
She almost laughed. His accent had taken the word and wrung it around. He narrowed his gaze as though he knew what she was thinking. “How often do you admit you're wrong?”
“Admit it? You're the first.”
In short, he was wrong often. She was the first to get him to cop to it. She had years to fantasize about her perfect man. He was a quiet, sweet beta, funny and intellectual. Maybe a bit of a caveman in the bedroom. Marcus was so far from that she could only laugh. Thankfully he wasn't the real deal or she'd be in big, big trouble.
“I have to get ready for work,” she said, mostly to herself so she wouldn't stay with him.
Maybe he read something in her demeanor or he was taking her rejection close to the heart, because Marcus only nodded in understanding.
Just when she was sure he'd let the tension pass unnoticed, he murmured, “And then you'll come to my house?”
“If you had as—”
“Will you come to me, lass?” He finished before she could, his voice a silken promise. Marcus stepped forward and cupped her cheeks. “I really am sorry. You caught me off guard and I handled—I was a shite.”
Funny. She couldn't help but look at his words and wonder if he really meant them. “But why the necklace?”
“I couldn't get you flowers.”
And because it would be that simple to Marcus, Ivy just shook her head. “Chocolate. Let's add that to our understanding.” She shifted from his hold. “And family...” She blew out a breath. “My sister will be dropping by later today. You might want to make yourself scarce. It's not just—” She gestured between them.
He smiled. “You're demonstrating with your hands. I thought you had a rule against that?”
She glanced up, shaking her head again. “She might recognize you as the former CEO of Scotland International. I don't want her in the middle of whatever you're doing. You don't strike me as a man who plays fair.”
“That's not asking for much.”
“All right. Thank you.” He shifted into her space. “I should go.”
His jaw became a hard line and his tone was serious. “I have a favor to ask.”
She balled her hand to keep from touching him, finding a way to soften the harshness of his jawline. “Um, sure.”
He stepped back and waved her in. Curious now, she went into his home. He held up the velvet box. “I would like to see you wear this at least once.”
It would have been a simple request if not for the flare of desire in his gaze. The emotion burned through her. This, too, she'd never fathomed when she'd decided to have sex. A look, a touch could send her into a tailspin of need, and for a fraction of a second she'd do almost anything to ease the ache. Why did no one talk about that when they talked about sex?
She put out her hand and kept her expression blank. “I guess I could do that much.”
He tsked, opening the box. “Let me do the honor.”
Of course. “You just want to touch me,” she accused.
He didn't deny the words, just reached forward to place the necklace on her. His hands were warm and steady against her skin. The weight of the diamonds rested along her neck, but Marcus didn't edge back to look at her wearing them. He stepped into her, tilting her head up with his hands, his thumbs caressing her jaw. The desire in his eyes had melted into something new, something she didn't have a name for, but the emotion dragged her into his warmth.
His mouth was on hers within the next breath. He stole it with a lash of his tongue. She reached up to grasp his wrists. His pulse raced against her fingertips. A sensual pull in her stomach tugged at the knowledge she got under his skin. He could pretend he was calm or collected, but his body told the truth.
His groan was closer to a growl when he broke the kiss. “I won't be soft today.”
; Need. That was the word for it. The taste of it made her mouth dry. “I don't want soft.”
He closed his eyes and sucked in a harsh breath as though he needed to take a moment to restrain his first instinct. Did it make her twisted to want Marcus unleashed? Definitely. He was doing his best to behave, despite the warning. Ivy fisted his shirt in her hands and pulled him down to her mouth.
Actions or words were only a mistake if you regretted them. She did not regret the way he gripped her hair in one hand and kissed her with more teeth than tongue like it was punishment. The threat of pain along the sensitive seam of her mouth only made her wetter, her insides tighter. So when he ripped her dress down to expose her breasts, she was his for the taking.
And he did with his hands, his mouth. She'd never felt more alive as he took in her nipple and suckled her in sharp, urgent tugs. Pain and pleasure became so intertwined she moaned when he scrapped his nails down her ass as he yanked off her panties.
He straightened, turning her and then pulling her back into him so her ass curved along his cock. “Still game, lass?” He ground his hips into her. Every hard inch.
He wanted to tease? She chuckled. “I don't know. I think you're just getting off seeing me half-naked in the diamonds you bought.”
Marcus licked the shell of her ear. “For that I'm giving your arse a hard smack.”
“Promises, promises.”
He gripped her waist but she felt the way his body shook like he was fighting a laugh. He guided her to the couch and stopped short of the arm. With a soft push to the middle of her back, he had her bent over it.
Marcus didn't waste a moment to land a hard smack along her left ass cheek. She let out a yelp of surprise and glared back at him.
“You have the perfect arse for this.” He smirked. “Maybe you should grab hold to one of the cushions, lass.”
“Are you going to hit me again?”
“Do you want me to?”
She bit her lip and thought. The sting of pain had already turned into a tingle that made her pussy clench. But that was...she wasn't ready for something that deliciously twisted. She shook her head instead of answering. Her mouth just might betray her.
