Ellie gave them both a small wave and headed through the employees-only door.
He’s just helping her out. He’s a good boss.
Marcus took her hand and gave her an appreciative once-over. “You look beautiful. I’m loving this dress.”
She relaxed. This was the Marcus she loved—warm, tender, sweet. “Thanks.”
Marcus guided her toward their friends. “I’m going to tell everyone to head upstairs to the private party. Ellie will take care of things downstairs.”
A few minutes later, they all went through the private door and upstairs, Lexi and Marcus in the lead. She’d been in the upstairs private room once before with her friends for a singles mixer arranged by Hailey. The space was dimly lit, cozy and comfortable, with dark red drapes drawn over two long windows. Dark wooden round tables were scattered around the room, where they’d played poker before. A bar and pool table stood across the room.
Marcus went behind the bar, right away playing bartender. Next thing she knew, music piped through speakers in the high corners of the room. Soft, slow dance music. He called to her. “They’re playing our song!”
She laughed, shaking her head. He kept insisting she owed him a dance because she hadn’t danced with him at the Valentine’s Day dance. She crossed to the bar and took a seat on the end. “I’m guessing they’re all our song?”
He gave her his sexy half-smile, his dark eyes locked on hers. “Whatever’s playing during our long-awaited dance will automatically become our song.”
“I hope it’s a good one,” she said with a hint of sexy times ahead.
“I’m sure it will be,” he replied with a wink.
“Uh, should I just help myself to a beer?” a guy asked loudly.
Lexi startled, suddenly aware of Ben standing by her side, the bar lined with her friends watching her and Marcus with open curiosity. She felt herself flush and turned back to Marcus. “Better get back to serving.”
“Merlot?” he asked, looking only at her.
“Preferential treatment,” Ben grumbled.
She bit back a smile, her heart kicking harder. “Sure.”
“You got it.” Marcus opened a fresh bottle of merlot, the muscles in his forearms flexing sensually. “It’s the Tuscany merlot you loved so much yesterday at lunch.”
She gasped. “Marcus! Seriously? How did you get it in stock so quickly?”
He grinned. “I scoured Manhattan for it and found it in a restaurant on the Upper East Side. Bought it earlier today.”
She beamed at him. “You’re amazing. Thank you.”
He smiled back. “No, you’re amazing. Thank you.”
Ben groaned.
“Hey,” Marcus said to Ben, “we all put up with your lovesick puppy eyes plenty with Missy.”
Missy laughed from Ben’s other side.
“You in love, Marcus?” Ben asked in a teasing voice.
Lexi stilled, both wanting to hear Marcus’s answer and afraid he’d laugh it off, making her feel stupid for all her sappy love feelings.
Marcus met her eyes for a long moment, and she held her breath. “I do adore her.”
The air whooshed out of her lungs, all of her nerve endings alive and electric. A man who owned his feelings in front of the guys? Extraordinary.
Her friends chimed in a collective, “Aww!” The guys chuckled.
Ben muttered, “I’m getting cavities from the sweetness.”
Marcus grinned and turned to her friends. “What can I get you ladies?”
“I’ll have a beer, thanks,” Ben said dryly, walking around the bar and getting one himself.
Lexi sipped her delicious wine while Marcus served each of her friends with a warm smile and liberal use of “sweetheart” and “darling.” He was charming as always, her friends eating it up, but she wasn’t worried. She and Marcus had something really good going between them.
Finally the group broke up, some playing pool, some of the guys starting a poker game, but Marcus had other ideas. He walked around the bar and offered his hand. “Dance with me.”
She took his hand, and he drew her to a corner of the room, away from the noise of the pool table and the poker game. They could hear the music, thanks to an overhead speaker. He led her in a slow waltz, his heat intoxicating, his large hand resting lightly on the small of her back. The unexpected gentleness of his touch surprised her. She was used to a rougher touch from men, especially since she favored big muscled men, not always aware of their strength. But Marcus was aware. He was careful with her, and that made her feel special.
She caught Hailey’s eye at the pool table. Hailey did a little excited wiggle and quiet clapping, which made everyone else at the pool table look over, smiling and talking quietly to each other, probably talking about her and Marcus dancing alone in the corner.
“Maybe we should go back to the party,” she told Marcus. “Everyone’s staring at us.”
“Nope. You’re not weaseling out of this. I get at least one dance.” He leaned down to her ear, drawing her closer, his voice low and deep. “Pay attention. This is our song.”
But she could barely focus on the music because Marcus close up after starring in all her erotic fantasies this week was making her woozy with lust. The heat of him, his musky masculine scent, the hard muscled planes of his back under her hand, the gentle way he held her, guiding her in a sweetly graceful waltz. She was overwhelmed with sensations, her body’s needs overriding everything, even the party. “How many dates have we had now?” she asked.
He straightened and pulled back to look at her. “I figure this is date two. First date was yesterday’s lunch. I don’t think we can count the Knicks game at your place or lunch with my mom.”
She bit back a smile. “Plus when we went over my business plan over takeout. Everything counts. We’ve definitely had at least three dates.” He’d said it would take three dates before he’d go to bed with her. Priorities.
He danced with her for a few moments before leaning down to her ear, his words a husky rumble. “So you remember what I said about three dates. The question is, are you prepared to adore me and only me?”
She gulped, not used to expressing her feelings out loud, especially with a man. It made her vulnerable, something she never wanted to be. Like a turtle exposing her soft underbelly.
“Lexi?”
Her eyes unexpectedly welled. Oh, fuck. She wrapped her arms around his neck and hugged him, hiding her embarrassing cry face against his chest.
“Aw, Lex.” He rubbed her back. “Don’t cry.”
She lifted her head, meeting his dark eyes. She wanted to say so much but couldn’t seem to find her voice. Yes, I adore you. I think I’m in love with you. Yes, I want to be exclusive.
He gave her a gentle smile. “Mutual adoration on an exclusive basis, then?”
She nodded. Her gut instinct told her to trust in this relationship, to trust in him.
“Excellent.” He resumed their waltz. “Did you know that was exactly what I’ve been searching for?”
“No,” she croaked.
He stilled and framed her face with his hands. “You are what I was searching for.”
Her chin quivered and she panicked that she was going to full-out ugly cry, her face trapped in his big hands, but then his lips sealed over hers, and raw hunger took over. Yes! This was what she needed—mindless oblivion. Nearly dizzy with the hot rush of desire, her stomach dipped, and a low ache in her womb made her press close against him. Her fingers tangled in his hair, lost in the kiss. There was only heat and hunger, winding her tighter and tighter, hotter and hotter.
Someone wolf-whistled, and Marcus broke the kiss, his gaze never leaving hers. She didn’t even care that her friends had noticed them making out. “Let’s go to your place,” she whispered. “I can’t wait.”
He ran his thumb over her tingling lower lip. “Let’s go back to the party. Slow, remember?”
“What?” She blinked a few times, the words not making sense,
her body still in overdrive. “What!”
He dropped his hands from her and gave her a serious look. “I want to enjoy our date here with our friends, then I need to take care of some work stuff, and then I’ll see you home.”
He was seeing her home? So long, Lexi? And work stuff? He must mean Ellie. He was reserving time after the party to see Ellie back to her apartment, playing her security guard. She supposed he expected her to tag along and then let him play the same role for her, seeing her safely home. She was the last thing on his list of things to do. Not do was more like it. Either way, it kinda sucked.
She backed up a step. She just needed some personal space to cool off a bit. Nothing was happening tonight, and she was trying to reconcile herself to another chaste goodnight kiss. Not easy with all she was feeling both physically and emotionally. She wanted him way too much.
He moved with her, a dark gleam in his eye.
She slowly backed up another step, working on looking casual about it.
He followed, his slow step purposely mirroring hers.
She threw her hands up. “Why do I feel like you’re hunting me?”
He barked out a laugh. “Because I separated you from the herd. You’re a lone antelope and I—” his words ran hot over her lips “—am a lion who hasn’t hunted in a very long time.” The look in his eyes was clear—hungry, determined, closing in for the kill. He wanted to devour her. Slowly.
Her breath hitched, the blood roaring in her ears. Her limbs were heavy, her body primed for surrender, hot and wet, aching to join with him.
He straightened abruptly, taking her hand and tucking it into the crook of his arm. “Now let’s go back to the party.” He led her back toward their friends, and she followed on shaky legs.
He stopped abruptly after a few steps, cupped the back of her neck and pulled her close, whispering in her ear, “While we’re getting to know each other, here’s something you might not know about me. I can give you G-spot ecstasy like you never knew existed.”
She clutched his arm, throbbing at the words. Most men could barely find the obvious pleasure spot, let alone the hidden trigger. Only her vibrator could do that for her. To have Marcus leading her there, bringing her to ecstasy like she never knew existed made her crazy to have him.
He pulled back and gave her a sexy knowing look. Then he peeled her hand off his arm. “Come on, bro. Time to get your ass kicked in pool.”
She stared at him, speechless. Really? He was going back to the bro thing? Now?
He laughed, took her hand, and dragged her back to their friends.
She never quite recovered, losing in pool like she’d never played before. So freaking embarrassing. He had her in the palm of his hand and he was toying with her, being all friendly-like and not touching her.
Two hours later, as the party was winding down, she made up her mind. She was going to see this thing through all the way to naked town. She’d make it happen or die an unsatisfied horny death trying. She told Hailey she’d be staying behind and said goodbye to her friends.
Finally everyone left, and it was just the two of them. Marcus was behind the bar, putting things away.
She sat on a bar stool across from him. “I’m going home with you.”
He raised a brow, but kept working, tucking glasses away. He wasn’t moving fast enough for her taste. She walked around behind the bar and right into his personal space. He shifted away, moving to a sink and washing his hands.
This infuriated her for reasons he very well knew, teasing her with that G-spot ecstasy stuff and then completely backing off like she was just a buddy.
“I’m serious!” she exclaimed.
His lips curved into a sexy smile as he rinsed and dried his hands with a paper towel. Finally, he met her eyes. “Sure sounds that way.”
She threw herself at him, wrapping her arms around his neck and going up on tiptoe for a kiss. His lips remained frustratingly out of reach. He was so much taller she needed him to bend.
His arms wrapped lightly around her waist. His smile bordered on smug, but she was too horny to care.
“I don’t want to take it slow anymore,” she said in what she hoped was a normal nondesperate voice.
“Lexi, baby, are you asking me to make love to you?”
“Yes!”
He inclined his head, grinning. And he still didn’t kiss her! “Right this way.”
“Kiss me,” she ordered.
He laughed. “Aren’t you something?” He tossed her over his shoulder like she weighed nothing.
The breath whooshed from her lungs, the blood rushing to her head, damp between the legs, all of her throbbing in anticipation. Now her dress was definitely leaving nothing to the imagination, bunching up around her hips.
“Beast!” she hollered.
“Beauty,” he replied, caressing her bottom. “You’re burning up for me, baby.”
She moaned softly.
“I’ll take good care of you,” he crooned.
And she actually believed him, all of her softening, open to him body and heart. He stepped out to the stairwell, set her back on her feet, and surprised her, pinning her against the wall. His hard body pressed fully against hers. He lifted a hand, cradling her jaw, his dark eyes burning into hers.
Her breath hitched and then he kissed her. Aggressively. Fully. Possessively. The kiss went on and on—wet, openmouthed, hungry. She wanted to merge with him.
He pulled away abruptly, took her hand, and led her downstairs.
Her legs quivered, her insides wound tight, all of her aching for more. This was on.
Chapter Ten
“Hey, boss,” Ellie said, greeting Marcus the moment they appeared downstairs.
Lexi clenched her teeth. Cock-block. Or whatever the version was for women. Orgasm-block? Her lust dove to negative temperatures.
Ellie stretched her arms over her head, lifting her boobs and exposing her midriff. “I’m so beat, but I was too creeped out to go home without you. My ex was here tonight.”
How much danger could the woman be in? She literally lived next door.
Marcus rubbed the back of his neck. “Give me a few minutes, Lexi. I’m going to see her home.”
“Sure.” And I’ll see myself home. He’d wound her up all night and then he so easily turned from her to take care of another woman. She didn’t want to be like that, but there it was. She was peeved.
Ellie beamed a smile at Marcus and headed toward the back of the bar, with Marcus following behind.
Lexi didn’t wait around, heading in the opposite direction to the front door. Her hand had just connected with the doorknob when she was suddenly yanked back from it, a strong arm around her waist. “Hey!”
Marcus’s voice rumbled in her ear. “I thought you might bail. Come on, walk with me to Ellie’s place, and then we’ll go to my place.”
She pushed at his arm, a steel band of muscle holding her hostage. He turned her to face him and held her by the shoulders. “I want you, only you.”
The tension left her body. He understood her fears over men who couldn’t be trusted and took the time to reassure her. She kept her voice low. “Could you ask someone else to walk her home?”
“Yes.” A determined gleam in his eye was the only warning she got before he plucked her off the ground by the waist and deposited her on a bar stool. “Do not move,” he ordered.
“Thank you.”
He shoved a hand through his hair, looking around the bar. “Women,” he muttered before disappearing through the employees-only door.
Ellie flounced over to the bar. “Where’s he going?”
Lexi lifted one shoulder. “I think he forgot something.”
“He’s such a great boss,” Ellie said, looking at her manicured red nails. “He really looks out for me, for everyone, really.”
“Glad to hear it.”
“Isn’t The Burrow great?” She didn’t wait for a reply. “I’ve been working here since it opened. A lot of bars fa
il in their first year, but Marcus got us off to a flying start. It’s been big tips and pay bumps ever since.”
“He’s smart. I’m not at all surprised to hear it.”
Ellie sighed and pulled out her phone.
Lexi hopped off the barstool the moment Marcus appeared with a guy wearing a hairnet. Marcus closed the distance between them, his hand closing over hers as he spoke to Ellie. “Mike will walk you home. Your alarm system will be installed tomorrow. Goodnight.” His hand went to the small of Lexi’s back, guiding her to the front door. “Now where were we?”
She glanced over her shoulder at Ellie walking toward the back of the bar, Mike following behind. “Ellie sure sings your praises.”
Marcus held the door open for her and followed her out. “I don’t want to talk about Ellie.”
“What do you want to talk about?”
“How about what you sound like when you’re coming?”
“Marcus!” She glanced around the sidewalk. No one was close enough to hear.
He chuckled, low and deep. “Maybe you could just show me.” He stopped walking, tipped her chin up, and kissed her. “I adore you; you adore me. We’re exclusive, so now we can enjoy some of that exclusive-couple stuff.” He searched her features. “Or I could drive you home.”
“Are you crazy? You’ve been teasing me all night. If it weren’t for that cock-block Ellie, I would already be in your bed.”
His lips curved into a sexy smile. And then they were kissing, the heat igniting once more.
He broke the kiss, grabbed her hand, and walked so fast she had to practically run to keep up.
“Where’s the fire?” she teased.
“In my pants.”
~ ~ ~
Lexi followed Marcus upstairs to his condo on the top two floors of a brownstone, her fingers entwined with his, her pulse thrumming through her with excitement. He turned on the lights in the living room, revealing modern Scandinavian-style furniture. A tan leather sofa on a wooden frame, glass coffee table curved like a comma, and brown leather chaise lounge were set on a warm jewel-toned geometric-shaped rug. Hardwood floors throughout the space. Not the bachelor pad she’d expected.
Wicked Flirt Page 10
