No Turning Back (Man-Maid)

by Rainey, Anne

  Marquetta tucked her legs beneath her. “I don’t want to talk about it,” she mumbled.

  “Well, too bad.” Bridget swatted Marquetta’s thigh. “I’m tired of you ignoring me.”

  “Geez, you sure are bossy all of a sudden.”

  Bridget chuckled as she stood and headed toward the kitchen. “I’ve always been bossy. My mom says I need to work on that, but I didn’t come here to talk about that.”

  For the first time in days, Marquetta cracked a smile. She stood and followed her friend. “No, you just want all the gory details of my love life.”

  Bridget went straight to the refrigerator and grabbed two light beers. After handing one over to her, Bridget said, “I don’t know about all the details necessarily. Mostly just the ones that have you hiding away from the world.” She poked a finger in the direction of the round oak kitchen table. Once they were both seated, Bridget said, “So, what’s the story?”

  “I told him about Sheldon. Not everything, but enough that he basically accused me of being a home wrecker.”

  Bridget’s eyes grew wide. “Seriously? After all you two shared, he actually called you that?”

  Marquetta slumped, feeling like shit all over again. “He implied I had no morals. He said he could never be with someone like that.” She bit her lip and toyed with the label on the bottle. “I sort of understand where he’s coming from. I mean, his dad cheated on his mom, so his anger is warranted.”

  “No, it isn’t. You were an innocent pawn in Sheldon’s game, not a willing participant, sweetie.”

  Marquetta took a drink of her beer. “I just don’t get it. I feel like such a dolt. When will I ever learn that men are assholes? Why did I have to go and fall in love?”

  Bridget stared at her. “Is this how you felt when Sheldon broke it off with you?”

  Marquetta frowned, not really wanting to talk about any of that. In the wake of her newest heartbreak, the incident with Sheldon seemed as if it’d happened light-years ago. “No, not exactly. Why do you ask?”

  “It just seems to me that what you felt back then was a kind of puppy love in comparison. You truly love Jensen, don’t you?”

  Marquetta frowned and shoved her hair away from her face. “I cried over Sheldon, but it didn’t make me feel like this.”

  “Like what?”

  “Like a piece of my heart is missing. And I’m afraid I may never get it back.”

  Bridget reached over and covered her hand with her own. “Then maybe you shouldn’t give up. Maybe he’s worth fighting for.”

  “Great plan, except the fact that he thinks I’m a cheating loser.”

  “Look, I don’t know him, but isn’t it at all possible he simply reacted without thinking?” Before Marquetta could answer, Bridget went on to say, “I bet he’s trying to figure out a way right now to win your forgiveness.”

  As Bridget’s words sank in, Marquetta’s spirits lifted. “I’m afraid to hope,” she admitted. “I’m a total coward, aren’t I?”

  Bridget winked. “No, just stubborn as hell.” She looked around the kitchen. “And a little bit of a slob, to be honest. So, when was the last time you saw the bottom of the sink?”

  She snorted. “If you must know, it’s been a few days.”

  Bridget patted her on the shoulder. “How about we tackle this mess while we come up with a plan?”

  “Plan? The plan is to continue to wallow in self-pity.” She stood and tossed her beer bottle into the trash before grabbing a few paper towels and a bottle of cleaner.

  Bridget moved to the sink. She began rinsing off dishes and placing them in the dishwasher. “Or, you could figure out a way to make the man beg for your forgiveness.”

  Marquetta stopped wiping down the counter and squinted. “Are you talking payback?”

  “Not payback, necessarily.” Bridget sighed. “Damn it, you opened up to him, and he kicked you in the teeth. You need to show him what a jerk he’s being. Show that ass what he’s missing out on.”

  She thought of his motorcycle and nearly groaned. “God, I still need to meet with him. He left his motorcycle with me to paint, and I’m supposed to call him tomorrow and schedule a time for him to come to the shop now that it’s finished.”

  “Perfect.” Bridget’s gaze lit up. “When he gets there, you’ll look extra hot. And while he’s busy drowning in a puddle of his own drool, you’ll walk away with your head held high.”

  The idea appealed to her on a feminine level, but Marquetta was a realist. “It’s a nice thought, but I’m not sure I have that much power over him.”

  “Oh, I’m betting you do.”

  Bridget’s confidence in her made Marquetta feel loads better. Unfortunately, Marquetta didn’t have a spine of steel like Bridget. The woman had even been able to walk away from a five-year marriage without falling apart. Bridget had learned that the man she’d given her heart and soul to had been messing around with a woman he worked with for a large part of their marriage. After a speedy divorce, Bridget hadn’t looked back. She was the strongest person Marquetta knew. If only Bridget could lend her a little of that strength now.

  “It would be nice to make Jensen squirm, but I’m not sure that’ll happen,” Marquetta replied, wishing like hell she was wrong. “In fact, I’m pretty sure he never wants to look at me again.”

  Her friend closed the dishwasher and hit a few buttons, then turned toward her. “You might be right, but it’s not like you have anything to lose. Might as well give it your best shot.”

  Marquetta grinned. “You do have a point.”

  Bridget nodded in approval. “Of course I do. Now, get dressed. I’m taking you out.”

  Ah, a jostling crowd and loud music was exactly what Marquetta needed to take her mind off her troubled love life. “You don’t have to ask me twice,” she said as she headed toward her bedroom.

  When Marquetta entered and flipped on the light, she tried really hard not to look at the bed. After sharing a bed with Jensen, sleeping alone seemed like a horrible idea. Still, her eyes strayed toward it and her stomach quivered in response. It looked pitifully empty. And even though he’d never set foot in her bedroom, Marquetta imagined she could smell his scent. It seemed to fill the room even now. His warmth, his masculinity. Damn, there went the tears again.

  “Men are jerks,” she muttered as she headed to the closet. The sooner she was in a dimly lit room surrounded by strangers, the better.

  Twenty minutes later, Marquetta was as ready as she’d ever be. She’d left her hair down and she’d pulled on a red blouse and tight black skirt. She checked her look in the mirror. “Crap,” she mumbled. The skirt was a tad too short and showed a too much leg for her comfort. When she went back out to the living room to get Bridget’s opinion, her friend waited with a glass of wine.

  Bridget pushed it into her hand. “Drink. You need it.”

  “I didn’t even know I had this in my kitchen.” Marquetta frowned at the ruby liquid. “Maybe I should stay home and get wasted instead.”

  Bridget pointed a finger at her. “No, damn it. We’re going out, and that’s final.”

  Marquetta took a sip of the wine, momentarily distracted from her misery by the smooth, fruity flavor. “Where’d you find this?”

  “In one of your cupboards, dork.” Bridget swirled the wine and shrugged. “I’m pretty sure it’s the same bottle I bought you two Thanksgivings ago.”

  Marquetta looked down at her skirt. “Does this outfit look okay? Not too…trampy?”

  “Girl, you look hot as hell.” Bridget’s eyes twinkled with mischief. “In fact, maybe Jensen will show up at the bar and see you. I bet he’d swallow his big, fat tongue.”

  Bridget’s wicked mind never ceased to amaze. Marquetta managed a smile. “I have a feeling Jensen wouldn’t like it if he saw me at a bar looking like this.”

  “All the more reason, sweetie.” Bridget held out one perfectly manicured hand and said, “Come on, let’s go stir up a little trouble.”

/>   Marquetta took one last sip of her drink before placing it on the coffee table and taking Bridget’s hand. “You’re incorrigible, but I love you to pieces.”

  Bridget’s smile was all she needed to confirm that whatever she was up to, it was bound to get them both in a world of trouble. As they stepped out onto the porch, the sound of a car engine snagged Marquetta’s attention. She glanced toward her driveway and froze. Jensen? When he turned off his car and got out, their gazes connected. Her throat threatened to close up.

  Oh hell, he had flowers.

  “I feel like an idiot,” Jensen mumbled as he stood outside his car in Marquetta’s driveway, armed with his iPod, a portable speaker and two dozen red roses. He was all ready to go. He’d even practiced the lyrics after Jason and the rest of the crew left.

  But the last thing he expected to see was Marquetta and another woman standing on her front porch. They were obviously prepared to go out, judging by the killer skirt and sexy blouse. She looked gorgeous. As she pushed the strap of her purse up her arm, her gaze turned angry. Shit, not a good sign.

  “What on earth are you doing here?” she bit out.

  Before he could ask himself that same question, feeling like a fool, Jensen walked to the porch. He smiled and hit his iPod’s On button. The soft, romantic notes of Aerosmith’s “Angel” filled the darkness. He took the plunge and began to sing, putting all he had into it. The song said it all. The loneliness he felt without her. The loss. The sadness. It was all there. And even though he was totally off-key, he poured his heart and soul into it. This was his chance to save something precious.

  Marquetta’s gaze widened, and she didn’t move to leave. He was grateful for that much at least. Jensen didn’t stop until he reached the end of the song. By the time he was through, Marquetta appeared dumbfounded. Her friend had slipped away, thank God. With a knowing smile, she’d scooted to her car and discreetly driven off. Jensen took full advantage of the moment.

  “I’ve been a fool, sweetheart,” he said, hoping she didn’t turn around and slam the door in his face. “Forgive me?”

  Marquetta crossed her arms over her chest. “You think singing a love song is going to make me forget what you said?”

  Jensen frowned. “No, but I had hoped it would get you to speak to me again.”

  “You do realize how completely infuriating you are, don’t you?”

  “I’ve been told, yes,” he replied as he stepped onto the porch. He fisted his hands at his sides to keep from tugging her close, and murmured, “I’m sorry for the things I said.”

  “I don’t want to hear it,” she gritted out. “I mean it, Jensen.”

  His frustration grew by leaps and bounds. He wanted to swat her bottom for being so disagreeable. At the same time, he was very tempted to take off her pretty skirt and make love to her where she stood. She was so beautiful, and he ached for her.

  “God, I missed you,” he said, then covered her mouth with his, swallowing any protest she might have made. He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her against him, anxious to feel her curves and valleys nestled close. He licked her lips, and they parted. He thrust his tongue in and fucked her hot mouth.

  Jensen lifted his head and stared down at her flushed face. “I’m sorry. So damn sorry for being a huge asshole the other night. You didn’t deserve it. None of it.”

  Her chin quivered. “You really hurt me, Jensen.”

  “I know, and I’ve been kicking myself in the ass ever since. Please, let me back in. I promise you won’t regret it.”

  “I truly didn’t know Sheldon was married,” she explained. “Not that I owe you an explanation.”

  “You don’t owe me anything. I reacted badly because of my dad. When he cheated on my mom, it tore our family apart for a while. It was years before things were good again. Still, you don’t deserve to be judged for something that happened way the hell before we even met. I have my own skeletons. I’m no saint.”

  “I’m not trying to downplay my role in the relationship, but I was young and naïve, and he took advantage of that. The whole thing left a mark.”

  “I can see it sucked rotten eggs, but I’m not your professor, and I’m betting you aren’t the same woman you were then either, am I right?”

  “I don’t know. That’s the messed-up part of me. I truly thought what I had with Sheldon was my big, once-in-a-lifetime love. When he dumped me…” She paused, seeking the courage to continue. “I didn’t want to go on. And I sure as hell didn’t want to fall in love again.” She smiled up at him. “But then you came along, and all my plans flew right out the window.”

  “Like I said, Sheldon and I aren’t cut from the same cloth, sweetheart.” He took her hand in his and placed a soft kiss to her palm. “I would never treat you that way.” Jensen’s voice caressed her senses as he kissed her palm again. “Give me a chance to erase Sheldon from your memory forever. Give me a chance to fix what I broke. You won’t be sorry, I swear it.”

  Marquetta shook her head, needing him to know all of it before she lost her nerve. “There’s more.”

  “More?” Jensen’s gaze shot to hers, a frown creasing his forehead.

  “I ended up pregnant,” she explained, her voice shaking as the painful memories of that fateful day flashed through her mind. “When I went to tell him the good news… Well, that’s when I found out he was married. He wanted me to abort the baby immediately. Told me I was trying to trap him. He said a lot of awful things that day.”

  Every muscle in Jensen’s body went taut, and his eyes turned cold. “That son of a bitch.”

  “Yeah, that’s what I said too.” She stepped away, needing the distance, and wrapped her arms around her middle. “Well, that and a few other things.” Jensen started toward her, but she held up a hand. “No, let me finish.” He nodded, albeit reluctantly. “Anyway, about four weeks later, I lost the baby.” Marquetta shut her eyes, reliving a horrible moment in time all over again.

  Without warning, Jensen was there, taking her into his warm embrace and holding her tight. Marquetta lost the battle, and the floodgates burst wide open. She’d never cried so hard in her life.

  Chapter Nine

  Jensen had never felt so helpless. He lifted Marquetta into his arms, carried her inside and strode to the couch. As he sat down with her cradled in his lap, Marquetta continued to cry, and he simply let her. After a few minutes, she sobered and attempted to pull herself together. When their gazes met, Jensen could see the pain reflected in the depths of her eyes. The loss of her baby tore at him beyond words. “I’m sorry,” he whispered. “I know it’s feeble, and I wish there was more I could do.”

  “It’s okay,” she said in a voice raw with emotion. “The thing is, what I felt for Sheldon, well, it wasn’t true love.” She touched his cheek with her palm. “It was a young girl’s kind of love. I can see that now, because what I feel for you is so incredibly intense that I never even knew such a thing existed.” She touched his lips with her thumb. “I’m pretty sure I’m falling in love here, and I have no clue what to do about it.”

  His chest swelled with emotion. “How about you agree to give me a chance to prove I’m worth the trouble? I won’t make you regret it, I can promise you that.”

  Jensen’s anxious gaze held her spellbound. Could it be that this dominant and powerful man was afraid she’d reject him? Marquetta allayed his fears in the best way she could—she kissed him. Oh my, she would never get enough of his perfect, full lips. Jensen quickly took over the kiss, his mouth ravenous.

  She lifted away and stared into the deep-blue pools of his eyes. The kiss had only added fuel to a fire that was already burning out of control. “I want you,” she breathed out.

  He stood, crushing her to him. “Music to my ears, beautiful.” He carried her to bed and placed her ever so gently in the center. When he began stripping out of his jeans, Marquetta went still. The sight of his body would always take her breath away. He was just too good-looking for her peace of mind.
His dark hair and the stubble on his jaw only emphasized how incredibly rugged and masculine he was.

  Within minutes, he had her naked. Jensen put one knee on the bed and pushed her legs wide. Before she could blink, he descended between them and licked her pussy. “Oh God,” she moaned, arching up to get him closer. She needed his tongue inside her, licking her and sending her into orbit. Jensen’s tongue delved deep, and Marquetta let out a whimper, wondering if the man was a mind reader.

  As Jensen tasted and teased her, feeling the quiver of Marquetta’s supple thighs, he knew no man could ever touch her like this and walk away unaffected. She belonged to him. Her desire was for him, no one else, to tease to life. Jensen used his thumbs to part her delicate folds, exposing her swollen clit as he did, then he licked her sweet center and sucked the small bundle of her clitoris. He flicked it back and forth with his tongue, and Marquetta came undone, screaming his name. Jensen stayed put as he swallowed every last drop of her tangy juice.

  As he lifted up and took in the sight of her, Jensen’s cock lengthened. God, she was magnificent. Her eyes were closed, her arms stretched above her head as she clutched the headboard for dear life. Instinct took over as he said, “I hope you understand I’m a man who doesn’t share well with others. You belong to me.”

  She opened her eyes and stared at him, unmoving. He slipped his hands beneath her hips, cupped her ass cheeks in his palms and squeezed. “Have you ever had this cute ass fucked, sweetheart?” She bit her lip and shook her head, obviously too embarrassed to speak. Jensen’s heart warmed. “Do you trust me with your body?”

  Several seconds passed before Marquetta said, “I’ll let you try, but if I don’t like it—”

  “We stop immediately, I promise.” Jensen slipped his hands beneath her, then gently turned her over so that she lay on her belly, her ass mere inches from him. As he stared at her lying in the center of the rumpled bed, the low light of the bedside lamp turning her skin golden, Jensen groaned. “Fuck, you’re as pretty as a picture.”