Bound and Determined (13 page)

Feeling in control once again now that the jealousy had been bumped down to a background hum, she pulled up beside the Buick Enclave in the driveway.

Nerves fluttered like leaden butterflies, making her slightly queasy as Marcus walked over to her car, followed by the mystery woman.

Don’t panic, take one step at a time and you’ll get through this.

She hoped it was true as she watched him reach out and open her door.

Her hungry gaze drank him in. She hadn’t seen him for almost a week and she couldn’t believe the way just seeing him made her feel. He looked so good. Strong, solid and sexy as hell.

He took hold of her hand and helped her out of the car. He didn’t look angry, just a bit wary. Watching her closely, no doubt wondering what was on her mind. Or if she was going to scratch his eyes out.

“It’s good to see you, Asia. You look beautiful.”

“It’s good to see you too.” And it surely was. A sight for sore eyes and a balm for her soul.

She looked over to the woman beside him and took the bull by the horns. Holding out her hand to the other woman, she said, “Hi, I’m Asia. A friend of Marcus’s.” Her gaze flicked over to his. “At least I hope I still am.”

The other woman gave her a warm and welcoming smile as she took her hand and shook it. “Don’t worry, you are. I’m Jen, his oldest sister.”

Of course she was. The relief flowing through Asia was profound. As was the pride that washed through her because she’d talked herself out of running away again. “I thought I saw a resemblance.”

“Yeah, Marcus and I took after our father. The other two look like our mother.”

Asia thanked her lucky stars it hadn’t been one of them. “I’m glad it was you then, otherwise I might have jumped to the wrong conclusion.” She glanced at Marcus again. “I’m afraid I have a slight issue with jealousy.”

Marcus reached out and stroked her cheek with the back of his fingers. “With good reason.”

“Okay, that’s my cue to leave.” Jen kissed her brother on the cheek and tossed Asia a cheeky wink. “It was great to meet you, Asia. Take good care of him for me.”

They waved his sister off, then Marcus took her hand and turned to face her. “I’m going to guess and say that your being here is a good sign.”

“That all depends on you. I’ve been informed by everyone I know, most especially Gram, that breaking things off with you was both stupid and cowardly. Now that I’ve had time to think about it, I think they’re right.”

She searched his face, and all she saw there was encouragement and warmth, and she knew she’d done the right thing by coming here. “I came to apologize and ask if you’d consider overlooking my momentary insanity and start again.”

He cupped her face. “You came just in time. I was only going to give you until tomorrow before heading over to your place to talk some sense into you.”

Happiness soared through her that he hadn’t given up on her so easily. “Yeah, well, you would have had to stand in line behind Thea, Lexi and Gram. They were nagging me every day.”

His mouth kicked up on one side. “Remind me to thank them.”

“I won’t have to. They will.”

His laugh rang out, warming Asia’s heart. Then he turned serious and leaned in close to brush his lips across hers. “I’ve missed you.”

She leaned into him with relief and gratitude. “I’ve missed you too.”

She returned his kiss and started to deepen it, loving the feel of his lips on hers, the warm smell of his skin. How could she have gotten so used to this so quickly? It was crazy, but there it was. She went to pull him even closer and then pulled back. “Wait.”

Startled, he dropped his hand from her face. “What?”

She held up a finger. “Hold that thought. Give me five minutes and then meet me inside.”

He looked puzzled but looked at his watch. “Okay. You’ve got five minutes, no longer. And then I’m coming in after you.”

She kissed him hard on the mouth. “I’m counting on it.”

With a carefree laugh, she ran into the house and upstairs to the bedroom.

Chapter Fourteen

Exactly five minutes later, Marcus headed inside.

All kinds of possible scenarios as to what she was up to had run through his head while he waited. Most of them revolved around sex in varying positions so he was already half-hard as he headed up the stairs. He sure as hell hoped she was on the same page as him and was right now waiting in the bedroom. Ever the optimist, he went there first.

The moment he stepped through the door he stopped dead in his tracks. The most beautiful thing he’d ever seen was before him, and he drank in the sight like a thirsty man in the desert. Asia, naked and lush, was deliciously draped across the center of his bed with her hands gracefully arranged above her head.

And they were tied to the headboard.

His cock jumped from semi-erect to fully armed and ready for action in a nanosecond. His jaw dropped almost clear to the floor. At that exact moment speech was beyond him.

Looking luscious and inviting and more than a little nervous, she blew a wayward strand of hair out of her eyes. “The day of the robbery, I’d vowed never to let myself be tied up again unless it was my idea. Well, this is my idea. Ever since that day I’ve had this persistent little fantasy to do with you and me. Naked. With ropes. I’m hoping you’ve had the same fantasy.”

At last his throat muscles opened, letting him croak out his amazement. “How did you know?”

“How could I not? I fought it with everything I had, but there were so many sparks between us that day it’s a wonder we didn’t burst into flame. Besides, I thought this might be a good way to show you how sorry I am.”

Amazed that she knew how he’d felt, humbled by her honesty and awed by her openness, he swallowed down the emotions that threatened to choke him. “There’s no need for you to apologize, or do this.”

“I know. But I want to.” She wiggled her hands around to show him the ropes were loose enough for her hands to slip through without any problem. “You’re going to have to tighten these ropes, though. There was only so much I could do one-handed even using my teeth.”

After what happened in the store, he could well imagine just how difficult it would be for her to trust him to do this. Knowing that was enough. He didn’t need more. “They’re plenty tight enough.”

“But I want you to.”

He shook his head. It didn’t matter how much the idea turned him on. “No way. I don’t want to chance the ropes cutting into your soft skin again.”

“Please, Marcus. I want this. I
need
this. I need to superimpose something good over the unpleasantness of the robbery. I need it so I can move on. At least tighten the ropes a little bit and tie a knot in them.”

The genuine look of pleading in her eyes was his undoing. He wasn’t sure this was a good idea but he doubted he could deny Asia anything. “Okay, but only because you want it. Hang onto the headboard for me.”

She did as he asked, grabbing onto the wooden slats, stretching sensuously, offering herself to him in complete abandon. Her lush breasts with their pebbled nipples pointed to the ceiling, calling to him in tempting invitation. Her thighs parted suggestively, letting him glimpse the heaven that lay between. His cock jumped, wanting back inside her hot, tight core.

“God, how I’ve missed you. Missed being inside you.” He started removing his clothing, stepping closer to her with each item he tossed over his shoulder. The anticipation was almost more than he could stand.

Once beside her, he secured the ropes, making sure they weren’t tight enough to hurt her.

Then he just stood there, taking in every inch of her delectably exposed flesh. Tied up like a precious offering. One he didn’t deserve but was going to take anyway. He fought hard against the urge to take her fast. He wanted to make it last for them both.

With a lazy glide, he stroked the back of his hand between her breasts, avoiding touching them even though she strained toward him. He wanted to bury his face, his cock, between the plump flesh, but restrained himself. He continued down her belly, enjoying the way her muscles contracted in response to his touch as if in unbearable anticipation.

The journey downward ended when his fingers tangled in her downy curls, thrilling him when he found them already damp with her excitement, showing just how much she wanted him.

She gasped, straining toward him. “I’ve missed having you inside me so much.”

He slicked his fingers along her folds, loving the way she felt, soft and inviting, lush in her desire. “We’ll rectify that soon enough.”

He leaned over and rolled his tongue across her right nipple, then drew it into his mouth, worshipping it the way it deserved to be worshipped, loving the way it immediately hardened and distended against his tongue.

He nuzzled the soft mound. “I love the way you respond to me. No reservations, just full steam ahead.”

“That only happens with you.”

“Even better.”

He crawled onto the mattress and hovered over her, trying to decide what he wanted to taste next. But in the end it was no contest.

He ran his hands along her legs, encouraging her to spread them wide so he could taste his way up her soft inner thighs. She didn’t hesitate, and her eagerness touched him more than he would have imagined possible.

Grabbing a pillow, he lifted her hips and placed it under her behind so that she was splayed out in front of him in open invitation. He spread her labia until her dark pink clit was exposed. “Now there’s a sight I’ll never tire of.”

He leaned in and ran his tongue across the super-sensitive nub, enjoying the way she gasped in response. Holding her firmly through it all, he lavished her clit with quick flicks and twirls of his tongue, not letting up until she was writhing in ecstasy.

He dipped one finger into her tight vagina, then two and three, working them in and out while he drank in her essence and she moaned her appreciation. God, he’d never get enough of her hot, spicy taste. He didn’t stop working her clit until she came with a shuddering scream. He rode it out with her, determined to milk every last drop of her orgasm from her.

Swiping his forearm across his mouth, he rose above her. With awe, he took in her dreamy, sated expression and the beautiful pink glow to her cheeks. His aching cock throbbed with need. He had to get inside her soon or he’d spend himself just from looking at her, before he ever got there. “Don’t get too comfortable. This isn’t over yet.”

She tossed him a sated smile. “I should hope not. You still haven’t given me what I really want.”

“Is that so? And what would that be?”

“I want you, your big, hard cock so deep inside me that I don’t know where I start and you end.”

His cock jumped in anticipation of doing just that. “God, you’re so sexy when you tell me exactly what you want.”

He rolled on a condom and kissed her hard, relentlessly drawing out her responses. He needed all of her, needed to show her that they belonged together. Always.

He worked his way down to her breasts, kissing and sucking them until she was again writhing in response. Reaching down, he worked her clit until she exploded in another orgasm.

Before she was done, he surged into her with strong, sure thrusts, plunging again and again, thrusting in and out without stopping, feeling the tension build, regretting he couldn’t hold off longer this first time because he never wanted this feeling to end.

Letting fly, he pumped into her until she came again. Only then did he let himself go, joining her over the crest as he came in the hottest release of his life.

He collapsed on top of Asia and mumbled, “Next time will be better.”

She gave a shaky laugh. “If it gets any better I won’t survive it.”

He lifted himself to look into her eyes. Loving the soft look he found there, he closed each eyelid with a gentle kiss before reaching up and untying the ropes.

Rearranging himself beside her, he pulled her into his arms. “As long as you’re satisfied, I’m happy.”

She let go of the headboard and cuddled into him. “No one has ever satisfied me the way you do.”

She couldn’t believe it, but she’d dozed off yet again.

Gradually coming back to awareness, Asia relished being curled up in Marcus’s arms with her head pillowed on his chest as if she’d always been there and always would be. She couldn’t deny the feeling of complete belonging that washed over her. Solid. Sure. Secure. This was the only place she ever wanted to be.

As the realization hit her the familiar panic started to rise, but she fought down the knee-jerk reaction, determined to not be a coward. She
would
face it down. And win.

“You’re awake.”

She tipped her head to find Marcus looking down at her. “Sorry about that. I haven’t slept well this last week. I guess it caught up with me.”

“I just woke up myself. You wore me out.”

She giggled. “I do my best.”

He kissed the tip of her nose. “That you do.”

He ran his hand absently along her arm as if he were thinking. She hoped he wasn’t regretting taking her back.

Determined to face whatever came her way, she was just about to ask him what was on his mind when he spoke. “Don’t do that to me again, okay? Don’t shut me out and back away without talking to me first. I can’t take it.”

Amazed that such a strong man would make that kind of admission, she sat up so she could look at him. “I can’t promise you that.”

His face fell and quickly closed, all emotion wiped from his expression. “I see.”

“Let me finish. I
can’t
promise that, but I
can
promise you this. I’m determined to fight that inclination. I’ve done a lot of thinking this last week. I’ve kept men at arm’s length because of what my ex-fiancé did to me. I thought it put me in control, but all it did was shut me off from life.”

She ran her fingers down his chest, loving the feel of the crisp hairs that were there. “Everyone was so right. I had my heart, heck, my whole life, tied up so tight I was practically dead. I was missing out on the most important things in life.”

Marcus nodded. “And boy, were you were determined to stay that way. I had a hell of a time trying to break through that wall you’d put up.”