High-Stakes Passion (10 page)

A
udrey froze, but Keith slowly stood and put his glasses back on. He either didn't feel the waves of fury coming from Mark, or he chose to ignore them.

“Guess I better be going. I played hooky from my classes today.”

“Don't break up the party on my account. First Dalt, then Pete and now you?” Mark said, practically spitting out the words.

“What do you mean, ‘First Dalt, then Pete'?” Audrey seethed. “Are you implying that I've—”

“I was just telling Audrey goodbye, fool!” Keith jumped in. “Besides, I don't see any ring on her finger!”

“Hell, a ring never stopped Mom!” Mark roared.

Audrey was stunned. She couldn't speak.

Keith shook his head. “I can tell you right now, Audrey is
not
like Mom!” He relaxed his shoulders, took a step
back and grinned. “You've got it bad, don't you? You're jealous as hell!” He laughed. “Lucky for you, I've got a fiancée in Denton.” He glanced at his watch. “And if I don't leave now, I won't get to see her tonight.”

Mark's features slowly eased from rage to bafflement. “You're getting married? When? Why didn't you tell me before?”

“I should have mentioned it. But I figured you'd try to talk me out of it. Why don't you come up to Denton soon? I want you to meet her.” Keith moved to open the back door, but he turned and gave Audrey a quick hug. “Goodbye, Audrey. Sure was nice to meet you.”

Mark still looked confused as Keith shoved his shoulder and the brothers disappeared into the kitchen. Audrey heard Keith chuckle, “Boy, you should've seen your face! Women sure can twist up your guts, can't they?”

 

Mark waved to Keith as he drove off, branding himself an idiot as he headed back to the house. When he'd seen Keith kiss Audrey, his vision had blurred and his heart had started pumping a mile a minute. He'd wanted to throw his own brother out on his butt. Was Keith right? Was he jealous? He'd never been possessive of a woman before.

She wasn't in the kitchen or the living room, and all the lights were out. Well, hell. She must've already gone to bed for the night. Audrey in her bed, writhing in the sheets. The image hardened him instantly.

Climbing the stairs was torture on his leg. It ached worse at night. But this couldn't wait until tomorrow. He'd never get any sleep remembering the hurt he'd caused in her eyes. He had enough guilt on his shoulders.

He knocked decisively on her door.

No answer.

He knocked again, longer and more forcefully.

Still no answer.

“Audrey, can we talk for a minute, please?” he asked in a calm and reasonable voice.

“Go. Away.”

“We need to discuss this. Open the door,” he commanded.

“Just go away. I don't want to talk to you.”

“If you don't open this door, I'm gonna kick it in!”

The door jerked open and Audrey spoke through gritted teeth. “What?”

Mark was speechless as his gaze swept over her.

She must've just brushed her long hair. It fell in soft waves past her shoulders, glossy and golden. Seeing her in a plain, white cotton gown started an ache in his gut. And this was no ulcer. The sleeveless gown buttoned down the front from neck to hem, with a modest round neckline. But with her arms crossed, her breasts were pushed together. He wanted to cup his palms around them.

He was ready and at attention.

Audrey looked ready, too. Ready to kill. She glared at him through narrowed eyes. Her beautiful lips were drawn in a tight line.

“Well? I'm listening,” she said.

For the life of him he couldn't remember what he'd wanted to say.
Think, Malone!
“I, uh…” He ran his hand over his mouth and down his jaw. “I'm sorry.” He swallowed hard and tried to look appropriately ashamed.

If possible, she looked even madder. “Apology not accepted.” She shut the door in his face.

Mark stopped the door with the flat of his hand and pushed his way into her room. “Damn it, Audrey, you've gotta listen to me. I know I was an ass, but—”

“Glad we can agree on something. Now get out!” Her
voice was wobbly and stringent at the same time. She pointed at the hallway, and he could see the shadow of her dark nipples through the thin cotton gown.

He couldn't think. He couldn't counterattack. With those weapons at her disposal, he might as well concede defeat. Although, he could handle a lifetime of losing arguments if she always wore that gown when they fought.

Wait a minute, Malone. Lifetime?

Mark was, once again, temporarily speechless. All he wanted right now was to wrap her in his arms and kiss her until all that anger turned to passion. He stepped up to her, slipped his arms around her back and pulled her to him.

Audrey wished she'd never opened that damn door. She resisted, pushing her fists against his chest.

He let out a deep breath and looked into her eyes. “Keith was right. I was a stupid fool tonight.”

She twisted away. “Even if your assumptions were true, it's none of your business.”

Mark's usual scowl returned as he crossed his arms. “But they aren't true, are they?”

She tilted her head. “Maybe. Maybe not.”

In the blink of an eye, he moved in and grabbed her shoulders. “You're not like that. Tell me you're not!”

The misery in his eyes melted the last of her indignation. She sighed. “I'm not sleeping with anyone, okay? I don't know why you would think that, anyway.”

Mark raised his head, looking away. “Women aren't generally a real faithful breed.”

Audrey stepped away. “You can't lump all women into the same category. Can you imagine Helen ever cheating on John?”

He shrugged. “She's the exception that proves the rule.” His eyes flared as if a new thought had just struck him. He
looked back down at her. “And you.” His gaze fled hers again. “But most women? They like variety. My mother couldn't have stuck to one man if she'd been super-glued to his butt.”

The bitterness in his tone made her wince. “Your mother cheated on your dad? Is that why you lied about your parents being dead? They're divorced?”

He didn't answer, and an expression she'd never seen on him crossed his face. Uncertainty.

Shaking his head, he gazed over her shoulder. “I…don't know. They're dead to me.”

How could he not know? What had happened to his family? But her questions were drowned out by the thumping of her heart as Mark leaned down and gently kissed her, his lips lingering as if he couldn't bear to break away. Tightening his arms around her, he lowered his head and whispered into her ear, “Let me stay tonight, Audrey.”

She hesitated, her mind in turmoil.
He doesn't love you. You've got to stop torturing yourself, go home and get over it.

But what about all those lonely nights she'd spent at home, wishing…?

How many more lonely nights would she lie awake and regret not making love with Mark Malone? Her cowardice would haunt her forever. She had to risk herself.

Burying her nose in his chest, she said, “Okay.”

Mark caught her chin in his hand and tilted her face up. “You're sure?” The hesitancy in his voice made her sure.

She raised her eyes to his and smiled. “Yes.”

His blue eyes darkened. He circled his arms under her bottom and lifted her against his chest. “Kiss me, Audrey.”

She wrapped her arms around his neck, held captive by the heat in his gaze. Waves of desire coursed through her
so powerfully she forgot to worry about her weight as she parted her lips over his.

With a low moan, he consumed her with the strength of a man possessed. One hand slid under her hair, caressing the back of her neck as he angled her head to deepen the kiss. Licks of fire blazed between her thighs as he drove his tongue in and swirled it around the cavern of her mouth.

Pulling back, he hitched her higher and buried his face between her breasts. “God, I love the way you smell.”

Her nipples hardened and ached as he nuzzled each breast, leaving damp patches on her gown. “I want to see you, Audrey.”

Before she realized his intent, he let her body slide down, raising her gown along the way. He reached for the hem and began to lift.

No!
She snatched it from him.

Mark stilled. His hands remained in midair before he gradually straightened and brought them to his sides.

Oh, God. Couldn't they just crawl under the covers? Or at least turn out the light? Audrey hugged her body and focused on the floor between them.

“Should I leave?”

“No!” She looked up.

Mark's jaw muscle twitched and his eyes had hardened to chips of blue ice.

She frowned. “It's just…you know. I'm not…thin.”

His shoulders relaxed, his features softened. He took a step closer, bringing two fingers up to tuck a curl behind her ear. “You're perfect.” He lowered his lips to her cheek, pressing gentle kisses down her jaw and throat.

Audrey closed her eyes and breathed in his musky scent. Relief swept through her. He was going to stay.

Before she could do more than whimper, he stepped
back, brought toe to heel and pushed off his boots. He kicked them aside, pulled his shirt from his jeans and un-snapped the front.

Then he waited.

A thrill shot through her as she realized he was hers to touch and caress. She brought her trembling fingers to touch his hard chest, running her hands through his soft, chestnut curls. There was a long, vertical scar across his collarbone, and a small, crescent-shaped scar several inches below his right nipple. He must have had a couple other dangerous encounters with bulls over the years. When she leaned in and kissed them, he shivered. She reached to tug his shirt off his shoulders, and he helped her pull his arms from the sleeves. He tossed it on the carpet and said, “Now you.”

Oh, Lord. He was so beautiful, so chiseled. There wasn't an ounce of fat on him. Could she do this? As if in slow motion, she forced her hands to unbutton her gown.

His heated gaze followed each tiny button, while his hands clenched at his sides.

She stopped at the fifth button, just below her breasts, her fingers hovering at the edges.

Mark reached for her bodice and spread it wide to gaze hungrily at her breasts. He reached inside and lifted her breasts in his palms, kneading them reverently, his thumbs grazing her puckered nipples, tightening them into aching peaks.

“So beautiful.” A growl rumbled in his throat as he lowered his head and drew one into his mouth. His tongue flicked, and a sharp ache surged between her legs, so intense it was painful. She clutched at his hair and moaned. Catching her around the waist, he opened his mouth over her breasts, nibbling and then devouring.

Her knees gave way, and he lifted her in his arms and carried her to the bed. A vague thought formed that she was too heavy and should protest, but she was beyond coherent speech.

Lying beside her, he slid her gown off her shoulders and hugged her to him, kissing her while he rubbed his chest across her lush breasts. He took her hand and pressed it to the long length beneath his zipper. “Touch me. Feel what you do to me.”

Hesitantly, Audrey slid her palm up and down his straining hardness. She gazed at his shape, enthralled with the feel of him. When he didn't stop her, she began to explore farther down, and then back up to squeeze the tip.

He growled. “That's enough.” He rolled and braced himself above her, crushing her mouth with his. Audrey tensed when he pushed his knee between her legs. “It's all right.” He slipped his callused hand under her gown and spread her thighs. His touch burned along her thigh, and then pleasured her where she ached the most.

Audrey squirmed beneath him, pushing into his hand, needing more, striving for something she couldn't quite describe.

He deepened the kiss, entwining his tongue with hers. His fingers seemed to know exactly what she wanted. Blood pounded in her temples and the room spun. Her muscles tightened, and she gasped and clutched him around his waist. “Mark!”

Mark pressed his hard length into her hip, willing himself to be patient. A woman's enjoyment was usually a matter of pride to him, but with Audrey, her pleasure increased his own. He enjoyed watching her uninhibited response as her eyes squeezed shut and her back arched. He cupped her face and softly raked his fingers through her golden tresses.

When her lids fluttered open, he reveled in the fire he'd ignited in her green eyes.

“That was…amazing,” she whispered.

He took possession of her mouth, wanting to taste her joy. She tore her lips from his and pulled back to breathe deeply. “I want you inside me. Now. Please, Mark.”

“Oh, yes,” he breathed into the hollow between her shoulder and neck. She whimpered, and wiggled her luscious body, driving him to the brink. He rose to his forearms and looked into her eyes. “I can't go slow now.”

She smiled. “It's all right.”

He grappled for an old packet from his wallet and yanked his jeans open. Then he remembered. His damn leg! He couldn't pull his jeans off without some awkward maneuvering. Besides, seeing that grotesque mass of scars would send her running for the door.

Frustrated beyond endurance, he shoved his jeans and underwear to his knees and pushed into her with one long, driving force.

She yelped in pain and stiffened under him, her eyes wide.

He stilled.

Clenching his teeth, he forced himself not to move. This was her first time? Why the hell hadn't she said something? No woman her age was still a virgin.

Except Audrey.

Fighting for control, Mark gently pushed her bangs off her forehead. “I'm sorry. Are you okay?”

“I'm all right.” She lifted her head and gently kissed his lips and cheeks and eyes. Spreading soft kisses down his jaw and over to his ear, she tugged on the lobe with a gentle bite.