Love Dies Hard 4 - Book 4 (Billionaire Romance Series) (Hard to Love) (2 page)

Marcus

Never in a million years did I imagine that I would see her here at this conference. I had no idea she was still in the business.  I’ve wondered over the past few months what she was doing, if she was working, if she was engaged, if she was married by now. Then when I was registering, I sensed someone’s eyes on me and I turned and there she was, looking every bit as stunning as I remember. At first I thought I was dreaming. How I wanted to reach out and touch her, taste her, feel her. As usual, her expression is unreadable, she is hesitant towards me. I took in the sparkling diamond ring on her finger, signifying that she was indeed spoken for now. When she gave her name as Sophie Shawn, I made the assumption she was not married, yet.

Seeing her again felt like my heart was breaking all over again. You would think time would dull the pain, but it hadn’t. She was barely civil towards me, but maybe it was my fault. My hurt and anger still showing through may have put her off, who could blame her. I can be a first class ass sometimes, especially when I don’t get what I want.

After today’s session Christopher wants to catch up with her. All I could do was stare at her in the bar while she spoke mainly to Christopher, as if I wasn’t even there. I told you no one ignores Marcus Hunter. She was making my blood boil. We spend some time together in the casino at the Black Jack tables. I can feel her eyes on me, lusting after me. She grazes my arm with her chest. That says it all. Then she begs off for the evening, seeking solitude in her room. That’s when I couldn’t stop myself, I became a man possessed. What is it when she’s around me? I have the urge to take what I want from her. She is so damn sexy and irresistible, a deadly combination. Plus, she always gives me what I want. She does whatever I ask her. We become insatiable when we’re together. My feet follow her through the crowded casino and take me to the elevators, hopefully she hasn’t gotten on one yet, I think as I walk briskly. I get there just in time as I see her step into my trap. I make hast and get into the elevator, making sure the doors close right behind me so no one else joins us. I want her alone in the confined space, like a caged bird, where she can’t fly away from me. I move in for the kill and steal a kiss from her. It’s more than just a kiss. I devour her and she lets me at first. She wants this too, I caught her looking at me like she used to. I’m taking her tonight, she’s mine for tonight. I know because of the way she kissed me back. I need to have her begging as I grab her right where I want to own her. I boldly cup her right where I want her, and press my fingers in hard and she falls into me. I know which buttons of hers to press and just like that she sags into me, succumbs to my every touch, just like before when we had it all, together. That was until she stabbed me in the heart. I get her into my room. She walks up to the floor to ceiling window in the living room, I pause behind her, still in disbelief that I will get to have her in my arms again. I will get to bury myself in her warmth. I will get to touch every inch of her skin. She lets me take her right away, no more protesting. She must not be married yet. I’m not asking because I don’t care, at this moment I only care about one thing.

“God babe, I’m home,” I growl out, once I sink into her. She feels like home wrapped tightly around me. She’s so damn sexy, bent over for me, I’m going to stay inside her all night long. I drive into her until I feel the urge to have her facing me, it’s more intimate, more sensual when I can see her. I reluctantly withdraw from her warmth and she turns around to face me, her expression full of desire for me and only me. I lift her and impale her on my rock hard shaft. I want her riding me so I make my way to the sofa, and ride me she does. Sophie can be a fierce little animal in the bedroom, one of the many things I love about her, she can keep up with my insatiable appetite for her. The insatiable appetite we seem to have for each other. I hate to think of her with anybody else. But there is someone else, that ring on her finger reminds me. She’s grinding down hard on me as I get lost in a wave of ecstasy that threatens to wash over me, wash over us. We both crash over the edge to oblivion together and are left gasping for air. As we catch our breath, I can tell she starts to cry. Probably riddled with regret and guilt now for what we just did. Why feel guilty, we loved each other? I’m warped, it was wrong, but it felt so right, to me anyway. I try to see her face but she just clings to me, like I’m her support, her life vest to keep her from drowning. I don’t know if I can save her because I’m drowning too. Drowning in my love for her.

“Sophie, don’t cry,” I can’t stand to see her cry. It kills me inside to know I’m the reason for her tears. “I’ve missed you, missed this.” What are we going to do? “I still love you,” I choke out, my words filled with emotion. I admit it to her as well as myself. I get nothing from her but silence.

“I bought you a sapphire ring.”

“What are you talking about?”

“That last night I came to you, I was going to propose.” Now that months have passed the pain isn’t as raw so I can admit this to her.

“What,” she whispers in astonishment. I don’t answer her, I give her a moment to let my words sink in. She’s stunned by my words.

“No Marcus, you were not,” she denies my motives.

“I was,” I gaze at her lips. “You broke me Sophie.”

“I broke us,” she admits with sadness in her voice.

“Come to bed with me.”

“Marcus, I can’t spend the night.”

“Let me just have tonight.” Her expression tells me she’s grappling with it, but considering it. When she climbs off my lap and stands in front of me, the look she gives me tells me she acquiesces. We strip each other bare, right here in the living room and then I take her hand and lead her to the bedroom. This night feels surreal, as if it’s a dream, a figment of my imagination. Having her in my bed again, with her long silky hair splayed out across my pillow, brings tightness to my throat. I never want to leave this bed. We love each other with a passion that stills my beating heart.

“You can’t marry HIM,” I whisper and my words are met with silence. She is lying on her back staring at the ceiling, trying to catch her breath. I roll onto my side and face her, skimming my fingertips along her sensuous curves that I need to taste again.

“Shhh,” she rolls over to face me as she presses her finger against my lips.

“No talking, just love me.” And that I do, for the rest of the night into the morning light.

*****

We wake up in each other’s arms, and I need to pinch myself to make sure I’m not dreaming. I breathe in her sweet scent.

“Good Morning,” I say as I softly press a kiss to her forehead. She raises her head off my chest to look into my eyes.

“Good Morning,” she replies with a small smile. She traces a finger along my lips and her smile fades, I know what she’s thinking. We both know our time together is limited. She climbs out of bed and pads off to the bathroom. I see her scoop up her clothes and get dressed, I watch her in silence.

“Come to me tonight, I’ll be waiting,” I say pressing my room card key into her hand as she is about to walk out the door of my suite.

“Marcus, we said one night, that’s it,” she says looking down at the key in her hand.

“Just take it,” I command, kissing her firmly on the lips.

“I need to go now.” She shoves my key in her purse and leaves.

*****

I look for her in the morning session, but I don’t see her. When we break for lunch, I look for her in the hotel restaurant and still no sign of her. I decide to text her, but I get no response. Then I pick up the house phone and I ask them to connect me to her room, she doesn’t answer. If she left the conference early I will be so livid, so hurt…you were a fool Marcus. Why did you touch her again, why did you taste her again? My hands are clenched into fists when Christopher comes up to me.

“Hey Marcus, why do you look so frantic?” he questions.

“Have you seen Sophie?” I ask.

“I just passed her in the hall outside the main conference room.” I let out the longest sigh of relief. She can push my buttons without even trying. I walk down to the main conference room and spot her sitting in the back and I take the seat next to her.

“Where have you been? I didn’t see you this morning and I thought you left.” She doesn’t answer me right away.

“I admit, I did think about leaving, but took a nap instead. I was tired,” she says giving me a knowing look, as if to say, someone wore me out last night. Knowing that someone was me brings a sinful smile across my lips. 

“Well, I’m glad you didn’t leave and I’m sorry to hear you were tired,” I reply quietly under my breath, not feeling one bit sorry. How I’m dying to touch her right now. I wonder if she will come to me tonight, she better or else I will go hunt her down. Out of the corner of my eye I can sense the attractive blonde sitting across the row from me, looking my way. When we break for the day and as I am walking out with Sophie, she comes up to me.

“Marcus Hunter?” she asks flirtatiously.

“Yes,” I smile.

“Hi, I’m Courtney Cross, I work for Foster Financial. I interviewed with Hunter, but didn’t get an offer,” she says boldly.

“Hello Courtney, I’m sorry to hear that. Did you interview with my father? I’ve been away managing our London office.”

“Yes I did.”

“Courtney, this is Sophie Shawn, she is with Bristol now but she used to work at Hunter.”

“Nice to meet you, why would you leave Hunter? I think it would be the best place to work,” she gushes like a fan girl. Sophie shifts uncomfortably before answering.

“I just needed a change of scenery,” she says pointedly looking right at me. Courtney doesn’t miss the exchange and laughs awkwardly.

“It was nice meeting you both,” Courtney replies and her eyes linger suggestively on mine, before she walks off.

“You have a fan,” Sophie says, walking in front of me.

“I can’t help it if women are drawn to me.” She mutters something under her breath as she picks up the pace to the elevators and I follow close behind, not letting her hot little ass out of my sight. A group merges onto the elevator and she presses the button to her floor and I press the button to mine. We both look straight ahead in the crowded elevator, but I steal glances at her as the elevator ascends stopping at different floors along the way to let out guests. She steps off at her floor without even a glance my way. I walk off the elevator at the top floor and go to my suite and wait impatiently for her, still unsure whether she will come to me tonight. I will give her until 7:00 to show up at my door before I text her, give her time to get sexy for me. I decide to get in the shower myself to try and relax, I’m feeling tense from the anticipation of whether or not she will come to my bed tonight. I’m betting that she won’t be able to stay away from my touch. Confident aren’t we Marcus Hunter.

The warmth from the water, and the steam from the shower help me relax. I close my eyes as I replay having Sophie in my arms last night, being between her sensuous legs as she pulled me in. I’m getting hard just thinking about her. I step out of the shower to towel off and walk into the bedroom to find some clothes to put on, even though I hope I won’t be in them for long once Sophie arrives I think to myself when I stop dead in my tracks at the vision of her lying on my bed in what she was wearing the very first night we enjoyed each other’s bodies. Black lace lingerie and black stocking clad legs.

“Sophie,” I whisper out in wonder at my beautiful girl who came willingly to my bed tonight.

“Don’t look so surprised big boy,” she says seductively. She never ceases to amaze me, this is the minx I fell in love with, back in my bed and we are about to do what we do best together. I can’t get enough of her loving my entire body. I really do need her like I need air. I won’t let her get away this time.

After another mind blowing session, we both hold each other.

“I’m hungry.”

“You’re always hungry,” I laugh.

“Hey, I haven’t had dinner yet.”

“You were my dinner.”

“How did I know you were going to say that,” she laughs.

“Let’s order room service, I love room service.”

“I know, that way you never get me to leave your room,” she teases and she’s right.

“Is that such a crime?” I smile down at her. I’m the happiest when she’s in my arms, it scares me.

Room service arrives and they roll dinner in on a table covered with a crisp white linen tablecloth. Once the man leaves, Sophie comes out of the bedroom wrapped in a fluffy white plush bathrobe two sizes too big and she looks adorably sexy. She doesn’t waste a minute before she digs into the juicy steak and fries she ordered.

“My dear, you are such a carnivore.”

“Attractive isn’t it, I like my meat,” she laughs at the innuendo. I love to see her laughing with a smile for me.

“I’m keeping you, I’m not letting you get away,” rolls off my lips. The smile has left her face at my words. “You’re not still planning on marrying him are you? Not now that we have…,” I say motioning toward the bedroom.

“Shhh,” she says, putting a finger to her lips. My jaw clenches, she still has a heart of stone, nothing has changed. You’re a first class fool Marcus Hunter, to hope that she had changed. People don’t change, I should have known better. We continue eating in silence.