Love Dies Hard 4 - Book 4 (Billionaire Romance Series) (Hard to Love) (5 page)

Sophie

Last night was like a dream, being in Marcus’s arms again, him loving me like only he can. We are out to dinner tonight at an incredibly romantic restaurant in Chelsea.

“Do you know how lovely you are?” Marcus says softly to me across our intimate table for two. He makes me blush. Can you believe it’s these words that make me blush and not those naughty things he says to me in the heat of passion? I just offer him a small smile as I gaze into his eyes across the candlelit table. Just being in London with Marcus makes me happier than I have ever been in my entire life. This city and Marcus have captivated me. I love being here with him. It scares me how much I love it. I’m afraid it won’t last, but that’s the big risk I knew walking into this. I need to seize and enjoy my blissful time with my playboy, because who knows when he will tire of me. Can you tell my insecurities are showing? This is why I never wanted to let my guard down with him. Now that he knows he has me, has my heart, where is the challenge for the player now? For a player like him, I can’t imagine this will last forever. He doesn’t have it in him, I don’t even know if I have it in me. But what I do know is that I absolutely love being with him in and out of the bedroom. I intend to enjoy each and every night with him as if it our last.

“What are you thinking?” he asks thoughtfully. My thoughts must show on my face.

“How much this city has captivated me, I love being here with you.” I’m putting my feelings and emotions out there this time so I will have no regrets. Let’s see if he can handle it and if it doesn’t send him running, I’m testing him. If we don’t last, it will be because of Marcus. I’m all in this time around, I sure hope my heart can take whatever he dishes out, the good, the bad and the ugly, like I saw happen to Jade Johannson. I suppose when it comes to affairs of the heart there is always a risk, let’s see if I have the heart.

“I love you,” he whispers, stroking my hand.

“I love you too.” I can’t believe I say it so easily to him now. I’m still getting used to expressing it to him, admitting it out loud to him and even to myself feels so foreign. Quite honestly, sometimes I wonder if I even have a heart.

Once we get back to his flat, he kisses me with so much passion, so much feeling, he literally sweeps me off my feet.

“I can’t tell you how happy I am that you came back to me, so I’m going to show you.” A wicked smile plays across his luscious lips and he takes my hand and kisses it, then leads me into his bedroom. I can’t help but wonder how many other women he has led into his bedroom since he has been here in London.

“Marcus?”

“Yes babe,” he says, drawing me in close to his hard body. We are standing at the edge of his bed and he starts to undress me as he nibbles on my neck.

“How many other women have you brought in here?” He pierces me with his eyes and holds my face in his hands.

“I love you and only you,” he replies.

“Did you sleep with that girl who’s voice I heard here last night?” I whisper. His eyes drop to my lips and I know the answer without him saying a word. I feel like someone has punched me in the gut. Why did I have to go and ask? All I was doing was hurting myself. I search his face.

“I don’t want Camille. I want you and that’s all you need to know. Don’t ask me any more questions. No more talking, I just want you to feel.” And feel I do, every inch of him, all night. We are making up for lost time.

Marcus

The night Sophie showed up at my door I thought I was dreaming. How many times I had replayed a reunion for us in my mind, I never really thought it would ever become a reality, but Sophie made it a reality for us. My girl came through and followed her heart. I knew deep down inside that she loved me, I could feel it every single time we made love, even though she would never admit it.

I couldn’t get to her fast enough, after she checked into the Savoy. Then when she told me she loved me, I can’t tell you how it filled my heart with warmth, after it had been cold for too long. I have never felt this way about a woman before, I need her like I need air.

We stayed in bed all day on Sunday, we were busy making up for lost time. We only got out of bed to have breakfast, which we ate in our suite.

I did take her out to a nice romantic dinner, to celebrate our blissful reunion. My Sophie was glowing over dinner, she looked so beautiful. I still can’t believe what a great place we are at right now. I go into the office and work a half day so I can spend the rest of the day with Sophie before she flies back to Los Angeles.

*****

“Dad, when can I come back to LA? I think the London office can take care of itself now. And to be honest, I want to come back to Sophie Shawn.”

“Oh, I thought I had heard she was getting married?”

“Well, she showed up at my door and told me she broke off her engagement. We’re going to see if we can make it work.” My words are met with a long silence from the old man. “Are you there, Dad?”

“Yes, yes I’m here.”

“Look Dad, Sophie is not another Jade. I love Sophie, she’s it for me.”

“I must say, that’s a surprise, coming from you Son. How does she feel? The last time she was in my office giving me her notice she told me your ‘relationship’ wasn’t right for either of you. She acted like she had moved on.”

“Really, you never told me?” His comment knocks the wind out of me.

“She did defend you when I apologized for your actions.”

“What is that supposed to mean?” I don’t like the way this conversation is heading.

“I apologized for you using her for your pleasure.”

“You’re kidding me, right Dad?”

“No, I’m not. Son you have embarrassed me one too many times with your playboy ways and I simply made apologies for you to Sophie because she seems like a nice girl. She baffled me and actually gained my respect when she said you had never acted inappropriately towards her. Which I must say left me wondering, you would be lucky to have that young lady,” my dad states.

“So now you have come around?” Now I am the baffled one.

“Sophie Shawn is a classy and smart young lady with a good head on her shoulders. Did she break off her engagement for you Son?”

“Yes. She loves me.” God it feels good to be able to say that.

“Don’t hurt her Marcus,” my father warns.

“I don’t intend to.” I’m shocked by my father’s admission of their conversation and how he feels towards my Sophie now. He and my mother were so against her, they thought she was a gold digger and sleeping with me for my money, which couldn’t be farther from the truth. “So when can I come back to my office?”

“Do you feel confident that John Holden can run things smoothly from here on out?”

“Yes, yes I do.”

“Then come home when you decide to wrap things up there. Give your notice to your landlord on your flat. Your office is here waiting for you, besides your mother does miss you.”

“Great, I should be able to move back within the month then. Thanks Dad.” I’m ecstatic to be relieved of my duties here. It can be so tough being a Hunter and living up to my father’s high expectations.

“Marcus, you have done a good job of overseeing the London office. I’m proud of you,” my Dad says in all sincerity.

“Thanks Dad,” I gloat at his words of praise. To my great relief our conversation went way better than I could have ever imagined. The things Sophie said I do find disturbing, but I trust she doesn’t feel that way anymore, right?

Sophie

Marcus went into work this morning and says he will be coming to the hotel at lunch. I am sore today from all of our sexy time since I arrived. I take a long luxurious bath in the sunken bathtub. I replay our passionate reunion in my mind, so thankful that I was not too late, although I can’t help wondering if this girl Camille means anything to Marcus.

Marcus comes to the hotel to pick me up and takes me to Harrods for lunch. I love Harrods. We decide to have Gourmet Pizza at the restaurant in the grandiose landmark department store.

“You need to give your two week notice as soon as you get back to Los Angeles.” Marcus tells me, rather than asking me if that’s what I want to do.

“Hold on, I hadn’t really thought about it yet. But I do know I’m not ready to give notice to Bristol. I will continue to work there for now,” I reply calmly.

“You can’t continue to work there,” Marcus says firmly.

“Marcus, you know no one tells me what to do. Especially when it comes to my career. I will continue to make my own decisions like I always have,” I state firmly right back at him. How dare he try and tell me what to do. I don’t play that game.

“I spoke with my father this morning about moving back to LA.”

“How did it go?” I ask, genuinely curious about what his father has to say this time. I’m sure he wasn’t happy about it all, depending on how much Marcus told him.

“He said I can move back home.”

“Really, you’re done here?”

“Yes, I feel confident that John Holden can manage from here on out. My father shared with me what was said between you two when you gave your notice.”

“Oh, I barely remember that conversation.”

“I appreciate you coming to my defense.”

“What do you mean?”

“My father said you told him I never behaved inappropriately towards you. Of course we both know that is debatable,” Marcus says with a sinfully sexy smile playing across his lips. I laugh.

“But what I don’t think is funny is that you went on to say our relationship wasn’t right for either of us. That obviously isn’t how you feel anymore, right babe?” he asks reaching for my hand across the table. My eyes cast down to my plate, then look back into his searching eyes. I love Marcus, I need Marcus, but can I really say he’s right for me?

“Marcus, I love you and I need you,” I sigh out breathily hoping that will pacify him and work as my answer. I squeeze his hand for good measure. Just then our waitress brings our pizzas and he is distracted from asking me anything more.

“So when will you be making the move back home?”

“Within the month. I told my Dad we were back together.”

“And he still agreed to let you come home, that’s a surprise,” I remark.

“He actually said you are a classy and smart young lady with a good head on your shoulders and that I would be lucky to have you,” Marcus says with pride in his voice. I’m stunned by his father’s words, literally stunned speechless.

“I’m shocked.”

“I know, I guess when you came to my defense, it impressed him. You were basically telling him that we were BOTH consenting adults and that you held no grudges or ill will towards me. Thanks babe.” He seems pleased that I stood up for him to his Dad.

“So are you saying he ‘approves’ of us having a relationship?”

“Yes, so it seems. I for one am thrilled. I’m sure you could have your position at Hunter back in a heartbeat. It’s yours for the asking,” Marcus encourages. I know that’s what he wants me to do. But maybe it’s better if we work separately.

“Maybe it’s best if we don’t work together,” I say in all honesty.

“I don’t like you working at Bristol, our competitor. Especially now that we are together, it doesn’t look right.” Marcus says, determined to sway my decision. This could become a big issue for us. I don’t want to argue about it right now.

“Let’s not make any decisions right now,” I say soothingly. His expression softens. I don’t want the rest of my time here in London to be spent arguing about this.

“You’re right babe, what do you want to do this evening?”

“You,” I say with a sexy smile, I can’t get enough of him and he knows it.

“That’s the same line you gave me that first night at the bar when we were having drinks together,” Marcus says with his captivating smile. God, how I love this man.

Marcus

Walking into my condo tonight, fresh off my Virgin Atlantic flight, it feels good to be home. Home with Sophie, I still can’t believe we’re together and that she is mine, all mine. I am the luckiest guy on earth, just like my Father said.

“Let’s open the back sliding glass door and let the ocean breeze in,” I say to Sophie who is putting the groceries in the refrigerator that we just picked up from the market on the way home from the airport.

“Are you hungry? Do you want me to make us a snack?” Sophie offers. Damn, who is this sweet girl in my kitchen who is actually offering to cook me something.

“First, let’s get in the shower together,” I say pulling her against me a placing a kiss on those luscious lips of her.

“Let’s go,” she says willingly.

“What a welcome home,” I growl out as she rides me. I’m sitting on the bench in my shower and the hot water is raining down on us, we are soaked inside and out. Sophie is clinging to my shoulders, riding me hard. Her eyes are on me, her lips are parted as her high pitched pants bounce of the shower glass walls.

“You feel so good inside me, ah, ah, ah,” she purrs. Her long hair is dripping on me, and my fingers dig into her hips as I slam . Our ragged breathing takes us over the edge as we crash together, caught up in the ecstasy our bodies are feeling at the moment. Sophie slowly climbs off me and I help her shampoo her silky hair by running my fingers through it. She has one sexy little body as I caress her slippery breasts and trail my hand down to her folds for a light stroke. She tilts her head back in the spray from the showerhead to rinse off her hair and she is the vision of sexiness. I dip down and kiss her on her neck while her eyes are closed, holding her tight against my naked wet body.

“Do you know how much I love you?” I am putty in her hands.

“I have an idea,” she says opening her eyes with a smile for me. We finish rinsing off and get out of the shower.

I’m beat from my long day of traveling and we get ready to go to bed. Once we crawl into bed I’m covering my beautiful girl. I look down at the lush curves of her body, how I’ve missed her. I’m consumed by the sensation of sliding into her with long, slow strokes tonight, making sweet love to her. I love watching her face as she enjoys our pleasure together. Her lips are parted and she lets out the softest, most sensual pants. She opens her eyes and gazes into the depths of my soul.

“Love me Marcus,” she purrs, her hand caressing my cheek.

“I love you,” I whisper, as I continue making slow tender love to her. “I’ve never felt so close to someone as I do you.” She just gives me a knowing look. I lay my soul bare to her. She tells me she loves me, but I still detect a hint of uncertainty, hesitancy from her. I need to be happy with what I get from her. She must still struggle with believing me, believing in us. I know her by now and will let her come around in her own time. She did fly halfway across the world for me, she does love me, I’m sure of it. I explode and she pulsates around me. My body collapses on hers from sheer exhaustion.

“Welcome home,” she whispers as she wraps her arms around me tightly and that says it all.

*****

We’re in my bathroom getting ready for work this morning and she still refuses to give her notice at Bristol.

“When are you giving your notice at Bristol?”

“I never said I was,” she says with some sass in her voice.

“Why is that, what’s stopping you?”

“I’m just remembering why I left Hunter in the first place and he’s standing right next to me,” she replies with a sexy smirk and she bumps me with her hips. “I just think it’s best to keep my work and my personal life separate. What’s so hard for you to understand about that?” she replies.

“You are one stubborn an independent woman.” It angers me, but it’s also what I admire about her. She won’t take anything from me, even when I offer her the best position any money manager would want and she still turns it down.

“My Father won’t be happy about it,” I inform her, maybe that will make a difference.

“If anything, I think your father will understand my position and he won’t press for me to come back to Hunter.”

“We shall see about that,” I say brushing her cheek with a kiss and swatting her rear playfully. “How about a little morning love?” I growl huskily into her ear as I grab her tight little ass with one hand and give a breast a squeeze with the other. Her nipple tightens and I know she wants me.

“No big boy, later. I can’t be late this morning,” she teases and walks out of the bathroom.