Moment of Weakness: One Moment, Book 1 (6 page)

Marcus tossed the phone on his desk. This wasn’t how he’d imagined his much-anticipated phone call with Abby going. Then again, nothing the woman did was expected.

Under normal circumstances, Marcus would never have considered using a tax consultant, but after seeing Abby at work in the boardroom—both during the presentation and after—it’d seemed like the perfect opportunity. Especially with the current shakiness of the Nagasaki deal. Going public globally would give his Japanese investors more confidence in his companies moving forward to assure them success wasn’t completely reliant on Marcus.

And he couldn’t forget bringing her onboard would give him the chance to taste Abby again. On his terms.

Such a prickly woman. God forbid she should let go and enjoy the invitation to work with him, fuck with him, in the spirit he offered. She wanted him though, of that Marcus was sure. The sexy little kick in her voice when he’d first spoken to her had all but given her away.

A pity she’d then let her head get in the way of her hunger. Marcus enjoyed the fact Abby set him a challenge. A hard win always made for the sweetest victory. She’d prevailed last time, which made her a worthy opponent. And a rare one.

Marcus leaned back in his chair and hooked his hands behind his head. Abby was something special. His natural curiosity wanted to figure her out and put a label on her, understand why she needled him. The animal part of Marcus just wanted her again.

Staring up at the ceiling, he ticked over various strategies, using the same single-minded focus he employed with his businesses. Hell, with anything he did. Once he’d set his mind on something, it was as good as his.

Abby. She liked games. She enjoyed having somewhere to hide, a safe place to pretend. Marcus knew all about the sanctuary of competition. That was what had gotten him through school. Marcus had been a scholarship recipient, whereas Marcus’s parents barely had enough money to provide him with lunch, let alone protect him from years of elitism. As far as they were concerned, Marcus had wanted to go to the highfalutin school and he had to deal with whatever came his way. They’d been content with what they had in life and hadn’t understood Marcus’s need to better his.

He’d graduated early because he’d pushed himself. Hard. Competing at every level against rich, entitled kids who thought they deserved it more than he did. Time and again they’d tried to break him. But Marcus had pitted himself against every one of their taunts, the bullying, the cheating and the lying. He might have been the one who was left bruised and battered, but he’d controlled the game the only way he knew how. By not giving in. That was how he’d risen to the top.

Abby was like him. He could sense her edge of hardness, born from a place of desperation. Something had happened to her. Something bad. There was nothing she wouldn’t do to protect herself. Except break the rules. He’d already figured out that rules allowed Abby to do what she wanted without the need for emotion.

Marcus shifted in his seat to give his growing erection a little more room as the memories of just what she’d
allowed
rushed to envelope him. Licking at her honeyed juices while his fingers were buried deep in her wet folds, her hands clawing at his hair. His cock thrusting between her sweat-slickened breasts, balls pulling tight as her mouth engulfed his head, in and out of kiss-swollen lips. The sight of her glistening pussy as he’d pushed all the way in, again and again.

Fuck!
His cock throbbed, fast becoming a painful pleasure as it strained against the seam of his jeans. He could take care of it easily enough. Free his pounding hard-on and imagine his fist was Abby’s mouth, her hand, her tits. Marcus hissed out a breath as he struggled to tame his wild urges. He refused to beat off to a fantasy of Abby like some school-aged boy with a dirty mag. No, he wanted to savor the burn and build the aching tease until he had her again.

But he would make Abby pay for each time he didn’t allow himself release over her. Game or no game, Marcus would have her back in his bed. His board table. His desk. His shower.
His. His. His.

The litany of thoughts about what he could and would do to Ms. Harkness when he saw her was broken by his phone ringing. Marcus snatched it up, sure it was her calling for another sparring match. His balls tightened, cock hardening to steel. Oh yes. He was more than prepared to tangle with Abby again.

“I hope you’re in bed and ready to make it two nights,” he purred.

“Yes, but I bet you’ll wish I wasn’t.”

Marcus froze, trying to wrap his brain around the deep, masculine voice answering his question, and his fast disappearing image of Abby stripped naked and willing for a round of phone sex.

“Marcus?”

“Cole. Shit. I’m at work.”

“Yeah. I know. I called you there, Captain Obvious.”

Marcus sat back in his chair. “So you’re in town?” Cole had been due to arrive yesterday, waiting for the last few pieces of his big mall deal to fall into place.

Despite his friend’s laid back appearance, Cole was an astute businessman and one of the only people Marcus trusted. Cole used Marcus’s house as a hotel while he was in Wellsford. It suited them both and it wasn’t like Marcus didn’t have the room.

“Yeah. Just arrived at your place now.”

“Okay. I’ll head back shortly.” Marcus was already closing down his computer as he spoke.

“Hurry home, honey,” his friend teased and Marcus groaned.

“You’re not going to let me forget this, are you?”

Cole hooted. “Not a chance.” His voice dropped to a seductive whisper. “See you soon, big boy. Let’s make it
three
nights.”

Abby’s eyeballs were about to fall out of their sockets. She needed sleep, every part of her body ready to shut down. Except her brain. That just wouldn’t quit. It’d been a stupid idea to phone Marcus. His voice had called up all manner of sensuous images that now tumbled around her mind, reactivating hormones that should’ve been beaten into submission.

At least that was better than coming home. The first thing she saw was the empty spot on the hall table where the answering machine used to sit. It was worse in some ways than a blinking red light. Once again Nicky had tracked her down. Her sister and Nathan had invaded Abby’s home and her thoughts.
Pregnant.
The word seared through her.

One look around her barren, airless apartment and Abby knew she couldn’t stay, but she’d need to recharge her batteries before taking off. She fell into bed and tried to grab a few hours of sleep. As soon as night lightened into the butt-crack of dawn, she repacked her partially emptied bag and walked out. Originally, she’d intended to fly to Wellsford but instead she’d decided to take her car. She’d only driven a couple of hours when her cell started ringing. Nicky’s number flashed across the screen.
Shit.
Didn’t she ever give up?

Abby almost ignored it. Almost.

Then something inside her snapped and she wrenched the battery out of her phone, nearly sideswiping the car in front in her quest to remove the SIM card. First the battery pack went out the window. Then her phone. Yeah. She could have just kept the cell and changed her number but it wasn’t nearly as satisfying as seeing it disintegrate into hundred pieces on the highway. Taken out by an eighteen wheeler.

Abby drove until there were enough miles
between her and Chicago to relax. No more Nicky. No more Nathan. And with the slow release of tension came mind-numbing exhaustion. By mid-afternoon Abby could barely keep her eyes open. The next hotel became her destination point, tiredness hitting in a wave that had her reeling on her feet.

She crawled straight into bed.

Yet sleep still eluded her.

That smell. Abby sniffed at her bedclothes. Was it just her, or did her half-packed clothes carry Marcus’s scent? It must be her, but she could swear the musky aroma of sex still lingered.

Abby’s breasts swelled, her nipples hardening as her hands slid over her satiny top. They brushed across the tips of her nipples before dipping down to disappear under the elastic of her pants. Her breathing was ragged as her fingers came up wet and slippery with her own juices.

Visions of Marcus slipped around her like silken rope, his body glistening with sweat as he’d braced himself above her, his wicked mouth curving into a smile moments before his head descended to suckle at her breasts.
Ahhh.
Her nipples were so hard it was almost painful.
Almost.
Abby rucked up her shirt to bare her breasts. Kneading them together, she rolled and pinched the tight peaks between her fingers.

Her hips bucked as her clitoris pulsed, eager to be petted. Abby shucked her panties, letting out a quiet moan as her hands cupped against the swollen flesh. Bolts of pleasure streaked through her, her fingers working furiously to ease the ache that clenched at her sex, causing her to writhe across the sheets. Her other hand followed and she slipped her thumb inside her pussy, arching to go deeper. Moisture coated her hand and slickened the insides of her thighs. Her head rolled across the pillow. She was so close. Yet the edge of satisfaction eluded her.

Teeth gritted, Abby worked her fingers, rubbing agitatedly at her oversensitive clit. Her pajama top rode up further and she caught a trace of Marcus’s scent. It became Marcus filling her, his hands on her body, his hips thrusting into her… With a cry, Abby convulsed, her sex throbbing with release. She rode out the aftershocks, letting the rolling heat settle over her gradually cool.

When the last delicious quiver had faded, she got up and headed to the bathroom to clean up. She couldn’t discern Marcus’s scent from her own. She stopped in the doorway, imagining what Marcus would say if he knew she’d just masturbated to his smell.

Abby stripped off and lifted the fabric to her nose. She watched her reflected image do the same. Ridiculous. Stomping on the pedal for the trash bin, she dumped her top inside and slammed the lid down tight.

Abby slid back into bed. She was dead to the world for twelve hours straight.

Chapter Six

Abby pulled up outside Marcus’s house and rechecked the address on the dossier, pretending all the time like she hadn’t spent hours poring over satellite images. She wasn’t happy about being at his home and not his downtown headquarters. When she’d queried the address with Stacy, her business partner had said something about his offices being refurbished. That was after Stacy had reamed her out for not having a cell phone for the last twenty-four hours after its death by semi.

Abby’s naturally suspicious nature had led her to drive through town on her way past to check on Marcus’s offices. Sure enough, her investigations revealed a building with scaffolding around the top and a notice on the door advising of the reopening at the end of next month.

Damn it. She’d thought she could handle this, but even being here ratcheted up her stress meter another couple of notches. An office was impersonal, a reminder to display professional behavior. But Marcus’s home? That was conducive to more than just financial sheets—
let’s try on a pair of
bed
sheets for size.
Would that be so bad? The inner voice she’d been battling with on the two day drive reinstated itself, joining in a happy chorus with her lecherous libido.

Gah!

Abby flicked up her wrist to look at her watch, weighing whether to get the reunion over with or leave it until the morning. She’d already checked into her hotel and it was early afternoon now. She could easily turn back, start fresh tomorrow and leave Marcus to stew for another day. Her lips twisted, turning to a frown. Then again, the thought of another few hours on her own was no less palatable. The scant amount of time she’d just taken to freshen up had done nothing but flay her nerves. Abby didn’t need any more time to think about Marcus and whether there was more to his job offer. Or the fact she might want there to be.

Her sexual encounters were notoriously one night only. The cardinal rule had turned over and over in her mind on the drive to Wellsford. But what if she wanted more? Marcus might not fit Abby’s mold in all the ways it counted. Only players.
No.
Only sex.
No.
Only one night.
No. No. No.
But he did seem to fit Abby. And she wanted him again. She sighed. That was one fact Abby couldn’t seem to get past.

Now, sitting outside Marcus’s house, she was prepared to accept the truth of the situation. The next few weeks presented a near perfect opportunity to slake her sexual hunger and stave off her yearnings for a hit of humanity. Marcus wasn’t averse to mixing a little pleasure with business, and surely as long as Abby held the balance of power, she could handle it. She’d done it once. Her game. Her rules.

One more time before the contract started couldn’t hurt.

Anticipation lit up Abby’s smile as she made her decision. She smoothed out the creases in her pants and opened the gate thinking of all the ways to beat Marcus at his own game.

She rocked up to the door and pressed the buzzer, unprepared for Marcus himself to open the door. He was casually dressed in jeans and a gray T-shirt. Abby paused to catch her breath. Marcus’s welcoming smile was all it took for her panties to go damp. He filled his tee out so nicely… Worse still, she knew exactly what lay underneath and her fingers itched to lay a trail across that well-muscled chest.

Too late, Abby remembered herself and flicked her gaze upward. His stare was a whisky glass full of warmth and expectation. One hundred proof.

“Abby. Nice to see you.” His welcome was warm and genuine.

It was all the incentive Abby needed. “So, what are your rules, Mr. Brookhein?” She leaned back and aimed a mocking smile at him. If they were going to play, she was eager to gain the upper hand straight off the bat.

Marcus’s brow quirked in amusement. “And I think that’s my line. But then, I guess they are
my
rules this time.”

His voice hinted at the promise of bodies entwined and for a moment, Abby swore she caught the scent of sex on the air. She licked her lips as Marcus stood aside for her to pass. Abby brushed against him, sensing his rigid stance belied his casual demeanor. She relaxed further and the tremble in her legs eased. He wanted her too.

“No. You know the game. If you want me…” She sent him a smoldering look over her shoulder, enjoying the flare of heat that widened his eyes as she spoke his name. “Same rules apply.”

He leaned against the door to close it with a definite click and beckoned to her. Abby went willingly, allowing his hands to frame her hips and pull her close. Closer. The hard outline of his cock pushed into her belly and desire traced down her body straight to her clitoris. She tilted back, pushing past the tingling awareness of desire that slid like a dark caress along her senses, needing room to take a breath even though she wanted nothing more than to melt into him. Take everything Marcus had to offer.

“I want you. You know I do. But I believe I mentioned a few requirements.” Marcus paused, his stare scorching a path down her body, hitting all the right spots. “You’ll enjoy my own special adaption of the game.”

Abby wet her bottom lip with the tip of her tongue, her vision clouding as her imagination spun out a wish-list of Marcus’s needs. Naked. Pounding. Orgasm. Not necessarily in that order.

“Anything.” Her voice was little more than a wanton whisper.

“I’m glad you say that.” Marcus’s lips slanted upward into a knowing smile that spoke of secrets and smacked of victory.

Abby wriggled and he pressed his hands into her hips to hold her still. She couldn’t draw away and the image of her becoming caught in a sticky web of Marcus’s design was far too vivid. A prickle of unease scudded across Abby’s skin. She pulled away as far as he would let her, her eyes tightening as a frown formed. Did he think she’d be offended if he only wanted sex? The thought brought a brief smile to her lips. No. All she wanted was one more night.

“I want you, Abby. I think that’s obvious.” A quick flex of his hips emphasized Marcus’s words and had Abby clutching at his shirt to steady herself. “But that’s not all I want. I want more. I deserve more. And so do you.” Low and melodic, his voice was like erotic brush strokes against Abby’s skin, sending shivers of delight through her to pool low in her belly. “I want you to give yourself to me. Not just sex. All of you.” Like a splash of icy water, his words knocked Abby out of the sensual cocoon he’d wrapped her in. “And I won’t accept anything less.”

“Wha…what?” Her mouth dropped open, thoughts of breaking rules and enjoying a few late night booty-calls fast disappearing.

“Not just one night. All night. Every night. I told you I have a single-minded focus. That focus is on you now.” His smile held a possessive edge. “You’re my next project.”

Abby stiffened, but to her dismay it wasn’t with annoyance. Heat leaked across the space between them and her body tingled to life, hands fluttering in the air, begging to flatten themselves against his chest.

“You want more?” Her attempt at sarcasm was weak due to her mind running around like uncooked eggs on a plate.

Don’t look at him.
But her eyes refused to obey and her gaze snuck past his square chin dusted with shadow to his full, inviting mouth. His lips parted and she focused in on the flash of white teeth catching at his lip. She worked hard to swallow past the sudden lump. What was it he’d just said? Abby hovered in front of him, torn between snatching forward and suctioning on to that wicked, wicked mouth, or shoving him away and walking out.

The choice was taken from her when Marcus lowered his head and took her lips with his. The kiss was all about hunger, a harsh explosion infusing the air with growls of surprise and delight. Really, she meant to push him off, but when her hands struck out, they found themselves tangled in his shirt to pet his muscled firmness. Her fingertips sought his nipples as Marcus licked into her mouth, his arms banding around her back to weld her to him so tight Abby could hardly move. Not that she wanted to. She was too busy consuming his kisses and taking everything he had. Claiming more.

It was Marcus who finally pulled back enough to let a sliver of air cool the heat between them. “Do you want me?” He pushed the words against her lips as she mewled in disappointment. His cock pressed into her, letting her feel how much
he
wanted
her
. Thick. Hard.

Yes. Fuck.

No!

Abby couldn’t get her mind to work past her wild craving for more. For Marcus. It hammered every cell in her body, desperate to feel him against her. Inside her. This was wrong, yet everything about his kiss was so right—the way her body molded to his, the way he tasted and the way he tasted
her
. Marcus was a clawing itch beneath her skin. A demand for her to take him and be taken. Now.

Wrapping her arms low around his waist, Abby let her fingers slide over the curve of his ass, digging in to pull him close until there was nothing between them, not even air.

“Yes, I want…” She breathed assent into his mouth, letting him swallow it whole. “I want sex. Just sex.”

Instead of answering her demands with an
anything you say
and taking her to the floor to push inside her aching wetness, Marcus stepped back. Caught off-guard, Abby stumbled, her fingers clutching at him. Except he didn’t steady her like she expected. Rather, he waited until she’d righted herself before fixing her with that knowing look.

Her hands fisted around her thumbs as she realized how easily Marcus could bend her to his will with just one kiss. She took a wobbly breath and forced herself to hold fast. It was just desire. A base instinct. Handle it.

“You can’t pretend there isn’t something here.” Dark hunger lit his eyes, showing his own control was barely in check. “Sex. You can give that to anyone you play your little games with. I want more.”

Abby stepped back, her heart beating double time. “Yes, we want each other. Why do you need to complicate that?” she argued, struggling to keep her voice, even as her body rebelled at the abrupt end to that mind-bending kiss.

He wanted more. She rubbed at her arms, her brain shrieking a warning.

“Why can’t we just play around for the few weeks I’m here?”

Marcus shifted back and crossed his arms over his chest. “I’m nobody’s toy. Find another rich fuckbuddy if that’s what you’re after. All I’m asking is for the chance to get to know you.” Then he closed his eyes and let out a breath. “God, why are you so difficult? Most women would love to meet a man who wants more than just sex.”

“I’m not most women.” Abby would never be fooled by words of love and commitment.

“Yes, I know that.” Marcus’s lips twitched. “But how hard could it be to join me in bed all night for a couple of nights? To dine with me or share a nice glass of wine?” His voice dropped to caress her again. “Who knows, maybe you’d even like it?”

Sure, it didn’t sound so bad when he said it like that. To be Marcus’s short-term relationship project sounded fantastic. But wasn’t that exactly what Abby was scared of? That she’d like it too much.

She stiffened. “And if I don’t agree?”

His hands dropped to his sides. “Then I’d prefer nothing.”

The knot in Abby’s belly squeezed tighter. Meaning what? He’d cancel her contract if she didn’t agree to his demands? She’d never give Marcus that much power over her. Not for the sake of her business…but for Stacy? Abby bit her lip, trying to ignore the ice trickling a warning through her veins.

“Are you saying I have to do this with you to keep the consultancy job?” She wanted to be sure of what he was saying.

His mouth opened. Closed. “What? Fuck. No.” Marcus shook his head, looking shocked. Then his expression hardened. “Do you really think I’d stoop to that?” His eyes glinted dangerously, his jaw ticking with anger. “You flatter yourself, Abby. We both know I could make you beg.”

Abby’s gaze slid from his before he could see how close he was to the truth. “That won’t be happening,” she said flatly. The heavy weight settling like a rock on her chest was relief. Of course it was. The impact of his kiss alone was enough to remind Abby how close she’d come to
big
trouble. He let out a broken breath and she snuck a glance upward. Tension stiffened every inch of his frame. And his eyes, his eyes turned stormy brown and flashed with anger.

Marcus nodded as if reaching some kind of internal agreement. “If that’s your answer…if that’s what you really think, then I’ll show you where you’ll be working.”

It was better this way. Just get in and get the job done, Abby reminded herself as she followed him. Glancing around, she tried to take in the ornate grandeur of his home. Seeing but not seeing the high ceilings were framed with scalloped white cornices, rich furnishing a perfect complement to gleaming wooden floors. Each room she passed appeared light and airy, and bigger than the whole of her apartment, which could fit into this house at least eight times over.

But she refused to be awed. She was a financial consultant, damn it. She specialized in complex tax matters and last year alone had saved companies over twenty million dollars. With each step, Abby’s spine straightened and her footsteps grew more confident.

“So, tell me why you’ve called in StratEG, Mr. Brookhein?” She was glad the words came out with a professional bite. This silliness with Marcus was behind her now. Definitely off the table. Good. They’d needed to get past what had happened in Baltimore and engage on the business level they were contractually bound to.

“Certainly, Ms. Harkness.” He leaned on her name just enough to give it a mocking edge.

He stopped by an open door and indicated Abby to precede him. The office was warm and spacious, dominated by a large antique desk. Floor to ceiling bookshelves spanned two walls and faced a double set of dormer windows. Every shelf was filled with books—some of them leather bound and old. Law books. Encyclopedias. The rest of the furniture was classic, muted wooden tones with splashes of full reds and bright orange hues.

And oh, the desk. Had she mentioned the desk? Abby drifted forward to run her fingers over the scroll work etched into the dark wood and stroke the flawless crimson leather blotter.