No Turning Back (Man-Maid) (15 page)

Marquetta took one last sip of her drink before placing it on the coffee table and taking Bridget’s hand. “You’re incorrigible, but I love you to pieces.”

Bridget’s smile was all she needed to confirm that whatever she was up to, it was bound to get them both in a world of trouble. As they stepped out onto the porch, the sound of a car engine snagged Marquetta’s attention. She glanced toward her driveway and froze. Jensen? When he turned off his car and got out, their gazes connected. Her throat threatened to close up.

Oh hell, he had flowers.

“I feel like an idiot,” Jensen mumbled as he stood outside his car in Marquetta’s driveway, armed with his iPod, a portable speaker and two dozen red roses. He was all ready to go. He’d even practiced the lyrics after Jason and the rest of the crew left.

But the last thing he expected to see was Marquetta and another woman standing on her front porch. They were obviously prepared to go out, judging by the killer skirt and sexy blouse. She looked gorgeous. As she pushed the strap of her purse up her arm, her gaze turned angry. Shit, not a good sign.

“What on earth are you doing here?” she bit out.

Before he could ask himself that same question, feeling like a fool, Jensen walked to the porch. He smiled and hit his iPod’s On button. The soft, romantic notes of Aerosmith’s “Angel” filled the darkness. He took the plunge and began to sing, putting all he had into it. The song said it all. The loneliness he felt without her. The loss. The sadness. It was all there. And even though he was totally off-key, he poured his heart and soul into it. This was his chance to save something precious.

Marquetta’s gaze widened, and she didn’t move to leave. He was grateful for that much at least. Jensen didn’t stop until he reached the end of the song. By the time he was through, Marquetta appeared dumbfounded. Her friend had slipped away, thank God. With a knowing smile, she’d scooted to her car and discreetly driven off. Jensen took full advantage of the moment.

“I’ve been a fool, sweetheart,” he said, hoping she didn’t turn around and slam the door in his face. “Forgive me?”

Marquetta crossed her arms over her chest. “You think singing a love song is going to make me forget what you said?”

Jensen frowned. “No, but I
had
hoped it would get you to speak to me again.”

“You do realize how completely infuriating you are, don’t you?”

“I’ve been told, yes,” he replied as he stepped onto the porch. He fisted his hands at his sides to keep from tugging her close, and murmured, “I’m sorry for the things I said.”

“I don’t want to hear it,” she gritted out. “I mean it, Jensen.”

His frustration grew by leaps and bounds. He wanted to swat her bottom for being so disagreeable. At the same time, he was very tempted to take off her pretty skirt and make love to her where she stood. She was so beautiful, and he ached for her.

“God, I missed you,” he said, then covered her mouth with his, swallowing any protest she might have made. He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her against him, anxious to feel her curves and valleys nestled close. He licked her lips, and they parted. He thrust his tongue in and fucked her hot mouth.

Jensen lifted his head and stared down at her flushed face. “I’m sorry. So damn sorry for being a huge asshole the other night. You didn’t deserve it. None of it.”

Her chin quivered. “You really hurt me, Jensen.”

“I know, and I’ve been kicking myself in the ass ever since. Please, let me back in. I promise you won’t regret it.”

“I truly didn’t know Sheldon was married,” she explained. “Not that I owe you an explanation.”

“You don’t owe me anything. I reacted badly because of my dad. When he cheated on my mom, it tore our family apart for a while. It was years before things were good again. Still, you don’t deserve to be judged for something that happened way the hell before we even met. I have my own skeletons. I’m no saint.”

“I’m not trying to downplay my role in the relationship, but I was young and naïve, and he took advantage of that. The whole thing left a mark.”

“I can see it sucked rotten eggs, but I’m not your professor, and I’m betting you aren’t the same woman you were then either, am I right?”

“I don’t know. That’s the messed-up part of me. I truly thought what I had with Sheldon was my big, once-in-a-lifetime love. When he dumped me…” She paused, seeking the courage to continue. “I didn’t want to go on. And I sure as hell didn’t want to fall in love again.” She smiled up at him. “But then you came along, and all my plans flew right out the window.”

“Like I said, Sheldon and I aren’t cut from the same cloth, sweetheart.” He took her hand in his and placed a soft kiss to her palm. “I would never treat you that way.” Jensen’s voice caressed her senses as he kissed her palm again. “Give me a chance to erase Sheldon from your memory forever. Give me a chance to fix what I broke. You won’t be sorry, I swear it.”

Marquetta shook her head, needing him to know all of it before she lost her nerve. “There’s more.”

“More?” Jensen’s gaze shot to hers, a frown creasing his forehead.

“I ended up pregnant,” she explained, her voice shaking as the painful memories of that fateful day flashed through her mind. “When I went to tell him the good news… Well, that’s when I found out he was married. He wanted me to abort the baby immediately. Told me I was trying to trap him. He said a lot of awful things that day.”

Every muscle in Jensen’s body went taut, and his eyes turned cold. “That son of a bitch.”

“Yeah, that’s what I said too.” She stepped away, needing the distance, and wrapped her arms around her middle. “Well, that and a few other things.” Jensen started toward her, but she held up a hand. “No, let me finish.” He nodded, albeit reluctantly. “Anyway, about four weeks later, I lost the baby.” Marquetta shut her eyes, reliving a horrible moment in time all over again.

Without warning, Jensen was there, taking her into his warm embrace and holding her tight. Marquetta lost the battle, and the floodgates burst wide open. She’d never cried so hard in her life.

Chapter Nine

Jensen had never felt so helpless. He lifted Marquetta into his arms, carried her inside and strode to the couch. As he sat down with her cradled in his lap, Marquetta continued to cry, and he simply let her. After a few minutes, she sobered and attempted to pull herself together. When their gazes met, Jensen could see the pain reflected in the depths of her eyes. The loss of her baby tore at him beyond words. “I’m sorry,” he whispered. “I know it’s feeble, and I wish there was more I could do.”

“It’s okay,” she said in a voice raw with emotion. “The thing is, what I felt for Sheldon, well, it wasn’t true love.” She touched his cheek with her palm. “It was a young girl’s kind of love. I can see that now, because what I feel for you is so incredibly intense that I never even knew such a thing existed.” She touched his lips with her thumb. “I’m pretty sure I’m falling in love here, and I have no clue what to do about it.”

His chest swelled with emotion. “How about you agree to give me a chance to prove I’m worth the trouble? I won’t make you regret it, I can promise you that.”

Jensen’s anxious gaze held her spellbound. Could it be that this dominant and powerful man was afraid she’d reject him? Marquetta allayed his fears in the best way she could—she kissed him. Oh my, she would never get enough of his perfect, full lips. Jensen quickly took over the kiss, his mouth ravenous.

She lifted away and stared into the deep-blue pools of his eyes. The kiss had only added fuel to a fire that was already burning out of control. “I want you,” she breathed out.

He stood, crushing her to him. “Music to my ears, beautiful.” He carried her to bed and placed her ever so gently in the center. When he began stripping out of his jeans, Marquetta went still. The sight of his body would always take her breath away. He was just too good-looking for her peace of mind. His dark hair and the stubble on his jaw only emphasized how incredibly rugged and masculine he was.

Within minutes, he had her naked. Jensen put one knee on the bed and pushed her legs wide. Before she could blink, he descended between them and licked her pussy. “Oh God,” she moaned, arching up to get him closer. She needed his tongue inside her, licking her and sending her into orbit. Jensen’s tongue delved deep, and Marquetta let out a whimper, wondering if the man was a mind reader.

As Jensen tasted and teased her, feeling the quiver of Marquetta’s supple thighs, he knew no man could ever touch her like this and walk away unaffected. She belonged to him. Her desire was for him, no one else, to tease to life. Jensen used his thumbs to part her delicate folds, exposing her swollen clit as he did, then he licked her sweet center and sucked the small bundle of her clitoris. He flicked it back and forth with his tongue, and Marquetta came undone, screaming his name. Jensen stayed put as he swallowed every last drop of her tangy juice.

As he lifted up and took in the sight of her, Jensen’s cock lengthened. God, she was magnificent. Her eyes were closed, her arms stretched above her head as she clutched the headboard for dear life. Instinct took over as he said, “I hope you understand I’m a man who doesn’t share well with others. You belong to me.”

She opened her eyes and stared at him, unmoving. He slipped his hands beneath her hips, cupped her ass cheeks in his palms and squeezed. “Have you ever had this cute ass fucked, sweetheart?” She bit her lip and shook her head, obviously too embarrassed to speak. Jensen’s heart warmed. “Do you trust me with your body?”

Several seconds passed before Marquetta said, “I’ll let you try, but if I don’t like it—”

“We stop immediately, I promise.” Jensen slipped his hands beneath her, then gently turned her over so that she lay on her belly, her ass mere inches from him. As he stared at her lying in the center of the rumpled bed, the low light of the bedside lamp turning her skin golden, Jensen groaned. “Fuck, you’re as pretty as a picture.”

She turned her head and admitted, “I’m a little scared. This is way out of my comfort zone.”

“Shh, it’s okay.” He touched her right where he’d wanted to touch her since they’d begun this wild back-and-forth dance, on the soft skin of her ass. “Just let me make you feel good. That’s all I want.”

He got on his knees between her legs and leaned down to lick one smooth cheek, from the crook of her leg to the small of her back. The startled gasp that came from her was not so much from fear now but raw sexual hunger. He recognized her sounds already. Her needy little whimpers and anxious groans. He wanted to make her scream with a satisfaction only he could give her.

He moved off the bed. “I’ll be right back.”

“I’m seconds away from changing my mind here,” she replied, gripping the comforter above her head.

“I promise you’ll only feel pleasure at my hands.” He touched the cleft of her ass and stroked. “Do you have any baby oil?”

“The bathroom cabinet,” Marquetta said.

Quickly, Jensen retrieved the bottle and wasted no time in resuming his position between the silky thighs of the woman he loved. He popped the top of the bottle and poured a small amount into his palm. He rubbed his hands together to warm the slippery liquid before touching her tense shoulders. “Relax, woman. This is supposed to be fun.”

“You keep that up, and I’ll be too relaxed to be of much use here.”

He chuckled. “Hey, no falling asleep.” Jensen began moving his hands over her collarbone, then her neck.

As he skated his palms down her arms to her wrists, a hum of pleasure emanated from her throat. He massaged the oil into the skin of her wrists before moving to her spine. He took care to smooth each vertebra, feeling her body go nearly boneless. He leaned close and placed a small kiss to a spot he’d already massaged. “Feel good?” he asked against her slippery skin.

“Mm, oh so good. You could skip the housecleaning business and open your own massage therapy office. You’d make a killing.”

“You’d be okay with me touching other women, huh?” Jensen asked, knowing the answer. Marquetta was gentle, but she was no pushover. She’d never sit idly by if she caught him with his hands on another woman. Not that it mattered. She was the only woman he wanted to touch. No other could hold a candle to her.

Marquetta stiffened. “On second thought, the housecleaning business is a way smarter venture.”

“Thought you’d see it that way,” he murmured as he smoothed his fingertips over her lower back. “Now, hush and let me make you feel good.”

“Works for me,” she whispered in a faraway voice.

Jensen let his slick fingers slide between her ass cheeks, then one finger moved up and down the crease. He drifted into the tight pucker a mere inch, and Marquetta immediately jumped at the small invasion. “Tell me how it feels, sweetheart?” he asked in a heated command. The need to fill her with his cock instead of his finger began to ride him hard.

“I-I can’t think.” Her body was strung as tight as a bow. “Don’t stop. Please,” she begged.

“Not a fucking chance,” he promised. Marquetta mumbled something Jensen couldn’t quite make out. “Are you imagining my cock here? Do you want it, beautiful?”

“Yes,” she moaned. “I can’t believe I’m saying this, but yes, I want you there very much.”

Just what Jensen needed to hear. “When I come inside this pretty little ass, you’re going to feel it. Every pump of my cock. Right here,” he growled as he wiggled his finger for emphasis. “In this place where no man has ever touched.”