What? Gia couldn’t have heard him correctly. Did he ask her to marry him?
The hologram vanished.
Silence reigned.
Alone, she stared at where Marc’s image had once stood and felt emotion crash down upon her.
Marc moved in the shadows, hoping his presence wouldn’t be detected. The set was like a beehive buzzing with activity. Bribing the guard for entrance had been harder than he expected. The clincher had been one night with one of his androids—satisfaction guaranteed.
By now Gina was probably watching his hologram. He eased up against the door, listening until he heard himself say, “Marry me.” Slowly he eased the dressing room door open. Her back was to him as he slid the lock into place. Her shoulders rose and fell lightly as she choked back soft sobs that reached into his chest and squeezed.
God. He wanted to take her in his arms, hold and kiss away her pain. But before he could reach for her, she sniffled.
“Is that it? S-sorry. Forgive you? Marry you?” Heat rose in her tone. “You betrayed me. Deceived me. Hurt me.”
“I know,” he said quietly behind her.
She stopped in mid-sob and made a surprised, choking sound. Her head jerked up, her backbone rigid. She whipped around. Red puffy eyes widened at his presence. Marc wasn’t prepared for the wretched pain reflected within.
Had she suffered too?
For a moment neither spoke.
That familiar electricity zapped between them. A whimper seeped between her thin lips. So she felt it too.
It didn’t take long for her to recover. A breathy inhale filled her lungs. With the haughtiness of any diva, she raised her chin, narrowing her eyes.
“W-what are you doing here?”
Now that he finally stood before her, Marc couldn’t get his mouth or brain to function. For days he had planned this moment, step by step, played “what-if” scenarios in his head over and over. He even knew what to say and do if she flung the ring in his face, which thankfully she hadn’t—yet.
When he found his voice it cracked. “I-I had to see you. Talk to you.”
“Well, you’ve done both now.” Turning away, she took two steps and then retraced them. “Here.” She held out her arm, fingers flexing to display his ring in the center of her palm. When he made no move to take it from her, she frowned, avoiding his gaze. Her voice dropped to a whisper. “Don’t do this to me.”
A small glimmer of hope burned in his gut. If she didn’t care, she wouldn’t hurt, and it was definitely pain he heard.
“Please, Gina. Hear me out.” Before she could respond, he continued. “I know I deserve your anger but I love you. You have to believe that.”
Marc waited a heartbeat for her retort. When it didn’t come, he threaded his fingers through his hair. “I can’t eat, sleep or concentrate. When I do fall asleep I dream of you… In my bed. My arms. I feel your body so close to mine our hearts beat as one. We breathe as one. And then I wake…” He avoided glancing at her outstretched hand, holding his ring, the symbol of his love. “And you’re not there.” He chuckled but there was no humor, only the misery that had held him prisoner for five weeks. “I can’t go on like this.”
He dared a step closer. With a knuckle beneath her chin, he raised her gaze to meet his. No tears were present in her eyes, but emotion pricked his. Her face was a block of cold stone, unyielding.
A wave of melancholy swept over him. He’d misread her. She hated him.
“Gina. Sweetheart. I miss you so much I can’t tell anymore when one day ends and another begins.” He reached for her, holding her at arm’s length. Her hand drifted to her side. “Don’t you see I’m no good without you? You complete me. Make me whole. Please say you’ll give me another chance.”
Silence stretched between them so tight he felt the air became fragile, ready to shatter at any moment.
“You hurt me,” she murmured.
He closed his eyes briefly. “I know. I’m sorry.”
Moisture rimmed her eyes. A single tear fell.
Holding his breath, he eased her into his arms. She didn’t pull away. Instead, she fisted his jacket and buried her face into his shoulder. Exhaling, he placed his chin on the top of her head. Closing his eyes once again, warmth filled him as her body molded to his.
So right. So perfect.
After a moment of inhaling her essence and reveling in the feel of her, he kissed her forehead and then rubbed his cheek against hers.
Gina tipped her chin up, looking him squarely in the eyes. Marc couldn’t read what flickered in her hardened gaze but it felt ominous, as if she contemplated his worthiness. Unleashed strength rose; he felt it ripple through her.
“Don’t ever deceive me like that again.”
Marc took her warning to heart. “Never. I promise.”
Again the hush of the room fell around them. If he did nothing, he would lose her for sure. So he did the only thing he knew to do. He pressed his mouth lightly to hers.
A small, chaste kisses to determine her state of mind. Marc knew the second she surrendered, that primitive moment of triumph when her full lips softened. When she returned his caress, chills raced across his skin. He tightened his embrace. His tongue nudged, once, twice for entrance. Elation flooded him when she welcomed him and he swept inside to taste heaven once more.
Between one heartbeat and the next, desire ignited. What started as a mild exploration turned hot and hungry, fast. Tongues dueling, he captured her soft whimper. Felt his body swell with need. He dislodged the pin at her shoulder and the silky material slid down her body, leaving her standing before him in nothing but her slippers.
Once again, Gina was in his arms.
Need grew, unfurled and stretched. Like a powerful beast, it sank its claws into him. He would have tonight to make sure she never left him.
Standing naked before Marc, Gia knew she should hate him, but she couldn’t think past the feel of his lips soothing tender kisses down her neck or the promise of a lifetime clutched in her hand—his ring.
Five weeks of lonely nights, of tormented days, were in the past if she dared to believe. God help her. She wanted this—she wanted him.
Caught between wanting to laugh with joy and weep with relief, she welcomed his kisses—his caress.
Warm and moist, his mouth burned a path straight to an aching nipple. Her back bowed in anticipation, goose bumps rose across her skin. When his lips closed around the swollen peak, a primal cry parted her lips. Shards of sensations splintered through her breasts, shooting downward to tighten low in her belly.
She had to touch him.
With ease, she slipped the ring on her finger before stabbing her hands through his hair. She held him near while he suckled her nipple with long, hard pulls that turned into nibbles. As he scraped his teeth across her tender skin, she mewled softly. Her pussy contracted, releasing liquid heat.
Her body felt inflamed, hot and needy.
All she could think about was the girth of his cock as he slid into her, stretching and filling her. The thought released another of wave of desire, making her crave the feel of him between her thighs.
“Marc. Please.”
Palms cupping her breasts, he gazed up at her through heavy eyelids. “What, sweetheart?”
The sensual sight made the blood in her veins simmer to near boiling. “I need you. Inside me.”
“Soon. I need to taste you.”
Her fingers were still locked in his hair as he knelt before her. His gaze was pinned to hers as he slowly kissed a path up the inside of her thighs. When his lips skimmed over her pussy, her knees almost buckled.
“Marc!”
“Patience,” he murmured against her sensitive flesh. A masculine chuckle followed that shivered through her core.
And then he raised one of her legs, draping it over his shoulder and spreading her wider. His eyes were the deepest shade of green she had ever seen as he stared at her exposed sex. His nostrils flared. He inhaled. A growl rumbl
ed in his throat.
Pressing a thumb inside her, he licked a scorching path from her perineum up to her swollen clit. He sucked and teased the engorged bud, forcing one after another ragged sobs from her until her knees threatened to buckle. Just when she felt her body grow rigid, he steered her leg off his shoulder and stood.
Gia wavered, unsteady, watching his every move as he peeled his jacket off before jerking his tie free and reaching for the buttons on his shirt. His broad shoulders and muscular torso made her stomach clench. He toed off his shoes as his shirt hit the floor. Her gaze followed his hands as he activated the buckle and his belt retracted. The bulge between his thighs was impressive, even more so when he dragged his pants down and removed his socks. Oh God, he’s going commando.
Gia’s mouth watered to taste him. She eased her hand down his stomach, farther into the mound of hair, but his fingers closed around her wrist.
“No, baby. Not this time.”
He stood before her, gloriously naked, cock hard, arcing against his abdomen. His chest moved with shallow breaths while her pulse sped and her heart pounded wildly.
Gia had missed him so much.
“Come here,” he whispered.
She was lost to deny him.
Marc felt like one big knot of emotion. He couldn’t hide the trembling in his hands as he reached for her. When his arms closed around her, he inwardly released a sigh of relief.
Cupping her ass, he raised her off her feet. Gina didn’t need him to tell her what to do as she locked her legs around his waist. A couple of steps and he had her back against the wall. Her arms circled his neck.
Angling his hips, he thrust upward, parting her moist folds and sinking into her warmth. “You’re mine, Gina.” His voice was a low rumble against her ear. He felt her response, her tremor. “Forever,” he added.
Easing back so that he was nearly free of her sheath, he drove back in, relishing the tightness. The wet embrace of her body nearly undid him before he even got started. She was so hot he didn’t know how long he’d last. He wanted it to be hours but it had been too long, he had teased her for too long, enduring the bittersweet anticipation along with her.
Heat and pressure began to build at the base of his cock. Marc willed the heady sensation back with a hiss between clenched teeth. He wanted to take her slow, love her like she deserved, but every cell in his body was screaming for fulfillment. His dick hardened into a steel rod. He swore beneath his breath.
She writhed against him, making soft sounds of encouragement. Through feathered lashes, she touched her lips to his. “Fuck me, Marc. Take me now.”
Her sensual request forced him to take a deep, steady breath before he pulled back and entered her, again and again. He slammed his body into hers with a primal need to conquer and claim her.
Sweet, sweet pain exploded in his testicles as they slapped against her ass. The scent of their loving was an aphrodisiac that overwhelmed him, threatening to devour him. It didn’t help that her nipples were hard beads rubbing against his chest, her fingernails scoring his back as her pussy became unbelievably snug around him.
Wedging his legs farther apart, he withdrew and then flung his hips forward, burying himself to the hilt.
Gina cried out. Before she could catch her breath, he fucked her hard and fast. She bucked against him. Her inner muscles contracted and flexed, milking and holding him in the depths of her haven.
A roar filled Marc’s head. Blood rushed to his groin. A fiery mixture of love, pain and desire spread furiously throughout his body, paralyzing him. Liquid heat, gathering in intensity and strength, thundered down his shaft, releasing with a force that nearly ripped him off his feet. He closed his eyes, savoring the feel of her body rippling around him as he joined her. With each jerk of his cock, a shudder raked through him.
In the aftermath he collapsed against her, face buried in the crook of her neck. Her breathing was still labored, matching his. Their hearts pounded in unison. He stayed deep within her until he began to soften. Only then did he release her legs and let them drift to the floor.
Marc took her mouth in a slow, passionate caress. When his tongue delved between her lips, she sucked it into her mouth, giving as much as receiving. Breathless, they broke apart. The sated look in her eyes warmed him.
He pressed his forehead to hers. Raising her hand, he smiled before he kissed the ring circling her finger. “So does this mean you’ll marry me?”
Lost for words, Gia stared at the diamond on her hand. It glowed beneath the lights, beautiful and glistening. She hadn’t been thinking when she put it on. Hell. She hadn’t exercised her brain from the moment she turned and saw Marc standing before her.
Gia glanced up at him and her heart skipped a beat.
Undeniable love shone in his soft expression, or was she seeing what she needed to see? More than anything she wanted to scream yes, to grab on to everything he offered, but she didn’t trust herself. Her bad judgment had gotten her into one too many sticky situations.
“Marc—”
Gia tugged at the ring but it wouldn’t come off. Frowning, she tried again with no success.
He flashed her one of his drop-dead smiles. “It’s a sign.”
A stream of uneasy laughter burst from her mouth. “It’s stuck—not a sign.” Rotating the ring, she attempted once more to remove it but it was firmly attached to her finger.
“Believe what you want, but we were meant for each other.” He raised her hand to just a breath away from his mouth. “I love you, Gina. I want you as my wife. I want to go to bed each night buried inside you, wake each morning with you in my arms. I want to share my life with you, have children, grandchildren. I want you to meet my family. I even want to harass and tease your brothers on which football team is better.” His lips caressed her knuckles and the ring. “Say you’ll marry me.”
In her mind, Gia tried to dismiss his words, words that had touched her so profoundly she felt the love inside her grow, not diminish. She didn’t want to love him or need him as badly as she did.
Her gaze rose to his lips, a hunger rising such as she’d never felt before. “Kiss me.”
“Kiss you?” Marc repeated. His cock jerked, thickening. He pulled her into his embrace and incredibly, she felt his need come alive again against her stomach. “I’ll do more than kiss you.”
Once again, she found her back against the wall. Strong hands cupped her ass, lifting. In seconds her legs were locked around him. His erection was velvet steel against her pussy, waking her arousal in a slow, tightening coil. Breasts heavy and swollen, her nipples tingled. She rocked against him, needy.
One powerful thrust and he filled her to the hilt. Then he covered her lips with his and began to move inside her. He pleasured her with his mouth, his tongue, mimicking what his body was doing to her below. His warmth seeped into her skin, heating the chill that had filled her for so long, his love a power so seductive she became lost within it.
“Marry me.” His lips were featherlight against hers.
“Yes,” she hissed.
A short, rough sound echoed in his chest. “Yes?” His mouth curved into a triumphant smile before he captured hers again in a kiss that tasted of passion, of love and forever.
At that moment, Gia knew her decision had been right. Freed of her inhibitions, she let their fevered pleasure sweep her away.
Epilogue
Four months later…
The final scene of Starlight was coming to an end. Gina sparkled as brightly as the magical setting surrounding her. A forest of large oak trees draped in emerald vines and nocturnal orchids intertwined with other colorful flowers gave off a sweet scent. Beneath a bramble bush, a rabbit twitched his ears. An artificial full moon hung against an ebony sky dotted with thousands of stars. But it was the woman bathed in a soft glow of light that held Marc’s attention. Standing on a cushion of green moss, she spoke her final words and then bowed her head, dipping into a graceful curtsy.
A roar of t
hundering applause exploded, cheers following. Overwhelming pride filled Marc. He clapped and marveled that this exquisite creature was his wife. She had chosen him to love.
Before she rose, the film crew rushed her. Happiness danced in her eyes as she greeted their onslaught of congratulations. Buried in the shadows, Marc didn’t attempt to intrude on her joyful moment. This was her world, a world where she belonged.
Through the crush of people, his wife scanned the room. He couldn’t help the grin that spread across his face when he realized she sought him. Their gazes touched and his chest tightened. Her sensual smile was meant for him alone. Its warmth seeped into his heart.
She was dressed in her fairy gown of sheer, iridescent material clasped at one shoulder by a golden brooch, the same one she had worn the first time he had seen her after their trip to Oregon. Like then, she took his breath away. There was something ethereal about her appearance that forced memories to the forefront of his mind. In her dressing room, he had dislodged that pin, the silk shimmering down her body leaving her naked and his pulse speeding. His cock stirred, firming against his zipper. Subtly, he moved his hands before him to hide the obvious, but not before her knowing grin deepened.
Damn. When would the new wear off? The woman was killing him.
Day and night, he wanted her—craved her. With just a word, a simple look from her, his libido soared. But maybe that was what love was all about, a staggering desire to share his life with Gina—forever.
Amidst the overflowing chatter, melodious laughter rose, stroking him with a gentle caress. Gina was amazing. She spoke to everyone who approached her but kept shooting small glances his way as if she couldn’t bear to be away from him. He knew that feeling, because it seemed like forever since he’d held her in his arms. It wasn’t long before she excused herself.
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