by Sophia Rae
Chloe cocked her head and grinned. Her flirty side came shining through once again. “I wasn’t in the mood for a fight.”
Marcus came to his feet, making his way slowly toward her. “What are you in the mood for now?”
He stood in front of her, and she ran a hand up his bare chest and into his hair. Going up on her tiptoes, she pulled his mouth down on hers.
If a diversion was what she needed, then bring it on. What man would turn down a willing vixen?
Her lips were warm and willing under his. He wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her flush with his body—a perfect fit. Marcus had had sex before, but the effect Chloe had on his body was unlike anything he’d ever experienced.
With one arm firmly in place at her waist, he grabbed a handful of silky mane in the other and tugged gently, tilting her head back to deepen the kiss.
The phone rang, the harsh sound shattering the hazy silence and making him jerk
“Ignore it.” Chloe’s eyes were still closed, head tilted back.
“I can’t.” He released her and headed into his bedroom. He picked up after the third ring. “Delaney’s Bed and Breakfast.”
****
Chloe didn’t listen to his conversation, her mind was back to the call she’d received earlier on her cell. Her parents’ attorney had informed her she inherited all their money. Like she gave a shit about their money, or their house, or their cars. She’d known she would receive their assets, but it still hurt. Even in death, they tried to buy her with material things.
Things she would end up selling in order to keep unpleasant memories out of her head—her life. The house meant nothing, the cars meant nothing and the money meant even less. She supposed she would invest it or give it to a worthy cause.
In the twenty some years she’d lived with them, all the money they’d tossed around hadn’t been able to buy the only thing she desired...love.
“Sorry about that.” Marcus came up behind her and wrapped his arms around her midsection. “Someone making reservations for October. That seems to be a fairly busy month with the leaves changing and all. You should really come back to see it.”
“Maybe I will.” If only she could. But that would require making a commitment—something she never did.
“I hope so.” He ran a hand through her hair before settling it back on her waist. “What kind of bread did you make?”
“Banana.” She turned in his comforting arms.
“Really? It smelled so good, I would have never thought it was banana.”
Chloe smiled up at him. “I put special ingredients in it.”
“It couldn’t be too special if I already had it in my kitchen.”
“Did you try it?”
Marcus shook his head. “Not yet. Are you making dinner tonight also?”
“If you want me to. Would Sara and Luke want to come?”
“Would you mind?”
Mind? All her life she wanted to be involved in a family—a family who loved each other and wasn’t afraid to show it. Now, for as long as she decided to stay, she could pretend these wonderful people she’d met in the foothills of this little Ohio valley were all her own.
While Marcus made the calls, Chloe prepared a dinner for four. Four! She’d never made food for that many people. At home the family cook had prepared meals for dinner parties. Sometimes Chloe would assist, but not often. Her parents thought she should be out in the family room, mingling with the guests, instead of helping in the kitchen. Keeping up appearances, they would say.
Like anything else in her life, she learned to cook by reading books. Of course, there were those experiments gone wrong, but only she witnessed that. And then, she’d eaten it—maybe that’s why she had full hips.
Marcus had quite a bit of food in the deep freeze in the garage, so Chloe dug through until she found four hearty cut sirloin steaks. After blending her special marinade, she let them soak while she prepared a fresh salad.
As the meat and the broccoli casserole cooked, she fumbled through the antique hutch on a hunt for a pretty table cloth. Once she finished with the dining room, she stood in the doorway to admire her work.
White china and sterling silver flatware made a lovely contrast to the dark navy table linen. She hoped Marcus didn’t mind that she had clipped the pink and white roses from the flower garden to make a centerpiece.
The timer buzzed on the oven. Chloe went back into the kitchen to get the food ready to serve just as she heard the front door open. Luke and Sara were bickering back and forth until Marcus joined in. Chloe smiled as she put the steaks on a platter. Her continued stay here may have started out because of her lustful feelings for Marcus, but it had blossomed into a deep feeling for him and his family.
The three raved over the atmosphere she’d created, and Chloe couldn’t hide her proud smile.
“Chloe,” Sara exclaimed. “This looks like a restaurant.”
“Thank you,” she replied.
Marcus glared. “Those flowers look familiar. Just like the ones in the flower beds out back.”
“Leave her alone,” Sara scolded. “The place is beautiful.”
“I don’t ever remember having a formal dinner in here before,” Luke chimed in as he took a seat at the table. “I know Marcus didn’t cook. It smells too good.”
“Funny.” Marcus took his place at the end.
“Boys, don’t start that now,” Sara intervened. “We should be thankful Chloe decided to cook for us. If you keep it up, she won’t offer again.”
Chloe suppressed a grin at the way Sara delegated orders like a mother hen. It seemed ironic she was the youngest. Usually, Chloe felt threatened by other women, but not Sara. Marcus’s sister made Chloe comfortable. Maybe if she hung around they could even be friends. She hadn’t had many friends.
“How long have you decided to stay, Chloe?” Sara passed her the salad.
“I’m not sure yet.” She caught Marcus’s curious eye across the table. The way he looked at her made her feel exposed. She could practically read the thoughts running through his mind. This may be the main course, but dessert would be enjoyed upstairs—privately. She could hardly wait for what she had planned.
Chloe had never found herself fantasizing about sex before. It was just something she’d done to gain affection, not something for actual pleasure. But with Marcus, she found herself enjoying it more than she thought possible. Not only that, she wanted to pleasure him as well.
Thanks to the narrow table, Chloe was able to reach Marcus from where she sat. She slipped her foot from her sandal, ran it up his pant leg and had the pleasure of watching him squirm in his seat.
“Well, I for one am grateful to you for inviting us.” Luke groaned at the first bite of casserole he sampled. “Damn. That’s awesome. Can you come to my place and cook for me?”
Chloe and Sara laughed. Marcus, however, scowled at his younger brother.
“I take it you like my cooking?” Chloe cut into her medium-well steak while her foot toyed with the back of Marcus’s calf.
“What did you do to this green vegetable to make it taste so good?” Luke asked, devouring it.
Chloe smiled. “It has a whole package of cream cheese in it, a ton of butter and buttery flavored crackers on top. It really takes away anything that was healthy in the broccoli.”
“You have to give me the recipe,” Sara said. “I can make it around here sometime for the guests.”
“I thought Marcus cooked.” Confused, Chloe looked at Marcus.
“I do. But Sara helps if she’s not working. She reads recipes better than I do. I prefer just throwing some ingredients into the pan and baking. Hey, maybe you could stay and cook for me and the guests.”
Fear shot through her. “Oh, I can’t stay. Besides, you seem to be doing fine.”
“True, but with meals like this, we’d be packed year round.”
Chloe concentrated on her meal, hoping Marcus would drop the subject and taking in all the con
versation going on around her when he did. Luke, she discovered, was indeed a carpenter, and Sara was an ER nurse at the hospital in town.
What would her parents think? Here sat Chloe Adkins at a dinner table, a dinner she’d cooked herself, with people who had real jobs. Not only that, this family’s love radiated throughout the room. They chatted about their day and plans for the days ahead. A warm feeling crept over Chloe, yet she envied something she could never have.
Living, cooking in this house would be amazing, but she had to be realistic. Her upbringing wouldn’t allow her to fit in here. These people were too open, too loving. She’d stick out like a sore thumb.
“What do you do, Chloe?” Sara asked.
Damn it, she knew they would ask about her personal life. “At the moment, nothing. I’m taking a break from life. That’s how I ended up here. I set out for a drive the other day with no destination, and here I am.”
Marcus looked at her from across the table, so purposely she didn’t glance his way. She’d told the truth, just not all of it.
Sara sighed. “It must be nice to take a break from reality.”
Chloe nodded in agreement. A break from reality was exactly what she’d needed. Reality, however, had a way of following you, ruining your plans and biting you in the ass every time you had your back turned.
“I don’t know about you guys, but I am stuffed.” Luke scooted his chair back and gathered his dirty dishes.
“I can get that,” Chloe offered.
“No,” Marcus chimed in. “You cooked. We can clean it up.”
“Well, if anyone wants dessert, I made some banana bread this morning. There’s jelly, cream cheese and butter in the fridge for it.”
Sara, Marcus and Luke all moaned in unison.
“I can’t put another thing in this stomach, Chloe,” Sara said, following Luke into the kitchen with a handful of dishes.
“I’ll wrap some up for you and Luke to take home.”
Chloe stood to pick up her plate, but Marcus’s hand closed over her wrist. “I’ll take it.”
The warmth from his familiar touch shot up her arm. “I can carry my own plate in.”
Keeping his hand around her wrist, he used his other one to caress her cheek. “Thank you.”
“For what?”
“For dinner. I like the times Sara, Luke and I can all eat together. It doesn’t happen very often. Actually, not much at all since they’re so busy with their jobs, but seeing as how you asked, they made an exception to come.”
They came for her? Her heart swelled. She was getting to know these people. In such a short time, they were becoming part of her...and she them. No, this wasn’t possible. She wouldn’t taint this family with her life.
Marcus touched his lips ever so slightly to hers before his mouth moved close to her ear. “Later.”
That one word held so much promise, so much hope. She wanted to enjoy her time here with Marcus and would concentrate on what would come later.
But how long could she avoid the inevitable? She wasn’t part of this family and she’d be leaving soon.
Chapter Six
“I think Chloe is absolutely perfect for you, Marcus,” Sara told him as she loaded the dishwasher. “But there’s something...I’m not sure what. She still seems lonely. There’s something lost in her eyes if you look close enough.”
“I know.” Marcus kept his voice down and an eye on the doorway. He didn’t want Chloe to overhear them talking about her. He hadn’t relayed her phone conversation to anyone. He wanted to keep that to himself until she was ready to open up about it—if she ever would be.
Luke stood at the sink, washing the China plates by hand. “I agree. She seems sad or something—maybe that’s why she needed to get away. It’s not our place to speculate, though. We don’t like people interfering in our private matters.”
“Well, I am grateful she’s here. I like her.” Sara wiped off the counter and turned to peer at Marcus. “And if I’m not mistaken, you like her as well.”
Marcus caught her knowing look. “As a matter of fact, I do.”
“No kidding,” Luke murmured. “You always take the hot ones.”
Marcus grinned. Chloe was more than hot. She sizzled...in bed and out.
Once the kitchen was clean, Sara and Luke said their thanks and bid a good-night. Marcus found Chloe in the dining room, scooting the chairs back in around the table.
“Did you enjoy yourself tonight?” He came up behind her to bury his face in her jasmine-scented hair.
“I did. I really like your family. You’re lucky to have them.”
“What about your family? Do you consider yourself lucky to have them?” She tensed beneath his touch, and he was sorry he’d brought up the topic at such an intimate time. “Never mind. Let’s not talk about families. I’d rather concentrate on this hot lady in my house.”
Marcus swept her hair out of the way to trail kisses down her long, slender neck. Her hands went lax on the chair as she leaned against him.
“You smell good right here.” He traced his tongue along the sensitive spot behind her ear. “You taste good here, too.”
She sighed as she turned in his arms. He brought her arms up around his neck, his around her waist to pull her in tight.
“It was torture all through dinner, wondering what you were wearing underneath this excuse of a dress.”
The hem of her simple red dress stopped just above her knees, the neckline not too revealing but enough to drive him insane because he knew her generous breasts were right beneath that thin fabric. His hands moved to the top of her zipper.
“Then you began that naughty game of footsy, and I was afraid I was going to be rude and ask Sara and Luke to leave.” Slowly, he pulled the zipper down. “I’m glad it’s just us now.”
“Me, too,” she murmured against his lips.
Once he’d undone the dress, Marcus peeled it off her shoulders, down her arms, allowing it to fall silently to the floor. His erection jumped to alertness at the sight of her standing there, wearing nothing but a summer tan and black, heeled sandals.
“Mother of God.”
“I was hoping you’d like my surprise.” She stepped out of the dress. “I had you in mind as I dressed for tonight.”
Marcus’s mouth had gone dry. “If I had any idea you were sitting there this whole night wearing nothing under there, I would have insisted on a party of two.”
Chloe laughed, moving in closer. “I liked sitting there practically naked, with you just out of reach. I imagined what you would do to me later tonight once we were alone. I got all hot.” She traced her tongue around his lips. “And wet.”
Marcus pushed her back and yanked her up until her bottom rested on the table they’d just dined on. Now he would have the second course.
Thankfully the dining room had no windows. Not that Marcus gave a damn. He settled between her thighs, capturing her mouth in a none too gentle manner. All control had snapped when he slid that dress down her bare naked body.
Tongues tangled as Chloe unbuttoned his shirt, one agonizing button at a time. Tear the damn thing, he wanted to shout. But no, she knew exactly how to torture a man. She’d take her sweet time, prolonging the inevitable. He loved it.
She freed him of his shirt and began undoing his belt and pants. Quickly, he toed off his tennis shoes and socks, then sped up the process of removing his pants by shucking them at first chance.
He scooted her to the edge of the table as he moved in closer. Petal soft hands roamed over his chest while long, firm legs came around his middle. Her heels clunked to the hardwood floor, and just as the tip of his throbbing cock found her moist folds, she shimmied back on the table.
“Please,” he moaned.
Dear God. This woman had managed to do what none other had been able to. She got him to beg. And with that little fact in the back of his mind, Marcus knew he’d fallen hard for Chloe Adkins.
Those smooth, delicate fingers ran a line down his c
hest and over his abs, causing him to suck in breath. She finally reached his pulsing, hard shaft. With just one of her dainty fingers, she almost had him coming.
“You’re so hard,” she said, stroking him. “But you’re in too big of a hurry.”
“I’ll show you hurry.”
****
Chloe gasped as Marcus’s hands shifted to her bottom. He pulled her forward, and at the same time he moved in closer. Her bottom slid easily against the silky table cloth, the quick movement caused the vase of flowers to tip, sending water flowing along the table. Neither Marcus nor Chloe made a move to clean it, because in one swift motion, he was inside her—deep. Spilled water forgotten.
She cried out as a mixture between shock and satisfaction poured through her. God, he felt so good. He filled her thoroughly and completely. Her hips tilted, setting the slow, fluid pace. She lost all sense of reality. She was flying high and never wanted to come down.
He pumped faster, in and out. Chloe wrapped her arms around his neck, drawing him down to her mouth. She wanted to taste him, but for now his mouth would have to do.
Lips and tongues fought for control, and in the end Marcus turned his attention to her pebble hard nipples. With his finger and thumb, he pulled on the pink nubs, gently but enough to have her crying out again. He replaced his fingers with his mouth. She loved the feel of tongue and mouth on her—anywhere and everywhere.
She was on fire, and Marcus only added the fuel. She wanted to drive him wild to pay him back for being in such a hurry.
With a naughty grin, Chloe laid back on the table, digging her heels into his ass to keep him buried inside her. Her hands found her breasts, rubbing in the moisture his mouth had recently left.
“Chloe.” His mouth tightened. His hands gripped her thighs tighter as he writhed in desperation.
That was the reaction she wanted. But she wasn’t done yet. She squeezed her inner muscles around him as he pulled back and then loosened them when he reentered. God, maybe she was only torturing herself, but it felt damn good.
As she continued to constrict herself around him, one of his hands began to rub her swollen, hot clit.