Passion and Surrender (The Billionaire's Temptation Book 6)

by MacKay, Cali

  “That’s because it is, sweet girl. No one in their right mind would think otherwise. It’s why Claire’s so jealous of you.” Marshall needed her to know just how special she was—because she truly was, combining beauty and brains, with a personality that mixed confidence and humor with kindness. “You’re gorgeous, smart, and vibrant—genuine too. And she’s nothing but an ugly, manipulative, and greedy bitch.”

  “I have to say, Marshall…you’re one of the sweetest guys I’ve met. But this thing with your ex is beyond crazy.” She cupped his cheek and then leaned in to kiss him, her lips lingering on his as she shifted in his lap, making him hard.

  “I’m sorry you’ve had to deal with her. But I promise, I’ll make it up to you as soon as we get back to the hotel.” Grabbing her hips, he pulled her to him so her plump ass rode against his cock, as he bit her lip and thought about taking her once more, not just because he desperately wanted Harper, but because he wanted to eliminate any uncertainties that may exist between them after Claire’s nastiness. He couldn’t believe Claire had brought up his sexual preferences—as if she’d ever been adventurous.

  “I’m going to hold you to that, Marshall. But work first.” She slipped off his lap with a flirty smile. “We haven’t really had a chance to check out the conference, and I need all the inspiration I can get if I have any hope at all of helping you figure out something new and innovative.”

  He took her hand as they started heading back towards the hotel, and brought it to his lips. “I have no doubt you’re capable of it, whether we go to the conference or not.”

  “Although…I suppose with Claire running around loose, maybe waiting isn’t a bad idea. No offense but…I can’t believe you married her.” Harper gave him a sideways glance and a shake of her head, as if she thought him insane. “Was she always like that?”

  “No. Nothing like that, though it’s now clear it was all a lie from the very start.” He couldn’t believe he’d fallen for her act. That was the worst part of the whole thing.

  “Marshall…do you think she’d do anything crazy? It just seems odd that she’s shown up here—and she had also been at your office again before we’d left.” Harper looked a little uneasy, as if he might get upset with her for questioning Claire’s sanity.

  “She’s more vindictive than crazy—like she’s pissed off at me for catching her cheating and it’s my fault I ruined the nice gig she had going. Doctor’s wife, parties to attend, and plenty of money so she could quit her job—which is exactly what she did just a few months after we got married. Which I was fine with. She wanted to start a fashion blog, and I had my practice to deal with, so I figured it’d help keep her busy.” Except that she decided she’d rather spend her time fucking someone else while he was working, and then telling him a bunch of lies when he got home. “But what really pushed her over the edge was when the court ruled in my favor where Clio was concerned. I was ordered to pay her a small monetary amount, but Clio’s mine, even if she refuses to believe it.”

  Their walking slowed to a stop as Harper turned to look at him, her brow creased with worry and her eyes clouding to a stormy grey. “She sounds delusional, Marshall. Are you sure she’s not crazy enough to do something extreme?”

  He let out a deep breath and ran a rough hand through his hair, trying to figure out just how far Claire would escalate things. “I think for now, she’s just happy to keep shadowing my every move so she can make me crazy.”

  “And the mole…you don’t think it’s her?” Harper crinkled her nose as if unsure about bringing up the subject and accusing his ex.

  “I’ve certainly thought about it, but other than showing up to my office, the rest of Clio is under lock and key, and my idea files are password protected on my laptop and on the server at Clio. She wouldn’t have access to the sort of information that’s made it into our competitors’ hands, which means there’s someone on the inside who’s betrayed us.”

  “But who would do such a thing, Marshall? I can’t even imagine someone at Clio stooping so low.” She looked genuinely worried, and it claimed a piece of his heart.

  Cupping the back of her neck, he pulled her to him and pressed a kiss to her forehead. “Don’t worry about it, sweet girl. I’m looking into it as we speak.”

  Chapter Fourteen

  The run-in with Claire at the hotel had left Harper feeling a bit unsure about her relationship with Marshall, even if he’d done a good job of settling most of her worries. She told herself that it didn’t really matter anyway—that this thing with Marshall was nothing but a bit of fun. Except that she knew that was nothing but a lie. She was already falling for Marshall, faster and harder than was wise.

  “You’re awfully quiet, sunshine.” Marshall pulled her close and pressed a kiss to her temple as they continued heading towards the hotel, the sidewalks bustling with people. “I’m worried about you.”

  It was sweet of Marshall to be so concerned about her, especially when she’d felt so alone and on her own these last few years. She couldn’t really deny that she was falling for Marshall despite her best efforts to keep him at bay, and if she were being honest with herself, she wanted to push aside her worries and just live in the moment.

  She wanted to enjoy herself for once—and she wanted Marshall without having to constantly second-guess herself and what they were doing. And why shouldn’t she want him? He was unlike any guy she’d ever known: sweet, smart, considerate, sexy… She might be telling herself that their timing was off and that he was her boss, but…she was tired of fighting the darkness and he might be just what she needed to finally find the light again.

  With a newfound determination, she gave Marshall a smile and slipped her arm around his waist, nestling against his side as he put his arm around her shoulder. “I know you’ve been worried about me, but you know…I think I’m okay—for the first time in a long while.”

  He glanced down at her with a questioning glance, as if not quite believing it, before leaning in to steal a kiss as he maneuvered them around the crowds. “I can’t tell you how happy a man that makes me, Harper. It’s nice to see you looking so…at peace.”

  “We deserve to be happy, right?” Why the hell not? And now that she’d made up her mind, she was determined not to let things—like Claire’s manipulations—muck things up. She still wasn’t sure what she had with Marshall, whether it was still something casual or if it was turning into something more serious, and for once she was okay with that. She was happy to just live in the moment and enjoy what was between them—whatever that happened to be.

  “We definitely deserve it—and it’s been a long time coming for the both of us.”

  ***

  By the time they got back to the convention, it was truly in full swing, with the amount of attendees having tripled. In a way, Harper was glad for the crowds, since it allowed them to become just one of many, so that if Claire was still around, it’d be more difficult for her to find and keep track of them.

  They wandered from table to table, taking in the huge selection of products on display, though much of it had nothing to do with the type of products Clio developed. And one thing was clear—as sexy as Marshall was, he could have had a damn good time if he’d come here on his own, something he no doubt was fully aware of, having attended this conference before.

  She’d lost count of the number of women who’d given Marshall a head-to-toe look—and had been none too subtle about it either, even though he’d linked his fingers with hers and would regularly pull her close to say something to her or point out a product, his head bent to hers in a gesture of intimate familiarity. And each time he did, their bodies would brush against each other, reminding her of what it was like to be on the receiving end of his attention.

  “Harper!”

  She looked around, wondering who the hell would know her here, when she spotted her friend, Ben, moving in her direction. With a huge smile, Ben pulled her into a big hug and gave her a kiss on the cheek.

 
“I didn’t realize you’d be here.” Harper shifted out of Ben’s arms and introduced him to Marshall. “Ben’s actually the reason I applied to Clio. He’d heard Clio was hiring and sent me your way.”

  Marshall shook his hand. “I’ll have to thank you for sending us Harper. She’s been an invaluable asset. And you’re also an engineer? For Titan?”

  “I am. They wanted me along to answer any of the more technical questions people might have.” Ben looked at Marshall, bright-eyed. “So you’re the guy who started Clio. Wow…I’ve got to say, I’ve been a fan. Your company’s been making some great products.”

  “Well, Titan’s been some of our toughest competition.” Marshall’s focus remained intently on Ben, even if he seemed pretty relaxed otherwise.

  “We’ll need to catch up, Harper. Maybe grab dinner and a few drinks?” Ben gave her a far too hopeful look, clearly not realizing that Marshall was a little more than just her boss. “I hate the crowds at these sort of events, but I’m only at the table for the early shift, so I’ve got the afternoons and evenings off.”

  She looked over at Marshall in apology. “I don’t think I’ll be able to get away, Ben.”

  Marshall shook his head. “You should go out to dinner with your friend—maybe tomorrow?”

  “Yeah…I guess. If we’re not busy.” Harper was feeling a bit confused, since Ben had clearly made no secret of his interest in her. “I’ve got your cell number. I’ll text you and let you know.”

  “Perfect.” With a huge smile, he kissed her cheek, and then shook Marshall’s hand. “It was a pleasure.”

  After their discussion in the park, she wasn’t quite sure why he’d try to push her into dinner with Ben, although maybe Marshall was just trying to make sure she knew that he was fine with it. Which was great that he wasn’t a controlling ass—except that she found that she really didn’t want to go if it meant being away from him.

  Or was he trying to get rid of her for the evening so he could have some time to himself? Without her, he could easily have all sorts of fun and take full advantage of the trouble he could get himself into with so many willing participants vying for his attention. She didn’t think it was really the case, but so many of the women were gorgeous and clearly interested, while she’d done nothing but fight him tooth and nail—even if she’d finally come around. Maybe Claire’s dig about Harper not being able to satisfy Marshall had actually dug deeper than she thought, and she was now being paranoid.

  Grabbing her hand, he led her through the crowds, though they were going too fast to really look at anything—and it was then that she realized something was up, worry snaking its way into her chest. Far too noisy to carry on any sort of real conversation, Marshall pulled her towards the lobby and into a quiet corner.

  When he finally slowed to a stop and turned to her, his tone held an edge she didn’t quite understand. “How well do you know Ben?”

  Her eyes narrowed at him as she tried to figure out what exactly was going on. “What do you mean? ’Cause if you’re wondering if we’d dated, the answer is yes—though it was only a handful of dates and that was about seven years ago.”

  “That’s not what I meant, since it was already clear from the way he looked at you that you’d been intimate with each other at one point or another.” He shook his head, though his eyes had clouded over and he was feeling closed off, so she couldn’t really get a read on what he was thinking.

  “So then…what? I don’t understand what you’re asking me.”

  “Titan is one of the companies that I’m convinced has some of our designs. And…I don’t know. I guess I’m being paranoid.” He shook his head as if to clear it, letting out a deep breath as he pulled her to him and stole a sweet, lingering kiss, though she could feel the tension in his every move.

  She still didn’t quite understand what he was asking her, nor did she fully understand what he was implying. But his kiss soothed her worries, leaving her standing in his arms as she tried to sort through Marshall’s suspicions. “Ben would never do something like steal our secrets—and he lives in California. I haven’t even seen him since we graduated, if you’re thinking that he somehow used me to get into Clio.”

  He brushed his thumb across her cheek, his fingers tangling in her hair as he bent his head to hers, his touch warm and the closeness of his body comforting. “I’m sorry, Harper. I swear, I thought I could set aside my problems, but the whole thing with there being a mole at Clio is still making me crazy, even if I know we should be trying to enjoy the time we have here in London.”

  But there was still something she just didn’t understand. “I know you have a lot on your mind, Marshall—and I get that you can’t just let it go. Finding the mole is really important. But then why suggest I go out to dinner with Ben if you suspected he might have something to do with the stolen designs?”

  His brow furrowed as he took her in, cupping her cheek as his gold eyes locked on hers, the intensity of his gaze stealing her breath. “Because I wasn’t thinking straight. I hated the thought that you and Ben had been together—especially when it’s clear that he still wants you. But being jealous of you with another man also caught me off guard when I promised you I’d keep this fun and casual—although the truth is that I really do want something more serious with you.”

  “Do you really? Or is it just jealousy because I’ve been intimate with Ben?” Her heart tugged at the thought, and she knew in that moment that her head might be saying she didn’t want anything but a bit of fun, but her heart was wanting a whole lot more from him. Suddenly it all felt like a giant leap to take—and it had her heart racing with a panic she was doing her best to beat into submission.

  “It’d be easy to blame it on simple jealousy and not wanting anyone else to be with you. But you know that I really like you, Harper. I have from the moment you started working at Clio. Like you said, we deserve to be happy, and there’s no way I’m letting things come to an end between us once this week is over.” He tightened his hold on her, nuzzling her with his forehead bent to hers. “I can’t give you up, Harper. I want you to be mine. So if you think this is something casual that you can just walk away from, you can guess again. Because this thing between us? There’s nothing casual about it. There never was.”

  And then he was kissing her, his mouth plundering hers as his hands tangled in her hair, her body coming alive as if his very touch was a live wire. Kisses turned to nips that trailed down her throat as he lifted her into his arms, her legs wrapping around his waist, ignoring the fact that they were surrounded by people. Not that she cared at that very moment, her needy whimpers refusing to be contained as he carried her through a nearby door and into the empty stairwell of the hotel.

  With her legs still wrapped around his hips, he pinned her to the wall for leverage, her heart racing. Grabbing at the lace of her panties, he tore them from her body with a sharp tug, the stinging pain making her pussy gush and her head spin, as he freed his stiff cock.

  She had just a moment to think of protection when he impaled her fully on his hard length, all logical thoughts vanishing in that single thrust as he claimed her like no man ever had. And then he was fucking her, fast and hard, as she clung to him, his mouth on hers, swallowing her needy cries, one thrust after another, their pace frantic and primal, spurred on by the fact that anyone could walk in on them at any moment.

  Yet she could think of nothing but him, could think of nothing but coming as he sent every nerve thrumming with a building energy, his tongue darting over hers, her body trapped between his hard body and the cold wall. It was too much, too intense, and then she was crying out, coming undone in his arms as he thrust into her again and came with a grunt, his cock pulsing his cum deep inside her, their mouths and bodies locked as one.

  “Fuck, Harper…I’m sorry.” With his breathing ragged, he slowly pulled out of her and lowered her legs to the floor, his cum dripping out onto her thighs, as her pulse raced.

  She tried not to panic… Sh
e’d been on a low dose of the Pill for medical reasons, although she didn’t always consistently take it, even if she’d been good about it since she first started sleeping with Marshall. And then there was the little matter of unprotected sex, and the fact that his ex had been cheating on him. Yet he was a doctor…he’d have gotten himself checked, right?

  She shifted her skirt down over her thighs, trying to slow her erratic pulse as he zippered his pants. “It was as much my fault as it was yours, Marshall. Just tell me…”

  “I’m clean, Harper.” He cupped her cheek in his large hand, brushing his thumb over her skin, his brow creased with worry and his brown eyes dark. “I swear…I never…”

  “I’m clean too—and I’m on the Pill.” She groaned, but said it anyway. “Sort of.”

  “Sort of?”

  Chapter Fifteen

  Back at their room, Marshall laid back against the pillows with Harper curled up at his side, their uninhibited passion now replaced with worry. What the hell had he been thinking? Clearly nothing but fucking her.

  “It’ll be okay, Harper.” She’d explained to him that she’d been a bit inconsistent in the past with her pills, taking them late on the couple of times she’d forgotten them—but she’d been good about taking them since their first night together. “Given what you’ve said, you should be protected against pregnancy, though I’m sorry you even have to worry about it. Honestly, love…it should be completely safe, especially if you’ve taken them consistently in the past week and a half.”

  It was a huge relief, especially when Claire was insisting that she was pregnant with his child. Yet he knew that if it ever came to it, having a child with Harper would be nothing like having a child with Claire—and that might explain why the tiniest pang of disappointment flared in his chest, even though he knew it was an insane thought.