by Ashe, Karina
“I—I came here to interview as your assistant.”
“This pays so much better.” She sat on the edge of the desk. “You are a smart woman, Leah. Smart, sexy, and in the crosshairs of a man who will love you like a woman should be loved, if you let him.”
Tears stung her eyes. “I’m so scared. I was burned once before, by a fiancé who cheated on me the day of our wedding. That was when I caught him—I learned later that he had never been faithful. What hurt more was that I really loved him, and I trusted him. Marcus has—”
“A reputation. A well-deserved reputation. But he’s not that man anymore, Leah. You must have seen that, working with him.”
“Focused, driven. Brilliant.” Leah stared down at her hands, fiddled with the edge of the ribbon. “I’ve been attracted to him since the day I walked into his office.”
“It was the glasses, wasn’t it?”
Leah let out a watery laugh. “Absolutely. And the way he talks to the screen when he’s writing code.”
“Oh, girl—you have it bad.”
“Worse than bad.”
“Then you’ll be happy to know,” Fantine wrapped one arm around her waist. “He’s got it worse.”
Three
Marcus spent several hours at the police station, his attorney Owen Bradley at his side. Between Owen’s witness account of Tanya, and the photos Marcus took of Leah, the detective started taking him seriously.
After a call to New Scotland Yard, the restraining orders were quickly written up.
Owen shook his head as they walked out of the station. “You don’t usually hit this far into crazy.”
“She didn’t seem crazy, when I met her. That came out on the first date.” Marcus ran one hand through his hair, exhausted after a sleepless night. “Thank God there’s a record of her stalking in London. I must be the U.S. stalkee. No need to get withdrawals while traveling for business.”
“You have a warped sense of humor, my friend.”
“Too little sleep. Thanks, Owen.” He shook his friend’s hand. “I know you had a full calendar today.”
“Crazy stalker always take precedence. Besides, you got me out of a meeting with the Herolds.”
“You’re welcome.”
Laughing, Owen clapped one hand on his shoulder. “Go get some sleep, Marc. I understand you have a date with a luscious auction winner.”
“Who—Graham.” He cursed, then tuned on Owen. “Her name is Leah. Don’t even think of calling her anything else.”
Owen raised his hands. “Stand down—message received. Graham was right, you have it bad. This is your pretty little assistant, right?”
“Former assistant. She’s going to be working for Fantine.” Until Marcus could figure out how to get her into his penthouse, and his bed, for good. “That takes care of my rule.”
“Ah, yes—the no dating an employee rule. I was wondering how you’d get around that without firing her. Which might put a damper on the romance part.”
“Don’t you have a meeting, Owen?”
“As a matter of fact, no. But I’ll leave you alone, my friend. You’ve got enough on your plate. Seriously, Marc—watch your back. That Tanya’s bad news, and a piece of paper won’t stop her if she wants to get to you. Or Leah.”
“She’ll have to go through me, Owen.” Marcus fought the need to punch something. “And if she tries, I’ll forget she’s a woman.”
***
Somehow, Fantine talked Leah into taking the job—and wanted to start immediately.
Leah was wearing an actual corset and not much else when Marcus walked into the studio.
“Oh, God—”
Fantine casually draped a length of fabric over her shoulders. “Hi, Marc. Everything work out at the police station?”
He flinched. “Fine.”
Leah knew he was planning to get restraining orders—why—
She looked around, and realized the normal flurry in the studio had died down, everyone watching them. Listening to them.
“What are you staring at?” Fantine propped her hands on her hips. “Never seen a billionaire before? Get back to work, before he cuts your salary.”
That got them moving.
“Thanks, Fantine.” Marcus leaned in to kiss her cheek.
“I’m sorry I opened my big mouth in the middle of the studio…and I lost him.”
Leah blushed under his scrutiny, trying not to huddle inside the fabric barely covering her. Like he was in a trance, Marcus moved to her, slid the little bit of concealment she had off her shoulders, and scanned her from her bare toes to the top of her hiked-up cleavage.
“What is that?” he whispered, his voice choked.
“A corset,” Fantine said. “I wanted a better look at her figure without her standing naked in the middle of the studio.”
That snapped him out of his daze. Before Leah could take in a breath he wrapped his arm around her waist and practically carried her across the studio and into Fantine’s office.
“Marcus—” He set her down and wrapped his jacket around her. “Marcus—I was doing my job out there—”
“You were—half-naked, in front of those—”
“Employees. This is a business, Marcus. Fantine runs it well, and people are respectful. Until you made such a big deal of it, half of them didn’t even notice me, because this is part of their job.”
He scuffed his foot against the floor, like a little boy being lectured. “Sorry,” he mumbled. “You were the only thing I could see out there. God, Leah—”
He cut himself off by kissing her.
Heat shot through her when his hands closed around her cinched in waist and he groaned, pulling her in. He slid his hands over her hips, then around to her fabric draped ass, hiking her up until she was plastered against his chest.
A loud throat clearing brought her back to the moment—and their audience. She eased back, breathing hard, and wanting him so badly she was lightheaded.
“I understand your need to protect, Marc,” Fantine said. “But I can’t have you carting my new fit model out of the studio every time she shows some skin.”
“Fit model?” He smiled, meeting Leah’s eyes. “You got the job.”
“One you neglected to mention.”
“Did I?” Amusement lit his eyes. God help her, he was a sight, smiling at her that way. She was falling for him, and falling hard. He brushed her lips. “I didn’t want you to be nervous.”
Fantine cleared her throat again, and Leah realized she and Marcus had been staring at each other.
“I’m going to leave you two alone for a minute. A minute, Marc.”
“Got it.”
He lowered Leah to the floor, and the amusement faded when he lifted her arm, exposing the bruises from Tanya’s grip. She rubbed his arm, easing out of his grasp.
“They don’t hurt, Marcus.” She cradled his cheek. “If we let this affect everything, she wins.”
“Right.” He kissed her again, tender, and much too short. “I just came to make a lunch date, and tell you the restraining orders are in process.”
“I guess that’s all we can do. And lunch with you sounds perfect.”
“I’ll wait out there while you get dressed. And Leah,” he paused at the door. “See if you can borrow that for tonight.”
“Tonight?” Her voice came out a breathless squeak.
“You have a night you paid for, Miss Frane, a night I have yet to give you. I’ll be damned if a crazy woman is going to spoil that.”
She clutched the wall after he left, shaking. As much as she wanted him, she was also terrified that she would start to need him.
Her heart wouldn’t survive that again.
Four
Marcus paced around his penthouse, waiting for Leah to arrive. He’d had his biggest, most intimidating security men pick her up from the hotel, shouting a loud warning to Tanya to keep the hell away from her.
Now he just wanted her here. He needed her here.
&nbs
p; “Damn.” He took off his glasses and set them on the sofa table, then scrubbed at his face. “How the hell did she get in so fast?”
He knew—he was just trying not to think about it.
Their date at the charity auction, Leah in that gown, her skin like silk. Her hand on his cock, stroking him—
Just thinking about it had him adjusting himself.
He may have teased her about being creative with her condition that they keep their clothes on, but he wanted to touch that silky skin, kiss every curve, make love to her luscious body.
“Time to stop.”
If he didn’t, he’d jump her the second she walked through the door. He had a different night planned; one long night, of slow seduction, teasing, and finally, sliding himself inside her, filling her, driving her over the edge—
The doorbell chimed, cutting off his images of Leah under him, over him, against the wall.
“Shit—pull yourself together.” He took a deep breath, then walked over and opened the door. Leah stood there, backlit by the lamps on the narrow hall table behind her. His cock jumped to attention at the sight of her. Thank God he left his shirt untucked. Two of his security guards stood on either side of her. “Thank you for escorting her up.”
“Our pleasure, boss. Enjoy your evening. We’ll be downstairs.”
“Thank you.” He took Leah’s hand and pulled her inside. She seemed to be too awestruck to do more than stare past his shoulder. “Welcome to my home.”
“You have the whole floor?” Her whisper barely registered. He faced her, took her other hand and lifted them both, kissing one palm at a time. She let out a low moan, and his cock jerked, already painfully hard. “My apartment would fit in your foyer.”
“This apartment officially belongs to The Hawkins Group, but I’m buying it in installments. It’s just a place I live, Leah. Don’t judge me by it, just like I won’t judge you by your small but charming home.”
“Okay. Sorry—I didn’t expect this. I should have, considering who you are, but I forget…”
“That I have money?” He pressed her hands against his chest and leaned down to kiss her. “That’s the best compliment you could ever give me.” He kissed her again, then brushed his lips over her ear. “Relax, sweetheart.”
She let out a shaky breath, dug her fingers into his chest. “Only if you stop doing—that.”
“For now.” He let her go, and slid her purse off her shoulder, dropping it on the chair by the door. The damn thing weighed a ton. She stared at him, her nerves so obvious he had to move in and kiss her. A low moan left him painfully hard. He pulled away before he started rocking against her, and stepped around her to take off her coat. The soft scent of floral, with an edge of spice, turned him on almost as much as touching her. He slid off her coat, and laughter burst out of him when he saw another coat underneath. “I thought your condition meant clothing, not multiple outerwear.”
She smiled at him over her shoulder, more relaxed. “I thought you liked a challenge, Mr. Hawkins.”
He growled, pulling off the second coat, a jacket, and a sweater. She was laughing helplessly by the time he finished. Once Marcus actually found her under all the layers, he wrapped his arms around her from behind, enjoying the feel of her pressed against him. Her sharp, startled breath had him taking it further, and he kissed his way down the side of her throat, one arm sliding up until he pressed against the curve of her breasts. Damn him, she was wearing the corset. He could feel the lacing, even through her layers.
“Marcus—”
“Just giving you a preview, Miss Frane. I do want you to get your money’s worth. Hungry?”
“I—” She swallowed, and he fought the need to grind his now throbbing cock against her. Later—he wanted to move slowly with her, until they were both so hot that their lovemaking would be explosive. “You’re talking about—food, right?”
God help him, she was breathless, shaking in his arms.
“Food now. Later—you, Leah.”
She moaned, and he nearly picked her up and hauled her into the bedroom.
“I could eat,” she whispered.
“I hope you like meat. I make a beef stroganoff that would make the finest chef cry with envy.”
She glanced up at him, those clear blue eyes hazy with desire. “You cook?”
“I am a man of many talents. They listed so few at the auction.” He kissed the tip of her nose and let her go. “Come on. Let’s eat, and you can tell me about your day.”
“Is that what I’ve been smelling since I walked in? My stomach has been doing a happy dance.”
He laughed. “It tastes even better.”
“Oh, my God.”
“Sit, and please control your drool. I just wiped down the counters.”
She smiled as she slid on to one of the barstools at the huge island. “Working with Fantine was incredible—I can’t believe how fast the day went. She’s a genius.”
“That’s why we invested in her.”
“The Hawkins Group?” She sounded surprised. It wasn’t a secret my any means, but anyone outside business and investing circles wouldn’t be obsessed about that kind of information.
“Fantine and my sister Hope are friends. We all grew up together, so when Fantine wanted to start her line, she came to me to help her with startup funds. I went all in, because I know her work ethic.” He pulled the bowl of salad he’d put together earlier, along with the homemade Dijon vinaigrette. “Is this too spicy for you?”
He held out the dish, watched her dip her pinky in and slide it between those perfect lips. “That’s delicious. You made it?”
“Easier than trying to find one in the store without eighty different ingredients.” He poured it over the salad and used the tongs to toss it. “Can you take that over to the table for me?”
“Sure.”
She grabbed the bowl and set it in the middle of his small round table. Marcus hid a smile when he saw her discreetly remove the sweater she wore.
“The wine is sitting in the butler’s pantry, next to the fridge. I hope you like red.”
“Sounds perfect.” She walked past him and he caught her wrist, pulling her in for a hot, fast kiss. By the time he let her go she was clutching the front of his shirt.
“Wine.”
“Right. Wine.” She looked dazed, and flushed. Part of that might be from the heat. He’d turned it up just enough to make more than a shirt on the uncomfortable side. By the time they finished eating, he wanted her one layer away from that corset. “Did you want me to pour some for you?”
“You can fill my glass, and leave it on the table. The stroganoff’s almost done.” He walked over to the stove and lifted the lid. The scent wafted around him, and his stomach growled. After the last couple of days, his appetite had been close to nonexistent. It came roaring back, now that he knew Leah was safe, that she was here, with him. Tanya would have to climb up the side of the glass building to get to them, and even then, she wouldn’t be able to get through the triple glazed windows.
He carried the pot over to the table and carefully set it on the trivet, picking up the ladle. “I don’t normally make noodles, but I can if you want them.”
“This is perfect. Thank you, Marcus.” She smiled at him, and he noticed the shirt draped over the back of her chair. That didn’t take as long as he thought. “Is it warm in here?”
“I’m fine, but I can turn down the heat.”
“No, I’m good.” She fanned herself, stopped long enough to take the plate he dished up for her. “That looks so good.” She set it down and took a big gulp of wine. “Are you sure you’re not hot?”
“Let me go turn down the heat. I can’t stand to see you so uncomfortable.”
“Thank you.”
“Always my pleasure.” He stopped long enough to kiss her, slow, lingering, until he was throbbing. “Don’t wait for me.”
“What?”
“To eat.” He traced the line of her cheek, enjoying her fl
ustered state. “I’ll be right back.”
“Okay.”
“Damn, Leah.” He took her lips again, his hand sliding down to cup her breast. She gasped against his lips, and drove him crazy by arching into his hand. Her arms wrapped around his neck, giving him easy access to her cleavage. He waited, wanting to stretch out the tension, the desire, for them both. “Stay put. Eat.” He sounded hoarse.
Letting her go, he strode across the living room and into the hall. After he adjusted the thermostat, he took a minute, both hands braced against the wall.
That delectable woman was going to drive him mad.
***
Leah didn’t remember eating, or what they talked about. All she could think of was how his lips had felt on hers, the way his hand had curved around her breast. With the corset, she had impressive cleavage, and it was easily accessible, now that she’d stripped down to her last shirt.
The clothes were supposed to be a barrier, a way to ease herself into tonight. She wanted him too much, and it scared the hell out of her.
Marcus cleared the dishes, then led her to the deep, chocolate brown leather sofa in the living room.
“Sit, sweetheart. Let’s just relax for a minute.”
She lowered herself to the cool leather. It felt so good against her too hot body. When Marcus sat next to her, he took her hand and kissed her wrist. His cologne surrounded her, that sexy mix of sandalwood and musk that had driven her mad every day at work.
He let out a sigh and leaned back, closing his eyes. He’d taken off his glasses after they ate, and he looked—approachable. Too approachable.
She asked the first question that popped into her mind. “How was your day?”
“Endless. All I could think of was you, and this.” He looked over at her, and the heat in his dark blue eyes left her throat dry. “I want you so badly, Leah. But I want to honor your condition.”
“Clothes on.” She wanted to smack herself for putting such a stupid condition on this. “Marcus, you don’t have to—”
“I want to. I’ve spent hours thinking of ways to make love to you and not undress you.”
“Oh, God,” she whispered. He’d spent time thinking about her. She couldn’t—she couldn’t stand it anymore. “Sit still.”