by Karessa Mann
“I am far from settling.”
He watches me intently and I want so badly to know what’s going through his head. What is it that he sees when he looks at me like this? It’s as though he’s astonished that I somehow happened into his life.
“What is it about you, Anna, that makes me feel as though I have known you my whole life? When, really, I know so little about you. I look forward to spending time getting to know you, what makes you tick, what your secrets are, why your eyes fall away from me when I give you a compliment.” His hands slip behind my head to the knot of hair on my neck. Slowly he unties the band letting my long, chocolate waves tumble over my shoulders. “You intrigue me.”
I close my eyes drinking in the sensation of his fingers running through my hair. It’s been so long since I’ve let a man get this close to me. After Brandon, I wondered if I would ever let a man into my heart again. But with Marcus, there’s an intensity toward him growing inside me that I’ve never felt before. It’s terrifying and electrifying at the same time. I want to trust my heart and let him in. But how do you trust something that has been so easily shattered?
“I’ve been broken,” I admit.
“I have, too,” he says. “We can find our way together.”
“Tell me who hurt you,” I say.
He looks past me as though he sees a ghost standing behind me. “A cruel, selfish woman I should have never let into my life.” His voice is thick with venom. A flicker of fear runs through my body as I wonder if his anger is driven by the possibility that he isn’t over her. Passion and hatred run a parallel line. I know that better than anyone.
“Stay with me tonight,” he says, his attention returning to me. “I want you in bed next to me.”
I kiss him softly and smile against his lips. “You know I can’t do that, Marcus. What happens when I show up to work tomorrow in the same clothes I technically never went home in?”
“Then they will assume you are a very diligent worker.” He chuckles in return. “Okay, but maybe for future reference you should think of packing a bag…”
“Maybe I should,” I agree. “Besides, it’s not my bed time yet…”
He raises a brow. “Maybe a little room service and wine before you go?”
“You call, I’ll turn on the fireplace.”
It is well after one in the morning when I leave Marcus’s suite. Sneaking out the back door of the hotel, I do my best to hide from any employees who might wonder what I’m doing and where I’ve been for the last several hours. Once back at my own place, I fall asleep quickly, but the alarm clock sounds too soon. I dress in a gray pant suit with a pale yellow button down underneath that’s popped open just enough to be respectful, while still teasing Marcus with a hint of cleavage when I lean in towards him. I pull my hair into the low chignon which is my signature work style and add a dash of makeup.
When I enter the hotel, a smile is plastered animatedly on my face, post coital glow still on my cheeks.
Immediately, I wonder where he is, if he’s in his office, if he’s alone, if I can surprise him in his suite before he comes down for work. I walk to the front desk to ask Amber, the lobby receptionist, if she’s seen Mr. Knight this morning.
Amber sees me approaching and looks up with a fearful expression and what appears to be a heated conversation with a female guest. I put on my manager face, ready to take over and diffuse whatever fire is being thrown in Amber’s direction. Is the woman’s room not clean enough? Did she run out of hot water? Was the couple in the next room having sex too loudly? I’ve heard it all before, and usually guest complaints have validity. Other times, it’s a ploy to try and get a free breakfast.
“Excuse me, Ma’am,” I say politely as I approach the desk. The woman turns to look at me and I’m taken aback at how beautiful she is. She’s younger than our average hotel guest, with shockingly blonde hair and emerald green eyes that are aflame in rage. I brace myself for her fury and say, “I’m Anna Caldwell, the general manager at Knight Hotel. How can I help you?”
“Ms. Caldwell,” Amber starts nervously. The poor girl looks like she’s about to get fired. “This is…”
The woman looks me up and down with her steely glare. “I’m Marcus Knight’s wife.”
About the Author
Writing romance means I get to fall in love over and over again, for the first time. I crave the butterfly in my stomach, heart fluttering, emotional roller coaster feeling I get when I am wrapped up in a good steamy romance novel. I love when readers connect with the characters that live in my head that fight their way to the pages.
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More From Karessa
@KaressaMann
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Also by Karessa Mann
A Ravenous Reunion - Book 1
A Ravenous Reunion - Book 2
A Ravenous Reunion - Book 3
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Deceive - Book 1