All is Lost (All Series, Book 2) (20 page)

Marcus grunts, cutting Rhys off before he can
finish his family history lesson. He turns toward the dining room,
dragging me behind him. After a few moments of hearty laughter,
Rhys continues providing useless information that quickly becomes a
mumble as we get farther away.

I was actually kind of interested in knowing a
little about the handsome and strange Rhys Bentley; but as we walk
along, I notice that Marcus is guiding me toward the stairs. I
smirk inwardly, knowing that he's taking us to the bedroom, and he
has already promised me that he isn’t leaving me alone.

Inside my room, he closes and locks the
bedroom door. My heart rate speeds up at the clicking sound of the
lock sliding into place. I feel the heat reddening my cheeks and
suddenly I am a nervous wreck. Needing a little buffer between us,
I walk over to the bed and climb up. The massive four-poster bed
sits high off the floor, too high for someone of my petite stature.
Steps would really be helpful, but I don’t complain. Instead, I
crawl on my knees into the middle of the bed before turning around
and sitting down.

Marcus stands frozen by the door, eyes locked
on me. A dazed and dreamy look possesses his features and it knocks
the breath out of me. Instantly my body heats with excitement.
Until I notice that his hands are clenched into tight fists,
hanging stiffly by his side. His blue eyes smolder dark and his
nostrils flare with what appears as anger.

His peculiar and rapid transformation causes
me to feel self-conscious. I grab a pillow and lay it across my
lap, seeking refuge behind it. I avert my eyes, staring at nothing
in particular on the comforter under me. Marcus stomps past the
bed, going into the bathroom. He roughly shuts the door behind him,
sealing himself away from me. After a few minutes I begin to wonder
if he is going to hide in there all night. Finally, I hear the
bathroom door open and hold my breath, fearing his reasons for
avoiding me.

Instead, I feel the bed dip behind me followed
by his hands, wrapping gently around my waist. Butterflies take
flight in my stomach from a spark ignited by his warm hands sliding
over my sensitive flesh. He slides them under the pillow, laying
them on the tops of my thighs. His hot chest presses against my
back and I feel weak from the pulsing that begins upon our contact.
Instinctively I relax against him and lightly place my hands on top
of his arms. He leans his head over my shoulder allowing my head to
roll back and lie against the curve of his neck. The heat from his
body combined with his breath on my shoulder arouses me and
something in my head assures me that what we are doing is
acceptable.

“
Ah hell Baby,” Marcus growls
deeply, forcing his face into my hair and taking a deep breath. The
profound base in his voice rushes sharp, electric tingles from my
ear all the way to my overheated core. I'm panting heavily and he's
only been touching me for thirty seconds.

“
Breesan, I really need to be a
good boyfriend and let you sleep in this bed alone. But I can’t.
I'm a selfish bastard because I don't want you sleeping without me,
ever again.” He nuzzles his nose behind my ear and adds. “Since
last night when I crawled into bed with you all I want is to sleep
next to you every night, and wake up watching the sunrise with you
every morning. I understand that you're probably not used to
sleeping with someone, and this is definitely moving extremely too
fast,” Marcus sighs before continuing. “But I don't think I can
sleep without your warm body pressed against me.”

Oh, my damn heart
.

His words hit a power source deep inside me,
which no one has ever even come in the vicinity of, let alone
tapped into like Marcus does. Turning around to face him, I rise up
on my knees and move out of his embrace.

Oh, mylord he's not wearing a shirt and he
is stunning
. His shoulders are wide with swollen muscles that
are the epitome of strength, as if he is carrying the weight of the
world on them. Several tattoos command my attention. Over Marcus’
left chest, lying strategically over his heart, there are four
Roman numeral symbols embedded with four deep crawl marks inked
over them, like he was trying to rip that time from his heart. His
left arm is almost a full sleeve with a fusion of symbols and art,
including several beautiful faces. But the most dominate artwork is
the large dragon head crawling up from his back, over his right
shoulder and down the front of his chest, just above his dark, hard
nipple. The intricate details and brilliant colors form a bold work
of art, and my fingers ache to trace every line of it. My desire to
quench the carnal need is almost at the point of painful. I scan
the power resonating off the dragon and I melt anticipating Marcus
being this powerful in bed.

Continuing to appreciate Marcus’ body art, I
gasp softly, noticing a scroll of calligraphy scripture running
under his right arm down the side of his rib cage reaching below
his hip. Wanting to save myself from total embarrassment, I quickly
avert my eyes.

I fail miserably at hiding my desire when my
mouth waters as my eyes roam over the planes of his carved abs.
Fucking, incredible, detailed definition separates every muscle
across his stomach. There is a small trail of hair that appears to
begin at the bottom of his belly button and dips down into his
jogging pants. I feel my chest rising and falling at a rapid rate
with an indescribable need to see everything below his
waistband.

Marcus’ skin glistens with a light sheen of
sweat under the dim lighting coming from the partially closed
bathroom door and the glowing moon. The tip of my tongue sweeps
between my lips numerous times, attempting to moisten them, but
truthfully my erratic behavior is driven by an unexplainable need
to taste him.

My hands itch urgently, needing to caress
every inch of him–parts visible, and the ones hidden away. Marcus
is a vision of erotic fantasy novels and my need for him is like
adding gasoline to an all-consuming fire, perfect agony. I just
might explode if he makes the slightest movement of his fingers,
against my blazing skin.

My trembling fingers reach for his massive
hands as he moves them and places them on top of the comforter,
pressing them into the mattress painfully. I whimper at the sheer
size of his hands, causing butterflies to bounce restlessly in my
stomach.

A vision of his callous tan grip pawing along
every inch of my soft skin, the dark contrast against my pale
complexion, encourages my resolve to touch and feel him. Craving
like nothing I've ever recognized before guides me to take both of
his hands into mine, and the sizzling begins instantly. My focus
fixates on Marcus’ sexy hands as he assists me by sliding them up
my thighs and hips. He shifts his knees, crawling closer to me.
With his hands gripping my flesh inch by inch as he moves them
behind me, the sensation becomes an urgent frenzy as he digs his
fingers into the flesh of my backside. I peer up at him through my
eyelashes, seeing him shudder, which confirms that he too is barely
holding on to his self-control. Now is not the time for this
behavior, but how do I stop what I need so desperately?

“
Marcus,” I whisper breathlessly.
“I know we agreed to wait for a better time to have sex.” I pause,
uncertain if I have it in me to continue talking this way to him,
but he remains silent, patiently waiting for me to regain my
composure. I struggle initially, but after slowing my panting to a
normal rhythm, I continue with my request. “I want you
to..to...touch me.” I stutter. “And I...Ohgod,” It sounds like my
mouth is a skipping vinyl record and the broken words are stuck in
a groove on repeat. My body trembles violently and all moisture has
evaporated from my mouth. Swallowing hard, I add, “Um, I want
to...” Defeated by my embarrassment and naivety, I slump forward
and drop my face into my hands.

Marcus’ hands leave my backside and the warmth
that he was radiating into my body at our contact taken with them.
My hands are tugged away from my face as he wraps his tenderly
around my wrists. Inching closer, he pulls me near him. He places
my hands against his chest and slides them up to his shoulders. A
shiver runs through me when I glance up, noticing my fingertips
resting on the head of his dragon tattoo. Fear of doing something
foolish if I keep staring at it, I avert my eyes and stare into
his. Keeping his grip firmly around my wrists, Marcus’ jade irises,
scorching with white hot desire bores deeply into mine. It appears
that every caress of my hands along his chest adds to the torture
he is putting himself through for me.

I stiffen my arms, attempting to stop his
self-sacrificing punishment, but Marcus shakes his head slowly
while tugging my wrist upward again. He slips them over the tops of
his strong shoulders and up his solid neck. Removing his hands away
from my wrists, he gently lays them over the top of mine, and
resumes guiding them around the back of his head. He pushes my hand
into his hair, and I grab onto the soft, dark locks desperately,
eliciting a growl that rattles deep within his chest.

Marcus stares passionately into my eyes.
Aching desire etched into his face forces him to bite down on his
bottom lip and I nearly jump into his lap at his barely contained
carnal and raw desire. That is the fucking sexiest, most erotic
thing I've ever seen a man do. I gradually rake my fingernails
through his thick locks tugging slightly, pulling his head
back.

“
Ah, fuck baby.” Marcus moans
between panting out heavy breathes, “Feels so damn good.” He bites
down hard on his lip again. Allowing his head to drop backward, his
eyes roll back before he squeezes them shut. Finally he releases
his assaulted lip, leaving his mouth parted slightly and his breath
becomes uncontrollable lust-filled panting.
He has lost
control
. A warning signal goes off in my mind.

Marcus moves around, shifting his lower body
as if he is excruciatingly uncomfortable. I glance down at his lap,
finding his swollen erection is pressing against his stretched
tight sweatpants. The thrill of his reaction to my aggressive
behavior is enough to set my whole body on fire. Panting wildly,
the desire building in me for him becomes excruciating and I know
that I should stop; but I can’t. I want to feel, I need this with
Marcus.

Soft moans escape my slightly parted lips and
I lick them nervously. Slowly, I slide my hands from behind his
head to the side of his face, just behind his ears. My thumbnails
graze over the edge of his ears, clearly inexperienced I do
something that I’m not sure is acceptable. I pinch his earlobes
between my thumbnail and forefinger. Marcus grabs me around the
wrist roughly, bringing his gaze back down on me again.

“
You are fucking driving me wild
Breesan.” Through gasping, heavy breaths he adds, “I am burning up,
wanting to experience and taste all of you. My god, your touch is
unlike anything I have ever felt.” I smile bashfully, blushing red
with embarrassment. With shaking hands, he lifts mine before
kissing them reverently. “These perfect hands are like a touch from
a goddess. I have dreamed of it feeling just like this when you
touch me, and I'm about to lose all my damn control. You're making
it so difficult for me to be good.” The release of a loud, ragged
breath emphasizes his weakness to my touch. His eyes lower to look
at the bed with his head now drooping in disappointment. “I need
you baby,” Marcus’ voice softens to a whisper. “And I don't think I
can stop myself if we continue doing this for much
longer.”

I relent, nodding in agreement. I can't say
that I'm happy about this, but Marcus is right, we need to stop. In
Rhys’ house and during this hellish chaos, isn’t right for making
love the first time. At least I think that's why he stops our
explorations. Marcus moves away just a little, while releasing his
grip on me. Disappointed, I drop my trembling hands into my lap,
focusing my eyes on them. Slipping a tender finger under my chin,
he lifts my face up to his gaze and searches the depths of my
soul.

“
I don't know what you're thinking
in that pretty little head of yours, my baby, but if you have any
doubt about me wanting you…”

Marcus doesn't finish his sentence. Instead he
takes my right hand and places it on his lap. I drop my eyes seeing
my hand lying on his harden cock. Suddenly whatever heat I was
feeling before was merely a kindle. Now the desire is a million
times more blistering.

Instinctively sliding my hand up then down his
length once, I'm startled and shriek when Marcus grabs my hand
swiftly and puts it back on my lap, flinching away as if he was
burned by the link. I shyly lift my gaze up to meet his smoldering
jade eyes, hearing him chuckle softly. He shakes his head no,
piercing me with an unwavering stare.

“
Ohgod no,” Marcus’ voice is hoarse
and his words are deliberate and breathy. “One more second of you
rubbing my dick, and I will completely embarrass myself.” He
smirks, continuing to lean in so damn close. Clearly his body is in
control and not his mind, just like mine.

“
But, before we stop completely, I
want to kiss you. I just need
you
to promise that you will
control yourself.” He chuckles roguishly as I nod eagerly. “Because
I can't control both of us after the touching we just abused each
other with.”

I'm not completely sure if I can keep this
promise, but I don't want him to stop so I will agree to anything
he wants. Knowing it is a damn lie and wrong, I secure my hands
behind my back and he smiles down at me proudly. I feel my cheeks
warm with a slight bit of embarrassment, but right this second I
don't give a damn. I need to experience all of this with
him.