GianMarco (13 page)

Chapter Eleven

“Absolutely not. No way. No how! I’ve already told you that I like working here just
fine. I have no plans to quit.”

“Maggie, I’m sure you’ve realized by now what a distraction you’ve been for me since
you started working at G and T Associates. And it hasn’t gotten any easier since we’ve
been together either. I can barely keep my hands off you.” As if to drive his point
home, GianMarco pulled her into his corded arms and placed gentle kisses on her neck.

Maggie moaned as GianMarco moved one skilled hand up her waist and fondled her breast,
while the other one slid beneath her skirt and up her thigh. “See? You know how many
times we’ve locked ourselves in my office to fuck and a few of those times, clients
have been waiting outside. We’re going to get a reputation for unprofessionalism.
Oliver is already quite peeved with us,” he murmured with his lips against the tender
hollow of her throat.

Maggie would have loved nothing more than to have GianMarco take her swift and hard
right now, but she didn’t want him to coerce her into giving away a piece of her independence.
They’d had this conversation several times within the past month, with neither willing
to relent. After the night where they expressed their feelings for one another, she
and GianMarco had formed a tight bond. Maggie had never been in a situation where
someone openly desired her as much as GianMarco did. Not knowing exactly how it had
happened, she had become GianMarco’s woman.

He had told her and shown her in several ways that she now belonged to him, and it
frightened and excited her. One night in bed when he had referred to her as ‘his woman’,
Maggie had laughingly asked, “Don’t you mean ‘girlfriend’?”

“You are definitely not a girl, and you and I are more than just friends. Don’t you
think so,
cara
,” he had replied, before making wild, passionate love to her. Just thinking about
it now made her shiver.

In the short time they had been together, he would only allow her to return to her
apartment long enough to get a change of clothing and check any messages she might
have. He insisted Maggie stay at his house overnight where they would make love until
the first ray of sunlight lit the sky. She hadn’t had a decent amount of sleep in
weeks. When they weren’t screwing like bunny rabbits, he’d paint her. His artistic
talent didn’t surprise her; but then, after discovering GianMarco was a vampire, not
much surprised her. Maggie had posed for him in all kinds of positions, some of which
weren’t decent in mixed company. A lot of times however, he’d succumb in the middle
of his project to take her. He was insatiable but she had no complaints in that department.
It was only his extreme possessiveness that caused Maggie concern.

GianMarco seemed as if he wanted to own her. In most instances when he wanted something
she didn’t mind complying because in the grand scheme of things, they weren’t that
big a deal. But insisting she give up her job was. “No, GianMarco. I don’t see why
I have to hand in my resignation just because we’re having sex with one another. I
take pride in my work and I’m good at it.”

GianMarco’s eyes narrowed. “Don’t ever belittle what we have by calling it just sex.
It’s more than that. You’re my bloodmate, which means we are meant to be together
until we are parted by death.”

Maggie sighed. “You’ve been perfectly clear about that, GianMarco, but can’t you see
that you’re moving way too fast for me? Up until a month ago we could barely get along—”

“Which we both know was a pretense.”

“Yes, I understand. I’m not saying that I don’t want you as much as you want me, but
you can’t just take over my life this way. I have every intention to continue working,
and if you won’t let me work here, then I’ll find a job elsewhere. I have a little
experience under my belt now, so it shouldn’t be as difficult to find employment this
time around. At least let me stay on until I find something else.”

“I don’t want you working at all.”

Maggie threw her hands up in frustration. “I have bills to pay. I can’t live a life
of leisure.”

“As I’ve told you on numerous occasions, I have plenty of money. I’ll take care of
you.”

“And what exactly do you propose that I all day? Sit around watching talk shows and
doing your laundry?” She didn’t bother to hide the disgust she felt at that idea.

“I’m sure you can find plenty to do with your time. Anything I have is at your disposal.
Go shopping if you like.”

“Do you know how sexist that sounds? Because I’m a woman you think all I’m interested
is shopping?”

GianMarco rolled his eyes. “You don’t have to shop if you don’t want. Organize a fundraiser,
start a revolution. I don’t care, as long as it’s from home. Besides, you’ll probably
sleep most of the day anyway because I’ll keep you up most of the night. How do you
think we vampires got reputations for being nocturnal?” He winked.

“GianMarco, can you please be serious for one minute?”

“I’m being very serious. Come here and sit on my lap.” He grinned at her with sultry
amber eyes.

She turned her back to him. The man was impossible, but she had to remain firm. “Listen,
has it occurred to you that I don’t want to be taken care of? You know my background.
I was married on my seventeenth birthday and I was already pregnant with my first
child. I was just a baby myself. My husband controlled my life to the point where
I felt I couldn’t pee without his permission. Can you believe that after all he put
me through, I was devastated when he decided to end our marriage? I was weak and pathetic.
I don’t want to be that person anymore. I don’t want to depend on a man for anything,
no matter how much I desire him. I’ve learned a lot about myself over the last several
months. Good things. I think it’s sweet that you want to take care of me, because
I know your heart is in the right place, but I’m quite capable of taking care of myself.
Besides, I have a place of my own where I pay rent, but I’ve barely been there. I
haven’t spoken to my kids in over a week, and I’m going to need you to stop stealing
my panties. What the hell are you doing with them, anyway?” Once she got that off
her chest, Maggie turned to face him and immediately took a step back.

His eyes glowed and his lips were pressed together in a thin angry line. “Are you
finished yet?” He spoke the words calmly, but there was an underlying current that
warned Maggie that GianMarco was not pleased.

She gulped. “Yes, I’m finished.”

“Good. As for your first complaint, if you’re so hell-bent on working, I suppose I
would rather have you here with me than working for someone else, so you can keep
this job ... for now. As to your other statements, I admire your courage and strength,
Maggie. I recognized it in you from the moment I set eyes on you, even though you
didn’t realize it within yourself. It was one of the things that attracted me to you.”
He walked over to her. Pulling her into his arms, he gave her a deep long kiss that
left her breathless when he finally lifted his head.

“I am not asking you to give up who you are to be with me. And I don’t you want you
to sever your ties with your loved ones. If they’re important to you then they’re
important to me. I want to take care of you because you deserve it and because you’re
mine.”

“Why did what I said seem to upset you?”

“I’m not angry, Maggie. I’m frustrated because you act like this is some kind of high
school courtship. My feelings for you are deep and powerful. There will be no one
else for me as long as I draw breath and you need to realize that.”

Maggie’s heart did a flip-flop. GianMarco’s declaration made her soul sing, though
she found it a bit frightening that she had fallen for him in such a short time period.

“I feel the same way,
ciccina mia
.”He rubbed her cheek.

She lightly tapped his chest. “I wish you wouldn’t read my mind like that.”

“I don’t have to read your mind to know what you’re thinking, my sweet. Maggie, I’ll
give you the time you require, but you must soon accept what it truly means to be
my bloodmate.”

Maggie shivered. The connection she had with GianMarco was so intense it would take
a bit to process it properly.

GianMarco stroked her cheek again. “I have a case that I’m working on and I’ll be
out of the office for the remainder of the day. Use the key I gave you to let yourself
into my house.”

“I need to stay at my apartment tonight. I haven’t had a good night’s sleep in several
days and it’s starting to interfere with my job.”

“Sleep in my bed.”

Maggie pursed her lips. “Yeah, right. When have we ever just slept in your bed?”

“I’ll let you sleep tonight. I promise.” He smiled at her.

Maggie was born at night, but she wasn’t born last night, and they both knew sleep
wasn’t on GianMarco’s mind. “Okay. If you won’t spend the night with me, I’ll spend
the night with you.”

“Gian—” He placed his finger over her lips.

“No. On this, I won’t compromise. Give me a kiss and I’ll see you tonight.” He rubbed
his rock-hard cock against her body as he lowered his head to hers.

Their tongues met, entwining, tasting, and savoring each other’s flavors. Maggie’s
boldly slid her hand between their bodies to cup the thick bulge in his pants. GianMarco
gripped her ass in his palms.

“Oh, God, Maggie, I can’t get enough of you,” he whispered against her mouth.

“Will you two get a damn room?” Oliver burst into GianMarco’s office.

GianMarco lifted his head abruptly. “Can’t you knock, for chrissakes?” he growled
at his business partner.

Oliver glared at them, looking extremely annoyed. “I did knock, but you two lovebirds
were obviously too busy sucking face to hear it. Is it too much to ask that you guys
refrain from shagging in the office? I’ve come to expect this kind of behavior from
GianMarco but I’m surprised at you, Maggie.”

Maggie pulled herself from GianMarco’s arms, blushing furiously. This was the first
time Oliver had caught them in a clinch. And knowing that he now probably thought
she was a trollop was embarrassing.

“What the hell do you want?” GianMarco demanded.

“Actually, there’s someone outside looking for Maggie.”

“Who?” GianMarco and Maggie asked in unison.

“A Shelly Thompson, she says. Aren’t you supposed to be leaving soon, Marc?”

Maggie stiffened. What was that woman doing here? Maggie racked her brain to think
of why Shelly would deem it necessary to pay a visit to her job.

“In a bit. Who is this woman?” GianMarco voice was laced with concern. He probably
noticed her reaction to hearing Shelly’s name.

“Eugene’s fiancée.”

“Would you like me to handle it?” GianMarco offered.

Maggie held her hand against his chest. “No. I want you to stay right where you are
until she leaves. I need to deal with this myself.”

Neither one of them acknowledged Oliver when he announced that he was going back to
his office. When he received no response, he left the office with a snort or annoyance.

GianMarco cupped her face between his hands. “Are you sure?”

“Yes. There are some things I have to do on my own and this is one of them.” She adjusted
her clothes before walking out into the reception area.

Shelly Thompson stood directly in front of Maggie’s desk, tapping her foot with the
impatience of a prima donna. She looked every bit the successful attorney in her Donna
Karan suit and Jimmy Choo pumps. Her hair was pulled back in a severe bun, accentuating
high cheekbones. Her lips were twisted in a sneer and her nose was crinkled, as if
she’d smelled something bad detracting from her pretty face.

“Ms. Thompson, you wanted to see me?” Maggie smiled politely.

The taller woman widened her eyes in apparent surprise as if she were expecting someone
else.

“You’re Margaret?” she asked in an imperious tone.

Maggie fought to keep the smile on her face. She could already tell this conversation
would not go well. “That’s what they tell me.”

Shelly did not look amused. “You’re not what I expected. Well, you are chubby just
like Eugene described you, but you’re not as homely as I thought you would be.” Shelly
looked Maggie up and down with an insulting sneer.

Heat surfaced in Maggie’s face. This stuck-up bitch was lucky Maggie wasn’t prone
to violence, although Maggie could imagine ripping Shelly’s hair out. It was probably
a weave anyway. “To what do I owe the pleasure of this visit?” Maggie delivered her
words with saccharine sweetness, belying how she really felt, something that apparently
was not lost on her adversary.

“Don’t give me the innocent act. You know why the hell I’m here,” Shelly snarled.

Maggie sighed. She wasn’t in the mood for guessing games, but it seemed Shelly was.
“Maybe you came here to give me the good news that my divorce is final. Did you and
Eugene draw straws to see who got to tell me? I guess you won, right?”

“Are you trying to be funny? Don’t play dumb. This is no laughing matter. I want you
to stop holding up the divorce proceedings and sign those damn papers.”