Her Tender Tyrant (5 page)

Her eyes flashed at his calm dismissal of another person’s heartache. “I’m sure the people who are redundant are reassured by that statement.”

His eyebrows came down in irritation. There she goes again, he thought, getting under his skin. He never defended his business decisions to anyone. Why was he standing here doing it now? Just because he knew how soft her pink lips felt against his, or because the last time he’d kissed her, she’d tasted so sweet and delicious and he wanted another taste, he still shouldn’t be standing here arguing with her.

Hell, he should be carrying her cute butt back up the stairs and showing her who was the boss. And finding out other places that might be sweet and delicious.

He focused on the issue of her maligning his companies. “The second type of company I buy up are firms that would fit into my holdings but aren’t necessarily in trouble financially. They just might not be utilizing their full potential. I go in and show them how to increase profits by using their resources more effectively. And usually, I can leverage their people and their assets more effectively with my current assets.”

“At the expense of more redundant positions.” She said that so emphatically that he wanted to growl that she was being silly. “And I’m going to translate your effective use of their assets to mean that you turn their resources into more profits for yourself.”

His eyes were watching her lips, wondering how long it would take if he kissed her before she couldn’t argue with him any longer. “Making money isn’t a crime.”

Juliette sighed and instantly, Marcus thought of other ways to have that sweet breath float onto his skin. And oh boy, he liked those ideas!

“I’m going out to work,” she said, stepping back and pulling her eyes away from him. She didn’t really care what he did with his companies. In fact, she’d just discovered her work was sponsored by a grant provided by his company. So why was she trying to make him look bad in his mind? Of course people lost their jobs in a merger or acquisition or whatever it was that he did with the companies he bought up. And yes, he should make as much money as he wanted. His subsidiaries were extremely generous with their grant money so it wasn’t like he wasn’t promoting innovation and growth.

Why was she being so catty with him?

Because she wanted to kiss him. She wanted to feel those hard lips touching hers and feel that amazing flame rise up to overwhelm her again.

“I have to go,” she whispered again, realizing that she was just standing here, staring up at him, and probably looking like an idiot. “I’m sure you have things you have to do as well.

“The horses are taken care of, the dogs are fed, the cats are…somewhere,” he commented, looking around because he actually had no idea where the cats were. But then he shrugged his shoulders. “I’m going to watch the football game.” He took a long swig of the beer. “So think of me in here where it’s warm and cozy while you’re out in the field, watching horses eat grass. Wouldn’t you prefer to hang out with me and watch the game?”

“Football?” she asked with a cringe, but her mind remembered the way her butt had fallen asleep yesterday and her toes had been almost frozen through because of the cold wind. “Um…nope. The cold sounds better than whatever football game you’re going to watch.”

“You’re insane. And so wrong it isn’t even funny,” he said and opened the fridge to find something to eat. “Make sure you take a sandwich this time. You’re too skinny.”

Juliette looked up at his back, his broad shoulders just looking like the perfect target. For what, she didn’t know. She actually looked around for something to toss at him but everything around her was either too heavy or wouldn’t have any impact on his too-muscular back.

Her eyes traveled to the table in front of the sofa and she finally found her revenge. A perfect revenge!

Slipping sideways, she tip toed over to the low table. While his head was still stuck in the fridge, she tucked her revenge into her bag, then moved back into place.

“Okay, well, have a good afternoon then!” she called out and spun around so he wouldn’t see the smile of excitement on her face. “Bye bye!”

Marcus looked up the moment he heard her sweet voice. She was never sweet. At least not to him.

He watched as she rushed out the door. As soon as the door shut behind her, she started running, yet another hint that something was wrong. His sweet, adorable, cute and sexier-than-any-woman Juliette was doing something devious. He could feel it!

Marcus looked around, trying to figure out what she’d done. Something was very wrong, he thought. But for the life of him, he couldn’t figure out what she’d done. Looking outside again, he caught her hair flying behind her. It was only a flash, but as he kept his eyes on her, she glanced back towards the house, her hair flipping into her face before she turned back around and raced away.

What had she done? Looking around again, his eyes scanned the room. Something was missing but what was it?

And then it hit him. The remote!

In a flash, he was out the door racing after her. “Juliette! Give it back!”

Juliette heard his voice and couldn’t control the laughter at her trick. “Don’t have anything!” she called out but the wind probably carried her response away. Besides, she was too busy running. She had to get far enough ahead of him to make good on her plan.

She was running full out, trying very hard to control her excitement at getting one over on the horrible man.

She’d finally thought that she’d gotten far enough ahead of him that she hoped she might have gotten away with it. But what she hadn’t counted on was Marcus’ speed. The man was eliminating the distance between them in seconds. When she looked back, she gasped. He was right behind her! And gaining.

She put everything into the effort of putting more distance between them. Unfortunately, his longer legs were no match for her shorter ones and a second later, she was tackled by his enormous body. They were falling and the next thing she felt was floating through the air as his hands wrapped around her waist, even tucking her arms underneath his so she was more defenseless. Bracing herself for hitting the ground hard, she held her breath and the only solid thing around her, which just happened to be the man who had caused their tumble.

She rolled and definitely hit something hard but it wasn’t the ground. Somehow, Marcus had rolled so that he landed on the ground and she landed….well, on him!

But a moment later, they rolled and she found herself underneath him. “Where is it?” he demanded, his hands holding her in a vice-like grip. His eyes sparkled with something she was too afraid to identify as he looked down over her.

Juliette held her breath for a moment, assessing if any bones had broken. When she realized that everything was still intact, she looked up and all the breath whooshed out of her as she realized their positions. Not only was he on top of her, but his legs were between hers and that secret part of her that had been acting so strangely lately was pressed intimately against that very hard part of him. The part of him that she really, really wanted to get to know.

“Give it back, Juliette,” he demanded, his voice rough and husky as he pinned her arms above her head.

She laughed slightly, nervous but with a spark inside of her that just wanted to flare his temper higher, to see what he might do. “I don’t know what you’re talking about, Marcus. Lose something?” She smiled up at him, sure that she was still in control of this situation.

“Give it to me,” he told her again with a growl.

“You’re obviously missing something and think I have it.” She looked to her right, trying to figure out what to do, how she could get away from him.

She had no idea how much trouble she was in.

Marcus looked down at the woman who had been haunting his nights and days for too long. And she was right where he wanted her. “Good. Don’t tell me where it is. I don’t mind,” he said as his leg slipped higher between hers, pushing her legs further apart.

Her breath caught in her throat and she tried to wiggle away. But the effect of her wiggling made their position worse. “You have to get off of me,” she whispered, looking up at him with nervous eyes.

He shifted, becoming more comfortable. “I see no need. I’m pretty comfortable right about now.”

“You can’t do this to me!” she gasped when he shifted…yes! Just like that, she moaned, wishing he would do it again. She tried to hold still, but something inside of her, some evil part of her that she’d never known existed, couldn’t hold still. That part of her was taking over the rest of her and she wasn’t able to fight it.

He looked at her breasts, heaving against his chest and he knew that her ragged breaths were more because of their position than because of her running. His body hardened even more as he realized she was just as turned on as he was. “I seem to be doing a very effective job of it. Why can’t I?”

She tried to make her brain work, knew that she should come up with a legitimate reason why he shouldn’t do this to her. But she was stumped. Well, and because she wanted him to stay right where he was. If she shifted…Juliette gasped when that movement caused crazy feelings to swarm over her, almost making her eyes roll back in her head with the pleasure that simple shift caused her.

She looked up at him, her hands gripping his shoulders as if her life might depend on not letting him go. Or move.

But he did it again and she gasped. Against her will, she arched her body into his, pressing herself against him. Oh my, he did it again and she groaned. “You have to stop,” she begged, but her body didn’t shift away from him.

Marcus looked down at the woman in his arms and could honestly say this was the closest he’d ever come to having sex with a woman while fully clothed. And it turned him on more than anything he’d ever done in his life. She was writhing in his arms and, if he didn’t know she was at least twenty-four or twenty-five, he would swear this was the first time she’d ever done something like this. He shifted again, unable to stop himself from giving her maximum pleasure. When he’d chased after her, doing something like this had been the absolute last thing on his mind.

Okay, well, not the last thing.

Now, making sure she climaxed in his arms was the only thing he could think of. Rational thought, reasonable excuses and caution were gone. All he wanted was to see this delectable woman with all of her soft curves and glowing smile, splinter apart in his arms. As her body trembled in his arms, he honestly could say that he’d never seen anyone more beautiful. Her mouth opened up and her dark lashes feathered against her skin while the orgasm overwhelmed her.

When the shivers slowed and Juliette opened her eyes, she was all soft curves, glowing brown eyes and soft, pink lips. And damn, but he hurt. His body was aching to rip her clothes off and bury himself inside of her soft, liquid heat.

Unfortunately, as reality returned, he could see that she was horrified by what had just happened. “Please let me up,” she whispered, her porcelain skin turning pink and those dark lashes lowered to cover her previously glowing eyes.

“No,” he told her. “Come back to the house with me. Let me show you how it is really supposed to happen.”

Juliette’s beautiful skin turned an impossible red color and she shoved against his enormous shoulders. “Please. Just…can I get up?” she begged him.

Marcus was not immune to the quiver in her voice and he rolled over, helping her onto her feet. “Thank you,” she whispered. Reaching into her bag, she retrieved the remote control and extended her hand. “I’m sorry. I…”

She bit her lip, that same lip that he wanted to bite. And taste.

“Juliette,” he started to say but she stepped backwards. “Please, I really just need to go.”

He knew that he should stop her, that they should talk about what had just happened. But there was something about the stiffness to her shoulders that told him to give her a bit of space. “Okay. What time are you coming back?” he asked, taking the remote. He almost dropped it because their fingers started to touch and she jerked back. Apparently, even casual touching between the two of them was not allowed.

She shook her head and raised her hand. Marcus wasn’t sure if she was waving goodbye to him or just warding him off. Either way, he didn’t like it.

Without another word, she turned and ran towards the pastures. Not even a glance back, he thought.

With frustration, he stormed back into the house. He turned on the television and tried to find the game, but was too furious with her. First the cookies and that outfit, then her orgasm in his arms…what was a man to do? Besides pick her up and make love to her, show her how it is really done.

Damn it!

He was still hard as a rock and thoughts of going out through the fields to find the woman he was starting to think of as “his” floated through his mind.

His cell phone rang and he cursed as he saw who was calling. “I’m being nice and considerate!” Marcus snapped, not bothering with a greeting. It was the third time one of his siblings had called to check in on him and he was still reeling from his earlier confrontation with Juliette.

Adriana wasn’t believing him. “Tell me one nice thing you’ve done for Juliette today.”

Marcus was stumped. While his brothers had just ordered him to be nice, not believing that he would, his sister was demanding proof? And of course he couldn’t provide any proof.