His Desire, Her Surrender (4 page)

Tabitha gently rolled her swelling flesh between her thumb and forefinger. She watched with interest as Marcus undressed in front of her. Soon he stood before her nude, his eyes fixed on her hand as she pleasured herself.

Marcus squeezed his bulging shaft in his hand, stroking. He sat down on the rug by her feet as he fondled the head of his cock. "Spread your legs wider. I want to see more."

"Yes, Sir." Tabitha allowed her knees to drop open, exposing her wet, pink flesh.

Marcus leaned forward. "Are you wet? I think you should test. Use your finger."

"Yes, Sir." Tabitha slid her finger down and inside, encountering her wetness. She removed her finger and held it up for Marcus's inspection.

"Lick it clean."

Tabitha spasmed inside as his words struck her. She brought her finger to her mouth and sucked it inside. The slick texture and slightly sweet taste transferred to her tongue. She'd tasted herself before, but never under this kind of circumstance.

Spreading the lips of her labia, Tabitha placed her hand back in intimate contact. She pressed two fingers against her clit, hard, and manipulated it from side to side with abandon. Passionate response thrummed through her body.

Marcus's eyes met hers and shifted back down to her hand. "Show me. Show me how you please yourself."

Tabitha dipped her fingers inside, stretching herself. She placed her free hand on her breast, squeezing it. Marcus's enjoyment of her show was evident, and all her fetters fell away. As she performed for him, sexual anticipation smoldered between them.

"You like to touch your breasts?"

Tabitha licked her lip. "Yes, Sir, but it's better when you do it." She pulled her fingers from her passage and massaged her clit. Back and forth she rubbed, adjusting her pressure and speed to match the needs of her body. She rolled her nipple between her fingers with her other hand and twitched inside, indicating imminent orgasm. She couldn't hold back. She didn't want to. Spasms engulfed her body, her thighs shook and her hips lifted.

Marcus's eyes were riveted on her, capturing every nuance as she came, his quick breaths signaling his excitement.

The spasms subsided into trembling and Tabitha took a deep breath. She waited for the embarrassment, but it didn't come. For the moment, she felt safe exposing herself to Marcus.

"Good girl." Marcus lay down on his back, his hardness jutting into the air. "Come. You're ready. Take me."

Rolling to her knees, Tabitha crawled toward Marcus. She didn't usually like being on top. It made her feel exposed and vulnerable, but with Marcus, it was powerful and sexy. She could give him pleasure and take her own.

Tabitha straddled him, one knee on either side, and brushed the head of his shaft against her wet slit. She grasped him, bringing him to her opening, then pressed down against him, sliding him inside. He stretched her, inciting pleasurable friction all along her passage. She buried him to the hilt and rested against him, enjoying his fullness inside her.

Marcus lay still beneath her, leaving the work to her. "Clench yourself around me."

Tabitha squeezed around him and relaxed into the warmth pouring through her. She lifted and pushed back down onto him. He filled her, completed her. She didn't want it to end.

Marcus fisted his hands in the carpet. "Yes, just like that."

Tabitha moved freely against him, setting the pace of the thrusts. The tension grew within her, spiraling higher and higher, driving her toward climax. She tried to bite back the escaping moans.

"Yes. Let me hear you. Tell me what you're feeling."

"Hot. Tingly, Sir. Ooh … Marcus. I'm going to come soon." She ground against him, her muscles strained and quivering. An emotional maelstrom of love, longing and desire raged in her.

Marcus shook his head. "You have to make me come first. You can't come until I do."

Tabitha accepted his challenge. She settled him deep inside her and utilized short strokes to drive him toward the edge. Again and again, she lifted off him and plunged down. Excitement swelled within her. Marcus had ordered her to hold back, but she didn't feel subjugated, she felt strong. She was in control, in control of her own orgasm and his as well.

As Tabitha approached her limit, Marcus trembled beneath her and released a hoarse shout. Orgasm surged from his body into hers as he bucked beneath her.

A satisfied smile lit Tabitha's face as she surrendered to the demands of her body. Tumbling waves of heated pleasure swept her over the precipice, and she collapsed, spent, against Marcus's heaving chest.

Marcus found his voice. "Wow, I need to put you in charge more often."

Tabitha laughed and kissed him. "I'm not sure you need to order me to give you pleasure. I want to do it. However, it does add an extra incentive."

Marcus's responded with a tender kiss. "Let's get away this weekend. We'll go to my family's place on Long Island. What do you think?"

"Will your family be there?" Apprehension gripped her voice. She questioned if their tenuously repaired bond could withstand familiar scrutiny.

Marcus laughed. "Not quite ready to go there yet, are you? No one will be there but us as far as I know."

Happiness bubbled inside her. "It sounds appealing. I'd like to get out of the city." The idea of having Marcus all to herself appealed greatly.

"It's settled, then. We'll drive out after work on Friday."

Chapter 4

Tabitha's mind drifted to Marcus, as it had frequently the whole week. Since he'd charged back into her life, tumultuous thoughts whirled in her head. Was it real? Could it work? Could their lives, so very different from one another, fit together?

With his schedule and the takeover crisis, she understood he was swamped. She knew Marcus made concerted efforts to spend time with her. Would he tire of it? Would he tire of her? She feared that — feared she couldn't hold his interest over the long term.

Tabitha looked up as Kim propped herself onto the corner of her desk.

She swayed toward Tabitha. "I saw you with a very yummy man."

"What? When?" Though she and Marcus weren't keeping their relationship secret, they hadn't exactly trumpeted it, either.

"I was visiting my aunt. You know she lives near you. On my way to the subway, I saw you and Mr. Tall, Dark, and Handsome walking down the sidewalk. So spill."

"I …." Tabitha struggled for words.

"Oh …." Kim leaned in closer and whispered, "Is he married?"

"No!" Tabitha shook her head vigorously.

Kim sat up straight and crossed her arms. "Then what?"

"He's a …." Tabitha looked around to see if anyone was near before she said softly, "He's a client."

"Oh. I see. Don't worry. You know
I
won't tell anyone. Those water cooler gossips don't like me anyway, so why would I give them anything juicy?"

Tabitha laughed. "Well, I'm not doing anything wrong, per se. I don't work on his projects. But I'd just prefer it not get around."

Kim made a zipping motion over her lips. "Not a word."

"Tabitha drew in a deep breath and exhaled." He's Marcus Granger."

Kim blinked. "Wow. Serious?"

"Yes. We met in Hawaii."

"Is he as hot as he looks?" Kim fanned herself.

Tabitha rolled her eyes. "Kim …."

"Come on, share. Something. Anything. You know I've been on self-service since Dennis and I broke up."

"Really? Guys hit on you all the time." Kim's blonde good looks were usually a magnet.

"They ask. But honestly, I'm not interested. Not right now. All the more reason you tell me about Mr. Hottie. Maybe it will jumpstart me." Kim wiggled her eyebrows.

Tabitha laughed and shook her head. "Marcus is …."

Kim gasped. "You're in love, aren't you?"

A gentle knowing settled in her heart.
I love Marcus. I love him
. "I …. Yes. I guess I am." Realization fogged her brain.

"Oh sweetie, is he the settling down type?"

Tabitha shook her head to clear her thoughts. "I don't know. I didn't know if I would see him again after Hawaii."

Kim wagged her finger at Tabitha. "Well, Tabby, you snatch that man up. Looks
and
money? Even if he leaves you, you'll make out like a bandit in the settlement."

"Kim!" Tabitha's astonishment didn't quite crowd out the idea that Marcus might leave her again.

"I'm just joking, sort of. There's nothing like a daily massage to heal a broken heart." Kim turned serious. "Does he treat you well?"

"Yes, when we're together. But I'm not sure he has room in his life for a real relationship." She'd spoken her fear aloud but it didn't lessen.

Kim nodded. "Are the sheets hot?"

Tabitha blushed. "Flaming."

Kim shivered. "Don't give up on him yet."

"I'm not going to. We're going away together this weekend." She didn't bother to hide her excitement at the prospect of extended time alone with Marcus.

"I don't suppose he has a brother?"

Tabitha laughed. "As a matter of fact, he does."

Kim clapped her hands. "Hook a sister up!"

Tabitha laughed again. "I have no idea what his status is."

Kim pouted, her flair for the dramatic asserting itself. "All right. Well, have a good time!" Kim winked as she stood and sauntered back toward her desk, leaving Tabitha to her own thoughts.

*****

Tabitha glanced at the clock again. Not yet five. All afternoon, the minutes had dripped by like molasses. She wanted to leave the office and join Marcus. They had the whole weekend — two days with him all to herself. She'd been looking forward to it all week. With Marcus so busy, they'd barely seen one another in days.

Her boss poked his head out of his office. "Tabitha. Why don't you go ahead and leave? I know you worked into lunch."

Tabitha brightened. "Thanks. I will."

"Have a nice weekend. See you Monday." He waved and ducked back inside his office. He could be high stress at times, but the partner she worked for was a good guy.

Tabitha grabbed her case from under the desk. She'd packed at home and brought everything with her. A blush stained her cheeks as she pictured the lingerie hidden inside. They planned to leave directly from Marcus's office.

Marcus's office building was within walking distance and she donned her sunglasses against the late afternoon sun as she negotiated the sidewalk. The summer had been scorching so far and today was no exception. Metal and concrete reflected the beating sun in hot waves. As she approached the entry, Marcus unfolded himself from a bench and stood. "Tabitha!"

She stopped and turned, surprised. "I would have come up."

"I've been eager to see you all week." He kissed her.

"Me too." Being with Marcus, touching him, calmed her. Contentment eased her tired muscles, but an undercurrent of physical awareness still existed, just waiting to be stoked to flames.

Marcus took her hand and they rounded the corner to the parking garage entrance. Within minutes, the attendant brought out the car and they were on their way out of the city.

Marcus seemed content to decompress quietly so Tabitha let him. Usually, she avoided silence, but there was no awkwardness with Marcus. She sat back, prepared to enjoy the ride despite the heavy traffic. Everyone wanted out of the city on Friday afternoons. Marcus negotiated the streets with practiced ease and soon they were speeding along the highway.

Tabitha eyed the unfamiliar landscape. "What was it like growing up on Long Island?"

Marcus thought for a moment. "Nice. Typical suburbia, I guess. We played ball in the yard and rode bikes up and down the driveway."

Tabitha swung to face him. "You don't think your experience was different, given your dad, the business, and all?"

Marcus shook his head. "Not really, no. My parents tried to normalize things. We had chores, did homework, all the normal kid stuff."

Insatiable curiosity filled Tabitha. She wanted to know everything about Marcus. What had he been like as a child? How had he survived the awkwardness of adolescence? Had he even been an awkward adolescent? She thought back to her own uncomfortable teenage years. Thin and gangly, she'd been crippled by shyness that had taken effort to put behind her.

"You must have some funny family stories." She hoped he'd share another part of his life with her.

Marcus smiled. "Doesn't everyone?" He regaled Tabitha with a few accounts of his antics as a child, including a tale of breaking an antique vase and using duct tape to put it back together. He freely admitted that although he and his brother teamed up, Monica often got the best of them. She had been a typical younger sister, hanging around, being a pest and purloining their belongings.

Tabitha tucked his revelations away in her memory. Every conversation revealed more aspects of this man — the man who had stolen her heart.