Elizabeth pushed up to study him. "What? How? Marty, why would you do that?" she spluttered, struggling to make sense of what was happening.
He adjusted her position for her to meet his gaze. "My personnel requested it. Elizabeth, I’m the CEO of Chase Security International. It comes with my job description. Our technical analysis unit ran backgrounds on everyone involved in Austin's care. Pete Walter added a second request for details after your argument with Knox. No one had any idea of our shared past. They did it to protect Austin. To protect me. Your file included a copy of your employee physical."
Realization traveled across her brow. "My history. The pregnancy, the loss, the scars. I never wanted you to know. There was too much lost time between us.”
“Twenty years now.” He nodded, fearing if he let go of her, she would run. "Sunshine, we’re here, together, talking. I found a baby picture when I locked up the house."
Elizabeth pushed off his lap, wrapping her arms around her knees as she forced herself into a small ball in a corner of the couch. "My mother, she wrote a deathbed confession. But I failed to trust our love. I'm the one who should be sorry. I wish I’d been strong enough to say no to my parents. I was too weak to leave Lewis. I made so many bad choices. And, because of it, I killed our baby girl,” she sobbed.
Martin fought his desire to pull her close again. "You were just a girl yourself. We were both young."
Elizabeth kept her eyes locked on his, yet her body seemed to collapse in on itself. "My parents deceived us. My mother stood by while my father intercepted every letter either of us sent. My father even sent you a fake wedding invitation and threatened to throw Austin in jail. They demanded I forget you—until they found out about our baby. Then my choices were abortion or marrying Lewis. I couldn't abort our baby. Not that I did any better protecting her."
Martin stared into her dark violet eyes across what felt like miles, though she was just on the other side of the couch, and followed his heart. Seeing her tears shattered him. "I’m responsible too. I blew off opportunities to confront you—didn't fight hard enough for you." He moved to her side and lowered his head until his lips feathered against hers. Using his thumbs to wipe away the constant stream of tears, he caressed her face. "I’m sorry."
The gentle touch grew into a breath-stealing kiss. His tongue swept along the seam of her lips, pushing them apart to take purchase of her mouth. There was nothing tentative about his desire. An involuntary moan escaped as she opened to the kiss with matched need. Their lips never broke apart, their tongues tasting, exploring, and dancing together in a passionatepas de deux.
Angry with himself, he asked, "How did I stay away from you all these years?" He took a deep breath before pulling back and resting his head against her forehead. "Sunshine, when was the last time you ate something?" Her clothing concealed a skeletal body.
"Coffee doesn't count?" she teased.
"Stay put." He headed to her kitchen. First, he returned with two glasses of orange juice. "Drink." He gave her a peck on the cheek and returned to his meal preparation. He returned a second time with two grilled cheese sandwiches. "Eat." He plopped on her couch beside her, eating with one hand and sweeping her into his lap with his other.
"Yummy." She let the gooey cheese swirl on her tongue. With her sandwich filling her belly, she rested against him, her eyelashes fluttering against his cheek. "Marty?" She traced her finger along the small scar in his brow.
He turned, placing a kiss to her palm. "What, Sunshine? Tell me."
Her lip quivered. "I never stopped loving you." A single tear fell again.
His eyes closed and opened, staring at the ceiling. "Neither did I." Swiping the tear away, he kissed her again.
Elizabeth wrapped her arms around his neck, holding on to him like a lifeline. "Marty, make love to me." He pushed her back with his strong forearms and gazed into her eyes. "Please."
"Sunshine, you’re in a vulnerable place. I..."
"Marty, please. I need you."
Three simple words and his control broke. Martin's eyes glimmered with love and desire as he lowered his mouth to hers and answered her with another charged kiss. Twenty years of suppressed feelings poured out.
He stood with her in his arms and carried her up to her bedroom, depositing her in the bed's center. Before crawling beside her, he kicked off his socks and shoes. His muscled arm flexed, reaching behind him to pull off his t-shirt. He watched Elizabeth kneel and study him. The toned youth was now a well-defined man. His shoulders were broader. Muscles rippled, defining every sinew of his chest and abdomen. The former tiny sprinkling of hair was thicker and trailed down his belly, disappearing below the waistline of his jeans.
“Marty.” He felt the power of her trained surgeon's eyes explore the scar extending from under his left pectoral to his armpit. Another injury decorated his shoulder, and a longer scar stretched above his right hip. He shuddered as her soft, full lips peppered the old wounds with kisses.
One of Elizabeth's nimble fingers traced over a tattoo covering his pectoral muscle, a gold trident surrounded by the words:God will judge our enemies. We will arrange the meeting.“I’m afraid I don’t know you anymore. You are a warrior.”
“No, just a little older and, I hope, wiser.” Knee to knee, he licked the length of her throat, his lips resting upon the vibrating pulse point at the base of her jaw. His hand cupped her breast, possessive fingers running over her hardening nipple and provoking a moan.
Martin warred with himself, wanting to rip her clothes off and surge into her core. He challenged himself to go slowly.
She groaned as he pulled her bra cup down with his teeth, exposing a dark rose nipple. Her body swayed forward to meet his tantalizing tongue, her eyes turning dreamy. His eyes sparkled at her growing desire soaking her panties and coating her thighs. Her damp nipple puckered as his smiling mouth moved to the other.
Their eyes met while he feasted on her silky skin all along her belly with kisses and nips. Powerful hands moved beneath the band of her colorful pants, sliding them off her hips along with her white lace panties. Her hands shifted to cover the scar that ran down from her belly button to the start of her curls.
He took her hands, placing kisses against her wrists. "Don't. You're beautiful." His words were met with a teary nod. Scooting her body to rest against her pillows, he continued removing her last stitches of clothing.
Elizabeth parted her legs for him to rest between them, whimpering when he nuzzled her red ringlets. He couldn't help his grin as he kissed her soft inner thigh and she raised her hips to meet his mouth. "Marty." A mewl escaped when he darted his tongue against her swelling red bud.
Her dampness shone like a beacon. His thumbs parted her folds for the first dip of his tongue, and Elizabeth grabbed handfuls of the quilt, rocking against him.
