His grandfather was aware of their relationship. It wasn’t as though she would be fired. But Marshall hadn’t proven himself as a long-term relationship guy yet.
Was she prepared to be the first one to test his abilities?
Colette’s house was mostly dark and silent as he approached, a soft light glowing through the curtains of what he knew to be her bedroom. Excitement vibrated throughout his body as he approached the small guest house. They hadn’t been alone in days. Marshall preferred not to analyze how much that bothered him. One day, she would leave him for good, and he despaired, not knowing how he would survive such a loss.
With a deep inhale, he pressed his lips together and sauntered up to her bedroom window. His knuckle rapped gently on the glass, hoping not to startle her. A warm flush heated his cheeks, the motion making him feel like a high-school boyfriend trying to sneak into his girlfriend’s house. But skulking around her place heightened his excitement, as though there was something deliciously forbidden about visiting Colette. He waited with bated breath until the curtain parted, and her eyes lit on his face. Her mouth curved into a soft smile as she dropped the fabric and disappeared. Marshall strode over to the front door, anticipation building as the lights in the house followed the path of her steps to him.
“Hi, Marshall,” Colette said, breathlessly. “I was hoping you would come.”
Emotion swirled in his gut at her welcome.
“I need you,” his voice thick with longing, he reached a hand to cup her face. Clutching his shirt, she pulled him into the house. Marshall kicked the door closed behind them, gripping her hips as he pushed her into the wall.
Yes.
This was exactly what he needed. All this talk of death and now murder had given him a hunger to feel…alive. His heart nearly leaped out of his chest at her proximity, her delicious scent wrapping around him as their mouths collided. Wrenching his mouth from hers, Marshall inhaled a harsh breath.
“You have no idea what you do to me.” He rubbed his cheek against hers, hovering his mouth just out of reach. “You give me life.”
Colette responded by placing her hands on either side of his face. “I really like you, Marshall,” she said, casting her eyes back to the ground as though the words had slipped out accidentally.
The words were a dagger to his heart, knowing what he was going to ask her when their time together was over. Perhaps she had revealed too much. Or perhaps she had more courage than him. She deserved better. But he had known that all along. Marshall was going to be selfish and take what he wanted tonight, ease the longing ache that plagued him, and somehownumb the pain etched in his skin from the events of the last few days. If he had to send her off, it would be with a fucking bang.
Gripping her ass in his hands, he lifted her off the ground, relishing the sensation of her curvy legs as they wrapped themselves around his waist. There was no greater feeling than having Colette Slip in his arms. He would remember it on the nights when she was gone. The woman had taken a knife and carved her name on his heart. His heart would bleed with missing her. But he would spill all his blood if it meant keeping her safe. If it meant she came to no harm.
His legs stumbled toward the bedroom. The soft fabric of her pajamas clutched in his hands, driving him mad. Swiping her tongue against his mouth, he was momentarily distracted and bumped her into the wall, knocking down a framed picture. With a small yelp from her mouth, he focused enough to right himself and found her bed. Dropping her legs to the floor, Colette reached to pull her shirt over her head. Marshall stopped her.
“Let me,” he said, undoing each button of her top to slowly reveal the tempting valley between her breasts. Once he finished the last one, he reached into her shirt, sliding his hands up to cup her soft flesh and stroke her already hardened nipples. Colette whimpered and Marshall’s mouth watered, knowing the sweetness that awaited him. Pushing the top off her shoulders, he stepped back to enjoy the sight of her, flushed and waiting.
The way his body craved her was agony. He would figure out a way to make their relationship work, even if distance separated them. There was no way he could go without seeing her. She would be pissed with him, but he would make her see reason. Her safety was his priority, even if that meant making hard decisions.
Those decisions could wait until tomorrow.
He didn’t want to face them until sunrise.
“Is it my turn yet? Or are you gonna stare at my boobs all night?” she asked, mouth quirking into a smile.
With a chuckle, he lifted his arms away, giving her leave to undo his buttons. The plaid shirt drifted to the floor, followed quickly by the loud clang of his jeans and belt buckle. Colette shimmied out of her shorts and underwear, then crawled onto the bed, kneeling to face him. He sighed at the feel of her skin beneath his palms again, pulling her close. Dipping to kiss her shoulder, Colette shivered in his arms. There was no way he could give this up. She was too good. The way his body responded to her touch was unlike any other.
“Marshall, are you okay? Are you here with me? You look sad,” she said, her brows drawing together in concern. “We don’t have to do this.”
Marshall snorted, his gaze turning down to the situation in his underwear.
“I just don’t know how I’m going to move on from you after all this,” he rasped, reaching a hand to grip her silky dark curls. “I’m crazy for you and your silly pajamas.”
Colette giggled and tapped his chest. “Don’t think about that. I don’t want you worrying about anything tonight,” she said, twining her hands around his neck to pull his face down to meet hers. “I want you to feel better.”
Guilt squeezed at his heart; he wasn’t sure how to do this. His hands curled in her hair of their own volition, the need to touch her so great. He gently tugged on her dark strands, eliciting a soft moan from Colette, which hummed against his mouth as their lips melded together. He abandoned himself to the sensation of her tongue sliding against his as he deepened their kiss.
Pulling his face away with a soft breath, he placed his hands on her shoulders.
“Turn around,” he rasped. The surface of her skin shuddered beneath his touch, her nipples pebbling as he ran a finger along the smooth, discolored length of the scar on her back from her heart surgery. He closed his eyes and exhaled.
How could he hurt someone so precious? Her heart worked hard enough to sustain her; how could he be so cold as to break it? She was meant to be worshipped, and it felt like he was discarding her, sending her away. It was as though Marshall hadn’t changed at all.
Colette turned, sensing his pause, his hesitation.
“Don’t stop, Marshall.”
