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Chapter 14

Ivy staggered backas if she’d been punched in the stomach. She couldn’t believe Marcus was in her quarters, grinning at her as if they were still a loved-up couple and he’d dropped by to surprise her.

“Are you happy to see me?” Marcus placed the champagne and chips on her table.

“I wouldn’t use the word happy. What in the hell are you doing on the space station?”

“Why do you think I’m here? To see you. I missed you.” He stepped toward her, his arms open.

Ivy backed away. “Not a chance. You caught me off-guard with that first hug. It won’t happen again.”

Marcus dropped his arms to his side. “Admit it. You’ve missed me.”

“Not for a second.” She glared at him. Damn it, if Marcus wasn’t still as rock star good looking as ever. “I don’t get it. You can’t be here for me. We’re so over.”

“It was a temporary thing. I knew you needed time on your own to find yourself or whatever it is chicks do when they feel let down.”

“I’ve been on my own for over a year. Why now?”

“It felt right. I’ve changed. I’m ready to commit. I choose you.”

Ivy glowered at him. “You mean your latest girl ditched you and you’re all out of options?”

“It’s not like that. Ivy, I did miss you. It felt like I’d lost a part of me when you left Earth.”

“Your brain?”

Marcus laughed. “You always were the clever one in the relationship.”

“You missed this part of you for over a year and then decided to find it all of a sudden?”

Marcus strolled around the living room, inspecting the art and furnishings. “It took me time to save up the funds to make the trip.”

“It’s cheap to come into space. The government is desperate to get people off Earth and colonize the galaxy. I bet they gave you a grant to come here.”

Marcus shrugged but didn’t meet her gaze. “Well, whatever. It took me awhile to get things sorted. I couldn’t abandon everything I had on Earth.”

“Like what?”

“You know, my businesses.”

“What shady deals are you involved in?”

Marcus chuckled. “It’s not like that. I’m a new man. A better man. That’s when I realized I needed a great woman by my side. I couldn’t think of anyone else I’d rather have than you.”

Ivy squinted at him. “What’s wrong with your nose?” His long, straight nose looked unusually puffy and red. “It looks like you’ve been punched in the face.”

Marcus gently touched his nose and grimaced. “It’s nothing.”

“You’re already making enemies. How long have you been here?”

“A couple of days.”

“This is the first time you’ve decided to come see me?”

“I got a little side-tracked. It wasn’t my fault. How was I supposed to know you couldn’t bring weed into space?”

“You’re already in trouble?”