quivering with a lingering passion, brushed his. “I love you.”
Marcus did not respond to her declaration of love. Theonly time Enid told him that she loved him was in the throes of passion. When, he wondered, would she ever tell him that she loved him out of bed?
He held Enid until his heart settled back to a normal rhythm, then he eased her down to the mattress. Resting an arm over her waist, he pulled her closer.
“Thank you for dessert,” he crooned against the nape of her neck.
Enid smiled. “How would you like dessert every night next week?”
Marcus went completely still. “Why the change of heart, darling? Wasn’t it you that said you can’t put up with a man for more than two consecutive nights?”
“Don’t forget I lived with you for six weeks following nine-eleven.”
“That’s because you didn’t want to stay here. Would you want me to live with you for six weeks?”
Shifting, she turned to face him. “Why don’t we try it?”
He stared at her thoroughly kissed mouth. “Try what?”
“Living together. You don’t work the summers, so we can stay here during the week and go to your place on the weekends.”
Marcus gave Enid a long, penetrating stare. “Are you trying to fuck with my head?”
She placed her fingertips over his mouth. “No, darling. And please don’t curse at me.”
“Don’t tell me what to say, Enid. I’m not your son.”
“And I don’t want to be your mother, Marcus. At least not one who would sleep with her son.”
The seconds ticked off as they stared at each other in what was certain to become an impasse.
“Okay,” Marcus conceded. “We’ll live together this summer.” Lowering his head, he kissed her fragrant hair. “I don’t want to fight with you, baby.”
“Nor I you,” she countered softly.
“Sweetheart?”
“Yes, darling.”
“I love you.”
Enid pressed her face to his chest rather than let him see the tears welling up in her eyes. He loved her and she loved him. But what were they going to do with their love?
She lay in bed with Marcus until he fell asleep. Then she left the bed and showered before returning to the kitchen to clean up the remains of dinner. The evidence of Marcus’s lovemaking was stamped on her body like a tattoo. The dress she planned to wear to Saturday’s soiree would have to be replaced with one that covered her throat.
Her expression brightened when she thought of one she’d bought in Hong Kong. It would be the perfect outfit in which to welcome her exotic jewels.
CHAPTER 18
“L adies, how are you this fine evening?” crooned the tall blond man dressed entirely in black and wearing an earpiece in his left ear. He stood outside the entrance to the Soho loft.
Faye smiled, handing him the invitations as he signaled for another man standing inside the building’s lobby to open the door.
Alana flashed the solidly built black man with a shaved head and goatee her winning smile. “Thank you.” Her sultry voice had dropped an octave.
His impassive expression did not change. “The elevator will be down in a minute.”
The doors to the elevator chimed open and another man, also in the somber color, motioned to them. As he reached out to hold the door, Faye saw a bulge of a firearm under his left arm. “Please come in, ladies.”
She exchanged a knowing glance with Alana as they walked into the elevator. The men in black were obviously bodyguards. The doors closed, the car rising quietly, swiftly, and seconds later the doors opened again, and they stepped into a glass-enclosed penthouse garden.
As Enid watched Faye Ogden and her friend walk confidently into the penthouse, a knowing smile parted her lips. At the same time, conversations stopped, heads turned, necks craned and gazes were trained on the two newcomers.
Faye Ogden was exquisite in a sheer gunmetal-gray sheath dress lined in black silk with shimmering floral beaded designs from neckline to hem; the flattering garment ended at her
Marcus did not respond to her declaration of love. Theonly time Enid told him that she loved him was in the throes of passion. When, he wondered, would she ever tell him that she loved him out of bed?
He held Enid until his heart settled back to a normal rhythm, then he eased her down to the mattress. Resting an arm over her waist, he pulled her closer.
“Thank you for dessert,” he crooned against the nape of her neck.
Enid smiled. “How would you like dessert every night next week?”
Marcus went completely still. “Why the change of heart, darling? Wasn’t it you that said you can’t put up with a man for more than two consecutive nights?”
“Don’t forget I lived with you for six weeks following nine-eleven.”
“That’s because you didn’t want to stay here. Would you want me to live with you for six weeks?”
Shifting, she turned to face him. “Why don’t we try it?”
He stared at her thoroughly kissed mouth. “Try what?”
“Living together. You don’t work the summers, so we can stay here during the week and go to your place on the weekends.”
Marcus gave Enid a long, penetrating stare. “Are you trying to fuck with my head?”
She placed her fingertips over his mouth. “No, darling. And please don’t curse at me.”
“Don’t tell me what to say, Enid. I’m not your son.”
“And I don’t want to be your mother, Marcus. At least not one who would sleep with her son.”
The seconds ticked off as they stared at each other in what was certain to become an impasse.
“Okay,” Marcus conceded. “We’ll live together this summer.” Lowering his head, he kissed her fragrant hair. “I don’t want to fight with you, baby.”
“Nor I you,” she countered softly.
“Sweetheart?”
“Yes, darling.”
“I love you.”
Enid pressed her face to his chest rather than let him see the tears welling up in her eyes. He loved her and she loved him. But what were they going to do with their love?
She lay in bed with Marcus until he fell asleep. Then she left the bed and showered before returning to the kitchen to clean up the remains of dinner. The evidence of Marcus’s lovemaking was stamped on her body like a tattoo. The dress she planned to wear to Saturday’s soiree would have to be replaced with one that covered her throat.
Her expression brightened when she thought of one she’d bought in Hong Kong. It would be the perfect outfit in which to welcome her exotic jewels.
CHAPTER 18
“L adies, how are you this fine evening?” crooned the tall blond man dressed entirely in black and wearing an earpiece in his left ear. He stood outside the entrance to the Soho loft.
Faye smiled, handing him the invitations as he signaled for another man standing inside the building’s lobby to open the door.
Alana flashed the solidly built black man with a shaved head and goatee her winning smile. “Thank you.” Her sultry voice had dropped an octave.
His impassive expression did not change. “The elevator will be down in a minute.”
The doors to the elevator chimed open and another man, also in the somber color, motioned to them. As he reached out to hold the door, Faye saw a bulge of a firearm under his left arm. “Please come in, ladies.”
She exchanged a knowing glance with Alana as they walked into the elevator. The men in black were obviously bodyguards. The doors closed, the car rising quietly, swiftly, and seconds later the doors opened again, and they stepped into a glass-enclosed penthouse garden.
As Enid watched Faye Ogden and her friend walk confidently into the penthouse, a knowing smile parted her lips. At the same time, conversations stopped, heads turned, necks craned and gazes were trained on the two newcomers.
Faye Ogden was exquisite in a sheer gunmetal-gray sheath dress lined in black silk with shimmering floral beaded designs from neckline to hem; the flattering garment ended at her
Similar Books
