Page 67 of The Spare
I traced my finger nervously up his chest, and he wrapped his arms around my waist to pull me closer. “You’ve been pining for me.”
He nodded. “Something like that.”
I nodded and pressed a short kiss on his lips, hoping to soothe the pain I knew he’d silently endured.
“Why’d you wear that red dress to the gala?” His thumbs stroked either side of my back.
I grinned. I wanted him to see me in it. I wanted him to want me the way I wanted him. “Maybe you’re not the only one who’s been pining.”
His light chuckle eased all the pain of the last week. I chewed on my lip and asked the question he still hadn’t fully answered. By now, I knew. “Why’d you leave?”
He swallowed hard and looked down. “Work.” He exhaled a large sigh. “And I couldn’t watch you with anyone else. Everything became easier further away. I figured it would pass.”
My chest ached at the truth of it all.
“Don’t do it again.” Tears welled at the sides of my eyes, and he kissed them away.
“If I knew back then that you—” His voice shook for a millisecond before he reined it in. His hands moved back up my sides to cup my face. “I am never letting you go.”
He kissed me again. This time, his arms supported the weight of my body when the trembling became overwhelming. It went on for what felt like hours. We only stopped when we heard a couple of knocks on the door and a note slipped underneath.
The self-assured smirk that made me melt was back. He gave me a final peck. We parted, and I leaned down to read the note.
Things are covered here. Have fun.
Pen
“Penelope cleared your schedule; you’re done for the day.”
The grin that spread across my face refused containment. “Where are we going?”
“Not far.”
* * *
The car pulled up to the airport's private hangar, where I saw the Sutton jet ready to go. “Not far?”
“Not far, relatively speaking.”
“Relative to?”
“The moon?” The lightness in his voice made me laugh. He pulled his arm around me and kissed my head.
“You’re really not going to tell me?”
“Sloan, please.” Marcus was being unreasonably patient, even after I bothered him about it between kisses in the car. He kept the kissing tamer than the last time we were in a town car together. His hands stayed on my hips or caressed my face, but nowhere else. I was getting impatient, and he was finding way too many ways to postpone sex. “Relinquish control for a few hours.”
“Have we met?” I flicked a glance up at him as we walked to the jet. “And are you really one to talk about control?”
He smiled. “You’re right.”
“You’re being verypatient.” We got on board, and I took the seat beside him. He pressed a kiss against my lips and didn’t attempt anything more.
He read my deflated expression. “It’skillingme. But I want to do this right.”
I knew what we had was different than the short flings of his past, but hearing it helped pacify the insecurity.
“What if I didn’t come with you?”
