Love Resolution

The meet and greet back at the hotel was torture. Everyone gave her a wide berth, Bryan and Marcus both staring daggers at her. She kept glancing at her watch. After she’d been there the mandatory amount of time, she slunk out.

The evening had not gone the way she’d envisioned. Far from feeling triumphant, she felt like the biggest loser. Payback had been bitter instead of sweet. She inserted her key card and rode the elevator up to their reserved floor. A couple of roadies gave her wary glances as she passed them in the hall. Yeah, it’d been a shitty day.

When she stepped inside her room and fumbled for the light switch, she suddenly found herself flattened against the wall, arms pinned at her sides.

“That was quite a performance tonight, Ace.” Marcus’ eyes glittered, reflecting the city lights framed by the open curtains out her window.

She swallowed nervously as he stared down at her.

He pressed tighter into her, rocking his hips against hers.

She moaned. Even as hurt and angry as she was, she wanted him and he felt so good.

“You moan for the boy like that?” he asked, his voice a low arrogant rumble.

She yanked her hand loose and slapped him across the cheek. Her eyes darted away and he gripped her chin turning her back to face him. His expression shadowed and possessive, he gazed down at her.

“I suppose I deserved that.” He closed his eyes. When he reopened them, his expression was softer. “I f*cked up, Avery. I f*cked up real bad. I know just telling you how sorry I am isn’t going to be enough. I realize I’ll have to prove it to you, and I will. But for now I just need to be with you.” He lowered his head, sculpted lips touching hers and moving earnestly against them.

A momentary resistance was all she managed before melting into him. “Marcus,” she breathed against his lips.

He pressed his advantage, his tongue slipping inside her mouth and plundering it. Her heart thundered and her will completely collapsed. She had committed this to memory, but the exquisite reality of it was so much...

Wetter.

Hotter.

Better.

She grabbed his shirt and pulled him tighter, matching him stroke for stroke, tasting his mouth, teasing his tongue, tracing his teeth.

“Avery,” he groaned, lifting his head and raining heated kisses down the side of her arched neck. His hands grazed the sides of her breasts as they moved lower. She felt corresponding swirling sensations low in her belly in response.

This was so, so good.

And so, so dangerous.

No.

“No, Marcus” Reaching deep inside, she found her resolve again. She pushed against his chest. “What kind of idiot do you think I am?” Warm tears leaked out of the corners of her closed eyes. “The things you did…The things you said. There’s no taking any of that back.” She struggled against his solid strength.

“I don’t accept that.” He locked his arms. “I can make you forget.”

“The drinking.”

“I’ve quit.”

“For now,” she replied, shaking her head.

“Forever.”

“Forever’s a long time.”

“It sure as hell will be without you.”

A loud knock sounded at the door.

“Avery, you still awake?” JR called from the hallway.

Marcus released her.

Breath ragged, she avoided his eyes and practically ran to the door.

He put a hand over hers, stopping her before she opened it. “This isn’t over,” he said softly near her ear. “I’m getting you back in my life where you belong, and I’m giving you advance notice that I’m not gonna fight fair. Whatever it takes, that’s what I’ll do.” Taking her gently by the shoulders, he turned her around and ghosted the pad of his calloused thumb down her jaw line. “You belong to me.”

He opened the door for her and acknowledged JR with a chin dip.

“Marcus.” JR’s brow rose as Brutal Strength’s enigmatic front man stepped past him down the hall. JR turned back to her with a look of confusion. “What’s going on?”

“Why are you here JR?” She touched her swollen lips with the tip of her tongue, tasting Marcus there.

“I need your help,” he said, squeezing her shoulder. “Can I come in?”