Love Resolution - By Michelle Mankin Page 0,76

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 fucked up, Avery. I fucked 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?”

The next morning, through mirrored sunglasses, Marcus watched Avery from across the plane. She’d once again transformed into her standard garb.

Thank God.

She still looked sexy to him. He found himself imagining what she might be wearing underneath.

Without disengaging from her conversation with Sam, her gaze flicked toward him. If he hadn’t been watching her so intently, he surely would have missed it. Opportunistically, he lifted his sunglasses and winked at her.

She immediately shifted, drawing her long legs up on the sectional and tucking them beneath her. ‘Hail to the Chief’ suddenly emanated from her cell phone. She glanced at it and frowned. “Hello, Mary,” she answered.

The airplane lounge suddenly went completely quiet.

“No, I haven’t seen the pictures…That won’t be necessary…Yes, Mary…ok…ok…Yes...No, I won’t wear it again.” Blushing, she ducked her head down and lowered her voice.

Marcus leaned forward to listen.

“Yes, I am seriously considering it, but for now I just want to focus on getting through the rest of the tour. Ok… Will do.” She hung up and leveled her gaze at Sam. “Did you know Mary was going to call me this morning?”

“I wasn’t sure.” Sam shrugged. “But with those pictures of you in the bar floating around I knew it was only a matter of time.”

Avery sighed. A different ringtone trilled from her cell. “Crap,” she muttered.

“Who is it, now?” Sam asked.

“Marcus’ mom,” she whispered.

“Shit,” Dwight exclaimed.

Marcus cringed.

“Hello, Rheta,” Avery started. “Yes…No, are you sure? …I