Chapter Sixteen
Maggie knocked on Marc’s hotel room door and jumped when he answered so quickly. He smiled at her like he was relieved to see her.
He hooked his hand at the back of her neck, drew her close, and kissed her like a man who hadn’t seen his love in years.
At first, she kept her hand planted on his chest, but feeling the galloping pace of his heart and the passion he poured into the kiss, she sank into him and gave in to the way he always made her feel.
Or was it the way he wanted her to feel so they could skip over the part where he’d lied to her and go right back to the way things usually were between them?
She pushed him back into the room, breaking the kiss in the process. It allowed her some time and space to think about why she was really here.
Marc picked up a huge bouquet of red roses from the entry table and held them up to her. “I’m sorry. I should have told you I knew Rose from before we met. I should have said something the second I spotted her in the pictures in your apartment.”
“Why didn’t you? We could have avoided all of this.”
Marc held out his hands and let them drop back and slap his thighs. “This what?”
“The lies for one,” she snapped.
“It’s one lie,” he grumbled. “And I did it for you.” He sighed out his frustration, then held her gaze, his eyes earnest. “I didn’t want you to get all weird every time you saw me and Rose together. I didn’t want it to come between us. Not when things were going so well, and definitely not now when we’re about to get married.” He took her hand and squeezed it. “Because I love you, Maggie.”
“And?”
He cocked his head. “And what?”
Unsure exactly what she was waiting for, she didn’t say anything.
“Damnit, Maggie.” He let go of her hand and held his out to his sides. “I’m a guy. If I can avoid an argument with a woman, I’m going to avoid it, because I can’t win.” He dropped his hands and his shoulders sagged.
“It’s not about winning. It’s about being honest.”
“You want honest. Okay. Here it is. I slept with Rose. I had a good time. She had multiple good times. She woke up the next morning and left. I never saw her again until I walked into the bar to meet you, my fiancée, the woman I want to marry and have a life with. Do I feel anything when I see her? No. Because I’m in love with you. I want you to be my wife and the mother of our kids. I want us to have everything we dreamof having together. And I’m not going to let one night with a woman I barely knew, who happened to turn out to be the love of my life’s best friend, spoil it for us. Are you?”
She took in his frustration and determination mixed with the plea underscoring his words and answered, “No. I want to be a wife and a mom. I want the life we planned.”
“Then why are we arguing about Rose? She’s with Gray. For now. And I plan on being very happy with you.” He cupped her face and kissed her softly. “Tell me you love me. I need to hear you say it.”
“I’m upset you lied. And I also know you cheated on your girlfriend with Rose.”
“I was an asshole. And then I met you and I realized that loving you meant more than anything to me. There is no one else for me. All I want is you.”
She’d heard Gray talk to Rose just like this and wanted it for herself, and here was Marc, his heart open, telling her everything she wanted to hear. “I do love you.”
“Good. Because I am so in love with you, and all I want to do now is show you how much.” He kissed her as he turned her into the small sitting area and backed her toward the big king-sized bed.
“Maybe we should wait until our wedding night,” she suggested, just to taunt him.
He eyed her with a smirk tilting his lips. “Stop talking, baby.”
“Make me.”
He dipped low, hooked his hands around the backs of herthighs below her ass, lifted her, and tossed her on her butt on the bed, then followed her down until she was flat on her back and under him.
She laughed, but he stopped it with a deep kiss that stole her breath. He lifted his head long enough to say, “I can’t wait to call you my wife.” He dove back in for another searing kiss.
She felt his words rush through her on the wave of passion he poured over her. There was no room for doubts or anger or anything else but this amazing feeling rushing through her. This was how things had always been between them. Overwhelming in the best way. Filled with heat and passion. And a desire to share all of it with each other.
Time got away from them as clothes came off, one orgasm rolled into another until they were lying in each other’s arms, a fine sheen of sweat covering their skin, their breaths coming in short, fast pants, and everything felt like it was right again.