Her Tender Tyrant (4 page)

After that last kiss, he didn’t really care all that much though.

The following evening, his phone rang and he looked down at the caller ID before answering. “I’m not talking to you,” Marcus said, rubbing his forehead.

Antonio chuckled. Just like Dylan the previous call, Antonio was immune to his older brother’s jibes. Antonio was the youngest of all five, but still just as big and just as annoying. Probably more annoying than the others because he had more years to learn at the hands of his older siblings. “Sure you are, big brother. Why on earth would you want to ignore me?”

“Because you’re going to tell me that Mom asked you to call and check in on me.”

“Of course she did. Now why would Mom think you were being rude and inconsiderate?” Antonio asked.

Marcus leaned back in the enormous leather chair and propped his feet up on the desk. “Possibly because I’m a rude and inconsiderate ass and she knows it.” He watched as Juliette paused as she walked by the office doorway. It was only a momentary pause but he’d caught it. And smiled at it.

“Well, yes. There is that. But Dylan mentioned it could have something to do with a lovely house guest that you also might need rescuing from. If she’s half as pretty as what Dylan was implying, I’ll be there in a half hour.”

Marcus’ feet dropped to the floor with a thud. “No need,” he practically growled. “Besides, you have that stupid conference this week. You can’t give it all up just to come out here and babysit.”

Antonio laughed, realizing that he’d finally gotten a rise out of his brother. “For a beautiful woman, there’s no end to the amount of sacrifice I am willing to make.”

Marcus was furious. Dylan should have kept his mouth shut. “Just go to your damn conference, Antonio. If you show up here, I guarantee that you won’t like the consequences.”

Antonio laughed hard and long at that threat. “She’s that pretty, eh?” he finally said when he was back under control.

“Just stay out of it,” Marcus growled. With that, he ended the call. He was glaring at the phone when a feminine voice broke through his frustrating thoughts.

“So it isn’t just me that you’re rude to. You’re rude to everyone.”

Marcus looked up and saw the lovely woman in question and instantly his body reacted, hardening to the point that he was sincerely grateful for the large, wooden desk his father used. “Actually, I’m only rude to a select few who have earned my wrath.” He watched as her lovely, pale cheeks flared with color at the direct hit.

“No wonder you’re still single,” she snapped.

“Ah, but you’re going to turn me into a love sick puppy, aren’t you?”

“Only so I can put a leash around your neck!” she retorted quickly. And with that, she spun around and walked out, her cute butt swishing invitingly. Unfortunately, the really frustrating part was that she probably had no idea what she was actually inviting! Damn woman!

Sitting back in his father’s chair, he went through the papers and tried to organize his desk himself. He had a lot of work to do and didn’t have time to get Linda down here. Besides, she was in Paris making sure everything worked smoothly there.

Okay, and perhaps he didn’t want anyone else in the house while he…what was he doing? What exactly was his goal where Juliette was concerned?

Hell, he didn’t know. He could look at a corporate spreadsheet and figure out a ten year plan for exponential profit growth. He could take a flailing company and turn it around in less time than it took some people to choose a new car. And women? In general, he considered himself luckier than most. He could charm and make a woman swoon with very little effort.

But Juliette was a mystery to him. She wasn’t his normal type. She hid from him constantly, and when she was around him, she was either timid and trembling or she was sparking his temper to new heights.

There was just something about her. His eyes searched for glimpses of her soft, lush body all day long and he listened for sounds of her in the kitchen to make sure she was eating properly and he couldn’t get to sleep until he knew that she was in bed. He’d seen the light under her door and knew she would either work or study late into the night, but she was always gone by the time he woke up each morning.

His phone rang and he answered it abruptly. “What?” he snapped, irritated to be disturbed while he tried to devise a plan about what to do with his Juliette.

“Whoa,” a feminine voice said through the phone. “I read in the paper that you’re still the Wall Street guy of the year. Word on the street is that you got that company everyone else was fighting for, so why are you such a grouch?” Adriana said. Adriana was his older sister by six years but she was already married with two adorable kids, Ella who was now fourteen and in high school, a fact which made him cringe as he thought back to his high school days and how he’d lured the pretty girls into his clutches, and Zane, an up and coming computer hacker who had just turned eleven. Thankfully, his dad was onto his little hobby and had channeled his efforts into more legal avenues. Both Ella and Zane were too smart for this world, he thought with a smile.

Marcus rubbed his face again, thinking that he really needed to shave. “Mom invited this woman to study the horses for the next week or so.”

“And she’s getting in the way of you taking over the world?” Adriana teased.

Marcus looked out the window and saw Juliette’s jeans-clad butt leaning against the stone wall outside the kitchen. How the hell had she gotten out of the house without him hearing her? “Um, no. Just the opposite. I barely know where she is most of the time.” A fact which really irritated him.

“And you, being the control freak that you are, want to know where she is?”

Marcus sighed when Juliette moved behind the outdoor fireplace and he couldn’t see her any longer. “I’m not a control freak,” he argued, but he turned away from the window. He wasn’t a control freak. He let things go. Just like he’d let Juliette go earlier tonight. Not voluntarily, in her case. But still….

“Of course you are,” she laughed. “But that’s not why I’m calling. I’m sending you pictures of our newest nephew, Grayson. He’s very sweet and huge, coming in at nine pounds, one ounce. Davis is exhausted and thrilled while Kate is beaming with happiness and thankful that she is no longer pregnant with an Alfieri boy.”

Marcus pressed a button on his computer and smiled at the infant that popped onto his screen. “He’s awesome,” he grumbled. “I can’t wait to get down to Texas to meet him.”

“Yeah, he’s pretty adorable.”

“Want another one?” Marcus asked.

He could hear her shudder all the way across the country. “No way. I have my two little darlings. I know what it is like to carry a baby that big and I told Mitch after Zane was born that there was no way I would go through that again.”

Marcus laughed – a hearty, rich sound that filled the room. “I’m sure your delicate body was tortured during the whole process.”

Adriana made a rude sound. “Don’t you ever call me delicate, baby bro. I have proven repeatedly that I can hold my own around you brutes.”

Marcus laughed. “Fair point,” he replied, thinking back on all the times she’d ingeniously played pranks on him and his brothers after they’d tried something on her. She might not be as big as they were, but she was evil in her retribution.

“Hey, if you need a break, I can come up there for a while and take care of the horses. I know that you like to work eighteen to twenty hours a day and, without Linda around, you’re probably…”

“I’m fine,” he interrupted. Now, why did the idea of Adriana taking over his house-sitting responsibilities make him angrier than he had been at the sight of Juliette hiding from him? “No need to cut your vacation short.”

“It’s no problem. I wouldn’t mind riding Star,” she commented, referring to the black horse with the white spot on its forehead that their mother kept around to ride.

“Nope. I’ve got it,” he told her. “I’m all set up here anyway so it would cause more of a disruption if you were to interrupt the process.” That was a whopper of a lie if he’d ever told one. Looking around, he thought he might just pull his hair out if he didn’t get some sort of organization going here.

“Well, take a breather. I know you and, without Linda, you’re swimming in chaos.”

“Will do,” he said, thinking about perhaps heading down to the stables and going for an evening ride. “Maybe I’ll hop on Brutus and give him some exercise.”

“Take Star out as well. I know Mom likes to ride her most of the time so she hasn’t been ridden in a few days. Star gets stubborn if she doesn’t go and sprint across the fields regularly.”

“Just like some other women I know,” he mumbled.

“What’s that?”

Marcus focused again on the conversation. “Um…nothing. Yes. I’ll make sure Star goes out for a ride as well. Keep sending me pictures, okay? And tell Zane that the software he built for me is great.”

Adriana groaned. “Will do. Only if you promise to show him more martial arts moves when you see him again.”

“It’s a deal,” he agreed with a laugh. Zane was a voracious learner, wanting to know anything and everything. Ella was the same, but she was more into girl stuff. A fluffier lady, he’d never met. Maybe all girls go through that stage when they start high school though. What did he know? His only objective in high school was kissing them. He cringed when he realized that his efforts towards understanding women hadn’t progressed very far. Now, his goal was to bed them.

Once again, his eyes strayed to the window, trying to get a glimpse of one woman in particular that he wouldn’t mind spending a few hours, or days, in bed with.

Juliette licked the spoon before tossing it into the sink. When the timer went off, she slipped her hand into the oven mitt, bending over to pull the next tray of cookies out of the oven. It was so nice to have a few days in the house alone! Marcus had flown to Paris two days ago and she’d heard that he wasn’t coming back until tomorrow. She hadn’t slept so well since their first confrontation. It was disturbing to know that the big guy was only a wall away from her. And he disturbed her even in her dreams! The man was a menace!

But boy could he kiss! She’d never experienced anything like his kiss from the other men she’d dated.

Juliette pushed that thought out of her mind, refusing to let him intrude on her solitude. She might have been able to avoid seeing him over the past few days, but that didn’t mean she wasn’t painfully aware of his presence in the house. She’d finally gotten a good night’s sleep but was now up before the sun was even thinking about rising over the trees. A great time to make cookies!

“Perfect!” she said to herself, using the spatula to slide them off of the cookie tray to the cooling rack.

Dancing over to the island, she spooned out a new batch of cookies that would be ready when the buzzer went off next time.

Upstairs, Marcus opened his eyes, his mind sifting through the possible reasons there would be noise in the house at this hour and came up blank. Does the woman ever sleep? Normally, he would be a gentleman but the woman was constantly on his mind lately and she was keeping him awake even when she was sleeping soundly in Adriana’s room. His mind couldn’t seem to shut off the fantasies of his hands on that cute butt or his fingers exploring her full, soft breasts. He’d gotten a taste that first night of how soft they felt and he wanted more. He’d finally shut off his mind, and his body, around…he looked at the clock…an hour ago. And now the little lady was once again making noise, disturbing his sleep.

He’d escaped to Paris, trying to put some space between himself and the almost painful temptation to toss her over his shoulder and carry her up to his bed, to make love to her and discover all of her secrets. But even in Paris, he couldn’t concentrate. He discovered after only two days that he had to be back at his parents’ house, watching for even the slightest glimpse of her, needing to see her even if he couldn’t touch her.

So what the hell was his little temptress doing now? He threw off the covers, furious at what he perceived as a deliberate attempt from her to drive him completely nuts with the need to spank her adorable butt. It was five o’clock in the damn morning. What could she possibly be doing to make so much noise?!

If he’d had a bit more sleep or perhaps if his body wouldn’t instantly spring to life at just the thought of her somewhere in the house, he might not be so furious. And if he’d been in his right mind, he would acknowledge that she wasn’t really making a whole lot of noise. But since it was still dark outside and she aroused him to the point that he was completely out of control of his own body, he was not just angry. He was livid.

He was just about to storm out of the bedroom when he realized that he was stark naked. Grabbing a pair of jeans, he stuffed his legs into them, zipping them up even while he stalked down the hallway.

When he reached the kitchen, he stopped, frozen in his tracks as he took in the sight. It wasn’t just that she was cooking. The lights were dim in the kitchen and the oven pinged, letting him, and her, know that whatever was in there was finished. But the smell of vanilla and chocolate in addition to her delightful, soft body clad in only pajama bottoms that hung low on her hips and a camisole that definitely wasn’t doing a very good job of concealing anything, struck him hard! Okay, so she’d also pulled a larger shirt on but she hadn’t closed it. So he could see those breasts which had featured in so many of his dreams.

His body, already aching after that kiss the other night and the unfulfilled promise of her softness against his erection, sprung fully to life, ready to act on the erotic scene in front of him.

Never in his wildest imagination would he ever have thought that making cookies was an erotic scene but here he was, rock hard, hands fisted by his sides and every instinct inside of him begging him to toss her over his shoulder, carry her up to his bed and make love to her until she was screaming for the same release he was praying for.

He watched with increasing fury as she bent down, the ridiculous large shirt floating around her so that he saw that damn camisole again – and what was underneath it – and his head pounded with lust. Lust that came out as a volcanic fury.

“What the hell do you think you’re doing?” he demanded in a growling, almost yell. A split second later, cookies went flying and he heard a yelp, but he was still too caught up in the scene to understand what was happening.

Juliette had thought she was alone, thought she’d been super quiet. But when she heard that voice, knew who it belonged to, she freaked. She’d been pulling the latest batch of cookies out of the oven and her arms flung outward. Cookies flew every which way, cookie tray clattered to the tile floor and her yelp of surprise was barely heard above the chaotic din.

“What are you doing?!” she screamed at him when her eyes could focus. “You’re supposed to be in Paris!”

“Well I’m not, and that’s what I’m asking you!” he yelled right back, hands fisted on his hips. “Why did you feel the need to make cookies at this hour? Are you trying to drive me insane?”

“You’re already insane,” she yelled right back at him. “And I’m baking because it soothes me. I couldn’t sleep. I bake when I’m upset. So get out of here and…put some clothes on!”

He looked down at his bare chest and jeans. “I’m clothed. Enough.” He growled.

“No you’re not! Get a shirt!” she yelled, trying to pull her eyes away from him.

“I’m a guy. I don’t need to wear a shirt.”

“Oh yea? Well how would you like it if I walked around here without a shirt!” she yelled right back at him, realizing after the words were out of her mouth how ridiculous the threat really was.

“I’d love it! Now stop making the damn cookies and go to bed! Or next time you can’t sleep, I’m going to help you with my solution to sleeping! And I can damn well guarantee that neither of us will have any stress when I’m finished!” He spun around and walked out of the kitchen. When he was at the doorway, he turned around and stomped back to the counter where all of the cookies were laid out, cooling down. He grabbed three of them, stuffed one in his mouth and walked away.

Juliette watched in amazement as he walked away. She actually reached up to touch her mouth.

Just checking for drool, she told herself.

Stop staring! The admonishment didn’t work. Her eyes were glued to his bare back, her body tingling all over at the idea of touching that smooth, tanned skin with all of the fascinating ridges and muscles underneath. Oh goodness, she’d really woken up a sleeping tiger. In more ways than one, she thought.

Grabbing a cookie herself, she devoured it and two more before she realized what she was doing. “Ugh!” she thought, thinking of those ten pounds she had been trying desperately hard to lose. “He’s not helping,” she growled.

She turned off the oven and cleaned up the kitchen. She stored all the cookies in a plastic container, sitting out on the counter so that hopefully the big guy would eat more of them than her. Then she headed upstairs to her bedroom, using the back staircase so she wouldn’t have to walk by Marcus. He seemed to be camped out in the office twenty-four hours a day. The man worked like a demon, she thought.

And what was he doing back here anyway? He wasn’t supposed to be back yet!

She quickly showered and dried off, forcing her mind to think of her thesis and not the man theoretically sleeping one wall away. She was pushing to get her work done quickly so that she could move out of this house, away from the temptation of a man that was rude and inconsiderate. And who tempted…No! She was not tempted by the man! She could admire him physically and not as a person, she told herself. He was just…mean!

She pulled on a pair of jeans and a sweater, not even noticing which one, just trying to hurry so she could be out of the house before he woke up again. Her strategy for getting out before he came back downstairs each morning had worked out well before he’d gone off to Paris. She just needed to be more aware of when he might be returning when he went on these trips.

She spent several hours working on her notes, building up her argument and…okay, so she was avoiding Marcus. After this morning’s confrontation, her body actually trembled just at the thought of seeing him again.

Before leaving her bedroom later that day, she stopped and listened at the doorway. She simply could not run into Marcus. She wasn’t sure her body could deal with seeing his big, huge, muscular body one more time today. Especially after being treated to his bare chest and that scrumptious back.

Juliette leaned her head against the doorway, trying to get her heart rate back under control and pretend like her breathing rate hadn’t just doubled at the memory of that bare chest. And the….

Juliette groaned and turned around. Maybe a cold shower? They hadn’t worked so far, but she was at a loss as to what to do. The man was a menace! Never had any man made her mind and body go so crazy! She’d thought she was immune to men! Not so when Marcus strutted in anywhere.

When she finally thought she had herself back under control, she turned the knob and opened the door slightly. Silence!

Maybe he was still sleeping. She could hope! Or maybe he was in that office. He was always in that office! The man needed a break…

Get out of this house, she told herself.

She pulled her bag higher onto her shoulder and walked down the back stairs, determined to be with the horses. Those sweet animals made sense to her. Or they were starting to make sense. Butch and Dennis were a huge help and she enjoyed talking with those old-timers. They knew so much about the horses, she couldn’t have observed half of the nuances of the herd without their skilled eyes to point things out.

Marcus leaned against the table in the great room, watching as she tip toed down the back stairs. So this was how she was getting out every day. He almost laughed at how oblivious he’d been to not think of it before now. And damn, she looked cute trying to sneak out the back. He’d done this so many times, she was actually an amateur.

“You’re going out to observe again?” Marcus asked, chuckling when she jumped about a foot in the air. She certainly was high strung.

He wrapped his hands around the large mug of coffee, trying to hide his desire to lift her into his arms and carry her upstairs to his bedroom to make love to her until she couldn’t argue with him anymore. Damn he wanted her! Why the hell did she have to go out and watch the horses in jeans that tight? And a sweater? What’s wrong with a giant sweatshirt? She’d look perfect in a sweatshirt! A big, huge sweatshirt that wouldn’t allow him to notice those soft, full breasts or her tiny waist. And sweatpants! Yep, sweatpants wouldn’t allow him to notice how long her legs were. She was too short to have legs that long, wasn’t she?

Juliette picked her bag up and sighed, wishing she could come up with a zinger that would put him in his place. Kissing him popped to mind. Yes, wouldn’t it really shock him if she just reached up…well, dragged a chair over to him so she could reach him before kissing him.

“What?” he asked when she continued to stare up at him.

Juliette jerked, standing up straight and shaking her head, trying to knock the idea of kissing him out of her mind. “Sorry,” she whispered, looking down into her bag. She knew that everything was there, but it gave her a way to hide the blush rushing into her cheeks. “Um…yes.” She pulled her notebook out and flipped several pages until she came to a clean sheet. “What disabled, defenseless company are you buying up to today?”

He realized that his coffee mug was empty and took a soda out of the fridge and popped the top. It wasn’t even that he wanted the soda; he just needed something to do with his hands to keep himself from grabbing her around the waist and pulling her against him. Not a good plan, he told himself firmly. No matter how soft and inviting she looked, she was bad news. The worst kind of female. She was the kind that got under a man’s skin and drove him crazy. Case in point, he was standing here with a soda when he rarely drank soda!

“No companies to buy up today, but I’m always on the lookout if I find a good company that will fit in with my network.”

“And don’t even worry about the employees who lose their jobs because of your takeover.”

Marcus shrugged his shoulders. “First of all, I buy up two different kinds of companies.” He looked down into her pretty, brown eyes, noticing the darker brown around the edges for the first time. He mentally shook his head, trying to remember what they were talking about. Oh, yeah. She was deriding his business model. Can’t take that. Not from a little woman like Juliette. “The first kind, which are usually the most lucrative, just so you know, are the companies that are about to go out of business. So when I come in and buy them up, incorporate them into my other holdings, it actually saves thousands of jobs.”

“Except for the people who have redundant positions, right?”

He shrugged again. “Yes. That’s the way of the world. There are some people who are going to be hurt but I save the majority of the jobs.”