Passion and Surrender (The Billionaire's Temptation Book 6) (10 page)

Chapter Thirteen

With Harper at his side, Marshall slipped his hand down to the small of her back, letting it settle there as they walked around the conference. Even though they were there to work, he found himself needing some sort of physical connection to her, since he was still hard for her from earlier.

He just couldn’t get the vision of her draped over his lap out of his head, the porcelain skin of her plump ass marked red with his handprints. It left him desperate to find an empty room where he could take her hard against the wall, or maybe skip the conference altogether and drag her back up to their room.

“Wow. I had no idea it’d be so busy.” She looked up at him with a smile before taking another look around. He didn’t think Harper had been to many conferences at all, let alone one related to the adult novelty industry. “There are some…interesting things here.”

“That’s a bit of an understatement, Ms. Jones.” There was everything from sex toys to adult entertainment, lingerie to kink and fetish—and everything in between. Many were dressed in casual business attire, but there were far more who were scantily clad at best, especially when dealing with the adult film industry. Though Harper was far less innocent than he’d first thought her to be, he had to wonder how comfortable she was with some of the stuff on display. “We’ll just wander for now. See if anything looks interesting. And if any ideas come to you, make sure you tell me right away so we can jot it down and revisit it later, since it’s too easy for ideas to come and go so quickly that they can be impossible to recall once it slips your mind.”

She grabbed his arm with a huge smile, her grey eyes alight with excitement so they flickered with sparks of blue. “
I know exactly what you mean
. It seems like I always get ideas while I’m in the shower or just as I’m falling asleep. I have to keep a pad of paper by my bedside. And did you know they make pads of waterproof paper? It’s an absolutely brilliant idea, if you ask me.”

Loving her enthusiasm, he pulled her close and kissed her forehead, not caring if anyone saw them—and someone most certainly did. “Fuck. Claire…what the hell are you doing here?”

His ex swaggered over to them on precariously high heels with daggers in her eyes aimed at Harper, as Marshall stood there with his arm still around her waist. And though Claire looked like she always had with bleached blonde locks, perfectly applied makeup, and a skin-hugging designer dress that showed off far too much of what she had to offer, she suddenly looked fake and overdone, compared to Harper’s natural and easy beauty. “Why wouldn’t I be here, Marshall? After all, you
are
my husband—and I want to stay on top of things for when Clio’s mine.”

Marshall’s temper had him seeing red. He took a step forward so he towered over her, even as Harper tugged on his arm, begging him to leave it. “That’s never going to happen. I’ll fucking burn Clio to the ground before I ever give any of it over to you.”

“Is that a threat, Marshall?” Claire was forced to take a step back, her eyes going wide for a moment as if she hadn’t expected to piss him off. In truth, he’d never had much of a temper, but she was finding new ways to make him angry.

“Take it any way you want, Claire. But Clio will never end up in your cheating, money-grubbing hands.” He’d had enough, his anger like poison in his veins, every muscle tense. He grabbed Harper’s hand and turned to go, but Claire clearly wasn’t done.

“
I can’t believe it
. You’re actually with
her
?” Claire threw her head back and laughed. “Marshall, I’ve got to tell you…you really have hit rock bottom. Not that I’m surprised. After all—I was always the best thing about you. And let’s face it, it’s not like this plain-Jane will be able to satisfy you—not with your edgy tastes.”

Marshall spun around, moving into her space so she was forced to step back, his hands curled into fists as he forced his words past his clenched jaw. “You could only hope to be as amazing as Harper, both in and out of the bedroom—but you’ll never be. Because I know you, Claire, and you’re nothing but a nasty and ugly conniving bitch who only cares about herself. The day I’m rid of you will be the happiest fucking day of my life.”

He left her there stammering for a comeback and stomping her foot, as he walked towards the nearest exit with Harper on his arm, needing to put some distance between himself and Claire before he did something he regretted. When they got to the lobby, he slowed to a stop and pulled Harper into his arms, cupping her face, worried about her. “Are you okay?”

“Me? Are you kidding? You’re the one who just had to go another round with Medusa.” She shook her head as if trying to clear it from all that’d just happened. “She can say all she wants about me, Marshall. I’m fine with who I am, and know better than to let nasty people drag me down.”

He loved that she wasn’t fazed by Claire’s nastiness—but he was still worried that dealing with his ex would end up being too much crazy for Harper to handle, when it’d just be easier to walk away from him and whatever it was they were doing. And if she did, it wasn’t like he could blame her. He wouldn’t wish Claire on his worst enemy.

“I need some fresh air. Do you mind if we go for a walk?” If not, he supposed dragging her up to their room to burn through some of his frustration might be a good alternative.

She nodded, and then went up onto the tips of her toes to gently kiss his cheek, her soft curves brushing against his body. “I think that’d be lovely.”

It turned out to be a gorgeous spring day. London was bustling with people, but there was a park nearby with gorgeous gardens and plenty of paths and park benches. Flowers of every color lined the walkways as trees stretched their branches overhead. But it was the smell of damp earth that calmed him, reminding him of the woods around his home where he liked to hike.

He twined his fingers with hers as they lazily walked hand in hand down the different paths, his anger a mere shadow of what it’d been with Harper’s calming presence. Steering them towards a park bench, he pulled her into his lap and wrapped his arms around her waist while he took her in, her thick mahogany hair catching the light so it shimmered red in the sunlight, and her grey eyes shifted to blue.

“You’re stunning, you know.” He couldn’t hold back the words.

Her lips quirked into a smile as she slipped her arms around his neck, her skin soft and warm. “I like that you say it as if it’s a fact.”

“That’s because it is, sweet girl. No one in their right mind would think otherwise. It’s why Claire’s so jealous of you.” Marshall needed her to know just how special she was—because she truly was, combining beauty and brains, with a personality that mixed confidence and humor with kindness. “You’re gorgeous, smart, and vibrant—genuine too. And she’s nothing but an ugly, manipulative, and greedy bitch.”

“I have to say, Marshall…you’re one of the sweetest guys I’ve met. But this thing with your ex is beyond crazy.” She cupped his cheek and then leaned in to kiss him, her lips lingering on his as she shifted in his lap, making him hard.

“I’m sorry you’ve had to deal with her. But I promise, I’ll make it up to you as soon as we get back to the hotel.” Grabbing her hips, he pulled her to him so her plump ass rode against his cock, as he bit her lip and thought about taking her once more, not just because he desperately wanted Harper, but because he wanted to eliminate any uncertainties that may exist between them after Claire’s nastiness. He couldn’t believe Claire had brought up his sexual preferences—
as if she’d ever been adventurous
.

“I’m going to hold you to that, Marshall. But work first.” She slipped off his lap with a flirty smile. “We haven’t really had a chance to check out the conference, and I need all the inspiration I can get if I have any hope at all of helping you figure out something new and innovative.”

He took her hand as they started heading back towards the hotel, and brought it to his lips. “I have no doubt you’re capable of it, whether we go to the conference or not.”

“Although…I suppose with Claire running around loose, maybe waiting isn’t a bad idea. No offense but…I can’t believe you married her.” Harper gave him a sideways glance and a shake of her head, as if she thought him insane. “Was she always like that?”

“No. Nothing like that, though it’s now clear it was all a lie from the very start.” He couldn’t believe he’d fallen for her act. That was the worst part of the whole thing.

“Marshall…do you think she’d do anything crazy? It just seems odd that she’s shown up here—and she had also been at your office again before we’d left.” Harper looked a little uneasy, as if he might get upset with her for questioning Claire’s sanity.

“She’s more vindictive than crazy—like she’s pissed off at me for catching her cheating and it’s my fault I ruined the nice gig she had going. Doctor’s wife, parties to attend, and plenty of money so she could quit her job—which is exactly what she did just a few months after we got married. Which I was fine with. She wanted to start a fashion blog, and I had my practice to deal with, so I figured it’d help keep her busy.” Except that she decided she’d rather spend her time fucking someone else while he was working, and then telling him a bunch of lies when he got home. “But what really pushed her over the edge was when the court ruled in my favor where Clio was concerned. I was ordered to pay her a small monetary amount, but Clio’s mine, even if she refuses to believe it.”

Their walking slowed to a stop as Harper turned to look at him, her brow creased with worry and her eyes clouding to a stormy grey. “She sounds delusional, Marshall. Are you sure she’s not crazy enough to do something extreme?”

He let out a deep breath and ran a rough hand through his hair, trying to figure out just how far Claire would escalate things. “I think for now, she’s just happy to keep shadowing my every move so she can make me crazy.”

“And the mole…you don’t think it’s her?” Harper crinkled her nose as if unsure about bringing up the subject and accusing his ex.

“I’ve certainly thought about it, but other than showing up to my office, the rest of Clio is under lock and key, and my idea files are password protected on my laptop and on the server at Clio. She wouldn’t have access to the sort of information that’s made it into our competitors’ hands, which means there’s someone on the inside who’s betrayed us.”

“But who would do such a thing, Marshall? I can’t even imagine someone at Clio stooping so low.” She looked genuinely worried, and it claimed a piece of his heart.

Cupping the back of her neck, he pulled her to him and pressed a kiss to her forehead. “Don’t worry about it, sweet girl. I’m looking into it as we speak.”

Chapter Fourteen

The run-in with Claire at the hotel had left Harper feeling a bit unsure about her relationship with Marshall, even if he’d done a good job of settling most of her worries. She told herself that it didn’t really matter anyway—that this thing with Marshall was nothing but a bit of fun. Except that she knew that was nothing but a lie. She was already falling for Marshall, faster and harder than was wise.

“You’re awfully quiet, sunshine.” Marshall pulled her close and pressed a kiss to her temple as they continued heading towards the hotel, the sidewalks bustling with people. “I’m worried about you.”

It was sweet of Marshall to be so concerned about her, especially when she’d felt so alone and on her own these last few years. She couldn’t really deny that she was falling for Marshall despite her best efforts to keep him at bay, and if she were being honest with herself, she wanted to push aside her worries and just live in the moment.

She wanted to enjoy herself for once—and she wanted Marshall without having to constantly second-guess herself and what they were doing. And why shouldn’t she want him? He was unlike any guy she’d ever known: sweet, smart, considerate, sexy… She might be telling herself that their timing was off and that he was her boss, but…she was tired of fighting the darkness and he might be just what she needed to finally find the light again.

With a newfound determination, she gave Marshall a smile and slipped her arm around his waist, nestling against his side as he put his arm around her shoulder. “I know you’ve been worried about me, but you know…I think I’m okay—for the first time in a long while.”

He glanced down at her with a questioning glance, as if not quite believing it, before leaning in to steal a kiss as he maneuvered them around the crowds. “I can’t tell you how happy a man that makes me, Harper. It’s nice to see you looking so…at peace.”

“We deserve to be happy, right?” Why the hell not? And now that she’d made up her mind, she was determined not to let things—like Claire’s manipulations—muck things up. She still wasn’t sure what she had with Marshall, whether it was still something casual or if it was turning into something more serious, and for once she was okay with that. She was happy to just live in the moment and enjoy what was between them—whatever that happened to be.

“We definitely deserve it—and it’s been a long time coming for the both of us.”

***

By the time they got back to the convention, it was truly in full swing, with the amount of attendees having tripled. In a way, Harper was glad for the crowds, since it allowed them to become just one of many, so that if Claire was still around, it’d be more difficult for her to find and keep track of them.

They wandered from table to table, taking in the huge selection of products on display, though much of it had nothing to do with the type of products Clio developed. And one thing was clear—as sexy as Marshall was, he could have had a damn good time if he’d come here on his own, something he no doubt was fully aware of, having attended this conference before.

She’d lost count of the number of women who’d given Marshall a head-to-toe look—and had been none too subtle about it either, even though he’d linked his fingers with hers and would regularly pull her close to say something to her or point out a product, his head bent to hers in a gesture of intimate familiarity. And each time he did, their bodies would brush against each other, reminding her of what it was like to be on the receiving end of his attention.

“Harper!”

She looked around, wondering who the hell would know her here, when she spotted her friend, Ben, moving in her direction. With a huge smile, Ben pulled her into a big hug and gave her a kiss on the cheek.

“I didn’t realize you’d be here.” Harper shifted out of Ben’s arms and introduced him to Marshall. “Ben’s actually the reason I applied to Clio. He’d heard Clio was hiring and sent me your way.”

Marshall shook his hand. “I’ll have to thank you for sending us Harper. She’s been an invaluable asset. And you’re also an engineer? For Titan?”

“I am. They wanted me along to answer any of the more technical questions people might have.” Ben looked at Marshall, bright-eyed. “So you’re the guy who started Clio.
Wow
…I’ve got to say, I’ve been a fan. Your company’s been making some great products.”

“Well, Titan’s been some of our toughest competition.” Marshall’s focus remained intently on Ben, even if he seemed pretty relaxed otherwise.

“We’ll need to catch up, Harper. Maybe grab dinner and a few drinks?” Ben gave her a far too hopeful look, clearly not realizing that Marshall was a little more than just her boss. “I hate the crowds at these sort of events, but I’m only at the table for the early shift, so I’ve got the afternoons and evenings off.”

She looked over at Marshall in apology. “I don’t think I’ll be able to get away, Ben.”

Marshall shook his head. “You should go out to dinner with your friend—maybe tomorrow?”

“Yeah…I guess. If we’re not busy.” Harper was feeling a bit confused, since Ben had clearly made no secret of his interest in her. “I’ve got your cell number. I’ll text you and let you know.”

“Perfect.” With a huge smile, he kissed her cheek, and then shook Marshall’s hand. “It was a pleasure.”

After their discussion in the park, she wasn’t quite sure why he’d try to push her into dinner with Ben, although maybe Marshall was just trying to make sure she knew that he was fine with it. Which was great that he wasn’t a controlling ass—except that she found that she really didn’t want to go if it meant being away from him.

Or was he trying to get rid of her for the evening so he could have some time to himself? Without her, he could easily have all sorts of fun and take full advantage of the trouble he could get himself into with so many willing participants vying for his attention. She didn’t think it was really the case, but so many of the women were gorgeous and clearly interested, while she’d done nothing but fight him tooth and nail—even if she’d finally come around. Maybe Claire’s dig about Harper not being able to satisfy Marshall had actually dug deeper than she thought, and she was now being paranoid.

Grabbing her hand, he led her through the crowds, though they were going too fast to really look at anything—and it was then that she realized something was up, worry snaking its way into her chest. Far too noisy to carry on any sort of real conversation, Marshall pulled her towards the lobby and into a quiet corner.

When he finally slowed to a stop and turned to her, his tone held an edge she didn’t quite understand. “How well do you know Ben?”

Her eyes narrowed at him as she tried to figure out what exactly was going on. “What do you mean? ’Cause if you’re wondering if we’d dated, the answer is yes—though it was only a handful of dates and that was about seven years ago.”

“That’s not what I meant, since it was already clear from the way he looked at you that you’d been intimate with each other at one point or another.” He shook his head, though his eyes had clouded over and he was feeling closed off, so she couldn’t really get a read on what he was thinking.

“So then…what? I don’t understand what you’re asking me.”

“Titan is one of the companies that I’m convinced has some of our designs. And…I don’t know. I guess I’m being paranoid.” He shook his head as if to clear it, letting out a deep breath as he pulled her to him and stole a sweet, lingering kiss, though she could feel the tension in his every move.

She still didn’t quite understand what he was asking her, nor did she fully understand what he was implying. But his kiss soothed her worries, leaving her standing in his arms as she tried to sort through Marshall’s suspicions. “Ben would never do something like steal our secrets—and he lives in California. I haven’t even seen him since we graduated, if you’re thinking that he somehow used me to get into Clio.”

He brushed his thumb across her cheek, his fingers tangling in her hair as he bent his head to hers, his touch warm and the closeness of his body comforting. “I’m sorry, Harper. I swear, I thought I could set aside my problems, but the whole thing with there being a mole at Clio is still making me crazy, even if I know we should be trying to enjoy the time we have here in London.”

But there was still something she just didn’t understand. “I know you have a lot on your mind, Marshall—and I get that you can’t just let it go. Finding the mole is really important. But then why suggest I go out to dinner with Ben if you suspected he might have something to do with the stolen designs?”

His brow furrowed as he took her in, cupping her cheek as his gold eyes locked on hers, the intensity of his gaze stealing her breath. “Because I wasn’t thinking straight. I hated the thought that you and Ben had been together—especially when it’s clear that he still wants you. But being jealous of you with another man also caught me off guard when I promised you I’d keep this fun and casual—although the truth is that I really do want something more serious with you.”

“Do you really? Or is it just jealousy because I’ve been intimate with Ben?” Her heart tugged at the thought, and she knew in that moment that her head might be saying she didn’t want anything but a bit of fun, but her heart was wanting a whole lot more from him. Suddenly it all felt like a giant leap to take—and it had her heart racing with a panic she was doing her best to beat into submission.

“It’d be easy to blame it on simple jealousy and not wanting anyone else to be with you. But you know that I really like you, Harper. I have from the moment you started working at Clio. Like you said, we deserve to be happy, and there’s no way I’m letting things come to an end between us once this week is over.” He tightened his hold on her, nuzzling her with his forehead bent to hers. “I can’t give you up, Harper. I want you to be mine. So if you think this is something casual that you can just walk away from, you can guess again. Because this thing between us? There’s nothing casual about it. There never was.”

And then he was kissing her, his mouth plundering hers as his hands tangled in her hair, her body coming alive as if his very touch was a live wire. Kisses turned to nips that trailed down her throat as he lifted her into his arms, her legs wrapping around his waist, ignoring the fact that they were surrounded by people. Not that she cared at that very moment, her needy whimpers refusing to be contained as he carried her through a nearby door and into the empty stairwell of the hotel.

With her legs still wrapped around his hips, he pinned her to the wall for leverage, her heart racing. Grabbing at the lace of her panties, he tore them from her body with a sharp tug, the stinging pain making her pussy gush and her head spin, as he freed his stiff cock.

She had just a moment to think of protection when he impaled her fully on his hard length, all logical thoughts vanishing in that single thrust as he claimed her like no man ever had. And then he was fucking her, fast and hard, as she clung to him, his mouth on hers, swallowing her needy cries, one thrust after another, their pace frantic and primal, spurred on by the fact that anyone could walk in on them at any moment.

Yet she could think of nothing but him, could think of nothing but coming as he sent every nerve thrumming with a building energy, his tongue darting over hers, her body trapped between his hard body and the cold wall. It was too much, too intense, and then she was crying out, coming undone in his arms as he thrust into her again and came with a grunt, his cock pulsing his cum deep inside her, their mouths and bodies locked as one.

“Fuck, Harper…I’m sorry.” With his breathing ragged, he slowly pulled out of her and lowered her legs to the floor, his cum dripping out onto her thighs, as her pulse raced.

She tried not to panic… She’d been on a low dose of the Pill for medical reasons, although she didn’t always consistently take it, even if she’d been good about it since she first started sleeping with Marshall. And then there was the little matter of unprotected sex, and the fact that his ex had been cheating on him. Yet he was a doctor…he’d have gotten himself checked, right?

She shifted her skirt down over her thighs, trying to slow her erratic pulse as he zippered his pants. “It was as much my fault as it was yours, Marshall. Just tell me…”

“I’m clean, Harper.” He cupped her cheek in his large hand, brushing his thumb over her skin, his brow creased with worry and his brown eyes dark. “I swear…I never…”

“I’m clean too—and I’m on the Pill.” She groaned, but said it anyway. “Sort of.”

“Sort of?”