Talson Temptations 1: Talson's Wait (8 page)
She let it soothe away her aches. “You know, I never hated you. You annoyed me, aggravated me, and made life hard. But you always looked out for me.”
“Being tough let me keep my distance. How else was I going to hide how much I wanted you? And it wasn’t—isn’t—just lust. We fit, Jamie. We’re the same in so many ways.”
Which made her wonder. “You weren’t really on the verge of crying before, were you?”
He blinked innocently. “What do you think?”
“I think you’re more devious than I am.”
“I prefer the term ruthless. But that crying-on-command thing, my brother Romy taught me that. It got him out of more scrapes with my mother than you’d think possible.”
She sighed and smoothed her hands over his chest. “Will I get to meet them?”
“As soon as I can get us all together.” He took a deep breath. “Jamie, I love you…and I want to marry you.”
She pulled back to look at him. As much as she wanted to shout “Yes, yes, yes,” she couldn’t make it too easy on the man. He’d worked her like a dog for a solid year. “Gee, Roarke. I don’t know. My boss is kind of an asshole. I don’t think he’ll go for his indentured servant being married.”
He groaned. “It’s not all my fault. At first I thought you were some skank on the Block.”
“Hey.”
“I don’t like people who don’t pay their debts. Who don’t even try. But then I came to know the real you.”
“So you worked me to death every damn day.”
He fought a grin; she could see it. “Jamie.” He kissed her on the lips. “Fine. You’re fired.”
“I’m sorry, what?” She cupped her ear.
He muttered something under his breath. “I said I can’t have my future wife working for me. I’ll be the laughing stock of my entire family.”
She felt lightheaded. “You really want me to be your wife?”
“There’s nothing I want more.”
“Even knowing I have criminals for parents? That I have debts?”
“Debts you more than paid off in the first few months you worked for me. Even my father admitted I was being a little too hard on the new assistant manager.”
When she said nothing, he squirmed under her. “Come on, woman. Yes or no?”
Relieved to hear his familiar impatience, everything finally clicked. This was the man she’d fallen in love with. The rough, autocratic giant with a tender heart and loving soul. “Yes, I’ll marry you,” she said in a rush. When his eyes flashed with silver before turning black again, she asked, “Besides the silver eyes and this psychic link between us, do you Otra have any other quirks I need to know about?”
He cradled her on his lap, over an erection growing steadily bigger. “Well, my brothers’ mating habits are slightly different than mine.”
“Mating habits?”
“I’m half Otra, so I’m fine with a traditional marriage, the ring, kids, everything.” He palmed her belly and she flushed with pleasure. “My brothers, on the other hand, are full Otra.”
“Meaning?”
“Meaning it takes two to proliferate the species. Two male, one female.”
She blinked. “
Really?
”
“Really.” His eyes narrowed. “Don’t even think about it.”
“Two men, one woman? Now why would I want that?” She crossed her eyes and he laughed. “I can do kink, anal, some voyeurism, but one of you is enough to drive me crazy. I don’t need another man in my life, not if I’ve got you.”
“Good, because you do. Just remember, I was your boss first, your husband and partner second. I technically still outrank you.”
“Fine. But don’t think because you finally fired me you’re off the hook. For all that you’ve put me through, you have a year’s worth of groveling to do.”
He lifted her hips and brought her over his cock. She slid down him, impaling herself on his thick flesh.
“Give me a few kids and we’ll call it even.” He kissed her nipple, sucking until she nearly lost her mind.
“Oh, I have a feeling you’re going to be very good at making up.” He worked her clit and turned to her other breast. Male satisfaction entwined with the love filling her deep inside. “
Very good
.
”
About the Author
Marie Harte is a professed bibliophile with an addiction to romance. She’s fond of things that go bump in the night, especially if they happen to be tall, dark and handsome. Life has given her some interesting insights into the male mind. After majoring in English, she spent several years in the Marine Corps, followed by stints in information technology, logistics and the transportation fields. And yes, herding cats is easier then trying to manage truck drivers.
Now a wife, writer and crazy woman with children, she spends most of her time bugging her kids to do their homework while typing with a mad zeal to make deadlines. She’s a multi-published and bestselling author of erotic romance who’s obsessed with email, so feel free to drop her a line.
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