Chapter 13
Julia
Iwas in the middle of typing case notes when my phone rang with a call from our front desk coordinator.
“Hi, Julia. You have a visitor.”
“Who is it?” I didn’t have any appointments this afternoon.
“His name is Marcus Hayes, and he said it’s important.” She spoke in a low voice, suggesting he was probably standing near her desk.
My fingers tightened around the phone. What was Marcus doing at my office?
On Tuesday morning, I received a text from him where he abruptly canceled our Saturday night date without explanation.
Since then, I had been convincing myself the cancellation didn’t matter.
I told myself it was better this way instead of getting involved with a client’s guardian and crossing a line I probably shouldn’t cross.
He had a right to change his mind, but I was still hurt, and since there hadn’t been any follow-up, his silence confirmed what I had been thinking. Getting involved with him was too complicated, too messy, and a bad idea in general. His line name was Romeo, for goodness’ sake!
So what was he doing here?
Despite my reservations, I closed my laptop. “Tell him I’ll be right out.”
I took a moment to collect myself, smoothing down my blouse and taking a deep breath, reminding myself to be professional and not show emotion. Then I left my desk and walked into the reception area.
Marcus was standing with his hands shoved into his pockets, head bent as he studied the carpeted floor. When he heard me enter, he lifted his eyes, and I noted exhaustion on his face and dark circles under his eyes. When he smiled, it seemed to take a bit of effort.
I immediately felt sorry for him and was worried. Could something have happened to Noah? Since I didn’t know for sure, I steeled myself for the upcoming conversation.
“Hi, Marcus.”
He walked over, studying me with unnerving intensity. “Hi. I was wondering if we could go somewhere private and talk.”
He shot a surreptitious glance at the receptionist, who was doing a poor job of pretending not to listen. I considered saying no and demanding he tell me what he wanted to say right then and there, but I didn’t need her in my personal business.
“We can meet in the conference room.”
He followed me down the hall into the small room, and I closed the door behind us. We stood facing each other with unusual awkwardness.
I crossed my arms over my chest. “What did you have to tell me?”
“I need to explain why I had to cancel our date on Saturday.”
I smiled. Though I couldn’t see myself, I knew my expression was tight and unnatural. “You don’t need to explain. You changed your mind. No big deal. I understand.” I kept my voice cool and detached.
His eyebrows drew together in consternation. “That’s not what happened.”
“Look, I don’t have time for games. I should’ve known better, anyway, since you call yourself Romeo, and we shouldn’t have made plans given that Noah is a client of mine. No need to apologize if that’s what you were about to do. It’s actually best that we don’t get involved.”
“Is that what you really believe?”
I shrugged. What I said wasn’t what I believed, but I was trying to save face.
He took a breath. “I canceled on you for a good reason, but I couldn’t go into details at the time. I had a lot going on. There was an incident with Noah.”
My worst fear had been realized. The minute he mentioned the little boy’s name, he had my attention. “What happened?”
“He and I went tie shopping after school the other day, and we had a really good afternoon together. We found a couple of ties that he liked, and on the way home, we stopped at McDonald’s for dinner.
I told him I had plans on Saturday night and that he was going to stay at Mrs. Patterson’s for a few hours while I went on a date. ”
I watched his features shift into a pained expression.
“He didn’t finish his food, and then one of the worst things that has ever happened to me took place.”
He explained that Noah left the restaurant while he was at the front getting a bag for the leftover food.
He told me how Noah was across the street when he finally saw him, essentially running away.
When he told me what the little boy said when he finally caught up with him, I gasped, my hand going to my mouth.
“He thought I was going to drop him off and never come back like his parents did.”
My heart cracked open a little. “That poor baby. Marcus, I’m so sorry.”
“He wouldn’t stop crying, which ripped me wide open.” He ran a hand over the back of his head.
I stepped closer, my detachment crumbling at the sight of his agitation. “How is he now?”
“Better, but I’m worried about his abandonment issues, and the therapist is concerned as well. We’ve been seeing her the past couple of days after school. He’s just been my priority, but I wanted to talk to you in person to explain what happened.”
To think, I had been angry and hurt when he had been dealing with so much. “How are you?”
He smiled in a half-sexy way, not his full-on sexy grin that had made me weak-kneed in the past.
“Better than two nights ago.”
We both laughed, easing the tension in the room.
His expression became earnest, and he moved a step closer.
“I really want to spend time with you, Julia. I wasn’t just saying that, and I wasn’t playing games.
I’m not going to lie and pretend I haven’t done some foul shit in my past, but I care about you.
A lot. But right now, I don’t want to leave Noah. I don’t think he’s ready.”
“I understand. He comes first and he’s your priority.” I could never fault a parent for prioritizing the care of their child. It was expected and exactly what I would do in his position.
“Seeing as I want to spend time with you but we can’t go out on a date, I was wondering if you would consider coming to my place. Noah already called me out, so you know I can’t cook. I figured we could order pizza or something and watch a movie. How does that sound?”
Studying his face, I saw hope and raw vulnerability in his eyes. He had driven across town to explain in person and ask for another chance. How could I resist that kind of effort?
“Your idea of a relaxing evening at your place sounds perfect.”
“So it’s a date?” I could hear his confidence returning.
“Yes, it’s a date.”
“Same time, then. Noah will probably eat dinner with us, watch some of the movie, and then fall asleep like he always does. Once I put him down, we’ll have time alone.”
“Works for me.”
As we fell silent, it dawned on me that we were standing very close. So close I could see the lighter shades of brown in his dark eyes and smell the inviting fragrance of his cologne.
He reached out and let his fingers brush mine. When I didn’t pull away, he held onto my hand and pulled me toward him while at the same time stepping closer.
“As usual, talking to you makes all the bad things better,” he whispered.
“I’ve told you before, you’re doing an amazing job.”
“Maybe, though I didn’t feel that way when I saw him running across the street. I know this isn’t the time or place, but I want to kiss you so bad, and I don’t want to wait until Saturday.”
I cocked my head to the side. “What makes you think you’ll be able to kiss me on Saturday?”
Slowly, he smiled, his confidence fully returned. “I’m going to kiss you on Saturday, and I’m going to kiss you today,” he informed me.
His confidence was like an aphrodisiac. As he bent his head toward mine, I never once considered denying him.
The connection of our lips was soft and tentative at first, as if we were both testing the waters while doing something we had no business doing at my workplace.
I leaned into him, my hands lifting to his shoulders as the kiss deepened.
Marcus’s right hand cupped the back of my head, his fingers sinking into my bun and holding my head in place.
I made a sound that was part sigh and part moan, feeling him smile against my mouth.
His left arm wound around my waist, pulling me closer.
With our bodies pressed tightly together, I felt every hard inch of him—from his chest to his powerful thighs—and the hardening bulge pressed against my abdomen.
His tongue teased the seam of my lips, and I opened for him, plunging my own tongue into his mouth. I tasted coffee combined with the delicious flavor that was all Marcus.
Gripping his shirt, I anchored myself while the Earth shifted beneath my feet. Angling his head to the side, he devoured my mouth as our tongues tangled and stoked the flames of desire.
One hand lowered to grab my bottom, while the other tightened in my hair, tilting my head back to deepen the kiss. Heat scorched my blood. I knew he would be a good kisser, but this was devastatingly good. It was the kind of kiss that made you forget your own name and where you were.
I caressed his nape and slid my hand up the back of his head. As he ground his hips against mine, I groaned softly, almost angry at the unfulfilled promise in his movements. Yes, we were in my office, but I couldn’t make myself care.
His lips left mine to trail a path along my jaw to the sensitive spot below my ear, and I let out an open-mouthed gasp that was louder than I intended. Digging my fingers into his shoulders, I rubbed my aching nipples against his chest and heard a rumble of male approval.
“Damn, Julia,” he murmured against my neck, his voice hoarse and unrecognizable.
Hearing my name broke the spell of hazy lust I had fallen under, and I remembered with a jolt where we were.
I placed a hand on his chest and felt his heart racing beneath my palm as I gently pushed him back. “I think that’s enough for today,” I said with a shaky laugh.
He stepped back reluctantly, licking his thick lips, his breathing as ragged as mine, looking very much like he wanted to finish what we’d started.
I touched my fingers to my throbbing mouth, where the phantom pressure of his kiss remained.
He looked me up and down, his nostrils notably flaring. “I better go before I lift you onto that table and do things that will get you fired.”
Heat flashed through me at the visual he created, and I shook my head to dispel the image of me on the table, my skirt shoved up to my thighs. Marcus between my legs, pumping his hips and giving me exactly what I craved.
“Good idea. I’ll see you on Saturday.”
“You best believe you’ll see me on Saturday. If you don’t show up, Noah and I are jumping in the car to come find you.”
“I promise I’ll be there,” I said with a smile.
Slipping his hand into my waistband, he pulled me in for a short, hot kiss. “I should go before I change my mind and follow through on my threat,” he said against my lips. Another quick kiss. “I’ll talk to you later.”
Then he left.
I remained behind, standing in the conference room with kiss-swollen lips and a racing heart, wondering how I was supposed to concentrate on work for the rest of the day.