Chapter Ten
~ Reba ~
Marshall Kennedy was trying to kill me. It had been a week since our beach date when okay, I’ll admit it. I’d gotten scared. My past had reared up, and the next thing I knew, I’d been spouting that maybe this isn’t a good idea shit out of my mouth. Truth was, everything about Mars seemed like a good idea. A really good idea.
Not that I’d had a chance to tell him that. Nope. I hadn’t seen him even once in a week—part my fault and part his. I’d gone away over the past weekend and met some old friends in Grand Rapids. He hadn’t liked that. Not that the jealous jerk had told me directly.
The day after our date, when he’d made me come harder than I remembered ever coming, he’d started leaving me small gifts. Coffee, flowers, chocolate…
He’d had the coffee delivered by Chef, who’d complained about Mars getting me the latte from a coffee shop as if Chef’s wasn’t good enough. The paper cup had a heart scrawled on it, and Mars had hidden a message beneath the heat sleeve.
You’re everything perfect. Never for get that. M.
The flowers came with a sealed envelope containing another handwritten message.
Roses are red, and I’m so blue. I really miss you. I need my Sunshine. M.
The chocolates had informed me that nothing was as sweet as my sweet mouth that he couldn’t wait to taste again.
Two gifts waited on my narrow bed when I returned from my weekend away. It shocked me that he might have been in my room, but Kinley told me she’d delivered them for Mars.
One was a book of poetry, and the other was a small bright yellow pillow in the shape of a sun. There hadn’t been any messages.
But I did get a message on Monday. No gift.
Tell me you weren’t seeing a guy.
Oh my jealous man.
How could I answer him when he made himself scarce? After no word or sighting of him for a few days, I stole to the wing where his bedroom was located and slipped a message under his door. I hoped he’d see it.
Of course, it wasn’t a man. I have one here. At least, I thought I did. Where are you, Mars Kennedy?
I startled at the knock on the door to my small quarters. It was late, and I’d been watching a mushy rom-com on my laptop. Setting it aside, I climbed off my bed and opened my door. I didn’t bother asking who it was. No one was allowed in this area besides the staff, and most of them were out for the evening or sleeping.
A hand came around my waist, and lips planted on mine before I registered who stood there. Mars crowded me into my room and kicked the door shut. Something heavy dropped, then the newly unencumbered hand cupped behind my head, angling me better for his kisses.
“I missed you,” he muttered. He pressed me to the wall, never letting me speak, never letting up on the oral assault on my lips. My hands lifted, and my fingers skimmed over his cheeks before I wrapped my arms around his neck.
“Mars,” I finally managed.
“Better be me.”
“Where have you been?”
“Around.” He stepped back, keeping his hands on me until I steadied. “Sorry about that kiss-attack. I…I missed you. I was…giving us time.”
That was BS. He was having a snit this week, but I didn’t call him on it.
“I’m not sorry. I was all in. But it’s your own dang fault you missed me. I’ve been here and you’ve been nowhere to be found!”
“You weren’t here this weekend,” he accused.
I gave him an annoyed look. My arms crossed.
“No, I wasn’t,” I conceded, but refused to tell him where exactly I’d been. Neither of us giving, we stared at each other until he sighed. Looking down to my right, he nodded to a large paper bag with two big flat boxes in it. “I brought you another gift. There’s a note.”
Catching the back of my neck, he kissed my forehead swiftly then took off into the hallway. Leaning against my doorjamb, I watched him go. He was just starting up the stairs when I saw a shadow at the edge of the corridor near the steps. My blood ran cold and all the warm affection and pleasure that had been pulsing through me after Mars’ visit turned to ice.