No Turning Back (Man-Maid 1)

Having such a decadent feast was quite a unique experience for Marquetta. She rarely indulged in wine unless it was a special occasion. “This is delicious. Wow, I’m learning all sorts of things today.”

“What else have you learned, sweetheart?”

Oh, yummy. She already recognized that coarseness in his deep baritone. “Hmm, let’s see. I’ve learned that I rather enjoy seeing you in the kitchen, shirtless and cooking up a storm.”

“I’ll keep that information for future reference, then,” Jensen whispered as he pushed their plates aside and leaned in to kiss her. She knew what she would find when his lips touched hers—the zesty flavor of the manicotti and the richness of the red wine. But there was the delicious flavor of Jensen. And she was certain that last part was what kept her glued to her chair, savoring the moment.

His lips were soft, coasting back and forth, barely touching hers, and when his tongue darted out, a shiver of excitement raced the length of her spine. When he leaned back and stared at her, Marquetta grew uncomfortable. “Do I have sauce on me or what?”

He chuckled. “Nothing like that. Just thinking about your choice of profession and wondering how the Man-Maid logo is coming along.”

“I think I have what you’re looking for. I’ll show you on Monday if you want to stop by the shop.”

“If it’s anything like the rest of your work, I’m sure I’ll love it.”

“Well, my designs aren’t quite as important as, say, rocket science or brain surgery, but I enjoy the creative process, and it pays the bills.”

“That’s what I’m looking for with Man-Maid. I want to get back into doing something enjoyable. Right now, my day job pays the bills, but that’s about it.”

“You don’t enjoy it?”

“I used to, but honestly, my heart hasn’t been in it for quite a while now.”

“So, instead, you’re going to wield a feather duster and clean houses. You and your brother ought to bring in quite a bit of business, especially if you go in shirtless.” She wagged her eyebrows and said, “I’d hire you for sure.”

Jensen chuckled. “You have quite a mouth on you, woman.”

Marquetta went breathless when she heard that sexy tone. “So I’ve been told.”

He plucked the breadstick from her plate and held it to her mouth. After she took a bite, Jensen said, “You know, I like your mouth. I like you. Your strength. Your intelligence. Your feisty attitude. You’re the whole package.”

She liked hearing that. And for some crazy reason, she liked him feeding her. She’d never had a man take such care with her. Jensen was so attentive, as if everything she did captivated him. She took a drink of her wine to keep from blurting out her feelings. A small part of her worried how he’d feel after he found out about her past. That she’d had a relationship with a married man. That she’d lost the baby she’d conceived as a result of that union. Would he look down on her?

Jensen fed her another bite of the bread and asked, “So, what did your family think about the Sheldon incident?”

She chewed the warm bit of carb heaven far longer than necessary, not wanting to get into this conversation. She knew it would come up eventually, though. Might as well get it over with.

“There was only my mom, and she passed away before any of that took place.”

He offered her another chunk of the bread. “What about your father?”

Marquetta finished it and washed it down with another drink of wine before replying, “My dad was never in the picture. From what my mom told me, we were all better off without him.”

Jensen was quiet for a minute. What was he thinking? She drank the last of her wine and pushed her plate away.

“Is that all you’re eating?” he remarked.

She stared down at her plate and the half-eaten manicotti. “Believe it or not, it’s more than I’ve been eating these last few weeks.”

&nbs

p; His brows rose. “Oh right, I’d nearly forgotten you were sick.”

“I’m better now, though.” She got to her feet, took her plate to the sink and began rinsing it. “To tell the truth, getting sick was the most exciting thing that’s happened to me recently. In fact, my life was pretty dull.”

Jensen picked up his own plate and came up behind her, caging her in. “Was?” he noted.

“Before you walked into my life, things were pretty much work, sleep and eat for me.”