“Ah, you’ve got another one in you, don’t you, sugar? Give it to me.” He wanted to give her pleasure, wanted to make her happy and fulfilled. And right then he was. He felt the first tense and flutter of her inner walls around him and her ni**les hardened. A low moan tore from her.

“Come on, Liv, come. I can’t until you do and I want to. I need to.” He felt climax build and build, threatening to overflow and take over his system. Arching her neck back, she rolled her hips to meet his thrusts and cried out as she came, pulling him down with her as he let go and orgasm rushed through him.

He continued to thrust until he was soft, finally rolling to the side. Moments later, he pulled her into the curve of his body and kissed the top of her head.

* * *

Liv woke up, warm and safe. Before she opened her eyes she knew why. Marc lay curled around her. As she wasn’t fully awake she could admit to herself that it felt good.

Waking up with Brody never felt like that. Waking up with Matt never felt like that. Before thought fully returned, she snuggled into him, breathing in his skin, listening to the slow beat of his heart as she laid her ear against his chest. He made her want to melt, made her feel feminine and soft. Vulnerable in a way she hadn’t imagined she ever could. And yet, all that outer stuff was stripped away. She was who she was, no artifice, no bull and he stayed. How long would that last? How long would he be all right with her dating other people and how long would he not do it too? He’d use her dating as an excuse to see other women too. And he’d be right to, after all she was. God, she’d built in her own damned self destruct for this thing. When it went bad, there’d be a reason, one she could accept.

She would just ride it out between them until she found the right guy and Marc was ready to move on. Hopefully, she’d find the right guy first because she was pretty sure her heart would break when he walked away.

She eased away from his sleeping body, standing next to the bed to look at him before she jumped in the shower to get ready for work. His face was partially hidden by strands of his hair. A morning shadow of beard covered his chin and cheeks, making him look sexily disheveled instead of messy. Reluctantly she turned to go into the kitchen, start coffee and head to the shower.

He was sitting at her kitchen table, reading the newspaper when she came out, dressed for work.

“You look nice today.” He smiled.

As the only thing he was wearing was a patch of sunshine across his shoulders, she thought nice was a relative term for what he looked.

“You look mighty sexy, Marc.” His hair was wet and combed back away from his face, only highlighting the lines of his face. He had the kind of good looks that could sell men’s sportswear and casual clothing. Boy next door with a healthy heaping spoonful of sin twinkling in his eyes.

He stood and kissed her, careful not to smear her lipstick.

“Are you late for work or anything?”

He shook his head. “Nope. I have a client in about forty-five. I go to her place though.”

Liv took a sip of coffee and said nothing, although silly jealousy ran through her. She hated jealousy. It was a useless, base emotion and she should be above it. However, right about then all she wanted to do was let this mysterious client know Marc woke up in her bed that morning. Hmpf. Marc smiled as he watched her face change. Ah, jealousy. And not the petty kind that he’d experienced from women before. She didn’t pout or throw a tantrum. But she had started to think of him as hers on some level. Good. He sure as hell knew she was his.

She was so beautiful and sexy, watching her move through her kitchen, getting herself breakfast—after asking if he wanted any—with that pretty, bright red dress floating around her legs made him crazy. He wanted her. No, he needed her. Thinking that other men would see her and have naked thoughts about his woman made him edgy. He’d never actually been jealous before. It was another indicator that he loved and adored this woman. Or something.

“What’s that smile for? Makes me nervous,” Liv sat across from him and ate her oatmeal.

“It should make you nervous. I was thinking about waking up next to you on Christmas morning with my mother yelling up the stairs for everyone to get their lazy butts out of bed and get downstairs for breakfast and presents.”

Okay, so he shouldn’t have enjoyed her reaction to that so much but it did make him chuckle. Because she would be there for Christmas, next to him, opening presents and eating breakfast with his family. She belonged with him and there was nothing else that could convince him otherwise.

“You’re skittish. Like one of those little dogs. Never know when you’re going to go off and snap at me. My client this morning is Lula Parsons. She’s heartier than her seventy years yes, but you’re way hotter.” He winked, just to poke at her more.

“Marc Chase, I do believe you enjoy f**king with me.”

“I enjoy f**king you, yes. A lot. More than I’ve enjoyed anything. Ever. It’s not generally what I mean when I say your insides are beautiful, but that’s part of it.”

She blushed, touching him deeply. Had no one ever really complimented her?

Made her feel special? It wasn’t like Matt to not treat the woman he dated with extra care but clearly she seemed uncomfortable and unused to it. Maybe it was him. He’d need to think on it more, watch her reactions. But he planned to put Liv on a pedestal and treat her like a queen because she deserved it. She stood and put her dishes in the sink. “I’m going to get on. Lock up when you’re ready to go.”