Tempting Marcus: Hallow Falls Series (Romance Bunnies)
Tempting Marcus: Hallow Falls Series – Chapter 6

I don’t see Garland for over a week and to say that I don’t handle it well is putting it mildly.  I’ve been taking customers heads off the whole time and my receptionist, Ginger, is about ready to quit and leave me to my own devices.

“Marcus Gray, if you say one more nasty word I’m going to call your mother and tell her what a bastard you’re being and why!”

Alarmed, I turn to glare at her.  “You better not say one damn word to her, Ginger!  You know what will happen if she gets wind of….”  I stop and gulp.  My mother’s been dying for grandkids and I think she is losing hope.  If she finds out how I feel about Garland…well, she’ll be like a dog with a bone.  She won’t quit until she gets us down the aisle and I don’t need her pressuring the very skittish woman who has me all tied up in knots.

I can’t stop picturing how she looked on the verge of tears the last time I pushed her even a little bit.  And she hasn’t stepped foot out of the library during lunch hours so I can’t see her that way.  When I arrive home from work, no matter what hour of the day, her house is closed up and quiet.  I tried racing my car in and out of our neighborhood.  Tried playing my favorite heavy metal band as loud as possible, hoping to see her striding across the street, her sexy, bare legs eating up the distance.  Her full hips swaying rhythmically back and forth, dragging my gaze no matter how much I try not to look.  The angry flush on her pale golden face and the glaring sparkle in her sea glass eyes.

She’s a goddess when she’s angry.  Makes me want to piss her off every single second of the day.  Watch the valkyrie that she is rise up and swat me down like an insignificant fly.

“Hey!”  Ginger hollers, snapping her fingers in front of my face until I finally blink at her.  “Wake the hell up, Marcus!  And don’t bother telling me what you were thinking about.  I can tell by the goofy-ass look on your face that you were thinking about her.  I don’t need to know anything else.”  She huffs and pushes her dyed peach-colored hair off her forehead and groans.  “You are absolutely pathetic.  I cannot believe that you haven’t managed to get that girl.  I mean, with how lovesick you are, she must be immune to you to resist all of that.  All the other girls in town would gladly come if you called, but not this one.”

“That’s one of the reasons I like her.  She’s got gumption.”

Ginger laughs and it rattles off into her husky cough.  “You sound like a ninety-year old woman.  Gumption?  I don’t remember the last time that I heard someone say that word.  And a man your age saying it?  It doesn’t sound right!”

“Gimme a break, Ginger!  Just let it go.”

“Fine.  But don’t blame me.  It’s not my fault that the girl doesn’t want you.”

“She wants me.  She’s just challenging.”

“Fine.  Challenging.  Gumption.  Got it.”  The phone rings and I pick it up quickly before Ginger gets it and she glares at me, mouthing, “that’s my job.”

I ignore her.  “Fall’s Garage.  How can I help you?”

“Shit.”  The voice on the other end of the line has me sitting up and jerking to attention.

“Garland?  Is that you?”  I know most everybody is at the park for the Fourth of July celebrations today.  I assumed she would be too.

“I forgot it would be you, dammit,” I hear her mutter into the phone.  “Never mind.  I’ll try someone else.”

“No!  Garland, where the hell are you?  What’s wrong?”

She sighs and then says slowly, like I’m dragging it out of her.  “My car broke down just outside of town.”

“What were you doing outside of town?” I ask, already grabbing the keys to my tow truck and my windbreaker while talking into my cellphone, loath to break my tenuous connection to her.

“It doesn’t matter.  I was heading back when my car broke down.”

“Where?”  I’m practically quivering with concern.

Another deep sigh and then she huffs.  “I’m on Stark Road on the way into town.”

“I’m on my way.”  I’m jogging to the truck before she even hangs up.

Ginger laughs behind me.  “I assume you’re done for the day.  Go make yourself into a hero for the girl.”

I toss her a wicked grin and sling myself up into the truck, starting the engine and hitting the road before even a minute has gone by.  My head reels and there’s a permanent grin on my face.  She needs me.  I’m going to save my girl and although I know this won’t fix all our issues, I know that I’m going to see her soon and that’s enough.  That’s more than enough.

My girl needs me.  The sky is lit up in the last tendrils of pink and red and gold as the sun sets on a warm summer day.  The air whipping in the open window is still warm and scented with flowers and other greenery.  It’s a beautiful night and I’m about to spend it with the most beautiful girl I know.  That’s about all a man like me could ask for.

After about ten minutes, I see a car ahead of me alongside the road and my heart jerks in my chest.  A tiny figure is curled up by the door and I feel my soul settle inside me.  I’ve been struggling to keep sane for the last week and for the first time, I feel clear-headed and happy.  And it’s all because of this woman.

She steps out and stands silently as I pull in behind her.  I take a deep breath and try to get myself under control.  Although my soul feels settled, my body feels like it’s on fire and ready to rumble.

I step out of the truck and slam the door shut.  I have to hold myself back from running up to grab her and hug her.  It feels like forever until I’m finally standing in front of her, my eyes running all over her body, needing to make sure that she’s alright.

She flushes and those gorgeous, sea-green eyes flash at me.  But she says nothing.  Just waiting.

“Hello, G.  I’ve missed you this last week.  Were you avoiding me?”

Her eyes dart away from me and she shrugs, still not saying a word.

I reach out a hand, unable to resist touching her.  My finger glides across the soft, pale golden skin of her arm and she shudders, her eyes closing.  Her top teeth sink into her bottom lip and I want nothing more than to reach out and tug her full lip free.

“You don’t have to answer me.  I know you were avoiding me.  I even know why.  But you can’t avoid what’s happening here, spitfire.  No matter how much you try, I’m not going away.  I’ll always be waiting for you.  Even if it takes until the day that I die, I’ll always wait for you.  You belong with me.  I belong to you.  All the rest of the stuff will work itself out.”

Her eyes lift, darkened and full of heat and an answering coil roils up through my body, spreading heat into my limbs until I’m almost jelly at her dainty little feet.

She moves closer and closer and I can barely breathe.  Her slender fingers reach out and touch my arm and then slide down to my hand and goosebumps ripple up and down my skin wherever her fingers land.

She moves even closer until her full breasts are pressed against me in her silky blouse and I fight the urge to close my eyes.  Fight the need to lean into her and claim her as mine.

Her hands lift again and she places her palms on the middle of my chest, leaning up onto her toes in her gray pumps.  Her breath lightly caresses my lips as her mouth gently settles on mine, stealing my breath and my sanity in one fell swoop.

Groaning, I slip my arms around her waist and press her closer, melding her softness to my hardness.  She melts into me and moans softly as I slip my tongue along her lips, parting them gently.  My tongue surges inside her mouth and twines delicately, slowly with hers.

Everything stills around me and all I can see and smell and taste is her.  Sweet and spicy, like peppermint candy canes on Christmas morning.  Strong and yet yielding.  Delicate and yet so tough that it makes my heart hurt how much I love this woman.  How much I want to protect her.

She slips back and her eyes search mine, her dark pupils blown and taking over the green of her eyes.  She sighs and leans her head against my chest, surrendering to whatever is going on with us, finally.

“Will you go watch the fireworks with me tonight, Garland?”

I’m almost afraid to move until she finally says, “I’d like that, Marcus.” She called me Marcus.  Surely no words have ever been sweeter.

I help her up into the cab of my truck, settling her in the seat and reaching across to buckle in the most precious thing that’s ever sat in the rough, dirty vehicle.

Pride swells up in me.  I’m taking care of her.  The woman that I love.

I climb in and move the truck, then climb out so that I can attach the little car to my truck and then lift it, making sure that it’s completely secure.

Then I climb back into my truck and take a deep breath before I turn to look at Garland.  She smiles and slips her hand over, resting it on the seat and sighing when I slip my hand over hers.

This is my future.  This woman right here.  And I smile and pull out on the road, happier than I think I’ve ever been in my life.

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