Please Remember Me (19 page)

Marlon kissed her bare shoulder. “I’ll put them out.”

She jerked and flopped over. “Oh!”

“You forgot me. I’m hurt.” He grinned. “See if I let you play with my ass now.”

Clutching her head, she apologised. “Marlon, I’m so used to waking up alone that it’s weird not to. I’m sorry.”

He smoothed his hand along her arm, caressing her soft skin. “I see. You have fantastic sex with me, then forget I exist.”

She smirked. “We didn’t have sex. I went down on you. You fell asleep before returning the favour.”

He tapped her nose. “All right for you, missy. I’ll put these dogs out and have my wicked way with you. I’m dying for breakfast.”

Before she could answer, he slipped from the bed and tugged on his boxer shorts. Leave her waiting to see what he had for a surprise. He whistled and both dogs followed him down the stairs. After the craziness of the night before, he expected a throng of reporters outside. When he saw none, he frowned. According to Sergeant O’Rourke’s recon, no cameras or recording equipment were found outside her house. Not even a set of footprints. Still, she wasn’t going to make something like that up…was she?

Marlon tapped the buttons on his phone to check his messages. No one matching the blond kid’s description had been seen in the area of her house either. Well, fuck. When he went to the door to let the dogs back in, Bobby rounded the corner.

“Oh, hey man.” Bobby’s eyes widened for a split second as a thin smile curled his lips.

“Did you come with the CPD?” Marlon asked. “I just called them not a moment ago.”

“Thought I’d stop by and see how Jaden was holding up. I heard the bulletin on the scanner. Don’t over-think this.”

Marlon narrowed his eyes. “See how she’s holding up, or be her support?”

“You have to ask her. This is her thing.”

“What did the CPD find?” Jaden wrapped her arms around him. “I know you told me last night, but I forgot. Didn’t help that I had the world’s worst nightmare. Bobby…” Her body tensed.

Bobby tipped his head. “I’m just leaving.” He opened the gate and strolled down the back path.

What the hell was going on? A stalker, a suspected camera, and now Bobby I’m-sorry-I-fucked-your-girl Hutchins sniffing around? Marlon gritted his teeth. Jaden said she loved him. “I’m supposed to ask you why he’s here,” he snapped. “Care to tell me?”

“He’s kinda like a cross between a parole officer and a bulldog. He’s keeping me in line while keeping the crazies away.”

She didn’t trust him enough with her safety? Didn’t think he’d take a bullet for her? What else had she hidden? “Then my job here is done.” He stepped from her grasp and stomped into the house. “I can’t be with a woman who doesn’t trust me.”

Jaden followed close behind without touching him. “There’s a little bit more here than you know.”

“Like…? I want honesty.” He bit the words out. “All of it.”

Jaden nibbled her top lip and picked at her fingers for a moment. “Everyone seems to know what’s good for me—except me. Daddy’s determined to get me back under his thumb. You don’t think I trust you. Look, I had a fling with Bobby, yes, but that’s all it was. When I decided to come back to Ohio, I called him to be a watchdog. I wanted to see you and the only way I could figure to have protection and your undivided attention was to use his brute strength. It had nothing to do with us and everything to do with gaining my freedom.”

“Give me your phone.”

“What?” Her voice came out in a squeak.

“O’Rourke said you were safe, although the camera probably wasn’t your imagination. Eunice Lowry said she saw a prowler in the alley on the other side of her house. It’s possible you saw the same person.”

She picked at the hem of her sleep shirt. “So there is a stalker or someone who wants to intrude on my life. Why do you want my phone?”

“I want closure.” Marlon tapped the buttons on the phone. “What’s your father’s number?”

“Don’t call him. It’s not worth your job. He will find your weakest point and exploit it.”
  

“Bullshit.” Marlon scrolled through the contacts.
Daddy four-four-seven-five-five-five-one-nine-five-six.
The nightmare had to end. He pressed send and waited for the call to connect. Jaden covered her mouth with both hands and turned away from Marlon.

“Talk to me.”

Marlon snarled. “Is this Rexx Weir?”

“Who are you? Why do you have Jade’s phone? I’m not paying a finder’s fee to you.”

Pounding his fist twice on the counter, Marlon unleashed his anger. “Listen, jackass. I don’t know what sick thrill you get tailing your daughter, but she’s scared out of her mind. Cut the fucking cord and let her live her damned life.”

“You must be the cop she went back for.”

“I am.”

“Bobby, she’s using you for sex.”

Bobby? Fuck, fuck, fuck. “I’m not Bobby.”

“Oh, you’re Marlon. Even better.” The line went silent for a moment. “You’ve dug your own grave, Officer. I know about your phobias and your skeletons. Don’t fuck with me.”

Marlon opened his mouth to answer, but was met with the click of a disconnected call. Son of a bitch. He slammed the phone down onto the counter a little harder than he intended.

“He plays to win.”

Marlon turned. The scent of pan-fried toast floated around him. His stomach growled and some of his furore dimmed. “He knew about Bobby.”

“He’s probably got surveillance going right now.” She flipped the toast over and, using the flour mill, she sprinkled powdered sugar on a plate full of French toast. “Hungry?”

“You never cease to amaze me.” Marlon crossed the room and wrapped his arms around her. “You cook when you’re upset?”

“How else do you think I gained all this weight?”

He swiped his finger through the fluffy sugar. “You can do whatever your heart desires.” He tapped her on the nose with the sugary finger. “Like calming me down when I want to rip your father and Bobby limb from limb.”

Jaden giggled and drew a heart in the spilled sugar. “Bobby isn’t a threat, but Daddy is.” She turned off the stovetop and placed the hot toast on another plate. When she turned around, she dotted his face with the confectioners’ sugar.

“Eat and I’ll talk.” She shoved a platter into his hands. “I’ve got bigger things to worry about now, like where to live.” She switched off the heat to the stove and moved the pan from the hot burner. “Granted, Steven hasn’t kicked me out, but I know it’s coming. It sucks. I haven’t had time to move our things to your apartment—that is, if it’s still on offer. Is it?”

Marlon placed the serving dish back on the counter and kissed her hard on the lips. To tempt him, she’d dressed in his T-shirt and, if his instincts were right, nothing else. He chuckled low in his throat. Moments earlier, he couldn’t see past his frustration. With a bat of her lashes and a little powdered sugar, she’d reminded him of what he wanted. Could he get enough of her just being roommates? Never. He slid his hands under the shirt, smoothing them over her ass, bare as he’d expected, and lifted her into his arms.

She pressed her face against his neck, smearing the sugar. “What are you doing? You can’t lift me again! I weigh one-forty. I’ll break your back.”

“Don’t disturb me when I’m having my breakfast.” He slid the napkin holder and the lacy placemats out of the way, placing her on the dark cherry dining room table. Her one-forty didn’t bother him. He liked her with curves.

“You’re a wicked man.” Jaden licked the sugar from the tips of her fingers. “Filthy and wasting perfectly good sugar.”

He wrinkled his nose and wiped the excess sweetener away from his top lip. “I’m your wicked, filthy man.” Grabbing the arms of the chair, he nudged her thighs open and bellied up to the bar. Her junction glistened and a gasp rasped from her throat. So she liked a little mid-morning tryst? Nice.

With two fingers, he teased her outer lips. She shivered and writhed in his embrace. Very nice. He grabbed the hem of the shirt. “Lift that pretty little bottom of yours. I want to feast.” Jaden did as he asked, propping her feet on the arms of the chair. Marlon shoved the shirt up over her breasts. An inch-long scar marred the underside of each breast. He traced the puffy pink line on her right breast.

“What happened, babe?”

Her voice came out in a gravelly tone that turned his insides out and sent his heart reeling. “I had my implants removed.”

So she had gone down to her original cup size like the papers had reported. He liked the natural look. Threading his hands behind her back, he lifted her and urged her chest towards his mouth. He licked each nipple until both stood out like little arrows. Then he licked a path to her scars, kissing them as if his touch could mend the flesh. He wished it were possible. He’d get rid of all the scars in her life.

Tangling her fingers in his short hair, she cupped his head. “That feels wonderful. Don’t stop.”

“Never.” He nipped the supple skin and left twin bite marks to cover the scars. Nothing mattered, not the ghosts in his past, not the speed bumps in her life—just the two of them and the love growing between them. While he gave attention to her breasts, he traced his index finger between her nether lips. Her slickness eased his journey until he pressed one finger into her hot channel. She bucked in his arms.

“Oh my…goodness. Take me.”

Good idea. Leaving her breasts, he edged her down onto the table. She moaned with pleasure and opened to him. Her labia, pink and puffy, begged for his attention. He licked his dry lips. Yes, he needed to taste her. He rubbed his slippery index finger from her core to her clit, loving the way she keened for him. Her fingers tightened in his hair, pulling the short strands, but he didn’t care. Her pleasure heightened his, cancelling out the pain.

Each tug on her clit, each dip into her channel brought another scream from her throat. “Marlon!”

Her hips wriggled against his ministrations, sending him into his own bliss-filled state. Time to up the ante. He used the cream from her pussy to lubricate his fingers and massaged her asshole.

Her chest bounced with her uneven breaths. “More.”

Marlon caressed the puckered skin, easing his finger in a little further with each push. He pressed his face into her pussy and drank her sweetness. Honey dribbled down his chin as he reached up to pluck at her nipple. Dear God, she made love and life fun.

“Make love to me. I need to feel you in me.” She panted and grabbed for him. “We need a condom.”

“Can’t wait.” Planting kisses on her inner thighs, Marlon withdrew his finger from her ass and tugged her into a sitting position. He scooted her forwards onto his lap, punctuating the move with three slaps to her butt. “Want you without. You’re mine.” His cock jutted from the gap in his boxers, as if seeking her out.

“Are you sure?” A crease marred her brow. “I’m clean, but things can happen.”

“Can’t imagine being with anyone else.” He threaded his fingers into her hair, massaging the back of her head. “I love you and I want to spend my life with you.”

“I’m yours.” She squirmed and the action pressed his length deeper into her junction. “All yours.” Her liquid excitement eased their joining until she slid down to the base of his erection. She threw her head back and rode him—hard. Flesh slapped flesh, his hands smacked her ass and the combination of sounds bounced off the walls.

“Marlon.” She spoke in a breathy voice he wanted to hear over and over. She wrapped her arms around him and bit down on his shoulder.

“I like that. Fuck, I love it.” He groaned, grabbing her hips to pump into her. Her inner muscles grasped him as she climaxed, milking him of his seed and sending him to orgasm. When she looked up, the brilliant green of her eyes garnered his attention, not that he wanted to look away. Hell, he wanted her to mother his children. He wanted everything with her. Right now.

“Whoa.” She slumped against him. “So…good.”

Latching on to her neck, he suckled and sampled until his breathing slowed. When he pulled back, a purple mark marred the delicate skin. “Umm, baby girl, that was fucking wonderful.”

She snuggled into the curve of his chest. “I kinda liked it, too.”

He licked the hollow at the base of her throat, and the taste of salty sweat and Jaden danced on his tongue. “I love you, Jaden Marie. All of you. And I regret nothing. Absolutely nothing.”

She sat up straight on his lap, offering her breasts. But instead of the declaration of love he anticipated, the joy on her face disappeared. Her eyes widened as she covered her chest. “Marlon!”

Struggling to find the source of her discomfort, he twisted in his seat. “What? What’s wrong, babe?”

“Oh my God! Oh my God!” She panted and fumbled off of his lap. “Oh my freaking God!”

He grasped her shoulders. His heart pounded within his chest. “Talk to me. Tell me what the fuck happened.”

Still covering her breasts, she pointed a shaky hand to the window. “A man…a man was outside the window with a camera. He saw us! He watched us! My dream came true. Oh my God.”

Marlon yanked his shirt from the table and wrapped it around her. “Go upstairs. I’ll call Mac, Bobby, and the CPD. This has got to end.”

After she left the room, Marlon dialled his fellow officer. Three rings and the deputy picked up. “Hutchins.”

“Where the fuck are you? You’re at the top of my shit list, but I need a favour.” Marlon stood at the back door. The dogs were still outside and if the peeper wanted to hurt her further, the animals were fair game.

“I’m on my way. Talk to me.”

“Her peeper’s back.”

“I’ll call Mac. See you in ten.”

He tossed his phone onto the table and ran both hands through his hair. Jaden didn’t deserve the intrusion into her life. She’d broken clean with Hollywood. What did they need her for when he needed her more? Her footfalls thumped on the carpeted steps.

“Did you catch him?”

Marlon snagged her in an embrace and kissed the top of her head. “Bobby’s on his way and I’m staying here with you. We’ll get the jerk.”

Breaking the sweet moment, her phone rang. He placed his hand on hers as she reached for the cell phone. “Put it on speaker, babe. I have the feeling he’s calling to gloat and I want to hear the asshole.”