Passion and Surrender (The Billionaire's Temptation Book 6) (11 page)

Chapter Fifteen

Back at their room, Marshall laid back against the pillows with Harper curled up at his side, their uninhibited passion now replaced with worry. What the hell had he been thinking?
Clearly nothing but fucking her
.

“It’ll be okay, Harper.” She’d explained to him that she’d been a bit inconsistent in the past with her pills, taking them late on the couple of times she’d forgotten them—but she’d been good about taking them since their first night together. “Given what you’ve said, you should be protected against pregnancy, though I’m sorry you even have to worry about it. Honestly, love…it should be completely safe, especially if you’ve taken them consistently in the past week and a half.”

It was a huge relief, especially when Claire was insisting that she was pregnant with his child. Yet he knew that if it ever came to it, having a child with Harper would be nothing like having a child with Claire—and that might explain why the tiniest pang of disappointment flared in his chest, even though he knew it was an insane thought.

It was probably due to the fact that when he’d pictured himself settling down, it’d be with someone nice and smart, funny, sweet and headstrong—and Harper was all those things. That said, it’s not that he was in any way ready to start a family just yet—and he had no doubt Harper would strangle him for sticking her in his little fantasy for even a split second.

“Listen, love…about this scare…I need you to know that if anything ever did happen, I’d be here for you, no matter what you needed. And I know you’ve been dealing with some stuff, so I’ll say it one more time because I need you to believe me—I’m here if you need to talk, and if you ever need help of any kind, I’ll happily do what I can.” The last thing he wanted was to add this pregnancy scare to everything else she already had piled on her plate.

“I’m sorry that I’ve been a bit all over the place, emotionally. It’s just that…” She let out a ragged sigh. “My past, my family…I’m sure you know what it’s like.”

When she squeezed her eyes shut, he pulled her into his arms so she could settle against his chest, her emotions already riding so close to the surface with the mere mention of her problems. “My life’s been far from perfect, Harper, so I get it. I know how hard it is to open up about that sort of thing. But it does help—and I can’t bear to see you like this.”

“I wasn’t always like this, you know. I used to be happy. Not a care in the world.” Her voice cracked, but she shook it off with a ragged breath. “I was engaged…to a wonderful man.”

Marshall’s heart broke for her. He knew, upset as she was, that it couldn’t have ended well. “Harper…I’m so sorry. What happened?” No matter what it was, one thing was clear—the guy was a goddamned fool.

“Josh was an aeronautical engineer, and had gone up in a new plane he’d designed. He was an experienced pilot—had gone up a million times before. But…I don’t know what happened. Maybe it was the new design or the engine... Anyway, something went wrong, and his plane went down.”

The plane
…no wonder she’d been so scared of flying.

“Sweetness…I’m so fucking sorry. I don’t even know what to say.” He couldn’t even imagine how devastated she must have been.

“He actually managed to survive the crash itself, but…he was badly injured. It changed everything, Marshall—
it changed him
. The accident confined him to a wheelchair, and the pain has been unbearable. I wanted to help him…wanted to help him through it all, but he broke off our engagement…moved out, wouldn’t see me or return my calls. Still won’t.” She angrily swiped at her tears as they escaped, though whether her anger was with her ex or because her emotions had gotten the better of her, he didn’t know. Not that it mattered. All he could think of was holding her close and protecting her, even if her hurt had started long before he came into the picture. “The pain, the nightmares, the accident…they changed him into a different man. I know it’s been three years, but he’s still living that nightmare. He’s all alone—and he won’t let me help him.”

“I don’t even know what to say, Harper.” He couldn’t imagine what she must have gone through. One moment she was engaged and happy, looking forward to getting married and starting a new life, a family, and the next, her dreams and future were shattered to pieces. As a doctor, he knew the sort of effect a severe accident and chronic pain could have on a person, and unfortunately, it didn’t surprise him that her fiancé had pushed her away, no doubt hurt and angry with the world.

“He became a completely different person, Marshall. And yet I still feel guilty that we didn’t find a way to get through it together.” She let out a shuddering breath as he cupped her face in his hands and dried her cheeks, making him wish he could somehow shield her from the pain and heartache.

“It’s not as though you didn’t try repeatedly to reach out to him and help him through it, Harper. You can’t blame yourself when you did all you could.” He tucked her in tightly against him, and kissed the top of her head. “You need to try to let it go, love. You’re too young to let something like that keep you from moving on with your life.”

“I wish that was everything, Marshall, but it’s not. I swear, it sometimes feels like it’s one thing after another.” She twined her fingers with his, and even though it was a small and simple gesture, it meant a lot that she was reaching out and opening up to him. “My dad…he’s been a mess ever since my mom died—and that was back when I was in high school. But she was his everything, and he’s been…I don’t know…I guess he’s been lost without her. He drinks too much, barely leaves the house…I do what I can to help, but it’s never been enough to help him get past her death, though I suppose it doesn’t help that I look just like her.”

“Fuck, Harper…I truly am sorry you’ve had to deal with so much. I know there’s nothing I can say to make you feel better, but if there’s anything I can do—anything at all—I’m here for you. No one should have to go through this alone.” If her mother was anything like Harper, then he could see why her dad would have such a hard time getting over her. And just like that, he realized that he was well on his way to falling for the woman in his arms.

“How do you help someone who doesn’t want help? Someone who doesn’t see that they’re killing themselves—and dragging everyone down with them?” The weariness in her voice pissed him off. Had she been dealing with this all alone? And what exactly had she been dealing with?

Marshall couldn’t help but think of his own drunk and abusive father, and the thought of her living through the nightmare he and his siblings had gone through left him furious. “I get that your dad misses your mom, but…I know what it’s like to have a father who drinks too much. Just tell me he didn’t fucking abuse you as a result of his drinking—’cause that’s not something anyone should have to go through, whether it’s physically or mentally.”

She sat up out of his arms, worry creasing her brow as she shook her head. “No, he was never like that. Just melancholic and withdrawn. I’ve been desperate to get him into rehab before he drinks himself to death—or worse, he finds a faster method than the bottle—but I haven’t managed it, so I just try my best. But…” She reached up and cupped his cheek. “I’m so sorry you had to go through all that with your father, Marshall. It’s just not right.”

Marshall never really talked about it much, and the truth was that he’d probably escaped the worst of it, compared to what his brothers and sisters had endured. Yet with Harper, he felt compelled to open up to her since she’d already shared so much of herself with him. “I was already off to college by the time he got really bad, and luckily he’s no longer in our lives. After my brother, Jake, nearly put him in the hospital for going after my sister, we did our best to sever our ties with him.”

“I can’t even imagine having to put up with something like that. I’m just glad you were able to finally escape it.” She took in a deep breath and let it out on a ragged sigh. “At least it seems like you and your siblings are close. I only have my brother, but I swear, he couldn’t care less about me or my father. He just wants to live his own life with as few interruptions from his family as possible.”

So she was shouldering the whole burden on her own. Well, that would have to change, especially if he had any say in it. “Do you have any other family who could help you to convince your dad to go to rehab? If it’s a financial concern, I’d be happy to pay for it, Harper.”

“You’re a sweet man, but I can’t let you do that. And no…there really isn’t anyone else capable of convincing him. The only other family I have are my first cousins, but they’re from my mom’s side of the family, and though they’d do what they could to help, they live on a remote island in Maine, and I’d rather not bother them.” She gave him a shrug, looking defeated where the matter of her father was concerned. “Enough about my dad…we should get back to work. Can’t be slacking off or my boss might get very angry with me.”

Somehow, she managed to push away everything they’d been discussing, and gave him a sultry smile that had him going hard again. “Is that so?”

She flicked her eyebrows up as her eyes sparkled with mischief. “Yep. He even spanks me, if I’ve been
really
bad. But shhh…don’t tell him…I actually like it—
a lot
.”

“Sweetheart…I think he already knows.”

***

After Harper had finally opened up to him, the last thing Marshall wanted to do was head back to the craziness of the crowds downstairs. “Let’s leave the conference for a bit. I think we’ve seen enough to be inspired, and besides…I already have an idea or two that I’d like to get your opinion on.”

He’d been wanting to tell her about his latest idea for a product he felt would be like nothing else on the market, but had wanted to wait for the right time. And now that he felt so close to her, he couldn’t help but want to share his idea with her.

Harper shifted in his arms so she could sit back to look at him, her curiosity lighting her eyes so they sparkled with interest. He was glad to see that working allowed her the chance to let go of all her hurt and problems, for a little while, at least. Maybe that was one of the reasons she always seemed so focused on the job. “Now you have me intrigued.”

He got to his feet and brought his leather briefcase to the bed, rearranging the numbers on the lock so he could pop it open. He grabbed the file he needed along with his laptop and then, setting aside his case, sat back down on the bed next to her.

“I was thinking of the minute details and physiology of a woman’s anatomy when I designed it, since that’s what really sets Clio products apart.” Flipping through the file, he found the drawings he’d made as a quick mock-up of his idea and handed it to her as he pulled up the schematics for the toy on his laptop. “You see, in addition to a woman’s clit and G-spot, there are thousands more nerves in the surrounding tissue of the labia and inner walls of the vagina. And though some vibes add texture and movement to the shaft of a vibrator, it doesn’t tend to apply enough pressure on the nerve endings—and there’s nothing on the market, that I’m aware of, that addresses the nerves in the labia.”

She shook her head, as if not truly believing him. “Really? I guess I’ve never noticed.”

“Maybe a little show-and-tell is in order.” Wanting to prove his point, he caught her mouth in an intense kiss as his hand wandered up her thighs to her sweet cunt, still bare from earlier, brushing his fingers over her slick lips, as he broke away from their kiss just enough to be able to speak. “You see, only a very small part of your clit is visible, while the remaining tissue, the
corpora cavernosa
, runs under the soft folds of your inner labia and around your vagina.”

When he massaged the area just right, he had the pleasure of hearing her breath catch and her hips tilt towards him. “Oh…I think I see…”

Her head fell back, gasping when he slipped his fingers inside her for a moment, before going back to massaging her, alternating between the two so that her breath was quickening. “And then…imagine we add further stimulation to your swollen clit.”

Pushing her legs apart so that her skirt hiked up her hips, he nestled himself between her legs, continuing to tease her as he had been, but this time letting his tongue stroke her clit, swollen and so ready to set off an explosive orgasm—which is when he pulled away. He gave her a smug smile, ignoring her protests for more.

“Patience, sweet girl.” He smeared her juices across her lips, loving that she sucked his fingers into her mouth to lick them clean, the tug going straight to his hard cock. “Because when I do finally let you come, all this waiting will only make your orgasm so much more intense. Not to mention, we still have work to deal with. I want your opinion on my design, especially since I think your new method for providing deeper stimulation could be perfect in this application, given that the tissue we’re looking to stimulate lies deeper below the surface.”

“You’re killing me, Marshall, especially since it’s damn sexy when you get all scientific and technical. As for work, I think your idea is downright brilliant. You’re right—there’s nothing else like this, and it could really be the thing that pushes us even further ahead of the pack.” She shifted closer to him, biting her lower lip and giving him a sultry look, her skin flushed from her arousal and her nipples hard against the fabric of her shirt. “Are you sure I can’t convince you to do a little more…research? I’ll happily be your test subject.”