Romance: Hard To Love 1 (Billionaire Romance Series) (Love Dies Hard) Read online

  “Sure, what did he say?” I ask just to appease him.

  “He warned me about getting involved with someone in the office.”

  “Is he worried I will file a sexual harassment suit against you,” I tease with a smirk.

  “I told him I was serious about you,” he says totally catching me off guard. I don’t even know how to respond. I look down at my plate.

  “And what did he say?” is the best I can do.

  “He scoffed at me, like he didn’t believe me.”

  “Oh.”

  “Do you believe me?” Marcus asks.

  “I must say, I find it hard to believe,” I say with a heavy sigh. I just don’t want to go there right now.

  “Well, over time you’ll see,” Marcus says cryptically. I want to change the subject.

  “So how are things going with Mr. Neal Douglas?” I ask trying to change the subject.

  “Nice change of subject,” he says with zero expression, “difficult as usual,” he sighs out.

  “He is so demanding, I’m just glad I don’t have to deal with him anymore. At least he doesn’t undress you with his eyes,” I laugh.

  After dinner we go back to my place and I can’t wait for sexy time with Marcus. I found myself lusting over him during dinner, he still fills me with this intense desire whenever I’m near him. I find myself focusing on those hands of his, remembering his touch alone makes me throb between my legs.

  Once I tell him I’m seeing John this weekend, I don’t know what he will do, how he will react. I get in bed tonight with Marcus and I realize it may be my last night with him. I need to make the most of every touch, every feeling, every nuance, as if to burn it into my memory forever. So, I’m going to enjoy his body as if this is the last time. I suppose I’m being melodramatic, but I can’t help it, that’s how I feel.

  I want to please him tonight as he sits down on the edge of my bed stripped bare for me. I kneel in front of him and take him in my mouth, loving his shaft with flicks of my tongue around his crown and then up and down along its ridges. He just looks down at me with the most pleased look on his face, I love giving him pleasure. Love the taste of him on my tongue. I rake my free hand up and down his smooth chest and along his sinful six pack abs. All of these emotions are running through my mind. I never enjoy doing this, but with Marcus I don’t think twice about pleasing him this way. That’s how I know I have these strong feelings for him that scare me. He could break me so easily, but I won’t give him the chance to. This has to end, so I will give him this last night of pleasure.

  Hours later and we’re both fully satiated. It’s now two in the morning and he’s holding me so close in his arms, warm, safe and sound after our slow and tender lovemaking. So much about it was different tonight.

  “I want to take you to the symphony tomorrow night, the firm has tickets we can use,” he offers.

  “I have plans tomorrow night, I’m sorry,” I whisper, as I squeeze my eyes shut, bracing myself for the wrath that’s sure to follow.

  “Oh, what are you doing?” he asks cautiously.

  “I’m going to the U2 concert,” I reply.

  “I didn’t know you like U2. Who are you going with?” he inquires gently. Suddenly, I’m afraid to tell him. My heart starts racing and I wish I never agreed to go. I involuntarily hug Marcus closer to me to bury my face in his chest and breathe him in.

  “John,” I finally answer in a whisper and my insides tighten. Marcus doesn’t say a word for the longest time and my entire being is aching inside. Why did I do this to us? I’m not ready to let him go. He starts to pull away from me and I hold him tighter.

  “Sophie, let go,” he says in a voice I barely recognize.

  “When were you going to tell me?” he asks, sitting up on the edge of the bed.

  “I’m telling you now.” He rakes his hands though his hair in exasperation. I don’t flinch.

  “I’m not happy about it,” he says. I say nothing. “Do you care? Sophie you are…” he stops, not finishing his sentence.

  “I’m what?” I finally ask. You wonder why I said yes to John. I said yes because I know secretly deep down inside I’m falling for Marcus. I’m not good at just sleeping with someone outside of a committed relationship. I thought it would be easy to do with someone like Marcus, but when you do something as intimate as what we do together, I can’t stop these feelings from surfacing. As hard as I try to ignore them, they are there staring me in the face every single time we make love. They are real. I can sense Marcus feels them too, I know he does and I bet it scares the living daylights out of him. I know it scares me and we’re similar. So, to explain my actions, going out with John this weekend is a defense mechanism. A way of protecting my heart. Deep down I’m hoping this will cause Marcus to stop seeing me, then we will be forced to end this. It’s not good for us. Well, it is good for us, but you know what I mean…

  He pulls himself out of my warm bed and slowly drags his dress shirt on. He’s leaving, he never leaves after our lovemaking. I’m afraid that’s what this has become for us, lovemaking. I wasn’t supposed to feel love towards someone like Marcus. We both agreed, we don’t do love.

  I watch him in my moonlit bedroom as he slowly buttons his shirt. I can make out the scowl on his face. One by one he buttons his shirt with his masculine, strong hands working the tiny buttons with his dexterous fingertips that I love to have brushing over my body, tantalizing me. I know with the decision I’ve made I may never have those hands touching me again and my heart is already aching at the thought, but I remain quiet. He pulls on his slacks and then buckles his belt. He glances over at me snuggled under the blankets as I watch him expectantly, with a heavy heart.

  He sits on the edge of the bed and leans down and gives me a slow and tender kiss that just about unravels me. It’s meant to be our last kiss.

  “Goodbye, Sophie,” he whispers out into my darkened room. I hear a voice in my head yelling “don’t go”, but the words don’t pass my lips. I don’t want him to leave, my whole body aches and I swallow back my tears that are threatening to roll down my cheeks. Stop him Sophie, but I don’t. I can hear the voices in my head, willing me to stop him, but I keep my lips closed tightly together. I’m going to let him make the choice, leave our destiny in his hands. He trails his hand slowly down my body as if to commit it to memory. I know that’s what he’s doing. Then he stands up still looking at me, waiting for me to stop him, to say something. But all I can do is hold back my tears until he leaves and remind myself that this is for the best. Go now Marcus; I don’t want you to see me shed a single tear.

  He turns on his heel and walks out of my bedroom and I hear my front door open and close as he leaves my apartment never looking back.

  ~to be continued~

  ~Playlist~

  Happy – Surface

  So Amazing – Luther Vandross

  Heartbreak Warfare – John Mayer

  I’m About to Come Alive - Train

  It Was Always You – Maroon 5

  Without You Here – Goo Goo Dolls

  Dear Reader,

  Enjoyed reading HARD To LOVE 1?

  Can’t wait to find out what happens next?

  If you would like a FREE (Gifted) copy of HARD To LOVE 2 when it is released, please post a review for HARD To LOVE 1 on Amazon and email it to me at

  [email protected]

  HARD To LOVE 1

  HARD To LOVE 2

  HARD To LOVE 3

  In the meantime, check out other books by C.C. Cartwright

  ~Mr. Romance Series – New Adult Office Romance~

  My Mr. Sexy My 1 – FREE on Amazon

  http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00PLZR6ZG

  My Mr. Sexy 2 – (Kindle Unlimited)

  http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00RI5QEBO

  My Mr. Mitch – (Kindle Unlimited)

  http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00V8KADOE

  My Mr. London (Kindle Unlimited)

  http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00OVJILH
K

  My Mr. Right (Kindle Unlimited)

  http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00TRELGSO

  ~Close Encounters Series – New Adult and College Series~

  Close Encounters 1 and 2 – FREE on Amazon

  http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00VGSK2OO

  Close Encounters 3 (Kindle Unlimited)

  http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00VXN2BJQ

  Close Encounters 4 (Kindle Unlimited)

  http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00WGUXMSO

  Close Encounters 5 (Kindle Unlimited)

  http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00XA6XI5U

  Close Encounters 6 (June 2015)

  Happy Reading!

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  XO,

  C.C. Cartwright