Yield to Love (13 page)

“
Are you telling me it’s
been six months since you’ve spoken to her?”

“
We’ve emailed. Her email
address is still the same.”

“
Emailed?” Roque felt
nothing but disgust for the mother of his child. He didn’t know
what he’d ever seen in her. He was young and dumb, that was his
best excuse.

“
I’m trying, Roque. This
isn’t easy, you know. I feel like I have nothing in common with my
own daughter.”

“
What about DNA?” he
growled. “You have that in common.”

“
You know what I
mean.”

“
No, I don’t. And I don’t
think Jade knows either. All she knows is you don’t show up and you
don’t call.”

“
Don’t make me out to be
the bad guy, Roque. I bet you’re telling her all kinds of shit
about me. Poisoning her mind against me.”

“
I don’t have to do that.
You’re doing a fine job all by yourself.”

“
You’re
exasperating.”

“
So I’ve been told.
Anyway, do you want your daughter’s new phone number or
not?”

“
Why don’t you just
deliver a message for me?”

He walked back into the kitchen and headed
for the stove again. “I already know. You’re not coming this time
either.”

“
Damn you, Roque! Why are
you putting words in my mouth?”

“
Why are you angry at me,
Natalyn? You’re the one destroying your relationship with your only
child.”

“
Listen, I didn’t call for
this. You don’t understand what I’m going through.”

“
Sure I do. You’re a
selfish woman, concerned with only your own desires.”

“
That’s not true. You
don’t know how hard this has been on me…I…”

He refused to listen to any sob stories from
her. She broke his heart and now she was trying to do the same with
his daughter. He wouldn’t keep Natalyn from seeing Jade, but he
wouldn’t let her continue to pour salt in the wound.

“
Woman, you have more
excuses than the ocean has fish. You want Jade to get your message?
Deliver it yourself.”

He hung up. Every time he talked to Natalyn
it left a bitter taste in his mouth. If he could have one do-over
in life, it would be never having met that woman.

No,
he stopped himself.
I don’t wish
that. If I’d never met Natalyn, I wouldn’t have Jade.

“
She’s not coming, is
she?”

Roque turned to find his daughter standing
behind him. She’d overheard his entire conversation. “Uh, no,
honey. She can’t make it this time. Something came up,” he told
her. He swore he wouldn’t lie for Natalyn, but when it came to
making Jade feel better, he didn’t mind.

She grabbed a can of grape soda from the
fridge. “You don’t have to cover for her, Dad. I’m a big girl. I
can handle it.”

He nodded. “I want you to know this is not
your fault. Your mother’s decisions have nothing to do with you or
your behavior.” He’d heard of kids who blamed themselves for their
parents’ actions. He wanted Jade to know it wasn’t her fault her
mother was a nut case.

“
I know,” Jade said. “I’m
a vibrant, courageous, talented, young woman. She’s missing out on
my best years.” Jade shrugged her shoulders. “It’s her
loss.”

He wrapped his little girl in his embrace.
“That’s my girl.”

She popped the top on her soda and sipped
from it. “Well, if she’s not coming, I may as well go to dance camp
this weekend.”

“
What’s that?”

“
It’s a weekend camp the
dance squad does every year. I’ve been invited as a guest. I figure
if I’m going to join, I may as well see what it’s all
about.”

“
Wow. Once you make up
your mind to do something, you go full speed ahead.”

She gave him a smile that made his heart
melt. “Just like my dad.”

###

“
It’s been a week since
you spoke to him?”

“
Almost a
week.”

“
How have you been
communicating?”

“
Through
Olivia.”

“
Hey, no fair using my
personal assistant to do your dirty work.”

Marlowe laughed at Ronnie. “Olivia is happy
to do anyone’s dirty work. It gives her a sense of purpose.”

“
That’s putting it
nicely.”

Marlowe smiled.

“
So, tell me again, why
are you avoiding Roque?” Ronnie asked.

“
Because he licked me
senseless.”

The two sat in Marlowe’s office reviewing
the paperwork for Relay for Life. Ronnie had removed her shoes and
had her feet propped in a nearby chair. “Remind me one more time—is
that a bad thing?”

“
Yes!” Marlowe
declared.

“
Why? Was the licking not
to your satisfaction?”

“
Oh, yeah, it was that and
then some.”

“
So, what’s the
problem?”

Marlowe leaned back in her chair. “It was
too good. I felt out of control with him.”

Who knew her body would respond so wantonly
to Roque? After she’d embarrassed herself by turning into putty in
his hands, she’d had Olivia contact Roque and accept the offer to
sell on her behalf. A courier had delivered the contract the next
morning. Roque’s offer was so generous, Marlowe couldn’t help but
wonder if it had anything to do with his tongue massage the day
before.

“
I like giving up control
in the bedroom,” Ronnie admitted. “Vic has this thing he does where
he pours baby oil on me and he talks dirty to me…”

Marlowe snapped her fingers when Ronnie
began to trail off. “Earth to Ronnie.”

“
Anyway, there’s nothing
wrong with letting go and enjoying yourself.”

That wasn’t how Marlowe operated. Yes, it
was fine to lose yourself in the moment from time to time, but she
was used to being in control. Something about Roque’s personality
told her she’d always be submitting to him. Did she want that?

“
It’s easy to let go with
your husband,” Marlowe said. “You trust him.”

“
You don’t trust Roque?”
Ronnie asked.

“
I don’t know him well
enough to trust him.”

“
No, I mean do you trust
him with your body? Do you trust him enough to be
vulnerable?”

Marlowe shrugged. “I don’t know.”

Ronnie nodded. “Invite him over. Let us meet
him. We’ll be the judges of his character.”

“
Absolutely not. Roque is
crazy! He’s the kind of man that will take a yard if you give him
an inch.”

“
Sounds a lot like
you.”

“
Whatever.”

“
So, what are you going to
do about this man?”

“
Nothing. I probably won’t
hear from him again, unless it’s in regards to the sale. As far as
I’m concerned, our business is done.”

“
Hmm… Somehow, I have a
feeling, you haven’t seen the last of Roque Coleman.”

A knock on Marlowe’s open door interrupted
any further conversation. Penny stood in the doorway with a vase of
flowers. “You have a delivery,” Penny told her.

“
From who?”

“
I’m not sure, but there’s
a card.”

“
What does it
say?”

Penny read it aloud. “Say yes.”

“
Say yes to
what?”

Penny shrugged. “That’s what the card says.
‘Say yes.’”

Suddenly, Gator appeared in the doorway to
Marlowe’s office, dressed in a black suit. “Good afternoon, Ms.
Jones.” He bowed dramatically. “Mr. Coleman requests the honor of
your company. He sent me to pick you up.”

Marlowe’s jaw dropped. She shot a glance at
Ronnie. “I told you he was crazy.”

Ronnie laughed. “So, what are you going to
do?”

She smirked. “There’s only one thing to
do—say yes.”

###

If Marlowe Jones thought she’d seen the last
of him, she was wrong. Roque had just dropped Jade off at school
for her dance camp. She’d be spending the weekend with two dozen
loud, squealing girls competing for a position on the squad. With
his contracts sewed up, he had three days to himself. That hadn’t
happened in a long time. And he knew just what to do with his time
off.

Brett had made all the arrangements for him.
He was not to be disturbed unless Jade needed him. He sat in one of
the twelve seats in a private jet he’d chartered. He was nervous as
hell. Marlowe was one of the few women who’d dared to say no to
him. She did it out of sheer spite. There was no denying she was
attracted to him. And he had to admit he wanted her too. He knew
Marlowe felt the spark between them. He didn’t like it anymore than
she did. Lustful attractions like this kept him off his game. He
needed to focus, and Marlowe Jones was making it hard as hell to do
that. There was only one way to handle the situation. He had to get
her out of his system. He figured a few days of unadulterated
fucking where he indulged both his and her every fantasy should do
the trick.

“
Welcome aboard, Ms.
Jones. Mr. Coleman is waiting for you.”

When Marlowe appeared in the entrance door
to the aircraft, Roque stood up to greet her. Her cognac eyes
landed on him, and she took her time sauntering to his seat.

He liked the way she moved. Her walk was
hypnotic. Dressed in a belted short dress that clung to her slender
body and accentuated her full breasts, she held his gaze hostage.
The short hem of her dress showed off long legs encased in stiletto
peep-toe pumps. Her short hair was pushed back from her exotic
face, exposing her high cheekbones. His body heated just looking at
her. He had plans for her. Erotic, nasty plans. He didn’t intend to
hold back, so he hoped she could handle him.

Her gaze swept him from head to toe,
silently appraising, but giving nothing away. He liked the fact
that she kept him guessing. He had no idea what she was thinking
right now.

“
Did you bring me here to
gloat?” she asked, her face impassive. She’d be one hell of a poker
player.

“
I would never do that,”
he answered. “It’s ungentlemanly.”

“
Then why am I
here?”

“
I think you know the
answer to that. From our first kiss, you had to know this was
inevitable.”

Her lips curled into a coy smile. “You think
because you gave me one of the best orgasms of my life, I owe you
something?”

He grinned. “Only one of the best? Seems I
have my work cut out for me if I want to be Number One.”

Her eyes flitted from him
to the interior of the jet. With plush navy leather chairs and a
small, cherry wood conference table, it was the type of luxury he
was most comfortable with. “
Let me guess,
you own this airplane, too?” she asked.

“
No. I helped the owner
broker a deal for some land a few years ago. He lets me use it
whenever I need.”

“
Is there any pot you
don’t have your hands in?”

He chuckled. “I seem to recall you enjoying
my hands. If I recall correctly, I think you said they were magic,
or something like that.”

Her pretty brown skin glowed. “Something
like that.”

“
Well, I’m looking forward
to making more magic with you, Marlowe Jones.”

Unable to hold back any longer, he pulled
her into his arms and kissed her. Heat flooded his body as he
hungrily delved in. Every time he claimed her mouth, it was like a
homecoming. He’d been missing these lips something fierce. Her body
melded against his, and like the last time they kissed, she purred
like a cat in heat. He dragged his lips away, careful not to get
caught up.

“
Now what?” Marlowe
asked.

“
Now, we enjoy ourselves
for a few days.”

She frowned. “I have a lot going on, Roque.
I can’t just leave for a few days.”

“
Yes, you can. I’ve
already checked your schedule with Penny. You work hard, and so do
I. We deserve a three-day weekend—”

“
But…”

“—
where I fulfill your
every fantasy.”

The long lashes framing her wide eyes
fluttered twice. “Well, when you put it that way…”

“
What do you have to
lose?”

“
You’re pretty damn
confident you can meet my needs.”

“
When I see something I
want, I go for it. It’s no secret I want you.”

“
Mr. Coleman, Ms. Jones,”
the flight attendant interrupted, “You may want to take your seats
now. We’re preparing for takeoff.”

“
Where are we going?”
Marlowe asked.

“
It’s a surprise,” Roque
answered.

“
I don’t do surprises. I
have to let someone know where I am.”

“
You can call your family
when we land.” He led her to the seat next to him and buckled her
seatbelt for her. “Don’t want you to get caught up in any
turbulence, unless it’s created by me.”

She shook her head. “Do you really think we
can stand each other for three days without getting on each other’s
last nerve?”

He leaned over and kissed her on the lips
again. “I don’t know, but it’ll sure as hell be fun trying.”

Two hours and thirty minutes later, Marlowe
stood in the impressive lobby of the Nayara Hotel in La Fortuna de
San Carlos, Costa Rica. With polished marble floors, cascading
crystal chandeliers, and spectacular views, the luxury resort
seemed like paradise in the middle of the jungle.