Yield to Love (21 page)

Marlowe’s heartbeat quickened at the mention
of his name. “Why?”

“
Girl, I’ve been doing
some investigating on him, and—”

“
What? Why have you been
doing that?”

“
I wanted to make sure he
was on the up and up.”

“
How is that any of your
concern?”

“
I’m only trying to help.
I think you’ll want to know what I found out.”

“
Why would I
care?”

“
Because I saw y’all lip
locked. Shit, you might be thinking of giving up the drawers to
him.”

“
Damn, Toye. Who I screw
is none of your business.”

“
So, you did give up the
drawers?”

Marlowe’s jaw dropped. “Toye, you need to
leave. I don’t feel well, and I don’t have time for this shit.”
Marlowe ushered her toward the door.

“
Girl, that man is living
foul,” Toye blurted out. “I found out he’s married. I bet he didn’t
even tell you that.” It was all Marlowe could do not to punch Toye.
She had that triumphant look on her face, like she knew something
no one else did. “I bet you didn’t know. Did you know?” Toye
demanded.

“
Yes, Toye, I did
know.”

She looked at her like she’d grown a horn in
her forehead. “Wait. You knew, and you’re still messing with
him?”

“
I am not messing with
him, Toye.”

“
If you’re screwing him,
you can tell me. I won’t judge you. I’ve slept with a few married
men before. But it was on accident.”

Suddenly, Marlowe had a raging headache. Her
cousin was making her head pound. “Toye, please go.”

“
Girl, you know if he’s
married, there’s no telling what other secrets he may have. Do you
really trust him enough to sell LaReesa’s property?”

Marlowe shook her head. “One thing has
nothing to do with the other.”

“
I’m just saying. He seems
shady. I knew there was something up with him at the wedding when
he didn’t even look at me or Olivia. Well, Olivia, I can
understand. But me? Who could resist this body? These eyes? I
thought he was gay or something, until I saw him kiss
you.”

Marlowe wanted to scream. She counted to ten
instead. “Toye, I really think you should join a dating
website.”

“
Why? So I can show these
men what’s they’ve been missing?”

“
No, so you can get some
motherfuckin’ business of your own!” Marlowe finally snapped.
“Goodbye, Toye!”

She didn’t feel bad watching the tears that
watered in Toye’s eyes or seeing her hurt expression. Marlowe was
hurting too. She didn’t have time to entertain her cousin’s
bullshit.

###

Three weeks passed, and Marlowe still hadn’t
managed to put Roque out of her mind. She did get her period last
week, so at least she didn’t have to deal with an unwanted
pregnancy. She should have been ecstatic, but she wasn’t. She
didn’t know what was wrong with her. She’d been moping around,
uninterested in anything. Not even the excitement of helping Gabe
plan his annual gala could lift her spirits. For the past few
weeks, she’d simply been going through the motions.

Her sisters thought she was still suffering
from the emotional trauma of dealing with Reesa’s house. Marlowe
was content to let them believe it. Anything to keep them from the
truth.

She was lonely.

For the first time in her life, she felt a
gnawing emptiness that she was helpless to stop. She knew what it
was. She missed Roque. And she hated herself for it. There was no
logical reason for her to be so miserable without him. He was a
fraud. There was no room in her life for frauds—no matter how well
he sexed her.

Candace and Toye approached. Toye was
grinning like a Cheshire cat. “You outdid yourself this time,
Marlowe.”

She and Toye had made up a few days after
Marlowe’s outburst. Marlowe figured family should come before any
man, unless he was her husband. And like Toye said, she was only
trying to be helpful. Although she had a crazy ass way of helping
people.

“
Yes,” Candace agreed.
“Look at this crowd! It’s even bigger than last year’s
event.”

Marlowe didn’t need to look around to
appreciate her handiwork. Tonight’s formal event was being held at
the Eden Roc Hotel, the place where Gabe and Candace fell in love.
The invitation specified formal attire. It was a chance for Gabe’s
clients to play dress up for a night. It seemed as though the women
were competing to see who could show off the longest ball gowns,
the deepest plunging necklines, and the most outrageous jewelry.
The men rocked tuxes in every color and style. This was Miami,
after all. Residents were known for their wild fashions.

Marlowe was wearing the stunning royal blue
gown she’d bought a few weeks ago. Normally, she lived for these
types of events. But tonight, her heart wasn’t in it.

“
Thanks,” she replied
dully.

“
I’ve got the dirt on
who’s single and who’s not,” Toye told her.

“
Not interested,” Marlowe
replied, briefly scanning the room. She planned on staying only as
long as required without raising suspicion. Then she was outta
here!

“
You gotta get back on the
horse, cousin.”

The thought of riding a horse made her think
of Roque. It had been almost a month since he’d shown her the
wonders of Costa Rica. Her body still warmed every time she thought
of their weekend together.

“
Champagne?” a
white-gloved waiter carrying a tray of tall flutes filled with the
bubbly liquid asked.

She shook her head. “No thanks.” The
champagne reminded her of the Dom Pérignon she and Roque sipped in
Costa Rica. “Damn, why can’t I get him out of my brain?”

“
Who?” Candace was staring
strangely at her.

“
No one,” Marlowe
muttered. She couldn’t believe she’d just said that
aloud.

“
Are you okay?” Candace
asked.

“
Yes. I just have a
headache.”

“
Ever since you came back
from your trip, you’ve been acting strange.”

“
I told you I was sick,”
Marlowe kept up the lie. “I must have caught a bug. But I’m better
now.”

“
Come with me. I want you
to meet someone.”

Great. Marlowe didn’t feel like meeting
anyone. She was ready to hightail it back to her condo and watch
some mindless program on TV. Anything to take her mind off her
misery.

“
He’s a new investor,”
Candace continued. “Gabe is doing a retail shopping center project
with him. And Three Sisters is going to help. It’ll be the biggest
one we’ve ever done.”

Marlowe wished she could catch the wave of
her sister’s excitement. Maybe in a few months, she might feel
different. Tonight, she wasn’t feeling it.

She followed Candace to a corner where Gabe
was conversing with a stranger. The man’s back was to her. Gabe
caught her eye and waved her over.

“
Here she comes now,” Gabe
announced to the man. “Marlowe handles all of our PR
events.”

The man, dressed in an all-white tuxedo,
turned. Marlowe’s heart slammed against her ribs as she took in the
familiar blue eyes and dark goatee groomed to perfection.

“
Marlowe,” Gabe said, “I’d
like you to meet Roque Coleman, one of my new
investors.”

“
Marlowe,” Roque murmured,
taking her hand in his and kissing the back of it. “Good to see you
again.”

“
Again?” Gabe asked. “You
two know each other?”

Marlowe stared at the exquisite man she’d
missed for so long. He was regal in his white tux. He outshone
every man in the room. No wonder she couldn’t forget him. Her body
instantly reacted, tingling everywhere. Heat flooded her veins and
settled deep in her core. Damn, she’d missed him!

His hungry eyes swept the length of her
gown. “Yes.” His deep voice caressed her. “I’ve had the pleasure of
Marlowe’s company.” The way he said the word ‘pleasure’ sent goose
bumps down her spine.

No! I will not let him wrangle his way back
into my life. New investor, my ass!

He’d planned this. With all of his money and
connections, it would have been easy.

Marlowe spoke to Gabe but kept her gaze on
Roque. “Yes, we know each other. But Mr. Coleman still needs to
learn that there are some things in life that cannot be
bought.”

She watched the hopeful smile on Roque’s
face falter before she turned on her heel and walked briskly
away.

“
Marlowe!” he called
out.

She kept walking. She could not handle him
right now. She fled to the nearest restroom. Seconds later, she
burst through the elegant wood door and paced back and forth in
front of the mirrors in the spacious sitting area.

“
How dare he?” she fumed.
“He had no right to show up here!” She’d told him not to contact
her again. Did he think he could have anything he wanted? The man
was unbelievably full of himself.

A moment later, the bathroom door opened.
Marlowe heard footsteps. She moved to the bathroom section where
the stalls were located. The footsteps followed.

Roque appeared from around the corner.

Marlowe gasped. “You can’t be in here!”

He held out his hands, palms up. “Marlowe,
I’d follow you to the ends of the earth. A women’s restroom can’t
keep me from you.”

“
Nothing you can say can
convince me to see you again.”

He pulled a white envelope from the breast
pocket of his tuxedo. “This is my divorce decree,” he said. “I made
Natalyn sign it.”

Her heart raced. She couldn’t think
straight. He was getting a divorce? “You didn’t have to do that for
me.”

“
I did it for me. I’m a
selfish bastard, remember?”

“
If the shoe
fits…”

“
It does.” He closed in on
her. She took a step backward. “I’m so selfish, I don’t want to be
without you, Marlowe. From the day I met you, I fought my
attraction to you. But it was useless. You made me yield to love.”
His blue eyes sought hers. “I want you to be my wife, Marlowe. I
love you.”

Roque loves me?

He was here in the women’s restroom,
professing his love for her. He was divorcing his wife. She
realized this was what she’d wanted all along. She wanted his
heart. His love. Still, she had to be sure it was real.

“
I’m not pregnant, Roque.
You don’t have to marry me just so you can take care of your
responsibilities.”

“
Did you hear me? I’m
marrying you because I love you. You know you love me too,
Marlowe.” He backed her up against the counter of sinks. His hard
body pressed against hers. She didn’t move away.

God help me, I still crave his touch.

“
Don’t deny me, Marlowe,”
he pled. “I’m going out of my mind without you.”

He kissed her
tenderly,
capturing her lips in a searing
kiss, and Marlowe felt the familiar smoldering heat begin to spiral
inside her. He could make her body bend to his will with just one
stroke of his skillful tongue. As he nibbled at her lips, he moved
with a slow sensual thrust, grinding against her. She felt the
evidence of his erection pressing through his tuxedo pants against
the abdomen of her gown.

Oh, no! I’m falling for him again.

Her pussy lips throbbed in anticipation. She
was still mad at him. She couldn’t let him do this.

“
No,” she murmured against
his lips.

“
Yes,” he murmured back.
He hiked her dress up, exposing her lace panties. Then he lifted
her by her waist and set her atop the cool marble sink.

He dragged his lips from hers. “I need you,
Marlowe. I need you so bad, it hurts.”

He stroked the crotch of her panties with
two fingers. She gasped with pleasure.

“
Yes,” she agreed, eager
to have him inside her. “Yes, yes.”

He yanked her panties down
and unzipped his pants and thrust his hard dick inside her. Marlowe
moaned with delight as she welcomed him inside. Instantly, she felt
herself succumbing to his deep, erotic strokes. Her purrs mingled
with his groans as the two frantically fucked in the bathroom. Her
tailbone hurt from pushing against the hard sink, but she refused
to stop. She wrapped her legs tighter around Roque’s midsection. In
minutes, she was soaring toward her first orgasm. If Roque had his
way, it wouldn’t be the last one tonight.
A white-hot explosion rocked her. It consumed her, igniting
her from head to toe, before scorching her with its
intensity.

She screamed out Roque’s name. A second
later, he ejaculated, driving forcefully into her.

“
I love you, Marlowe,” he
repeated over and over. “I love you.”

“
I love you, too,” she
answered, her heartbeat thundering in her ears. “And did you
realize we did it unprotected again?”

He nodded. “Yes. But it doesn’t matter.
You’re my woman now. I’m taking care of you.”

He helped her get down from the sink. Once
on her feet, Marlowe adjusted her dress. “I never agreed to be your
wife,” she argued.

“
Oh, yes, you did. I heard
you say
yes, yes
!”

She laughed. “That was not in response to
your proposal.”

He zipped his pants. “Too bad. I’m not
leaving this bathroom until you say yes.”

“
Where’s my
ring?”