Page 11 of Awakened by Sin

The prospect got to his feet and extended his hand to her. “Come on, mama, let’s get out of here.”

And go where? She wanted to be banged right here, right now in a public bathroom where it would be sordid and final. She didn’t want to get a room for an hour. She examined the prospect objectively. Her sex radar told her he would be a lousy lay. He wouldn’t bother to get her off, which would make her feel worse than she already did. The prospect wasn’t old enough to move past jackrabbit sex.

She slumped against the wall in defeat. “Maybe next time.”

The prospect was clearly bewildered. He looked back and forth between them before he shook his head and walked out.

She crossed her arms. “What do you want, Marcus?”

“You can do better than that, Carmen.”

“I don’t want better!” She stalked forward and prodded him in the chest. “This is the second time you’ve cock-blocked me. What’s your problem?”

“I seem to have a problem with you trying to have sex in my clubs.” When she opened her mouth to shout, he added, “And watching you sell yourself short.”

“I can fuck whoever I want! I am gonna get laid tonight, even if I have to do it in the back alley.”

“Why in a public place?”

He didn’t sound shocked or appalled, merely curious. For some reason, this pissed her off even more. She’d run into him several times after Incognito’s opening. He attended Lyla’s baby gender party and two other functions. He always made a point to come up to her and chat as if they were old friends, which couldn’t be further from the truth. Despite her one-word answers and subtle put-downs, he remained unfazed. She didn’t want to like him, but he handled Lyla with genuine affection and effortlessly riled Gavin. This should have made him her partner in crime, but it felt wrong, almost like she was betraying Vinny by enjoying his company. No one could replace her husband, but that was what Marcus had done. He replaced Vinny as COO so well that Gavin had more free time than he’d ever had and business was booming. She didn’t know how she felt about Marcus, so she avoided him to no avail. He popped up when she least expected him—like now. He was always well-groomed and annoyingly unruffled.

The urge to shock him made her say, “I need a fuck, and I don’t want anyone to get the wrong idea. It’s a hookup, nothing more.”

She started for the door, but he stepped in front of her, eyes crinkled with concern.

“Carmen.”

She held up a hand because she could hear what was coming. “I don’t need you to tell me I’ll get past this. It’s been two years, and I’m not past it. It isn’t going away. I need to snap myself out of this. I need to feel something…”

“Carmen,” he began again with such gentleness that her alcohol-suppressed emotions began to stir.

“This is none of your business, Marcus. I know you have a big brother complex, but I can take care of myself.”

She walked around him and reached for the door handle. His hand splayed over the shiny surface, keeping the door shut.

“Is that what you really want?” he asked.

“Move,” she bit out.

He pressed against her back. The smell of his cologne wafted around her, and she stiffened as his body heat penetrated through the thin material of her slutty dress.

“I’m willing,” he said.

Her hand tightened on the door handle. She couldn’t have heard right.

“If that’s what you want, I’ll give it to you,” he said.

She turned and examined him through a haze of alcohol and misery. “What?”

“Why are you so shocked? Don’t most men want you?” he asked.

“Yes,” she said without conceit. “But you’re …”

“I’m what?”

He was Gavin’s COO. They would have to see one another after this. That defeated the purpose of a hookup. “I don’t know …”

He shifted her away from the door and placed her back against the wall. He cupped her cheek with that bold friendliness that freaked her out. This time, she didn’t move away.

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