Page 166 of Awakened by Sin

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Carmen moaned as she climbed into the steaming bathtub. Spending the day at the salon with friends and family was just what the doctor ordered. It didn’t take long for Maddie to relax. Her dad and brothers had neglected the girly parts of Maddie’s upbringing, so she and Mom were happy to help her catch up. They chatted, ordered in food, and gossiped. Because Alice felt so guilty for taking the day off, a portion of their time was dedicated to discussing the upcoming auction. Carmen noted the date and would send out some emails to people she knew who coveted those pieces. She wondered if Alice realized that they could easily raise half a million dollars with what she’d given. Janice would handle the press, and it would be good all around. She wasn’t sure if she wanted to attend the event. The memories connected to each piece were still there, and she was trying to move on.

Her body still ached, but the champagne had gone a long way to making her forget about it. Janice grilled her mercilessly about Marcus’s performance. She didn’t give a blow-by-blow, but she told her Marcus was more than up to the challenge of keeping up with her. Marcus was extremely private, and she didn’t want to betray his trust. He might be one of the most complicated men she had ever met, which made him so interesting to her. She liked layers and the different facets of a person’s personality. It was what made everyone unique. In her experience, men were simple creatures, but Marcus wasn’t. Unlike most men, he didn’t try to assert his dominance, and he wasn’t interested in being acknowledged for all his accomplishments. He kept everything close to his chest, and she liked that. It meant he could be trusted.

She soaked until she was in danger of falling asleep. She fluffed her hair and examined it in the mirror. Shonda had outdone herself. Her hair was now a swirl of ruby and rose that was dreamy and romantic. She was obsessed with it. Her nails were a matching dusty rose that suited her mellow mood.

Her phone rang as she slapped on moisturizer. She answered with her elbow. “Hey, Luci.”

“Please tell me you’re coming to visit.”

“Not yet.”

“Ugh. New York’s sodullwithout Angel, and now he’s so busy I barely hear from him. It’s not fair that he’s having so much fun. Distract me. Tell me something exciting.”

“Hmm. Today, Cormac asked me what kind of ring I want.”

Silence.

“Luci?”

“Excuse me?” Luci wheezed. “I didn’t hear you right.”

“You did.”

“But I thought you were banging the COO.”

“I am.”

“You’re doingbothof them? You can’t havetwo! That’s not allowed!”

“Says who?”

“Me! You can’t do my Cormac like that.”

“He’s a whore.”

“Don’t talk about my man like that! He’smywhore.”

She laughed. “A reporter asked about us, and he was joking around.”

Luci let out an audible breath. “What’d you ask for?”

“A six-carat pink diamond.”

Luci whistled. “If they’re gonna ask what you want, you should definitely ask for the best.”

“Amen, sister.”

She chatted with Luci as she finished her nighttime routine and climbed into bed in a pair of lacy hipsters. She bit back a moan as she slid between the luxurious sheets.

“I’ll visit, I promise,” she said before she hung up. She tossed her phone on the nightstand, hugged a pillow to her chest, and yawned.

She awakened a couple of hours later when a body wrapped around her.

“It’s me,” Marcus rumbled.

She relaxed instantly and allowed herself to be drawn against his bare chest. “What time is it?”

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