Page 52 of Hers to Love
Kori nodded and led the way.
Once inside and the door shut, Kori faced Marshall, her expression unchanged.
Marshall smiled and looked her over. “You look…good.” Kori touched her hairnet, her gaze dropping and her lips twitching upward. “I mean…you always look fantastic, but… I didn’t know you baked. Or—”
“I’m just helping out when I have free time,” she said softly. Her eyes remained downcast.
“Kornelia—”
“Why didn’t you call?” she said accusingly.
Her eyes snapped up, and the fury in them made Marshall take a step back. He landed in the door. He took a deep breath and surged forward, but then Kori took a step back, so he paused his pursuit. “I should’ve called, you’re right. When you left—”
“I’m sorry,” she rushed to say. She shook her head. “I shouldn’t have left that way. You were right not to call. I should’ve been the one.”
“I…I went to visit Sabrina after I left the company, because I wanted to apologize and—”
“You left the company?”
He nodded. “I did.” He grinned widely. “But I’m starting another one. Completely different. Remember Daemon? He gave me an idea. By the time I get it up and running, I was thinking of partnering with him when Bendola is ready to receive support.”
“Marshall, that’s wonderful. Congratulations.”
She looked confused, and he wondered if she wrestled with feeling happy for him while at the same time being mad that he hadn’t reached out to her. He understood. He was showing up unannounced. What if she’d moved on by now? He hadn’t and probably wouldn’t ever move on, but he was only sure of how he felt. He hadn’t heard from her own lips that she loved him.
“Thank you,” he said quietly. “I…I swore Sabrina to secrecy, about my coming back.”
“I haven’t heard from her in days.”
“I’m sorry about that. She said no contact would be the only way she could do it, and that you’d probably hate her for it. Please don’t blame her. I…I wanted to surprise you.” He gave a weak smile, feeling he was losing her when she hadn’t yet looked pleased to see him. “Kori—”
“Marshall, I am happy to see you. I…I had thought that…” She shook her head and chuckled. “It doesn’t matter now. I’m glad to hear you’re starting again, although I am sorry that you lost your first company.”
“I didn’t lose it. I let it go. The board was willing to keep me if I fired you. I told them I wasn’t about to do that. I would resign first. They wanted a few days to think it over. When I came to tell you about it, you were gone.” She looked away. “No goodbye.”
“I thought it would be easier that way,” she whispered. A finger went to her eye.
She was crying. That broke Marshall. He quickly drew her into his embrace.
“Marshall—”
“Kornelia Kaye, I am in love with you,” he breathed. “Please look at me.” She met his gaze, and tears slipped down her cheeks. “I want you. I need you, not just to help me with this new company—so I’m offering you a job, but we can talk about that later—but because my heart won’t be able to take it if I lose you. Please, please tell me that I haven’t made a mistake in coming here.”
The corners of her mouth—her glorious, plump mouth—rose. “You haven’t made a mistake,” she whispered.
He grunted and captured her lips with his. Desperation drove him to devour her in a wild, hungry kiss. Her arms wrapped around his neck, pulling him closer. He crushed her into his chest, not wanting any space between their bodies. All he wanted to feel and taste was Kori.
“Marshall, Marshall…”
He heard her cry out when he allowed her a moment to breathe before he was back to demanding her full surrender in the kiss. He lifted her, and she wrapped her legs around his waist. He carried her back until they bumped into a counter. He sat her down, cradled her head in his hands, and tenderly brushed his lips across her mouth over and over, cherishing the feel of her lips as they pressed into his. Her legs remained locked around his waist, but the counter was getting in the way, so he dragged her off it and held her close, deepening the kiss.
This is where he wanted to be at all times.
A throat cleared behind them. With Kori still hoisted up, Marshall turned around. Katrina’s toothy grin greeted him.
“I was just checking. Making sure everything was okay here and that you were treating my sister with the respect she deserves.” Her eyes scanned the two of them. “I can see you are giving her all the respect she wants.”
Kori buried her face into Marshall’s shoulder and untangled her legs. Marshall didn’t want to set her down, but he did. “I am.”
