Mariah: The M Series: Book Two Read online

  “I beg your pardon?”

  “What... are you doing... with Wexler,” he snarled, spitting his name out in disgust.

  “We were talking about common interests. Why?”

  “Stay away from him,” he ordered.

  What the...?

  I seriously needed to get my ears checked again. My brow tightened in a scowl and my clit strained against my panties. Somebody definitely paid the electric bill between us. How can someone make me so angry and turn me on at the same time?

  I looked down at my shoes, wanting to calm. “Why?” I asked softly, trying to ignore the sudden ache in my sex.

  Marcus moved directly in front of me. His scent tingled my nose and I could barely breathe. I opened my mouth and panted softly to ease the tension surging through my entire body. My nipples hardened and strained against my bra, feeling twice as heavy than normal. I look up at him to see if he's noticed.

  He was blatantly staring at my chest! He slowly raised his softened gaze to my eyes and licked his bottom lip. I shuddered and hurriedly crossed my arms across my breasts.

  “Don't,” he demanded.

  I left my arms right where they were. “Why, Dr. Alexander,” I breathlessly asked.

  Calm down, my conscience screamed. I'm trying to, I inwardly screamed back.

  “Do away with that 'Dr. Alexander' bullshit. My name is Marcus,” he heatedly informed.

  I ignored his command. “Answer my question, Dr. Alexander.”

  His eyes flashed and his jaw clenched. “Because, Miss Hollander, he cannot have you.”

  What fucking nerve! Ooh, we will not have this again, girl. Let him know right now!

  “Who are you to say who can and cannot have me?”

  His eyes grew cold again, and he didn't answer. I was pissed off because of the insinuation and the fact that I still wanted to jump his bones. Who the hell did he think he was, with his handsome self?

  Filled with anger, I kept going. “I don't answer to anyone, Dr. Alexander, and I'm sure as shit not anyone's whore, so do not address me as if you were my pimp!”

  Marcus’ eyes blinked rapidly then widened in shock. He took a deep breath then finally spoke.

  “Mariah, Wexler is a predator. He has left broken hearts all over the fucking state. He lets his title, money and looks get him into any and every woman's bed. No woman is off limits at any time with him, regardless of her relationship status. I don't think you want to be a notch on his headboard.”

  “Whatever bed I choose to lie in is my concern and my business only,” I shouted. “I don't report to anyone, especially you!”

  I felt angry and hurt. And completely turned on.

  He's not you, Marcus. Yours is the only man's bed we want to be in.

  Disappointment entered my mind. I thought he knew that. Felt it, at least. I guessed being engaged helps turning that radar off.

  “You will not go out with him,” Marcus yelled, his jaw clenching.

  “Get this straight, you arrogant ass,” I yelled back, jabbing his chest. “I date who I want to date, whenever! I’m not the one that's engaged! ”

  He looked at me again, this time as if I'd slapped him. His left hand goes to his hip and he brought his right hand up to his chin and cupped it. Slowly his index fingers began to rub his jaw. He was thinking deeply and glaring intently at me.

  Suddenly, he grabbed my upper arms and hauled me into his hard chest. His mouth swooped to mine in a hard and pleading kiss. I resisted at first but after a moment, I responded with vigor. He wrapped his arms around my waist as I slid my fingers into his hair and pulled him closer.

  The kiss slowed, and we teased each other with our tongues, licking and tasting. His hands lowered and cupped my ass, urging me closer to him and I moaned against his mouth. Every damn part of my body throbbed and I could feel him grow against me. Now, all I wanted was to lead him to the nearest room and stunt his growing problem.

  Just as suddenly as he started, he ended it. His hands gripped my upper arms again and wrenched me away. I looked at him, panting, as my heaving chest begged for air. His breaths matched mine. My eyes gazed into his asking, ‘why did you stop?’

  Because he's engaged, remember?

  His eyes didn't respond; they had hardened again and held my attention.

  “Stay away from Wexler,” he menacingly warned.

  “You cannot tell me what to do, Dr. Alexander. I'll date whoever I want,” I replied, through clenched teeth, as all my anger returned.

  Once again we started a staring contest. He broke first.

  “We'll see about that,” he said ominously, then turned and walked out the front door, slamming it behind him.

  Lisa appeared from out of nowhere.

  “Okay, what the hell was that,” I asked as I pointed toward the door.

  “I have no idea.” She reddened and started looking everywhere but my face. “But Whew! That was some kiss! What was that like?”

  “Fire and ice,” I replied, my hand on my swollen, and now bare, lips.

  She giggled. “Yeah, that was definitely the way it looked.”

  I let out a big sigh. “I think we should go. We need rest for the first day tomorrow.”

  And we need to think about what just happened here.

  Lisa linked arms with me. “Let's go find the parents so we can say goodnight.”

  As we walked back to the sitting room, I spotted Will talking heatedly on his cell in a far corner of the room. He turned and looked around the room with one hand on his head, looking worried, perhaps shocked. He located me, dropping his hand as he gave me a look of what? Regret, maybe? He then shook his head and walked out to through the large French doors.

  What the hell is happening with these men tonight?

  Don’t know or care. Just forget it, maybe I was better off alone.

  Chapter Five

  But… You’re Engaged!

  My first week of work was a little hectic but great. I spent the first three days on the Internal Medicine floor, directly under Dr. Cannon. He proved to be challenging but fair while asking me a lot of questions, mainly about my childhood; how and where I grew up. I answered him honestly, thinking he just wanted to pass the time.

  At lunch, on Wednesday, Lisa and I were in the cafeteria, each enjoying a southwestern chicken salad, when another float nurse came in ranting to her group.

  “I don't give a shit what Ms. Turner says, I cannot work with Dr. Alexander another minute! He's been in a foul mood all week. Enough is enough.” She turned, saw me and immediately brightened. “Hey, new girl. What's your name, again?”

  “Mariah,” I replied.

  She placed a hand on her chest. “Nina. Where are you today?”

  I deemed myself psychic, because once again, I knew where this is going. “Internal medicine.”

  She smiled brightly. “Wanna trade?”

  I smirked. “No way.”

  “Damn,” Nina groaned then looked over at Lisa with a hopeful expression.

  Lisa widened her eyes and before Nina could ask she pointed to her gray scrubs, and said, “I'm on permanent in Plastics. Sorry.”

  Nina groaned louder than before and loudly stomped off.

  Lisa and I looked at each other and giggled, knowing I was probably to blame for Marcus' attitude problem.

  Thursday, I was on the plastic surgery floor, but after the way Lisa and I giggled and gossiped throughout the day, I believed that might be the last time that happened because we annoyed Pops so much that day. At one point, in total exasperation, he addressed us by our nicknames in front of a patient! It was even funnier watching as he tried to explain to her that he wasn't being fresh, but was actually our father. We apologized to the patient and behaved the rest of the day, especially as I was sent to Dr. Weiss' office, where a patient asked him to give her my lips. Later, Lisa and I laughed hard at that one.

  Still, I had not seen Marcus.

  Friday, July first, had me back in plastic surgery but at one-th
irty, Ms. Turner, the nurse manager, called and asked if they really needed me for the afternoon. One of the Peds nurses became ill and was sent home and I was needed there right away. I was the only float that hasn't been 'sentenced' to work under Dr. Alexander's wrath, and the others were refusing to try it again.

  “Oh, no,” I declined, immediately.

  “He's been a real bear all week, Mariah. Please. You're really the last one,” she pleaded in my ear. “I will owe you big.”

  I paused then acquiesced. “All right, I'll give it a shot. Never mind about owing me.”

  I heard the relief in her voice. “Thank you, Mariah! Let Dr. Harvey know I'll send someone up right away, then go straight down to Peds.”

  After talking to Pops, he kissed my temple and sent me on my way. I realized then in the two days I'd been on that floor, I had not seen Dr. Wexler.

  When the elevator opened to the Peds floor, I was amazed at how beautiful and friendly it felt. There are cartoon characters everywhere surrounding a big, rounded colorful desk in the middle of the room. Nothing was the same color.

  On either side of the desk were areas of small chairs and tables with lots of toys. There are also regular sized chairs and mats as well as activity tables. There was no order in the huge room.

  I approached the desk and one of the two nurses in baby blue scrubs told me to go straight back, through the red double doors. They looked like they were leaving and was just waiting for me to arrive.

  Beyond the double doors, every wall was a different color and the doors on them are a contrasting color. I noted the blue wall with the yellow door is my favorite.

  It dawned on me that there was no noise at all. I look around and I don't see anyone. No patients, no parents, no staff. There wasn't any in the reception area, either. I crossed my arms and thinking, what was the urgency? I turned to go back to the desk.

  “Mariah.”

  My blood heated instantly. Marcus. It was almost a whisper. I turned in the direction from where the voice came, but I didn't see him.

  “Mariah,” he called again; this time, it sounded like he was in need. I shuddered at his tone but didn't want to give in. I couldn't but there was so much pleading that I gasped. Loudly. I turned my head a little and I saw him leaning on a door jamb, his arms crossed over his chest.

  “Mariah, please.”

  I turned my head away from him. “Don't,” I whispered, putting my right hand on my forehead, attempting to rub that tension away as my sex tightened painfully.

  “Why?”

  My lips went dry, and I licked them nervously. My hand dropped to my neck. My breaths increased. How could only hearing his voice turn me on like that?

  I still wouldn’t turn and face him. If I looked in his eyes, I wouldn't be able to resist.

  “I - I have to go.”

  “Please, don't leave yet.” Another urgent whisper… and he was closer.

  My breasts were straining against my bra, just like in my parents’ foyer and I felt like I was about to burst out of it. I tightly folded my arms across them and found myself wishing they were his arms around me.

  “I cannot be alone with you.”

  “Why,” he asked, sounding even closer. Too close. I shut my eyes. My nose captured his scent and I inhaled deeply. I was in real trouble of giving in.

  I took a step forward. “Marcus, please. Don't,” I begged.

  “Tell me why.” I felt his breath on the back of my neck. It sent shivers everywhere and all I wanted was to turn around and beg him to make love to me.

  We can't, Mariah. He's engaged. But if he wasn’t… goddamn! We’d respond to him all night long! Get away, now! His smell, his energy is making ME cave!

  I made for the door as fast as I could, but not fast enough. One hand grabbed my upper arm and the other arm wrapped around my waist. He pulled me close and my back pressed against his hard chest. I was so turned on my whole body tingled and I prayed I wouldn't give in; I had to fight this damn attraction.

  “No,” I wailed. I was breathing rapidly; desire and fear warring inside me. He kept me close with an arm around my waist; it only tightened at my efforts to pry it away. I couldn’t think straight while he held me, touching me.

  His hand gripped my chin, turning my head to the side, and he ran kisses up and down my throat, the back of my neck and behind my ear and I felt his erection on my bottom. I moaned and kept my eyes closed, enjoying every bit of this forbidden pleasure.

  I guess that was a promise.

  “You smell so sweet. It's… enchanting,” Marcus murmured.

  The throb in my sex increased at his words. I had never been turned on like that.

  “You have haunted my dreams... so beautiful, like my own rare flower.”

  His words and kisses were making me weak. I didn't think I could resist him any longer; he was awakening a need in me I didn't know was there.

  “Let me make love to you, Mariah,” he whispered in my ear, making me shudder.

  HE'S ENGAGED!

  “No, Marcus. Please let me go before I do something I'll regret forever,” I pleaded, hearing desire in my tone.

  He ignored my plea. “I can make you forget him.”

  I didn’t know what he was talking about. “What? Who?”

  “Wexler,” he whispered sharply, then blows softly in my ear.

  “No, no...” I sputtered, wanting to tell him he was wrong about Will but I couldn't get the words out as his kisses resumed on my now overheated skin.

  His hand traveled inside my scrub top then into my bra. He twirled my tight, erect nipple between his fingers. Before I could stop it, a moan escaped, and his hips began to gyrate across my ass. I felt every inch of his throbbing erection.

  He eased me to the partition, then grabbed my wrists and placed my hands flat on the wall. I bent my elbows, stupidly thinking I could get away from him but he just moved with me.

  Marcus found the pin that held my makeshift bun in place and pulled it out; my hair fell past my shoulders. He fisted it and yanked my head back. I gasped in surprise.

  “I love your hair. Don't ever cut it,” he demanded in my ear.

  He rained kisses down my throat again, and back up. He nipped at my ear, breathing as heavy as I was, into it. Still fisting my hair, his free hand untied my pants, then reached inside them and my panties. He rubbed my sex then slowly, he inserted first one, then two fingers into my moist, throbbing flesh. He groaned loudly in my ear when he felt my wetness all over his fingers. I shuddered in need at the sound. I had no idea who I was at that point. This girl was not me.

  “I love how wet you are, baby,” he whispered. He removed his hand from my sex, disappointing me at the loss of his actions, and lifted it behind my head. I heard him suck his fingers.

  “You taste as sweet as you smell,” he whispered again, sliding his fingers back inside me. “I'd like some more... much more. I feel so greedy with you, baby.”

  I groaned and became wetter at those words.

  He stroked me in a sensuously slow rhythm. His thumb rose to my clit and joined the rhythm of his fingers inside me. My forehead dropped to the wall and I moaned in a tone I'd never heard before. He yanked my head back by my hair that was still twisted around his fingers. He nipped at my jaw and licked at the corner of my mouth. I was going to explode.

  “Marcus,” I panted. “Stop. Please stop,” I begged and groaned again. I said the words, but I didn't mean them. I hoped he never stopped. My hips were moving in time with his fingers and I felt myself begin to shake.

  Was I… holy shit, I thought as I tightened my eyes. I was going to cum!

  “Yes, baby... feed me,” he moaned in my ear, moving his fingers faster. “Cum for me.”

  THAT. FELT. SO… GOOD!

  Maybe he makes his fiancée come like this, too, my conscience shouted out to me, making my errant senses return. I had to stop this. Now!

  I took my hands off the wall, yanked free of his grip and took big steps away from him. He m
ade a step toward me but I put up my hand and started to cry.

  “Don't,” I croaked, tears falling and my throat burning. This man was engaged and I just let him seduce me.

  I tied up my pants as fast as my jellied fingers would let me, never taking my eyes off of him. In this light, I saw he was wearing dark blue scrubs that accentuated his eyes, making them stand out more. I exhaled deeply at the sight of him and wanted to forget about his engagement. Again, I’m not that person and that guilt just… wasn’t going to be worth it… maybe.

  For a second or two, he considered my one-word plea and decided to come at me again. He took two steps toward me, I go back five. My legs were so weak, I feared they would fail me.

  “Marcus, I mean it. Don't.” I now had more conviction in my voice and my body was calming, but not fast enough. I had to get away from him, fast.

  “Mariah,” he pleaded again.

  “No. This is wrong. I have to get away from you. Please... let me get out of here.”

  We stared at each other. Marcus' breathing picked up and I knew he was going to come at me again. I saw the struggle playing out inside him in his eyes, his flaring nose, and his clenching jaw. Finally, he sighed, defeat now written all over his face.

  “Fine. Go,” he said, his voice sounding resigned.

  I stared at him, trying to read his face, but it was impassive. I felt like he's gotten the message and could finally get out of the view of all those fucking cartoons laughing at me and far away from this Adonis.

  I turned to leave. As I reached the double doors, he called my name in that way that made my blood heat at convection rate and I froze with my back to him.

  “Look at me.”

  “No.”

  “Mariah... turn around,” he demanded, each word a deeper plea than the last.

  I exhaled and looked toward the ceiling. I slowly turned to him and my eyes landed on his massive erection. I slowly looked up his body, dreading what I would see when my gaze reached his face.

  I saw... pain? No, that can't be. That's what I was feeling.

  “What is it, Marcus?”

  He crossed his arms across his chest. “This is not over.”

  I turned. “That's what you think,” I muttered and continued out the door to the elevators, rapidly pushing the call button. It was taking too long. Fuck it. I'll take the damn stairs.