Her Tender Tyrant Page 0,3

best judges of character that he knew.

“Yes. Fine. I’ll watch out for her,” he promised to his dad.

“Thanks, son. Oh, your mother wants to talk to you. Here she is.”

Juliette was hanging up her phone and tucking it back into her pocket, looking smug and too confident. “Hi Mom,” he said, leaning back against the counter.

“Hi, Marcus. Are you behaving?” she asked with a smile to her voice.

Marcus let his eyes move over Juliette’s figure, pausing at her breasts. “Of course I’m behaving Mom. Why would you ever question that?” he asked, letting his eyes move lower, knowing that it was angering his newest housemate, but enjoying the perusal regardless of her fury.

His mother’s voice broke through his examination. “Because I know you well enough that you’re probably trying to irritate her. What are you doing?”

Marcus laughed, bringing his eyes back to Juliette’s face which was adorably pink now. “I’m standing here in the kitchen watching out for little Ms. Juliette. Just like Dad asked.”

His mother responded with a snort of disbelief. He really should be insulted – if she weren’t right on target. “I’ve put her in Adriana’s room, next to yours. Behave!”

Marcus laughed softly. “I’m your man,” he said.

Juliette glared at him, furious that he was putting her through that kind of inspection. When he said “I’m your man” like that, she wasn’t sure if he was talking to her, or to his mother on the other end of the phone. She wished she knew what they were saying to each other, but she could only hear his side of the conversation and he definitely wasn’t being the gentleman Jemma had assured her that he was. He was being a completely uncivilized brute. Her breast was still tingling where his hand had…groped her! And she didn’t like that. Not one little bit!

He laughed softly to whatever was being said and nodded. “Love you too, Mom.” And he hung up the phone.

“So…” he started out, that smooth, sexy voice making more than just her breasts tingle. She’d thought she was in trouble a moment ago. Now she knew that she was in real danger. His big, muscular body was no longer about to tackle her. But the look in those dark blue eyes was not good.

“So…your parents explained why I am here,” she finally said, wanting to move on, to change that look. She preferred him angry. It was safer somehow.

His response was a slow nod of his too-handsome head.

Her breathing tripped a bit as his eyes seemed to actually darken slightly. Those instincts were firing up once again and she was more wary of him now. “And you understand why and for how long?”

Again, he simply nodded slightly, his eyes watching her closely as if he were waiting for her to do something.

“Any issues now?” she asked.

He shrugged, not saying a word.

She huffed, irritated with his non answers. “I’m going to bed,” she stated and almost stomped over to the sink to rinse off her spoon before slipping it into the dishwasher. “Goodnight. And I’ll get out of the house in the morning. I don’t want to be where I’m not wanted.”

Marcus sighed, trying to hide his amusement. He knew that his mother would be furious with him if he let this cute little woman walk out of the house before she’d finished her thesis. Besides, if his dad was okay with Juliette, than she must be legit.

“Hold on, Juliette. You don’t have to go anywhere. My father explained why you are here.”

“Yes, but you don’t want me here. I can just find another horse breeder to help me. I don’t need charity. I’d get out of your hair tonight but it’s too late and I doubt I’d be able to find a hotel at this point. So you’re just stuck with me for a few more hours.”

He laughed when she started to walk by him. “Hold on, little firebrand,” and he grabbed her by the waist, pulling her back so she was standing in front of him. He noticed that she stepped backwards to put more space between them but he simply couldn’t help himself when he eliminated that space. Damn, she was adorable when she glared up at him like that!

“You’re not going anywhere. Like I said, my dad explained what’s going on and I think it is great that you’re going to work on your thesis here. My mom apparently loves you, my dad thinks you walk on water, so just stick around, finish up