She'd expected her phone to ring as soon as Marc hit the airport, or at least after he'd tried to find her at home and her apartment. But Reesa had yet to hear from him, and she'd verified that his plane landed nearly two hours earlier. Would he really avoid her like a coward?

A knock at the door had her even less hopeful. Likely, that would be Jordan, coming to see Kylie, and it would mean she needed to leave before she felt like an intruder. She stood to gather her things, but Kylie told her to sit down. "I don't want to be a fifth wheel."

"You won't," Kylie told her. "That's Marc at the door."

Reesa's jaw dropped. "How..." She couldn't even finish the question.

"I texted Jordan and told him that Marc needed to get his ass over here as quickly as possible because he had some explaining to do." Reesa started to protest, but Kylie shook her head. "This is neutral ground, and Jordan and I will go down to the 24-hour diner and have some coffee. If you need us, we're a phone call away, and we can be here in two minutes. Good luck."

Before Reesa could respond, Kylie flung the door open. Marc stood there, looking haggard. He leaned against the door frame, hulking in it, his eyes sunken in and ringed with black. His face was puffy and red, and his shoulders slumped heavily, as if he carried a ten-ton brick on his back. Jordan hung behind, almost timid, like a shadow.

Stepping aside so Marc could enter, Reesa glared at him. "Good luck," she muttered, sliding past him and into Jordan's waiting arms. Reesa probably wasn't meant to hear the exchange, but the room had fallen eerily silent when the men arrived. Even her heart and lungs stilled, leaving her cold and empty as she finally allowed herself to meet Marc's gaze. She steeled herself and stood, though she still flinched slightly when the door clicked closed, leaving her alone with him.

Panic tried to take her, not allowing her to resume breathing, and she fought it. The Marc she knew wouldn't hurt her. And the Marc this Monique woman accused him of being would have to be royally stupid to attack her now, with potential charges over his head. She didn't have to worry about that, not tonight.

"Reesa, I'm sorry," he said, shoving his hand through an unruly head of hair. His voice was gravelly, as if his throat was raw from an emotional roller coaster. "I'm so sorry. First of all, I should have called and told you about this myself. I'd hoped the lies wouldn't make it out before I got home to warn you."

She scoffed. "Fat chance. You know, I didn't even see it on television, or on the internet. I got smacked in the face with it by a reporter waiting for me outside my building at work." She had been so angry, but the words came out with no feeling behind them at all.

Marc's face was a mask of guilt. "I hate that you went through that."

She took a deep breath and sighed, growing impatient. "Just tell me what happened, Marc. I don't have the strength to drag this out all night. Is it true? Did you hurt that woman? Rape her?" The words felt foreign and disgusting coming out of her mouth, and she shuddered, stepping back to put more space between them. There was already a good eight feet, but it didn't feel like enough.

"Of course it's not true!" he told her vehemently. "Did you even believe I was capable of something like that before you knew me?"

Reesa shrugged, ignoring the anguish and pleas in his eyes. "I can't trust my judgment, Marc. You know that. I've failed in the past. And I don't know how good of an actor you are. Maybe all of this has been an attempt to fool the world. Hell, maybe you're really trying to change who you are. I don't know. But I'm giving you a chance to explain what happened. How could you even put yourself in a spot that gave a woman a chance to accuse you of something like this?"

Taking one long stride, Marc fell into the armchair that faced the couch she stood by. He covered his face with his hands and sat there, trembling for a moment. When he looked up at her finally, there were unshed tears turning his eyes into liquid pools. "I don't know what happened to her, Reesa, I swear. She inserted herself into the group at the bar, and I stepped aside. So did Jordan. Some of the others were teasing and flirting, and we watched and laughed. Then, she came to me, tried to get my attention. I was polite, but I told her she needed to pay attention to the news more because I was in a relationship. She waved it off, and I had to get more insistent.

"Finally, she seemed to accept it, and she tried her hand with Jordan. He gave her the same story, even though he's somehow managed to keep things private up till now. She said goodnight and walked away. I swear, that was the last I saw of her, Reesa. I had another drink and went back to the hotel. Jordan and Tyler came with me."

She narrowed her eyes at him. "You've got to be leaving something out. If you had someone with you the whole time, you could have given an alibi, and the police would have dismissed the allegations."

"I went to the bathroom a couple of times. That was all. The rest of the night, there was someone to witness everything I did." He sounded so hopeless, so exhausted, that Reesa almost went to comfort him. But she still didn't trust her instincts. "Please believe me, Reesa. I would never hurt you, especially like this. You know I'm not a violent person. I've never laid a hand on you."

That much was true. But her doubt got the best of her. "I don't know, Marc. I know how men are. I know how easy it is to lose control when you've been drinking. I've seen it with my own eyes, experienced it firsthand. I don't know what to think."

"Then don't think," he said, shoving to his feet. He cut the distance between them in half instantly, and Reesa forced herself not to retreat. His stance, his features, everything implored her not to believe the accusations. "Just feel, Reesa. I need you to get through this. Together, we can do this. I don't know if I can face it alone."

She bit her lip, tasted the salt of her sorrows. She had to look away, break eye contact. His green orbs, usually filled with light and sparking with strength, had gone dull and lifeless, mirroring her own feelings. She didn't want to turn her back on him, but her fear consumed her. What if she was wrong? What if she gave him the benefit of the doubt, and DNA came back to prove him a liar? An abuser? A rapist?

She couldn't fathom living through such humiliation and devastation. Reesa had barely survived her last relationship with a man who couldn't keep his hands off her, and she had the skeletons in the closet to prove it. Her feelings for Marc were rooted even deeper than what she'd felt for Ethan. To have those ripped from her soul...

She'd have no reason to live.

It was better to cut ties now, save herself a modicum of pain and try to pick up the pieces, repair the damage now before it wiped away every shred of dignity she had. Her last remaining hope for humanity. She opened her mouth to talk to him, but her bottom lip quivered, and she had to press her lips together to make it stop.

Coming closer, Marc held out his hands, palms up. "I love you, Reesa. I want to spend the rest of my life with you. Nothing is more important to me, except your happiness. And if you can't be with me and be happy, I understand. But I beg you to give me a chance here. I can prove it."

She crossed her arms over her chest, halfway hugging herself as she stared him down. "How can you do that?"

"The DNA," he said, suddenly more confident. "I gave them a swab, and when the DNA comes back, it'll prove I didn't do this."

Reesa frowned. "It might prove you didn't rape her. But it doesn't prove anything else."

His expression darkened, and when he spoke, his voice was barely audible. "Do you really think I could beat a woman? Is that how you see me, after all this time?"

"No, but..." But what? What could she say? She'd told him she wouldn't make him suffer the backlash from her past, and yet, here she stood, accusing him of the same kind of violence she'd suffered. Did she really think him capable of injuring someone in such a way? Her arms fell to her sides, and her shoulders curled in on her as she hung her head. "I don't know what to think anymore."

Marc didn't speak for a long time. Then, when he did, he asked a question. "Do you love me?"

Her head snapped up, and she met his gaze with a fierce one of her own. "Yes, Marc, I love you. But love is blind. I've proven that." Her demons tore at her, clawed at her skin, telling her not to trust him or any other men. But her heart begged her to wait, to really assess the situation for what it was. She needed to focus on the here and now, which was a stark contrast to her former experience. "I want to believe you," she admitted softly. "But I--"

She was cut off by his phone ringing. Marc cursed loudly and frowned at the caller ID. Then, his brows went up to his hairline, and he held up a finger, asking her to wait. Glancing at the screen, she saw the area code was a Washington phone number. He answered it on speaker, and she chewed her bottom lip, waiting to hear who was at the other end. "This is Marc."

"Mr. Winters, this is Detective Julian Marshall of the Seattle Police Department."

"Hello, Detective. What can I do for you?" he asked.

The man chuckled, and Reesa felt hope blossoming in her chest. "Honestly, Mr. Winters, I first want to thank you for all you've done. Your cooperation has really assisted in making our investigation move swiftly and smoothly. But I also called to inform you that the results of the DNA tests have come in."

A smile spread across Marc's face, and suddenly, Reesa knew. In her heart, she knew without a doubt that Marc was innocent. She didn't need to hear the rest. His reaction spoke volumes. Still, she didn't move, frozen in place, as Marc said, "That's good news."

"For you? Yes, it is. Obviously, you've been cleared by the results. That includes the scrapings under the victim's nails. We've actually found a match in our system for the alleged assailant. I'm not at liberty to speak on it at this time, but suffice it to say you are cleared of any charges, and we'll be speaking to the victim. You can likely expect a statement of false accusations to be released soon."

Marc's eyes glowed, his grin splitting his face, and Reesa shook so hard she had to sit down. "Thank you, Detective. I appreciate everything you've done."

"You, too, Mr. Winters. I wish you and your girlfriend the best. We may contact you again for a statement regarding the events prior to the...incident." He emphasized the words, and Reesa wondered what really happened that made him sound so callous about it. "And we may also come back to you, if you'd like to press charges for defamation of character."

But Marc was already shaking his head. "No, I don't want to do that. I'm sure the embarrassment will be punishment enough."

"Very well, Mr. Winters. Goodnight." The phone went dead, and Marc looked down at her, his face filled with relief and excitement.

But now, Reesa's heart ached for another reason. "I owe you an apology, Marc." She'd really struggled with the idea of his innocence, when she should have taken his side from the start. "I should have trusted you. You're everything you said you were, and I still tried to turn you into the villain. How can you possibly want to be with me now?"

Marc dropped to his knees in front of her. "Reesa, don't do this. Your past has made it so hard for you. Ethan tried to ruin you, and you still managed to survive and become an amazing person. And you were terrified of me," he added, mirth in his voice. "But you gave me a chance because you have a good, solid heart. I saw the doubt in your eyes, even when you told me you couldn't believe me. I know you'll never doubt me again."

Reesa swallowed a sob. "How do you know? How can you give me that kind of credit?"

He caressed her cheek with his hand, and she felt the adoration seeping into her skin, warming her. "Because I love you. And love may be blind, but it also conquers all."

She had to laugh, and she leaned in, kissing him, drawing sustenance from his strength. It was a sad, desperate kiss at first, but it heated quickly, making her toes curl as it grew passionate. Her lips parted, and Marc took advantage of the opening. She welcomed the taste of him, let her tongue dance with his as she thought of how their bodies connected with the same eagerness.

Reesa didn't even realize she'd parted her knees until he leaned between them, his chest and stomach warm between her thighs and enticing the moisture to gather in her core until it overflowed. She panted into his mouth, her body igniting with a fire the likes of which she'd never experienced. She would either melt or burst into flames if she didn't get her clothes off.

Leaning back, she tore her shirt over her head, barely removing it before Marc was up and on her, pressing her back against the soft couch with his weight. She instinctively cocooned him, wrapping her arms and legs around him and drawing him closer, as if she could pull him inside her and they could be a single being. His mouth sought out her neck, her breasts, and the soft skin of her belly, and she gasped, calling out his name.

If she was this aroused now, what would happen when she managed to get him naked, press against him skin to skin?

It didn't matter. She wanted this, needed the connection with him more than ever. Her fear had nearly cost her the joy of having him in her life, and she wanted the passion and the glory they created when they came together like this. He bit down on her nipple through her bra, and she arched her back, whimpering at the pleasure and pain it brought her.

Marc fumbled at the fly of her jeans, his fingers shaking as he worked the button and the zipper, and Reesa took the opportunity to gather his shirt, jerking it from his torso as he sat up in triumph, tugging her jeans down to the floor, her panties going with them. She kicked them aside and held out her arms for him.

He grinned down at her. "Someone's anxious."

Wriggling in discomfort at the distance between them as her desire demanded his touch, she told him, "I'd take it to the bedroom, but this isn't my place."

He chuckled and turned her so she lay across the couch, her head pillowed on the arm. "You think Kylie would prefer we use her couch?"

"I would," she laughed with him. "Come to me."

His eyes sparked with that need she recognized now, and it liquefied her core. She moaned as he lowered his body over hers, slipping his pants off effortlessly in the process. His cock stood hard and tall, and she licked her lips, sighing in delight as it pressed against her thigh. With tender fingers, he reached up and brushed her hair back from her face, his gaze lingering on hers for a moment before he dove into a kiss full of love and commitment. Reesa could taste it on him, knew what it meant, that it was more than just a kiss. It was a promise of a future, of peace and trust that she needed to survive.

Marc brushed a hand down her arm and back up her side, making her shiver in anticipation. He dipped his head, nibbling at her neck so she tilted her head to the side, letting him work his magic on her. With trembling hands of her own, she explored his smooth back, the curve of his broad shoulders, and the bulk of his biceps. She wrapped her legs around him, rubbing her wet center against his belly in an effort to excite him further.

She felt his cock jump, and he grunted. "You're a naughty girl," he muttered as he took one taut peak into his mouth and suckled at her. The words vibrated through her, making her cry out again as his ministrations sent electrical sparks straight to her core.

"No, I just need you," she breathed, straining to pull him closer. Still, he took his time, languid strokes of his tongue taking him lower and lower on her body until he connected with her swollen nub. "Oh, god, Marc!" She screamed, fisting her hands in his hair and holding his face buried against her folds as he laved at her. His hot breath blew over her, and she moaned, fighting the pressure that built inside her. She didn't want to come yet. She wanted to explode, and that meant holding back as long as she could.

With one deft hand, he dipped fingers inside her, teasing at her internal button while he rolled her clit with his tongue. Her pussy poured over his hand, and she couldn't restrain herself, the release demanding and making her bow down to its power over her.

"Yes!" Marc spoke against her heated center, heightening her pleasure, and she soared, the elation almost too much to handle. And still, he worked her, drawing her cleft into his mouth and tugging until she writhed and begged him for mercy. Ever so slowly, he lifted his head, a salacious grin spread over his face, and he crawled up her body with the grace and power of a predator. Reesa had no problem being his prey.

She urged him toward her, spreading her legs wide so he could settle between them, and his hips bit into her thighs as he lowered his body over her. His tip touched her core, and she shivered with delight, unsatisfied. Eagerly, she drew him to her mouth, nibbling his lips, delving into his mouth with intense fervor. He matched her enthusiasm, his tongue tangling with hers in a wicked dance. The sweat on their bodies mingled, letting their skin slide easily against each other. Reesa cupped his round ass, squeezing and lifting her hips to feel his length brush along her pussy lips.

"I want you inside me, Marc," she told him, her lips still on his. "I want to feel every inch of you, deep inside, and I want you to make me come until I can't breathe."

Marc moaned and raised himself, holding himself above her with trembling arms, as if he struggled to keep himself above her. He locked gazes with her and said in a gruff voice, "I want to take my time with you, Reesa. I want to be buried in you, making you come over and over, but I want to do it slowly, make it last. I want to make love to you."

As if she hadn't already found a world of bliss with him, his words made a warm euphoria spread through her limbs and course back through her veins until it settled low in her stomach and deep in her heart. Tears prickled at her eyes, but she blinked them back. Even if they were tears of joy, she wouldn't shed them. Now wasn't the time.

Instead, she nodded and managed a quiet, "Please."

Her words broke his control, and Marc slid into her, his cock finding its way home. She sighed, and her hips bucked of their own volition. He stroked her hair, calming her, and she let his tenderness wash over her like a cooling breeze. Marc didn't push forward, only sheathing himself halfway before drawing out and thrusting in again, just a little deeper. He took his time, just like he said he wanted to, and no matter how torturous it was, Reesa let him.

It made the pressure build again, slowly, teasing her and bringing her to the edge and then releasing her from its grasp for a brief reprieve. Over and over, the sensation nearly took over her body, and then it subsided, leaving her a little fuller, a little closer to bursting. When Marc finally filled her completely, she tensed with the attempt to control her reaction, and clenched her jaw, shifting her hips so his cock twitched against every soft spot, grew inside to stretch her walls.

Now, she truly needed all of him, and she couldn't hesitate any longer. Moving with him as he maintained his slow, torturous rhythm, she forced him to thrust harder, to stay fully inside her. She rolled them, letting her clit brush against his skin, enticing her further.

And then, her body defied her, betrayed her, erupting violently and convulsing with the effort. Marc cried out, shoving to the end of her and bucking wildly in his own release, and for a moment, she couldn't tell one voice from another as they let their passion take control. Reesa clawed at his back, trying to keep a grip on reality, but her vision blurred and, for a moment, she was completely blinded. All she could feel was pure ecstasy, the jumping of Marc's spent cock inside her as he spilled his seed.

When he collapsed, she didn't let him roll to the side, drawing him to her and cradling his head between her breasts. He dripped with sweat, but it didn't matter; she was already soaked with her own. She reveled in the scent of salt and sex in the air, the aftermath of a frantic but gentle session of lovemaking. She couldn't have asked for such a perfect moment as his chest heaved against hers, his heart thudded and synced with her own thrumming beat.

She ran her nails lightly over his back as they came down from their high, drawing goosebumps up on his flesh. She used the last of her strength to lift her head enough to kiss the top of his. "I love you, Marc."

"I love you, too," he muttered against her chest. She grinned languidly, not caring how long they laid there, not even caring if Jordan and Kylie walked in and found them this way. Hell, for all she cared, they could fall asleep and spend the night just like this. All she cared about was keeping him close, physically and emotionally.

Something inside her broke in that moment, and it made her breath catch in her throat. The snap didn't hurt, but it surprised her, and as she assessed the damage, she found none. In fact, she felt free, as if she'd just broken a chain that held her down. The fear is gone.

All these years, she'd carried such a heavy burden left behind by her ex, and it held her down, imprisoned her, and she had never even realized how much she'd lived in a cage. Now, she felt like she had wings to spread and the strength to fly.

"Marc?" Her voice came out as a whisper, and he shifted on top of her, trying to move and failing. She waited, let him slip out of her, and with great effort, he pushed up on his hands, rising above her enough to look down at her in question. "Thank you."

He gave her a lazy smile that crooked up one side of his mouth and made the dimple appear in his cheek. "I've been told I'm good in bed, but no one's ever thanked me before."

Reesa rolled her eyes and smiled. "You and your ego! That's going to get you in trouble one of these days." Taking a deep breath, she let the smile fade and grew solemn. "Really, thank you. You've changed my life, my whole perspective, and that's something I can't repay."

He planted a sweet kiss on her nose. "You've already repaid it because you've changed me, too. You make me happy and selfless. I'm a better man because of you."

It was everything she needed to hear, filled with emotion and truth. She held his gaze for a long time, letting the peacefulness of their situation settle over her. Then, Marc shifted again and got to his feet. "Where are you going?" she asked, not quite ready for the separation. A chill ran down her spine as the heat of his body left her.

"I have to go to the bathroom. And then, we should probably get dressed and let our friends know everything's alright. Don't you think?" As he spoke, he turned and searched for the door to the bathroom before running on the balls of his feet in that direction.

"I suppose you're right," she agreed reluctantly, pulling herself up to a seated position and reaching for the panties and jeans on the floor. Kylie would be proud of her, at least. And Jordan wouldn't rip her head off for breaking Marc's heart. The thought made her smile, and she knew she was settled.

Monique the Liar, as Kylie had dubbed her, held a press conference the next evening, looked ashamed and still pretty roughed up. Reesa sat with Marc to her left, leaning against his side, and Kylie on the loveseat to the right, snuggled up in Jordan's arms as they watched the scene unfold.

"I made false accusations against Marcus Winters, claiming he physically and sexually assaulted me. The truth is, he turned me down when I made a pass at him, and I was angry. When I went home, my ex-boyfriend was waiting, and we got into an argument. He beat me, and then we made up and had sex. Mr. Winters was nothing but a gentleman, and I apologize for trying to ruin his reputation."

Kylie threw popcorn at the television, then blushed. "Sorry, Marc."

He shrugged, scowling at the screen. "I don't care. I'll buy a dog. He'll clean it up." He waved a hand at the television. "She's a miserable person."

Reesa shuddered. "I don't need to hear anymore. Anyone who stays in a relationship like that is bound to be miserable. At least I never took my sorrows out on anyone else."

"Yeah, well, not everyone is as good a person as you are," Jordan piped in, flipping to a different channel, where some reality show star whined about much less serious circumstances.

It meant a lot to hear something like that from him, and Reesa tucked away the compliment for a later date, when she needed to bolster her morale. In the meantime, she turned her head and puckered up, earning a kiss from Marc. "So, Mr. Winters, you're a free man. What are you going to do now?"

"How would you like a trip to Disneyland?" he asked, chuckling.

She wrinkled her nose and shook her head. "I wouldn't mind a vacation, but I don't think Disneyland sounds right. Maybe we could go somewhere tropical, escape the New York winter for a few days."

"That sounds like an excellent plan to me," Kylie agreed. She raised a brow at Jordan. "We could all go. You don't start playing again for a few months. There's plenty of time."

"I'll call my travel agent," Marc said, clapping his hands. "Consider it done." He stood and stretched. "I'm going to get a beer. Does anyone else need anything from the kitchen?" The three of them shook their heads, and then Reesa thought better of it, following at his heels. Marc smiled at her. "What can I do for you, my love?"

Wrapping her arms around his waist, Reesa rested her head against his chest and listened to his heart. It always soothed her when he held her, when she could feel the force of his life against her cheek. "Just love me."

"Well, that's easy. I thought you were going to ask me to buy you a beach house or something." His soundless laughter rumbled in his chest.

"I'm serious, Marc. Everything else could go to hell in a handbasket, and knowing you loved me would be enough to make me happy." She meant every word of it.

Marc took a deep breath and let it out slowly. "Same here, Reesa." He reached between them and crooked a finger under her chin, lifting it and bringing her gaze to his. "I will love you for the rest of my life, and I want to spend the rest of my life proving it to you."

"You've already done that," she argued. "Let's just live for the moment, okay? Not for the past or the future, just for right here and now." It was something her best friend had taught her, something she still needed to thank Kylie for. And with Marc, she was eager to put the advice to good use.

"That sounds like a plan, as long as we can future trip about marriage and babies and vacation homes and...hey!" She cut him off with a playful slap on the arm. "Okay, I get it. Right here, right now. What do you say we kick our friends out and I make love to you on the living room rug, right here and now?"

Now, that was an idea she could get behind one hundred percent.