His Four Poster Bed

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Marco has a few dangerous secrets hidden up his tattooed sleeve. When Odessa meets Marco, he's throwing punches and looks like sex in a tux. Odessa's sworn off romance but her resolution is dead before midnight when she finds herself in his arms. How far will she go for a chance at happily ever after? Will Odessa risk everything for a lifetime of nights in his four poster bed?

"I nodded and moaned as he kissed me again...I knew right then that my future with this man would contain more than a single kiss. I turned and looked at his four poster bed. It called to us like a siren." Odessa

"I don't believe in controlling anyone who doesn't want to be controlled," he said, standing in front of me and offering me his hand. "Would you like to see my bed Odessa Star?" Marco

The silent auction was mercifully quiet. The bidding closed soon and most people were in line at the buffet or dancing by now. I browsed past mini posters describing ski vacations, winery tours, and cruise ships to Alaska, the Caribbean, and Mexico. Finally, I reached the last table filled with artwork ranging from quilting projects to oil paintings.

One display caught my eye. Under a single spotlight on a velvet black pillar stood a collection of three golden bird cages each containing a unique sculpture of a bird. There was a silver canary with painted yellow wings and glittering eyes. A bejeweled parrot that looked as if it was about to take flight and a shimmering silver white dove.

"Beauty Caged" by Theo Manhattan (Donated by M. Amador)

The starting bid was $5,000.

Pricey, I thought, recognizing the donor name. The Amador family sponsored the Silver City event and a lot of other philanthropic events in the city. I was pretty sure they owned this hotel and half the waterfront downtown.

"Aren't they gorgeous?" a voice beside me interrupted my thoughts. "Though it seems wrong to cage such beauty."

A tall good looking man stood beside me wearing a custom made tuxedo that hugged his body in all the right places. He raised his eyebrows and smiled at me, eyes crinkling in the corners. My legs went weak. I took a breath realizing I was staring into the deep brown eyes of the man who had thrown the first punch.

"Do you like art?" he asked, taking a sip of his cocktail.

"Uh yes," I said, struggling for words. "Do you like fighting in public?"

He pursed his lips and nodded to me. "You saw my little show."

"Is that what you call it?" I asked managing to turn away from his gaze.

"I call it a disagreement," he shrugged.

"You punched a man."

"No, first I told him to mind his own business and then I punched him," he winked. "I'm Marco." He held out his hand and I stared at it, uncertain if I wanted to make contact. He dropped his hand when I didn't shake it. "I have a confession," he said. Unfazed he picked up the bid sheet and scrawled something on the paper. "I've been watching you tonight."

"You've been watching me," I repeated, his words flattering and alarming me all at the same time. "That's a bit creepy."

"Too creepy?" he said, smiling an adorable, sexy smile. "Or just a tiny bit flattering?"

"Maybe a smidge," I said, a smile escaping me. Damn. It was hard to stay cold next to the heat of his body.

"May I offer you another cocktail?"

"Do I look like a woman you can ply with a simple cocktail?"

"Absolutely not," he said, his brown eyes glittering with mischief. "You look infinitely more difficult."