Marcus' Dreams Fulfilled

By Tucker Davis

Dreams can be chased, forgotten or realized, but once achieved will the struggle be worth it?

Marcus Washington is extremely busy maintaining his duties as a local police officer and secretly studying for the detective exam. He does not have the time or energy for any relationship entanglements. At least that is what he is telling himself. It seems he really has his love life on hold because he can't have the woman he wants, Kenya Reynolds, the sister of his overprotective best friend. Marcus has been in love with Kenya since her senior prom, but to keep his sanity and allow her time to grow up, he never acted on his feelings.
Kenya is a successful owner of a gossip blog and entertainment promotion company. Her days are filled with blogging and social media marketing and her nights are overflowing with parties and celebrity drama.

Fate has a way of changing the best laid plans for Marcus’ career and love life. A chance late night assignment thrusts him into Kenya’s life and all her problems, including hiding from her stalker ex-boyfriend, who has stolen money and nude photos from her. Marcus, ever the gentleman, vows to help Kenya not realizing his plans to avoid her were going to go up in flames. Marcus’s life will never be the same.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Tucker Davis
• Release date: Mar 2, 2014
• ISBN: 9781310864353

Tucker Davis

Tucker Davis is an Atlanta native and often describes herself as a Grady baby. (If you are from Atlanta you know exactly what she means!) She has had a love of writing since she was in high school. Tucker, a naturally risk adverse person, often lived her adventures through reading. She even blames her poor eyesight on sneaking to read books in the darkness of her bedroom when she was supposed to be asleep.It wasn’t until she discovered authors like John Grissom, Terry McMillan, Brenda Jackson, Kayla Perrin and Rochelle Alers that her desire to tell her own stories was fed. She decided it was time to share the stories she allowed to play out in her mind. Thus, she penned her first novel, Misplaced Desires, which will be published in under the Twisted Pleasures series.With life things happen and our paths are altered. More specifically, Tucker became engrossed in bearing and raising her children, climbing the corporate ladder and battling breast cancer. These crossroads changed her plans to publish her first novel a bit, but they did not deter her. She has published legal articles, but they did not quench her thirst to publish romance novels.Her first published novel Derrin’s Hot Pursuit brings to life the story of Derrin, one of five African-American men who, for varying reasons, want to avoid long term commitments and falling love. It is their fear of losing the women they have unexpectedly began to adore, that drives them to confront their fears head on. Take the journey with Tucker Davis as we follow Derrin, Marcus, Calvin, Jared, and Ennis when they chase love.

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Marcus’ Dreams Fulfilled

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A Chasing Love Novella

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Tucker Davis

MARCUS’ DREAMS FULFILLED

Tucker Davis

Copyright 2014 by Dana M. Tucker Davis.

Smashwords Edition

All rights reserved. The reproduction, transmission or utilization of this work, in whole or in part, in any form by any electronic, mechanical or other means, now known or hereafter invented, including xerography, photography, photocopying and recording, or in any information storage or retrieval system, is forbidden without the written permission of the author. For permissions contact: [e-mail].

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used factiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events or locales is entirely coincidental.

ISBN: 978-1310864353

About the Author

Tucker Davis is an Atlanta native who writes in her down time while raising two young children, caring for her husband, working as a full-time attorney and being active in community service organizations. She has had a love of writing since she was in high school, which grew from a desire to travel to other places. Tucker, a naturally risk adverse person, often lived her adventures through reading. She even blames her poor eyesight on sneaking to read books in the darkness of her bedroom, when she was supposed to be asleep.

It wasn't until she discovered romance novels and crime mysteries that her desire to tell her own stories was fed. She decided it was time to share the stories she allowed to play out in her mind. Thus, she penned her first novel, Misplaced Desires, which will be published under her Twisted Pleasures brand.

With life things happen and our paths are altered. More specifically, Tucker became engrossed in bearing and raising her children, climbing the corporate ladder and battling breast cancer. These crossroads changed her plans to publish her first novel a bit, but they did not deter her.

This novel is a prequel for the Chasing Love series. If you enjoyed this novel, make sure you read Derrin’s Hot Pursuit and Calvin’s Trick or Treat both available in paperback and in eBook at Barnes and Noble and Amazon.

Visit www.tuckerdavisnovels.com for more information and updates on Tucker Davis.

Dedication

I dedicate this novel to my husband, Anthony, without whom I would not be able to imagine a loving relationship between the couples in my stories.

You are my dreams fulfilled. . .

Prologue

Marcus Washington realized he had fallen in love with Kenya Reynolds the night he escorted her to her senior prom. However, because Kenya is the sister of his overprotective best friend, Derrin, Marcus knew he could never reveal his true feelings. Therefore, he buried his feelings through Kenya’s college years, sitting back and silently watching as she became involved with one horrible man after the other. He knew acting on his feelings would seem foolish, and he wasn’t signing up to look like or be anyone’s fool. At least, that was the plan. Unbeknownst to him, tonight there is change brewing.

Chapter One

It was nearly midnight and Marcus was finishing paperwork for the two arrests he had made for the day. He was still slightly pissed that he bruised his arm trying to pull a drunken 250-pound man from the window of the neighbor’s apartment. The man was apparently so drunk that he couldn’t find his keys and figured he would lift a window and climb into what he thought was his own unit. Much to his surprise, his neighbor’s dog was sitting in the living room and attacked as soon as he began climbing in through the front window. The dog’s sudden action caused the man to lose his balance and fall forward into the apartment breaking the glass. By the time Marcus and his partner, Duane, arrived at the crime scene, it was invaded by broken glass, a barking dog, noisy onlookers, cell phone cameras and vomit (yes, the drunk had released his last meal all over the place). Marcus was fit to be tied when he and his partner attempted to assist the man out of the window. The guy refused to move. At one point, the guy actually wanted to remain halfway in the window and halfway outside. He was adamant that the lady and her dog were the intruders, and he just needed to sleep right there in the window. Marcus finally managed to get the drunk out and handcuffed, but he was pissed at the effort it took to get this done.

Now he was sitting in a barely lit room in the Duluth police department trying to avoid contact with his fellow officers. Marcus had become the brunt of all the jokes and jibes after the man tried to kiss him to show his appreciation for getting him out of the window. He cringed at the memory. His paperwork and report were nearly finished, but he still needed to get input from Duane, so he began to roam the building in search of him. He knew it would be easy to find Duane. He would either be in the restroom smoking, outside the front door smoking or in the patrol car … smoking. After a quick search of the restrooms, Marcus was making his way to the front of the fairly quiet building when the sound of a woman’s voice laced with anger, fear and frustration echoed. The more he tried to ignore the sound of the woman’s voice, the more his stomach knotted. He suddenly knew without a doubt that the upset woman was Kenya Reynolds. As he turned to face her at the intake counter, his body froze.

Kenya was dressed in a pair of tight jeans, high heeled, open-toe gold sandals showing her red toenail polish and a soft pink blouse. The top was form-fitting enough to draw attention to her firm breasts, yet feminine enough to exude class.

Marcus was more than intrigued now as he noticed how animated Kenya was in her conversation, which was actually more like a rant. He kept his distance, but listened in. He learned that Kenya wanted to file a police report against her current boyfriend for a laundry list of offenses, including theft from her checking account, hacking into her computer and forwarding nude photos of her from her own email address. The police officer, an older woman, did not show any concern as she asked Kenya to fill out an incident report.

Kenya bit her lip and pondered her next move. Her demeanor calmed slightly before she spoke, Will this report be made public? I mean, if I complete this form will my family and friends have access to it?

Marcus was not certain of the reply the older officer provided, but he assumed she recited the standard response from their law enforcement manual. The muscles in his stomach knotted at Kenya’s reaction. The sight of her slumped shoulders and hung head was too much for him to handle from his hiding spot behind the edge of the wall leading to the hallway. He attempted to slowly walk over to the desk, but as he approached, the rapid heaving of Kenya’s breasts were drawing his eyes down past her face. He willed himself to look in her eyes. He slowed his deliberate steps and stopped beside her. She turned and looked at him, tears filling her eyes. Before he could say anything, she fell forward and laid her head on his uniformed chest and bawled her eyes out. His heart lurched at her sobs, but his groin hardened at the feel of her soft breasts against his chest. He fought the urge to kiss her tears away. As he wrapped his arms around her waist and rubbed her back to calm her down, he had an epiphany. He knew at that moment that he couldn’t hide his feelings for her much longer. She felt like soft heaven in his arms.

Kenya felt the warmth of Marcus’ embrace and wanted to remain in his protective clasp forever. She was overwhelmed with emotions and could not stop the tears from flowing. The combined news of the theft and the look on Marcus’ face forced her to release her agony the moment she laid eyes on him. She couldn’t believe she was here in his arms. Of course, she had longed to be in his arms since she was a teenager and he was a college classmate of her brother’s. But she could never draw his attention after they kissed at her prom. Marcus always acted as if it never happened. Surely, he had felt the earth shatter with every stroke of his tongue like she did. Since that one kiss, Kenya despised him for making her desire him. Thereafter, she tried to project an I don’t want you and I don’t care who you are with attitude whenever she was around him.

But tonight… She couldn’t manage it. The deception of her current boyfriend coupled with the chance her family could learn how stupid she was to allow $10,000 to be stolen from her account zapped away all the self-control she had. She couldn’t stop her body from falling into Marcus’ embrace even if she wanted to. She knew he always thought of her as a child, but she was a woman whether he wanted to acknowledge it or not. Women cried, right?

With Kenya’s breasts pressed against his chest, Marcus knew if he allowed her to remain there for another minute, she would detect his growing erection. It always surprised him that she never noticed it in the past. Then again, she never noticed him, so he couldn’t expect her to notice any other part of him. He swallowed his emotions and gripped the sides of Kenya’s arms to push her body back so he could look into her eyes.

Now, do you want to tell me what has you all hot and bothered, tonight? He asked, without a clue as to how his words could be interpreted by an emotional and sexually hungry woman. His fingers were melting into her supple forearms, and his eyes quickly darted down and noticed how her cleavage was more prominent with his grip on her arms. His irises narrowed, but within seconds, he fought away the growing lust evidenced in them. He slowly released her arms and held her hands. Still not a bright idea, but better.

Kenya debated the numerous ways she could respond to his inquiry. The reply on the tip of her tongue was that he had her hot and bothered every night, not just tonight. But she clamped her lips together and gazed into his eyes. For some strange reason, she thought she saw flaming desire in them. She was imagining things, or was she?

Marcus, I didn’t know you worked in this precinct, Kenya began, then bit her lip and glanced away. I was just getting some information on the criminal process from the investigation stage. You know people really want to know about this stuff. She paused awkwardly then continued, I‘m thinking about adding it as a topic for my blog.

For your blog? Marcus raised an eyebrow to let her know he was suspicious of her comment.

She rolled her eyes to the ceiling. Yes, my blog. You know, the thing that pays my bills. Kenya’s attempt to be her normal smart-aleck self was failing miserably.

Marcus just stared at her. Finally, without ceasing his gaze or turning around, he announced to the clerk, (who was watching the entire scene), Dot, I’m leaving for the night. When you see Duane, have him review the Matthews incident report and the child dog bite report and make any changes he thinks are necessary. Tell him I’ll see him tomorrow. Kenya was busy kicking dust and lint around the linoleum floor and admiring her left heel. Come on, Ken, he said. We need to talk. I don’t like you lying to me. Without much effort, he pulled her with him out the door. The night air was refreshing and felt like an arctic blast on Marcus’ hot skin. He was red-hot mad and needed air to cool him off or calm him down. He didn’t care which one happened first.

I’m not lying to you, Marcus. Stop! I need to get my information from that lady back at the counter. Kenya was trying her very best to sound upset, but in actuality, she sounded desperate. Marcus held firm to her arm. He did not stop walking nor did he respond to her pleas. He pulled her through the parking lot. They arrived at her Benz SUV, and he held out his hand for the keys. Kenya dug her heels into the grass by the passenger side of the vehicle and crossed her arms over her chest. This pushed her breasts up and drew attention to this soft, cushiony area of her body. Marcus allowed his eyes to once again roam down her face and follow a path to her breasts. He couldn’t quite tell, but her nipples looked poked out. Hmm, interesting, he thought to himself.

For nearly three whole minutes, they stood there. Marcus with his hand outstretched, palm up, and Kenya with her arms crossed over her chest. Neither said a word. Both were Scorpios, so there was going to be a long wait to see who would give in first. Then, the distant sound of a baritone voice from somewhere in the dark parking lot made Kenya jump. She glanced over her shoulder and clutched her purse. She knew she did not want to be outside alone, and if the only way to fix this was to give Marcus her car keys, so be it. She mindlessly rummaged through her purse and located the key fob. She held it toward Marcus, and as he reached for it, she held it a little tighter. His long, creamy brown fingers glided over hers and the sudden tingling sensation moving through her body made her release the fob as if it was on fire.

Ken, we can do this the easy way or the hard way, but we will do this. Now, get in and let’s talk. Marcus opened the door and waited for Kenya to move. Huffing with each movement she slowly walked three steps, raised her left leg and entered the passenger side. She did not like being bossed around, and she definitely did not like being confined in a vehicle with Marcus for any extended period of time. It seems she really didn’t have a choice in the matter. Marcus entered the vehicle and started the ignition. The radio came on and the smooth sound of contemporary Christian music rushed through the air. You know, I didn’t think you’d ride around with the music blasting, let alone have it on a gospel station. I guess you do learn something new every day, huh? Kenya just rolled her eyes and sucked her teeth. She refrained from blurting out that she had been listening to it because she was praying for a miracle.

Marcus left the parking lot with no real destination in mind. It wasn’t until they were stopped at a red light and his stomach began growling that he decided a restaurant would be the best neutral place to talk to