by Lisa De Jong
Melanie brought out our hot meals, and we dug right in. The more I thought of Marcus and me as a potential item, the better I felt. I didn’t know where it would go, but for the last few years, I’d held back and sacrificed so much. Maybe I should do this for me. I deserved to have a little fun even if it was just a summer fling. I would just have to stay emotionally shut down. I couldn’t fall for him, or I’d never be able to live it down.
Marcus interrupted my thoughts, “What are you doing this weekend?”
“Ah, I really don’t have any plans. Why?”
“Come away with me for the weekend. I have a shore house in the Bahamas. It’s on a private beach. We can have the entire weekend to spend time with each other—get to know each other better. We can leave tomorrow morning.”
Surprised by his boldness, I took a minute to let what he said sink in. “Marcus, I don’t know; isn’t it too soon to go away somewhere with each other?”
“No, I have a six-bedroom shore house. You can sleep in a room on a different floor from me with the doors locked if that will make you feel better.” He joked.
“I can’t. I have my interview tomorrow.” I shrugged apologetically.
His smile returned. “It’s done, I told Lisa that I met you at Club21 and that I gave you the interview already. She was shocked, of course, but you start Monday morning.” He reached for my hand. “Come on, Mia, the moment you feel uncomfortable I will drive you to the airport myself.” He gave me a reassuring smile, flashing that adorable dimple.
I couldn’t believe I was considering this. “Okay, what time should I be ready?”
He sat back in his chair with his shoulders straight and a sign of triumph in his eyes. “The plane leaves at 10 a.m. I’ll pick you up at 9 a.m.”
“Don’t we have to be at the airport two hours before the plane departs and go through baggage claim and security?”
He slightly tilted his head amused. “My firm has a private plane; we don’t have to go through all that hassle.”
Of course he had a private plane! I wanted to roll my eyes but refrained from doing so. Instead I settled for a simple nod. The rest of the lunch ended pretty well. I tried to pay for it, but he refused. I didn’t argue with him; he was too aggressive about it and shoved his credit card at Melanie before I could reach for my bag.
Before we went our separate ways, he embraced me in a hug; this time I hugged back and kissed him on the cheek. I figured I should play with him and have a little fun. “I’m off to do some shopping. After all I have to make myself simply irresistible for this weekend.” I blew him a kiss and walked away.
I didn’t turn when I heard him yell. “You’re killing me, Mia!” I giggled.
I had an hour to spare and went to a few shops. I purchased a couple bikinis, dresses, and lingerie. Even though I wasn’t sure if I’d be using any of them, I thought having a few sexy undies wouldn’t hurt. Right? Reaching my car with seconds to spare before the meter ran out, I jumped in and noticed an officer a foot away. I quickly pulled out and decided to go to the spa. I was in a desperate need of a manicure, pedicure, and wax.
****
Feeling the massage chair vibrate against my back and thighs was very soothing. Every girl should always enjoy a spa day at least twice a month. I rested my head back as my feet were scrubbed and massaged and my toenails polished with a bright pink color. After my nails were done, I walked back to the waxing station. Embarrassed by my lack of grooming, I lay there.
Susi lifted her head from between my legs; her eyes were filled with fear or shock. I’m not sure of which one. “When you last time wax?” I shrugged apologetically. She waved her finger. “Tsk, Tsk, Tsk, you no let grow like this, understand?” I nodded and threw my head back humiliated. Okay, so I’d neglected my sacred place, but no one had seen it in over two months.
****
Jeremy skeptically watched as I slowly walked across the living room with my legs spread opened. “What happened to you?”
“I got a wax.” I grumbled passing by him; he was by the kitchen island.
“Oooh, can I see?” He dropped the grin when I snapped an evil glare.
Lying in bed, I wondered if the pain would go away by morning. How red faced and embarrassed would I be to have Marcus staring at me while I walked like I’d been horseback riding? I heard my phone go off, so I reached for it.
Marcus (4:25pm): Thank you, Mia.
Me (4:26pm): For what?
Marcus (4:26pm): For today, for this weekend. I promise I won’t let you down.
Me (4:27pm): I hope you don’t, Marcus.
Marcus (4:27pm): Did you purchase anything good ;)
Me (4:28pm): Oh you’ll have to just have wait and see, DeLuca.
Marcus (4:29): I look forward to it! ;)
A nice cold shower soothed the soreness from my wax. The redness went down a lot, and I was walking normally by nine o’clock. Thank God! I decided to pack my bag for the weekend, only leaving out what I’d be wearing in the morning.
Feeling guilty that I hadn’t worked out in three days, I set my alarm to go off early so that I could fit in a good run in the morning. I threw on my yoga pants and a spandex sleeveless shirt so that I could jump right out of bed and just brush my teeth before my run.
I stepped out of my bedroom, and Jeremy was still playing his stupid game. I noticed he ordered pizza. Great, I should really cut back on the carbs. The past three days, I’d consumed more calories with alcohol and pasta than I had in months.
Then I remembered I needed to tell Jeremy about my weekend trip. I was nervous about saying anything, afraid of how he would react. I grabbed a slice of pizza and headed over to the couch. To my surprise, he didn’t seem shocked at all and even mentioned that he hoped I’d have a great time.
A half an hour later, I was in bed.
Chapter Six
Jogging cleared my mind and relieved all my tension. I had a mixed variety of music on my iPod, and as soon as the shuffle switched from Lady Gaga’s “Marry the Night” to Limp Bizkit’s “Rollin,” I picked up the pace. The wind was the perfect temperature against my damp skin. I felt like I was in control, and it was just me and the road.
Passing the university, I stopped near a tree to catch my breath before lying on the grass. I did a few sets of sit ups along with lunges and squats. Then I stretched against a bench and began the jog back to my apartment at an easier pace.
I ran in place while waiting for the red light to change when I noticed Romano’s restaurant. I smiled to myself. Marcus was every girl’s dream: he was successful, a gentleman, and absolutely, ridiculously HOT!
I’d known men like that…well not as handsome as Marcus, but they were all confident assholes. Although spending that one night with him at Romano’s made me truly believe that he might just be different.
He wanted to spend time with me, and who was I to not let him? It couldn’t hurt to give it a shot, could it? By agreeing to this weekend trip, I knew that something more than just getting to know each other would occur. I couldn’t resist his smile and his scent. Just thinking of him without his clothes on boggled my mind. A man brushed past me and ran across the street. I dismissed the thoughts of Marcus and continued with my run.
I was a couple blocks away from my building, so I sprinted. Stopping in front of the stairs, I took ten long minutes for a good stretch. My face was dripping with sweat, and I could feel the heat and blood rushing through my veins. It felt good.
Using the tree for support, I placed my right leg behind me and slowly bent my left. I repeated this, stretching on the other side. I sidestepped away from the tree, lifted my hands over my head, and reached for the sky very slowly, stretching my arms over to the right side and left side of my body.
I rolled my neck then bent over, reaching for my toes and aligning my back and legs. Slightly spreading my legs apart, I caught a glimpse of the bottom part of jeans and men’s white sneakers directly behind me.
The legs bent, and a set of
big, brown eyes met mine. “Well good morning. You’ll have to let me in on your running schedule, so I can make it in time for your stretching.” That now-familiar smile peeped through my legs. I jerked up and quickly brushed a few loose strands of damp hair away from my face. Then I turned to face him.
“You’re early.” I stumbled back a few steps.
He eyed me up and down with an entertained, crooked grin. “And you’re sweaty. I love it.” He winked.
My eyes traced every inch of him; the casualwear suited him very well. This was the first time I was able to witness his firm biceps through his fitted, white, short-sleeved shirt. His loose, straight jeans flattered his waistline. He shoved his hands in his front jean pockets causing the muscles of his forearms to flex. His platinum Rolex was wrapped comfortably around his wrist. “I hope you don’t mind that I’ve arrived a little early; I wanted to make sure you wouldn’t bail on me.” He chuckled.
Bringing my attention back to his eyes, I blinked a few times. “Um, no, it’s fine; I just went for a quick run. I hope you don’t mind waiting while I take a shower and get ready. I can make you some coffee if you like?”
“Please lead the way.” His smile widened. We entered the building and walked up to the second floor. I was sticking the key in the lock when Trevor from the fourth floor approached me. He’s a very good-looking guy. He’d also tried on numerous occasions to ask me out, but I never dated anyone in my building. That was my number-one rule. Trevor handed me an envelope with a huge smile. “Good morning, sexy, my month’s rent,” he said.
“Ah, early as usual, Trevor, thank you.” I smiled as I grabbed the envelope.
“Dinner Saturday?”
“Trevor.” I narrowed my eyes.
Lifting his palms to surrender, he laughed. “Hey it was worth a shot. You can’t blame a man for trying?”
“No you can’t, unfortunately she has plans with me for the weekend.” Marcus just had to butt in. Oh my God, I rolled my eyes and opened the door. They both eyed each other, refusing to back down: Trevor with a cocky expression and Marcus with an amused grin. Trevor broke from the staring contest first and waved goodbye. I smiled at him and waved back. I walked into my apartment as Marcus followed.
“So you manage the building?” He asked casually as if the small episode in the hallway didn’t happen.
“No.” I walked to the kitchen and pulled out my selections of coffee. I slid three different kinds on the island before him, and he pointed at the extra bold strength. I placed his selection in the one-cup coffee maker, retrieved a mug, and hit the button to brew the coffee.
“So you just collect the rent from tenants as a favor for the landlord?” He settled onto a stool.
“I’m the landlord, Marcus. This is my building.” Placing cream, sugar, and a spoon before him, I grabbed his cup and set it down next to the items. When I looked up at him, his face was unreadable. He grabbed the mug and spoon, scooped two sugars, and poured a little cream into the cup. “I have to hop in the shower. Will you be okay while I get ready? You’re welcome to turn on the television. Please make yourself at home.”
He glanced at his Rolex. “Actually I have to make a few phone calls. It’s only eight fifteen; please, take your time.” I smiled at him and then noticed that I didn’t embrace him with a hug or a kiss. Forcing myself to be brave, knowing he wouldn’t reject me in any way, I walked over to him, placing one hand over his and my other hand at the back of his neck. Reaching up to him, I set my lips against his cheek. His head slowly turned, gently brushing my lips, but I pulled away.
“I won’t be long. The sooner I’m ready, the sooner I’ll be able to spend an entire weekend with you.” Turning on my heels, I walked away. That should give him something to think about for the next hour. I felt pleased with myself.
Taking my time in the shower, I washed my hair and rubbed body wash all over three times. This was more than my usual routine, but, hey, I had to smell irresistible. After I was done, I dried myself thoroughly and slathered every inch of my skin with lotion.
I threw on my green halter top, summer dress, and gold wedge heels. I ran back to the bathroom and towel dried my hair. While it was still damp, I applied mousse and worked my fingers through my hair, deciding on the wavy-teased look. When I was done, I took my time with my makeup to make sure it was flawless. The last touch to my face was a hint of lip gloss.
It was nine o’clock, so I grabbed my travel bag and headed for the living room. Marcus was still in the kitchen on the phone. He looked over his shoulder when he heard me enter. Placing my bag on the island, I opened the refrigerator and grabbed half of a grapefruit. Not wanting to disturb his call, I stood across from him. I could feel the heat of his stare as I placed a spoonful of grapefruit into my mouth. When my eyes finally met his, he mouthed, “You look beautiful.” I smiled, reveling in the attention.
He went on with his conversation, not taking his eyes off me once. “That’s fine … yes … no, it can wait until Monday. I still have three weeks before the deadline. Okay. Yes, I have my Blackberry if you need me to review anything that is absolutely urgent. Other than that, Marvin can take care of any documents that need to be out today. Thank you. Bye.” He ended the call, which was made on a touchscreen. I heard him say he had his Blackberry with him, so that led me to believe he had two phones. I wondered why. Maybe he was one of those people who prefer to have a work phone and a personal phone. I never understood the concept of having two phones…it’s too much to keep up with. It’s like having more than one social network: too exhausting.
He slid off the stool and walked over to stand behind me. I shivered at his nearness, feeling his face on the side of mine. “You smell delicious.” I should after washing up as much as I did.
“Thank you.” I whispered.
“Are you ready to go, or do you need more time?” Gripping my hips, he turned me to face him. He was so close, invading my space, but I didn’t mind, not one bit. “Yes I’m ready…Marcus?”
“Mmmh?” he mumbled while rubbing the back of his fingers against my cheek, along my jawline, and down the nape of my neck. I felt a warm, tingling sensation from his touch.
“I don’t do this, at all, you know—go away for an entire weekend with a man I don’t know. Can you just bear with m—” He stopped me in mid-sentence, cupping my chin and rubbing his thumb along my bottom lip.
“Mia, if I ever make you feel uncomfortable, just tell me and I’ll step back. I will not make you do anything you don’t want to do. Do you understand?” I nodded. “Good, let’s go enjoy a weekend on the beach.” He took my hand and led us to my bag, which he grabbed it with his free hand. We walked through the living room, but before we got to the door I stopped.
“Wait, I need to leave a note for Jeremy.” I ran back to the kitchen and wrote on a post-it note magnet on the fridge. Will be back Sunday, stay out of trouble. Take the trash out! Call if you need anything. Love, Mia.
Remembering that my driver’s license was in my car, I walked over to it after leaving the building. He stood and watched me enter and exit my vehicle, and then I hit the alarm button. “What?” I asked at his wry expression.
“That’s your car? You drive a convertible Mustang?”
Shaking my head, I grabbed his hand and smiled. “Yes, that’s my car.” I teased.
He shook his head laughing. Most men have the same expression when they see my car. He opened the passenger door for me. I got in his car and buckled up. We took off as soon as he was in.
“Can I ask you a personal question?” He placed his hand on my bare knee. It felt nice.
“Yeah, of course, isn’t the whole purpose of this trip is to learn more about each other, personally?” I turned to see the side of his face, the side with the dimple.
He gently smiled before responding. “You don’t work, right?”
“No.” Not sure what he’s getting at.
“Yet you own a four-story building in a really good neighborhood, and you own
a-top-of-the-line convertible Mustang. How could you afford something like that?”
“I sold my soul to the devil.” He laughed. “No, all jokes aside, when my father passed, he was prepared with a large life insurance policy. It was split between my brother and me. Of course I was too young at the time. My half was placed in an escrow account where it accrued interest. Anyway, long story short, I was given access to the money on my twenty-first birthday. Instead of splurging on clothes, I invested in stocks.
“I found that building two years ago and thought it would be perfect; it was a huge fixer-upper and needed more than just TLC. I made an offer and worked on it for a year. I’m happy with the outcome. I splurged on a building and a car. I don’t buy lavish clothing and go on expensive trips. I watch what I spend and live off the money from my tenants.”
He took a long look at me at the red light. “Very impressive, did your brother do the same—invest in properties?”
“Not really, my brother invested in stocks as well; he made out better than me actually. When he passed, he left me everything in his will. I donated half to the Boston and Philadelphia Police for Families of Fallen Officers. The money is given to families that were not fortunate enough to have the same privileges that I had. Most people don’t think to prepare their families in case of an unexpected death. My father was always adamant about saving money and looking into the best life insurance policies; it was like he knew one day it would happen sooner or later. My brother had the same mentality.”
“They seem like very smart men.” He gently squeezed my knee and took off when the light turned green.
“Thank you, they were. My father and Michael left me with the same mind-set.”
His soft grip on my knee stiffened, and he quickly removed his hand, placing it on the steering wheel. “Michael?” he asked alarmed.
“Yes, Michael Sullivan, did you know him?” His facial features changed; he seemed lost in thought, worried even.
“Ah, nope, didn’t know a Michael Sullivan.” Mmmh. Maybe the name sounded familiar for a second.
