by Ali Parker
"She's still got her mean spirit. That's something, right?" Lisa plastered a smile on her face and walked toward the table. She was going to break down the minute she saw Marc. The need to feel his arms around her was almost overwhelming.
He chuckled. "She went through a lot when you were born, baby. I know it's no excuse, but maybe I can shed some light on it this Christmas. You deserve to know everything that happened."
Maria set a piece of pie down in front of Lisa as she slid into a chair across from her father. "She still doesn't have to be hateful to her daughter."
Lisa was a little surprised by the venom in Maria's tone.
"Agreed." Lisa's dad reached over and took her hand. "I know you don't want to hear this, but I might need your help at the first of the year. I'm supposed to be traveling, and our finances aren't doing as well as I thought. Is there any hope of you coming back home for a little while?"
"Maybe, I don't know." Lisa picked up her fork and trapped a million words behind her teeth. Her father wouldn't have to ask again. Lisa would be there. No matter what.
Because if something happened to her mother and she'd denied her help, she would never forgive herself. Not in a million years.
Chapter 9
Marc
"Your mom tells me that you're studying biology at NYU. You know I work with your mom at St. Mark's. If you're interested in an internship in one of our research areas, I could help with that." Charles sat down across the table from Marc.
"I appreciate that. I'm not sure where I'm going to be." Marc shifted his eyes toward his mother, who stood in the kitchen, looking back at him. "I'm dating a woman in Maine."
"Oh." Charles chuckled and turned toward Marc's mom. "Love comes first, then career. The boy has it right."
She smiled and walked toward them, ruffling Marc's hair. "I just prayed that he would fall in love with someone and do right by me one day."
"Mom." Marc stood as someone knocked at the door. "Let's not talk about my childish antics with girls in the past, please?"
Marc hated to admit it, but Charles was a great guy. He was the right guy for Marc's mother. He was polite, older, wealthy and had a calm about him that was contagious. As much as Marc wanted to be a dick to the guy until he assessed his character, Charles had disarmed him fast.
"Open up. It's Santa and I'm freezing my nards off out here."
Marc pulled the door open and laughed as Drayer turned and gave him a big grin. "You gotta have balls to freeze them off, you pansy."
"Fuck you too." Drayer offered his hand, and Marc pulled him into a quick hug.
"Get in here and watch your mouth. You know my momma don't do cursing." Marc glanced back toward his mother, who was lost in conversation with Charles. "Hmmm... She's not paying us a bit of attention. Figures."
"She loves me and lets me curse when I want." Drayer shrugged and walked into the house. "Hi, Miss M. Good to see you again."
"Drayer. How are you?" She walked toward Dray, pulling him into a quick hug before gripping his shoulders. "Stop cursing on my front porch. Your father is a pastor. He would keel over if he knew how filthy your language was."
Dray's cheeks burned pink as Marc laughed and moved past him. "We going out for beers or are you staying over here?"
"Beers, please?" Dray's voice was pinched. He was humbled by Marc's mother more often than not.
"Drayer, this is my friend, Charles."
"Her boyfriend." Marc walked back out as his mother swatted at him.
"Stop being childish." She lifted her eyebrow as Charles moved up and shook Drayer’s hand.
"Nice to meet you. I'm the boyfriend." He winked and Marc chuckled as his mother turned and swatted them both.
"Hey! I was just laughing to make him feel good about himself." Marc winked at Charles, who chuckled in response.
Yeah, he's all right. He can stay.
"Be safe out there. It's supposed to snow a little more later tonight. You know how much I hate it when you're out during a storm." Marc's mother reached out and grabbed his hand, pulling him back toward her. "Text me later and let me know when you're headed home."
"I'm going to be eighty and you're still going to be requiring me to text you when I leave the house, aren't you?" Marc gave her a kiss on the cheek and pulled his hand out of hers.
"I'll be dead when you're eighty, silly boy."
"Hell no, you won't."
"Language." She put her hand on her hip.
"You're going to live forever, Mom. I'll find the secret to immortality when I come work at St. Mark's in the research lab." He wagged his eyebrows and turned to walk to the door.
"So you're staying here?" Drayer opened the door and moved back.
"What? No." Marc walked out as his mother called after him.
"I wish you would consider it."
He smirked and yelled at the street, hoping that she would hear him. "You gotta convince Lisa."
Drayer closed the door and jogged down the stairs, almost busting his ass on the last step. Marc reached out and grabbed his arm, helping to right him.
"Speaking of the minx who is way too good for a chump like you..." Dray gave him a cheeky grin. "Where is the hot little thing?"
Marc popped him in the chest. "She's at her parents’, and watch how you talk about her. She's going to have my babies one day."
"Babies? What the fuck, dude? You're not even out of college. Slow your roll a little before I start an intervention." He pointed to the truck. "I brought my truck, but we can take yours instead if you want."
"Let's take both in case I have to go get Lisa. She's with her folks." Marc pulled his keys from his pocket. "It's good to see you, bro."
"Yeah. You too." Dray reached up and ran his fingers through his hair. "I thought she couldn't stand her parents, dude."
"She can't, but something is up." Marc stopped beside his truck and shrugged. "Who the fuck knows what. She won't really talk to me about it, but it's just who she is."
"You need to change that part."
"Why? So she'll talk all the time like my mom and sister?" Marc chuckled.
"I wouldn't mind hearing your sister talk all the time. Like all night long." Drayer jogged to his truck as Marc bent over and scooped up a handful of snow before balling it up and chucking it at his best friend.
"Kari's boyfriend would flatten you, man." Marc opened the truck and got in, shivering from the cold. "Hell, I almost think Jake could flatten me."
Somehow it was a comforting thought. At least his sister was taken care of.
***
"So you're really going to give up your master's program for her?" Drayer lifted his beer to his lips, finishing it in a long swig.
"I don't look at it like that, but I guess you could." Marc picked up another French fry and watched the TV like a hawk. The basketball game playing was too good to miss. Thank goodness it was almost over. He was itching to get back to Lisa. She wouldn't refuse him if he went over and knocked on the door. She might be pissed, but he could solve that later in the night with a long romp in the sheets. Nothing brought her back from anger like a good fuck. She was his type of woman a million times over.
"Hi, handsome. Another beer for you?" A sexy brunette with a great smile stopped beside the table and picked up Marc's beer bottle.
"No, but thanks." He winked and took it from her. "My buddy here might be interested though."
"Oh yeah?" She glanced over at Drayer. "That true?"
"Um, no. I'm driving, but thanks." He handed her the empty beer bottle as she gave him an odd look.
"Okay. Well, I offered." She chuckled and turned to walk away.
Marc turned to his best friend. "Why wouldn't you ask her out? She's beautiful."
"That girl?" His eyes widened. "No fucking way, dude. She wouldn't say yes to me. Maybe to you, but not to me. Are you kidding me?"
Marc ran his fingers down his face. "I swear, you're never going to learn, man. She already said yes. You didn't read between the l
ines?"
"You're stupid. Stop talking, please. I'm getting dumber just sitting here with you." Drayer pulled the fries toward him and ate as Marc stared at him, open-mouthed.
There was no saving the poor guy. His confidence sucked, but maybe something would change when Marc left. Dray had one more year on his degree, and as a senior, he would be considered to take Marc's spot as captain of the basketball team at NYU. It would help build him up. It had to. Something did.
Marc pulled out his phone and dialed Lisa's number, listening as the phone rang several times. He'd almost given up when she answered.
"Hello?"
"Hey, baby." Marc got off his barstool and walked toward the door.
"Hey." She sounded much better.
"I'm having a beer with Dray, but Mom wants to have dinner with us. Can I come grab you for a little while? I'll take you back if that's what you want." He forced himself to leave the request there. He shouldn't have to ask, but it wasn't going to kill him to play by her rules while they were in New York. She was always a little off around her mom and dad. He pushed the exit door and walked out into the cold.
"That sounds good. When are you coming?"
"In an hour or so. I miss you already." He chuckled and glanced around, loving the way the city was lit up for Christmas.
"Me too. I'm sorry about earlier. I'll explain soon."
"Okay. I'll be there shortly. We'll figure it out." His heart swelled in his chest. The girl had him wrapped around her finger. It was scary as hell, and yet felt too right to deny her anything.
"Love you," she whispered seductively and his cock twitched in his jeans. Why were they fighting in the first place?
He couldn't remember, nor did he care to.
Chapter 10
Lisa
"I'm just going to have dinner with Marc and his mom. I shouldn't be gone more than an hour or two." Lisa pulled her coat on as the sound of someone honking out front sounded again.
"It's fine. You don't have to stay here for the holidays, Lisa. I just wanted to see you, sweetheart." Her father moved behind her and helped her get her coat on. "Do what you need to do."
"Thanks, Dad." She turned and kissed him on the cheek before opening the door and jogging toward Marc's truck. Seeing him sitting in the driver's seat, a sexy smile on his lips and the look of love on his face was her undoing.
She opened the door and got into the truck, closing the door and moving toward him. "I'm sorry for fighting earlier. I shouldn't have closed you out."
"Hush." He pulled her in tight and consumed her, her lips so damn soft and wet. He kissed her until she was panting softly for air. "God, I want you. Maybe we can sneak away to my bedroom after dinner? Just a quickie before I let you back out?"
"Come back here with me. We'll just stay at my parents’ tonight and your mom's tomorrow. How about that?" She kissed him one more time before moving into her seat. The delicious scent of his cologne was subtle, but still hung in the air.
"I like the sound of that. Whatever we need to do where I end up getting to spend the night with you. That's the plan I want." He reached out and took her hand into his. "Your folks doing okay?"
She let out a sigh and closed her eyes. "Yes and no."
"Okay. Well, I'm here for you. Whatever that needs to mean, okay, angel?"
She nodded. "My mom's cancer is back and she's not doing too well."
"Oh hell, Lisa."
Just the sound of his voice breaking a little folded her in half. The fact that a great guy like Marc loved her was too much to swallow on a good day, but on a bad one? It was crippling.
She pressed her hands to her face and let a sob slip from deep inside of her. "I hate her so much, but I'm scared to lose her. I don't know what it would do to my father. Or to me."
Marc's arms were strong and his embrace warm. "Let's not think like that. It's going to work out. Your mom is a tough woman. Just like you, baby."
"You're right." She melted against him and wiped at her eyes. "I didn't want you to go with me earlier because I honestly didn't know what I was walking into. Even more than that, I knew I wouldn't be able to keep myself together if you were there. I rely on you too much."
"You do?" He kissed the side of her hair and forced her to look up at him with the soft press of his fingers under her chin. "I'd really like it if you would start relying on me a lot more. I love being your man. It's the greatest joy in my life."
She smiled and moved up to brush her nose by his. "You fell in love with a sexy, strong, saucy older woman. I want to make sure I keep up my end of the bargain."
"You're still all of those things, and so much more. I want to see all of you, and I'm not just talking about the beauty under this coat." He kissed her several times. "We're going to build a life together. Let me in... all the way."
"I'm scared to." She kissed him once more before moving back.
Her father stood at the open door, watching him with worry on his aging face.
"Oh shit. Your dad thinks we're making out in his front yard." Marc laughed and put the truck in reverse.
"Doubtful." Lisa rolled down her window and leaned out a little. "You okay, Dad?"
"Yeah. Just enjoying the snow. The truck okay? You're not stuck, are you?"
"No." Lisa waved. "See you later tonight."
He waved as she rolled up her window.
"How is your dad handling everything?" Marc took her hand and pulled it into his lap, forcing her to move closer to him on the bench seat.
She was grateful for his crappy old truck as she snuggled against him. "He's not doing so well. He asked me to consider coming back to New York in January after the holidays. He needs to do some traveling and my mom isn't going to do well without one of us here."
"Really?" He wrapped his arm around her and used the other to drive the truck.
"Yeah. I'm not sure my business would survive that, but it's something to consider." She ran her hand up his thigh as desire blossomed between her thighs. "I love the idea of being closer to you."
"I love that too. I ain't gonna lie."
She turned her face toward him and smiled. "What did you and Dray do tonight?"
"Beer and girls. What else? Gets old after awhile, but I'm a player. What can I say?" His cheeky smile gave him away.
"Liar." She moved up and pressed her mouth to the side of his neck, right under his ear, sucking softly as he groaned.
"You're right. All I could think about was you. I'm a fucking hormonal teenage girl because of you." He ran his hand down her back and squeezed her butt. "You've ruined me for all others."
"It's a good thing too." She licked at his neck once more before settling down beside him.
"Why is that? Sounds horrible to me."
"Cause I would hate to kill a bitch for messing with my man."
"I told Drake you were crazy like that. He didn't believe me."
"Good. It's nice to know everyone is fooled."
"Everyone but me."
"Even you." She ran her hand up his leg and cupped him. "Let's sneak away before dinner and have some fun."
"Hell yes." He patted her butt. "Mine."
She laughed as he growled. "Yes, baby. All yours."
***
"Lisa, tell me again about your real estate business. Were you doing that here in New York before you left?" Marc's mom walked back into the dining room after dinner with a platter of carrot cake in her hands.
Lisa lifted her coffee to her lips and nodded. "Yes, ma'am. I started my sophomore year in college working on the business. When I realized I didn't want to go into law, like my mother expected me to, I changed my major to business. It was a huge deal at the time, but I'm glad I did. I couldn't work the hours that most lawyers do."
"I understand that. I wish someone would have warned me about being a nurse." The older woman sat down and picked up an empty plate, lifting it toward Lisa. "You want to try my homemade carrot cake?"
"Yes. Badly." Lisa laughed and took the
plate.
"Almost there. Just shake it. Hard." Marc and Charles were in the living room, trying to put up a fake tree and having hell with it. They were taking turns giving each other advice over how to get it to stand up straight, and nothing was working. It was beyond comical.
"And you and Marc are doing okay?" Marc's mom cut the cake and put a piece on Lisa's plate. "Much better than you were last summer from what Marc said."
"Oh yeah. We're past all of that initial relationship bull shit." Lisa lifted her hand. "Sorry. I keep forgetting about the cursing thing. I'll work harder at it."
"It's no big deal. I'm not too fond of it, but it's fine. Don't bother yourself with it." She smiled. "You are who you are."
Marc's response caused them both to laugh. "Oh, I see. Lisa can be a rebel with a potty mouth and be just fine, but I have to be an altar boy in here."
"Oh please. You're exaggerating, son." Marc's mom took a bite of her cake. "He's such a drama queen."
Lisa laughed as Marc made another silly noise from the living room. "He's a great guy. I'm so lucky to have him. Honestly. He's more than I deserve."
"I'm glad you feel that way. We both feel that way about you too." She reached out and squeezed Lisa's hand. "How are your parents? Everyone doing okay?"
"My mom's sick again, so things are a little tense, but I'm hoping they'll get better fast."
"Cancer again?" Marc's mother's expression was sweet and caring, but for some odd reason, it provided Lisa with strength instead of stripping her down emotionally. It gave her a little bit of peace to share the truth with Marc's mom.
"Yes, ma'am. She's going through treatments now." Lisa took a bite of the cake and tried not to moan. It was beyond delicious. Sicily would have a run for her money as the best baker in New England if Marc and Kari's mom ever decided to do something with her hidden talents.
"Well, I'm just twenty minutes from them if she ever needs me." Marc's mom smiled and leaned back in her chair.
"Thank you, Ms. M. I'll tell her that." Lisa glanced up to find Marc watching her, tinsel wrapped around his body, including around his neck and face.
