Gone (Sons of Judah MC Book 1) (4 page)

Of course, she didn’t want to stop him.

Yes, she did.

He grabbed her hands and squeezed them. “You’re a beautiful, talented, and exceptionally witty woman. There is nothing wrong with not being able to cook.”

Funny that he should say it. Ned always made her believe that any flaw she had was a major blow to his expectations. “You’re too sweet.”

He let go of her hands, and at that moment, the waiter brought their food. She’d ordered swordfish, and it looked as good as any she ate in a Michelin star restaurant. Of course, Ned only went to the top restaurants in town. Anything less than that wouldn’t do. Stacy ate her food. She closed her eyes and enjoyed each bite.

“This is called perfection. I am surprised more people don’t know about this place. This food is as good as any I have eaten in the best restaurants in town.”

“And I’m mighty glad to hear you say that,” spoke a voice. She turned her head to look at the short woman who stood next to their table. Her mass of white hair was tied in a bun behind her head. She wore a simple, white apron over a black dress. Stacy pegged her to be about fifty, or perhaps a really well-preserved fifty-five. “Marco, you’ve brought us a real treat. Who is this lovely lady who knows the value of good food?”

“Stacy, Mia. Mia is the head chef here.”

“I am the only chef in there.” She pointed a finger at the back of the restaurant where the door to the kitchen was located. “You must bring her here more often.”

“I’m working on that.”

“Not that there is a woman in this world who can ignore this devil when he sets his mind on her, but you fight him real good, young lady. He is a keeper, but only for the right woman.”

“And since you won’t have me, I have to look for her elsewhere,” said Marco in a jovial voice.

“Oh, I think your quest might be near to the end.” Mia winked at Stacy. “Now I’m sending you both my newest creation. It’s devilish chocolate cake with a slight hint of honey, a true work of art. Tell me how it was when you’re done.”

He patted his stomach. “If I continue to eat here, I will have to increase my exercise regime.”

She patted him on the cheek. “And then you will be even more gorgeous than ever before. Now, take care. Enjoy your date.”

When she walked off, Marco cleared his throat. “Mia is a friend. She doesn’t spare her comments, but when it comes down to it, she will stand in front of someone whom she cares about to take a bullet for them.”

“Then, she is the best kind of a friend that a person can have,” said Stacy. She was actually a little amused to see his friendship with the woman who was at least a decade older. The fact that he shared such a good relationship with her showed that he was capable of making meaningful and loving connections with people. Everything about him surprised her. It was probably because she’d judged him too harshly before.

He was a kind, sweet man.

And if he ever realized that she thought of him that way, he would probably kill himself. She was quite positive that it wasn’t the image he was going for. What’s more, he would use her soft heart towards him to seduce her. The man might be cute as a puppy, but he was dangerous. She was a fool to think he couldn’t hurt her. A man like him had the power to reduce her to someone who wasn’t capable of having thoughts on her own. Marco was a forceful man. She didn’t want his type in her world. He was sure to do what Ned did…and that was to control her.

And yet he was so cute. She wanted to gobble him up in one bite. The moist, chocolate cake appeared before her, and she picked up her fork. “This looks delicious.”

“Oh, I am sure it tastes better than it looks, much like you.”

Stacy didn’t reply, as she took a bite from the cake. He was trying to flatter her, and she wasn’t going to oblige him by giving in to his charm.
Oh holy crap!
She should just make love to him until they were both exhausted and that would be the end of it. She simply couldn’t take this torture anymore. Every fiber of her body itched to be with him, to be touched by him, and here she was making flimsy excuses to keep him away.

She was going to go home with him, and he would make wild love to her. In the morning, she would go to work and then try her hardest to forget about him. If it didn’t work, she would do it again and again until it did. This was nothing more than a sexual itch, and the quicker and harder she scratched it, the quicker it would go away.

That was her plan and she was sticking to it.

Chapter Four

The woman was his personal nemesis.

Marco did his best to keep his hands to himself, but it was a battle he was destined to lose. She was just too damned cute and sexy. He wanted to nibble on her smooth, creamy skin, and he desired to stick his tongue deep in her throat, and his fingers itched to spear through her coils of silky, soft hair. Last time he didn’t get enough time to enjoy and savor each delicious moment. When he made love to her, he would take his time to taste and relish each inch of her precious body.

She was making it easy for him.

For one thing, she was slightly tipsy, and the second thing was that he was too damn horny. His cock was hard and ready. It pressed against his jeans in a bid to fight its way out.
Not now. Not now.
Marco shifted on his seat. Although he wanted this date to never end, he was also rearing to take her home. From the looks of her, he could tell she wouldn’t resist if he came to her house. Or maybe he could take her to his place.

She wouldn’t say no.

He just knew it.

When the waiter came with the check, he stopped her from digging out her wallet. His hand landed on hers, and the brief, innocent contact was enough to make his skin hum with need. “You don’t need to.”

“But…”

“It’s a date, and I’ll pay.”

She put the wallet back in her purse without much protest. After he paid, they got out. “So, you said you took a taxi here?”
Thank God.
“I’ve got my bike. If you want, I can drive you home.”

The offer was made lightly, but the words and the intent behind them were heavy. She sure couldn’t miss it. “Alright. That would be fine.”

So, she was ready.
Good
. Marco wanted to jump in the air and do a neat little victory dance, but he merely put his hand on her arm and guided her to his bike. Seeing it, she stopped. “I wish I had learned to ride a bike.”

“I could teach you,” he offered.

“Have you taught anyone before?”

“No,” he admitted. “You’ll be the first.”

She smiled and the tilt of her lips was a direct hit to his heart. “In that case, I would be better off upping my life insurance.”

“Ah! Don’t say that.” He handed her his helmet. “What’s your address?”

She gave it, and he waited until she was seated. Marco rode the bike out easy and quiet. As she put her arms around his waist, his heart thundered in his chest. Tonight, he was going to absolutely get her out of his system. That was his intent, his purpose. And once that was done, he would be able to forget her. Marco didn’t like a woman having so much hold over him. He damn near hated it. She was the first who gripped him so hard emotionally, and he didn’t quite like it.

What was it about this woman that intrigued him so much?

Maybe it was the fact that she obviously belonged to a much richer and sophisticated class, but still she managed to hang out with him as if they were buddies. She had a soft, understanding, and friendly heart. A woman like her wouldn’t ever have trouble making friends. He could just tell that she would be a hit with his buddies. Moreover, she was the sort who would stick by her man. No wonder she managed to spend two years with Ned, an asshole who didn’t deserve her love and devotion. The right man would gain her devotion for a lifetime.

Marco didn’t want to be that man.

He wasn’t looking for a complicated relationship. Actually, he wasn’t looking for a relationship at all. So far he was happy with his mantra of leaving them while the going was still good. He parted with each woman he loved on a good note, and they continued to be friends, but with Stacy he had a sure feeling it wouldn’t turn out to be so easy.

She was different, special.

When the bike came to a stop inside the garage of her building, he waited until she hopped out. Marco opened his mouth to make an excuse that would allow him to come up. From then on, he could handle everything, but she beat him to it. “Would you like to come in for a cup of coffee?”

Coffee?
Oh yeah, he sure knew what that meant.

“I would love to.” He parked the bike and held her hand as they strolled over to the elevator. Sure, this was way easier than he thought. Now he could bang her once more and then get her out of his system. Marco didn’t want to feel so helpless with a woman. Once he possessed her, plundered, and looted her to his heart’s content, it would be easy enough for him to move on. He wouldn’t hurt her. Every step would be gently taken so that he could remain on good terms with her, but there was no way in hell that he was prepared for a long-term commitment.

In and out, that was his mantra, and he was sticking to it. The quicker he went in, the quicker he could get out. It worked before, and it would do so again.

She opened the door and smiled at him. The lure was too great. He bent his head and kissed her. The kiss was too powerful, too full of heat. The moment his lips touched her, he wanted more than she could offer. His tongue danced with hers, and the movement was erotic and sexy. Her breath was hot against his mouth, and she melted in his arms. His hands sneaked over her waist, and he drew her closer. Her breasts punched into his chest, and he could imagine her nipples swelling for him, eager for his touch.

He was dying to oblige her, but then a thought popped into his head; he had made a promise. Marco was a man of his words. He couldn’t go back on something he offered so freely. Sex was off the table. Sure, she was willing, but she was also drunk and if he moved in now, she wouldn’t ever trust him again. He wasn’t sure why it was so important for him to earn that trust, but he damn well wanted it.

Marco stepped away. He held the door open for her. “I just remembered that we’d a deal. No sex, remember.”

She blinked her eyes, looking confused as if she couldn’t make sense of the words he uttered. He was surely out of his mind. No man in his position would have done the same. She was willing, and she was excited. What the hell was he thinking? “What?”

“I said…I promised that we wouldn’t do it.”

“Oh, come on now. That was…a long time ago.”

“Still, I said how it was going to be, and this wasn’t what you had in mind back then.”

She raised her arms and then dropped them by her side. “So. I am big girl, and I am allowed to change my mind. That was me then, and this is me now. I want you, and let’s just do it and get it over with.”

“That’s one way to look at it.” Marco smiled wryly, as he realized that she’d said the same thing that was on his mind. The sooner they made love, the quicker they would get over each other and move on with their lives.

But did he really want that?

He gazed into her eyes. There was confusion there, as well as curiosity, and a slight tinge of anger. “You want me. Don’t deny it.”

“I wouldn’t deny it. Not at all. I want you more than I have ever wanted another woman.”

“So what the hell are you waiting for? Come on in; let’s just do it.”

“No,” he said in a firm voice. If he did that, whatever little respect he had in her eyes, he would lose that because he would have to break his words to make love to her. Oh, how he longed to get his hands on her, but his words were more important than this itch that plagued him. He didn’t want to lose her simply because he wanted to bang her.

Shit!

This was ridiculous. If this was another woman, he would’ve taken her up on that offer and not looked back, but for some weird reason that made no sense to him, he desired to see her again and to have the chance to get to know her better. For one night of amazing sex, he wasn’t willing to lose that.

Was he a fool?

Probably he was.

She put a hand on her hip, and boy, no woman ever looked as tempting as her. His lips ached to crush hers, and his hands craved to feel her skin. She pouted. “What the hell are you thinking?”

“I am thinking that I want to uphold my promise. A man’s words are worth a lot, and I did say that sex was off the table.”

“You’re crazy.”

He bent to rub his lips on her ever so gently. The scent of her and the feel of her sucked him in, and he wanted to do more than just a casual kiss. “I’m crazy about you. Get inside now.” She gaped at him, but he put a hand on the small of her back and nudged her inside the door. Marco held the handle and closed it. For a moment only, he put his head against the door. “Am I insane? Yes, I probably am.”

When there was no sound from the other side, he sighed. He had an opportunity, but he blew it. Still he felt that his decision was right. He would see her again soon—and next time he wouldn’t be foolish enough to make such silly promises.