Gone (Sons of Judah MC Book 1) (7 page)

He was glad to hear that she didn’t have much to do with her ex-husband anymore. Marco didn’t want that man to go against him for hanging out with his ex-wife. Not that Stacy was cheating—because she was free. “That’s great. I mean, I am sorry about your divorce but…I am happy you’re single.”

She picked up her wrap and taking that as his signal, he opened the door. They stepped through and began their second date. He was quite optimistic that this would be much better than the first time he took her out. If she wanted him to sleep with her, he wouldn’t be foolish enough to turn her down.

Of that he was certain.

Now he just needed a chance to redeem himself.

Chapter Seven

Stacy wasn’t so sure about this date. On paper it all looked good. He was single, and so was she. They had a super, off-the-charts sexual chemistry that was driving her insane, and she liked him. What bothered her was the work he did and the kinds of people he associated with. They were poles apart. She had nothing in common with this man, and yet her heart wanted him.

That made her nervous.

It made her wary.

What was it about him that attracted her so?

She didn’t have an answer, and maybe this date would provide one. As they strolled along, she searched her mind for a topic they could discuss safely. “Do you have any friends in the city?”

“Of course. Doesn’t everybody?”

She flushed with color. Was this how it would always be with them? Would she constantly say the wrong things? “No, I meant, friends that don’t belong to the Sons of Judah.”

“Some, yes. I play basketball twice a week with a group of guys from the neighborhood. Some of them have high profile jobs—one of them is a lawyer, one of them is an accountant, and I think two are doctors.”

She stopped and turned to face him. It was a good thing that they were walking to the restaurant today. “I didn’t mean to sound prejudiced against your job. I am sure it’s a perfectly lovely profession.”

“It’s not actually.” He shrugged and ran his hand through his hair. “It’s messy, rough, tough, and often dangerous. Yes, I do a lot of legitimate stuff, but it doesn’t mean that a lot of parts of my job aren’t on the wrong side of the law. I don’t break bones every day, but the fact that I can, puts the fear of God in people. Sometimes, I can get into trouble with the police when I go to collect money or to enforce the rules. If you are really uncomfortable with that aspect of my life, I think…we should end this right now. I really don’t want to drag you into something that might become embarrassing or hazardous for you.”

It was the perfect opportunity to walk away. He was actually telling her to do so. Was it because he realized that they weren’t a perfect fit after all? Or was he just being honest? As she gazed into his eyes, swaying on the edge of indecision, she saw the emotions that swirled in his eyes. He didn’t want her to walk away, but yet here he was, giving her a good chance to do so.

He cared about her.

It was important for him to give her an opportunity to decide for herself as to what she wanted. Her ex-husband, the upstanding citizen of this city, a lawyer who was actually revered by many of his clients who believed that he had the golden touch, never gave her such a choice. He pursued her until he had her, and then he cheated on her from day one of their marriage. Obviously, he never respected her, whereas this man who had so many reasons to disrespect her was actually nudging her towards leaving him because he believed that it might be a better choice for her.

She might not the toughest girl on the block, but she was certainly not the stupidest.

Stacy reached forward and grabbed his hand. “I feel I owe you an apology. Certainly, I didn’t mean to make light of your job or to make fun of it. I’m not looking down at it, but yes, I am uncomfortable with some aspects of it.”

He glanced down at their linked hands. “And I don’t blame you for that feeling. Most people who don’t belong to such clubs are a bit wary and for good reason, too.”

Words got stuck in her throat. Admitting her feelings so openly, so bluntly, made her self-conscious. But there was simply no other option. “I…don’t want to leave you. We’re good together.”

“In bed and out of it.” He laughed and squeezed her hand. “That is if we ever make it to a bed.”

She flushed but laughed too. “Someday.”

He brought her hand to his lips and kissed her fingers. “Yeah, someday soon.”

Now that she was clear in her head about what she wanted, Stacy resumed her walk. They strolled along the busy pavement, hand in hand, and it felt right. It was good. With this man, she felt as if there were no secrets, and there was no reason to hold back. She could be who she was, and he wasn’t judging her. And she owed him that much too. Sure, she would always be uncomfortable with some aspects of his job, but he knew that, and they were both ok with it.

“Nice jacket, by the way,” she said.

He ran a hand on it. “Yeah, I bought it today. Blew three hundred dollars on some new outfit just to impress you.”

She glanced at him. “Trust me, if I was any more impressed with you, I would probably burst at the seams or something.”

Drawing her closer, he deposited a kiss on her head. “You’re just trying to make me feel good.”

She poked him on the side. “And you’re simply fishing for compliments.”

“Busted.” He pointed at the restaurant that loomed to their right. “How about that place? It looks good.”

“Fancy Treats,” she read the name. “I’ve eaten there before, and it’s a good place. I like it. Their steak is to die for.”

“Good then. I’m a meat man myself.”

They entered together and got a table in the corner. She dumped her purse on the seat. “But you must let me pay for my share.”

He leaned forward, looking serious. “What is it about dates and paying for their share that set women off? I understand that you’re an independent, competent, and very beautiful woman who is more than capable of taking care of herself, but it’s a date. And I want to indulge you, and not the other way around.”

“So do I get a chance to indulge you at some point?”

His gaze pierced her, and what she saw in his eyes made her hold her breath. “Honey, if you want to indulge me, there are a quite a few things I would like you to do.”

She licked her bottom lip, and just like that, he managed to make her horny. It wasn’t enough that she tasted him not more than a few hours before. She desired him again. Juices that leaked out of her pussy stuck to her panties, and she could smell the aroma of her arousal. Stacy only hoped he didn’t know what she was going through. If he ever realized how much power he held over her, he might abuse it.

No, he wasn’t that kind of a man.

But she’d lived with an asshole for too long. Ned used every one of her weaknesses as a weapon, which he employed against her whenever he got the chance. She didn’t want Marco to do the same. But she could imagine that he wouldn’t try to make a woman feel less. He was insanely secure and confident. She could trust him—and yet she didn’t want to reveal the depth of her feelings.

“Maybe you can tell me about them later,” she said in a voice that hinted she knew exactly what he was talking about.

The waiter came with the menu. Gladly, she took it from his hands and buried her face behind it.
Damn the man.
He could reduce her to a mass of shivering muscles with a few choice words. The desire that pulled her towards him was stronger than she had ever experienced. Stacy couldn’t understand it, and it made her nervous.

“I’ll have a glass of white wine,” she said.

“And I will take red,” he said.

The waiter left, and she put the menu down. “So tell me something about you that no one knows.”

“No one knows?” He raised an eyebrow. “Ok, let me think. Generally, I am an open book, you know. Not too many layers and secrets.”

“Oh, I doubt it. There must be something important that you hold close to your chest, something not many people know.”

It wasn’t only a way for her to make conversation, but also she wanted to get to know him. The man intrigued her on so any levels, and she just wanted to understand him. More than that, she longed to really get to know him because that would make her feel close to him. She needed the comfort of that. He raised his gaze to the celling and gave considerable thought to her question. The waiter came back with the wine, and she picked up her glass. As she took a sip from it, her gaze settled on the long column of his throat. His skin looked so smooth, so creamy, that she wanted to lean forward and lick it. Her tongue ached to taste him. The scent of the cologne he wore reached her nostrils, and she felt the hot burn of desire.

Damn him.

Why did he have to be so good looking and also so nice? It wasn’t fair really. Men like him should be banned from this world. Was he really too perfect? Of course, there was his job, a little dangerous, a little on the edge. That was the only imperfection that she saw. Maybe others saw it as an asset. Certainly, there were women who would be excited by the work he did. It added a certain allure to his personality, but Stacy was a bit worried about what he did.

His work could prove to be the factor that might drive them apart eventually. But right now, she wasn’t going to think about it.

“Ok. I’ve got something. No one knows about it.”

She leaned forward. Something turned in her heart. Was he going to confess something harrowing? Maybe she shouldn’t have asked this question from the guy who threatened to break bones if others stepped in the way of his club’s work. “What is it?”

“I hate chocolate desserts and ice cream.”

She blinked her eyes, a little confused by his words. “What? You hate them? As in you can’t stand the sight of them?”

“Or the smell.” He nodded, picked up his glass, and took a sip. “This wine is good. Yeah, about chocolate desserts. Yuck! I hate them. Can’t stand them. I think my mother fed us too many of them when we were kids because she was very fond of them. So she ostensibly made them for us when really…she was the one who was eating a bulk of them. Every big family dinner or birthday there would be a giant chocolate cake, or brownies, or éclairs, or something equally gluttonous. We would all eat. I would also do so, but from the moment I left my parents’ house, I’ve not been able to eat any of them ever again.”

Stacy pouted, drinking some of her wine. “Oh dear. This is bad. I’m afraid that we might have to break up then.”

“Why?”

“I just love anything with chocolate in it. It’s my sin.”

They both gazed at each other. “Maybe I could make an effort to like them once more.”

She laughed and touched his hand. The feel of his skin against her made her nearly purr. She longed to leave her hand on top of his, but she was worried that the need that already pulsated deep within her might win out, and she just wanted a chance to get to know him better before she ended up under him like before. “That would be very kind of you.” She removed her hand. “But we could just accept that both of us are very different in that particular aspect and leave it at that.”

“That would be a good idea.”

They smiled at each other. She felt perfectly in tune with this guy. He was really too perfect. It wasn’t just the way he made her feel, but also the way he was—honest, transparent. She never expected that from someone who worked for a dodgy biker club, but there it was. The man continued to surprise her.  The waiter came to take their order. “I’ll have swordfish,” she said.

“A steak for me,” he said.

After the waiter left, she sipped some more of her wine. Already, she felt a slight buzz in her head, but this time around she was going to keep her sanity. Although she was reluctant to throw herself at him once more, Stacy actually didn’t feel too bad about it. He’d already proven to her that he desired her the same way. There was no shame in wanting a man when he also longed to be with her.

“So now tell me something about yourself that no one else knows,” he said.

“Tit for tat.”

“I never did understand that phrase. All I hear is tit, and I am just lost.”

A smiled tugged her lips. “You have a one track mind.”

“Yeah, and I like the track it’s on right now.” He grinned at her. “Come on, now. What is that one thing about you that no one in this whole wide world knows?”