Gone (Sons of Judah MC Book 1) (8 page)

“No one knows?” She tapped her fingers on the table. “Let me think. Let me think. Ok. I’ve got one. I’m petrified of cats.”

“Oh come on. You’re making it up. No one can be scared of cats.”

“Hey, I am baring my soul right here. Some respect, please.” She straightened her shoulders. “When I was three, my neighbor’s cat escaped from her apartment and came into ours. It somehow snuck into my room, and when I woke up, the cat was sitting right on me. Right here.” She put a hand on her chest. “I was frozen to the spot. All I wanted to do was scream and call my mother, but…the scream was stuck in my throat. I couldn’t open my mouth. The cat just kept looking at me. It felt like hours. My arm shivered, and it bounced off me and went out of the room. I never did scream, but from that moment on, I always kept the door closed to my room. My parents thought it was very brave of me, but really that was me being scared.”

He patted her hand. “I’m sorry to hear that.”

A sudden thought hit her. “You don’t have a cat, do you?”

“No, I don’t.”

She wiped a hand on her brow. “Phew. Good thing, too. That might have been the one thing that split us apart.”

He linked his fingers with hers, as he picked up his glass with his free hand. He took a sip and then set the glass down. “Nothing is going to split us apart.”

Somehow she believed the authenticity of his words. There was something deep within her that connected with him. They were like two old souls that found each other after a long time. She felt comfortable with him, at ease, and yet there was the need to possess, to plunder. It was like they were two halves of one whole that belonged together.

Soulmates?

If someone said that to her a few days ago, she would have scoffed at the idea. Even with Ned, she never felt quite like this. They were people who were happy together for some time, and after a while even that feeling vanished. But with Marco, she actually felt more in tune. The harmony in her soul matched that of his. Strange that she could feel this way about a man she met barely a week ago.

Stacy didn’t have a clue as to how long this relationship would last, but she was game to give it a good shot.

Chapter Eight

Marco was in seventh heaven. The date was going exceptionally well. He could feel that Stacy was beginning to relax around him. She liked him, sure, but he wanted more. Of course, their sexual chemistry was off the charts, but more than that, he was happy to discover that they were good companions.

How they talked!

He didn’t remember having such conversations with another woman. At times, they talked about banal stuff, and there were other occasions when they were having deep, meaningful discussions, and everything was just so goddamn perfect.

After he paid the bill, they strolled out. To do or not to do, he was confused by his emotions. On one hand, he wanted to take her to his apartment and make love to her until she screamed out his name. He could well imagine her naked and spread out before him, a bouquet of taste and delight. On the other hand, he didn’t want to rush her. Every time they made love, it was with a sense of urgency. Next time, whenever they did it, he wanted to take his time and savor each moment. He was really keen to spend a night with her and wake up the next morning with her by his side.

Was she also thinking along the same lines?

He wasn’t sure, and hence he kept his mouth shut. “Ice cream?”

“Oh no, I’m really quite full.” She patted her stomach. “Must watch my figure.”

“And now who is fishing for compliments? But since you are, let me take this opportunity to point out that you have an excellent figure. Gorgeous, really.”

She glanced at him from the corner of her eyes. “Thanks.”

He saw the pink blush of color on her cheeks and was slightly amused by it. A woman who could come to the warehouse to confront him wasn’t someone who should be embarrassed by a slight compliment, but she was really a woman of contradictions. That intrigued him, kept him fascinated.

“Tell me about your childhood,” he asked abruptly.

“Oh, I had a pretty boring childhood. Well, not boring. I don’t think my parents would be pleased to hear me say that. They are both with the Lord.”

“I’m sorry to hear that.”

“It was an accident. Some drunk driver.” She sighed. “I was twenty-three, independent, and working…but, of course, I miss them every day and wonder what they would have said about the various choices I made. I was an only child and the center of their world. The best private schools, more expensive than they could afford; the choicest of summer schools, they gave me more than what they should have. Both of them came from poverty and made a good life, but they wanted to give me the best of all worlds.”

“And you’re of course grateful for it, but they also took joy in it. There is no need for you to feel guilty because they did it out of love, and I am sure if they were alive, they would have been happy that you are so independent and doing well.”

She glanced at him, and he could see that she was caught by surprise. “You…have this uncanny ability to peek into my heart and read my emotions.”

“It’s a gift.” He held her hand. “I try not to boast about it.”

She laughed, and the sound of it lightened his heart. “You’re the soul of humility. But yes, you’re right. I do feel that…the sacrifices they made weren’t worth it. What have I done with my life? I have a failed marriage behind me and really…nothing is going the way I envisioned. When I graduated from college, I had such big dreams and ambitions…and now look at me. I wish they had used all that money to live their lives, to travel, and to enjoy.”

He halted, and since he held her hand, she stopped too. “Look at me,” he commanded.

Startled, she glanced at him. He saw a web of fear coast through her eyes, and it made his temper flare. Not at her, but for the man who managed to break the wonderful spirit and turned her into a woman who was constantly questioning her abilities. “Don’t you love your job?”

She cocked her head. “I do. It’s great. I am due for a promotion soon, and my boss is happy with me.”

“And you’re also excited about the work you do?”

“Of course, yes. I always wanted to go into the hospitality industry.”

“So you’re successful in your career, you’re beautiful, and you have this great relationship that is just beginning to bloom. From where I am looking at you, you’re doing great for yourself.”

“Ah! The famed humility of yours.” She laughed, but seeing that he was serious, she became quiet. “Ok. I guess I’m doing well.”

“Not well. You’re doing great. One broken marriage doesn’t make you a failure, and I bet the reason why your marriage didn’t work was because that man cheated on you.” He raised his hand before she could say anything. “Ok. I don’t want to know the details, but believe me, I know Ned and men like him. They’re never happy, never satisfied with what they have. What they want is more and more, and in order to feel that they are on top of the world, they want the woman who is with them to feel that she is less, that she is nothing. He not only cheated on you, but also he made you feel that everything he did wrong was your fault. If you were prettier, smarter, more amiable, he wouldn’t have needed to look outside for pleasure.”

To his horror, tears sprang into her eyes. She wiped them away with her hand. “Sorry. You’re right, as always. He did cheat on me, the bastard. And he did give hints that it was because I…wasn’t good in bed, that I didn’t quite meet his needs, and that I was…”

She stopped and took a breath. He couldn’t stop himself. Marco leaned forward and kissed her. His lips roamed over hers with passion. His tongue darted in to taste her, and her mouth was as sweet as he remembered. When he stepped away, his hand still held hers, and the connection between them was strong, steady. “If you were any better at sex, I would be dead by now.”

The laughter that sputtered out of her made him smile. “Maybe I just wasn’t good with him.”

“I’m glad that you weren’t. You belong only with me.” He walked, and she followed him. Whenever he thought of her with Ned, a hot fountain of jealousy exploded in his gut. Marco banished the thought. She wasn’t with her ex-husband now. That chapter was over, and they were starting a new one, a better one.

“How do you know that he cheated on me?”

“Ned is…the kind of man who doesn’t remains loyal to a woman,” he said simply. Although he longed to tell her that her husband was known to get prostitutes, he didn’t want to make her feel worse about her marriage. She was done with Ned, and there was no need to make her feel like a fool for putting up with that man for so long. “Just forget about him.”

“Oh, I did a long time ago,” she assured him. “He is ancient history as far as I am concerned. Of course, there are legal issues that still need to be sorted, but…other than that, we don’t really have anything to say to each other.”

“That’s good.”

Marco halted. “Would you like to come to my place for coffee?”

The sudden change of topic appeared to confuse her. It took her a moment to understand what he meant. Her eyes widened, and then she nodded. “Sure. Yes. I would like that.”

Marco walked again, and she remained in step with him. Although he wanted to hurry, Marco made an attempt to pace himself. He didn’t want to scare her away, but of course, he was more than eager to get his hands on her. Even though he’d made love to her twice already, his passion for her was as hot and active as it was the first time he saw her. Images flooded his mind: her naked, smooth skin as it rubbed against his, and her moist, warm pussy, and her long, shapely legs, as they wrapped around him.

He just couldn’t wait anymore.

Still, Marco managed to keep a grip on his emotions, as he walked with her to his apartment. When they reached his building, he took out his key and opened the door. “It’s a nice building,” she said.

He didn’t trust himself to speak. Rather he hurried her up the two floors and then opened the door to his apartment. She stepped in. It was a good thing that he kept his place clean, because first impressions were important, but she barely had time to look around before he pinned her against the wall and tasted her mouth once more. The heat, the insane desire, which careened through his senses drove all other thoughts out of his mind.

All he could taste was her.

All he could feel was her heart hammering against his, as they remained fused for a long time.

His mouth roamed over her, and the kiss was hot, dynamite. His hands settled on her waist and then skipped down. Lifting the hem of her dress, he cupped her butt and squeezed it. His cock strained against his jeans, as he pushed into her. He was sure she was able to feel the hard length of his organ. He couldn’t wait to thrust it deep inside her. Marco lived to see that look of pure delight on her face when he was attached to her in the most intimate way possible.

But this time, he was determined to take his time.

His tongue danced with hers while her arms circled his neck. Her lips were soft, warm. Her breath was hot against his mouth. He nibbled his way down the long, smooth column of her throat until he reached her collar bone. His lips kissed the point between her shoulder and neck, and she groaned. He bit her hard and was happy to see the blue mark that appeared when he lifted his head.

Now she was his.

He’d marked her.

Marco would kill another man who as much as looked at her.

“Bedroom?” she asked.

Of course, his goal was to finally make it to the bed. Marco carried her inside. “We made it,” he said in a hoarse voice, as he set her down.

She kicked off her shoes and wriggled out of her dress. As the white fabric pooled at her feet, his eyes widened at the sight of her breasts that were clad in a white, lacy bra that matched her panties. “You look…unbelievable.”

“And let me see how you look.” She took off his jacket and helped him take off his shirt. When her hands touched his chest, the hot lance of desire became a ranging storm within his veins. “My! You’re a sight for sore eyes.”

He took off his jeans and boxers. His cock, long and hard, jutted out, and before he had a chance to formulate a thought in his head, she held it in her hands. At the slight touch of her fingers, he moaned out loud. What she did to him was incredible. There was no way he could ever resist this woman. Her fingers rubbed and fondled his blood-engorged organ while her gaze remained fixed on her. She kissed him once more, and her tongue was hot, demanding.

Suddenly, she dropped down on her knees. Marco panted, his fingers spearing through her mass of silky hair while she brushed her tongue over his hot cock. The ocean of sensations that careened through him was stormy, turbulent.

He didn’t want her to stop.

He wanted to lie her down and pound into her until she screamed under him.

Marco allowed her to claim his organ. She rubbed her tongue over the tip of it and then took it inside her mouth. When he throbbed inside her, Marco gripped her shoulder. Her fingers squeezed his balls, and he felt the breathless need that consumed him. It burned inside him, so hot and bright that it was impossible for him to focus on anything else. Gently, she moved him out of her mouth, and before he could as much as blink, she took him deep into her throat once more.  The rhythm she set was hard and fast. Marco was a prisoner of the desire that overwhelmed him. She knew exactly what she was doing, and for the life of him, he didn’t have the energy or the will to stop her. Her tongue was so hot, so skilled, that he could merely move along at the speed she dictated. When he exploded in her mouth, she drank every drop of his semen. Marco shuddered and moaned, his cock pulsating within her mouth.

Finally, she moved away and then stood.

He simply couldn’t stand anymore. Marco collapsed on the bed. “Oh my God!”

“Don’t use the Lord’s name in vain,” she said in a prim voice. “
He
had nothing to do with it.”

“You’re a demon from hell who has been sent to torture me,” he claimed. Marco held her hand and tugged her down. She collapsed next to him. He put his arm around her waist and pulled her closer. The feel of her body next to his was just sublime. It felt as if he’d achieved everything he ever wanted in life. This was the best moment he had ever experienced, and Marco didn’t want it to come to an end. “Or perhaps you’re an angel.”