by N J Adel
I wandered aimlessly around the apartment. “Bet your ass I do. You’re Mike fucking Gennaro. Everybody wants to write for you.”
“Thanks for the new middle name.”
“Prego.” I teased as I stopped at the bay window, my gaze traveling with the shaking palm trees. Another feeling was sneaking under my skin, deep in my chest when I was talking to him. “When are you coming home?”
“I’m afraid there was a change of plans,” he muttered.
“Oh.” I bent my head, puckering my lips. I so fucking missed him. More than I ever should.
“Don’t pout, Kiddo.”
I glanced up, rubbing my forehead. “Okay.”
“Stop scratching your head.”
My brows hitched. “What the fuck?” I looked down the street. “How did you know…?” A window rolled down from a black limo standing in front of the building, and dark curls came out of it. “You son of a bitch!”
Mike raised his head, his perfect teeth flashing. “Can I come up?”
I beamed, my heart thumping. My friends crammed behind me, gaping at the limo. “Um…I have some friends here, and by the look on their faces, I don’t think you’ll be safe if you do.”
His smile widened, and he waved. “Can you come down?”
Amanda was jumping, her jaw still dropped, screaming like a maniac, while Raoul mashed his face to the glass, looking like an idiotic creep.
Covering my ear, I shook my head. “I’ll have to lock these goons up first. Can you wait?”
“Sure. I’m all yours tonight.”
Scene 16
Mike
Mike’s eyes fell past Maggie’s face and landed on her body. She was in gray sweatpants and a tight, navy blue sweater that made her breasts bounce as she ran across the street toward the limo. He ran his hand through his hair and turned his head to the other window.
Her hazel eyes twinkled with joy when she got into the car. “Oh my God. You told me you were going away for a month,” she said, her voice muffled by the wool of his coat.
He closed his eyes and kissed her temple, his arms tight around her. “I managed to squeeze things around to get some free time tonight.”
She pulled away. “Just tonight?”
“Yeah. I have to get back to Newark tomorrow.”
“Fuck.”
“Don’t get upset. Here, look what I got you.” He inserted his hand in the pocket of his coat and got out a black, square-shaped jewelry box. “An early Christmas present from Japan.”
“Oh.” She opened the box. Her lips parted as she stared at the silver bangle bracelet. “Wow. It’s so beautiful.”
“I’m glad you like it. Put it on.”
“I don’t just like it. I love it. It has all my favorite colors.” Her fingers traced the titanium, black stems of the cherry blossoms intertwined around the bracelet and reached the red rock in the middle. “Is that a real ruby?”
“Um-hum.”
“Mike…I’m speechless. This is so beautiful.” Her fingers pointed at the Japanese symbols engraved under the ruby. “What does this mean?”
Forever yours. But he couldn’t say that, so he cleared his throat. “I’m not sure. The man who sold it to me had a terrible accent. I barely understood anything he said.”
“It doesn’t matter.” She flipped the bracelet between her palms before she put it on her wrist. “It’s amazing. Thank you.” Another hug from her warmed his heart.
As she drew back, his nose nuzzled her hair and his lips touched the rim of her ear. He shut his eyes for a second, wishing he could slide his lips to her earlobe and travel down her neck, her chest…
“Mike, you’re burning up.” The back of her hand was on his forehead now.
He blinked, shifting in his seat. “Am I?”
“Yes.” She touched his cheeks, and he rubbed his forehead where her hand had just been. Something he did when he was really nervous, which only happened on two occasions. Struggling with the truth or being close to Maggie. “Did you catch something from abroad?”
“Nah. It’s just a little hot in here.” He fiddled with the air condition buttons, his hands shaking.
“You should get yourself checked out. The last time I saw you, your heartbeat was over the roof, and now this.”
He chuckled. “I’m fine.” The only thing that hurts is having you in my heart.
“Maybe you should slow down with the partying, the booze, the pot…the pussy.”
He laughed loudly. “Jealous much? Now that your boy has you on a tight leash?”
“Fuck you. I’m not on anybody’s leash.” She glared at him as he snickered. “What was that at the party anyway, threatening him like some gangster?”
“He told you about that?”
“Yes,” she hissed. “Now you got him thinking you wanna…” She chopped off her words.
“Wanna what?”
She rolled her eyes, shaking her head. “Nothing.”
“Spit it out.”
“Well…he thinks you wanna…you know…have sex with me.”
Blood must have slipped from his face because, instantly, he went from burning hot to ice cold. For the second time in one month, someone had figured out what he’d been hiding for years. How had he slipped up with something this big?
Maybe he should tell her the truth himself and get this whole thing over with. Tell her about the hole in his heart that no one would fill but her. About how he’d been looking at her from the corner of his eye all the times he touched that blonde model, hoping to catch a glimpse of jealousy in her hazel eyes. About the fire that blazed in his chest as he had to watch, arms-folded, while her perfect hips moved for another man. Tell her how long he had been fucking dreaming about being that man. Her man.
Wouldn’t it be better than hearing it from that giant ass?
“You have every right to have that look on your face. It’s stupid. I know,” she said. “I told him he was nuts to even think that way. It’s impossible for you to—”
“He’s right,” he mumbled, his heart sinking to his knees.
She froze.
Then her eyes flashed, and he couldn’t decide whether it was fury or panic in there. Either way, she was oblivious, and he had to come up with a retraction plan. Fast.
“What… Do you…?” she stammered.
He exhaled a heavy breath. “I mean I’d been a dick that night. Anyone in his place would think that way.”
Her eyes escaped his as her fingers touched the new bracelet absently. “Yeah. You were.” She snorted. “Okay. I...” She pointed her thumb at the door, her eyes narrowing. “Gotta head back to my friends. I literally locked them up in the apartment.” Her hand was already on the handle.
Cold sweat trickled down the back of his neck. “Sure. Yeah. Um…listen, instead of another party, let’s do dinner tonight. Okay?”
“Sounds good.” She opened the door and got out of the car. “Thanks for the gift.” She ran to her building.
With a tilt of his head, he squeezed his eyes shut, steadying his breath. What the fuck was I thinking? I’m such an idiot.
He looked at her as she entered the building. A fucking idiot who is in love with you.
Scene 17
Maggie
My heartbeats slammed against my chest as I pressed the elevator button, heat rising to my face.
God knew how much I wanted it all to be true; I wanted to hear Mike say, “Yes, I wanna have sex with you. I’m in love with you, too. Be with me.”
I’d have jumped on him without a second thought. I’d have showed him how much I loved him. I’d have left everything behind, lost everything without a shred of care, turned the world upside down, to be with him.
Except that was just a fantasy, and Mike Gennaro would never choose to be with someone like me.
The doors slid open, and I jumped inside. In the elevator mirror, my face was red.
Fuck. The look on my face.
Sweat beaded on my forehead. Did he notice?
Oh my God, what if he noticed?
Scene 18
Maggie
He didn’t.
At least that was what I figured when the first thing Mike said to me after that awkward encounter was Kiddo.
“I’m not a fucking Kiddo,” I said.
He smiled as he opened the door of the silver Porsche for me. I got in, face relaxed, thanking God for the obnoxious word for the first time. He slid behind the wheel and started the car.
“Where’re we going?” I asked.
“Anywhere you like Ms. Dawson.”
“You’re telling me you haven’t already made plans?”
“I have.” He glanced at me from the corner of his eyes. “But they can change. We aim to please, Ms. Dawson.”
“Okay. I officially prefer Kiddo to this creepy Ms. Dawson thing.”
“How about just Maggie?”
“Much better,” I lied. The way he said my name penetrated my core, forcing my sex to clench. He didn’t say the name; he fucked it with that rugged voice.
I turned away from him for a second’s relief and saw a rectangular white box, tied in a red bow, occupying the backseat. “What’s that?”
“Shoes. From Milano. I looked at them and thought you’d like them.”
“Aw. Thanks.” I touched his thigh and pretended to forget my hand was there. “You really didn’t have to. The bracelet was more than enough.”
“Come on. Just unwrap the box and tell me if they’re any good. You’re an eight, right?”
“Yes.” Unbuckling the seatbelt, I spun and bent one knee under me as I reached for the box. The car turned and the box swayed. I had to bend lower to get it. As Mike switched gears, his elbow rubbed against my hunched ass. A little gasp escaped my lips as I felt a throbbing between my thighs. I turned my head, expecting he would apologize or laugh or say something, but he continued driving as if nothing happened.
When I returned to my seat, I tore the box open, revealing a pair of suede, black ankle boots. “Oh my God. They’re perfect,” I whispered, feeling the softness of them in my hands. “Exactly my taste.”
He took my hand and printed a kiss on the back of it. “I know.”
My heart skipped a beat. The softness of his lips and the warmth of his breath brushing against my skin were, suddenly, too much. What the fuck is wrong with me today?
He made another turn and pointed at a jazz club. “This is where we’re going. Is that okay?”
“You kiddin’ me?” I smiled at the blue, neon sign with the name Vibrato on it. “I love jazz clubs. I’m glad you didn’t make a reservation at some fancy French restaurant or something.”
“Is that what Kyle does when he takes you out to dinner?”
The mocking way he said Kyle made my eyes roll.
“I’m sorry, but he doesn’t know you like I do. I know you better than your own mother,” he said.
“That I can’t argue with. Everybody knows me better than my own mother.”
He looked through the windshield for a second before he pulled over. Then he leaned forward and bent his head so close next to mine our cheeks almost touched.
I gasped, and my heart careened. What the hell was he doing?
“There’re paps outside. You comfortable with this?” he asked.
Oh. Okay. “Uh…” I swallowed, unable to think of anything but the wetness between my legs. I could smell his cologne, and I wanted to lace my hands around his neck and taste the lips breathing on my ears.
Fuck. Fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck, FUUUCK.
He moved his head closer, blocking her face from the cameras, his scruff scratching my face in the most pleasant way. “It’s okay. Go with the valet inside the garage. There’s a backdoor there. I’ll be waiting for you.”
“Can’t you just come with me?”
“I’ll let them take my picture so they won’t take yours.” He got out of the car and threw the keys to the valet.
I ducked, and in a flash, a young boy was in the driver’s seat, and the car was dashing away.
“Are you okay, Miss?” the valet asked.
“Yeah.” I chuckled. Escaping paparazzi in speeding cars wasn’t new to me, but I hadn’t been out to dinner with Mike for almost a year. It felt a little weird and strangely exciting.
The valet led me through a tiny door in the garage and into a narrow hallway. Mike was waiting by the backdoor as promised. He took my hand and helped me up the stairs. We were escorted to a booth in the back corner of the club, away from the eyes, yet close enough to watch the show.
When I took off my coat, Mike’s gaze sparkled with a sharp glint as it fell on my figure, and then a frown darkened his eyes.
“What’s wrong? Am I overdressed?” I smoothed my red dress. “It’s your fault you didn’t tell me where we were going.”
“You’re not overdressed.” He turned and gave the hostess his jacket. His gray sweater and dark dress pants fit him well. With a body like his, everything fit well.
I slid in the booth. “Do you hate red now? As far as I remember, it’s your favorite color. Did that change?”
He rubbed at his forehead. “Nope.” Then he looked at me. “It’s amazing. You look…” He chuckled as he took a seat. The hostess handed each of us a menu and left.
“Oh, please don’t say I look like my mother. I’ll shoot myself in the head right now.”
He shook his head, reading the menu. “You don’t look like her at all.”
Sure. She’s a thousand times prettier and everybody loves her. “Good thing or bad thing?” I took a deep breath, expecting the worst.
He glanced up from the menu, his brows furrowed. “Definitely a good thing.” Then he bent his head instantly.
The sincerity in his voice and the sparkle of his eyes satisfied me. But what was that when I asked if I looked like Andrea? And why couldn’t he hold my gaze?
What are you hiding from me, Gennaro?
Scene 19
Mike
A fucking red dress. Of all the outfits in the world, Maggie chose to wear a fucking snug, red dress tonight. Mike didn’t need to see her in the color that drove him insane while it hugged her curves like a second skin. Not today. Not after he’d come so close to spilling his heart out a few hours ago. Not when he was doing everything in his might to hide his true feelings from her. Not when he was failing brilliantly at it.
And what was that shit about Andrea? If Andrea was hot, Maggie was…
The last time he saw Andrea, she was wearing red, her tits practically out, but his cock didn’t give a shit. Now, every second he spent looking at Maggie in that outfit—with no show of cleavage, as she always preferred—a pulse jumped through his dick.
“You’re being weird,” she said as the jazz band finished their opening song.
Of course, I’m being weird. I’m in love with you. I want to spend the rest of my life with you. I can’t even look at you without having a motherfucking erection. But I can’t tell you any of that.
“Sorry.” He feigned a smile as a waitress was approaching. “Ready to order?”
“You order for me,” Maggie said.
“You sure?”
“Don’t you know me better than anyone else? Impress me.”
He smirked. “I know I will, but can you do the same? I bet you can’t.”
“You want me to order for you?”
“Scared?”
“This is the easiest bet I’ll ever win. What will I get when I do?”
“Anything you like, but if I win, you’re coming with me tomorrow to Newark.”
She tossed her hair and squared her shoulders. “Deal.”
“Good evening, Mr. Gennaro,” Cheryl, the red-headed waitress greeted. “Good evening, ma’am. Would you like to hear the specials?”
“Thanks, Cheryl, but not tonight,” Mike replied, winking at Maggie. “The lady will have a well-done ribeye with grilled blue prawns, and a loaded baked potato on the side. She’d love a Cosmo, but she’s bold en
ough to try a Vampire.”
He took one look at Maggie, and he knew by the smile on her face that he had won.
“And you, Mr. Gennaro?” the waitress asked.
“Your turn,” he told Maggie.
She tilted her head, a smug smirk on her face. “He’ll have a rare hanger steak, no additions, no onions, mac & cheese on the side. Normally, he’d go for a Red-headed Amsterdam, but tonight he’ll have a Corona.”
“Oh dear God.” His hand sheltered his face in embarrassment.
Cheryl cleared her throat. “All right. One well-done ribeye with grilled prawns with a loaded baked and a Vampire for the lady. For you, Mr. Gennaro, the usual with a Corona instead. Anything else?” Her voice shook in the end. He glanced up and saw her eyes moistening. Merda.
Maggie laughed. “No, Cheryl. That will be all. Thank you.”
When the waitress departed, Mike swore. “You made her cry, you know?”
Maggie chopped off her laughter. “What?” Her stare followed the waitress as she disappeared. “Fuck. That was a joke. I didn’t know she’d take it personally.” She looked back at him. “But I’m sure you’ll find a way to mend her broken heart.”
He slapped a hand over his mouth, his shoulders shaking as he couldn’t hold his laughter anymore. “Anyway, you fucking nailed that order. Shit. I thought I had this one in the bag.”
“Well, you got mine right, too. Technically, we both won.”
“But that’s not how bets work.”
Her gaze shifted to the piano player as he started a new song. “Yeah. Sadly, neither of us is gonna get what they want tonight.”
“Just for the kicks. What would you’ve asked for?”
A faint smile touched her lips. “You don’t wanna know.”
Yes, he did. More than anything. If there was something she wanted, he’d spare nothing to give it to her. “I’m serious. What is it?”
She stared at him and sighed. “It’s something awful. You sure you wanna hear it?”