Love's Freedom

by Misty Wright

  "Papa, I really don't-"

  "I want to meet this man who has interest in my daughter. I need to see if his intentions are honorable," he interrupted her to tell his sons because they both started protesting.

  "Dad, this is the twenty-first century. No one invites suitors home to meet the family anymore," Julie said, "Besides, you never asked that of any of my boyfriends."

  "No one wants to meet yours," Tito said. "They're either bartenders, bouncers, or some useless-"

  "Nice," she interrupted, placing her hands on her hips defensively. "Why don't you tell Papa about that little tramp that you visit three blocks over whenever you get the urge to-"

  "Enough," Glen said, slicing his hand through the air. "This is about Evangeline. She wants to bring a man home for dinner."

  "Actually, you said-" Evangeline tried to say, but Tito cut her off.

  "Evangeline, you just met him. Even though he's famous you don't know him enough to bring him home yet."

  "You said yourself, Tito, that he's famous. He wouldn't do anything to hurt her and damage his reputation." Julie cut in.

  "I doubt I'll even see him again." Evangeline tried to get everyone to just stop talking about her. She'd already made her mind up, but no one was listening to her again.

  "He said he'd be back to the shop on Monday when she wouldn't give over her phone number." Julie said, casting her angry sister a smile.

  "Then invite him when he comes in," Glen told her.

  "Why do I even bother?" Evangeline said, slapping her hands against her thighs in frustration before she spun around and left the living room. Why did the three of them make it sound like she always made the suggestions?

  The conversation continued without her.

  "Evangeline, you stay away from him," Tito called after her.

  "Tito, leave her be. She likes this man, so we should meet him," his father said.

  "I agree," Glen said, but for different reasons. He wanted Mark to know what the consequences were if he were to hurt Evangeline.

  "You can't keep coming here," Evangeline said when Mark walked through the door on Monday just before noon, emitting the confidence of a well-fed lion. Again, he was dressed in his casual clothes of jeans, a designer grey and black striped shirt and a black leather jacket. It was different from the one she had seen on him the first day. She should have known that he probably had closets full of clothes because of his wealth, and he obviously knew how to look good in fashion. He'd probably look good in a burlap sack. He had let the stubble grow on his jaw again and she had to admit that she liked that look with him. It made him look even more masculine, if that was possible. He was the fantasy poster boy for what a sexy, virile man should look like, as it was.

  She had just finished with a customer and there were several more in the store. When he came in, his eyes found her and a smile spread across his face. She quickly walked around the counter and approached him, doing her best to ignore the rapid beating of her heart.

  "Don't you want my business?" he said in response to her statement.

  She flushed a little, feeling rude. "I never did thank you for the flowers-and the tickets," she said. Her family did not raise someone ungracious and even though she really wished he didn't buy them, she did appreciate the flowers.

  "No need." He gave her a charming smile. "They were worth every penny."

  "Did your friend's wife like the flowers?" she said, changing the subject.

  "Yes, very much." Janine had said his wife was really flattered. According to Janine, she thought it was very sweet and had put them in a vase in the entrance way so everyone could see them when they came in. It was true that Jennifer wasn't a flower kind of girl, but if Mark bought flowers, the gesture was sincere and she appreciated it.

  Evangeline looked around to see if they were drawing attention. Of course they were. Who wouldn't look at him? She grabbed the sleeve of his leather jacket and hauled him behind the counter into the back room. He followed willingly with a grin on his face.

  "Julie, could you watch the front?" she asked her sister, who was currently in the back room cutting flowers.

  "Sure thing," she said when she looked up and saw Mark. "Hi, Mark." Her face broke into a bright smile.

  "Hi."

  Before leaving, she gave Evangeline an excited glance which Evangeline didn't return. Once she had left, Evangeline turned and looked up at Mark.

  "Please stop," she pleaded.

  "No," he said gently, confidently.

  "No?" she said in disbelief.

  "No," he repeated, adding a smile with it this time. "Never. Not on your life."

  "What will it take?" she said in exasperation.

  "Short of a miracle? Nothing."

  "Mark, I don't want to see you," she tried once more. His smile never faltered. Not once. She had a hard time getting used to this man's overwhelming confidence. He started shaking his head with that last statement. "What?"

  "You came to my game, Evangeline. There's interest there, so I'm building on it. If you didn't come, I wouldn't be standing here," he said setting his deep brown eyes on hers.

  "My sister insisted."

  "Liar," he said softly.

  She shook her head, but for some reason she couldn't stop the smile and along with it came a shy blush.

  "Okay, fine. You win." She had to admit that his firm pursuit of her was flattering, even though she was intimidated by his overall image.

  "Nice." His eyes dropped to her mouth.

  "Stop it," she said, dropping her smile. Gosh, did he have to be so enigmatic? Then she cast a glance by him to see the doorway empty. She was expecting Julie to be eavesdropping. Hopefully she was busy with customers.

  "Come to dinner with me," he said. "It's all I ask. If you decide you don't like me then, I'll leave you be."

  That was a problem. She already liked him, but refused to admit it to him. If he'd gotten her to himself, she'd be done for.

  "I can't. I told you my family is very protective."

  He looked a little confused for a moment. "How old are you?"

  "Nineteen," she said.

  "Really?" His brows shot up. Wow. He thought she was at least 21 from the way she looked and was shaped. He had to rethink this.

  "Hmmm, I see skepticism," she said, trying to read his expression.

  "Absolutely not." he countered quickly. "Not from me. I'm surprised because I really thought you were around 21, but I have no problem with it."

  "So my age doesn't bother you." She had hoped it would. It wasn't because she didn't like him; it was because she started liking him too much.

  "No," he said truthfully. It was a surprise, but just because she was a couple of years younger than what he thought didn't mean that he suddenly wasn't interested. She was gorgeous and he already admitted to Janine that he was shallow in that department. On a deeper level, she was feisty and he was finding that more and more attractive.

  Although, if she was 18, he would have had to draw the line or wait a year or so, which wasn't an option. What a horrible thought. There was no way he could remain celibate for that long. He liked women too much.

  "When do you turn 20?" he asked.

  She gave him a puzzled look. "In a couple of months, Why?"

  He shook his head. "Just planning ahead."

  "I wouldn't. Once you meet my whole crazy family, you'll change your mind."

  "I doubt it," he said with conviction. It would take an act of God to stop him from pursuing her. He already knew what she was going to get for her 20th birthday-him.

  "I have two older brothers that are very protective," she warned him, "and your charm won't be that effective."

  He grinned at her flattery. It meant that she wasn't immune to his charisma after all. "My best friend has four. I'm used to brothers. I also have a sister."

  "Not like mine. They're Italian. Mark, they'll more than likely threaten you," she said with honest reluctance. "I mean, I never had a steady boyfriend because
of them. Tito can stare down a brick wall."

  He gave a short laugh. "Honey, I think I can handle myself," he said. "I've been doing it with other males since I was four. As for Italians, you may like to know that my grandfather was."

  That actually was good news. If he had any chance with her family, especially her father, that would get his foot in the door. Oh, what on earth was she thinking?

  "Dinner, then."

  He said it if she had already agreed. She turned away for a moment and bit her lower lip. Should she? If she did and her family deterred him, then he'd leave her be before she really started liking him. Truthfully, she couldn't help that she had already started to like him and she hardly even knew him.

  Mark waited patiently. From her hesitation, he already knew he had won. She was worried about how her family would take him, but he had two uncles, and grew up around arrogant hockey players. Nothing could match that. Finally, she turned back and he grinned. He could already see that she had given in.

  "Only if it's at my house, or my dad and my brothers will hunt us down," said Evangeline.

  "I'm fine with that," he said easily. Inside, he was elated. At this point, he would have agreed to having dinner anywhere just to have her say yes.

  How could anyone be so confident that everyone would like them? "You think you can sway anyone? Well, you haven't met my family," she warned.

  "I like a challenge," he countered.

  She already knew that because he wouldn't leave her alone even though she asked him to. "That is easy to see, but you'll not want to see me again after this." She was hoping he wouldn't want to. She was already drowning in those deep brown eyes of his and this was only the third time she talked to him-and briefly, at that.

  "When shall we have dinner?"

  "Tomorrow night at 6.30." She went over to the table where she made her arrangements, took a card out of the slot and wrote her address on it.

  "Put your number on there, too," Mark said from behind her.

  She stilled her breath. He was standing right behind her now and was watching what she was writing. She was nervous about dinner already and was preoccupied to the point of not hearing him approach. Gosh, he was so close!

  "I-"

  "Just in case I get lost," said Mark, which was an outright lie. He knew this city like the back of his hand. He'd been living there for five years.

  After briefly hestitating, she did as he asked and turned to give the card with her contact information to him. Her eyes were level with that thick chest he possessed and he was barely six inches away from her. He stood close enough to smell his expensive cologne and feel the heat from his body. Slowly, her eyes ran up to his. He was no longer grinning. His expression looked incredibly serious and his eyes were directly on hers. She was sure those eyes of his darkened slightly.

  "Did anyone ever tell you how damn beautiful you are?" he said huskily in a low voice.

  Her lips parted and she couldn't find words to answer him.

  "I see," he said, not seeming to need an answer. "And you smell like Lilies."

  "I-I work in a flower shop."

  "No honey, it's in your hair." He smiled slowly because he'd lowered his head and inhaled when she was scribbling out her address.

  She just couldn't find any words to answer him, but he didn't seem to need any. He bent his face toward her, slightly leaning in to remove the card from between her fingers. In the process, his hand gently brushed hers. His eyes remained on hers the whole time.

  "Six thirty," he repeated softly.

  She only nodded, unable to take her gaze away from his. He was so hypnotic.

  He let a smile pull at the corner of his mouth before he stood and walked out of the room.

  Evangeline must've stood there for a full five minutes with her hand on her chest. What on earth just happened?

  Mark was whistling as he left the shop. He grinned, looking at the card with her phone number, then lifted it and kissed it in victory. He could have kissed her and she wouldn't have stopped him. He knew she wouldn't have. Although he'd give his right arm to taste her, he didn't want her to bolt as soon as she got her wits about her. He would take it slow even though it was killing him.

  He glanced at his watch before getting behind the wheel of his Porsche. At least he would be on time for practice today, although being late because of her was definitely worth it. He had to admit that he liked that she didn't seem flattered by his wealth or his fame. Most women were.

  CHAPTER 3 - Introduced to Her Family.

  Mark was introduced to her family as soon as he came in the front door because they all crowded behind Evangeline like the National Guard when she answered it. He brought an expensive bottle of wine and a box of hard-to-get Cuban cigars. Her father seemed pleased with those. Yet, the two brothers were a different story. He'd shaken hands with the both of them and Tito, the younger one, seemed to be challenging his grip. Mark only grinned and met his eyes.

  Mark had never backed down from a challenge in his life. Janine was right about him in that aspect. It was unfortunate that he was going to have problems with him, because in other circumstances he was certain they could be friends. Mind you, he really didn't like his sister's husband when he first met him, either, so he could relate. For that reason, he decided to be more understanding.

  The older one, John, just surveyed him with intelligent eyes. After the first ten minutes, he found himself comparing him to his oldest uncle, Lance. He had that quiet, yet commanding respect about him. He was the type of guy who spent a lot of time analyzing things internally before he spoke.

  As for Evangeline, she was wearing a pretty blue dress. It had a sweetheart neckline and wide shoulder straps. It was a little conservative, but he really liked it on her. If anything, it made him focus on how beautiful she was. She'd left her hair down and pulled over one shoulder, and to him, she was absolutely stunning.

  "How old are you?" Tito said, narrowing his gaze seeing the way he looked at Evangeline.

  "Tito!" Evangeline said, appalled that her brother would ask such a question. He wasn't even in the door for five minutes and that was the first thing her brother said after being introduced.

  "Twenty eight," Mark answered, not letting Evangeline's horrified expressions bother him. He already expected the protectiveness from her family. He couldn't blame them at all.

  "Too old for Evangeline." Tito loved hockey, loved their team, and even the players-especially Mark, because he was a fighter and he was good at it-but he was way too experienced for his baby sister. He already figured that out ten seconds after meeting him. He was too damn sure of himself around her.

  Mark smirked at the younger of the two brothers that she had introduced him to. He was really muscular, more so than himself and only a couple of inches shorter than him, and he was sure that if it became physical, it would be an even match.

  "So should she date someone younger who's insecure, has no career and has no money?" he said, undeterred.

  "Are you getting smart?" Tito said as he narrowed his gaze.

  "That's enough, Tito." Glenn said.

  Mark gave him that same sardonic smile that he gave many opponents on the ice. He wasn't the least bit intimidated by Tito's challenge. Yet, he was right: this was his baby sister and Mark was inching into heavily-guarded territory. Having a sister himself made him understand how he felt. However, when Mark wanted something, he went after it with a fury, and he wanted Evangeline.

  Once they sat down for dinner, which was incredibly good, and after several minutes of loud conversation carried on, Mark turned to her father.

  "I was thinking of taking Evangeline to some friends of mine for a barbeque this Sunday," he said.

  So much for loud conversation. Everyone stopped talking and focused on him. He actually liked their teasing and conversation during dinner. It reminded him of home. This was a family that obviously cared about each other.

  "Papa, she doesn't know him." Tito said gesturing toward M
ark. "No offense."

  It was said to mean the opposite and Mark knew that.

  "None taken." Mark's attention went to Tito. He let a slow smile cross his face and Tito kept his expression serious but their eyes challenged one another. He pulled his eyes away from him first, not in submission, but because he was asking Glen to take his daughter out, and not wasting any more time on Tito, who wanted to turn this into a pissing contest.

  "We'll be with most of the team and their wives." He looked back at the younger brother and said, "I'm not taking her to a brothel."

  Julie burst out laughing. Even Glen found it in him to smile.

  "With all of those men," Tito continued.

  "Most of whom are married or have girlfriends. There's only about five that are single. I assure you I won't let them influence her." He wasn't even going to let her out of his sight because he knew damn well she would be hit on. Eric had given him that indication the other day.

  "Just you are too much of an influence on her, Mark; you know that. Evangeline's not dated much and she's a good girl." Glen finally spoke up. Unlike Tito's accusing tone, Glen's was calm and reasonable. "She went to Catholic school."

  Evangeline was mortified. Why didn't he just come out and say that she was a virgin? When Mark's eyes set on her, she knew from the look that he knew exactly what Tito was saying. Then the blush that reached her cheeks certainly gave away any uncertainty he may have had with her in that regard.

  "I'd take good care of her," he said seriously, moving his attention back to Glen. "I'll even have her home by eleven." Mark had to admit that despite the fact that he was famous, rich and popular, it didn't sway her family, and that impressed him. It meant that Evangeline really meant something to them.

  "You mean that?" Glen said. He really couldn't help but like this guy so far and it had nothing to do with him being a star player for his favorite team.

  Even though he knew that Mark wouldn't do anything to publicly tarnish his reputation, he was still a man. A man that had his sights set on his beautiful younger sister. He was one of those men who were loaded with self-assurance and who had no problem letting him know exactly why he was there. Yet, through it all, he actually was humbling himself by asking the family to take Evangeline out. It was behavior that was virtually unheard of from a guy like him or anyone in this day and age.