7

Marco


I could feel her presence even as we walked. I knew that she was standing to my right, even though she wasn’t even in my peripheral vision. The dinner had been nice. Expensive. Tate had paid, which I hadn’t liked, but I could see that Jane didn’t want me to offend him by insisting I pay. I didn’t want her friends to think I was some poor loser. I might not be a billionaire like Tate and Jagger, but I had money. Over five million in the bank, from my baseball contract.

Jane didn’t know that, though. Not that I wouldn’t share with her; just the opposite, in fact. I’d love to provide for her. But she was too proud. Just like I was. Just like our parents. We worked hard, and we saved for a rainy day. And we didn’t talk about money. Well, not much, anyway. I’d had to help my parents out with the restaurant last year. Business had been slow, but it was better now.

I looked ahead of me and I saw Tate holding Jane’s hand. She was gazing up at him with such love that it made my heart hurt for her. She was giving herself to this guy on a silver platter, and I only hoped that he wasn’t going to break her heart.

I knew what guys were like. I thought I was a pretty nice guy overall, but I wouldn’t recommend anyone fall for me, or for any of the guys who had been on my team when I’d played baseball. Women threw themselves at hot guys, and most of us took the pussy that was offered when it was offered. There wasn’t much I said no to, even last night when I’d been fingering one girl and another one had been giving me a blow job, and when the third one made to sit on my face, did I say no? No, I didn’t. Though the memory didn’t bring me as much joy as it had the night before.

Why had I lied to Millie about the last time I’d had sex? It would have been so easy to brag and tell her that I’d been fucking three women not even twenty-four hours before, but I’d been embarrassed to tell her. And I’d been worried she’d stop flirting with me. Worried that she’d back away completely. Which was stupid because I didn’t care what women thought about my sex life. I was the most open man I knew. I never lied to women. Never made them think I wanted more. I was blunt and straightforward, and I still got laid. I’d never lied about my sex life until tonight.

Why had I lied?

I turned to look at Millie. I couldn’t stop myself. She was talking to Magnolia, whose own beauty seemed to fade in comparison to Millie’s. There was a vibrancy and energy to Millie. She caught me staring at her and gave me a small smile and a wink.

I grinned back at her before turning my head to face forward again. She was beautiful. And she was fun. I’d met plenty of beautiful women before, though. She was no more beautiful than any of the other women I’d banged.

But I knew that wasn’t quite right. There was something about the way her eyes lit up when she teased me and told me off that did things to me that no woman had ever been able to do to me before. And I hadn’t even slept with her—yet.

Fuck! I was going to have to find some other girl to flirt with once we got to the bar. And not just because Jane had warned me away from her friends, but because I had a feeling that Millie was trouble. I didn’t need a woman fucking up my equilibrium, and I had a feeling that if there was anyone who could do it, it would be her.

As soon as we walked into the bar, I could see two girls checking me out from a table at the right. I gave them a little wave and they started cackling like a cackle of hyenas. It was just too easy.

“So, how did you like the restaurant?” Tate approached me. He was trying to make an effort, even after all the death stares I’d sent his way.

“It was good. You should have let me pay or at the very least split the check with you, man.”

He shook his head. “You’re our guest. It was my treat.”

“Well, then the drinks are on me.”

He looked thoughtful for a moment and nodded. “Sure.”

“You know we’re going to need to talk before I leave San Francisco,” I said in a low voice as I looked around to ensure that Jane wasn’t listening.

“Of course.” Tate didn’t ask me what about. He knew what I was saying. “I have three sisters myself,” he continued. “I would be very upset if anyone hurt them.”

“I’d have to do things that wouldn’t be legal.” My lips thinned as I glared at him. “You understand where I’m coming from.”

“I understand.”

“Now, I’m a man, and I don’t like to tell another man what to do …” My voice trailed off. “But you treat my sister right and don’t fuck around on her. I’m not going to ask if you’ve consummated the relationship because I don’t want to know. But I’m pretty sure Jane is a virgin and has been saving herself for marriage. So I hope I’m not going to have to cut off any balls.”

“Marco, I love Jane. And I respect you as her brother, but if you threaten me again, it’s your balls and dick that will be served to you on a plate.” He scowled at me. “And stay away from the girls who work in my office. I know what you said about Millie, and I’m sure she most probably loved it and is flirting back with you, but she’s young and innocent, and I don’t want you messing around with her, you understand?”

“Clearly.” I nodded, my respect for him having gone up a smidge. “Now what do you want to drink?”

“Surprise me.” He shrugged. “I do have a penchant for good whiskey, though.”

I walked over to the bar and he remained where he was. The girls and Jagger quickly assembled around him, and I could feel two pairs of eyes on me. Jane and Millie were both staring at me with completely different expressions on their faces. Jane was giving me a warning look and Millie was giving me her fuck-me eyes. If I were anywhere else, with anyone else, I would have grabbed Millie then and there, taken her to the bathroom, locked the door, and fucked her in a stall. My cock grew hard just thinking about it. I could just imagine her face when I pulled my cock out, how wide her eyes would go when she realized how very far from small I was.

I turned to the bar to get the bartender’s attention. No point daydreaming and getting even harder. The last thing I could do right now was fuck Millie in front of my sister and her boyfriend. No, I’d have to find another woman here tonight to get me off. Maybe then I could get Millie’s face out of my mind. I’d only just met the woman, but already I couldn’t stop thinking about her.

“Hey, bartender,” I called out to the young hipster-looking guy who was singing to himself like he thought he was about to be discovered by some record label. “Can I get a drink sometime this year?”

“Hold your horses.” He danced down to me and then looked me up and down. “What’s your poison, big boy?” He winked and came closer to me. Not the first time I’ve gotten that reaction. I definitely don’t swing that way and don’t want to give him the wrong idea, so I just give him my order.

“I’d like eight shots of your best whiskey to start.” I paused for a minute. “Actually, make that nine. Have one for yourself.”

“Why, are you flirting with me?” He did another little dance. “You look more like a ladies’ man. I usually have spot-on gaydar.”

“I am, but you work hard.” I shrugged. “Have one on me.”

Gracias, mi amor.” He blew me a kiss and I laughed.

I tensed as soon as I felt a hand on my back and looked behind me. Had Millie come to flirt some more? I froze as I looked into the eyes of a different woman.

“Buying drinks?” she asked as she bit down on her lip. She was cute in an obvious way, with bleach-blonde hair and blue eyes.

“What gave it away?” I asked with a smirk.

“The fact that you were talking to the bartender,” she said as if she thought she’d solved the daily double on Jeopardy. “Shall I give you my order?”

“Most probably better to give it directly to the bartender, don’t you think?”

“What if he can’t give me what I want?” She leaned into me, her lips puckering and her hand sliding to my ass. “And I want you.”

“You do?” My eyes widened as if I were shocked. “Are you trying to tempt me with your wicked ways?”

“Depends on how wicked you want me to be.” Her lips moved to my ear. “I can be very wicked if you want me to be.”

I pulled away from her to look at her face, not surprised by her words. Many women had come on to me in bars and said and done far crazier things. Only this time I didn’t really care. I wasn’t hard. I wasn’t turned on. I didn’t want to see how wicked I could get her to be. Instead, my gaze flew to my own group across the room and I saw Millie turn away quickly. She’d been watching the whole conversation I’d been having. Was she jealous?

As soon as the thought hit me, I struck it down. I didn’t need her to be jealous.

“What if I want you to be very wicked?” I turned my attention back to the girl. “What would you do?”

“I could show you.”

Her hands slipped to the front of my pants and down toward my crotch. I felt her pulling my zipper down and reaching in. Just as she was about to slip her fingers into my boxers, I stopped her.

“No.” I grabbed her wrist, pulled her hand out, and zipped myself up. “Not interested. Sorry.” I grabbed some money from my wallet and threw it down on the bar top. “Hey, get her whatever she wants, okay?” I called to the bartender. “I’ll be over there, with my friends.” I nodded to the group and left the blonde standing there, stunned.

I felt bad for leaving her. Normally, I would have appreciated her assertiveness, maybe I even would have let her take me in her mouth under different circumstances, but as she’d unzipped my pants, I’d realized how loath I was for her to touch me in front of everyone. I didn’t want Millie to see that.

I didn’t question myself too deeply as to why. Most probably because I thought she wouldn’t want to fuck me if she saw someone giving me a hand job.

Once I got back to LA, I’d go and fuck as many women as I wanted in any bar I wanted, but while I was here in San Francisco, I’d keep it zipped up, not just for me and Millie, but for Jane as well. I had to set a better example for her. Because obviously she needed it if she was dating her uptight boss.

I walked back over to the group and I could see Jane’s eyes fuming.

“What the hell was that, Marco?”

“What?”

“Are you trying to embarrass me?” She glared. “Can’t you keep it in your pants for even a day?”

“I wasn’t aware that it came out of my pants.” I looked over at Millie, who was staring at me with a look of betrayal in her eyes. Was this a fucking joke? Did she really have to act like I’d just broken our sacred vows or something? I hadn’t even kissed her. “I didn’t do anything, guys.” I rolled my eyes. “That ho, I mean, that woman was drunk and coming on to me, and I stopped her.”

“So you didn’t want to bang her?” Millie spoke up. Birdy and Olivia gasped.

“Nah, she’s not what I’m into.” I winked at her. “I prefer fiery redheads who like to give hand jobs under the table and not in public.” I smiled sweetly at her. “Thanks for that, by the way.” I looked at Jane, whose eyes had widened. “Don’t blame me, ask your friend.”

“I did not give you a hand job!” Millie’s eyes blazed as she hit me in the shoulder. “How dare you say that?”

Everyone was staring at us now.

“Did you or did you not have your hands on my cock at the restaurant?” I asked her innocently. Warmth spreading through me as she blushed. “Hmmm.”

“No, no, I did not,” she sputtered, but her words lacked conviction and everyone could tell that she wasn’t telling the full truth. I saw Tate and Jagger exchanging secret smiles.

“No need to be embarrassed, my lovely. Few women can keep their hands off of me. I have been blessed with good looks, charm, wit—and a massive cock. What can I say?”

“That is enough, Marco.” Jane grabbed me by my shirt and pulled me to the side of the bar. “If you keep this up, I am going to tell Mami and Papi everything you’ve been saying and doing, and you’re going to be in such big trouble.”

“Don’t be a tattletale, Jane.” My eyes narrowed at her. “You don’t want me to tell them that you’re hooking up with your boss, who very much seems like he’s not waiting for marriage.” I cocked my head to the side as her eyes shot daggers at me. “Oh wait, don’t tell me—all you do is kiss.”

“Marco Garcia, you’re such an asshole.” She scowled. “Keep your hands and your mouth off of Millie.”

“She’s a big girl, Jane. She can handle it.”

“Ugh.” She raised her fists above her head in frustration and walked away.

She went over to Millie and then they walked outside. My stomach clenched. I knew that Jane was most probably apologizing for me and telling Millie to stay away. But little did Jane know that all she was doing was making me want to get to know Millie that much more. I was just getting started playing games with her. I only hoped that by the end of my stay in San Francisco, the game would end, I’d be the winner, and my prize would be her … in my bed.