Disastrous (Disastrous Series) (9 page)

“Ah, early as usual, Trevor, thank you.” I smiled as I grabbed the envelope.

“Dinner Saturday?”

“
Trevor.
” I narrowed my eyes.

Lifting his palms to surrender, he laughed. “Hey it was worth a shot. You can’t blame a man for trying?”

“No you can’t, unfortunately she has plans with me for the weekend.” Marcus just had to butt in. Oh my God, I rolled my eyes and opened the door. They both eyed each other, refusing to back down: Trevor with a cocky expression and Marcus with an amused grin. Trevor broke from the staring contest first and waved goodbye. I smiled at him and waved back. I walked into my apartment as Marcus followed.

“So you manage the building?” He asked casually as if the small episode in the hallway didn’t happen.

“No.” I walked to the kitchen and pulled out my selections of coffee. I slid three different kinds on the island before him, and he pointed at the extra bold strength. I placed his selection in the one-cup coffee maker, retrieved a mug, and hit the button to brew the coffee.

“
So
you just collect the rent from tenants as a favor for the landlord?” He settled onto a stool.

“I’m the landlord, Marcus. This is my building.” Placing cream, sugar, and a spoon before him, I grabbed his cup and set it down next to the items. When I looked up at him, his face was unreadable. He grabbed the mug and spoon, scooped two sugars, and poured a little cream into the cup. “I have to hop in the shower…will you be okay while I get ready? You’re welcome to turn on the television. Please make yourself at home.”

He glanced at his Rolex. “Actually I have to make a few phone calls. It’s only eight fifteen; please, take your time.” I smiled at him and then noticed that I didn’t embrace him with a hug or a kiss. Forcing myself to be brave, knowing he wouldn’t reject me in any way, I walked over to him, placing one hand over his and my other hand at the back of his neck. Reaching up to him, I set my lips against his cheek. His head slowly turned, gently brushing my lips, but I pulled away.

“I won’t be long. The sooner I’m ready, the sooner I’ll be able to spend an entire weekend with you.” Turning on my heels, I walked away. That should give him something to think about for the next hour. I felt pleased with myself.

Taking my time in the shower, I washed my hair and rubbed body wash all over three times. This was more than my usual routine, but, hey, I had to smell irresistible. After I was done, I dried myself thoroughly and slathered every inch of my skin with lotion.

I threw on my green halter top, summer dress, and gold wedge heels. I ran back to the bathroom and towel dried my hair. While it was still damp, I applied mousse and worked my fingers through my hair, deciding on the wavy-teased look. When I was done, I took my time with my makeup to make sure it was flawless. The last touch to my face was a hint of lip gloss.

It was nine o’clock, so I grabbed my travel bag and headed for the living room. Marcus was still in the kitchen on the phone. He looked over his shoulder when he heard me enter. Placing my bag on the island, I opened the refrigerator and grabbed half of a grapefruit. Not wanting to disturb his call, I stood across from him. I could feel the heat of his stare as I placed a spoonful of grapefruit into my mouth. When my eyes finally met his, he mouthed, “You look beautiful.” I smiled, reveling in the attention.

He went on with his conversation, not taking his eyes off me once. “That’s fine … yes … no, it can wait until Monday. I still have three weeks before the deadline. Okay. Yes, I have my Blackberry if you need me to review anything that is absolutely urgent. Other than that, Marvin can take care of any documents that need to be out today. Thank you. Bye.” He ended the call, which was made on a touchscreen. I heard him say he had his Blackberry with him, so that led me to believe he had two phones. I wondered why. Maybe he was one of those people who prefer to have a work phone and a personal phone. I never understood the concept of having two phones…it’s too much to keep up with. It’s like having more than one social network: too exhausting.

He slid off the stool and walked over to stand behind me. I shivered at his nearness, feeling his face on the side of mine. “You smell delicious.” I should after washing up as much as I did.

“Thank you.” I whispered.

“Are you ready to go, or do you need more time?” Gripping my hips, he turned me to face him. He was so close, invading my space, but I didn’t mind, not one bit. “Yes I’m ready…Marcus?”

“Mmmh?” he mumbled while rubbing the back of his fingers against my cheek, along my jawline, and down the nape of my neck. I felt a warm, tingling sensation from his touch.

“I don’t do this, at all, you know—go away for an entire weekend with a man I don’t know. Can you just bear with m—” He stopped me in mid-sentence, cupping my chin and rubbing his thumb along my bottom lip.

“Mia, if I ever make you feel uncomfortable, just tell me and I’ll step back. I will not make you do anything you don’t want to do. Do you understand?” I nodded. “Good, let’s go enjoy a weekend on the beach.” He took my hand and led us to my bag, which he grabbed it with his free hand. We walked through the living room, but before we got to the door I stopped.

“Wait, I need to leave a note for Jeremy.” I ran back to the kitchen and wrote on a post-it note magnet on the fridge.
Will be back Sunday, stay out of trouble. Take the trash out! Call if you need anything. Love, Mia.

Remembering that my driver’s license was in my car, I walked over to it after leaving the building. He stood and watched me enter and exit my vehicle, and then I hit the alarm button. “What?” I asked at his wry expression.

“That’s your car? You drive a convertible Mustang?”

Shaking my head, I grabbed his hand and smiled. “Yes, that’s my
car
.” I teased.

He shook his head laughing. Most men have the same expression when they see my car. He opened the passenger door for me. I got in his car and buckled up. We took off as soon as he was in.

“Can I ask you a personal question?” He placed his hand on my bare knee. It felt nice.

“Yeah, of course, isn’t the whole purpose of this trip is to learn more about each other,
personally
?” I turned to see the side of his face, the side with the dimple.

He gently smiled before responding. “You don’t work, right?”

“No.” Not sure what he’s getting at.

“Yet you own a four-story building in a really good neighborhood, and you own a-top-of-the-line convertible Mustang. How could you afford something like that?”

“I sold my soul to the devil.” He laughed. “No, all jokes aside, when my father passed, he was prepared with a large life insurance policy. It was split between my brother and me. Of course I was too young at the time. My half was placed in an escrow account where it accrued interest. Anyway, long story short, I was given access to the money on my twenty-first birthday. Instead of splurging on clothes, I invested in stocks.

“I found that building two years ago and thought it would be perfect; it was a huge fixer-upper and needed more than just
TLC
. I made an offer and worked on it for a year. I’m happy with the outcome. I splurged on a building and a car. I don’t buy lavish clothing and go on expensive trips. I watch what I spend and live off the money from my tenants.”

He took a long look at me at the red light. “Very impressive, did your brother do the same—invest in properties?”

“Not really, my brother invested in stocks as well; he made out better than me actually. When he passed, he left me everything in his will. I donated half to the Boston and Philadelphia Police for Families of Fallen Officers. The money is given to families that were not fortunate enough to have the same privileges that I had. Most people don’t think to prepare their families in case of an unexpected death. My father was always adamant about saving money and looking into the best life insurance policies; it was like he knew one day it would happen sooner or later. My brother had the same mentality.”

“They seem like very smart men.” He gently squeezed my knee and took off when the light turned green.

“Thank you, they were. My father and Michael left me with the same mind-set.”

His soft grip on my knee stiffened, and he quickly removed his hand, placing it on the steering wheel. “Michael?” he asked alarmed.

“Yes, Michael Sullivan, did you know him?” His facial features changed; he seemed lost in thought, worried even.

“Ah, nope, didn’t know a Michael Sullivan.”
Mmmh
. Maybe the name sounded familiar for a second.

He remained silent for the rest of the ride. Did I say something wrong? Everything was going well; at least I thought it was. We reached the airport and parked in a private lot. When he turned off the ignition, he shifted to face me. “Excuse me one minute. I need to make a phone call before we go.”

I nodded, not sure what else to say; he was acting a little strangely. He stepped out of the car, and I remained seated. The parking lot was empty. He was far away so that I couldn’t hear his conversation but could see his facial expressions and gestures. He seemed upset, his hand ran through his hair several times, and he paced back and forth. He seemed tense about something. He glanced at my direction twice and looked away. About five minutes later, he walked over, his stride powerful and strong, but his face seemed troubled. He reached my door and opened it. I looked up at him but didn’t get out of the car because he seemed to be keeping me in.

“Mia…
fuck
, I’m sorry…um, they need me at the office.”

“Oh.” Looking down, I tried to hide my disappointment. “That’s fine, Marcus, maybe some other time.” Meeting his gaze, I forced a smile. He didn’t say anything for a moment, but he didn’t move either. Pressing his lips together, he shook his head.

“No, you know what … they’ll be fine without me. I promised you a nice weekend, and that’s what I’m going to give you.” He offered his hand, and I grabbed it. His smile told me he wanted to go, but his eyes seemed uncertain.

Sliding my legs out of the car, I hesitated. “Are you sure, Marcus? I seriously don’t mind; you can go. I understand you’re a busy man.” He shook his head and pulled me to my feet.

“Not this weekend—this weekend it’s all about you.” Biting my lip, I tried to hide my pleased grin.

****

The private plane was better than I’d imagined. It had a modern design with the utmost in technology and comfort. The flight from Boston to the Bahamas felt shorter than it actually was. I guess the comfortable chairs, smooth ride, and the conversation Marcus and I were having mostly about his firm allowed me to enjoy the trip.

We were greeted by an SUV and a driver when we landed at the airport. “Are you hungry?” Marcus asked, placing his hand into mine.

“Actually I’m starving,” I said.

“Would you like to eat at a nearby restaurant, or wait till we get to the house? It’s about a thirty-minute drive from here.”

“Mmmh, I can wait.”

“Are you sure?” He raised an eyebrow.

“Yes, positive.” He gave my hand a slight squeeze, and we entered the SUV.

I’d never been in the Bahamas. Sadly I’d never left the U.S. My father took Michael and me as kids to Disney World and sometimes to the Jersey shore for the summer. We never visited the Caribbean. Luckily I had a passport. I had gotten one right before Michael passed. Jeremy and I had planned to go to Mexico that month. Of course we didn’t go. Who could enjoy a vacation knowing the entire time you’d be miserable? We promised to do it again sometime but never talked about it again.

The Bahamas was like no other place I’d ever seen; it was beyond beautiful. I was like a child as I continued to admire my surroundings from the passenger window. There were so many locals and tourists wandering around taking in the scenery. Everyone was laughing and having a good time. Caribbean music flowed through the air from a nearby festival. Vendors sat patiently in their booths selling seashell jewelry, knick-knacks, as well as portraits with palm trees and beaches.

The light breeze from the ocean made the eighty-five-degree weather tolerable. I was thrilled to be here and grateful that Marcus invited me. “Marcus, thank you,” I said while watching a little boy standing by the curb, waving at me with the biggest smile. I waved excitedly back as his mother picked the little boy up into her arms and waved before walking towards the festival.

I could feel him staring at me as I glanced out the window. “You’ve never been to the Bahamas?”

“No. It’s beautiful.”

“Yes, it is.”

We reached a huge metal gate. The driver’s window lowered; the man up front punched a code into a keypad which opened the gates. We wended our way along the driveway; surrounding us was a beautiful landscape of unique flowers, palm trees and beautifully manicured grass.

What caught my immediate attention was the traditional Bahamian home centered at the end of the driveway. The home was two levels with a wraparound upper terrace. It was stunning. It looked like something out of painting or a high definition photo from a welcoming brochure that would read on top, “A place to enjoy and relax.” I stepped out of the car before Marcus or the driver could open the door. As I made my way around the vehicle, I stood speechless admiring the home. Turning to face Marcus when I felt the warmth of his body beside me, I was greeted with a boyish irresistible grin. “You like?” He asked, entertained by my reaction.

 “Marcus, it’s breathtaking.”

“Come, I’ll show you the rest; there’s lots to see.” Wrapping his arm around my shoulder, he led me to the double front doors.

When we entered the home, we walked into a huge foyer which led to an enormous living room. The high vaulted ceiling gave the home an elegant presence while the all-glass walls gave it a modern touch. Every room had a view of the beautiful beach through the ceiling-to-floor glass walls. The living room was filled with oversized furniture: a sectional, a coffee table, side tables, and two recliners.

The dining room was stunning with a long wooden mahogany table set for twenty people. The kitchen was my favorite with the tall white cabinetry and top-of-the-line stainless steel appliances that were complete with the blue and grey glass tile backsplash and a kitchen island.