Roseanne
My intention to avoid Mark for a while is thwarted when I receive a text from him mid-morning.
Mark: Need you to come with me and Lili to dinner with Police Commissioner today.
Me: Why?
Mark: his wife is coming
Me: I'm not your wife yet
Mark: don't be difficult. Pick you up at 6.30
Me: what if I have plans?
Mark: cancel them
He must have used up all his charm last night when he was trying to get into my pants. I hate how stupid I feel. It's not like I haven't had casual sex before. It is just different when you're supposed to be marrying the guy. And when you're obsessed with his sister who wouldn't leave your mind as you climaxed embarrassingly quick while he was finger-fucking you.
What does one wear to dinner with the Police Commissioner, anyway? I don't mind being overdressed, but I'll throttle Mark for his lack of information if I'm underdressed.
Raiding my mother's wardrobe once more, I err on the side of formal with a lilac pantsuit and a white, silk camisole top. The lilac pants are tightly tapered and cropped to the ankles and the blazer cinches perfectly at my waist. Patent black pointed stilettos complete the look and I leave my hair out in waves down my back.
A black SUV pulls up outside my parents' house and Mark gets out of the passenger seat to open the backdoor for me.
Ignoring the familiar masculine scent of his cologne that wafts over me, I duck under his arm to get in the car wordlessly. A large hand wraps around my upper arm. "Hey?" he says with a frown.
"Um hi?" I look up blankly at his dark eyes, furrowed brows hanging over them.
He grabs my chin and kisses me quickly and we stand staring at each other for a few heartbeats like neither of us can figure the other out.
Something feels off. Just like last night right before I changed my mind and told him I wasn't ready for more. He just left.
Lisa is driving and my heart does backflips when she twists to look over her shoulder and slowly evaluates my body. Her eyes darken and she swallows hard.
"Roseanne," she says.
My cheeks warm from the inside out like I've taken a mouthful of hot tea and I bumble my way through a 'hello'. If my heart doesn't chill out ASAP, its beats will be audible from bloody space.
My backseat daydreaming is interrupted by Lisa's deep gravelly voice talking Mark through the plan for the meeting.
She could be reading the phonebook and I would still be mesmerized by the strength, confidence, and sexiness of her tones. I've never been with someone who talks dirty, but just the thought of her describing what she wants to do to me in that voice is enough to reduce me to a puddle of lust.
Lisa seems to know everything about the commissioner. She even coaches Mark on what he needs to say. He just nods along, content to be told what to do. It is an interesting dynamic between them. I'm surprised his ego allows him to do as he is told. She inspires that kind of confidence, I guess.
"He's under massive amounts of pressure from the minister to explain the escalation in gun crime. I suspect he will be wanting us to solve some of his problems for him. Don't be too accommodating. Let him sweat. But ultimately, we want this sorted too." She rattles off information.
