Romancing The Mob (ON HOLD)

Chapter 6 & 7

Ch. 6

            “Papa, I have to go,” Laura said into the phone for the third time, sticking her lipstick into her clutch and snapping the dressy bag closed. “Can we talk about Easter later, Papa, I’m running very late for a dinner……I told you before, the dinner is with Marco, a fund raiser.” Laura glanced up at the man standing by the door to her apartment, Marco Maloney. A prominent up and coming business man, Marco dabbled in stocks, and was pretty good at it too. With a glance at his expensive watch, Marco gave her a pointed look, showing his impatience. “Listen, Papa, I can’t talk, I will call you tomorrow, ciao.”

            Hanging up on her father, Laura hurried towards Marco as fast as her four inch heels would allow her. “I’m sorry.”

            “It’s no problem.” Marco said with a slight nod, opening the door for her and ushering her to his waiting limo. Once inside the car, Laura took the moment to look at herself in the mirror, then sighed and sat back. “Do not sigh, Laura, you are much too beautiful to be sighing.” He smiled at her and Laura smiled back. It was hard not to smile back at Marco, his smile was infectious. A natural charmer, Marco was a sophisticated man who Laura had met through her best friend, Lizzie. Marco was Lizzie’s fiancé’s stock broker and close friend, and they had been introduced to Marco at a party Lizzie had thrown. Marco had asked her out immediately, and Laura had been very flattered. She liked Marco, he was very smart and mature for his 23 years, and she had fun with him. They had been dating for close to seven months, going out almost every other day, talking on the phone most nights.

            “Laura, thank you for coming with me tonight, I know you didn’t want to.” Marco said, taking her hand.

            “No, I want to go, it’s nothing, really.” Laura assured him, and Marco smiled at her as he caressed the back of her hand.

            “We have been dating for some time, non?” Laura nodded and he brought her hand to his mouth. “You know how I feel about you, but how do you feel about me?” He looked up at her from the bottom of his eyes. Laura was surprised, and she frowned slightly at him.

            “Marco, surely you know that I like you.” He nodded and kissed each of her fingers very slowly, then smiled at her, a deep, sensual promise in his eyes as he looked at her.

            “Buono. Perhaps you can show me just how much tonight. I have booked a room in the hotel that is hosting the fund raiser tonight, and I look forward to seeing you there with me, Laura.”

            She didn’t know what to say. What do you say to something like that? Laura was saved from answering because Marco kissed her then. It wasn’t his usual soft, unchallenging kiss, but was hard and meant for seduction. As Laura closed her eyes and kissed him back, she waited, as she always did, for the rush of emotion, the tingles to go through her body, but when she felt nothing, she pulled away. Marco kissed her hand again, and Laura forced a smile, then turned to look out the window. Did she want to spend the night with Marco? There was no reason why she couldn’t; she was 21 years old, a perfectly consenting adult. But was she, consenting? If his reputation was anything to go by, Marco was a fantastic lover, and she knew quite a few women who would give him a good reference, but these women were experienced, and she, was not.

            The issue racked Laura’s brain for the better part of a half hour after arriving at the fund raiser, and was so distracting that Laura nearly spilled her champagne when Marco touched her elbow. He chuckled at her jumpiness, but she scowled as she put down her glass at the table and checked the front of her dark grey dress. It was strapless and tight at the bust, fitted at her waist, then flowed elegantly around her ankles.