Somewhere in the back of her mind she knew that she should probably protest how close he was holding her, but she couldn't deny that it felt nice. She felt safe and protected for once in her life, something that no-one except for Vince had ever made her feel. Her eyes closed and she rested her face against his chest, enjoying the warmth coming from him and the spicy smell of his cologne. She realised that this was the first time a nice man had ever asked her to dance, and for it to be someone who looked like Mark did took her breath away.
Mark had closed his eyes too, breathing in her soft floral scent and relishing the feel of her curves pressing against him. His body was uncomfortably hard now, but he steadfastly ignored it. What he couldn't ignore much longer, however, was the pain in his shoulder where he was bending down. He had been slammed into the ring today and had fallen awkwardly, not enough to do any permanent damage, but enough for it to ache in certain positions. Apparently this was one of them. But what to do about it? He didn't want to stop dancing with her, that was for sure. There was only one thing for it. He wrapped his arms tighter around her and lifted her off the floor, feeling the ache in his shoulder ease as he straightened up. Her small weight made no difference whatsoever, he thought, marvelling at the fact that she felt so light.
Amy gasped and opened her eyes as she felt herself lifted up, staring into Mark's eyes as he grinned at her. "Sorry, honey, but my shoulder aches a bit. It feels better like this."
"Oh, sorry, I didn't know...maybe we should stop? Surely holding my weight is making it worse?"
"Nah, sweetheart, you're as light as a feather. Besides, I'm enjoying this, aren't you?" he asked, his eyes dropping suddenly to her mouth where it was only a couple of inches away from his own.
"Yes," she answered shyly, her arms wrapped firmly around him. She saw the way his eyes dropped and she licked her lips nervously, not realising the reaction she would get from him.
"It's no good, I can't help it..." he murmured as he leaned in and claimed her lips with his, twisting his head sideways and levering her mouth open a fraction. It took about three seconds for him to realise that she didn't know how to kiss, but it wasn't a problem for him. He slowed his pace and played gently with her lips until she followed his movements, gradually allowing his tongue to slowly penetrate past her teeth. Sweet, he thought. She tasted sweet, and it wasn't the chocolate she had only recently consumed. She tasted almost exotic. Trying to be mindful that they were in the middle of a half empty dance floor in a crowded restaurant, he attempted to pull back, but she leaned closer so that he couldn't break lip contact.
She might not have known what she was doing, he mused, but she sure seemed to like it. He obliged by deepening the kiss once again, thrusting his tongue rhythmically into her mouth until he had to either stop or throw her down on the floor and have his way with her, crowd or no crowd.
Amy was stunned when his lips touched hers and he started kissing her. The feel of his firm, warm mouth over hers made her melt and she responded eagerly to him, enjoying the first real kiss she had ever received. His tongue was pushing into her mouth and, although it felt odd, it was also wonderful, and she opened her mouth a bit wider so that the sensations continued. She could feel his hot breath puffing out on her cheek where his nose was resting and it added another dimension to the feelings that were sparking along her nerve endings.
He pulled back swiftly when it got to be too much and stared intently into her face, noting with satisfaction that her eyes were still closed and her breath was coming in little gasps. When her lids lifted he caught his breath at how luminous her eyes seemed, the green shining up at him and her expression conveying her amazement.
"Why did you do that?" she asked in a daze.
"Because I couldn't stop myself. You're incredibly sexy," he said, seeing her doubtful expression. "And don't say that you're not, because I have enough evidence pressing into your thighs right now to prove differently!" he said, moving his hips from side to side until her face went a fiery red.
Despite her obvious embarrassment, a light of wonder entered her eyes. "You think I'm sexy?" she said, her voice soft.
"Hell, yeah, I think you're amazingly sexy. Which is why I think we should get our coats and get you back to Vince and Linda, before I do something just barely legal right in front of all these nice people!"
He let her drop slowly to her feet, making sure to let her feel every inch of him on the way down, then took her hand and led her back to their table.
Amy couldn't keep her eyes off him as he led her outside and ushered her into a luxury rental car. He thought she was sexy! She stared at him the whole time he was driving and he kept shifting in his seat, feeling her eyes on him and wanting nothing more than to park the car and have her on the back seat. This was ridiculous, he thought. He was coming up to forty years old, he was old enough to be her father, and here he was with his body acting like a teenage boys!
When he pulled up at the large house Vince had rented, he turned slowly toward Amy and reached out a hand, caressing her face. "I enjoyed myself tonight," he said, watching the small smile that curved her slightly swollen lips. The thought of what had made them swollen caused him to swallow. "Would you like to do this again?"
"You mean...go out?" she asked, amazed that he wanted to take her out again.
"Yeah, go out, as in a date. You know, have a meal, see a movie, walk along the beach...don't they do that kind of thing in England?" he asked, smiling as he teased her.
"Not with me," she said, the truthful answer coming out before she could analyse how self pitying it might sound.
Mark frowned. "Sweetheart, haven't you ever been on a date before?"
Amy shook her head. "No."
"Hmm," he mused, cocking his head to one side and studying her. "I guess that would explain why you're still a virgin?"
Amy felt her cheeks heat at his statement. He hadn't even asked her if she was a virgin, just knew it to be so. "Well...I...how do you know I'm..."
"Honey, a woman who doesn't know how to kiss sure as hell doesn't know how to do anything more intimate."
"I didn't think...I can't kiss?" she said, her voice barely more than a whisper as disappointment surged through her. Great. One more thing for her to be lacking in.
"You couldn't kiss," Mark clarified, grinning suddenly. "You can now."
"Oh, and I suppose you think that's all down to you?" Amy asked, feeling a faint spark of anger at his arrogant attitude. He had the curious knack of being able to make her temper show, even when he wasn't apparently trying. Most people she had met over the last few years didn't even know she had a temper, she had found it safer not to ever let it show.
"Sure is. See what a great teacher I am? One kiss from me and you're already an expert!"
She realised that he was only teasing and felt a smile tug at the corners of her mouth. "Well, I'm very grateful. Now I can try my new found talents on other men and see what happens."
"You think so? I reckon you got that a little wrong somewhere along the line!" he said, unsnapping her seat belt and pulling her across the front seat until she was on his lap.
"Mark!" she gasped, surprised at the speed with which she had been moved.
"Hmm, I could get used to that sound," he murmured, nibbling softly at her neck.
"Wh...what sound?"
"The sound of you gasping out my name, all out of breath like that. I'll have to see what I can do to make you lose your breath, won't I?" he asked, covering her mouth with his own in a deep kiss that did leave her totally breathless. When he pulled back, his narrowed green eyes speared into hers. "Say my name again."
She obliged and he took a deep breath at the husky sound of her voice, his body reacting instinctively to the warm press of hers. This was getting out of hand, he decided, gently placing her back in her own seat.
"Stay there," he ordered her, frowning comically at her when she went to open the door. He got swiftly out of the car and moved around to her side, opening her door and helping her out onto the driveway.
Amy felt the butterflies start up in her stomach again at the possessive way he held her hand as he walked her to the door, holding her in front of him as they stood under the soft glow of the porch light. "Will you be at the Arena tomorrow?"
"I'm not sure...I haven't really made any plans..."
"You have now. I'll see you tomorrow at lunch time in Vince's office, okay? No arguments!" he warned, dropping a light kiss on her lips and ringing the doorbell.
He smiled at Vince as he opened the door and then planted a soft kiss on her knuckles before walking away and getting back in his car.
Amy watched him drive away, feeling dazed by the events of the day.
"Everything okay?" Vince asked her as he led her into the house, his gaze falling to her chin and a slow smile spreading across his face.
"Fine," she murmured, her thoughts still with Mark.
"So you had a good time then?"
Amy looked up at him, noting his strange expression. "Yes, it was...fun."
"Mmm-hmm. You seem to have a bit of a rash on your chin," he said, standing her in front of the hall mirror so she could see. "Now, what could have caused that?"
Amy blushed when she saw what he meant. Mark's beard had rubbed her soft skin and a small red rash had appeared and, obviously, Vince knew what it was. Linda emerged from a room to their left and came over to see what they were looking at.
"Oh my," she said softly, smiling at Amy and giving a wink. "Leave her alone Vince, the poor girl looks all worn out. Come on, I'm going up now anyway, so I'll save you from this big old ogre!"
She led Amy up the sweeping staircase and into the large room at the end of the hallway, all decorated in creams and peaches with its own bathroom. When Linda had shown it to her the first night, she had almost been speechless.
"Wow," was all Amy had been able to say, never having seen such luxury in her life.
"I know, it's pretty amazing, huh?" Linda had said, glancing around the room. "Well, I'll leave you to it. Your bags are over there. Have a nice sleep."
Now Amy closed the door behind her on only her second night in this house, this time her thoughts being full of Mark and she knew that she would have sweet dreams.
Mark woke up early the next morning, sitting up in bed and immediately thinking about Amy. Strange, he thought, how he could feel so strongly attracted to a woman he had only just met. But he decided not to question it. He had already had some hard blows come to him because of women, not least his ex wife. By rights, he should be wary of ever talking to another female again, let alone touching one. But he knew, somewhere deep down, that Amy would never betray him or hurt him in any way. From the way her life had been so far, she knew what it was to hurt and how it felt to have no trust for people, especially men. She would never willingly hurt another person.
He smiled. As for trust, well, she had let him kiss her and she had changed rapidly from the frightened mouse he had met in Vince's office, to the sweet-natured and very desirable woman she had become the next evening.
He jumped out of bed and stretched slowly, trying to work the kinks out of his immense muscles before he took a shower. A wide smile stretched his lips and he shook his head. He couldn't wait to see her again, and he didn't even know her! Still, it would be good to see if his mind had been playing tricks on him the night before, or if she really was as gorgeous as he had thought. As far as he was concerned, lunch time couldn't come round fast enough.
