ENJOY!

The Compromise

Part One:

Mercedes tugged the dress Tina picked out down as she stepped out of her car, shaking her head. She had plenty of body-con dresses but Tina insisted on her wearing this one. She pulled out her phone and quickly dialed Tina.

"Are you there?"

"Yes, what does he look like?" Mercedes asked, walking into the restaurant stopping by the hostess station.

"Tall, dark and handsome as hell! He's wearing a red tie, like you." She replied cheekily.

Mercedes looked around before spotting a tall and very handsome man standing by the bar with a red tie. "Oh… he is handsome. Okay, I'll call you later."

"Don't get laid instead." Tina replied before hanging up. Mercedes rolled her eyes before placing her phone into her clutch and started walking over to where her blind date was standing.

Anthony caught sight of Mercedes and his face broke into a grin. "Wow. Tina said you were beautiful, but you are drop dead gorgeous." He lifted a single rose and handed it to her. "For you."

Mercedes blushed. "Thank you, she said you were handsome and charming, I see both are true." She replied, accepting the rose.

"Shall we head to the table?" He asked holding his arm out to her.

Mercedes looped her arm with his. "Yes."

Anthony led her to their table. "I hope you don't mind, this table has the best view of the water." He stated as he pulled out her chair.

Mercedes looked out at the view and smiled. "It's beautiful, I don't mind it at all."

He pushed her chair in and smiled moving to take his seat. "What is that intoxicating smell, you smell better than anything that will be on this table tonight." He said, staring at her hungrily.

Mercedes let out a soft laugh. "Umm… I'm not sure, I'm not wearing any perfume…" She replied, holding his gaze.

"Damn… forgive me for being forward, but if that just you naturally, I can't wait to get to know you better…and those eyes, has anyone ever told you how beautifully seductive they are, yes you my dear are trouble, with those eyes, lips…and that smell you would have me eating…" he paused eyeing her body before going back to her eyes. "Out of the palm of your hands."

Mercedes bit her lip, smirking. "Oh really? What exactly would you be… eating?" She asked, amused.

Anthony licked his lips with a smirk. "I am sure I can find something…utterly delicious to eat."

Mercedes leaned in. "Is eating all you want to do?" She teased.

"Definitely not. But I am a gentleman…until you tell me not to be." He said, staring at her. "And then, well lets just say, the real fun can begin."

She moved her hair exposing her neck. "I think we're past you being a gentleman, so do explain how much fun I'd be having with you."

Anthony's eyes lit up. "Oh I really like you." He leaned in. "It depends, I don't think I can wait to get you home, I might just need a taste before we even leave this restaurant."

Mercedes shifted in her seat, running her heeled foot along his leg. "How would you get that taste you want so badly?"

"I would take you to the back, there's a family restroom I would love to get you in. Lock the door, and after I have fully and thoroughly kissed those sexy ass lips, I'd fall to my knees and worship that treasure between your thighs." He said, giving her a good look at the length of his tongue as he took a sip of water.

Mercedes smiled. "I'm more than sure that's another way to get a taste without even leaving this table." She said moving the chair beside her out.

"You know, even though this is the best view, I think the best seats might actually be the booths…I-"

"Hi! I'm Callie and I'm going to be your server for the evening, can I get you two started with some drinks?" The bubbly woman asked.

Anthony sat back with a wicked grin on his face. "Actually… we were wondering if we might be able to get a booth?"

Mercedes smirked. "Preferably in the back."

"Is… there something wrong with this seat?" Callie asked.

Anthony shook his head. "No ma'am it's perfect, it's just, we are on a date and I prefer a bit more intimate setting, that won't be a problem will it?"

"Ah! No it won't be an issue, if you'll just follow me I think I have the perfect spot!" Callie said, waiting for them before leading them to the booth.

Anthony stands and places his hand on Mercedes lower back as they follow Callie. He leans into her whispering in her ear. "You look like a screamer, you think you can keep it quiet?" he teased sweetly.

Mercedes moved in front of him intentionally brushing her ass against him before looking over her shoulder. "You gotta earn the screams." She replied back.

"Trust me, beautiful by the end of the night, that's not all I will be earning." He said, ghosting a kiss on her neck.

Mercedes felt a strong shiver rush throughout her body before her entire body went cold. She stopped walking before letting out a breath, Sam was sitting at a booth with a pretty blonde woman looking cozy.

"You okay there?" Anthony asked, rubbing her back and she nodded with a small smile.

"Yes, just a little… light headed." She said walking again towards their booth. As she sat down, she felt Anthony's hand on her thigh but the spark that was there was now gone.

He looked at her again. "Is this too much? Did I overstep?" He asked, concerned.

Mercedes shook her head. "It's not that… I just… saw someone and it kinda took me to another place." She admitted honestly. Anthony nodded before sliding out of the booth and moving to the other side.

"An ex?"

"No, not necessarily… just there was something there and then because of kids it wasn't able to become more." She answered.

Anthony smiled. "You have a kid?"

"Yes, she's sixteen and the sweetest thing." Mercedes replied, happy for the subject and mood change. "Her name is Michaela."

"I personally don't have any kids but I definitely want them, and if Michaela is anything like her mother, she is a very lucky girl."

Mercedes smiled. "She may take after me a little too much."

"Okay so you are this beautiful and talented mother and doctor. Besides that idiot in there who let you go, why are you still single." He asked softly.

Mercedes sighed feeling slightly more relaxed. "I wasn't ready at first, and then I just got so busy I didn't think about it."

Anthony understood. "I feel like I've put my work ahead of everything and am just now realizing having monetary success isn't keeping me warm at night."

"I was wondering what a tall, handsome, really amazing guy like you was doing single. So Tina didn't tell me what you did." She replied, willing her mind to focus on Anthony and not Sam and his date.

"I own several real estate companies and as for the single part, I never created time to get to know anyone. Tina told me you were an anesthesiologist, how did you get into that?"

She grabbed a glass and took a sip. "It happened in college, I found out I was pregnant and though I wanted to go into General Surgery, I knew with my late husband's career being the way it was I needed to be able to choose my own schedule. As an anesthesiologist I can do that."

"How long has it been since he passed?" He asked, taking a sip of his drink as well.

"13 Years. Mic was just 3 at the time. If it wasn't for Tina and her husband Mike, I would have fallen apart." She said honestly.

He nodded, leaning in and grabbing her hand. "I lost someone… We weren't married but we were leading that way. It's probably why I shut down and just worked my ass off."

She let him take her hand, still sad about Sam but grateful to have someone who understood her pain. "It gets better but the pain never fully goes away does it?" She asked, knowing the answer.

Anthony shook his head. "You try to find them in people but you know deep down that will never happen so you try your best at finding new things that spark your interests"

She nodded looking down to their hands, she looked back up to him and smiled, until she felt a pair of eyes boring into her, and she knew without even looking his way that Sam had noticed she was there.

Sam's head was hurting trying to make sense of what Penny was saying and wondering why this conversation couldn't be had at his place but Mike suggested a neutral place so here they were.

"Penny, she needs to see that we're a united front and we can't flip flop on discipline." He said taking a long sip of his drink and looking around before spotting a familiar face.

"Sam, you have never been a young lady! There are thin- Sam? Sam are you listening to me?" She said.

Sam blinked before looking back at Penny. "Huh? What?" He asked looking back over her shoulder and seeing Mercedes sitting there with what looked like a date. He felt a jealous pang in his gut because it should've been him taking her on a date but he promised his daughter that he wouldn't date her.

"Sam, you talk about being a united front, but you aren't even paying attention to me." She ran her hands through her hair and followed his gaze to the couple behind him and looked back to Sam. "Ah Sam, are you so hard on Jade because you are lonely? I knew you took the divorce hard but you shouldn't take it out on your daughter. Maybe just put yourself out there."

Sam looked at Penny like she was crazy. "I didn't take it hard, I'm the one that asked for it and for me being hard on Jade it has nothing to do with me being lonely and everything to do with the fact that she's an entitled brat. Also I have put myself out there and she wasn't happy with the person I chose so I agreed not to date said person." He snapped.

Penny scoffed. "She didn't like Karl at first either, we can't stop doing what makes us happy because our daughter said so. Besides, you say she's a brat but you are the one who gives her what she wants too." She licked her lips moving closer to him. "You know, you seem a bit tense."

Sam rolled his eyes. "I'm tense because our sixteen year old daughter is acting out. I'm tense because her mother refuses to admit that she's been enabling her and I'm tense because I have a conference coming up which means she will be home alone… for six days." Sam bit out.

Penny nodded. "I understand that, well let me take care of this, Sam she's a teenager she is going to act out. We just like you said have to be a team. I- Karl and I both can cut back on enabling her and try to be a little tougher. She can always come and stay with us while you are gone and…" She let her hand fall to his thigh. "I seem to remember how I used to help you de-stress before a conference."

Sam moved her hand away from him, groaning. "For the love of God Penny, you're married and I'm not interested. She already said she wanted to stay home and Kat will be there with her. Excuse me, I need to go to the bathroom." He said getting up and walking away from the table shaking his head.

After they put their order in, Mercedes took a sip of her wine. "Can you excuse me for a moment, I need to visit the restroom?"

Anthony smiled. "Don't stay away too long, or I will take that as an invitation."

She laughed, shaking her head. "I'll be back." She stood up, in truth she didn't need to use the restroom, but she needed a break. Anthony was amazing but her mind was filled with Sam and that wasn't fair to Anthony so she needed to get her mind right.

Walking to the door she stopped in her tracks as she stood face to face with those piercing green eyes. "Sam." She said breathlessly.

Sam looked down at her, taking in how beautiful she looked. "Mercedes, how are you?" He asked, taking a step closer.

She should have backed away, but she felt drawn to him. "I'm okay, how are you? How is Jade doing?"

He smiled. "That's good to hear and she's doing… better. How's Michaela? I miss seeing her at the house,"

"Pretty sure you are the only one." She laughed softly. "She's good, not sure how I feel about her and Adam growing close but…" She eyed him. "You look really handsome tonight."

Sam took a step closer, still smiling. "I'm sure it's harmless… her and Adam I mean." He said, looking her over again. "You look… stunning as usual."

She blushed looking away from him. "I don't…your date is really lucky."

He tilted his head before chuckling. "No, that… I am not on a date. That's my ex-wife, we're having a meeting about Jade, that's all." He replied, running his hand through his hair. "A very long and useless meeting…"

She nodded. "Oh. I am sorry about that. I have been in those." She chewed her bottom lip, needing to be close to him but also needing to get away, she didn't know what it was about Sam but she wanted to kiss him, touch him, all of the things that she couldn't do with him.

Sam looked at Mercedes intensely. "So you're on a date?

Suddenly she felt like she had betrayed him, though she shouldn't feel that way. "Yeah."

"Lucky guy.. Are you having a good time?"

She nodded. "Yeah, he's a good guy." She said moving closer to Sam as someone walked past them gently bumping her into him more. Her hands rested on his chest and she stared up to him. "I uh-."

Sam wrapped his arms around her to keep her steady. "You okay?" He asked, wanting to kiss her.

She nodded, staring at his lips then his eyes. "We seem to be in the way."

Sam wrapped his arms tighter. "Would it be rude to kiss you while you're on a date?" He asked, licking his lips and looking at hers.

If she was smart she would have said no and pushed him away, they were in public, anyone could see. But all she could do was nod, she missed his lips.

Sam didn't wait for her to change her mind, he leaned down and crashed his lips onto hers immediately melting when he felt her kissing him back. "I missed this." He said in between kisses.

Mercedes' height almost matched his as she wrapped her arms around his neck returning his kiss just as passionately. "I did too…" She moaned out softly against his lips. "So much."

Sam turned them around, pressing her against the wall and deepened the kiss. He lifted her up slightly, moaning against her lips. "I wanted to call you, I wanted to come see you but…" He stopped kissing her again.

She took his lips in hers, sucking on the bottom as her arms wrapped tighter around his neck. "I've wanted you to stop by…but-" She stopped realizing what she was doing. Regretfully she pulled. "Sam…this is torture." She whispered.

Sam let out a deep breath. "I know… I wish things were different, I wish I was the one taking you on a date and getting to make you smile." He replied, taking a step back.

"I wish things were different too Sam. God I wish you could hold me, kiss me…take me…home. But we can't. You are doing what you think is best for your daughter and I have to respect that." She said sadly.

Sam nodded. "I hate how amazing you are about this… just know if it were another time, I would be taking you home right now." He replied.

She licked her lips nodding. "And what would you do once you got me home?"

Sam smirked. "I'm not big on talking, I'd much rather show you… for hours."

She hissed through her teeth. "Hours huh? Almost makes me want to ask you to come over…Mic is gone for the weekend…" She said not even sure what she was doing at this point. 'Go back to your table' her mind said but her heart kept her feet rooted right there.

"Is that an invitation?" He asked, moving closer again.

"Only if you accept." She said with a smile. "We've been gone a while. We should head back." She looked around before stepping closer to Sam. "Maybe I'll see you later…" She said kissing him softly. "Just so you know, you aren't the only one who can go for hours." She whispered before she walked towards the ladies room.

Sam grabbed her arm and pulled her into him. "We can leave now." He said, kissing her deeply. "I only need to tell Penny dinner is over."

She stared at him and nodded. "Okay, I will tell Anthony something came up."

"Did you drive?" He asked.

She nodded. "I did."

Sam smirked. "Good, I'll be waiting in the parking lot." He said shooting Penny a message.

Mercedes swallowed with a nod. She walked fully into the ladies room, fixing her make up and dress. Then pulled out her phone. She liked Anthony, she did, but if this was all she could get with Sam, she needed to take it. Walking towards her table she offered him a small smile. "Anthony I am sorry to do this, but something just came up I have to get home."

"Oh, is everything okay?" He asked, signaling for their waitress.

"I'm sure it will be, can we do this again?" She asked softly.

Anthony nodded. "Yes, of course. Let's get you out of here." He said, dropping a few bills on the table. "I'll escort you out."

She smiled, taking his hand. "Thank you, here give me your phone." She said as they walked towards the door. "I'll put my number in it." As she finished and they made it to her car she smiled handing him his phone back. "Thank you again."

Hold up. hold up... Mercedes a freeeeakk lol

Now Tina and Mike know better lol