Yeah, and if you do that, you can spend another couple of months with no sex except your fingers and the dildo you keep in the nightstand, the devil replied in my other ear. And for fuck's sake, you're on the pill, even though its been ages since you’ve seen any action. Do you remember how he felt? He's fucking ripped, and that cock you felt pressed against you, honey . . .
I could hear the devil give a little cheer of victory before whispering a final piece of advice. Just keep Harpgirl over there quiet, and get his phone number too. If he's halfway as good as we think, you're going to want to call him up again.
My decision made, I focused back on Mark, who was giving me a perplexed look. "Sorry, just thinking," I said with a sheepish grin. "Okay, I'd love a ride home. You know where King Street and Graham Avenue meet?"
"Yes, there's a few apartments in that area. Not a great area, but I’ve seen worse.”
There was no condescension in his voice, just a simple statement of fact. It was actually kind of cool to hear it, a lot of guys gave me a look like I was a hood rat when they found out where I lived. "Vista Garden Apartments."
"All right. Let's go then."
When we left the VIP room, Mark slipped the attendant outside a folded up bill.
"Thanks for the service J," he said quietly, before leading me out. I felt a big boost to my ego when I saw Tabby and Kelly, both still playing with their boy toys, catch sight of us. Tabby did a double take before clapping and giving me a big thumbs up from across the club. "I see your friends approve."
I glanced over at Mark, who was grinning confidently and looking at me with a look in his eyes that bordered on cocky. He turned his grin to Tabby and returned the thumbs up, causing my bubbly friend to burst out in laughter. Over the loud club music, I couldn't tell what she said to Kelly, but I trusted Tabs. She'd had my back for a long time. If I was leaving the club with a handsome guy, Tabby would be cheering me on.
Walking through the parking lot, I was surprised at first when I felt Mark take my hand as we walked. "I enjoyed our talk and our dance," Mark said. "I'd like to do it again sometime."
Whoa. Was this vision of masculinity really asking me out on a date? "I'd like that," I finally said. "Give me your phone number?"
"I've got a card in the car," he said, reaching into his pocket and thumbing his security tab. I was only partially surprised when an electric blue Mercedes responded.
"Wow, nice wheels. What is it?" I asked, looking at the gull-wing doors. "I've never seen a Mercedes like this."
"GT-S, all electric drive," Mark replied, opening the door and helping me into the low-slung passenger seat. I know I gave him a very nice look at my legs getting in there, but I didn't mind at all. "I'm into being green."
And spending it, I whispered to myself after he closed the door and came around, checking out the interior. All leather seats, a Bose sound system, and enough of those little touches that said this car was easily in the six-figure price range. Whoever Mark was, he had money. I waited until he settled into the driver's seat before saying anything. "I have to say, it's an impressive car."
"Thanks. Cars are one of the only things I like to splurge on," he said, turning on the engine.
The ride back to my apartment was surreal. Other than the wind flowing over the vehicle, it's almost totally silent. "Wow, you could be a ninja in this thing," I commented when we were about halfway to my home. "I'd never hear you coming."
Mark nodded and I could hear him chuckling under his breath. "I enjoy it that way," he said. "What about you, what do you drive?"
I laughed and looked over at him. "You'd laugh if I told you."
"Oh, come on. You know if you don't, I'm going to spend five minutes in your parking lot guessing what it is until you tell me one way or another."
The North Side isn't exactly Hell's Kitchen New York, but it's not the sort of place a guy just hangs out in a Mercedes sports coupe either. I didn't want Mark to have any problems, so I gave in. "Fine. I drive an old Honda Civic. I mean, the thing's so old they still have that old badge on the back, the one that looks like it says CVCC instead of Civic?"
"I know what you mean. I'm not afraid to note my first car was one of those too," Mark said. He glanced at me out of the corner of his eyes and smirked. "What, you thought I was born with money? When you get to know me well enough, you'll find all sorts of surprises."
The comment touched me. Maybe he really did want to see me again and wasn't just giving me a line back in the parking lot.
Chapter 5
Mark
The Vista Garden Apartments weren't the worst apartments I'd ever been to. My work takes me to worse places sometimes, although I didn't exactly like hanging out in locales like this. I spotted Sophie's Civic almost immediately, and noted that it was parked in the slot for apartment 212. I filed it away, along with the fact that her car had a parking sticker for not only the local university, but the university hospital. Her story about being a student wasn't bullshit.
"I'm sorry that our dance got cut off," I told her after stopping the car. "I know it's a bit sudden, but are you busy Sunday night?"