"What’re you thinking?" He spoke softly, leaning forward and slipping his hand under the table. His fingers brushed by her knee softly as he watched her.

"I was thinking about how handsome you are."

"All the men in the world and I'm handsome?"

"Handsome. Sexy. Funny. Brilliant."

He laughed and sat back, picking up his glass. "I think you’re just horny. I'm not brilliant. I'll take those others and run with them, but brilliant?"

"I'm always horny when I let you infiltrate my senses." She took a sip of her wine, her lips lingering along the edge of the glass as she undressed him with her eyes. "Your degree is in biology. You're brilliant. Enough said. I'll not be stroking your ego."

"I have something else you can stroke." He set his glass down and winked at her as the server approached. Depositing salads before them, the young man worked fast to clear bread plates and move back out of the room.

"So you'll come to lunch tomorrow with us?" Marc asked.

"Yes. I need to get back to my parents tonight, but let's spend tomorrow night together if you're free. I leave Monday morning early."

"I'll clear my schedule." He looked down at his salad, his expression shifting again as he glanced back up. "I hope you've been as miserable dating other people as I have since we met. I'd hate to think I'm suffering alone here."

CHAPTER SEVEN

Lisa let the conversation die between them, the warning look she gave pensive and painful. She was stunned to think that he might feel the same. Even if he did... nothing was going to change. She didn't do long-distance relationships, or relationships in general. Falling in love with Marc couldn't change that. It was core to who she was as a person. She had built her identity on her sexuality, on her prowess. It was a protection if nothing else.

They finished dinner and Geno refused to let Marc pay. Lisa tugged at his arm, urging him to let the restaurant owner treat them.

"Thank you. See boy? Beautiful and smart. Hold on to her. Once in a lifetime." Geno reached over and touched Lisa's shoulder before popping Marc on the back again. "Get out of here and go live your life, eh? You only get one."

"Thanks, Geno." Marc opened the door as Lisa moved out onto the busy New York street. She turned to wait for Marc to move in beside her. "Let's go get the car and I'll get you home."

"Sounds good. Dinner was delicious. Just enough, but not too much."

"I can't believe you ate vegetable lasagna. Fucking nasty." Marc scrunched up his face.

"I like vegetables. Not everything has to be meat and potatoes."

"I would have taken you as a girl who loved a big piece of meat."

She turned toward him, pulling him against her as she flipped her hand around and cupped his crotch, leaning into him. "I like certain types, but it has to be a prime cut for me to even consider wasting my time on it."

He slid his hand over her and pressed his hips forward, rubbing himself subtly against her as his other hand slid along her neck, squeezing softly.

"I think you'll be quite pleased with what I'm packing. You didn't get a good look today, but I'd say by the convulsions of your sexy ass, you felt it."

She leaned in and nipped at his lips. "Are you wanting me to get up close and personal with it?"

"Do I want to see your mouth spread around my dick? Is that what you're asking me, you naughty girl?"

"Do you?" She pulled her fingers in a come hither, scratching at the stiffening base of his erection.

"I do. I need to. I want to see that sexy look on your face that says you can handle anything I can throw at you. I can't imagine not getting to live in that moment for a long time."

"Mmmm... So hot, Marc."

"Yes, you are, baby." He moved his hands to slide along her face, leaning down and kissing her in the middle of Times Square. People moved past them, but the world slowed down for a moment.

His fingers were warm and gripping, his lips so soft and wet. He explored her mouth, groaning into the kiss. The vibration of his actions brushed across her tongue. Her fingers dug into him, need rolling over her in crashing waves. She pulled back breathless, unsure of how things could get any hotter between them.

"We're going to get arrested for public indecency." She smiled and moved back, pulling her hands from him and letting out a long aggravated sigh.

He moved toward her, wrapping her in a side hug and moved them toward the parking garage. "I couldn't agree more. Many more kisses like that and I'm going to rip your panties off of you and have my way with you until you beg for mercy."

"More."

"More?" He turned to her as they crossed the street.

"Beg for more. I don't believe in mercy and sex."

"No? Looks like you have a lesson to learn."

"Who's going to teach it to me?" She bit at her lip, hurrying with him as cars began moving toward them.

"The only man who's capable of it. Me."

"What if another man has the ability to as well? He might exist."

"Doubtful. Why... have you been dating?"

Lisa moved from underneath him and pressed the button on the elevator. He was going to keep pressing until they exploded at each other. She wanted to strangle him when she thought about how much the need for him had dicked up her life. Was his any different? Didn't seem like it from his comments at dinner.

"I've seen a few men. I can't seem to get past thinking what you would think of them." She walked into the elevator, leaning back to hold the door for him.

"I don't like men, so no need to take my thoughts into consideration. Uck." He winked and pressed the top floor before turning toward her. "I would hope that you make them fuck you from behind."

"What? Why?"

"So that it's me you imagine doing it."

"Is that what you do? Fuck all the girls you date from behind so it's me bent before you?" She moved toward him, anger sprouting in her chest. How dare he put that on her. It was poking too close to the truth.

"Yeah, and I'm honestly sick of it." He moved toward her, the two of them meeting in the middle. His expression moved from playful to angry. "I need you to get out of my head. My life is spinning out of control. I used to fuck and have fun. Now I've got this schoolgirl crush and nothing tastes good, nothing feels right... I can't even masturbate without groaning your name."

"You think I'm not sick of it too? And schoolgirl crush? You think this feeling is some silly pathetic response to the fact that we're attracted to each other?"

"Lisa, I'm trying to get on with my life."

"We've not even tried us yet. You're delusional." She pushed her hand against his chest, anger burning a hole in her resolve to stay far away from the present conversation.

He caught her hand and pulled her toward him. "Why haven’t we tried us? What are you so fucking afraid of?"

"I'm not the only one afraid."

"I don't want you with other men. I don't want other women."

"That's your problem. I don't want this emotional bullshit laid on me. I'm dealing with enough of my own." She moved back, jerking from his touch, needing it far too much.

He turned and hit the red button on the elevator, the steel machine screeching to a halt as it stopped in mid-air. The glass walls around them showed the city in full effect, the beauty of it fleeting as she looked back at him.