Painful Waiting - Marcus

Marcus rubbed his knuckles as he walked through the dark steel reinforced door. It closed behind him as one of his men followed him and ensured the door was secure. Without a word, the other man who had waited beside the car opened the back door and closed it behind Marcus once he was settled into the plush interior.

Like a switch had been turned on by the scent that still lingered in the car, his mind closed the mental door on the limp figure he had just left and let the image of Hannah fill his thoughts. The last hour he had been apart from her was like it had never happened aside from the slight bruising on his knuckles.

He was pleased with how the evening went. Yes, he had to blackmail her into going out with him, but he could see in her eyes how a part of her was intrigued enough to not protest too much. He had caught her stealing glances at him as he sipped his mocha. He knew it would just take the right kind of push which she tipped her hand with by being so attentive to customer needs.

He desired to have taken her to a fancy restaurant and then straight to his bed. But something deep within him told him he was dealing with a different kind of woman who wouldn't allow him such access to her body so quickly. Over dinner he had learned that the gut instinct was right.

Hannah was not like the other women he had had in his life. Yes she was feminine all the way through with grace and an eye for attractive objects. It didn't escape him when her eyes followed one of the other diners who wore a very attractive dress. He could see her eyes quickly assessing whether she'd look good in it and if she could afford it. But with grace she was back in the conversation in the blink of an eye. The desire for the outfit was extremely minor.

She listened intently to what he had to say. In fact, he had surprised himself by opening up so much about his childhood and his likes. Never had he felt so comfortable with anyone. She was by far not like the other women who had attracted his eye.

Yes, he typically took a woman out to eat. But the conversation was shallow and dealt mainly on her wants and activities for the day. Rarely did he get a word in as the women went on and on about where they shopped and who they saw. Only when they mentioned particular special outfits for him did he perk up to listen closely. Usually that led to them leaving the restaurant and heading to bed to try out each outfit.

With Hannah he actually listened. He wanted to know every word she spoke. He longed to hear her thoughts and opinions. She was a woman he could enjoy more than the body of. Not that he didn't plan on indulging there.

Each time he looked at her he saw something more alluring. The way her neck curved when she turned her head had him longing to reach out and caress the soft skin that beckoned to him. He was jealous of the hair that drifted down and rested right where he longed to touch. Her lips begged to be plundered. They were full and usually spread out with a smile that he wanted to think was for him alone.

He wanted to take her from that restaurant and right into his bed. He actually started to tell the waiter they were to leave when that gut feeling hit him. Would she go so willingly? He had her out on a date, but that was a far cry from sharing a night of passion which he had no doubt it would be. The longer he sat and listened to her, the more he realized that wooing her was going to take more than a smile and dinner. He was going to have to pull her in subtly yet with determination.

It was going to be worth the wait. The fact that he actually enjoyed her company told him that. But in the meantime, he also had the problem of wanting her more than anything.

With a groan, he leaned forward and told his driver, "Steph". The man behind the wheel nodded and maneuvered the car in the traffic toward the new destination. Soon at least his frustrations would be eased temporarily.