Phone call (81)

Ariel and Marcus finished eating and talked more for sometime. Soon it was time for Heather to close up the restaurant so they headed out.

"Guess we need to head home now. I'll call a cab." Ariel said.

"Let me take you home. I have my driver here. That way we can talk some more."

"Ok" She smiled.

The driver opened the door and Ariel got in. Then he help Marcus into the car and placed the wheel chair in the trunk. Ariel then gave the driver the address of her apartment.

"Did you have a good time tonight?" Marcus asked.

"Yes, better then I thought I would."

"Oh, you expected to have a bad time?"

"Not really, It's just you are fancy and I am plain."

He looked her up and down and frowned. "Ariel you are anything but plain."

"Thank you." Ariel said looking at her hands now.

"Can we go out again?" He asked.

"Sure, I would like that. As long as it's not something to fancy." She smiled.

"Alright." They pulled up to her apartment building and he took her hand. "My lovely Mermaid, Thank you for one of the best nights of my life." He then pulled her over for a kiss.

Marcus mouth crashed against hers with bruising force, his tongue claiming her mouth with ferocious dominance. She had no chance of resisting the kiss. All she could do was succumb and be kissed senseless. His fingers found the cilp holding her hair in place and tugged it free, then he yanked the bobby pins out. Her hair then fell down to one long braid around her shoulders. The moment her hair was free, he wrapped the braid around his fist to control her head, and deepen the kiss.

Ariel should have hated it. She should have been furious, or terrified. Instead, the helplessness, the fury and the mastery of his kiss…drove her over the edge.

When her mind finally cleared a little she pushed him away and quickly got out of the car. She ran just inside the doors and collapsed against the inner wall. She smiled and touched her lips. "That was amazing!" she said to herself before heading up the stairs.

Marcus smiled. She wanted him as much as he wanted her, he was sure of that. "Home" he told the driver.

Marcus went home and Mandy was waiting for him. She had moved the whole bedroom down to the den and placed the den items in the bedroom for storage.

"Did you have a good meeting?" She asked.

"Very good." He smiled.

"Everything is set up just as you asked. The Physical Therapist will be here tomorrow at 9 to start your rehab. You then have a meeting at 1 with the board of directors. Heny will meet with you before the meeting. Anything else I can do for you?" Mandy asked.

"No, Thank you. Wait send some Periwinkles to Ariel Jensen at the Capital Recreation Center tomorrow. The card should say Thank you for a wonderful meal."

"Yes sir." Mandy then walked out. Who was this Ariel? He said he had a personal meeting tonight not a date. She would need to find out who this gold digger was and stop her from getting between her and Marcus. Just like she had done with women in the past. She just knew that one day Marcus would see how much she cared for him and would return his love to her too.

Marus got ready for bed and picked up his phone.

[Are you wake still? 🤫] Marcus

Mermaid [Yes 😊]

[Can I call☎️ and talk 🗣to you for a while] Marcus

Just then his phone rang and the caller Id said Mermaid.

"Thank you" He said as he answered.

"Thought I would save a few texts. What did you need?" she asked.

"Nothing just wanted to hear your voice. I really did not want our night to end with just that kiss."

"Okay, What would you like to talk about?" she asked with a smile on her face touching her lips.

"Tell me about your family." He asked.

"My family? Well they have all passed away."

"Tell me about them."

"Well my mama was a wonder woman. She loved my papa very much. They met in highschool and married not long after graduation. Mama loved to cook. She made us very happy with the food she made. Papa worked as a park employee. He loved his job. He had come home for lunch when the building fell. Other wize he would of been at work like I was at school the day they all died. I was the apple of papa's eye. I loved riding on his shoulders when we went places. My baby brother was the sweetest baby. He never cried. His first world was Air. That is what he called me. Air cute wasn't it? He was my baby. I loved him very much. My mothers parents took me in. Papa had no family alive. My grandparents were just as loving as my mama was. They made this cruel world a little more bearable. When I was 10 I was teased because I had no parents that I was pushed down a flight of stairs at a park. The only good was a cute redheaded boy helped me home. I never met him again but just that one act of kindness made my heart want to go on. The next week my grandparents adopted me and my last name was changed. They sent me to a new school and even though I had a hard time making friends I never stopped looking for that boy. I will never forget what he said."

Marus then interrupted..

"What is this life if, full of care,

We have no time to stand and stare.

No time to stand beneath the boughs

And stare as long as sheep or cows.

No time to see, when woods we pass,

Where squirrels hide their nuts in grass.

No time to see, in broad daylight,

Streams full of stars, like skies at night.

No time to turn at Beauty's glance,

And watch her feet, how they can dance.

No time to wait till her mouth can

Enrich that smile her eyes began.

A poor life this if, full of care,

We have no time to stand and stare.

Leisure by W. H. Davies"

"How?" was all she could say.