Page 6 of The Mobster and the Soccer Mom

Her pulse rate hadn't come down since.

At her confirmation, he ordered a bottle of white wine. They were at a seafood house on Baton Rouge's riverfront, so they both ordered seafood. The waiter left them alone. "I like this place. Have you been here before? " His voice was steady as he watched her looking around.

"No, I haven't. But it seems nice. " She looked at the expensive furnishings and the upper-class clientele. Her voice was soft. " Maybe I should have changed. "

He saw her discomfort intensify as she absorbed her surroundings. He felt something go through his system that he hadn't felt in a long time. The need to protect. To comfort. To make everything right for her.

"No. You look perfect the way you are. I was just being an ass earlier. Every man in here wants to be sitting where I am tonight. Just as long as I'm the only one who knows that your panties match that bra peeking through. " She blushed.

"They don't. Not anymore. I had to change them. " Her blush intensified. Lust hit him like a freight train.

"What color are they? --No, wait, don't tell me. I want it to be a surprise. "

Their entrees came out and as they drank their wine and ate he told her there was a dance floor and live music later. "You'll dance with me, won't you sweetheart? "

Her head spun and she knew it wasn't from the alcohol. "Yes. I'd like that. "

He smiled and poured her more wine.

Jenny swayed in his arms and knew she had never had an evening like this before. She had never had a lover like this before. He was her lover, right? Even if all they had was tonight and tomorrow, he was her lover. Her dream lover. He was so gentle. So considerate. Such a gentleman. He opened every door for her, he stood when she stood, he kissed her hand.

He was not a gentleman when they were alone. When they were alone, he was dominant, he was assertive, he was aggressive. Yet, she knew he wouldn't hurt her. He was her dream lover.

He spoke into her ear now as they danced to a slow classic rock song. "You feel so tiny in my arms. I want to eat you. " He smelled her hair. He breathed in her scent. "Angel, are you going to let me eat you up tonight? " His tongue swirled around the rim of her ear. He blew into it. Jenny's legs started to shake and she didn't know if she could stand by herself. He was holding her up now. He stood tall and straight and she could tell he felt comfortable with their height difference. She loved that.

Jenny found some bravado. "I want to eat you up, too. " She looked up into his eyes. His dark eyes went black at her words. "I want to lick you, too. " He gripped her so hard she could barely breathe. He reached down and kissed her deeply.

He broke the kiss and stopped dancing. "We can't make love in public. "

"Make love? " She whispered.

"Yeah. I owe you that much, after today. I want it that way, with you tonight. " He searched her eyes.

"Yes. "

Chapter Five

During the drive to Richard's home, Jenny found herself questioning the impulsive nature of her reaction to the man calmly driving the car. Even when they weren't touching, the magnetic force he exuded was potent. Too potent. In less than a twenty-four hour period, he had stormed her defenses and left her examining how her organized and logical life had gone off the rails. The suspicion that this meant more to her than just a three-day interlude was troubling and left her feeling vulnerable and panicky. There was also the suspicion that he actually was some kind of present day mobster. His face, as he concentrated on the road, was hard, lean and dangerous. She searched for some sign of softness. There was none. Yet his voice, as he held her and danced with her earlier, mesmerized her and cast her under a spell.

The car slowed and turned into a drive. The front of the house was nice but unimpressive. He helped her out of the car and retrieved her bag from the backseat. Automatic lights came on as they entered through the side. As she stepped inside, she was immediately astonished at the difference in the inside of the house and its unassuming front. Although the house was old and stately, the inside was completely modernized and customized. It was an executive home, no doubt, and anxiety started churning through her.

Richard was very aware of her absorption in his home. He was pleased as he looked around and saw it through her eyes. There were no new homes being built on the riverfront, so he chose the house for the grounds it sat on, more so than the structure itself. While keeping the historical details intact, he had hired a team of engineers and designers to completely update and restructure the inside of the house. It was more costly than completely razing the house would have been, but he was well pleased with the results and felt that the added expense had been worth the effort.

The house was on two levels and had ceilings seventeen feet high on the first floor. Custom marble columns dominated the main room and emphasized the curved, wrought iron stairway. Bamboo floors created a relaxed, low-key elegance that he required in his home. The house was open and airy and drew the eye to the back of the house where a wall of windows displayed an infinity pool that gave the illusion of flowing into the Mississippi river.

Richard gently picked up her hand and led her into the center of the room. "Welcome to my home, Jenny. " It occurred to him that he wanted her there. In his home. He usually never brought women here. His house and private space were sacred to him, and he didn't like anyone intruding. What kind of sorcery was she casting on him? What kind of witchery was making him act so differently? Her softness was a persuasion he couldn't resist. Her beauty a lure that tantalized him. He reached out and kissed her softly on the lips. He brushed his mouth lightly to the corner of hers. He took soft pecks all over her face and opened his mouth enough that she could just taste him. "Thank you for agreeing to come here with me, Jenny. "

She was mesmerized by his gentleness. She was terrified by the feelings coursing through her. She was forty-three years old, and the mother of two sons. She had experienced life and knew what lust felt like. This was more than lust. At least on her part. She felt an urgent need to regain control. She walked away from him and went to stand by the bank of windows. She gazed out over the water. "You have a gorgeous place. It's so much more than I expected. "

"What did you expect? " She felt his complete attention on her.

"I don't know. A house. You know. Like mine. Maybe a three bedroom, two bath ranch in the suburbs. Like mine. " Her head tipped to the left as she watched a speedboat go by.

"I'm sorry you're disappointed, sweetheart. " He came up behind her and laid his hands on her shoulders. He pulled her back into his front and pushed his pelvis into her. His presence was intense and consuming. Had she really thought she could regain control, just by strolling away? She was quickly learning that when he focused on something, he gave it all his attention. His focus now was on her.

"I'm not disappointed. " She turned in his arms. He circled his arms around her. She took a deep breath. "Richard, what do you do for a living? I mean, really do? "

He stiffened, but did not move away. If anything, his arms became firmer, more aggressive.

"You know I run a bar, Jenny. " His eyes glimmered at her. She felt his ruthlessness. His need to get his way. "Have you forgotten my office so soon? " He moved his hand to her breast. She jumped. "You want me to remind you how we met? "

Jenny shook her head. "I remember. " She looked around her. "But I don't understand all of this. Surely a bar in the city can't pay for this. "

She covered his hand on her breast with one of her own. She gazed into his eyes. "It scares me. " Her voice was a whisper. "Should I be scared of you, Richard? "

"No. I don't want you scared of me. "

"But, should I be? "

His stance became rigid. "I'm not letting you out of your promise to spend the weekend with me, just because of your prudent, moralistic attitude about how much money I have and how I make it. I'm not hurting you or anyone else. "

"You're not hurting anyone at all? " She relaxed slightly in his arms.

"They hurt themselves. I don

't open their mouths and pour the alcohol in. If I didn't supply the place to drink, someone else would. I see no legitimate reason that I shouldn't be turning a profit from other people's vices. Maybe you don't agree with that. But it's how I make money. Deal with it. "

Jenny felt some of the tension run out of her body. His answer was to the point. Succinct. He thought her morals were offended by the ethical question of his livelihood. Although she would like to give herself credit for worrying about the rightness of it all, she knew her distrust was more basic than that. She suspected he was engaged in illegal, nefarious activities.

She wasn't going to get to the bottom of this tonight. In fact, she would probably never know. They were on day two of a three-day interlude. She refused to worry about it anymore.

"Okay. " Her answer was simple, concise.

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