The Other Side

Charli grabbed onto his arms and the contact of her hands on his bare arms had Mark’s whole body tingling. His co*k hardened and demanded some attention. But Mark wasn’t going to do that; Charli was a classy person and she didn’t deserve to be used like that. He only meant to give the impression that she was cheating, not actually follow through.

But his body seemed to have missed the memo.

“I’m so sorry, I…” Charli got her balance back and looked up. She saw him and her breath caught. “Oh, it’s you.”

“Sorry, did you want to bump into somebody else?”

“I just…” Charli blushed a deep red. She looked very cute when she blushed. She stepped back and adjusted her jacket, trying not to look at him. “Look, Mr Hildenstern, I’m not in a very talkative mood. I just want to go home.”

Mark could understand. He had got there a few minutes before Charli and Henson and had seen her expression fall when Kimberly arrived and got cozy with her boyfriend without any shame. Charli’s body language had changed in the short time they had sat there and Mark wanted to go over there and make her feel better.

While he wasn’t good at long-term relationships, he never treated a woman the way Henson was treating Charli. He had a bit more respect than that.

“You got a ride?”

“We took a cab here. I thought I’d be having a glass of wine and didn’t want to risk driving.”

Smart girl. Mark wished he could be as smart. He had been on soda to prepare for this meeting; he didn’t trust himself to go overboard as he normally did when he touched alcohol.

“My car’s around the corner. I can take you home.” He held up his hands. “I promise you, I’m just acting as a taxi service. I won’t do anything untoward.”

He could see Charli debating with herself. But he had noticed the dilation of her pupils when she first saw him and the slightly rapid breathing. She was attracted to him.

Maybe he could work on that.

Finally she swallowed and nodded.

“Okay.”

Mark knew he was in trouble now. He had wanted to mess with Henson’s head but knowing Charli was attracted to him was going to make this hard. It was going to make him feel like the bad guy if Charli got hurt.

But when he slipped Charli’s arm through his and they began to walk down the street, he didn’t feel guilty. Not in the least.

*****

Charli knew what she was doing wasn’t the best idea in the world. But she wanted to get home and Mark was there and he was offering to take her. She wanted to get out of there.

It felt weird walking next to him, touching him, and Charli liked it. Even in the cool evening air his body felt warm, his muscles flexing under her touch. Andy had been wearing a t-shirt and jeans but he couldn’t pull it off like Mark could. There was something about Mark that Andy was missing. Charli didn’t know what it was but it was getting her attention.

She shook herself, mentally telling herself to get a grip. She shouldn’t be thinking like this. But Charli didn’t care.

Mark’s car was parked around the corner. Charli whistled when she saw the vintage vehicle, its dark blue paint gleaming. She didn’t know her cars but she knew it was an old make and model. It didn’t look old; it looked brand new.

“Nice car.”

“Thanks.” Mark looked pleased at her comment. “I inherited it from my dad. He bought it when it was going for scrap and did it up. It’s worked like a charm for nearly twenty years and I’ve had it for half of that.”

“What happened to your dad?”

“He died of cancer eleven years ago.” Mark looked uncomfortable. “He left this to me and made me promise to look after it. I wasn’t going to let him down.”

“You’ve done him proud.” Charli ran a hand lightly over the hood. “It’s beautiful.”

Mark coughed and blushed a bright red. Charli bit her lip as her arousal rushed straight to her core. Mark was a handsome man and something ramped it up when he blushed. That shouldn’t even be possible.

Mark helped her into the car, Charli settling into the cool leather seat. Mark got in behind the wheel and switched the ignition on, the car barely making a sound. Charli then felt the seat suddenly warm up and it took a moment to realize that the seats were heated. Once she got over the feeling that she had suddenly peed in the seat, it felt nice.

Charli gave directions and Mark turned the car into the street, turning north in the direction of her apartment. As they drove, Charli thought about what had happened in the restaurant and how Andy and Kimberly had made her feel. When a couple went out they expected to have time to themselves, not have someone barge in and make one of them sit on the outside.

She was angrier at Andy. They had done everything together and Andy always remembered her feelings. They had drifted apart in the last four years and Kim was the reason. She hadn’t believed Andy would be so easily led but it was more than that; Kim had brainwashed him.

He was such a bas*ard.

“I thought you weren’t in a talkative mood.” Mark said lightly.

Charli realized she had said that out loud.

“Sorry.” She looked down at her hands. “He just makes me so mad. After his ego and that bi*ch, there isn’t any room in his life for me.”

“Sounds like a rough relationship.”

“It was great until he went professional in college and won against the US number five.”

“Randy Moussami?”

“That’s him.” Randy was a lovely man. Charli had met him at a party and liked him. “Andy’s confidence rocketed through the roof and he devoted more time to playing the big guys, believing he was one of them. But he still had time for me and didn’t treat me with any disrespect.” Charli glared out the window. “Then he got Kim just before graduation and things changed completely. She got him on a road that was too much on his tennis and not enough on everything else.”