"Because you're human. We were made to be in relationships with each other. Love is a part of who we are. It's a gift from God himself." Ms. Martin smiled and lifted a scone to her mouth, taking a small bite.
"I hate it. I'm good with lust, but love... ehhh." Lisa took another drink of her coffee before setting it down and reaching for a piece of the scone.
"Who is he? Tell me about him."
"He's this guy that I met and he's not even really my type. I mean he's crazy hot and has this body that..." Lisa stopped, looking up and laughing at the look on Kari's mother's face. She knew that the woman knew her secrets, but decided to play along. "Anyway, he's gorgeous and smart, sweet and funny, but we connected too well when we met. I decided, or really, we decided that not getting to know each other was best."
"Why on earth was that the decision you two made?"
"Because his life is very different from mine. There's an age gap between us and he's living his life here in New York. Neither one of us would be willing to give up all we've built and created to be close to each other. It's just not fair. Surely there is someone else, like someone in Maine that could make me feel as good as he does just by looking my way." She sighed loudly, brushing her hand over the top of her head and tugging hard at her ponytail. "He drives me crazy though."
"Does he feel the same?"
"I guess. I don't know. He was a total ass yesterday about the situation, which helps in some ways. I'm getting on a plane this evening and pretending that he doesn't exist."
"Do you think that's going to work?"
"Fuck no." She shrugged as Ms. Martin flinched. "Sorry. I'll try and watch my language."
"Don't bother. Just spill your heart, sweetie. I hate love too, but that's just because it's not part of my life anymore. It's the most powerful emotion we have. You need to reconsider how to deal with it."
"I guess, just not sure who that makes me. I've always run hard and fast from the idea of having to belong to anyone. I had a shitty childhood thanks to my overbearing mother and my pussified father." Lisa shook her head. "Sorry..."
"Stop apologizing. Marc curses like a sailor too. I've just learned to ignore it and pray for him all the more."
"You going to pray for me later?" Lisa's lip lifted in a soft smile.
"With sack cloth and ashes like in the Old Testament. You both need extra prayers." She laughed and got up, moving to the kitchen, which wasn't more than a stone's throw from the table.
"Because of our potty mouths?"
"Because you sound like you have the same illness."
"Explain." Lisa turned her chair to face the pretty woman as she started to cut up potatoes in the small kitchen.
"Marc hasn't been himself in a few months. He's usually so funny and full of life. He mopes around here every Sunday, his best friend Jackson calling last week to see if something was really wrong. He's just been so depressed. I'm going to talk to him about going to the doctor soon."
"He's probably in love. It's a disease." Lisa shrugged, the news hitting her harder than she wanted to admit. She stood up, tears threatening to give her disposition away. "I'm going to wash up. I’ll help you cook."
"I would love that. Just down the hall on the left. You can't miss it." Kari's mom chuckled as Lisa walked away quickly. She barely reached the bathroom before the first soft sob slipped from her lips. She hadn't cried more than ten times in her life, the last few months being nine of them.
Sitting down on the closed toilet she reached for a towel hanging over the top of the shower and pressed her face to it as another sob left her. The smell of Marc's body wash filled her senses, a groan leaving her. She needed to get home - now. Distance would make the heart grow cold and Michael Carrington would help, no doubt. She would just throw herself into a relationship with him.
Surely Ms. Martin would understand when she jetted out of there like her ass was on fire. Life was too short to be tied to one person and wait for them to either cheat on you like Kari's ex had, or peter out and give up, much like her own father.
She walked from the bathroom, wiping at her face as the sound of Marc's voice reached her.
"Lisa's here? Oh good. I need to apologize to her."
CHAPTER NINE
"No, no need to apologize. It was my fault. You were in the right." Lisa moved into the living area.
Marc turned to face her, his eyebrow lifting.
The tight black leather jacket that rested over his white t-shirt caught her attention first. Surely he didn't. He extended a large red bag toward her.
"I got you something." He didn't seem at all like himself. It looked as if life had pulled the plug on his joy and forced him to watch it die.
"I don't need anything. I have everything I want back home." She shrugged and moved past him to sit down at the table. "Ms. Martin, do you need help with lunch?"
"Hmmm? Oh no. Just take a load off. We'll eat in about twenty minutes. What time is your flight?"
"It's at five today." Lisa shrugged, not sure what time the flight was. Trisha had yet to get back to her, but she would spend the night at the airport if it meant running hard and fast from her feelings.
"Five? I thought you were staying until tomorrow." Marc moved into her line of sight, sitting down in front of her and leaning toward her.
She pulled her legs back, shrugging casually. "Things change. People change. Lessons are taught and learning gleamed. Leaves the student with a decision to make. I'm simply making mine."
"What are you two fussing about?" Ms. Martin moved in behind Marc as the color drained from his face. He took a long breath, his eyes never leaving her.
Lisa shifted her gaze up to Kari's mom, smiling as sweetly as she could. "Nothing, just acting like brother and sister. You know, Kari's little baby brother has become like one to me too. I didn't have siblings. It's nice."
Ms. Martin pulled Marc's head up and smiled down at him, kissing his forehead once. "He is a cute little guy, isn't he?"
"Mom, really?" He pulled from her and turned back to Lisa, pinning her with a hard stare.
Sadly enough, the anger in it made her pulse jump. If it weren't for his silly need to dominate her in the elevator, the sex would have been classified as fucking hot. He knew how to bring her to heights of ecstasy that she hadn't experienced before. She was on the edge of orgasm when he let himself go, but she held back, not wanting to give him the pleasure of knowing how much power he had over her.
It was uncomfortable and suffocating.
What if he wanted to make things right between them? To move to Maine and start a life with her?
Fairy tale bull shit.
"You think of me like a little brother?"
"I do now." She smiled sardonically and turned to face the table, reaching for another scone and licking at the icing on her fingers.
"You would throw away what's happening between us simply because you're scared of it?" he leaned over and whispered harshly.
She turned her head toward him, her eyes narrowing. "You had no right to fuck me like that yesterday. You took a gift I gave you and bastardized it."