Ch 9: A Not So Usual Saturday
1810 Words
Only thinking about him now, his body; his -oh so tempting- body, Maria was left shivering, and her heartbeats were in quite a hurry. This state she was in explains clearly why lust has been considered as a SIN.
No woman in her right mind –let alone a teenager like herself– could resist his charm, or deny his raw s*x-appeal. He was like a magnate. She would...
Maria shook herself, trying to clear her head from those indecent thoughts she was having.
Seconds later, Blake strolled in, looking sexier than ever in loose jeans, a silken white long-sleeved shirt, with his hair a hot black mess. His expression wasn't one of smugness or anything that might refer to the scene earlier, but his eyes said it all; they held both amusement and mischief.
Maria just groaned internally. She only hoped he didn't think she was a moron.
"So... about that ride?" He taunted
She stared down at his jeans, wanting to keep it safe. Locking eyes with him was definitely not a smart move. But her mind almost wandered to what was beneath those pants.
She spun and, facing the wall, mumbled "I don't want to be a burden here."
In an instant, he was beside her. He grabbed her chin gently, turned her face toward his, then whispered in a really soft tone, "You are absolutely of no bother."
Maria just nodded, blushing like there was no tomorrow. He pulled her to him and gave her a fleeting hug before releasing her.
"We'll have launch at a nearby restaurant," he suggested hesitantly, "if that's okay with you of course."
Maria was about to refuse, and then thought 'why not?'.
Finally, she smiled and nodded, not trusting her voice to come out normal and even.
******************
The three of them had barely sat at the indicated table that a waiter came toward them, handing them the menu.
He took Blake's order first, then Felicity's, and when he finally turned to Maria, his smile widened, his eyes roamed her body shamelessly, before he asked in a low deep voice: "And what would the deliciously charming lady want to have?"
The brunette answered him flatly, "The chef's specialty, a salad and a coke zero"
He leaned in a little, and used an even huskier voice, "Would that be all?"
Maria rolled her eyes at him, finding the situation quite laughable. Usually, it's waitresses wanting to get their way with cute guys.
Blake, however, didn't share her amusement.
Stiffly, barely keeping his cool, he all but barked through gritted teeth, "Call Mathew!"
The waiter whose name was Peter (it was embroidered in deep blue on his white shirt) jerked away slightly, playfulness already gone, his face turning white, he took off silently.
Some guy in his late thirties came toward them 2 minutes later, looking somehow upset though he was trying to hide it. He had some expression-wrinkles that made him look kind of wise and a nervous smile plastered on his face.
"Ah Blake, so nice to see you."
'Well, I'll be damned!' Maria inwardly exclaimed, 'He looks so nervous, as if his life depends on what is going to happen next.'
"I bet it is" came the sarcastic drawl.
"What is the matter?" The manager faltered.
'OMG,' Maria almost started hyperventilating, 'I didn't know Blake could be so intimidating.'
"Nothing," Blake let out acidly, "Peter is fired." He stated matter-of-factly, "Oh, and the next waiter looking at one of the girls becomes old news... just thought I should inform you." Blake's voice was confident, his eyes hard, his tone cold yet unforgiving.
That sounded like a threat to Maria. It was kind of weird listening to him talk like this when all she had seen of him was sweetness.
But believe it or not, that side of him didn't scare her one bit .
A handsome confident man. An alpha man, a man who seems born to lead, not to follow... That's a huge turn-on. Everybody knows that.
That Mathew dude nodded eagerly, bowed slightly, then mumbled something along "If you'll excuse me," and took off hastily.
Blake turned towards Maria, his eyes fell upon her face, and they softened instantly. Soon, a warm smile played at his lips.
They talked about music, movies... a bunch of impersonal things, and Maria had a great time and was just finishing her desert when her phone went off.
It was Mark -a.k.a her father. What the hell was he calling her for?
"What?" She really couldn't help her voice's tone. It came out bored unconsciously.
"It's your father," she heard him bark through the phone, obviously frustrated.
"Uh-hum, so?" She knew that she was being a little rude. But hey, whenever he called her, it always meant troubles.
"Where are you anyway?" He asked, sounding angry.
Maria sighed and decided to tell the truth without saying too much, "I'm at a restaurant with friends. Why?"
"I come back from a two-months trip and you are not even here to say welcome home daddy?" He grumbled his last words.
"How should I know?" She cried out, exasperated.
"Clara told you!" He said it as if it was a given fact, nothing to discuss.
But the truth was that EL DIABLO hadn't told Maria.
'I have a step-mother from hell,' Maria mused, 'but then as dumb as she is I bet she, herself, forgot that he's coming today.'
"You have half an hour to be home." Mark stated coldly.
"But..." She was about to protest but met a dead line. He had hung up on her, as per usual, after finishing whatever he wanted to say.
A rueful smile tugged at her lips. She sighed inwardly then put her phone back in her purse.
"I have to go," she let out begrudgingly, "if you could give me a ride?"
She was not addressing anyone in particular, for her to be driven home by Blake or Felicity didn't matter at all.
"Yes, of course" They said in unison.
The trio left the table as soon as that was said, and Blake didn't even bother to pay.
When they were in the car, Maria couldn't help but ask, "Do you know the owner or something?"
Blake smirked but said nothing, whereas Felicity burst off laughing.
Maria looked at her friend warily but added nothing.
"I am the owner, honey," his tone was playful, but there was a hint of pride, of self-satisfaction that couldn't be missed.
"Oh," that escaped her way too fast to be kept behind those betrayers lips of hers.
"What about your dress??" Felicity cried out when her giggles calmed down.
"Euh, I don't..."
"It's okay, you'll give it to her tomorrow or something," Blake cut in calmly.
The girls nodded in approval, and the rest of the ride went comfortably silent.
***********************
As soon as Teresa, their charming maid, opened to Maria, she hugged her and told her how much she had been worried about her. Maria calmed her, then asked about her father.
Before she could even respond, a voice came out loud and furious. "Maria, is that you?"
'Damn it, Clara is here too. The lecture is gonna be a long one,' Maria let out a silent sigh.
She entered slowly, taking all her time, and she put her straight face on.
"Finally home, hon?"
Oh, how she hated it when Clara played the role of the concerned caring step-mother!
Maria mentally rolled her eyes but said nothing as if she didn't even acknowledge her.
"Come give your dad a hug!" Mark was sitting next to her on the sofa. Blue eyes stared at her, his black hair –the only thing she got from him– was almost reaching his chin. She really didn't know what made him think it suited him.
They shared an awkward hug, then Maria immediately straightened up. Her father often liked to pretend that they had a normal father-daughter relationship. But it was nothing but an act.
'Here goes nothing!' Maria thought, waiting for the imminent reprimands.
"Clara told me you were at Kelly's although you were grounded," he started, then when she gave nothing but a so-what-look, he continued in a stern voice, "But you were not at her home, were you?"
Maria still didn't say a thing. She was sure her step-mother wished she had denied or something.
"So you went to Sandra's party after all. I should have expected that from you," said step-mother cried out in her high-pitched voice.
"You had no right to ground me to begin with."
The straight face wasn't working today, for Maria wasn't really in the mood to stay silent and keep nodding now and then.
"She's your step-mother!" To say Mark was outraged would be an understatement. "You have to respect her."
"I wasn't in the wrong. Therefore, she had no reason to ground me." Maria told him coldly.
Her father eyed her warily, whereas she almost yelled, "You are trying to get your English teacher in your bed."
Maria wanted to tell her it was actually her French teacher, but then that would be suspicious, wouldn't it?
Mark's eyes widened, and soon fury took place all over his face.
"Says who?" Maria taunted. Yeah, Maria knew it was not the best moment to be sarcastic, but her step-mother was just pushing her luck with her lately.
"Sandra told me," came the vehement reply.
"Last time I checked, she is no saint," was Maria's bitter retort.
"Don't talk about my sister like that," Clara stood up, soon followed by Mark who said in a stern tone, "Go to your room."
Maria shrugged and stormed off, and heard Mark tell El Diablo, "She won't be driving her car anytime soon."
That was what he said all the time since he got her that freaking car for her sixteen birthday. Which was why she had yet to drive it, even though it's been two years. She just saw it in the garage. She didn't even know where he kept the keys... not that she was dying for that car of his.
Clara had him wrapped around her fingers.
'Whatever she says, he believes. If she had said I'm f*****g my teacher, he would have believed her,' Maria shook her head to chase off all and any thought related to that devilish step-mother of hers.
When she reached her room and hopped on her bed, she texted Kelly telling her that she couldn't come, explaining to her that Mark was home.
She immediately received a text from her. "Ok, but I could come?"
Maria smiled ruefully. Her friend knew it got tough on her when he was here... it was always like this.
Maria quickly sent her the acceptance, then waited for her bestie to come. The bubbly blonde usually didn't take too long getting here.
- Writer
