Touch to Surrender by Cara Dee Read Free Book Online Page B

preaching like the devout Catholic he is," Mark finishes.
    I nod; that’s exactly what happened. My father, the mighty Clark Zeagler, had high hopes for me, his only child. I was gonna study politics, be great at sports, and build my own fortune. Instead I was drawn to computers, and I only liked sports for the fun of it, not to compete and bring home trophies. I was weak, according to him. Not man enough. After catching me with my old high school friend, my father looked at me with resentment and disappointment in his eyes. The lectures were cruel, and I started to shut down.
    Then I left altog ether; now I barely talk to my parents.
    I would've cut all ties if it weren’t for the concept of Catholic guilt. My mother can play that card like she invented the game. Though, while I cave on a couple of occasions and talk to her for a few minutes, I still keep my distance. She's never been a part of Dad's bullying, per se, but my beliefs about her innocence evaporated when she allowed him to keep going.
    "L ike I said earlier—" Mark pulls me close and kisses my temple "—we'll make you understand. One day at a time. Okay?" I nod again as he cups my neck and presses our foreheads together. Even though we're in public, I feel that I like this, revel in, and want it. "You're beautiful. You know that?"
    More heat creeps forward, coloring my cheeks. "Stop seducing me." I don’t stand a fucking chance against this man. "You've already got ten me into your bed." I tilt my head, wanting his mouth.
    "My next plan is to make you stay," he murmurs, brushing his lips over mine. "Both of you." I swallow hard and kiss him back. "I've seen your apartment, and I don’t like it. It's not a safe neighborhood, either."
    I laugh through my nose, still kissing him lightly. "We can't all be fancy gym owners and work as bartenders only for kicks." Staying with Mark more, though? Hell yeah, I'd love that.
    "Yeah, 'cause that’s so fucking fancy," he drawls. "But trust me—" he lands a final kiss on my lips, a firm, warm one "—we'll revisit this topic soon. Now, eat. You're lookin' a little skinny." He mimics Lina's words from last night, making me chuckle.
    Naturally, this is the moment Lina walks through the door with a beaming smile on her face and rosy cheeks from the cold.
    Mark offers a lazy smirk, and I roll my eyes, though I'm smiling.
    "I saw you!" she whisper-shouts and closes the distance, ripping off her knitted beret and gloves as she goes. Instead of sitting down in the empty chair, she plops down on my lap. "I saw you through the window!" Before I can even get a word in, she starts to pepper my face with kisses. Her lips are softer and poutier than Mark's, and just as addictive. "I love you, I love you, I love you. By the way, our car broke down. I had to take a cab the last bit." That said, she jumps over to Mark's lap to kiss him, too.
    I shake my head, dazed and slightly overwhelmed. Our car…and the kisses…and maybe we didn’t have the café's customers' attention before, but we sure as hell do now.
    "You're too fucking sweet, kitten." Mark's blue eyes flash with amusement and he captures Lina's mout h in a deep kiss. I smile at them, feeling a sense of this-is-it , and finally get back to my neglected sandwich. "Don’t worry about your car. I'll arrange for it to be picked up later."
    "Mmm." Lina hums and rests her head on Mark's shoulder. "This is nice. I should go order something. Brayden, what did you get?" Leaning over, she opens her mouth, and I dutifully extend my sandwich to her. She takes a small bite, chews for a second, and her eyes light up. "Oh, yeah. J'adore la vraie moutarde . C'est parfait ."
    "You sit tight, sweetheart." Mark lifts her off his lap. "I'll get one for you. What do you want to drink?"
    "Oh, thank you. Iced tea, please. Peach!" She pops a kiss on his cheek, then sits down again and turns to me. "So—"
    "Did you get the job?" I ask before she starts her inquisition.
    "Yes, I did. Like