CHAPTER FIVE
FIRST DATE
BIANCA
M y three younger brothers said they’d report to our older brother Jacquel about Catch. He attended UCLA on a football scholarship. After college, he accepted a job in L.A. Jacquel was technically a year and a half older than me. I was twenty-four. So there wasn’t that much of a difference. Jacquel would overreact like he often did. You’d think he was ten years older. Or even worse, our father.
It sucked being the only girl. However, I was fortunate I had my best friends. They were my sisters.
Catch said he’d be at my house at seven. Somehow, I knew that meant sharp. Waiting outside wasn’t an option anymore. I didn’t want Catch to witness a heated conversation between GT and me about him.
So I planned to make sure I was out of the shower and had my hair styled by six thirty. My nerves had sweat dripping down my cleavage and back like the air-conditioning wasn’t working. Damn, why did I agree to have dinner with him?
Oh yeah, I made him my fake boyfriend to get Lendel off my back. Was it really worth it? Catch would milk our fake relationship for all it was worth.
Luckily for me, Dad was working a double shift at the plant today. He couldn’t interrogate me or Catch. But soon as he talked to Jacquel, he’d insist Catch join us for dinner at least twice over the next two weeks. So he could get a feel for my new fake boyfriend.
With only five minutes to spare, I pulled myself together. The second I saw Catch’s truck roll into the driveway, I tore the front door open.
“Bye mom,” I shouted.
“Have fun, Bianca. Don’t pull out that laptop,” she yelled from her bedroom.
I sucked my teeth as I squeezed my laptop bag that doubled as a purse close to my side.
My brothers, Austyn, Kamden, and Leven ran into the tiny hallway and wrapped their arms around me.
“We love you, Bianca,” they each said.
“I love you guys, too. Bye.”
I darted out the door and almost halted in my tracks when I noticed Catch held the passenger door open. He wore a devilish grin on his face.
Why did the man have to be so fucking gorgeous?
The sun hadn’t gone down yet, so I was sure the nosy neighbors watched as my date acted chivalrously.
I felt his eyes roam the short, tiny pink sundress that flared out, halting mid-thigh.
“You look good enough to eat,” Catch chuckled.
Rolling my eyes, I climbed into his fully loaded black Escalade. Wait, was this the same truck he drove earlier? It looked different.
My body melted into the cool cream leather seat. What did this man do for a living again? Catch climbed into the driver’s seat, then rolled out of the driveway.
Hopefully, he didn’t want to make short talk until we exited my neighborhood.
My eyes remained on the road ahead. I could hear my heart beating in my ears.
Please sweat, don’t drip now.
So many scenarios ran through my mind. What if one of these assholes tried to rob Catch?
“Are you ok?” he asked.
Keeping my gaze steady on the guys standing in the street off to the side, I held my breath. The last thing I wanted to do was shoot someone in broad daylight. Even worse put my family in jeopardy. After the heist, I’d devise a plan to take care of GT. I wondered if I should tell the girls.
“Yes, I’m fine, Catch. Not every day I go on a date with a man I loathe.”
He laughed, then continued bobbing his head to a 2 Chainz song.
“Bianca, I hope you like pasta because that’s what I’m cooking.”
“Don’t kill me with your meal?”
His brows lowered as he turned onto the main street leading to the playhouse.
Peering out the window, I exhaled. We were home free. For now.
“I can cook, Bianca,” he spat.
“Sure, you can, Catch.”
***P***
About seven minutes later, we sauntered into the playhouse. Catch insisted on checking out the house before he started cooking. What did he expect to find? I detoured to the liquor station that was set up in the dining room. I poured a double shot of vodka into a red solo cup.
I brought the bottle of Grey Goose into the kitchen with me. The second my ass hit one of the kitchen chairs, I sat my drinks on the table before I unpacked my laptop.
Catch entered the dim kitchen, then flipped on the light before heading for the sink. He lathered his hands with soap, then rinsed them in the stream of water.
“Are you cooking lasagna?” I asked.
He dried his hands with a paper towel, laughing. “Anyone can make lasagna. I’m cooking something a little more elegant. Chicken marsala pasta.”
My brows rose as my tongue slicked over my lower lip. “Sounds delicious. If you burn it, I’m not eating it.”
“Burn it?” he questioned, like I insulted him.
Still staring at me, he went on a rant. “It will be delicious,” Catch stated with confidence.
He shook his head. “Burn the food,” he said in a sarcastic tone, like he just couldn’t believe I said those words.
“Why would I volunteer to cook if I’d burn the meal?”
“You know what? Bianca, I’m not worried. You’ll love it.” He removed all the groceries from the bags he sat on the counter when we first arrived.
“Let’s get to know each other. We can start by pointing out I don’t drink vodka that often. I’m a scotch guy. However, tonight I’ll take a cup of vodka neat.”
“Sure thing.” I prepared his drink using the extra solo cup mine rested in.
“Not sure why we should bother. We aren’t really in a relationship, Catch.”
He turned on the flame and placed a large skillet on the iron.
“We are in a real relationship, Bianca,” he snarled.
“Fine, if that’s what you want to believe, what choice do I have? I needed Lendel to back off, and you were there.”
He slid a knife through the freshly washed plump chicken breasts that rested on a glass cutting board.
“You know I could get rid of him for you. It would be my second gift to you. I’d actually wrap his body in a bow, then drop him into nonexistence where no one would ever find him.”
I pushed his cup to the edge of the table as my mouth hung open. “Catch, I don’t want Lendel dead. He’s been nice to me over the years. I just don’t like him like that.”
Catch shrugged. “Bombshell, if he disrespects me in a dark alley...” His eyes met mine. “I’ll end him.”
His words felt final. Didn’t Tori say she thought Cliff was a P.I.? Did they go around killing people? I didn’t know that was a part of their job description. He was probably a hit man, too. That would explain the expensive truck. Hit men for hire made big money.
Catch held the glass cutting board over the skillet. He used a butcher knife to push the chicken inside the olive oil. He lowered the flame, then covered the skillet.
Actually, our little date worked out fine. I needed to get out of the house and double check surveillance for the heist tomorrow night. My fingers moved over the keys.
I felt Catch’s steamy, sexy eyes on me. If I told myself he meant nothing to me, maybe my body would listen. And wouldn’t overreact in his presence.
He gulped the vodka, still staring.
“Catch, I know this is rare. You aren’t the center of attention. But you’ll survive.”
Before I could catch my breath, my chair went flying across the floor toward him. Catch kneeled in front of me. He wore an expensive dark gray t-shirt that clung to his muscled chest, jeans, and black boots.
My eyeballs felt like they’d leap out of their sockets.
“You act unaffected.” He flashed a cocky grin as he yanked my panties down my ass and legs.
“Something tells me it’s a front.” He shoved my panties into his back pocket.
“I have a feeling I affect you a great deal.” Catch spread my legs and stared at my pussy.
My heart raced in my chest. Oh no, my hand would be revealed.
Gripping my trembling thighs, he leaned in, circling his nose against my mound. He inhaled my scent. What the fuck?
“You smell addictive,” he muttered, more to himself than to me.
He slid my ass to the edge of the seat. His tongue slowly slid from my ass to my clit.
My fingers curled over the sides of the wooden chair. “Oh...fuck...Catch,” I moaned as my body betrayed me, coming alive for him. His sea of golden curls was on full display between my legs. Honestly, it was a beautiful sight. One I planned to enjoy later.
“I fucking knew it. You are soaked...only for me.”
Busted.
He pulled my dress down, scooted my ass back to its original position, and moved my chair in front of my laptop. “I won’t eat your pussy now. We have plenty of time. After dinner, we’ll cuddle on the sofa.”
He pressed his lips to mine. “Do you smell that? You smell so good. I’m not sure I’ll be able to come up for air later tonight.”
I couldn’t swallow past the lump in my throat. The sweat was back dripping down my cleavage. And I believed a gush of come just poured out of my pussy.
I’m fucked.
Catch turned back to the meal. “What’s the name of that body wash? I really like it.”
Unbelievable. The man licked my pussy to see if he’d like it.
“Listen, outside you can pretend you don’t like me. But behind closed doors, you’ll show interest and behave the way your pussy does. Wet and bothered,” he chuckled.
“Catch, just because I find you attractive doesn’t mean I like you.”
“Do you remember tongue kissing me back today?”
Fuck, fuck, fuck.
“Like I said, act like a real girlfriend and maybe.” He lifted a finger. “I’ll give you seven orgasms.”
That got my attention. I was orgasm depraved.
I sauntered to Catch’s side, grabbed his hand, and pushed his long index finger inside my pussy as I held his gaze.
My lips parted as I used his finger to fuck me.
Catch bit my lower lip. “I’ve got a freak on my hands. One who knows what she wants.”
His tongue slid into my mouth, then he pulled back. “If another man so much as watches your ass too long, he’s dead.”
“Catch!” my brows lowered as I withdrew his finger from my body. “You can’t do that. I live in a big city. Men do that every second of every day. Think of something bigger. Like you notice, a man gropes me.”
His eyes darkened. “Yeah, you’ll probably need to move to Jersey. I won’t be able to keep my kill count under control here.”
My eyes widened again. “Catch, no.”
Panic set in as I inched backward. He pulled me to his side, then lowered pasta noodles into a large pot of boiling water.
He sighed. “Bombshell, I’ll try not to kill too many men over you.”
“Catch, you can’t expect me to move to Jersey. I could hate you. Wait, I do hate you.”
His lips pressed against my forehead. “We’ll table this discussion for another time.”
Was he serious about moving me to Jersey? Something told me he was.