Submitting to My Best Friend's Dad by Scarlett Rossi
Chapter 243 -

Neal.

A few weeks had passed since I met Mariano, and the strong sense of attraction I had to both his looks and personality had not faded. In fact, we were hitting it off even harder now, and I couldn't be happier. Thankfully, I was brave enough to call Becca and say I wanted to visit as a friend. I meant it this time. There was no ulterior motive, not that there had been one, to begin with. She may have been stuck in my head a little, but that wasn't an issue anymore.

After some hesitation, she agreed to see me. Likely because I wanted to introduce her to Mariano, which put her at ease for me not actually being after her anymore. I accepted that she was with James.

Mariano and I were sharing lunch before heading out. I gazed into his eyes, my own full of adoration for the man. "We're really hitting it off, aren't we?" I chuckled, breaking the silence that had formed between us as we ate sandwiches. Mariano winked, saying, "I think we are, yes. I am thrilled to be favored by such a sexy guy as yourself, Neal." I blushed deeply, glancing away and taking a bite of my sandwich. He had the most wonderful way with words while I could be a little awkward.

"The feeling is mutual," I finally said, coughing. Mariano smirked at me, then winked, running his tongue over his lips in a very tempting manner. I stared at him for a moment, enjoying the idea of those lips against mine.

"I would describe myself as a cat, given how often I have your tongue. In more ways than one," Mariano said, causing me to chuckle and rub the back of my neck. I finished my sandwich in a few more bites, standing up and stretching. "I can be a bit tongue tied around you. You're just so wonderful, Mariano. I've been through a lot in my life, and to finally replace someone who returns my very strong feelings is among the best feelings in the world." Mariano finished up his lunch as well, reaching over to pick up my plate and put it on his. He then carried the dishes to the sink, no doubt to be done later. Currently, we were at my apartment, ready to head out to check on Becca soon. After everything, I wanted to remain friends with her, and possibly make amends with James. Many of our past enemies had intercepted, anyway, and we connected through actually getting through what that hell was. Mariano walked over to me after getting the dishes situated, catching me under the chin and staring into my eyes. I felt my heart pound as he leaned in and placed his lips against mine, causing my entire body to relax. He explored my mouth for a little while as I wrapped my arms around him, holding him close. He had strong arms, which matched his tongue. I loved how he dived in with no hesitation, confident in everything he did. I was completely love- struck.

Eventually, the kiss had to end. He pulled away, taking a breath and smiling brightly at me. "I'm looking forward to meeting your friend today," he said softly. "I am very glad to hear their wedding went well. You said past things could have come up and interrupted it?"

"Yes," I sighed, shaking my head. "You know by now that my past is rocky, but that's the case with friends associated with me as well. Too many twisted people out there trying to destroy lives, essentially," I explained, causing him to nod. He ran his fingers through my hair, causing me to swallow and go for yet another kiss. This tender one lasted for a few seconds, though not as long as when we made out. I licked my lips when it ended, letting out a sigh.

He said, "Rocky pasts are just that. In the past. I'm glad you and your friends have found some peace. I know we're going rather fast, but I enjoy being part of your life and am happy to meet these friends of yours." I smiled at him, knowing he meant every word.

After one more hug, we headed to the car, chatting about another date idea. "I would love to go to the aquarium," he explained. "Having lunch at the wildlife sanctuary was amazing, I'm so happy to see your passion for such a thing match mine."

I nodded. I hadn't ever been able to explore likes such as that, but my sister loved the beach and the animals associated with it. Wildlife in general, really, which caught my interest as well. With all the guns, revenge, and violence I couldn't live and be myself.

Now, with Mariano, I could. We were discovering every day that we had similar interests. I said, "It was," with a smile. The memory of us sharing drinks and treating ourselves to a savory meal in the aviary of that sanctuary was a treat. We were able to watch the birds nearby, listening to their calls and talking about the status of their preservation, which was laid out on the cards and information given by the sanctuary itself. We had a hard time tearing our eyes away from each other, though.

"They say owls are the wisest birds," Mariano muttered, interrupting my train of thought. He opened the door for me, and I got into the car. He was driving today, something I didn't mind. We had navigation set up, anyway. The handsome man then continued his train of thought.

"But I've always found corvids to be much more intelligent. Corvids and parrots. Isn't it fascinating? A creature with beautiful black feathers, and a creature with a menagerie of colors, both so different in look and alike in mind," he said. I beamed at him, giving a nod.

The intellectual always had something wonderful to say and sometimes found mathematical connections to it too. I joked, "Are you going to replace some connection to geometry or numbers with what you just said?" Mariano gave a soft, chiming laugh, one that always warmed my heart. "Give me a moment. I'll think about it." I smiled at him, and we were off, chatting like a storm on the way to Becca and James's house.

It had been a few days since the wedding, and I was glad to catch them before their honeymoon. They were apparently leaving in about a week, having squared away those plans quickly. Given how much money Becca had, I wasn't surprised. I wasn't sure why they didn't go on their honeymoon right after the wedding, which was usually the tradition, but it wasn't my business.

We eventually pulled into the driveway of their family compound, and I got out of the car. Security approached, needing to verify who we were before we could approach the front door and greet Becca.

Mariano didn't seem nervous about this at all and didn't skip a beat. "Gentlemen," he said kindly, giving them a nod. His smile was contagious, and Becca's security returned it with as much warmth.

I knocked on the door, waiting a beat before Becca answered. She gave me a careful smile, no doubt hoping I wasn't going to try and beg to get her back or anything. My face flushed with embarrassment at that thought.

I really had been unreasonable, hadn't I? Rather, I said, "Hello, Becca. I am really glad to hear your wedding went well. Thank you for agreeing to see me to check up and possibly make amends. This is Mariano, someone I've been dating for a bit," I said, not giving her a chance to speak before I finished.

Becca peered at Mariano and gave a dip of her head, holding out her hand for a shake. They shook hands, and Mariano said kindly, "Hello there. I've heard many good things about you. I'm honored to be meeting a friend of a wonderful guy like Neal."

We were let inside and led to the coffee table, where Becca said, "I'm glad you two found one another." There was a hint of relief in her tone, which caused that coil of guilt in my gut to intensify. Things would be cleared up today, though, I was

sure.

Becca went into the other room to get some tea while I leaned back into the couch, locking eyes with Mariano. The man winked at me, making a kissy face and trying to get me to chuckle. We weren't going to start making out in here! Not that he wanted to, but he could be a tease.

Soon, Becca returned, placing the teacups on little plates in front of us and giving us a big smile. "So!" she said. "Please, tell me how you met. I want to know all the details." She looked toward me, raising a brow. A happy grin crossed my face.

I went into detail about how I was feeling down and went to the bar but didn't tell her the exact reason. That would make this very uncomfortable, very fast. "It was a beautiful place, really," I sighed, my face flushing. "Quite like a fairy tale, really, where I met him."

Mariano beamed, then continued. "A beautiful gentleman entered the bar, and when I set my eyes on him, I knew we had to at least talk. I couldn't help but be very flirtatious. He was too much to resist." He winked at me, causing my blush to deepen.

Becca giggled. I could tell by how relaxed she was, and her general demeanor, that she was completely thrilled with the situation and happy for me. The tone of her voice was joyous and amazed. "That does sound like a fairy tale! Reminds me of how James proposed to me."

At that, she shot me a wary glance, as if I would start acting sad. I did the opposite, and asked, "Oh? Can you tell us the story? Mariano adores love stories," I said. "That, math, and animals, of course," I chuckled. Now, it was Mariano's turn to blush!

In an excited tone, Becca recounted the tale of how James proposed, and I was amazed at how family-oriented it was. My heart sang for her. I could tell she was genuinely happy now and settling in with her family. We had gotten through a lot. I was glad the awkwardness completely evaporated from there. I really did want to be a friend to Becca, with no strings attached or expectations of romance. We had also dealt with so many ups and downs, with plenty of danger. It was time to put the past behind us.

"Oh," Becca said as one of our conversations ended. "We should have a double date at some point, Neal! You and Mariano, me and James. Maybe after our honeymoon. How does that sound?" She widened her eyes with excitement. Mariano clapped his hands, beyond delighted at this idea. "I would love that!" he exclaimed. "How about at a park? The nights have been beautiful lately. Hopefully, the clouds will clear up, though."

"I love that idea," I said with a huge smile, adding to Becca's delight.

From the other room, James poked his head in. He fixed his eyes on me, studying me for a moment before giving me a smile. Sure, our past was rocky too. I could tell he was okay with making amends as well, though, because he gave me a thumbs up.

"I agree with this plan. A double date sounds fantastic. Let's make plans for it after the honeymoon," he said, eyeing Mariano. He was reassured enough that I came here as a friend, and I intended to stay that way.

I let out a sigh of relief. All was well and getting even better. I couldn't be happier.