Claiming Mr. Cross

First Meeting Raven The first time I met Marcus was at his summer home on Duke Street. He had picked Alice and me up from the airport. “You girls have a good flight?” he asked, flashing a bright, white smile. Something as simple as a smile on those soft, full lips was enough to make my heart flutter. “Uhhhh…” I stammered, only coming back to reality when Alice nudged me hard in the ribs. I had been staring so intensely that the articulate response I thought I’d given had only happened in my head. “Don’t mind her, Dad, she's the class clown,” Alice cut in to laugh off the awkwardness. We all chuckled, but I knew in that moment my feelings for Marcus were far from a joke. “Thank you for coming to fetch us, Mr. Cross.” I said when I finally formed the words. “It’s nothing, Raven. And please call me Marcus.” He opened the car doors for us: the back for Alice, and the front for me. Alice always got car sick, so she claimed the back seat immediately. Marcus didn’t want to drive with the front passenger seat empty. “Hey, Raven, do you mind?” He held the door open, flashing another effortless smile that set my pulse racing like I was caught in a storm. “Of course not,” I managed, sliding into the seat. He closed the door with a gentle thud, walked around to the driver's side, and started the engine. During the ride, I did my absolute best to look out the window and avoid staring at the strikingly handsome man beside me. He had dark hazel eyes and a jawline that looked carved from granite. His hair was a dark, sleek mess with short, textured ruffles that made me instantly imagine running my hands through the roots. I was down bad. The car swayed slightly as Marcus stepped on the brakes, jerking me towards the center console. My hand accidentally brushed against his on the gear shift. The reaction was instantaneous, a rush of electrical heat that traveled down my spine. My stomach did a sudden flip, and my organs came alive at the brief contact. Quite literally. My stomach gave an audible, betraying rumble right into the car. “We could stop at Jason’s to grab lunch,” Marcus suggested, smoothly lifting his hand out from under mine. I immediately felt a wave of hot and cold, as if I were suffering withdrawal from a single touch. “Sure,” Alice chirped from the back. “It’s been a while, Dad. Good thinking.” “Uhm… who’s Jason?” I asked, trying to jump into the conversation to mask my embarrassment. In truth, I couldn't care less who Jason was. “Just some guy I used to f**k a while back,” Alice muttered casually. My eyes widened. “Alice! Are you allowed to say that?” I whipped my head around to find her grinning mischievously. “Sir, is she allowed to say that?” I asked Marcus. Marcus tried to look like a strict parent, but it was clear this kind of banter was routine for them. “Honey, you’re definitely not allowed to say that,” he fake scolded, causing Alice to burst into a fit of cackles. That was the second time I fell for him: a man with an easy, grounded sense of humor. “We’re here,” Marcus announced, pulling into a diner with a vintage neon sign that read Jason’s Diner. It was a place, not a person. I bit my lip to hide my smile, stepping out of the car after Marcus opened my door. To test my luck, I deliberately let my ankle fake a slip to lose my balance. Marcus didn't disappoint, he caught me instantly, sweeping me halfway up in his arms. “Are you alright?” he asked, steadying me on my feet, his hands lingered on my waist just long enough to burn through my clothes. No, Marcus, I literally just fell for you, I wanted to scream. “I’m fine, thank you,” I said instead, catching my breath. “Alright, I’ll head in and grab us a table. You girls come along,” he said, heading inside. Alice caught my arm and pulled me back a step as soon as he was out of earshot. “Dude, are you okay? You’re embarrassingly clumsy today.” “Really? Coming from the girl who just talked about her s*x life in front of her dad?” I rolled my eyes. “Fair point.” Alice playfully swatted my ass and laughed. I joined in, privately wishing it had been Marcus’s hand instead. There wasn't much to it: six booths, a narrow counter, and a kitchen just visible through the service window. Marcus had already snagged us a booth, so we settled in without any fuss. Once the waitress came by, we ordered a stack of fries for Marcus, a classic chicken club sandwich for me, and a side of crisp onion rings for Alice.. A fresh pot of coffee was set in the middle of the table while we waited for the food. Our food arrived quickly, and I was ready to dig in. Food was perhaps the only thing I liked more than Marcus in the moment. “So, Raven,” Marcus said, taking a bite of his burger. “What’s your major again?” “Psychology,” I answered, setting my glass down nervously. “Though sometimes I feel like I'm a little too cynical for it.” “Oh, please,” Alice scoffed, tossing a fry into the air and catching it in her mouth. “That’s what someone who’s about to be named valedictorian says.” Marcus’s face lit up. “Wait, you’re candidate for valedictorian? That’s fantastic. I was valedictorian back in my university days, too.” “Jeez, Dad, don’t make your disappointment in my grades too obvious,” Alice teased, dipping another fry into ketchup. “Don’t mind her,” Marcus smiled warmly at me. “She’s just salty I didn’t let her drop out to join that indie band. What were they called again, sweetheart?” “Dad!” Alice groaned, though she was smiling. It was easy being around them. Marcus was pragmatic without ever being judgmental, guiding the conversation with an easy charm. How could someone be so perfect? By the time we finished, we dragged ourselves back to the car, feeling heavy from the meal. Fortunately, the drive to their summer house was short. When Marcus pulled into the driveway, my jaw nearly dropped. The house was a stunning two story coastal estate wrapped in white cedar shingles, surrounded by hydrangeas and large glass windows overlooking the bay. “Wow. This place feels like a dream,” I breathed, stepping out of the car. “I’m really glad you like it,” Marcus said softly from right beside me. I hadn't realized he had walked around the hood to meet me. “I’m glad you decided to come, Raven.” Did he just say he was glad I’m here? My breath hitched. My palms went clammy, and my heart hammered against my ribs. “Come on, Dad,” Alice called out, hauling a designer canvas duffel from the trunk. “You’re acting like anyone would turn down celebrating their twentieth birthday at a beach house.” “You girls go on inside,” Marcus said, turning towards a side path. “I’m going to check on your mother.” He said to Alice. Alice gestured for me to follow. I grabbed my black leather tote from the back seat while Alice swung her duffel over her shoulder. But as we walked up the front steps, my chest felt squeezed. His wife? My mood instantly soured. Why are the best men always taken? Come on, Raven, you knew he was married. He has a twenty-one-year-old daughter who happens to be your best friend. I shook the thought away, trying to pull myself together as we reached the guest room. Alice and I were sharing the master guest suite, she had rejected the smaller room her family’s housekeeper had prepared for me, insisting we stay together. While I unzipped my suitcase, Alice left to find her mother. Left alone, I grabbed a change of clothes and walked into the adjoining bathroom to take a hot shower. The steam rose quickly, washing away the dirt from the journey, but not the one from my thoughts about Marcus. I stood under the stream, trying to let the warm water quiet my racing thoughts, but Marcus’s hazel eyes remained burned into my mind. I turned off the tap, dried myself, and pulled on a comfortable, sundress before returning to the bedroom. A few minutes later, the door slammed shut. Alice stood by the entrance, her breathing was ragged like she had been running, and her face was red with anger. “Hey, what’s wrong?” I asked, moving towards her. “Nothing. Just my mother being a total nightmare, as usual,” she spat, tossing her hair back. I knew how toxic her relationship with her mother could be, so I didn't push for details. “Come here,” I said gently, opening my arms. She walked over and collapsed beside me on the edge of the bed, resting her head against my chest. I wrapped my arms around her as she let out a shaky breath. “I’m so glad you came, Raven,” she whispered, her voice carried sadness. “Seriously. No one else puts up with me the way you do.” “It’s no big deal,” I teased gently, trying to lighten the mood. “From the first day I met you, I knew I was in love.” Alice went completely still in my arms. The sudden silence in the room was unsettling. She lifted her head slowly, wiping a tear from her cheek. “Do you mean that?” “Of course I do,” I smiled softly, assuming we were still sharing our usual deep,platonic bond. Before I could react, Alice leaned in and crashed her lips against mine, pressing me back against the pillows. What the hell?