Read Mark Me for Free Online Page B

other half lives,” Dimitri said sarcastically into the receiver of the phone. “Is that your home I see before me, or the Tokyo Imperial Palace?”
    “Smart-ass,” Eli said, shoving his wallet into his pocket and his keys, while speaking to Dimitri through the speaker. He walked out of his room and down the stairs to disarm the motion detectors.
    Dimitri arrived at the door.
    Eli looked him over, surprised the guards hadn’t shot him on sight. Blue jeans, a tie-dyed T-shirt, and sandals. But at least he had a nice car. He’d expected Dimitri to have something retro like a Volkswagen Beetle or maybe a motorcycle.
    “Aren’t you going to invite me in?” Dimitri asked, leaning in the door jamb.
    He knew he probably shouldn’t, but he didn’t want to be unkind even though Dimitri had gone out of his way to be annoying. Eli stepped aside and let Dimitri in. He closed and locked the door quickly.
    Dimitri whistled as he walked around the marbled foyer of the Saint Charles Street mansion. “Mr. Dubisson said your father is a judge. Is he on the take? I don’t know any judges who can afford to live like this.”
    “How many judges do you know?” Eli asked sarcastically as he took him on the tour of the rest of the place.
    “I’ve been before more than I care to remember.” He stopped in front of a fireplace and looked up at two huge portraits. “Are those you parents?”
    “Yes,” Eli answered. “It was taken a couple of weeks after they were married.”
    “You have your father’s eyes,” Dimitri said. He looked over at the other portrait. “You were a cute kid.”
    “As opposed to not being a cute adult?”
    “No comment,” Dimitri said, walking away and peeking into the dining room. “Are we here alone?”
    “Why? Are you planning to rob the place?” Dimitri rolled his eyes at him. “No.” He approached and pulled Eli into his arms. “This is why.” He kissed him.
    Eli moved out of Dimitri’s embrace and wiped the kiss from his lips. “I thought you said you wouldn’t kiss me.”
    “I said I wouldn’t kiss you in public,” Dimitri said, walking up the staircase. “Where’s your bedroom?”
    “Why?” Eli asked, following Dimitri up the stairs. He got ahead of him and led the way. His parents’ bedroom was off-limits, even to him. He opened the door to his room and Dimitri stepped inside.
    “I expected to find a canopy bed with long, flowing mosquito netting to protect the young prince,” Dimitri teased.
    “We’re not that rich,” Eli said.
    Dimitri raised a blond eyebrow.
    “My grandfather was a famous violinist with the New Orleans Symphony Orchestra and my other grandfather dabbled in oil.”
    “And of course both grandfathers spoiled you rotten,” Dimitri said, opening the closet and peering inside. “Wow, prep boy city.”
    “Are you finished scrutinizing my life?”
    “Not quite yet.” Dimitri closed the closet and walked over to check out the bathroom. “You have a shower and a sunken tub.”
    “Doesn’t everyone?” Eli asked.
    “No,” Dimitri answered. “And you’re neat and orderly. That’s good to know in a relationship.”
    “What relationship?” Eli asked. He didn’t expect to ever see Dimitri again after the tattoos were removed later. “We aren’t in a relationship.”
    Dimitri sauntered over to him. “We are most certainly in a relationship. I’m in your bedroom and we’re about to go out on a date.”
    Eli turned on his heels and walked out the door. “We are not going on a date.”
    Dimitri followed him. “Have you ever been on a date before?” 
    “Sure,” Eli lied as they walked down the stairs. “Plenty of times.”
    “Have you ever been on a date with that pretty blonde who came into the tattoo parlor with you?”
    Eli stopped at the foot of the stairs. “Holly and I are good friends.”
    “But you’d like it to be more?”
    Eli walked toward the door and opened it. “You have to step outside,” he told Dimitri. “I need to