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  His lips against hers were needy and passionate. His fingers slid into the waistband of her panties. He pressed his thumb against the nub hidden between her thighs, and inserted a finger inside her to see if she was ready for him.

  She moaned and arched against his hand. “I love you,” she whispered.

  It was all the invitation he needed. He removed his hand and stripped her panties down her legs and threw them to the floor. He stood, stripping his boxers down.

  Her eyes widened as she saw the full evidence of his desire for her. He was beautiful and she wanted nothing more than to have him join his body to hers.

  He lowered himself back onto the bed and settled between her spread thighs. His lips pressed against hers even as his body pressed against her entrance. “I’ve been dreaming about this moment since I was twelve years old,” he whispered. “I love you more than life itself.”

  Her hands drifted to his shoulders and she waited for him to enter her completely. It hurt, but it wasn’t as bad as she’d expected. Once he was fully embedded, he lay still, giving her time to adjust to his invasion.

  She waited for him to move, wondering why he’d stilled. She could feel how hard he was inside her, so she had no clue what the problem was. She reached up running her fingers through his hair. “Why did you stop?”

  His voice was hoarse from the effort it took to not move within her. “You need time to adjust. I don’t want to hurt you.”

  She smiled, raking her nails lightly over his back and watching him shudder. “I don’t need time. I just need you.”

  “You sure?” he asked. He wanted nothing more than to start moving inside her. He couldn’t bear the thought of hurting her, though, and would wait until she was ready if that took a week.

  She lifted her legs and wrapped them around his waist. “Make love to me.”

  He watched her face carefully as he pulled out and sank back inside her. When her eyes showed only pleasure, he started thrusting slowly in and out. It wasn’t long before she arched her back and let out a low moan, tightening around him.

  He followed her quickly and rolled off to her side, his hands never stilling as they stroked her and roamed her body. “How have I lived thirty-one years without doing that with you?”

  She turned to him fully, wrapping her arms around him. “How have I lived without ever doing that? Wow.”

  He brushed her lips with his. “Marry me.”

  Her heart thudded. She hadn’t expected him to ask again so soon, and had no idea how to answer. She’d trusted him with her body, but could she trust him with her entire life? “What no bubble gum machine ring?” she joked.

  He knew she was stalling. He could see the panicked look in her eyes. “I’ve loved you since I was a little boy. I want to spend the rest of my life making you happy. I want to have children with you. I want a little girl who looks just like you. Please say you’ll marry me.”

  She sighed. “I can’t yet, Mark. Give me a little time to think.”

  He felt his heart drop. “So I’m good enough to go to bed with, but not good enough to marry?”

  She felt like he’d slapped her in the face. “You know that’s not true. I wouldn’t have done this if I didn’t love you with everything inside me. I just don’t know that I’m ready for that kind of commitment.”

  “You realize that we just made love without a condom, right?” He jerked away to lie beside her staring up at the ceiling. “You may have already made the commitment.”

  “Please don’t let the night end this way. This is the most beautiful experience I’ve ever had in my life. I’ll think about your proposal. I will.” She rested her hand against her stomach. “And I promise, if I end up pregnant, we’ll get married right away.”

  He sighed. “I guess that’ll have to be good enough.” He turned his head to look at her. “It was the most beautiful experience of my life, too.” He reached out and ran his thumb across her bottom lip. “There were so many times when we were teenagers that I wanted to push it just a little further, and then I’d think about what your mother told me.”

  She giggled. “About bringing you a condom if we got so involved that you just couldn’t live without one?”

  He nodded. “Yeah, and every time, it made the umm…ardor go away.”

  She laughed. “She told me a few years ago she told you that hoping it would make you wilt by forcing you to think of her.”

  “It worked!” He rolled to his side and pulled her back into his arms. “I hope you know that one night will never be enough for me.”

  “We’re going to have to find a way to do this more often,” she agreed enthusiastically.

  His hands roamed over her back and down to her bottom, cupping it in his hands. “Maybe I should clarify. Sex is never going to be enough for me. Not where you’re concerned. I want you in my life every single day. I want to wake up to see your head on the pillow next to mine. I want to make love to you before we go to sleep every night. I want to see you huge with my baby. I need you in my life, Susie.”

  She kissed him. “I want all those things, too. I’m just scared it’s all going to blow up in my face again. I don’t know if I could handle that again.”

  He closed his eyes. “I wish you could trust me, but I understand. If I only have the next six weeks with you in my life, I’m going to make the most of them.” He kissed her and rolled her to her back, settling between her thighs again. “Starting right now.”

  Chapter Six

  Susie was surprised at how much fun she had with Mark and the boys at Six Flags the following day. She was a bit stiff, but since the others all had passes, they only stayed for a few hours.

  When they went to get onto the cave ride, Michael insisted that Mark and Susie sat in the back seat of the boat together. “I don’t want to see you two kiss. That’s too gross!”

  Matthew nodded emphatically as he climbed in and stared straight ahead, not wanting to see anything either.

  Mark made a big show of kissing Susie so loudly the boys felt the need to stick their fingers in their ears. Maybe the kissing was supposed to be a joke, but her cheeks were flushed by the time they got off the ride. She whispered, “Now you’ve got me all hot and bothered. When are we going to be able to make love again?”

  He grinned and grabbed her hand as they walked to the Shockwave. It had always been Susie’s favorite roller coaster, because she loved the loops that took them upside down. She sat with Matthew and Mark sat with Michael.

  As soon as they were seated, Matthew turned to look at her. “Are you going to marry Dad?”

  She looked down at her hands for a moment and then met his gaze. “I don’t know yet. Do you want me to?” She asked the question partly to take the pressure off herself, but more because she truly wanted to know what the boys thought of the idea.

  He nodded. “I do. I’ve never seen Dad happy like he’s been since you’ve been home. It’s like he’s always kind of a robot. He does what he needs to do. But then you came along, and suddenly, he’s smiling and laughing and joking all the time. He looks at you like Michael looks at funnel cakes.”

  Susie blushed at that. Michael’s favorite food was funnel cakes. As soon as they’d entered the park, he’d asked for one. When they handed him a paper plate with the confection on it, the look of longing on his face was so intense, it had seemed almost sensual to her. She was surprised Matthew had picked up on that.

  “Well, I won’t make any promises, but I will tell you that I’m thinking about it. I love your dad. I have since I was a little girl. I just don’t know if I’m ready to marry him.”

  Matthew nodded wisely. “I hope you decide to. I’d love to have you for my new mom.”

  Susie hugged him with one arm as the ride started up. “Thanks. That means a lot to me, Matthew.”

  By the time they left the park, Susie was dragging her feet. They caught the tram out to Mark’s truck and she kicked her sandals off, massaging her feet. “I should have worn my sneakers,
” she groaned.

  Mark put his arm around her and pulled her closer to him. “I’ll give your feet a good massage later,” he whispered.

  She rested her head against his shoulder. Michael turned to look at them from his seat in front of them and rolled his eyes. “Can’t you two keep your hands off each other for even minute?”

  Matthew elbowed him in the side. “If we want her to be our mom, we have to put up with the lovey dovey gunk.”

  Mark sighed as she buried her face in his shoulder to stifle the laughter that was bubbling up. “You two need to learn to be subtle.”

  Michael turned around to look at Susie. “I do want you to be my mom, so I’m going to quit complaining about the kissing and stuff. It’s gross, but I won’t say it anymore.”

  Susie smiled. “Thanks for not saying it.” She couldn’t believe how whole-heartedly the boys were embracing the idea of her being their mother.

  “Does that mean you’ll be my mom?” Michael asked excitedly.

  “I’m still thinking about it.”

  *****

  It was still early when she got home. Her parents were in the living room watching TV. “How’d it go?” Beth asked.

  Susie smiled. “We had a great time. I’m headed for a long hot soak in the tub. My legs are killing me.” She didn’t add that they were sore both from walking all day and from other activities the night before.

  “We’re watching the boys again tonight, right?” David asked.

  Susie shrugged. “Mark didn’t mention it, but I’m sure he’ll take you up on it if you offer.” She yawned and limped along into the bathroom, grabbing a book to read in the tub along the way.

  By the time she was out of the tub and dressed, Mark and the boys were in her parents’ living room. “How about a movie and pizza at my house tonight?” Mark asked.

  She shrugged. “Sounds good. What movie do you guys want to see?” she asked the boys.

  Michael folded his arms across his chest. “I’m not going to make fun of the kissing anymore, but I’m not going to watch it if I don’t have to. I’m staying here with Papa and Meemaw.”

  Matthew made a face. “Me too!”

  “Suit yourselves. Do I need to make dinner before I go?” She addressed this question to her mother. She knew her mom wasn’t up to cooking yet, but sometimes her dad would grill.

  “We’ll order a pizza, too,” Beth said. “That way you can go whenever you feel like it.”

  Susie’s eyes met Mark’s. She was happy to have just as much alone time with him as she could get. “Works for me.”

  Mark stood. “I’m going to take advantage of the time alone with Susie.” He held his hand out to her, and pulled her out the door when she took it. “I’ll have her back by eleven or so. Can the boys stay until then?”

  “Just keep her for the night. We’ll keep the boys,” David’s eyes twinkled as he said the words.

  Susie felt grossly outnumbered. Every person in the room with her was trying to get her to marry Mark. She wondered if she even had a chance to hold out against them all.

  “We might take you up on that,” Mark said, his hand stroking Susie’s arm. He pulled her toward the door once again.

  He half dragged her to his front door. He didn’t pause in the living room. Movies and pizza were the furthest things from his mind. He pulled her straight into his bedroom and shut the door behind them. His mouth descended on hers and his hands went to the waistband of her shorts.

  She tore his shirt over his head. All day they’d been giving each other looks and little caresses when the boys weren’t looking. She was already at a fever pitch, and she wasn’t willing to wait another minute.

  They were both naked when he pushed her down onto the bed. “Are you too sore?” he asked before he descended on top of her.

  She laughed. “If I said I was, what would you do?”

  “Cry. But I’d stop. Are you?”

  She shook her head, opening her arms wide for him. “Think we’ll get around to that movie?”

  “Absolutely not. But we’ll need the pizza. With as much physical activity as I have planned, we’ll need the sustenance.”

  *****

  Later, as they lay in his bed, eating pizza, she asked, “Is it always like this?”

  “Like what?”

  “You want each other so badly that you can think of nothing else?” she asked. She took a bite of her pizza while she waited for him to answer.

  “Well, I’ve only been with one other woman, and it wasn’t like this at all. Sure, we’d have sex, but I’d go away all day and not think of her once. With you? I think of nothing else all day long.”

  She grinned at that. “I like knowing that you think of me all day long. Even if you’re only thinking of making love with me.”

  He put his piece of pizza back in the box and turned to her more fully. His hand stroked her cheek. “I think of a lot more than making love with you. I can close my eyes and picture you pregnant with my baby. I picture your face over dinner every night. I picture you as you’re talking to my boys. I want your heart and soul. Not just your body.”

  “But you do want my body, right?” She winked at him as she said it.

  “Finish your pizza and I’ll prove that to you all over again.”

  She laughed. “Sounds like a worthy endeavor.”

  “There you go sounding all English teachery. What’s your school in Colorado like?”

  She talked about the upper-middle class school she taught at. She’d made some friends there and truly liked it, but it still wasn’t home. That’s why she was contemplating the school in Seattle. She loved the idea of moving back to Arlington and teaching in one of the local high schools, but didn’t tell him that.

  “What about you? Do you like construction work as much as you thought you would?”

  “I do. I love to take some random things and turn them into something. I’ve worked my way up at the company I work for now. I started out just doing general labor, but now I’m managing larger construction sites. It’s hard work, but it’s fun. I love to get my hands dirty and work with my crew.”

  She smiled. “I remember that tree house you built when we were nine. You had that huge sign plastered to the front door. Remember?”

  He grinned. “Yeah, it said, ‘No girls allowed, unless you’re Susie Long.’ All my other friends made fun of me for that, but I didn’t care. I just told them we were engaged, and I couldn’t keep you out or I’d be in the dog house. Of course, since we didn’t have a dog, I’d have had to build the dog house.”

  “My friends were all so jealous. You had the only six story tree house in the whole school, but they weren’t allowed in it. Only me.” She grinned as she remembered the fun of playing with Mark in that tree house.

  “I kissed you for the first time in that tree house.”

  “No, you didn’t. You kissed me for the first time when you proposed in my driveway with my parents watching from the window.”

  “I kissed you with tongue for the first time in the tree house.”

  She grinned and got a faraway expression on her face. “That you did.”

  He loved her reminiscent look. He knew he’d had the same look many times over the years. “Why are you still single?” The question had been burning in his mind since she’d been home, and he had to ask.

  She looked down at the pizza in her hands. “I dated a little. But every time I found someone who could make me laugh, they’d kiss me and I’d be bored. If I found someone who I had sparks with, he’d bore me to tears in every other way. So, I guess, in short, I didn’t have you.”

  He put his thumb under her chin and turned her face up to his. “You have me now. I’m trying not to rush you, but it’s hard. I want to be married yesterday.”

  “Did you ask the boys to tell me they wanted me to be their mom?”

  He shook his head. “That was all them. I didn’t even tell them I’d asked you.”

  “I feel like my parents ar
e trying to push me into bed with you.”

  He laughed. “I didn’t set that up either. We all have one common goal. Your parents want you close to them, and next door is close. My boys love you and want a mom.”

  “Matthew told me that he thinks you’re happier when I’m around. He said you look at me like Michael looks at funnel cakes.”

  Mark laughed. “If I’m that obvious to my boys, it’s no wonder your parents are trying to get us in bed together. They probably figure that’s a good way to keep you here.”

  “You know, I’m already addicted to making love with you, but I want there to be more than that. I have to be ready to trust you with everything inside me. I’m not quite there yet.”

  “I know.” He stroked his hand down her cheek before putting the pizza box on the floor. “Do you think you’ll be there anytime soon?”

  “I don’t know. I’m certainly closer than I was a week ago.”

  He pulled her onto his lap straddling him. “You’re much closer than you were a week ago.”

  She smiled and dropped a kiss to his lips, her eyes going wide as he entered her. “I think I like closer.”

  “I know I do.”

  Chapter Seven

  Susie snuck back into her house at 5:30 the next morning. She didn’t want the boys to think that it was okay to sleep together before marriage, whether she became their step-mother or not.

  She took a long hot shower, and slowly walked into the kitchen to start breakfast. Her legs were horribly sore. She whipped up a good breakfast for her parents and the boys, and for Mark, knowing he’d show up before too terribly long. She wondered if their lives were this intertwined with her mother’s when she wasn’t around.

  By seven the table was full and everyone was eating. Michael took a huge bite of food and asked, “When you’re our mom, will you cook for us every day? Like you do for Meemaw?”

  There was silence. Susie took a sip of her orange juice and then turned to Michael. “If I become your mom, then I will cook every day just like I do here. I still don’t know if I’m going to be your mom, though.”