Did this mean what she thought it did? Mark had taken what she’d said to heart and had gone to see his friend. “Hello, Mike and Tammy. Of course you’re welcome. I’m glad to see you again.”
“We’re glad to be here. This is some event. And I understand it’s for a very worthy cause. I think we’ll have Allie show us where the food is.” Mike winked at Mark. “We’ll see you around, buddy.”
Laura Jo looked between them, not sure what the interchange meant.
“You’re busy. I think I’ll get some food also.” Mark captured her hand. “When this is over, can we talk?”
A lightning shock of awareness and a feeling of rightness washed through her simultaneously. “It’ll be late.”
“I’ll wait.”
* * *
Mark sat in Mr. Herron’s den, having a cup of coffee while he waited for Laura Jo. Her father was there, along with Allie and Gus. Mr. Herron had apparently noticed Mark was hanging around after the other guests were leaving and had taken pity on him by inviting him in for coffee and a more comfortable seat.
The longer Mark sat there the more nervous he became. Would Laura Jo listen to what he had to say? Would she believe that he had changed? Would she be willing to take a chance on him? He broke out in a sweat, just thinking about it.
She and her mother finally joined them. He stood. Laura Jo looked beautiful but tired. Had she been getting as little sleep as he had?
As if her mother knew Laura Jo needed some time alone with him, Mrs. Herron said, “Why don’t you let Allie stay with us tonight? We can get her to school in the morning. She can wear the clothes she wore from home to here today.”
“Is that okay with you, Allie?” Laura Jo asked.
“Yes. Can Gus stay, too?”
“I think you need to let your grandparents get used to having you before you start inviting Gus to stay,” Mark said with a smile.
Ten minutes later, he and Laura Jo, with Gus in the backseat, were leaving her parents’ house. She had touched her seat belt when he’d looked.
“Old habits are hard to break,” he said in explanation.
“Not a bad habit to have,” she assured him in a warm tone. That was one of the many things he loved about Laura Jo. She understood him.
“I hope you don’t mind me taking Gus home. I don’t want you to think I planned to lure you to my house. I just thought Allie would be glad to see him. I didn’t think it all the way through.”
“She was, and I don’t mind riding to your house.”
As they traveled through the tunnel Laura Jo remarked, “I’ve never known my parents to let a dog in the house.”
“Gus does have that effect on people.”
She went on as if more in thought than conversation, “Come to think of it, I’ve never seen my father invite another man into his private space.”
“Maybe that’s his way of giving me a seal of approval.”
She pieced him with a look. “Are you asking for a seal of approval from my father?”
“No, the only seal of approval I’m looking for is from you.”
She studied him for a minute before asking, “Are you going to tell me about Mike and Tammy or keep me in suspense?”
“It took me a while to admit you were right. Actually, I knew all along that you were. I just didn’t want to admit it.”
“So what made you decide to talk to Mike?” She had laid her head back and closed her eyes.
He hadn’t planned to go into this as they traveled. But as usual Laura Jo had a way of surprising him. “Why don’t you rest and I’ll tell you when we get to my house?”
“Sounds like a plan.”
By the time Mark pulled into his drive, Laura Jo was sleeping. Here he was, planning to bare his heart to her after weeks of being separated, and she’d fallen asleep. He let Gus out of the car and went to open the front door.
Going to Laura Jo’s door, he opened it, unbuckled her and scooped her into his arms. She mumbled and wrapped her arms around his neck, letting her head rest on his chest. He kicked the passenger door closed and carried her inside.
He loved having her in his arms again. After pushing the front door closed, he went to his favorite chair and sat down. She continued to sleep and he was content just having her close.
Sometime later Laura Jo stirred. He placed a kiss on her temple and her eyelids fluttered open.
“Hello,” she mumbled against his neck. Then she kissed him.
The thump-thump of his heart went to bump-bump.
Her lips touched the ridge of his chin, while a hand feathered through his hair near his ear.
His hopes soared. His manhood stirred. Had she missed him as much as he’d missed her? “Laura Jo, if you keep that up, talking is the last thing that will happen.”
“So talk,” she murmured, before her mouth found the corner of his. “I’m listening.”
“Maybe we need to go out on the deck.”
“Mmm, I like it here.” She wiggled around so she could kiss him fully on the mouth.
His length hardened. If he didn’t say what he needed to say now, he wouldn’t be doing so for a long time.
“I can’t believe that I’m doing this…” He pushed her away until he could see her face. She blinked at him and gave him a dreamy smile. “Why did you agree to talk to me? Was it because you saw me with Mike? You haven’t answered any of my phone calls in the past few weeks.”
“I hoped…”
“Hoped what? That I had changed my mind? Hoped you’d gotten through to me? Hoped there was a chance for
us?”
“Yes,” she whispered.
“Do you want there to be?”
By now she was sitting a little straighter and her eyes had turned serious. “Tell me what made you decide to go talk to Mike. When you left my place I didn’t think you ever would.”
“I went because I discovered that I was more afraid of something else than I was of facing Mike.”
Her gaze locked with his. “What?”
“Losing any chance of ever having you in my life.”
“Oh, Mark. I thought I had lost you forever until I saw you with Mike today. I knew then that you thought we had something worth fighting for. I’ve been so miserable without you.” She took his face in her hands and kissed him.
“We’ve both been running from our pasts. I think it’s time for us to run toward our future. Together.”
His arms tightened around her. Their kiss deepened. He had to have her. Beneath him, beside him, under him. Forever.
Mark lifted her off him and she stood. He quickly exited the chair. Taking her hand, he led her to his bedroom. Putting his hands on her shoulders, he turned her around and unzipped her dress. Pushing it off and letting it fall to the floor, he kissed her shoulder.
“I’ve missed you so much it hurt.”
“I felt the same.”
He released her bra and it joined her dress. There was a hitch in her breathing when he cupped her breasts. She leaned back against him. As his hands roamed, she began to squirm.
She flipped around to face him. “I want you.” Her hands went to his waist and started releasing his belt.
“No more than I want you.”
With them both undressed, they found the bed and the world that was theirs alone.
Sometime later, Mark lay with Laura Jo in his arms. Her hair tickled his nose but he didn’t mind. All was right with his world if she was in it.
Laura Jo shifted, placed a hand in the center of his chest and looked up at him. “Hi, there.”
He looked at her and smiled. “Hey, yourself.”
For a few moments he enjoyed the feel of her in his arms before he said, “I’ve worked for years not to become emotionally involved with anyone. I didn’t think I could trust myself. Then along came you and Allie. I’ve been miserable without you both. I’ve always wanted a family and when a wonderful one was offered to me, like an idiot I turned it down. I won’t do that again if the invitation is still open. See, the problem is that I’ve fallen in love with you.”