“Not everyone has thought that.”
Her tone told him that she wasn’t fishing for a compliment. Had her ex said differently? “Trust me, you’re the sexiest woman I’ve ever seen. Come with me and I’ll show you just how much.”
She hesitated.
“You can bring the pillow.”
Taking her hand, he led her to his bedroom. He was glad that he’d pulled the covers off his guest-room bed instead of his own. Something told him that if he gave Laura Jo more than a couple of seconds to think she’d be dressing and asking to go home.
Mark didn’t want that. He made a point not to spend all night with the women he dated because he didn’t want them to get any idea that there would ever be anything permanent between them. But he wanted Laura Jo beside him when he woke in the morning. He wanted her close until he had to let her go. For her own good, he would have to let her go.
He clicked on the lamp that was on the table beside his bed. Pulling the covers back, he climbed in, and turned to look at Laura Jo. “You have to let go of that pillow sometime.”
There was a moment or two of panic that she wouldn’t, before she slowly dropped it.
His breath caught. She’d looked amazing in the moonlight, but in the brighter light she was magnificent. Her husband had really done a number on her to make her believe she wasn’t wanted. Mark sure wanted her more than ever.
“Move over.”
He grinned. Laura Jo had gained some confidence. She found her place beside him. Where she belonged. But his feeling of ultimate pleasure quickly moved to the deepest depths of despair. He couldn’t keep her.
Laura Jo gave him a look of concern that soon turned to one of insecurity. She slid her legs to the side of the bed.
“Oh, no, you don’t. I’m not done with you.” Ever. He rolled her to her back and kissed her.
Over the next minutes he teased, touched and tasted her body until he had her shaking beneath him. When he paused at her entrance she made a noise of disapproval. She wrapped her legs around his waist and urged him closer. He entered her and was lost forever.
* * *
Laura Jo woke up snuggled against Mark’s hard body. She’d once thought he had none of the qualities in the man that she was looking for. She’d been so wrong. He had them all and more.
He was the opposite of Phil. When she had needed Mark to come help her at the shelter, he hadn’t questioned it, just asked directions. He was good with Allie and she loved him. There had never been a question that he supported her cause with the shelter. He’d even been understanding about her relationship with her parents. He had been the support she hadn’t had since she’d left her parents’ home. Mark had become a person she could depend on, trust.
Her experiences with lovemaking had been about the other person doing all the receiving but Mark’s loving had been all about giving, making sure she felt cherished. And she had.
She shifted until she could look at his face. His golden lashes tipped in brown lay unmoving against his skin. She resisted running her finger along the ridge of his nose. His strong, square jaw had a reddish tint of stubble covering it. She’d never seen a more handsome male in her life.
Her breath jerked to a stop. Oh, she couldn’t be. But she was in love with Mark Clayborn!
“You’re staring at me.”
Her gaze jerked to his twinkling eyes. Could he see how she felt? Could she take a chance on trusting another man? She had Allie to consider. Had to act as if nothing had changed between them when everything had. In her best teasing tone she said, “You’re so vain.”
He moved to face her, propping his head on his hand. “That may be so but I did see you looking at me.”
“So what if I was?” she asked in a challenging tone.
“Then…” he leaned into her “…I like it.”
Putting an arm around her waist, he pulled her to him. His intention stood rock-hard ready between them. While he kissed her deeply, he positioned her above him and they became one.
CHAPTER EIGHT
AN HOUR LATER they were in the kitchen, working together to make breakfast. Laura Jo wore one of Mark’s shirts while her dress hung on a deck chair, dripping, with Mark’s jacket on another.
“I can’t go home dressed in my evening gown,” she mused, more to herself than to Mark.
“I’ll find something around here that you can wear. Actually, I kind of like you in my shirt.” He gave her a wolfish grin.
Warmth like the beach on a sunny day went through her. It was nice to be desired. It had been so long.
Wearing Mark’s clothes and turning up in the morning instead of late at night in her evening gown was more than she wanted to explain to any of her neighbors. Allie deserved a mother who set a good example. More than that, she owed it to her not to become too involved with a man who wasn’t planning to stay for the long haul. Mark had once said that marriage wasn’t part of their relationship. Had that changed after last night? He’d said he wanted nothing serious. She had major responsibilities, which always meant some level of permanency. Either way, she had other issues to handle in the next few days. She would face that later.
“Butter on your toast?” Mark asked, as he pulled two slices out of the toaster.
“Yes, please.” Waking up with Mark, and spending the morning doing something as domestic as making a meal, felt comfortable, right. Did he sense it, too? She liked it that he didn’t expect her to prepare their breakfast. Instead, it was a partnership.
A few minutes later they sat across from each other at the table, eating. Mark wore a pair of sport shorts and nothing else. He hadn’t shaved yet and the stubble covering his jaw was so sexy she was having trouble concentrating on her food.
“Do you have to work today?” Mark asked.
“No. I work tomorrow morning. But I have to go to the shelter, see Mr. Washington.” She couldn’t keep from grinning. “And pick up Allie and Jeremy from school.”
“I have to work from noon to eight. Could we maybe have a late dinner?”
“Eight is Allie’s bedtime. And it’s a school night.”
He hesitated, stopping his fork halfway to his mouth. Was he thinking about all that was involved in seeing her? She and Allie were a package and she wanted to remind him of that.
“What’s your schedule for Thursday night?”
“Work morning then I have to see Mr. Washington’s friend then Mr. McClure about their donations.”
“That’s right. You’re supposed to get the house on Friday. We’ll make it a celebration. Take Allie to someplace fun.”
“That sounds doable. By the way, I don’t think I said thank you for all your help with the shelter. We couldn’t have done it without you. You’re a good man, Mark Clayborn.”
A flicker of denial came to his eyes before it changed to something she couldn’t name. He smiled. “Thank you for that, Laura Jo Akins. I think you believe it.”
“And I think you should, too.”
* * *
Mark had picked up his phone to call Laura Jo at least ten times over the course of the day. After returning her home, wearing a beach dress his sister-in-law had left there and one of his sweatshirts that had swallowed her whole, he had headed to work. He couldn’t remember a more enjoyable morning. Laura Jo had just looked right in his kitchen. She was right for his life. The simple task of getting ready to leave for work, which turned out to include a very long shared shower, had been nicer when done with Laura Jo. He had it bad for her.
He picked up his phone. This time he texted her: How did it go with Mr. Washington?
Seconds later she returned, Good. Leaving now.
How like Laura Jo to say no more than necessary.
Unable to help himself, he typed, Looking forward to tomorrow evening.
She sent back a smiley face. He grinned. They had come a long way from the snarl that she had given him when they’d first met.
The next day, when he came out of one of the clinic examination r
ooms, he was told by the receptionist that there was a call for him. Was it Laura Jo? Was something wrong? His heart sank. Had she changed her mind about tonight? Mercy, he was starting to act lovesick.
“This is Dr. Clayborn.”
“Hi, this is Marsha Gilstrap. Laura Jo’s friend.”
“Yes, I know who you are. Jeremy’s mother.”
“I’m calling because Laura Jo and I are getting ready to meet with the city about the shelter house. They have notified us at the last minute that they expect us to bring in the names of our board members. It has been only Laura Jo and I. Long story short, would you be willing to serve on our board? It would be for two years, with bi-monthly meetings. Would you be willing to serve?” Once again Marsha was talking like a whirlwind.
“Sure. Just let me know when and where I need to be.” The shelter was a good cause and he would help Laura Jo in any way he could.
“Thanks, Dr. Clayborn.”
“I thought we agreed to Mark.”
“Thanks, Mark.” With that she hung up.
That evening Mark drove straight from work to Laura Jo’s apartment. He was looking forward to the evening far more than he should have been. Getting in too deep with Laura Jo could be disastrous. He wouldn’t stay around forever and Laura Jo would expect that. But he couldn’t help himself. He was drawn to her like no other woman he’d ever met.
Allie opened the door after he knocked.
“Hi, there.” He went in and closed the door behind him. “Now that Mardi Gras is over, what do we need to look forward to next?”