Page 41 of Essence of his Soul

His grin deepened, his confidence unwavering. “You did, but I plan to change your mind about us and me.”

* * *

Silence stretched between us, she glaring and me grinning. Essence’s magenta lips were pursed in a thin line. Her arms were folded beneath her breasts. The orange cashmere sweater she wore showed ample cleavage, causing my loins to stir.

A brotha was starting to get under her skin.

I watched her, waiting for some comeback, while my eyes traveled down to her shapely legs in a pair of black jeans that fit her like a second skin. She was a tempting sight. I wanted nothing more than to pull her into my arms and kiss her until we fell to the vinyl flooring in a tangled knot of hungry hands and arching bodies.

I fought the urge to take her in my arms. There were still a lot of things we needed to work out, a lot of things I still had to make her understand. I needed to think with my head, not my other body parts. That was what had gotten us into this mess in the first place.

Only I couldn’t help myself.

I eased up to her until our hips connected, savoring the contact of lush breasts and legs.

“Don’t,” she whispered, with little force behind the word. My hand rose and tipped her face up toward mine.

“Let it happen, Essence,” I murmured, barely touching my mouth to hers, drowning in the feeling.

I buried my hands in her hair and kissed her so deeply I almost forgot how to breathe. My lips were demanding, my embrace possessive and strong. I challenged her with my kisses, wordlessly demanding that she acknowledge the tension and sexual heat that existed between us. A heat that was capable of welding us together.

“Mark, stop!” Essence jerked away, and her nostrils flared. “We’ve been getting along so well. Why’d you have to go and ruin it!”

“I only have a few weeks left,” I argued and followed swiftlybehind her as she started down the hall.

She swung around. “And? I thought you were going to Ft. Meade?”

“I... I am,” he lied. “But that’s beside the point. I want to come home to you and Tyler each night, not to cold and empty officer quarters.”

She waved a dismissive hand. “Listen, I’ve had a long day and want to start dinner before Tyler wakes up. So, if you don’t mind leaving...”

“Not yet. I brought Tyler something.”

She threw up her hands in a gesture of dismissal. “Fine.” She turned and entered her room, slamming the door behind her.

* * *

Once inside, I stood very still, my knees trembling like I’d just spent an hour on a damn stationary bike. My heart was pounding so hard in the sudden silence I could barely hear myself think. One kiss. How could one kiss turn my whole day upside down like this?

Because you love him.

That knowledge alone was going to be my downfall.

When I finally found the nerve to leave my room, I was greeted by the sight of Mark lugging a full-sized Christmas tree through the front door.

“What are you doing?” I asked, completely appalled. “I already have a tree.”

Mark peered around the pine branches, flashing that infuriatingly charming grin of his. “Don’t get me wrong, your tree is cute, but kids like big trees.”

“I really don’t think Tyler is old enough to care,” I mumbled, rubbing my arms as if that could shake off the shivers running down my spine.

“Maybe not,” he said with a smirk that sent my heart intoa foolish frenzy. “But with all the lights, he’ll be fascinated. Besides, I’m a kid at heart.” He shut the door and reached into a brown sack, pulling out a tree stand.

I stayed quiet, watching him set up that big tree right next to mine. My little tree looked pitiful in comparison, like a weed trying to grow in the shadow of a giant.

But as I stood there, something in his manner started to soothe the storm inside me. Instead of grabbing him by the neck and demanding that he listen to reason, I just leaned against the wall, wrapping my arms around myself for comfort, and watched.

As if sensing the shift in my mood, Mark glanced over his shoulder and said, “I promise to leave after Tyler and I decorate the tree.”

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