Page 40 of Essence of his Soul

The way Mark moved through my house with such ease put me on edge. Things were getting way out of hand, and I knew it was time for us to have a serious talk.

I rushed ahead of him to Tyler’s room and pulled back the comforter on his bed.

“Should I take off his shoes?” Mark asked, his voice soft as he gazed down at our sleeping son.

I nodded, watching Mark gently ease off one, then the other. It always surprised me how gentle he could be. It was that side of him that had captured my heart the first time, and that same side was trying to pull me back in.

I watched as Mark’s fingers brushed Tyler’s tiny hand, the love in his golden eyes undeniable. It made my heart ache in a way that almost had me reconsidering everything. If only Mark could give me the one thing I desired most, the decision would be easy.

Pressing my lips together, I pushed the thought aside. “Mark, we need to talk.”

Mark straightened, stepping away from Tyler’s bed. “Sure, just let me know when you’re ready,” he said, not waiting for my response before leaving the room.

I was about to follow him when a whimper from Tyler’s bed made me turn back. After calming and watching him drift back to sleep, I turned on the baby monitor, quietly shut the door, andsearched for Mark. I found him carrying the last of my bags from the car.

“You didn’t have to do that,” I said, my voice sharper than I intended. “I mean... I was going to get the bags from the car.”

He turned those golden eyes on me, a smirk playing on his lips. “I thought I’d save you the trouble. Where do you want these?” he asked, holding up several plastic bags.

His dimpled smile worked its magic, warming me in places I didn’t want to acknowledge. “You can leave the groceries on the counter. I’ll take the bags in your hands,” I said, walking over to retrieve the Christmas gifts.

“Would one of those be for me, by any chance?” he teased, his eyes sparkling.

“Don’t flatter yourself,” I shot back, rolling my eyes. Bags in hand, I pivoted and headed to my room, hoping to get away before my resistance completely melted.

When I returned, I stood near the door, watching Mark put a gallon of milk in the refrigerator. The way he moved around my kitchen so comfortably made me uneasy. This wasn’t his place.

I leaned against the doorframe, arms crossed. “Mark, you want to tell me what’s going on?”

“Going on?” he repeated, playing all innocent. But I knew better. Mark was far from innocent, and I wasn’t about to fall for his charm, no matter how tempting.

“What are you doing here?” I asked, my patience wearing thin.

The teasing light in his eyes faded, replaced by something more serious. “I’m here because you’re here, and so is my son. I told you I plan to spend every minute I can with Tyler,” he said, his eyes locking onto mine. “And I wanted to spend some time with you, too.”

“With me?” I echoed, feeling my defenses crumble as he ruffled my feathers like always.

His gaze dropped to my lips before meeting my eyes again, sending chills racing through me, heat settling low in my belly. “I want to take you out on a date, spend time together, and show you how much I want to be with you.”

I was torn between slapping him and kissing him. He was so damn hardheaded.

“Mark, please don’t start that again. It’s growing annoying.”

He pushed away from the counter and walked toward me, making my breath hitch and my heart skip a beat. “I’m not here to make things difficult, Essence. I’m here to show you how much I need you in my life,” he said, his voice like warm honey, thick and seductively sweet.

“You’re kidding, right?” I chuckled, thinking he was playing around. But the look on his face told me he wasn’t.

He rubbed a hand over his shaved jaw, his expression serious. “Do I look like I’m kidding?”

I quickly got over the shock, my irritation flaring up. Dropping a hand to my waist, I sighed, my eyes narrowing. “And I guess you think that if you keep this up, I’ll eventually accept your offer of marriage?”

“That’s the plan,” he smirked.

“It won’t work,” I snapped, trying to ignore how my heart pounded.

A crooked smile tugged at his lips. “Yes, it will.”

I shook my head, dropping my eyes as the weight of his gaze sent electricity racing through my veins. I couldn’t believe how arrogant he was, and what really got to me was how much that trait turned me on. “No, it won’t. I thought I made myself perfectly clear about my reasons for not marrying you.”

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