Page 71 of Essence of his Soul

“Just kidding, sweetheart,” he whispered as he kissed my neck. “I enjoy watching you sleep.” His lips perused my neck. “You looked so beautiful I couldn’t take my eyes off you.” His mouth traveled around and captured my lips.

I felt his penis throbbed against the inside of my thighs, causing blood to pump faster through my veins.Goodness,I wanted him again.

“Mmm, you taste good,” Mark murmured as his lips traveled from my mouth, down my neck to my collarbone, and finally to my nipples. He skimmed his teeth and his tongue over the peak. I almost came off the bed when I heard Tyler’s voice coming through the baby monitor.

“Uh oh, Tyler’s awake,” I whispered.

“I thought that cooing was you,” he murmured.

The sun was barely up, casting this soft, golden glow through the curtains, lighting up Mark’s face in a way that made my heart do flips. I couldn’t stop staring at him. He looked at me, and his smile melted everything inside me—it was wild.

“Oh my God,” I whispered, half to myself. “Mark?”

He looked at me, his eyes warm, like he was just as caught up in the moment as I was. “What’s up, sweetheart?”

“It’s Christmas,” I said, almost in disbelief. It had snuck up on us as we got so wrapped up in our little world that the holiday had just...arrived.

Mark’s face lit up, and his grin—playful and just a little mischievous—spread across his face. “I guess it is. Let’s go get Tyler.”

He leaned in and kissed me quick and sweet, enough to send a rush of warmth through me. We jumped out of bed, laughing like kids, like we were the ones waiting for Santa. I yanked on my robe. Mark pulled on his pajama bottoms, and we slipped down the hall to Tyler’s room, still giggling like we had some secret.

Mark scooped up Tyler, and I stood there for a second, watching them. “I’m gonna put some coffee on before we start,” I said.

“Good idea,” Mark said, setting Tyler in his playpen. “I’ll grab my camera from the car.”

I had almost forgotten that photography was his hobby. I watched Mark head outside, slipping into his shoes and coat. Through the window, I saw him grinning like a little kid in the snow. When he returned inside, Christmas cartoons were playing, and the tree was lit up in the living room like it was ready for the magic to begin.

“Ready?” I asked, my heart pounding with excitement.

“More than you know,” he said, eyes locking onto mine.

Mark shrugged off his coat, scooping Tyler up again, and carried him over to the tree. “Merry Christmas, Champ,” hewhispered, and I swear, my heart just about burst.

I sat beside them, watching Tyler reach for this big red Fisher-Price cell phone. He held it to his ear like he’d seen me do a hundred times, and I couldn’t stop the giggle that slipped out. Mark laughed, too, snapping pictures, capturing every moment.

This went on for what felt like forever before Mark finally put down the camera and laced his fingers with mine. The look in his eyes made my pulse race.

“Thank you,” he said, his voice soft, full of something deeper than just words.

“For what?” I asked, barely able to speak.

“For making this the best Christmas,” he said, and I could feel the emotion in his voice, the way it was about so much more than just today.

“I’m glad you’re here to share it with us,” I whispered.

Mark leaned in, his breath warm against my ear. “I hope I get to share many more.”

Without saying a word, I crawled over to the tree, reaching behind it to pull out a box I’d hidden the night before. When I handed it to Mark, he raised an eyebrow, looking surprised.

“What’s this?” he asked, shaking his head like he couldn’t believe it.

“Open it,” I said, my heart racing.

Mark unwrapped it slowly, revealing a framed collage of photographs I’d collected of Tyler from the day he was born. I watched as his eyes softened, filling with emotions I hadn’t expected.

Before I knew it, he pulled me onto his lap, holding me close, his lips brushing against my ear. “You know I’m dying to thank you properly,” he teased, his voice full of that familiar warmth.

I couldn’t help but smile. “At ease, soldier,” I giggled, but my voice betrayed me—I was just as affected as he was.

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