Page 72 of Essence of his Soul

He chuckled, pulling me even closer, his body warm againstmine. “Too late for that,” he whispered, making sure I knew what he meant.

I raised an eyebrow, trying to play it cool. “And what are we gonna do about that?”

“I’ve got a few ideas,” he said, his voice dropping to that deep, serious tone that always got to me.

Tyler toddled over, planting a sweet kiss on my cheek, breaking the moment in the cutest way possible. I laughed, scooping him up and kissing him back. He wiggled out of my arms and went back to his toys.

Mark smiled, reaching behind him to pull out a small velvet box. “I’ve got something else for you, too,” he whispered.

I shook my head, laughing softly. “You’ve already given me a gift.”

“And now I’m giving you another.”

I opened the box, revealing a gold chain with a small key, the eye of the key sparkling with a diamond. I ran my fingers over it, speechless.

“You know, don’t you?” Mark asked, his voice serious.

“Know what?” I asked, my heart pounding in my chest.

“That you hold the key to my heart.”

Mark’s words hung in the air, heavy with meaning. I wanted to say something, but the words wouldn’t come. Maybe because I wasn’t sure if he meant me or Tyler, but for now, I didn’t care. Today wasn’t about figuring everything out. Instead, I decided to leave well enough alone for now and focus on having an unforgettable Christmas.

Chapter 19

“Well, look who’s finally here,” Mrs. Saunders said, her smile warm as she leaned in to kiss me.

“Thanks for inviting me,” I said, stepping into the house with Mark behind me, holding Tyler in his arms.

Mark’s mother waved it off like it was nothing. “No need to thank me. Whether you know it or not, you and that little tyke are part of this family.”

Being part of Mark’s family, hearing it out loud, felt...good. Really good.

It looked like we were the last ones to show up. Cars had lined both sides of the street and packed the driveway; from the sound of it, the house was already full of people. Before we walked in, I knew all eyes would be on Tyler. Sure enough, before his coat was off, he was getting passed around like the star of the show. And instead of crying like I half-expected, he was eating up all the attention, laughing like he owned the place. I couldn’t help but smile at my little ham.

Mrs. Saunders took my coat, and before I knew it, Mark was at my elbow, gently guiding me into the living room. He introduced me to family members left and right, names flying at me so fast I knew there was no way I’d remember them all. The Saunders clan was twice the size of my own, and they seemed tightly knitted. I smiled and said, “Nice to meet you,” so often that my cheeks ached. Mark led me into the kitchen, and I spotted Kelly near the sink. I let out a small sigh of relief. A familiar face.

“I was starting to wonder if y’all were even gonna make it,” Kelly said and moved over and wrapped me in a hug.

“Why would you think that?” Mark asked, a devilish grin on his face.

“Because by now, I figured she’d be sick of you,” Kelly teased, punching her brother playfully.

Another woman, holding a toddler on her hip, stepped forward. “You can’t speak?” she said, shaking her head with a smile.

Mark turned to her, and his jaw dropped. “Well, damn. I almost didn’t recognize you with all that hair.” He leaned down and kissed her cheek before giving her a hug.

I stood aside, wondering who this beautiful woman was.

“When did you get here?” he asked.

“This morning,” she replied, smiling.

“Essence,” Mark said, turning to me, “This is my big sister, Calaine. And this little cutie here is my niece, Dominique,” he said, gazing down at the adorable little girl she held in her arms.

I reached out to shake her hand. “It’s so nice to meet you.”

Calaine smiled and shook my hand. “I’ve heard so much about you.”

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