Page 17 of Burn for Me (The Last Snow of the Season 2)
Chapter Twelve
____________
Mark
"What?!"
This is the only way I could get her to come home with me. Half lie-half shell game, I owe a lot to Jag for helping me pull this one off. Thankfully she didn't realize I was bringing all of her bags in with my own things when I took them out of the jeep.
"You're eighteen – there’s no reason to go back to your aunt's."
She looks at me a little stunned. Her pretty mouth hung open in shock.
"You aren't happy there," I say the obvious because it's something that needs to be pointed out to her.
"Yeah...but that doesn't mean...what is going on, Mark?"
The only way I am going to get my little rabbit in my home is to lay a snare and trap her here. And the best way to do that is to keep her off balance.
"Wait, how did you find out about my aunt? I never said anything to you about her."
Oh shit! Time for the diversion. "I plead the fifth." I shut the door behind me and flip the lock and set the alarm. "Look, I can see you're tired. What does it matter if you spend the night with me instead of at a place you most likely won't find any rest? There are no little cousins to crawl over you or demands that have to be met before you can rest."
I take her by the hands and lead her up the stairs to the bedroom. I only have two bedrooms. We'll have to move to a bigger house once the kids start coming. It's better that way because then we can find a house that we both like, not that this won't be anything less than a home to my little rabbit. Anything she doesn't like I can change for her. We might stay until the third or fourth baby comes depending on how quickly we can have them. I might build the house we move into just so she can have everything the way she wants it.
I help her take her shoes off and both of us undress. I give her my shirt so she can pull it on and turn down the covers for her to wiggle into the bed. She still has a look on her face that tells me she’s not quite sure what’s going on, but she climbs in. I follow her and kill the light sitting on the table.
"Why?"
"Why what?" I drop a kiss on the top of her head.
"Why are you doing this?" I can tell by her voice that she is giving me a peek at that gooey inside she tries to hide so hard.
"Cuddling?"
She slaps at me but halfheartedly. "No, why are you letting me stay here with you tonight?" I don't correct her and tell her that this is not just for tonight. "Why are you holding me and not demanding sex?"
"Because I can tell you need rest more than you need my cock and Rumer, I will always do what is best for you." I position us so that my chin rests on top of her head. "You didn't sleep very much last night and with all the stress of today you have to be exhausted."
"I am." It's soft but I can still hear it. It doesn't take long before she’s drifting off to sleep and letting me do what I was made for - holding this woman and keeping her safe.
I wake before her the next morning and hurry downstairs to make us something to eat. While I'm doing that, I also call my mom. She knows a little about what happened at the cabin just because I text her to tell her I found the mother of my children and am currently working on getting the said future mother to be alright with the way things are. She lovingly informed me that I was just like my dad and that the girl didn't stand a chance.
"So, when can we meet her?"
Not even a hello. Just right on to the meat of the issue. "Hello, Mom. I'm fine, thanks for asking."
If we didn't find a way down off the mountain before too long, she would have come up to get us. At least that is what she threatened to do when she found out it was going to be a little while before she got to meet her future daughter-in-law.
"Oh, shut up! You know I love you." I laugh at her. Giving mom hell is one of my and my sibling's favorite things to do. "I need female companionship here, Mark. Your father and you boys are killing me."
Mom and dad have seven boys. Mom says it was because they just kept trying for a girl, but I think it's just because Dad liked to see her pregnant. I'm damn sure that is why I am going to keep my little rabbit knocked up.
"You'll just have to come to dinner and let me introduce you guys to my future. Right now, I have to feed my girl or she won't want to stay."
"We'll be there at six."
"Sounds good, Mom. Love you."
