Page 86 of Hiss and Make Up
He moved in to kiss her, his lips only a few inches away. Sierra placed a hand against his chest and pushed him back.
“That’s not an answer. No more making up answers for each other. You’re going to have to say it. Out. Loud.”
“Fair enough.” He grinned. “Sierra Menard, I choose you. I choose us. Today, tomorrow, however long this lasts. I don’t want the kids or cakes or picnics. I never have. That was Denise’s dream, and I like being with them, but I don’t want that for myself.”
“Are you sure? Because you have to be sure,” she said. “Is life without kids going to beenoughfor you?”
“Plenty. Hell, I’ll even give up pie. Pecan pie, even. And you can bring along snakes or skinks if you need to, I don’t care. I only care that you’re with me. Today and however long I’m lucky enough to have you in my life.” He took a deep breath. “Because I love you, Sierra. I always have.”
She narrowed her eyes. “I’m not that same girl.”
“Kind of. The new stuff I’ll learn. And I’m not that same boy you knew either. You’ll have to learn new stuff about me too,” he said.
“I know. I finally figured that out.”
“If it makes you feel better, I’ll say that I’ve always loved you…since three days ago.” He leaned forward and gripped her hips again. His eyes were dark and intense. “Now can I kiss you?”
She grabbed his shirt and pulled him even closer until their lips almost touched. “You’d better.”
There was no hesitation this time. No second guesses.
Her lips met his, and their bodies pressed together with a deep, aching need to connect more than clothing and skin. She slid her hands up to his face, feeling the rough, late-day stubble along his jawline.
Marc pressed her back against the rumbling washing machine, leaning deeper into their kiss. Then he took a step back.
“Where are you going?” she asked, missing his warmth already.
“I’m taking you tomybed.”
She pulled him back. “I don’t need a bed.”
A devilish smile spread across his face, and her knees went weak at the sight of it. “That’s all well and good, but I don’t exactly have a condom stash in the laundry room.”
She sighed and narrowed her eyes. “Fine.”
He gave her a playful kiss and pulled her backward, their fingers intertwined and palms pressed together. They inched toward the hall as Puck jumped and yipped, using his paws to leverage himself against the sliding glass door.
“Dang it.”
“Ignore him,” Sierra said, urging him toward the hall.
Marc tried to plead his case between kisses. “He’s going to keep doing that until he slides the door open. He did it last night.”
“Then he’ll be waiting for us in the house.” She wasn’t letting Marc get away from her. Not now. Not even for a second. “He’s had a bath, and he should be dry now. The weather’s cool this evening. It’ll be like leaving a window open to freshen up the place.”
He pulled his head back and narrowed his eyes. They were still playful but had a spark of a challenge. “You saying my place needs freshening up?”
She bit her bottom lip. “I’m saying, if you don’t take me down that hallway right now, I’m going to start taking off your clothes and jump you right here in front of the dog.”
A flash of horror washed across his face, but he laughed. It was deep and soft and magical. “You win.”
“Actually, I think we’re both about to win here.”
He put his hands around her waist. “Yeah, we are.”
She lifted his shirt, while the dog barked in the background. Marc kissed her again, more deeply this time, and she followed him toward the bedroom, finally ready to admit that she’d follow him anywhere.
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