“You didn’t have to call me.”

“Do I need to come home?” Jax’s voice is full of worry and it makes me love him even more.

“No. I’m being dumb. But I’m still mad at him.”

“Not all men are cheating bastards like Scott was,” Jax reminds me.

“Scott and I weren’t even officially a couple.”

“No, but he still fucked anything that looked at him sideways while he was fucking you, and it screwed you up, tootsie roll. Mark isn’t Scott, and just because a couple trollops sent him messages today doesn’t mean he did anything wrong. So yeah, get over yourself.”

“Damn. Tough love sucks ass.”

Jax chuckles. “Did he leave?”

“No, he…” The front door slams, making the tears come again. “Yeah. He just left.”

“Sleep off your shitty mood and then go apologize. With a blow job.”

“Thanks, Dr. Ruth.”

“My pleasure. See you on Friday.”

***

My head is pounding when I wake up. It’s not quite light out yet. Gray shadows are cast across the room as the first rays from the sun are just starting to surface.

I climb out of bed and shuffle into the kitchen to take some painkillers, toss the left over water in the sink, and turn to go back to bed, but a dark figure on the couch catches my eye.

Mark.

He didn’t leave.

He’s stretched out on his back, a quilt I recognize from the night we sat on the pier draped over him. As I step closer, I can see he’s asleep.

And suddenly, I just can’t stay away from him anymore.

I climb on top of him, curling up in a ball on his chest and suddenly his arms come around me, holding me tightly.

“I was such a bitch,” I whisper as the tears start again. “But I can’t apologize for my reaction, Mark, because you’re mine and those text messages just pissed me the fuck off.”

“I got that,” he replies softly and kisses my head. “When I thought about it from your point of view, I got it. If the roles were reversed, I’d be in jail for assault.”

“I’m not usually super jealous, but honestly, Mark, her tits?”

“I know. I’m sorry about that too. I texted every woman in my phone last night, those I remember and those I don’t, and told them that I’m off the market for good and not to text me again.”

“You did?”

“Yes. My sister and mom weren’t impressed.”

I chuckle and slap his arm without any real malice behind it. “I had a brief relationship with a guy a few years ago and when I say brief, that’s no lie. Super brief. Mostly because he didn’t think it was necessary to stop sleeping with everyone else he knew while he was sleeping with me.”

“I’m not like that and you know it.”

“I know. And I feel more than a little foolish this morning. If it helps, I cried myself to sleep last night.”

“No that doesn’t help,” he says as he caresses my back and kisses my head. “I hate it when you cry.”

“I hate it when I’m stupid.”

“You’re not stupid. We’re learning each other again, remember?”

“Yeah.”

“I’m learning that you have a helluva possessive side.”

“I do.”

His hand travels down my back to cup my ass firmly.

“I do too. There won’t be a repeat of last night, M. I promise. And this is the last time I’ll ever sleep on the couch. You can’t blame me for things that aren’t my fault.”

I grin and kiss his chest. “I’ll try to rein in the jealous bitch.”

“Do that. You don’t have anyone to be jealous of, baby. You’re all I see. You know that.”

I raise up to gaze into his face in the gray glow of the living room. He brushes his thumbs under my eyes, wiping the tears away. “You’re all I see,” he whispers.

“About the other thing, Mark. I don’t ever want you to think that I would choose dance over you again. I wouldn’t. I said no because of you, because I couldn’t be away from you for so long. I made it clear that I’ve moved on from that life.”

He kisses my cheek and pulls me back down against his chest.

“I believe you,” he whispers. “And I’m sorry for jumping to conclusions of my own.”

Chapter Fourteen

“Where are we going?” I ask and push my hair out of my face. Mark took the top off his Jeep, and we’re speeding down the freeway on this gorgeous spring day. The sky is bright blue, not a cloud in it, and the chill from early spring is finally being burned off by the sun.

“We have work to do today.”

“Um, no, we have the week off.” I glance over at Mark and feel the breath leave my lungs. Will I always lose my breath when I look at him? He’s wearing dark Oakley sunglasses. His blond hair is messy from the wind and my fingers. His white T-shirt molds against his chest and arm muscles like a dream and his forearms flex as he grips the steering wheel.

I can’t even think about the way those faded blue jeans hug his ass and thighs without breaking out into a sweat.

I could easily just sit here and watch him all day.

“Mer?”

“Yeah?”

“You’re not listening to me.”

“Sorry, it’s hard to concentrate when you’re over there looking like that.”