CHAPTERTWENTY-ONE
The last week of November passed in a fog. Jessica kept her head down, immersed in work at the spa, too tired and too sick to think of much else. Despite her better judgment, she’d gone ahead with the expansion, and construction was in full swing in the woods behind the spa.
December brought with it a new chill in the air and Christmas music on the breeze. Fall had always been her favorite season, but she couldn’t help a sense of excitement over the upcoming holidays too. She had only days left on her antibiotic treatment, and maybe she was just being optimistic but she could swear she was feeling a little bit better.
She already had a girls’ night out planned for next week once she could drink again. In the meantime, she finished up with her last client and headed home for a shower and a hot cup of tea. Today was Mark’s birthday, and since he’d confessed a few days ago that he couldn’t remember the last time he’d celebrated, she felt compelled to change that for him this year, especially with this being a milestone birthday for him. She wanted to give him the kind of perfect birthday he hadn’t had in way too long, if ever.
Rather than throw him an elaborate surprise party—which she knew he’d hate—instead she’d rallied the group for dinner at Rowdy’s. And afterward, she would have Mark all to herself for a little private celebration. Simple, but meaningful.
The hot shower and tea revitalized her. She swallowed her next antibiotic pill and went into the bedroom to get ready. Mark was going to have to wait to open his present until they were alone because he’d have to undress her to get to it. She’d bought a skimpy red lingerie set, and she couldn’t wait to see the look on his face when he discovered it.
She slipped into a pair of dark-wash skinny jeans, a slinky red top, and black leather boots. And just for fun, she even jazzed up her makeup for tonight, accenting her eyes with a smoky eye shadow that shimmered and going for the red lipstick that she seldom wore. She’d just finished when she heard Mark knocking at the door. She gave herself a quick spritz of perfume and hurried to let him in.
“Happy birthday,” she said as she pulled open the door.
Mark’s gaze went from wide-eyed to smoldery as it traveled the length of her body. “Thanks,” he said finally. “You look…” He crushed her against him, finishing the thought with a kiss that heated her up until she’d melted in his arms.
“Is that a good thing?” she asked, breathless and teasing.
“Change of plans.” He kicked the door shut behind them. “We’re staying in tonight.”
“No way.” She smiled against his lips. “Not after how long I spent getting ready, and besides, all our friends are waiting at Rowdy’s to celebrate with you.”
“Don’t care.” He hauled her up against him, letting her feel how hard he already was for her.
“I’ll make it up to you later,” she whispered. “Repeatedly.”
“I don’t know what I ever did to deserve you,” he said, his voice all low and gruff.
Her heart thumped painfully against her ribs. “Just be yourself, Mark. That’s more than enough.” She wanted so badly to tell him she loved him, but she didn’t want to say the words too soon and freak him out. He’d been on his own for a long, long time, and while he seemed to be settling comfortably into their relationship, she still caught him sometimes pulling back. He still spent entire days on his own, prowling around in the woods and shutting out the rest of the world.
She didn’t mind. She didn’t want to change a single thing about him, but she couldn’t help thinking that, if she rushed their relationship too quickly, he might take off like a startled deer and run for the hills, never looking back.
“Sure I can’t convince you to stay in?” He slid his hands inside her blouse, encountering the lacy surprise she was hiding. “Fuck.Me.”
She grabbed his hands before they could explore any further. “No peeking. You can unwrap your present when we get home.”
“You’re my present?” The expression on his face was tortured. “You can’t do that to me, Jess. You’ve got to at least let me have a peek.”
“Nope.” She grabbed her purse and led the way to the front door, turning to wink at him over her shoulder. “I’m going to let you fantasize about it until we get back here later tonight.”
***
Mark leaned back in his chair, stuffed full of beer and wings, happier and more content than he could remember feeling…pretty much ever. And he had Jess to thank. All of these guys really, but even after he’d started working with Ethan and Ryan, he’d still felt empty and restless until Jess came back into his life. He still got twitchy from time to time—probably always would—but the more time he spent with Jess, the more right it felt.
She squeezed his hand under the table, looking so goddamn gorgeous it was all he could do not to haul her into his lap and kiss her senseless right here in the middle of the restaurant.
“So this is the big one for you, huh, old man?” Ryan tipped his beer in Mark’s direction.
“Who are you calling old?” Mark asked. He was the youngest of the three of them, and they all knew it.
“You walked right into that one,” Emma agreed with a grin, ribbing her husband.
“I’m loving my thirties so far,” Ryan said, slinging an arm around Emma’s shoulders. “Never been happier.”
“Same,” Ethan said, leaning in to give Gabby a kiss.
Trent—Ryan’s teenage brother—made a gagging sound from the end of the table. “Don’t kid yourselves, you guys areallold.”
