* * * *
A few minutes later Mark glanced her way when he heard her light snores. After
watching her for a few moments, he was disgusted with himself when even her snores turned
him on.
He turned his attention back to the congested highway. Rolling down his window, he
allowed the warm breeze to filter into the car. This was his favorite time of the year, the beginning of spring, when nature seemed to grant a new lease on life. It was the best time of year in San Antonio.
Having grown up and worked in San Antonio his entire life, Mark was intimately
acquainted with most communities and knew his way around. After she’d given him her home
address, he hadn’t needed directions, already being familiar with the area.
When he glanced back in her direction, he noted that she’d barely stirred from her
original position. However, instead of both hands resting under her cheek, the right one had slipped down into her lap where it rested upturned.
She looked so innocent with her hand nestled beneath her cheek and the other on her
thigh. Her pretty brown skin had a healthy glow. Her lips were slightly open; the full bottom rim beckoned his attention.
Obviously, her mental exhaustion had warred with the caffeine she’d consumed, and the
exhaustion had easily won.
Turning at the stop sign, Mark made the descent down the hill leading to her house.
Within minutes, they were headed into the tree-lined community that had been one of the first to be established in the area.
He’d hidden his surprise after she’d given him her address. The area was not only an old
established community, but was also a community known for its wealthy residents.
He’d reached her street when she began to stir. She slowly opened her eyes and softly
yawned. She placed her hand on the side of her neck, and turning her head in the opposite
direction, stretched her body.
Abruptly she turned back to him. “Oh Lord, I’m sorry. I must have dozed off. You’re on
my street! My house is the last one on your side.” She self-consciously pat her hair, fingering the thick braid back into place, as he came to a smooth halt outside the brightly lit, brick, two-story Victorian mansion.
Even in the early evening light, he could see the flowers that provided a profusion of
colors framing the walkway that led to her front porch. Abundant ferns framed the wraparound deck; the overall effect gave the mansion a warm and welcoming feel.
“You were tired, don’t worry about it. How’s your head? Does it still hurt?” he asked
solicitously, as he turned his body toward hers. In the dimly lit interior, he was barely able to make out her features. Noting the exhaustion in her eyes, he turned the engine off and removed his seat belt. “Let me walk you to your door.”
“That’s okay, I’ll be alright. It’s a short walk to the door. I’ll use my front entry, but
thank you,” she said, as she turned to open her door.
Before she was able to do so, he was there helping her climb down. Keeping his hand on
the small of her back, he walked her the short distance to her front door.
“I wasn’t aware there were any apartments in this area,” he said as they made their way
up the wide brick walkway.
“I own it. I have a hard time wasting anything, including space. So I converted it into
three separate units.” She reached into her purse and fished for her key.
“Allow me.”
He reached down to take the key from her hand. After opening the first door, they were
inside a hallway with two doors. She motioned him toward the one that was hers.
He turned around to hand her the door key. The overhead hall light starkly highlighted
her tear-streaked face. Slowly the tears traveled down her face and swiftly gathered momentum.
Without thought, he turned her into his arms.
Holding her tight, his intent was only to soothe. He spread his legs to reduce the height
difference as he embraced her with one arm, while the other cupped the back of her head.
With both of her arms hugging his waist, she continued to cry uncontrollably. When her
tears showed no sign of ceasing, Mark continued to caress the back of her head. Eventually, she went to unwind her arms from their tight hold around his waist until he reached around and
prevented her from moving.
“I’m sorry. It’s been an awful day. This is the second time today you’ve seen me like
this,” she shakily apologized.
“You don’t have anything to be embarrassed about. It’s been an emotionally draining day
for you. My God, you just identified your foster sister’s body.”
As she gazed at him with her large beautiful eyes, still shimmering with unshed tears, his
heart skipped a beat. He lifted her face and gently wiped the tears away from her smooth cheek with the rough pads of his thumbs.
She continued to look at him with her sad eyes and he leaned down to lift her chin and
softly kiss her lips. When she made no move to stop him, he continued to kiss her with light touches that barely made contact with her mouth, making his way down her cheek, tasting her salty tears.
The moment his mouth touched hers he was on fire. What had begun in innocence, a
simple desire to console, took on a life of its own. Setting out to comfort and soothe, the incredible softness of her lips sent blood rushing to his head.
Mark knew there was no way he was going to stop unless she asked. And he hoped to
hell she wouldn’t ask.
He deepened the kiss, and his tongue plunged into the moist recesses of her mouth in
search of her warm, wet tongue. He pulled her bottom lip between his and drew on the lush rim, tugging it further and further into his mouth, causing a deep ache to pool directly in his groin.
His hand traveled from her
