Breathe with Me (With Me in Seattle, #7)(2)

“I love your mom,” I say and sip my water.

“She loves you too.”

“I’m so glad that we like each other’s parents. It would really suck otherwise.”

“Did you have any doubt that I could charm your mom?” he asks.

“No.” I giggle and shake my head. “You’re quite charming.”

“I’m just kidding. I like your mom a lot. I feel kind of guilty that we lied to her about tonight.”

“I know.” I bite my lip and look down into my glass.

“Hey, it’ll be okay.”

I nod and sit back to watch him bustle about the kitchen, enjoying the way he moves. He has a natural grace that appeals to the dancer in me. When we danced together at the junior prom, I didn’t think that anything could get any better than that.

When dinner is done, he serves me first and we laugh all through the meal, talking about school and our mutual friends.

“How is Luke?” I ask casually.

“Good. He’s about to audition for some movie project about vampires,” he replies with a laugh. “Can you see my brother as a vampire?”

I laugh with him and shake my head. “He’s too nice to be a vampire.”

“Sam is enjoying college,” he continues as he clears our dishes. “The house seems quiet without her.”

“She doesn’t like me,” I reply and bite my lip. No matter how hard I try to talk with Mark’s older sister, she just doesn’t like me.

“Sam doesn’t know you very well, and she’s kind of stand-offish with strangers,” he says and loads the last dish into the dishwasher, then takes my hand in his and kisses it gently. “Besides, I don’t care if Sam doesn’t like you. Sam isn’t dating you.”

“Thank goodness,” I say with a grin and lean into him, hoping he’ll kiss me again. I can’t get enough of Mark’s kisses. He rests his forehead against my own and rubs his hands up and down my arms softly, sending shivers through me.

“Are you sure about this, M? We don’t have to do anything more than lie on the couch and watch TV if you want to.”

“Is that what you want?” I ask with a small voice.

“No.” He chuckles and if I’m not mistaken, blushes just a bit. “I can’t seem to keep my hands off you, and I want nothing more than to make love with you, but it’s a big step, and I just want you to know that it’s okay if you’re not ready.”

I love him even more for that speech. With a renewed sense of confidence, I link his fingers with mine, toss a sassy smile over my shoulder and guide him up the stairs toward my bedroom. Once inside, he shuts and locks the door—just in case—and follows me to the bed. Keeping eye contact with him, I crawl onto the bed and, leaning back on my elbows in the most seductive pose I can come up with, I crook my finger in invitation for him to join me.

“I guess this means you’re sure,” he mutters and pulls his shoes off quickly and crawls onto the mattress with me.

“I guess so,” I whisper. My stomach is doing crazy somersaults as he leans in and kisses my cheek and then down to my neck.

“You’re so beautiful, M,” he whispers. “I’m so lucky that you’re mine.”

I smile and close my eyes as he pushes his fingers into my hair and turns my head to meet his lips. He guides me to my back and hovers over me, kissing me for what feels like forever. My hands are all over his back and arms. God, I love the feel of his body, and I suddenly want to feel him naked.

Now.

I tug the hem of his shirt up and he pulls back long enough to yank it over his head and throw it on the floor and then returns to kissing me, but now his hands are wandering all over my body.

This I’m used to. We’ve done this countless times. He even got my shirt and bra off in the back seat of his car one night after a football game before we put a stop to it.

The rain is coming down harder outside, and it’s gotten much darker. The only light is the sliver of light coming in from the streetlight on the corner. Mark’s breathing is coming faster as he pushes my sweater up and sees my bra.

“Let’s get you out of these amazing clothes,” he says and watches me closely. I nod and sit up and let him pull my sweater over my head and unclasp my bra. His fingers are shaking so it takes him a few seconds to get the hooks loose. Next, I shimmy out of my skirt and panties, and when I move to put my hands over my breasts, he tugs them away and kisses my palms gently. “I’ve never seen anything more beautiful than you.”

I’m lost in his blue gaze. I’m too skinny and my boobs haven’t reached their full potential yet, but when he’s staring down at me with so much love, I know he’s telling me the truth.

“I love you, M,” I murmur and cup his face in my hands. “I love you so much.”

“I love you too, baby,” he says and kisses me softly. I reach down for the button on his jeans and with some fumbling around and muttered curses, he manages to wiggle out of them and toss them aside and suddenly there he is in all of his glory.

“You’re damn hot, Mark Williams,” I say and watch my hand glide over his hip and that really sexy muscle there. My eyes move over to his… thing and I feel them widen in surprise. “Holy shit.”

“Is that a good holy shit or a bad holy shit?” he asks with a laugh.