by Grady, D. R.
Chapter 29
The residents of Trixi’s house all slept in a little later Saturday morning. It was amazing how quickly he was enfolded into this house and the lifestyle of the two women who lived here. Mark enjoyed the feeling of being part of a family again. It was something he had taken for granted before living in a city without them.
Now that he was here, it amazed him how he could live with people he wasn’t even related to and yet he still felt like he belonged. Those thoughts led to Trixi. They never strayed far from her, but he was amazed no smart man had snatched her up before this.
An unclaimed treasure if there ever was one. His heart skipped a beat. Since he was dating her, he was first in line, and that satisfied him.
He exited his bed because the longer he spent in bed, the less time spent with Trixi. It didn’t take him long to dress and leave his wing.
He found his quarry in the kitchen, bent over the freezer drawer. With glee, he snuck up behind her and patted that very enticing posterior. She shrieked and spun to face him, and he used a foot to nudge the drawer shut as his arms folded her tight.
“You scared me,” she scolded, but she settled right into his arms.
Like she belonged there.
“You shouldn’t bend over like that.” He ran his hand up and down her back, because he liked the little shivers it created in her.
“I’m trying to figure out our meals.” Her scowl was negated when she reached up on tiptoe and kissed him good morning. Smiling, he returned her morning greeting and then took another one.
The second led into another and another until the sensational woman in his arms started purring. Wait, purring? He broke off the next kiss to peer down at her.
Trixi looked so much like a contented feline he expected her tail to tap lazily against him at any moment. “You’re purring.” He pressed a kiss to her forehead.
“I’m sure I’ve never done so before.” She wriggled against him like a kitten. “It’s your fault.”
Laughing, he kissed her again.
“Good morning.” Gran helped herself to the coffee and then leaned against the counter to survey them.
They replied in turn as he released Trixi. Matching pink spots dotted her cheeks before she ducked into the fridge.
He shared a quick grin with Gran, both of them amused by Trixi’s modesty, but he was willing to bet they were both pleased by it as well.
“What do you two have planned for today?” Gran reached for something over Trixi’s shoulder. Then she carried her bounty to the table where she sat down. He poured two mugs of coffee.
“Lauren hopes to move into her new apartment this weekend, so we’re moving my furniture out.” Trixi followed Gran to the table. He followed Trixi and set her mug in front of her.
He forgot about moving the furniture out of Lauren’s apartment. “Do we have to?”
She sent him a speaking look. “Yes. Since this is your fault, you are helping. So are your brother and Katy.”
“How is it his fault?” Gran stirred chocolate syrup into her coffee. Hey, that looked good. When she was finished, he grabbed the bottle and squirted some into his mug.
“Because he’s the one who told her about the apartment.”
“Have I met her?” Gran tasted her concoction before she added another belt, followed by a splash of creamer.
“No. She’s a surgical nurse and fun. You’ll enjoy her.”
Gran sampled her mocha again. She nodded, as though satisfied. “When do I get to meet her?”
“Sometime this weekend, I expect.” Trixi eyed them and the chocolate bottle. He added another squirt to his coffee then handed her the bottle.
“Have you been taking lessons from Katy?” She gleefully accepted the chocolate sauce and added what looked like the perfect amount.
That’s when he remembered Katy’s chocolate coffee. “No, I forgot about hers.” He gestured to Gran. “Did she learn this from you?”
“Maybe.” Gran shrugged. “So you’re planning to move things out of the apartment and anything else?”
“I have a family gathering tonight. Trixi is expected to attend with me.”
“What about Katy?” This hadn’t seemed as scary when he asked her to accompany him because back then they were still only roommates. Would dating him make a difference?
“I think Leo is planning to take her.”
“Have your family met her yet?”
“I’m not sure, but they’ve all heard about her.” He grinned.
“Leo and Katy just pulled in,” Trixi announced from her vantage point at the sink. When had she gotten up?
“Better make another pot of coffee.” Gran rose to do so. It was nice, all this domestic tranquility.
“I wonder if they’ve had breakfast yet.” Trixi glanced at the fridge.
Rambling across the kitchen, he stopped to peer out the window with her. “No need to worry, looks like they brought breakfast.” He pointed to the large bakery box Leo tugged from the back seat.
“Wonderful.” Gran peeked out a different window.
“Should we let them in?”
“No, love, Katy has a key.” Gran returned to her seat with a fresh cup of coffee.
Trixi padded to the cabinet where the dishes were stored and started to set the table. He helped her. They heard the key in the lock and Katy’s laughter before she and Leo swept inside.
After hugs between the women and lots of animated conversation, they all settled at the table. He and Leo opted for a brotherly nod at each other, but they did both appear to appreciate the women’s happiness.
Leo set the box on the table and after he opened it, wonderful bakery scents wafted close.
Trixi peeked inside before sending Katy a knowing look. “You couldn’t decide.”
After a huge sigh, Katy laughed. “Of course not. Everything looked good.”
“We compromised,” Leo added.
“Yeah, a little of everything.”
Gran helped herself to a chocolate chip muffin, and those must have appealed to her granddaughters because they also selected one. He and Leo chose the buttery croissants.
They poured more coffee and sat around the table eating, laughing, talking, and drinking coffee. It was a great start to the weekend. Except then he remembered they were working today. “Are you sure we need to move all your old furniture out of Lauren’s apartment?”
“Lauren’s apartment?” Katy darted a quick look at Trixi who explained.
“Hey that’s great.” Katy frowned at Leo. “Why didn’t you tell me?”
He shrugged. “I probably forgot.” Busy selecting a second treat from the box, he didn’t appear to much care. Katy rolled her eyes. “I saw that,” he said, without lifting his gaze from the box. Fingers scissoring over the bakery goods, he took his time selecting the next breakfast item. He settled on a gooey chocolate doughnut.
“I can’t believe you forgot to tell me something so important.”
“I can.” Trixi wrinkled her nose at Leo who tried to tap it. She proved too fast for him and laughed at his efforts.
“So we’re cleaning out the apartment?” Katy was obviously the only one capable of staying on task this morning.
“Yes. It shouldn’t take too long, not with four of us.”
Katy nodded. “What about the guesthouse?” She picked up the uneaten portion of Leo’s doughnut and took a bite.
“Hmm, we should probably clear it out as well. Just in case Mr. Finds-Renters meets someone else who needs a place.”
“You have a guesthouse too?” Leo paused with the remainder of his reclaimed doughnut at his lips.
“Yes. Originally we thought my dad might move in there after he married, but he and his fiancée broke up and Gran decided to swap houses with him.”
“So it’s still empty?”
“Correct.”
Leo nodded as he polished off the doughnut. “This is a big place.”
“Yes. It will be nice to generate some
income. Paying the taxes won’t be as daunting.” She didn’t look worried, but it must be a huge concern. Taxes alone had to be debilitating on a property this size.
“Now that you’ve got three renters with a potential fourth, you are in good shape.” Gran stole part of Katy’s cherry turnover.
After sampling Katy’s, Gran chose a turnover. Mark was amused when Trixi tried Gran’s and then selected one. These three were so alike... Of course, the Morrisons were also well known for thinking alike, so he couldn’t point fingers.
“When are we leaving tonight?” Katy asked Leo around cherry pinkened lips.
Leo appeared more interested in her lips, but he did surprisingly answer her. Maybe because Mark was so interested in Trixi’s lips he saw his own behavior in everyone else.
“You’re going tonight?” Trixi asked her.
“Yes, Leo said I had to.”
Trixi nodded. She sipped her coffee before her eyes darted to him. “I was given orders as well.”
Katy turned to him. “You’re making her go with you?”
“No, I asked her to come along.”
She turned on Leo. “See, he asked her.”
Without missing a beat, Leo leaned forward and tapped Katy’s nose affectionately. “I’ll be maimed if I don’t bring you.” He shrugged and dug in the box again. “So you have to come with me.”
At his easy words, she deflated and leaned against him to see what he selected. “Not that one, this one.” Katy pointed to a bear claw.
“Hey, I forgot about those.” Leo picked up the sweet and Katy helped herself.
After popping the treat into her mouth, she sighed. “They’re delicious.”
“Told you,” Leo mumbled around his huge bite.
Trixi broke a piece off and her eyes widened. Her moan was reminiscent of the one she uttered when he kissed her. His eyes narrowed as hers opened—their gazes bumped. There was no way she missed the heat in his eyes. It must have sparked some in hers.
“Quit that.” Her scold fell flat since the smile flirting around her lips told him her true feelings.
He selected a bear claw and broke off a piece to press it against her lips. When her mouth opened, he fed it to her. His efforts were rewarded when she moaned again. “It’s delicious.”
Her eyes smiled up at him and he loved how they gleamed. Watching this woman never got old. Since he couldn’t help himself, Mark leaned forward to kiss her.
Trixi didn’t need any further prompting because she fell into him, wrapped her arms around his neck, and then her tongue lashed his. He heard someone gasp, but didn’t particularly care. Instead, he savored the taste of the confection on Trixi’s tongue. It was now his favorite way to eat a doughnut.
After they parted, so they could breathe, Trixi smiled hazily at him and his heart twisted. It was a quick movement, one not entirely unfamiliar now, what with Trixi a part of his life. “What was that for?” Her voice was hoarse in that I’ve-just-been-kissed way he liked.
“Because you’re beautiful.” His answer proved just as husky.
Across the table, Leo cleared his throat. “Want to share with the class there kids?”
Trixi jumped at the sound of his voice and she whipped her head around to stare guiltily at the unabashedly curious pair across the table.
Mark slid his arm around her, tugging her close and smiling when she hid her pink cheeks against him for a moment. “Trixi and I are dating.”
“As of Thursday evening.” Trixi’s eyes anxiously sought Katy’s.
He couldn’t read Katy’s expression, but he guessed Trixi could because the tenseness in her shoulders eased.
In fact, Katy smiled and pressed against Leo, unconsciously. He didn’t seem to mind. Mark scanned Leo’s expression and was satisfied with what he read there. Leo wasn’t in the least bit surprised, in fact.
His eyebrow crept up as he stared his brother down, but Leo didn’t notice. He was too busy wrestling the remainder of his bear claw from Katy. Once she ripped off a chunk, she left the remainder of it go. Popping the bounty into her mouth triumphantly, she also managed to stick her tongue out at him.
Leo downed the remaining portion and then stole her coffee. She leaned against him again, and stared at Trixi with a happy expression. Katy also reached up and took her coffee back without even looking at Leo. It was as if she knew exactly where he was and what he was doing.
Mark was certain he and Trixi didn’t share this pair’s radar. Glancing down at the woman nestled at his side though, he didn’t think they they needed it. Every time he so much as looked at Trixi, his heart flipped. The warm-fuzzies machine fired up and life looked better.
What he and Trixi had didn’t seem like the raw end of the deal at all.
After breakfast, Katy cornered her and Gran. “Why didn’t either of you tell me about this new relationship?”
Gran shrugged. “Because it was Trixi’s business.”
They both turned on her. Trixi’s shoulders caved. “I didn’t say anything because I’ve been really afraid it’s all going to go up in a puff of smoke and disappear.” Her bottom lip trembled.
Both women grabbed her and held her tight. “I think I knew that.” Katy sounded resigned. “Why you don’t believe you deserve a wonderful relationship with a man who treats you well, I don’t know.”
“Your sister is right, baby.” Gran’s hand smoothed over her hair. “You’ve waited a long time for this relationship. Enjoy it and appreciate what you have. Don’t go looking for ways to sabotage it because you’re scared.”
Mark and Leo returned from whatever they had disappeared to do and Mark immediately extricated her from the females holding her tight. “It’s okay, they’ve been hugging me for years.” She grinned because she was so happy to be here, in his arms.
He leaned down to kiss her nose. “True. But if you’re going to be in someone’s arms, they can be mine.” He wiggled his eyebrows at her as he tugged her closer.
Her heart expanded and she basked in the resulting indescribable heady feeling.
Mark’s expression revealed he experienced something similar.
Chapter 30
“What are we going to do today?” Rylan asked as she poured him a second cup of coffee.
“You know, I haven’t even thought about it.” Nina finished filling his mug and then her own.
“Trixi and Katy have a commitment tonight, but I’d like to pop over to Trixi’s house at some point to check on her.”
“You’re a concerned father.” Nina’s smile was so sweet he didn’t need sugar in his coffee.
“She’s dating him now.” The words came out flat, not how he intended, but he was her father, he should be concerned.
“Dating who?” Nina set her coffee cup down. He had her undivided attention.
“Trixi is dating the de Vosse man who is living with her.”
“Would that be Leo or Mark?”
He paused. “Katy and Leo are fast friends, so it must be Mark.”
She nodded knowingly. “You do know he’s the catch of the century, right?”
“He is?”
“Oh yes.” Nina nodded. “He’s not only an excellent neurosurgeon, but he’s also friendly, professional, kind, and easy to get along with. He comes from a great family as well.” Her glance implied he was being overprotective.
“Trixi doesn’t have much experience when it comes to men.”
“Neither do either Doctors de Vosse.”
“What?” He straightened in his chair. “Neither man has experience?”
“Not from what I’ve heard. They both concentrated on getting through medical school and then their specialty training. Both of them have been really busy these last few years.” She took a sip of coffee before continuing. “Exactly like your daughters.”
“I keep forgetting how well you know my girls.”
“Yes. And I can assure you the news Trixi is dating Mark de Vosse is going to spread like a virus. In a good way. She’s wel
l liked and respected throughout the hospital. And Mark is earning himself the exact same reputation.”
“What about Leo de Vosse?”
“Rylan, you do know he’s a pediatrician, right?”
“I’m not certain I did.”
“Leo is probably the most eligible bachelor at the hospital. The only competition he has now is his brother.” She played with her fork. “Well, there are some others, but Leo is probably top of the list, along with Mark.”
“What about Trixi?” His heart beat harder, because like any parent, he wanted the very best for his daughters.
“I think she garners a lot of interest among the eligible males.”
“Then why didn’t she ever date?”
Nina’s forehead creased as she continued to fiddle with the fork. “Perhaps because most of the men she was interested in overlooked her. Those who saw what a great catch she is also understood she’s a bit out of their league.” Nina sat back and looked him in the eye. “This was all before knowing she was a Wintermyer.”
“You’re going to hold my heritage against me for the rest of our lives, aren’t you?”
“Yes,” she said with a decisive nod. “I think so.”
Laughing, he cleared the edge of the table, but with a feminine snicker, Nina erupted from her end and leapt away with grace and elegance. She thwarted his efforts with ease, which further proved she was a perfect match for him. He couldn’t imagine any other women playing like this. Only his wife had understood him this well.
He lunged, and she couldn’t evade him, so he took them down to the couch behind her. “Gotcha.” He whispered it into her ear as his arms closed tightly around her.
Nina wasn’t laughing now. Instead, she wriggled her arms free and wrapped them around his neck.
“Right back at you.” Their lips met in mutual accord and it felt good. More than that, it felt right. Like this woman was supposed to be in his arms, kissing him, in this moment, in this spirit.
It was like being stabbed right through the heart by Cupid’s arrow. He didn’t resist.