“Right. Only because she knows I have money,” Skylar scoffed.
Mark shrugged. “That’s just the way she sounds, but I’m telling you, she wouldn’t have invited you to her party if she wasn’t ready to make up. Trust me, I know her.”
“Trust you?” Skylar commented, realizing that Mark was on the service road and he was going toward the Snow King Suite, not back to the hotel to attend his own party. “Why should I trust you?”
“Because I love you. I want a future with you and I’m asking for your forgiveness.” He stopped the car in front of the cabin and turned in his seat to focus on her. “I made a huge mistake when I walked out on you. I didn’t realize how precious our relationship was. What we had was beautiful and I miss the hell out of you, Skylar.”
It took a long moment for Skylar to digest what he was telling her: That they had a chance at happiness together and he wanted to be with her. When he touched her cheek, she melted. “I’ve missed you, too, Mark.”
“Still leaving Colorado?” he asked, his voice rough with uncertainty.
“I’m packed. I planned to leave on Monday.”
“Don’t. Do you really want to go back to Tampa?”
In her heart, she knew that she didn’t want to go, but had felt there was no other option. Now that she knew that he wanted her to stay, she was going to take a chance. “Mark, all I can tell you is that I don’t ever want to be separated from you again.”
“Then you have to stay.”
She sought reassurance in his face, hoping she was doing the right thing. “I want to, but it’s going to take time for us to find our way back to what we had.”
“Then we’d better get started right away.” He took her hand and covered it with his. “Come to New York with me tomorrow. I don’t want to go alone. For that matter, I don’t want to do anything unless you’re with me. If there’s going to be any joy for me in this film project, then I have to share it with you. After all, you made it possible.” He leaned over and kissed her with a featherlight touch.
“New York? Tomorrow?” Skylar said, a sly smile curving her lips. “I’m already packed. Why not?”
“You know, you’ve changed my life, Skylar, and we’ll face whatever obstacles come our way, together.”
“Do you mean that?” She gripped his hand more tightly. “I want the same thing, Mark. Your love, a family, a future filled with exciting adventures. But are you sure you could accept it if our children had to be adopted?”
“Absolutely,” Mark murmured, reaching for her.
She slipped into his arms and lifted her face to his. The kiss he placed on her was intense, passionate and ripe with promise: the kiss that Skylar had lain awake at night hoping to feel once more. When it ended, she shifted to rest her head on his chest for a moment and then opened the car door and hopped down. Her feet made a soft thud in the fresh layer of snow.
“Coming inside?” she invited, smiling seductively while jangling the cabin keys in the air. “If we hurry, we can catch your life story on the television.”
Mark got out, came around to where she stood and wrapped an arm around her waist. He pulled her hard to his side, embracing her with a tender fierceness as he leaned down to capture her eyes with his. “Don’t worry, I’m taping it at the hotel. If we go inside now,” he told her in a voice heavy with desire, “we can do something much more exciting than watch television.”
“I’m all for that,” Skylar agreed, falling into step beside Mark as they made new footprints in the snow that covered the walkway leading to the Snow King Suite.
ISBN: 978-1-4268-1130-2
SUITE EMBRACE
Copyright © 2008 by Anita Bunkley
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