by Melody Anne
They played with each other, anticipating the night to come, building up desires, so when they did finally come together it would be with an explosion.
“We have to leave now, before I forget we’re in a public place,” Mark growled into her ear and then licked along the lobe.
“I’m ready whenever you are,” she purred and wiggled her hips against him a bit more, just to test her power over him. By his reaction she had quite the control.
Mark led her out of the club and hailed transportation. There was no way he had the patience it took for the long walk back to the comfort of their room.
Emily woke up to the smell of fresh coffee and hot food. She was starving after her adventurous day and night. She climbed from the bed and slipped on the silky robe, feeling extremely feminine.
“How did you sleep, Beautiful?” Mark asked, as he came from the other room to join her at the table. She already had her mouth full of food and had to swallow before she was able to answer him.
“I kept getting woke up for some reason,” she teased him.
“I can’t imagine who would ever do that.”
“I would have to say though, if I keep getting satisfied the way I have, it’s most definitely worth losing sleep over,” she said and gave him a seductive smile.
“Want me to show you some more pleasure?”
“I need nourishment,” she begged him, as she bit into a juicy piece of cantaloupe. Some of the juice dripped down her chin and Mark was quickly there to clean it up.
“I can’t seem to get enough of you,” he growled, before carrying her off towards their bed. They stayed there for a very long time, before finally deciding to enjoy their last day on the beach.
Mark showed her some new sites, took her for a romantic lunch and of course took her parasailing again. By the time they headed back to the hotel, Emily was once again ready to pass out. She couldn’t imagine a more perfect honeymoon than the one Mark was giving her.
Emily was sad as they packed their bags, to be taken downstairs. She wasn’t ready to return to the real world. She’d loved her time alone with Mark and was afraid that by stepping back into their normal lives they’d lose a piece of the magic they’d created.
The ride to the airport was silent as Emily took in everything she could before the inevitable plane ride. Mark could see her sadness and gently rubbed her back as they rode through the streets of Mazatlan.
She glanced out the window and saw a couple flying through the air on a parasail and sighed. She could easily stay there in the city for another week or even a month. Well she could if her son was there with them. She was already missing him and that made going home more bearable.
They walked through the airport and were seated in their first class seats before she knew it. The flight attendant offered them a drink and soon they were up in the air. A tear slipped down her cheek as she watched the beautiful Pacific Ocean slowly disappear beneath the low hung clouds.
“I will bring you back anytime you want,” Mark tried to sooth her.
“It’s not that Mark, it’s just been such a wonderful time being alone with you.”
“We will have plenty of time to be alone together,” he reassured her.
“You promise me?”
“Baby, I’ll be begging you to run off alone with me,” he said with a wicked smile. Some of the tension and sadness disappeared as she looked into Marks eyes. Maybe things would stay the same even with the real world intruding on them once again.
Chapter Ten
Emily smiled as she looked out into the yard at her son playing with the puppies. Mark was chasing them with the hose and Trevor was giggling while running away with two huge puppies at his heels.
As Mark doused them with water, the puppies started to yap and Trevor fell to the ground giggling. Emily couldn’t help but laugh along with them.
She’d been so reluctant to give up her fantasy world in Mexico but they’d been back for almost a month now and things had just gotten better each day. Mark hadn’t pulled away from her as she feared he might. He found excuses throughout the day to come into the house and steal kisses and chat with her, as she worked in the kitchen.
She had a secret to share with Mark but wanted to wait until she knew for sure. She thought he’d be really happy about it but there was a small piece of her mind that was insecure. She rubbed her still flat stomach, already protective of the child growing there.
She loved her son so much and knew she would love her new child with an equal passion. Her two favorite men burst through the kitchen door, soaking wet and laughing so hard there were tears rolling down their faces.
“You’re getting my floor all dirty,” she scolded them. She tried to keep the stern expression on her face but their pitiful looks worked their magic on her. “Go get cleaned up and come back with the mop,” she said with a smile. They rushed out before they could get in anymore trouble.
Emily laughed, as she continued to work on their dinner. She’d been having some horrible morning sickness and had missed making breakfast for the hands a couple of days that week alone. She felt really guilty about it but no one was complaining.
She was making it up to the guys by making extra special dinners and sending them with leftovers to snack on later. They told her if she kept cooking such good dinners, she could miss breakfast every day.
Mark stopped her paychecks and put her on all his accounts. She’d tried to insist on keeping things separate but he wouldn’t hear of it. He told her everything he had was now hers, too. She didn’t feel right about that.
He told her he was looking for another cook, because he wanted more time with his wife. She’d stubbornly refused to accept anyone else. Several people had come by for interviews and she’d managed to find something wrong with each one of them. It didn’t help they’d all been women and a few of them far too sexy to be around her husband, daily.
She knew it would be nice to have someone share the cooking, especially since she wasn’t feeling good but she loved to do it and was afraid if she allowed someone else in she’d be completely pushed out.
She made a decision if the perfect person came by it was meant to be, if not, her husband would have to deal with missing her.
The hands all decided to barbeque at the bunkhouse that night, so she finished making them salads and sent everything down with Trevor and Mark. They’d told her she didn’t need to make them anything but she would’ve felt too guilty about it.
As Mark, Trevor and her shared an intimate dinner alone together, which was a rare thing; Emily relaxed and ate with her first real appetite in several weeks.
“Mom, you and Mark are married now, right?” Trevor asked her.
“Yes baby, we are,” she said. He must’ve been really distracted, because he let her get away with the pet name.
“Does that mean we’re going to stay here forever?” he asked again, while looking at his plate. She was unsure where he was going with the conversation.
“Yes Trevor, that’s what it means,” Mark answered the question for her. Trevor smiled at Mark with the happiest expression she’d ever seen pass his little face.
“Does that mean you’re my Dad now?” Trevor asked shyly. Emily held her breath, not knowing what to say.
“I’m your Dad if you want me to be,” Mark said, with a little crack in his own voice.
“Then can I call you Dad?” Trevor asked with pure innocence. The next words Mark spoke could make or break her son. Emily held her breath without realizing it.
“Nothing in the world would make me happier or prouder,” Mark said and held his arms out to Trevor. Their son jumped out of his chair and rushed into Mark’s arms. Mark squeezed him tightly to his chest.
“I love you, Dad,” Trevor said and a little tear slipped from his eye.
“I love you, too,” Mark said, while holding on tightly. Emily couldn’t stay seated and wrapped her arms around them both, joining in the hug. They really were a family now. She could
no longer keep her secret to herself.
“How would you feel about having a baby brother or sister?” she asked Trevor.
“I think that would be okay,” her son said, after thinking about it for a moment.
“I think it would be more than okay,” Mark added with a smile. “Do you want to get working on it?” he added, with a waggle of his eyebrows.
“We don’t need to work on it,” she said and laid her hand against her stomach. Mark’s eyes widened, as he realized what she was telling him.
“You are?” he said in awe. She shook her head yes. He jumped up from his chair and lifted her off her feet. He spun her around as he laughed with joy. Her head started spinning a bit and she pled with him to set her down. “I’m so sorry, are you okay?” he asked, as he rubbed her all over.
“I’m fine Mark, maybe a little less spinning though,” she said with a smile. He smiled back at her sheepishly.
“I can’t wait to tell my family,” he said excitedly. “Not only do I get one son but soon another child. Thank you so much for all you’ve brought into my life.”
“You’re the one we should be thanking. You’ve given us so much, most importantly of all, making us a real family.”
“Let’s compromise and agree we’re all great together,” he said.
They finished having their dinner together, then sat by the fire watching a comedy. The evening ended on a perfect note, with laughter and snuggling on the couch.
The next morning Emily was making the hands lunch when Joseph walked into the kitchen, startling her.
“Good morning, young lady. I hear congratulations are in order,” he said to her with a smile from ear to ear.
“Thank you, Joseph. Yes, you’ll have a new grandchild in about eight months,” she said with a radiant smile lighting her face.
“I will officially have a new grandson in a couple of days, since Mark submitted papers to officially adopt that beautiful boy of yours. Then I will also get the added bonus of another grandchild in eight months,” he corrected her.
Emily smiled with joy at the pure acceptance of her child into the Anderson clan. She knew if ever anything were to happen to her he’d still be a part of their family and they’d always take care of him. That was the greatest gift any mother could receive.
“I was stopping by today anyway to let Mark know I’d found him the perfect cook and maintenance man, when he gave me the great news,” Joseph said.
“Who is this person?” Emily asked with suspicion. After all, Joseph had been the one to find her and she really didn’t want a young woman to be there all day.
“It’s actually a married couple. They’ve worked for the company for many years but want something different now. I told them about Mark needing another cook and they asked if he could use a maintenance man as well. With a place this big, two more people would be a blessing, especially with Mark’s growing family,” Joseph said.
Emily knew it sounded a bit selfish but she really didn’t want to share the house with two more people. She loved having Edward there but he always gave them privacy and most of the time you didn’t even know he was around. It would be much harder to get any privacy with her husband if two more people moved in.
“Mark has a little cottage right around the corner. They could live there and you wouldn’t have to share your newlywed space,” Joseph said with a wink.
Emily turned scarlet, as she looked up at him. She was a little worried the man was a mind reader, among other things.
“I didn’t know that was there.”
“It was built years ago for a married couple, who worked here, but it has been empty for some time. We’ll have to bring a crew in to fix it up, but they could start in about a week if you like them,” he said.
“It wouldn’t be up to me.”
“Of course it’s up to you, Emily. You’re the lady of the manor now. Mark already knows them, they’re coming over for you to interview.”
“Oh,” she responded.
The couple arrived about an hour later and Emily fell instantly in love with them. They were in their early fifties and full of life. Mary had as much passion for cooking as Emily did and she knew they’d work well together. She also knew if she wasn’t feeling good Mary would be perfectly capable on her own.
Scott was her husband and although he was quiet, his face lit up when Trevor came into the room. He explained the two of them hadn’t been successful in having children and so they both took great joy in spoiling everyone else’s kids.
“I would love it if you both worked here,” Emily said to them sincerely after visiting for a couple hours.
“I think we’re going to work wonderfully together,” Mary said to her, then gave her a hug. Emily agreed with her. It was going to be nice to have someone helping in the kitchen, especially when her stomach got in the way, eventually.
Mark came in and invited Scott to come over to the cottage with him. The two men were going to figure out exactly what the place needed and get the right people out there immediately. Emily was actually excited for the week to go by and the sweet couple to move in.
“Seriously, I’m so incredibly happy you’re working here,” Emily said to Mary. They’d moved in the previous week and Emily didn’t understand how they’d ever survived without them. Emily had been fighting morning sickness for a week straight and Mary had whipped her up some magic drink, completely curing her.
Emily was currently sitting at the table, with her feet up and the magic drink in her hands. Mary had insisted she rest until she was a hundred percent and had made the whole lunch on her own. The men were enjoying her cooking as much as Emily’s. They made sure to give the women equal praise, which was smart of them.
The incredible aroma of lunch cooking brought the men trampling into the kitchen, where they sat down at the table, bringing in non-stop laughter, talking and mud.
Emily loved every minute of the busy ranch life. She felt completely at home and each hand had a special place in her heart. Mark walked through the door with his usual tag along, her son, right behind him.
“Mom we’re going to rope cows today,” Trevor said excitedly.
“That sounds fun.”
“Yeah and then we’re gonna cas…cas… what are we gonna do again, Dad?” Trevor tried to get out.
“We’re going to castrate them,” Mark said with a smile. All the men groaned slightly.
“Oh,” Emily said and felt herself blushing.
“It’s just all part of ranch life,” Mark said with a shrug.
“Isn’t he too young to do that?” Emily asked with concern.
“He’s a big guy,” Mark said and patted Trevor on the head. Emily didn’t have the heart to say no to anything her boys wanted.
“This stew sure is great,” one of the guys said in between huge bites.
“Well, you have Mary to thank. She did all the cooking today,” Emily said fondly.
“Thank you Mary,” all the boys chorused together.
“You’re very welcome.”
The guys inhaled their food and then headed out the doors as quickly as they’d come in. “I’m getting quite attached to those boys,” Mary said as they all left.
“I know how you feel,” Emily agreed with her. The two women cleaned up the dishes and started prep work for dinner.
Their days continued in much the same way. Mark stayed closer to the house and let his hands get more things done, as he worked with Trevor every available moment. Emily spent her time in the kitchen and would sneak out with her boys any chance she got.
Over the next couple of months her stomach started to round slightly, not enough to show much but just enough to prove there was a baby growing. Mark would lay there for hours in the evenings, rubbing her stomach and talking to their growing baby.
He was an incredible father. Trevor loved him so much and he’d already gotten the nursery ready for the baby. She was content to spend her days cooking and visiting with Mary and her nights in
her husband’s arms. She was finally allowing herself to accept her life was great and nothing was going to ruin it.
Chapter Eleven
“Do you really have to go?” Emily whined as Mark was packing his overnight bag. He’d gotten called to Montana for some urgent business. She normally would’ve gone with him but Trevor had a field trip the next day and she’d already agreed to chaperone it.
“Believe me, I don’t want to leave,” he said to her, as he paused in his packing, to pull her close to him and kiss her softly.
Mark slowly undressed his beautiful wife and loved her gently, not wanting to leave for even one night. They hadn’t spent a night apart since their wedding day. He was going to miss her more than he could imagine.
They got dressed and she walked with him downstairs. He kissed her one more time before heading out the door. He turned back to see a tear falling down her cheek and almost said to hell with it and walked back in. He hated to see her hurting.
“I’ll be fine, I’m just going to miss you,” she reassured him, when he paused as if undecided in what he should do.
“Are you sure you’ll be okay?” he asked her while he stood by the car, unsure of whether to open the door or not.
“I’m going to be fine. This is just pregnancy hormones acting up,” she reassured him.
“I’ll be back before you even realize I was gone.”
She stood watching until the car was out of sight. Walking into the house, she was engulfed with loneliness. The hands were all out on the North pasture, several miles away. Edward was at his families for a few days and Mary and Scott were doing some shopping. She wasn’t normally all alone in the huge ranch house and she decided she really didn’t like the feeling of it.
She decided to walk down to the far barn where new kittens had been born a couple weeks back. She knew the sight of them would definitely cheer her up until Trevor returned home from school.