Breathe With Me

  “Okay.” I kiss her head and hug her close. “Do you want to leave?”

  “No, let’s go back out.” She smiles bravely and my heart melts a little more. She’s here because of me, because she knows it’s important to me. She leads me outside and we quickly join a conversation with Meg, Will, Matt and Nic.

  “Vegas,” Meg says.

  “What’s happening in Vegas?” I ask, keeping Mer’s hand in mine. Matt and Will both notice and exchange a glance.

  Yeah, I’ll be getting ribbed later. I don’t care.

  “We’re all going to Vegas,” Will says. “We’re just going to do a big group bachelor/bachelorette party.”

  “Fun,” I reply. “When?”

  “In a few weeks,” Meg says and smiles. “We’re making all the travel arrangements. All you guys have to do is show up.”

  “I like the sound of this trip,” Matt says. “How are the wedding plans coming?”

  Will groans, but Meg lights up, clearly excited to talk about wedding plans. “Great! Alecia is the best.”

  “Alecia is planning this one too?” I ask. That woman plans every event for this family. She might as well just marry someone and officially become part of the gang.

  “Yes, and she’s brilliant.”

  “When is the big day?” Meredith asks.

  “June 9th,” Meg replies.

  “That’s only about six weeks away,” Nic replies. “I’ll need you in the shop this week so we can look at cake ideas.”

  “Okay! Fun!” Meg agrees. “It took us a while to choose a date,” she tells Meredith.

  “It’s because she’s lazy,” Will informs us all with a smile. Meg slaps his arm and rolls her eyes.

  “I am not lazy.”

  “I can’t wait to marry you,” Will says and nuzzles Meg’s ear, making her laugh. “Let’s go right now.”

  “It’s Sunday,” Meg replies and pushes against Will’s chest. “Nothing is open right now.”

  “I’ll make some calls,” Will replies with a smug smile.

  “Miss Mer!” Josie interrupts, pulling on Meredith’s hand. “We love this song! Come dance with us. Please?”

  Meredith laughs. “You like Starla, do you?”

  “Yes, please come dance.”

  “Okay.” She smiles up at me. “My dance card just filled up. I’ll be back.”

  “Have fun.”

  She lets Maddie take one hand and Josie take the other as they guide her to the open lawn area where the kids have been playing. She starts to move her body, showing the girls some new moves, laughing with them. Maddie concentrates, watching Mer with an intense look on her sweet face.

  “She’s great,” Nic comments and sips her water.

  “You brought a woman to a family function,” Will states soberly.

  I just nod and watch as Livie joins the others and Meredith lifts her in her arms and twirls her around, dancing effortlessly with the toddler.

  “He’s not even listening to us,” Matt comments.

  “I can hear you, asshole.”

  “She’s so good with the kids,” Isaac says as he and Caleb join us. I nod and shove my hands in my pockets as Mer glances up and winks at me, sending a punch right to my gut.

  “Brynna rarely drops the girls off with anyone,” Caleb says, “but she and Stacy have no qualms about leaving the girls with Meredith while they go get pedicures during dance class.”

  Sophie tries to turn and falls on her butt. Her little lip sticks out, but before she can start to cry, Mer squats next to her, Livie still in her arms, and calms her, then helps her back to her feet so she can continue dancing with the others.

  Christ, she’s magnificent. She kisses Liv’s cheek and then sets her on her feet so she can dance in that awkward way that toddlers do, and finishes the song with the others.

  “She’s clearly in the right job,” Matt says quietly. “Most of us can’t deal with two of them at once, and she has all of them around her effortlessly.” He points as baby Liam toddles over and grips her jeans, pulls himself up on his feet and bounces on his legs, dancing with the others.

  “Mark’s a goner,” Meg says. I glance over at her and grin.

  “I’m bringing her with me to Vegas.” I’m bringing her with me everywhere. If I’m invited, she’s invited.

  “We wouldn’t have it any other way,” she replies and pats my arm. “I like her already.”

  I’m fucking in love with her again already. I’m never letting her go. Never again.

  She comes running back to us, out of breath and a wide smile on her beautiful face.

  “They would dance all day,” she says with a laugh. “Maddie’s amazing. If she wanted to, she could go pretty far in the dance world.”

  “She’s eight.” Caleb growls.

  “Well, not today,” Mer agrees. “But someday.”

  “She asked me if we could sign her up for one on one classes with you,” Brynna says as she pats Michael on the back. “Isn’t she too young for that?”

  “Maybe a bit,” Mer says and purses her lips as she thinks it over. “You could add a second class a week for now. If she’s still interested when she hits about thirteen, I can take her on one on one and work with her.”

  Brynna nods thoughtfully and glances up at Caleb who’s just gone pale. “What do you think?”

  “I think I don’t want to even think about the day she turns thirteen.”

  “Oh! That reminds me, I have something for Mom. I brought her birthday gift along with us, but it’s in the car. Meredith, will you hold Michael for me?”

  “Oh, I…” Mer begins, but Brynna places the sleeping baby in Mer’s arms and hurries away. Mer looks at each of us with panicked eyes and then back down at the oblivious baby. “I’m not good with babies. Here, his dad should hold him.”

  “You’ll do fine,” Caleb says with an amused grin.

  “Here,” Stacy says and helps Meredith settle Michael on her shoulder. “There you go. He’s not going anywhere.”

  “You were just swarmed by children and looked just fine, sweetheart,” Will says.

  “I’m good with kids, but tiny babies scare the hell out of me. I’m afraid I’ll break them.” Meredith immediately sways back and forth, patting Michael’s diaper-covered butt and rests her cheek on his head. “Is this okay?”

  “Perfect,” I reply quietly. Her eyes find mine over the baby’s head and she smiles softly.

  “Wow,” someone—Meg?—says. I can’t look away from the gorgeous woman before me.

  My woman.

  Mine.

  She looks amazing wearing that baby. I can see her holding our baby. Grandbabies.

  Fuck, this is forever. She’s it for me.

  “I’m going to need someone to take that baby,” I say calmly.

  “Why?” Mer asks and frowns. “Am I doing it wrong?”

  “No, I need to get you out of here. Now.”

  “I got it!” Stacy takes Michael from Meredith and I immediately grip her hand in mine and tug her along behind me to the gate at the side of the house.

  “Goodbye everyone!” she calls with a laugh and waves. “I had a great time! Thanks for including me!”

  “Goodbye!” I can hear the guys laughing, and I don’t give a shit. I need her. I need to claim her, to remind her that she’s mine. To lose myself in her for hours, rediscovering everything about her.

  “Mark?” she asks with another laugh. “Slow down, babe.”

  “No.”

  I yank the Jeep door open and wait for her to climb in but she stops in front of me and cups my face in her small hands.

  “Stop. What got into you?”

  “I can’t wait another minute.” Her eyes darken as she watches me. “I know it’s nuts and my brother will most likely never let me forget dragging you out of there like a caveman, but I can’t share you with them any longer. I need you naked and wet and moving beneath me for about the next two days.”

  Her eyes dilate and she licks her
lips as she watches my mouth move. Her hands are braced on my biceps and I smile as I flex them on purpose, making her eyes widen and that pulse point in her throat thrum in anticipation.

  “Well, when you put it like that,” she says softly. “Are you taking me home?”

  “I’m taking you to my place,” I reply and tip my forehead down onto hers. “No interruptions. I’m going to make you scream and laugh and come undone, and I don’t want you worrying about who can hear us when I do.”

  “Fair enough,” she says. “Can we stop talking about it in Will’s driveway and just go do it now?”

  “That was the idea.”

  Chapter Six

  ~Meredith~

  “Where do you live?” I ask and nervously bounce my knee in a fast staccato.

  “About ten minutes from here,” he replies and takes my hand in his, pulling it to his lips to kiss my knuckles. “Too far.”

  I can’t stand it anymore. Telling me he needs me now flipped a switch inside me and I need to touch him. He stops at a red light and I slip out of my seatbelt and crawl over the center console, grip his face in my hands and kiss him. Demandingly. He growls and buries his fingers in my hair, holding me to him as he kisses me back with a hunger I’ve never seen from him before.

  Suddenly, a car honks behind us, alerting us of the green light.

  “Too fucking far,” I say and sit back in my seat.

  Mark keeps my hand gripped tightly in his as he maneuvers the Jeep through the neighborhood to his house and comes to a quick stop in the driveway.

  “Home sweet home,” he murmurs, jumps out of the Jeep and jogs around to my door to help me out.

  “I like your house.” It’s in an established neighborhood, on the bigger side, with a huge blooming cherry blossom tree in the front yard.

  “Thanks,” he replies and leads me through the front door. “I’ll give you the tour later.” He throws his keys on a nearby table, and turns to me, pins me against the closed door at my back and devours my mouth, kissing me hungrily. He cups my cheek with one hand and with the other, lifts my right leg up around his waist and grips my ass in his palm.

  “God, you feel good, M,” he murmurs against my lips. Suddenly he spins us around and pulls my top over my head just as I dive for the button on his jeans. We can’t get each other naked fast enough. We are a tangle of clothes and arms and laughter as we strip each other quickly and trip and stumble our way up a set of stairs and into his bedroom. He’s still in boxers when he tears my panties from my body. Fuck, his arms are flexing, the muscles jumping beneath his bronze skin and I’m about to come undone.

  I reach for his boxers, but he suddenly stops cold, grips my wrist to stop me from touching him.

  “Mark, hurry,” I begin, but he interrupts me.

  “Don’t talk.”

  “What?”

  His eyes are roaming up and down my naked body like he’s a starved man at an all you can eat buffet.

  “Just the sound of your voice is going to make me come right now, M. Fuck me, you’re so…” He shakes his head as if he just can’t find the right word.

  “I thought you were going to fuck me,” I pout and then grin at him but his eyes meet mine and they are on fire. His face is tight, his jaw clenched as he closes the gap between us, lifts me easily in his arms and lays me on the bed. He kisses up my body, from my belly, between my breasts, up my neck and finally covers me completely and kisses me softly.

  “Trust me, I’m going to fuck you. I’m going to fuck you blind, but I’m not going to fuck you right now, baby.” He strokes my hair and nudges my nose with his. “I’ve waited such a long time for this moment. I’m going to make long, slow love to you. I’m going to explore every inch of this amazing body. I have to relearn you, M.”

  Tears prick my eyes at his sweet words. His fingers are infinitely gentle as they stroke down my cheek. My hands can’t stop roaming up and down his back, down his arms and then over his back again. His skin is warm and smooth and the muscles jump beneath my touch.

  “I love touching you,” I whisper.

  He grins and lowers his lips to my lips, then drags them down my jawline to my neck and begins a slow journey down my body. He doesn’t leave one inch untouched. He pauses at my breasts and pulls back to admire them, and I can’t help but giggle.

  “So you’re a boob man.”

  The naughty smile spreads over his lips and he leans in to circle his nose around one tight areola. “Your breasts filled out nicely.”

  “Told you,” I murmur and push my fingers through his hair.

  “Your body was always magnificent. You kept me in a perpetual state of horniness for a long time, but my God, Mer, seeing you as a woman, it’s just breathtaking.”

  “You’re getting laid, M. You don’t have to shower me with pretty words.”

  His eyes find mine and I know he’s not kidding. “I’ll give you all the pretty words I want to, and you should know that I mean every single one of them.”

  His hands glide down my stomach, over my hips and between my thighs, but he doesn’t touch me where my body is begging him to. My hips come up off the bed, begging for his attention.

  “Beautiful skin,” he continues and kisses the path his hands just took, down my belly to my hip. “What is this?”

  “A tattoo.” I grin down at him and laugh when his jaw drops. “You don’t like it?”

  His fingers dance over the ink. “It’s tiny.”

  I glance down where he’s looking and nod. It’s a simple eighth note, and in the middle of the circle part of the note is an M.

  “I kept two things with me while I was dancing,” I begin and bite my lip. “Music…” I take a deep breath. Jesus, I’m laying myself bare here.

  “And.”

  “You.”

  His eyes connect with mine. “You’re unbelievable.”

  He brushes his thumb over the ink as he watches me quietly for a long moment, then places several kisses over my hip, nuzzles my small tattoo, and then travels farther down my thigh.

  “You’re killing me,” I tell him and wiggle my hips.

  “Settle in, baby, because you’re in for a long ride.”

  “Jesus Christ, what did you just do with your finger?” I boost myself up on my elbows and stare down at him as he kisses my knee.

  “Who says that was my finger?”

  I laugh and fall to my back and then moan when he reaches my foot and begins to rub it in strong circles.

  “Oh God.”

  “Your feet have taken a beating.”

  “Don’t look directly at them. You’ll run screaming.”

  He chuckles and kisses the top of my foot then moves to the other one and repeats the process.

  “I’m not going anywhere, baby.”

  He moves up my leg to make me writhe and moan as he pays extra attention behind my knee and just when I think he’s going to dive into the sweet spot, he avoids it completely, kisses up my hip, belly and teases the other breast.

  “Mark?”

  “Yes, love.”

  “Take your shorts off and let me have a turn.”

  “You got very bossy,” he murmurs and kisses my jaw. “I’m clearly not doing my job right if you’re still able to string words together.”

  “You’re doing fine.”

  “I’m going to do a lot better than fine, sweetheart.”

  His hand drifts down my belly and his fingers finally slide between my folds and into my wet core.

  “Holy fuck,” he whispers against my lips. “You’re so fucking wet, M.”

  “Need you,” I reply and gasp when his fingers move slowly in and out then up to circle my clit.

  “Is this what you need?”

  I shake my head and lift my hips, pushing against his hand. Dear God, he’s good with his hands.

  “What do you need?”

  “You!”

  “I’m right here,” he replies. I can feel the bed shift as he shuffles out of his shorts then
kneels between my thighs. “I’m going to eat this pussy before the night is out.”

  “Fuck,” I whisper.

  “No?”

  “Yes!”

  He chuckles and I hear the rip of a condom wrapper.

  “Look at me, M.”

  I open my eyes and look directly into his dark blue gaze. He takes one of my hands in his, links our fingers and holds our hands over my head while guiding himself to my entrance. His eyes never leave mine as he begins to push inside me. His fingers tighten on mine. I cup his face with my free hand, and I’ve never loved him more than I do in this moment.

  I love you.

  He pushes in all the way and stops, every muscle tight with the effort of holding still, panting, watching me.

  “So tight.” He kisses me softly and nibbles his way to the corner of my mouth. I hitch my thighs up higher around his hips and he growls. “You’re going to make me lose it.”

  I grin and rotate my hips, watching with fascination as he bites his lip. I love watching him struggle to keep his composure.

  “Mark,” I whisper and pull my fingertips down his face. “You feel so good.”

  He begins to move now, slowly at first and then faster, as though an outside force is pushing him on. He grabs my other hand in his and pins it above my head as our bodies take over, moving in perfect tandem.

  Fuck, he’s so big. I can’t help but grip him hard as he thrusts in and out until finally he swears a blue streak as I come apart beneath him, crying out as the orgasm consumes me.

  “That’s it, baby,” he says and watches with hungry eyes as I shiver beneath him. “Fuck yes.” He groans and comes hard, rocking his hips against mine as he empties himself inside me. He’s panting as he releases my hands and rests his forehead against mine. I can’t move my arms, so I leave them resting on the bed where he left them.

  “Do you know what I whispered to Jax yesterday?” he asks suddenly.

  “Uh, I wasn’t really thinking about Jax while you’re still inside me,” I reply and chuckle making him flinch as my pussy squeezes him with the movement.

  “Smart ass,” he whispers and kisses me softly then brushes loose tendrils of hair off my cheeks. “I told him that I love you more than I can say.”