Bonnie stood with her hands clasped over her mouth, her eyes wide and shining. Her gaze was locked on the fantasy mural that Marty had just completed a half hour before.

"Oh my goodness." Bonnie's voice was muffled by her hands but the joy was loud and clear. "Oh my goodness."

"So you like it?" Marty's breath was suspended as she waited on the little girl's answer.

"I love it. Just look at that fairy reading a book under the mushroom. She's so pretty!"

Bonnie continued to point out the highlights of the mural.

"There's a butterfly on the bunny's nose!" she squealed. "And look, look at the robin singing in the tree."

"Down here's a little mouse peeping out around a rock." Marty pointed out the cute little rodent. "And here's a fish jumping in the brook that winds through the woods."

Bonnie clapped her hands together. "It's magic. The fairies look alive!"

Marty felt a burst of happiness within her. She was so glad to bring some bliss into this little girl's life. She wasn't like the spoiled little rich kids Marty usually painted for. This child truly appreciated the whimsical artwork. Many of her clients were hard to satisfy, always expecting something un-creatable. Not Bonnie, though. This child was exuberant with the results.

Bonnie suddenly turned and wrapped her arms around Marty's legs, burying her head in Marty's lap. Her little shoulders began to shake and Marty was shocked to realize the child was crying.

"What is it, Bonnie? What's wrong?" Marty wrapped her arms around the shuddering girl, holding her close.

"I love you, Marty. Do you really have to leave when you finish Bubby's room?" Bonnie turned a tear-wet face up towards Marty. "Please don't leave us."

"Honey, I have to. Once Brody's room is finished I need to go on to my next job. You know I paint murals for a living." Marty's heart contracted as she held the little girl next to her. God knew she didn't want to leave Bonnie and Brody. She'd fallen in love with the twins. She was shocked to realize how much the little ones had come to mean to her. Her throat constricted, her heart breaking as she held the little girl next to her.

"Why can't you marry Uncle Jake? Then we could all stay together."

The very idea of marriage to Jake Stryker shook Marty to the core. A sudden vision of waking up next to that big hunk of man sprang to her mind then quickly merged into a vision of kissing him good morning, being caught in his arms next to his naked chest.

She shook her head to stop her thought progression before it went any farther. Geez, not the time or place. Now she had to focus on Bonnie, on comforting the crying child.

Kneeling down she used her thumb and forefinger to tip the little girl's face up towards hers.

"Bonnie, honey, that just can't be." She ran her palm over the golden ringlets. "Your Uncle Jake and I don't even know each other well enough to think about such things."

"You could get to know him," she suggested hopefully.

"I won't have time, honey. I've got to get Brody's room done and then I've got to go paint a mural in Memphis. It's for a 10-year-old girl in a wheelchair who wants a picture of dolphins playing in the waves." Marty tried to distract the child with talk of another upcoming mural but it didn't work.

"But you're here now. Besides, you know him. He's my Uncle Jake."

"Ah, dumpling, you don't understand. When a man and a woman get married they should love each other. They should know how to make each other happy, make each other's souls sing." She floundered and stopped talking. She didn't know how to describe love to a four-year-old. Hell, she'd never been in love.

"Very well put, Marty."

Marty whirled around to find Jake standing behind her, his face serious as his gaze locked onto hers. She stared, mesmerized, for a long moment. How long had he been there?

"I was just trying to explain to Bonnie about love…and marriage…and…" her voice trailed off.

"And you were doing a great job. Make each other's souls sing." An easy smile played around his lips. "It sounds like a song. I just might write it."

"Uncle Jake, does Marty make your soul sing?

Jake looked at his niece and tugged at a ringlet. "You make my heart sing, princess. Now run find Brody and tell him it's time for supper."

"Okay," she agreed and scrambled from the room. "You two get to know each other while I'm gone, all right?"

Once again Marty blushed, a pink stain spreading on her cheeks.

"She's a funny kid."

"Actually," he moved in closer and placed his hands on her upper shoulders, "I think she was talking sense. I do want to get to know you better. Much better."

One tug and she was up against his body, her head tilting up, her breath caught in her throat. His eyes had melted into chocolate pools, drawing her into their molten depths. When their lips finally met it ignited a wildfire inside her.

 

Jake groaned and pulled her closer, devouring those sweet lips. His tongue traced the outline of her mouth, flicking and tasting, tempting and teasing. Lord, would he ever get enough of this woman? The hunger went deep, shooting into his gut, sending pangs of desire stabbing through him. What was it about this woman he found so irresistible?

He'd had sex with all kinds of women. Tall women, short women, redheads, blondes, and brunettes. He'd slept with models, singers, nurses, and bartenders. He'd been with rich women and poor, wild women and high society chicks.

But he'd never been with a woman like Marty.

Marty was different. There was something about her that made him want to protect her and cherish her but have wild monkey sex at the same time. He wanted to kiss her all over, to rip her clothes off and make love to her ferociously, passionately, but he wanted to be tender and gentle, too. She had him so mixed up he didn't know black from white. All he knew was he wanted this woman.

And he thought she wanted him, too. At least it certainly felt like she did. Her hands were exploring his chest, caressing it, stroking his small nipples, setting them on fire. A little moan escaped her throat as he slid his lips along her jawline, breathing in the essence of her.

There for a minute he almost forgot they were in his niece's room. He wanted to push this woman down on the bed and take her, claim her for his own, make love to her in front of this magical mural she'd created. His dick throbbed achingly as it rubbed against the front of her shorts.

And that's when he heard it: his niece's sunny voice hollering down the hallway.

"Uncle Jake! Marty! Nora said come on and eat before everything gets cold."

They jumped apart just as the girl came bursting in the room. Jake quickly turned his back to his niece, seeming to admire the painting.

"Okay, we'll be right there," he tossed casually over his shoulder, praying his erection would go down fast. "Why don't you and Marty go ahead and I'll be right behind you."

Yeah, just as soon as he was presentable. Damn, the woman was a witch…and he had fallen under her spell.