Mark grins as he gets out of the Jeep and waits for me by the front porch. “That’s not a bad plan, but we’ll have to try that another time. I’m going to show you some of the projects I’ve finished around here over the past few days.”

“But I’m horny,” I whine and stick my lower lip out.

“Haven’t you figured it out?” he asks as he unlocks the door and leads me inside, then pulls me in his arms and tips his forehead against mine. “Anticipation is the best foreplay there is.”

“I’m going to spontaneously combust,” I whisper, my eyes closing as he combs his fingers through my hair and nuzzles my nose with his, then glides his fingertips down my cheeks to my neck. My nipples pebble and I clench his shirt in my fists. “I feel like you haven’t been inside me in weeks.”

“It’s been hours, baby.”

“Too long.”

Suddenly he backs away and clears his throat, licks his lips and shakes his head. “Nice try. Follow me.”

“I want to suck your cock,” I grumble and walk right into his back as he comes to an abrupt stop then spins and cradles my face in his hands, kisses me madly, his tongue colliding with mine and then shuts it down just as fast, panting and eyes on fire.

“Enjoy this. Trust me.”

And with that he turns away again and leads me through the living room, furnished sparsely with a simple loveseat and recliner, to the downstairs bathroom.

“Wow, this is gorgeous.” The walls are painted a rich gray, set off by a fresh white pedestal sink and toilet. The mirror is framed in black, and the black shelves above the toilet are full of white towels, tissues and an old, broken clock.

“Thank you.”

“You did all of this the other night?”

He nods, watching me with hot eyes.

“What else have you done?”

He takes my hand again and leads me down a hall, but before we reach another room, he cages me against the wall, pins both my hands above my head with one hand and with the other cups my sex through my jeans as he buries his face in my neck and nibbles, not quite gently but not hard enough to leave marks.

“I’m going to make you scream later, Meredith. How do you feel about that?”

“Can’t wait,” I whisper and feel him grin against my skin, which turns me on even more.

Everything he does is so fucking sexy.

“Good,” he says, plants one more kiss on my chin then releases my hands, links his fingers with mine and continues to lead me down the hallway.

I’m going to fucking kill him.

My body is humming in lust and anticipation. I need him inside me yesterday.

He gestures for me to follow him into the spare bedroom, but my heart stops as my eyes take in the beautiful, bright room. The floors are gleaming blond hardwood, the walls mocha and the windows are wide and let in ample light.

Lining three of the walls are floor-to-ceiling bookshelves. Speakers are mounted in two corners of the room, and a sound system is mounted near the doorway.

“A library?” My eyes meet his. He’s watching me closely as he nods. “I’ve always wanted a library.”

“You have?”

I nod and wander through the empty space, imagining hundreds of books filling the shelves and deep, soft furniture and throw rugs sprinkled around the space.

“Aside from dancing, reading is my favorite thing.”

“I’m surprised you find time to read,” he says and watches me wander the room.

“I don’t often anymore. When we were touring, it was either find a corner to yourself and read or drive each other crazy. This would be the perfect room to escape to, curl up in a chair with a good book and waste an afternoon.” I stop in front of the windows and look out on the back yard, the fire pit and lounge where we made love in the middle of the night, the grassy lawn that’s just starting to turn deep green, and I know in my heart that this is where I want to be. After more than ten years of touring and working and not having a true home, I want this home with this man.

“What are you thinking?” Mark asks as he slides up behind me and wraps his arms around me, kissing my cheek.

“This is a beautiful home, M.”

“Thank you. I hope someone will be happy here.”

“What are you talking about?” I spin in his arms and frown up at him.

“I’m going to finish remodeling it and sell it.”

“You bought it to flip it?” I ask and gaze about the beautiful room.

“Yes.”

“But…” Why do I suddenly feel like all of my hopes and dreams were just snatched out from under me?

“But what?” He grips my chin in his thumb and forefinger and catches my gaze in his.

“I just thought you planned to live here.”

“Do you want to live here?”

“Pshaw,” I roll my eyes and pull out of his arms, trying with all my might to cover my disappointment. I’m being ridiculous! “We’re nowhere near ready to move in together.”

“Then why do you look so sad?” He pushes his hands in his pockets and watches me quietly.

“I’m not sad.” I walk toward the doorway, my shoes clicking loudly on the floor. “Show me the rest.”

I turn and wait for him, one eyebrow raised, but he hasn’t moved. He’s still watching me silently until I feel my cheeks flush.

“Talk to me, M.”

“I just like your house, Mark. It’s just a house.”

A house that I’d started to think of as ours, which is completely ridiculous.

He slowly walks to me and cups my cheek in his palm and kisses my forehead tenderly before taking my hand in his and leading me out of the room and up a back stairway that I didn’t know was here.

“This house is bigger than it looks.”

“It’s deep, so yeah, it’s bigger than it looks from the street,” he replies. “I’ve been remodeling it with a family in mind, hoping that it’ll attract a young family to buy it.”

He guides me to a bedroom and walks through ahead of me. The room has been painted baby pink with white filmy curtains and gray carpeting. It’s clearly a little girl’s room.

“This bedroom is attached to the other bedroom through a jack and jill bathroom.” He slides a door open, revealing a bathroom with fresh colorful tile and countertops, leading through the other side to another bedroom, the same size as the last. This one is painted blue with white curtains and the same gray carpet.