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I roll my eyes. “Yeah, it wasn’t the best introduction.” I laugh. “I thought she was a crazy woman babbling about some woman named Arlene that you were involved with.”
He rests his cheek on my hair and sighs. “She tends to get a little confused sometimes. I’m sorry that you had to get hurt. Even for one second.”
“Yeah. Sometimes it’s a little hard to believe that you really like me. I’m just a librarian. I’m not even that pretty.”
He backs away and yet stays in touch, holding onto my hands. “Hey, I don’t just like you. I love you, Garland. I’ve been in love with you since I first saw you. Knew it as soon as I saw you.”
“Then why were you such a jerk, annoying me with the dog and the car and the truck and the music. Just everything.”
“I just wanted to get your attention. You wouldn’t even look at me most days. So I made sure to annoy you. Because of course my little spitfire wouldn’t give me what I wanted and needed. Your attention. Your pretty eyes on me.”
“And you couldn’t just ask me out, right?”
He laughs lightly. “Would you have gone out with me?”
“I think so.”
“I think not, gorgeous. You’re a stubborn woman and you already decided the first time we met that I was just an annoying neanderthal. I didn’t know if anything I did would change your mind. What did?”
“I don’t know exactly. There was just something in your eyes last night. You made me feel safe. I felt relieved that you were there to help me and I just couldn’t help myself.”
A smug look curves his lips. “Because you couldn’t resist me anymore. I know you love me.”
“I do.” He jerks his head back, shocked.
“Are you serious? You really love me?”
“You sound surprised.” I giggle.
“I’m thrilled,” he says, kissing me hard, his lips drinking in my soft moan.
“I couldn’t be more thrilled.” His lips trail down my jaw and throat, leaving tingles of electricity where his rough jaw scrapes at my delicate skin.
“Can we go back to bed?” I ask, standing on my tiptoes and wrapping my arms around his neck.
“No. But we can go over and meet my mother right this time and then how about I make you breakfast.”
I smile into his skin. “That sounds perfect.”
So I follow him across and find his mother still waiting outside the door, watching us warily. “Well, is everything alright now?”
Marcus rolls his eyes. “Yes. But I’d really like to know why you showed up here today.”
“Ginger called.”
“Remind me to fire Ginger.”
My mother and Garland shoot me glares. “You cannot shoot the woman for gossiping, Marcus Gray. Half the town does it. What are you going to do? Move?”
“I’m thinking about it. Especially if you ever mess things up this bad ever again. You’ll never see those grandkids you’re always yapping about.”
She smiles, “If you give me grandkids, I promise I will leave you alone.”
He chuckles. “Behave yourself, mom.”
She walks away, waving good-bye. Then Marcus tugs me in and kisses me wildly, his hands caressing up and down my body like he can’t get enough. His rough, calloused hands set off electric charges that zap my strength, my knees shake and he picks me up, holding me tightly, his face so close to mine that I can feel his breath.
“Will you be mine, Garland? Will you marry me and make me the happiest man in the world?”
