Sounds, Novians waking up, the pterosaurs chirping, the soldiers running around or training. Ugh, training, getting stronger and watching his friends back were the best parts of Mark's job. He missed it. He missed his friends. They came by sometimes but that was during their days off and even then they were pretty tense. Guilty. Hell, in was a huge failure on all the soldiers' parts that resulted in the Accident.
Mark took a deep breath, nuzzling his face deeper into Maddy's hair. Somehow Zoe had ended up being cradled by her sister so Mark had wrapped his arms around both of them. But Mrs. Shannon took the little girl earlier while Mark pretended to still be asleep. Leaving just the lovely Miss Shannon spooned against him, both of them on their side.
He felt her little body expand with a deep tug of air, and she pressed back against him. Mark happily learned that the swells of her backside fit well against the curve of his hips and…oh….oh no, no, no-
"Mark?" She mumbled groggily, the sound of shifting told him she was looking at him. "Do you-is that-"
"Yeah, sorry." Mark whispered quickly, he couldn't pull back from her because the wall was directly against his back.
"Oh, well," the warmth before him increased as she resumed her position. "Can I ask why you have a-a boner?"
"Well Maddy, when a young, beautiful woman is in bed with a attractive soldier, sometimes one thing leads to another, people get turned on and then, fifteen years from now, I will be telling our kids how they were conceived in this b-" A soft slap popped on his shoulder and she sat up as he just laid there, throwing an arms over her legs.
"I'm not beautiful, and I don't think I would be a good mother." Maddy did this mumbling thing when she belittled herself.
"Maddy, I had pictures of you imprinted into my mind, you are one of the most magnificent things I have ever seen. And this is coming from a guy who spent all of his military career in the past and climbed the cliffs with Taylor." Mark patted around until he found her hand. "And those really short sleep shorts are super sexy." He had been enjoying her smooth legs against his most of the night, but with one hand in hers and the other gripping her thigh, well, it felt like silk.
"Thank you." She whispered, sliding closer to him, "Most guys think I'm annoying, well most everyone does. And-" Mark wondered if she was biting her lip. "And I have never been flirted with before."
What? No one's ever flirted with- no, that needed to be fixed. What type of half wit would let this Aphrodite walk by without laying some kind of stupid pick up line on her. Then again, he had her all to himself now. And she was wanted he wanted.
"Well, Maddy Shannon, you have the lovely honor of being the girlfriend of One Handsome Soldier." He found her jaw and cupped her face. "And you will be treated just the way you deserve. Like a goddess." He leaned forward, hoping to find her lips, but soft finger rested against his lips.
"But, you haven't asked my father yet, so you aren't officially courting me. And we need to have a date, just see how this goes before making it official." He whistled low.
"Quiet the list." He heard her giggle and couldn't help his own. Did he mention how much he liked to hear her laugh and talk. And be in the same room as him. Jesus he was whipped.
"So, what are we doing today Miss Shannon?" He laid back and let his arms cradled the back of his head.
"Well, you need a bath-"
"I am a grown man!" He announced, he didn't needed to be bathed like a child.
"I know you use just us a cloth, soap and water. I mean actual bath, or we can't sleep in the same bed.
Son of a- that was worse. "Alright." Mark sounded like a petulant child, pouting at her in that blind mannor. "But I swear to god if you use some fruity girly scented soap or something, than I may wallow in the garden to get manly smelling again." That being said, Mark had no hate towards the wonderful scent Maddy used, but he didn't want to smell like her….it would be super hot if she used his body soap though….okay head out of the gutter Reynolds, you have a girl to woo so hard she's going to have a woo-gasm….Was that a word? Who cares!
Oh wait, shit, Maddy would be touching him, while he's wet-and naked- in a bath tub and that could turn into a scene from one of those cheesy naughty fil- Head out of the Gutter, Reynolds before Maddy notices. The whole morning boner thing was so embarrassing, he didn't need her to know how much he thought about her and her dainty form.
"MARK!" She called, tapping his shoulder. He shifted his head to look at her, before she continued. "Where did you go there?" No response, like he would tell her about all the fantasizing he did. "Well, go to the bathroom, I'll be there in a second." He shifted and followed her orders, his thoughts jumping in the gutter again as he sat on the edge of the tub, waiting for Maddy.
.
.
.
Both sat in relative silence as the tub filled with water and fluffy clouds of soapy bubbles. Mark rubbed his hands together, this would be the first time he was ever naked in front of a girl since well before the Accident, not to mention a girl he liked. Jesus this would be awkward.
The squeak of the faucet rang out and Maddy had asked him to strip once again. "Mark, please, I can't leave you, you might slip-"
"I don't want you to-" Her fingers were in the band of his pants and suddenly everything was sliding off. Soon he raced into the tub and let out a sigh of relief as the bubbles covered the surface of the water and effectively him.
Maddy moved a stool behind the tub and him and leaned over to rub at his skn with a soft rag. Soft digits were hot and he felt a brush of nails against his stomach and rigid abs there. Mark knew he was in shape, maybe not a hunk as Maddy had told him during dinner a few nights ago, but somewhat attractive…and he was with a gorgeous woman who was undressing him and-
"Too Hot?" she whispered in his ear and shivers ran up his spine.
"Much." Jesus, frustrated much? Her hands left him and suddenly cold water was being run on his legs and he shrieked…like a little fricken school girl. "That's freezing! Mads."
"I asked if it was too hot?" There was a tickling in her voice, like she was playing him. Oh, She was good.
.
.
.
"Listen," Maddy's soft hands were massaging shampoos into his scalp and he barely heard her, he was so relaxed. "Lt. Washington came by and asked if Skye and I would watch a pair of sixer children while she finds a permanent home for them. I also asked my Mother if Zoe could come by and play with them. She doesn't make friends that easy because of the whole 'three children' thing and I just thought if would be good for her, and anyways, I was hoping that you would be okay for a little while with the kids here and-"
"Sure," he mumbled, a lazy smile on his face as she rinsed the soapy substance from his scalp and moved to wash his shoulders. "Do you think I could talk to your mom since she's a doctor and all?"
"Of course Mom will talk to you." Mark could hear the lilting in her voice. Dang he loved to listen to her.
.
.
.
When the kids were dropped off, Mark sat on the porch with Dr. Shannon, who waited until her daughter had situated the soldier and entered the house again before speaking.
"Well Mister Reynolds, what is it?" Her voice was clipped then again he did fight her husband so…
"Dr. I wanted to apologize about-"
"No, because Maddy already forgave you and that should be enough." Her voice dropped a little, in a gentler tone. "But, you did watch over my little Zoe, so you have one minute of no judgment."
"I want to court Maddy, and I know I haven't really been that great, but with Mads it's different and I want her. I haven't wanted anything in the past several months, well other than to see, but she makes it manageable and I want to know everything about her. And…And She started planting flowers again. And laugh. She makes me laugh and feel a really good burning in my chest. I need her and I want her. I want to woo her and give her flowers or jewelry or take her somewhere romantic and kiss her whenever I want, because damn it I want to do that all the fricken ti-"
"Alright, a minute is up." The wood creaked and Mark was almost sure she was standing. "You almost sounded like Maddy there." A deep breath. "Tradition says that you ask her father, but as much as I love him, he is a prideful man. He'll never let you court her so I am giving you permittion to take her on a few dates. If that goes well then you can ask her father." Her voice dropped suddenly, "But I swear to every god above and below, if you hurt her, I will make sure your death looks like an accident. Are we understood?"
"Ma'am, yes, Ma'am." He saluted her, standing slowly. "And thank you."
.
.
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Maddy sat at the table with the kids, each painting something or other, and Mark sat at the kitchen bar, listening to the four of them talk. Mostly listening to how Maddy cared for the kids. The two sixer children said something about going to the other room to wash their hands and soon the giggling pair were down the hall.
"Well, Zo, what do you think?" Maddy asked as she walked around the kitchen and letting the sound of dishes and silver wear ring out.
"I really like them, I like having friends." Zoe stated as she stepped closer to Mark suddenly a little hand rested on his knee. He leaned down and slowly lifted her into the stool next to him. Her small body was both soft and firm in his hands and a chill ran through him. She felt like the child from the Accident. Soft laughter pulled him from his thoughts and Mark let the voices carry him away from those dark memories and into daydreams.
Mark wondered why he never knew this side of Maddy before, this mothering side that had him wondering about….well he shouldn't but…..what would it be like to listen to her talk to her own children. He wouldn't go as far as call the imaginary kids his, but they all did have noticeably blue eyes in his thoughts.
"Zo? Will you go get Leah and Sam? It's time for lunch." Maddy asked as she set the table.
But whether Mark married Maddy(Honestly he was acting like a little girl planning their future together) or not he owed it to her to be as independent as possible.
He needed to talk to a doctor.
Preview 1 for next chapter:
Mark leaned back, Maddy in his lap, his buds around the porch, Skye next to them. It was nice, Maddy made things easier, he could actually talk to his friends which was great, he missed the bozos.
And tomorrow, he would be talking to Dr. Shannon about the procedure.
Preview 2 for next chapter:
"I will not have that scumbag dating my daughter." Jim yelled, "There are plenty of other boys out there that-"
"That pass me by!" The young girl snarled back. "That think I'm annoying when I can't control my rambles or a know it all, or a nerd. And do you know what Mark thinks. He thinks I'm smart and interesting and we talk all the time. And Beautiful. He tells me everyday that I'm beautiful and no boy has ever told me that before."
"He's a blind piece or shi-" Maddy jumped forward, her finger poking into his chest.
"He's had pictures of me imprinted into his mind! I am a memory for him!" Jim could see the angry wet lines down her cheeks and swollen eyes before she turned on her heel and stormed out of the house, hands covering her mouth.
Please review. I will try to update Wanted Girl tomorrow so, yeah, thank yall for the support and love through my writing.
