Note: The only character I do not own in this story is The Undertaker

Chapter Fourteen

Mark couldn't help but smile down at the adorably beautiful woman that stood before him. The response that he had gotten from her during their dance with each other in the crowded saloon caused him to experience feelings that he had never witnessed first hand before. There were instances of him being with some of the girls that worked the bar that would say some things that would catch his attention. However, none of the things they said to him could even compare to the way that he felt from how Annalise spoke to him.

Besides the warm and fuzzy feelings he was getting from being in her presence, he was also experiencing an arousal that he had not dealt with before in his whole life. The mixture of her pure and sweet nature with the gorgeous and curvaceous body that she possessed was just the right combination for his body to start allowing his hormones to rage deep within him, whispering to him from the recesses of his mind.

Tonight is the night, Mark. The voices tauntingly said. You haven't had a woman in your bed in ages. This evening, however, you are going to be having this little cutie lying next to you under the sheets.

He tried to ignore what the voices were saying to him as he focused on Annalise during their dance. Deep down inside, he didn't want to think about doing anything to her just yet. He was enjoying the time with her, and didn't want anything bad to happen during the evening. Struggling to keep what little bit of resolve he had in check, he found his attention being distracted by the tap of a hand on one of his shoulders. Mark turned his head, and found one of the young men of the town to be standing there with a smile on his face.

"Yes?" Mark asked. "Can I help you with something?" His voice had a hint of annoyance to it from being interrupted by this young buck. He kept a firm look in his eyes while his ears picked up on a response coming out of his mouth.

"I was wanting to see about sharing a dance with Jasmine's cousin."

Jasmine. Figures she would do something stupid like this in order to try and get her cousin away from me. That woman has had it out for me since the day I turned down her advances and told her that I was not interested in her.

Moving his eyes over towards a direction, Mark found himself looking at the sight of Annalise's cousin having her arms crossed over her chest some as she watched on from where she stood, looking on for the sight of him to let go of Annalise and allow this man to have a dance with her. He knew that from how she was looking at him that she was already expecting him to let her go and that he would go off to be with his gang who were spread out over the place.

Sorry to let you down, Jasmine, but I don't plan on letting your cousin go so easily.

He looked back to the man and focused in on him while his arms that were around Annalise's body drew her in more to his own frame as he issued a response to the man to make his point clear to him.

"I am afraid that the only person she is going to be dancing with tonight is me. Why don't you go ask one of the other young ladies for a dance in the saloon?"

"Because I don't want any of the other girls here." The man replied, standing his ground. "The only one I want to dance with is her."

"Can you not take the hint? I am her date for the evening, not you."

Mark went to put his full attention on Annalise when the sensation of the man that had touched his shoulder grabbing him once more caused him to spun around. The moment that he done that, he was met with a sharp punched to his face that caused him to turn his head some. His ears picked up on the sound of Annalise letting out a sharp gasp of air from having witnessed him getting punched like he did while others had looked to them from where they were in the place. Although the punch was loud and it had some impact behind it, he turned his head to look back at the man as if the hit did nothing to him. His right hand balled up into a fist out of his line of sight as he delivered a response to the would-be suitor in a very dark and deadly serious tone.

"Nice try, boy. Now...Let me show you how a real man throws a punch."

Without missing a beat, Mark brought his fist up, and drove it into a side of the man's head with such strength and speed that he sent him flying backwards from where he had been standing and crashing through a poker game that was taking place on one of the round tables that had been set up. His eyes looked at the man holding his face in pain from what he had done to him as they were turning dark with rage at what he had done. He wanted to rush at him and finish what he had started. However, it was the soft feeling of a hand on the inside of one of his elbows that caused his eyes to move to a side of him and find Annalise looking up to him with a look that pleaded with him to leave the man alone.

She didn't wish for him to keep fighting with someone who was trying to ruin their night together. Until that moment, the two of them were enjoying each other's company and starting to talk with one another. The last thing that she wanted was for something like this to cause the two of them to end up going in different directions.

Realizing what he was risking if he continued his pursuit of the fallen man, Mark got a hold of Annalise's hand that was inside of his elbow on one of his arms with one of his hands. He slipped his fingers in between hers as he spoke to her softly.

"Let's get out of here, darling, and get some fresh air. This place is a bit too crowded for me."

He kept his voice low and soft towards her in order to make sure that she was the only one to hear that he had to say. He caught sight of her giving a brief nod of her head shortly before he made their way to the swinging doors of the dance hall, and exited the building with her at his side.