In the morning, Mark woke up and was walking around his hotel room…trying to get the sleepiness to subside…he was about to get in the shower, when someone knocked on the door…he walked over and being the bear he is in the mornings…he threw the door open and growled out a nasty sounding, "WHAT?"
There was a hotel bellboy standing there looking just about ready to pee his pants…when he said, "M M M Mr. Callaway?" Mark squinted at the boy who looked all of 17 and said, "Yes?" The bell boy handed Mark and envelope with his name written on it, then as fast as the boys legs could carry him he took off like a bat out of hell…
Mark looked after the boy as he was running…and laughed…up he could still scare the crap out of anyone…he closed the door and walked over and sat on the couch as he opened the envelope and pulled out a letter…it said:
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Mark,
I'm really sorry if I lead you on…or made a mess out of our friendship…I never intended to do that…I really enjoyed the kiss…it was definitely something I liked way to much…but I came to a decision…I don't want to cramp you while you're with your friends…so since I have a spare key to your house and I know the gate code and the house alarm codes…I went back to Houston late last night…I think I just want to spend sometime alone with myself…I think it would be best for the both of us…I have my phone so it's not like you can't get a hold of me whenever you want…
Please don't be mad about me leaving without you…Jaden is going to stay, seems her and Brock have gotten a little closer then either expected…and since she can see me when ever, she's spending her remaining time with him…which is fine with me. I have some things from my past that I need to get over and a huge fear to conquer…and I can't let Jaden do it for me anymore…I know she told you about the record party…from all those years ago…and I know you probably think it's stupid to let something like that bother me for so long…I know…why let it bother you…when nothing ever happened…I was lucky that night…but I've been living in total fear since that night…and with that stalker…it just added more fuel to the fire…So let me have the next weeks that you're in Austin to myself…and I promise when you get back to Houston…I'll be a changed person…hopefully…
Erin
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Mark ran his hand over his face and sighed heavy…alright she can have her weeks alone…but then me and her need to have a serious talk… "Miss Erin…I'm going to help you if it's the last thing I do.'.
Later that day, I was back at the ranch in Houston…I spent some much needed quality time with Hades, Panic and Pain. They slept in the bed with me…they are usually on the floor…but 2 weeks and no human contact…that'll make any one crazy…so they were on the bed with me…kept me warm all night actually…
I actually had the strangest dream…and decided it was time to face me fears…I jumped out of bed and got dressed…I shooed the dogs out and since Mark had helped get my Red Mustang GT brought to Houston…I was going to let it go to waste in his garage…I jumped in and took off…I checked the clock on the dash and it 12am…damn I'd only slept for 2 hours…oh well…I'll live with it…this was so worth it. I turned the radio on and a really good song came on…
I pulled into the Hilton hotel in Austin around 5 am…I knew Mark would still be asleep…I parked my car next to his truck and set the alarm…and took off inside.
I had called Jaden earlier and talked to her…she knew I was coming for a purpose…and wasn't about to dispute anything with me…she handed over Mark's room key and I said, "How'd you get it?" She said, "It's amazing what the maids around here will do for a 100 bucks…which you will be paying me back…anyways…she let me into Mark's room and dopey him…he left it on the little table right next to the door…" We giggled a little and I hugged her…she said, "Do you know what you're getting yourself into?" I said, "No…of course not…but I've got to try it…right?" Jaden smiled and said, "Absolutely…I'll warn the boys that Mark, might not make it to practice today." I smiled and she giggled and Brock opened the door and said, "Woman…c'mon."
I waved and as Brock carried Jaden back off to bed…I walked over and stood in front of Mark's hotel room door…I stared at the door for 10 minutes…and then I slipped the card key in the slot and as the light turned green, I slowly turned the knob and pushed it open, as quietly as I could. Then I held onto the door as I closed it behind me and relocked it and chained it also. I pushed the card key into my back pocket…and walked quietly through the room…I could hear Mark's light snores throughout the room…and almost broke out into a fit of giggles that could of woken up a cemetery full of dead people…
I walked over and crossed the doorway between the sitting room into Mark's hotel bed room…he was laying on his side with his back to me…and had from his waist up sticking out of the covers…he had his hair free and sprawled out on the pillow…I smiled to myself…I loved his hair.
I kicked off my shoes…and walked around to the other side of the bed and slowly crept into bed next to him…I stayed on top of the covers, but I laid on my side facing him…he never woke up…he always was hard to wake up. I just had on jeans shorts and a tank top…I reached over and traced his eye brows with my finger tips. Mark's eyes started fluttering open…when he was fully awake he looked over and noticed me staring back at him…he started to say something, when I put my hand over his mouth…and I said, "Before you ask…I had to come back, to do this."