Chapter 7

The house was quiet when we got home and Brenda let out a sigh of
relief.

"So far so good," she said smiling at me and Glen. "Now, if we can just
sneak up the stairs."

"Why are you sneaking around at all?" Came a deep, irritated voice from
the study.

I felt all my new resolutions deserting me as I turned and found myself
staring into Mark's dark angry eyes.

I dropped my gaze, and my heart thumped wildly in my chest as I heard
Brenda explaining why the three of us were trying to be quiet.

"We knew you were tired, dear," Brenda told him.

"Tired, my ass," he returned, lifting a glass of amber liquid in a shot
glass to his mouth. He glared at me over its rim. "You knew I'd had it
out with Jaime."

"She's been gorging herself on the rum, Mark," Glen said with a grin.
"Announcing her independence and preparing for holy revolution."

"Oh, please, shut up," I said in a whisper.

"But, honey, you were so brave at the Johnson's," Glen said. "Don't you
want to martyr yourself to the cause of freedom?"

"No, I want to be sick," I corrected, swallowing hard. I glanced up at
Marks face. The harsh words all came back and I wished I'd accepted
Jen's invitation to spend the night.

Mark swirled the liquid in his glass. "Good night Mother, Glen."

Brenda looked at me as he headed for the stairs with Glen right behind.

"You wouldn't rather discuss the merger with the McMahon Corporation?"
Glen grinned at Mark. "It would be a lot quieter."

"Oh, don't desert me," I called after them.

"You declared war, babe," Glen called back, "and I believe in a strict
policy of non-interference."

I locked my hands behind me, shivering in my warm coat, despite the
warmth of the house and the hot darkness of Mark's eyes.

"Well, go ahead," I muttered, dropping my gaze to the open neck of his
white shirt. "You've already taken one bite out of me, you might as well have an arm or two."

He giggled softly, and surprised I looked into amusement in his eyes.

"Come in here and talk to me," he said, turning to lead the way into the study. He sat in a chair in front of the fireplace.

I took the chair across from his, looking at the wood piled up. "Daddy
used to burn it," I remembered, using the name I gave Mark's father, though he was barely a distant cousin. He was like the father I'd lost.

"So do I, when I need to take warm up." he replied.

I studied his big, husky body and wondered if he ever got cold. Warmth
seemed to radiate off him at a close distance.

He finished the rest of his drink and put his hands behind his head.
His dark eyes pinned to me.

"Why don't you get out of that coat ad stop trying to look as if you're ten minutes late for an appointment somewhere?"

"I'm cold," I stammered.

"Turn up the heater, then."

"I won't be here that long, will I?" I asked hopefully.

His dark eyes traveled over the skin revealed by my white dress, making
me feel very young and uncomfortable.

"Must you stare at me like that?" I asked uneasily.

He pulled a chew can and put some in his mouth. "What's this about a
revolution?" he asked.

I blinked at him. "Oh, what Glen said?" I asked swallowing hard. "Uh,
I just..."

He laughed. "Jaime, I can't remember a conversation with you that
didn't end in stammers."

I pouted. "I wouldn't stammer if you wouldn't jump on me every time you
get the chance."

One eyebrow went up. He looked relaxed. That bothered me and I
couldn't help wondering if anything ever made him lose it.

"Do I?"

"You know very well you do." I studied hiss face, noting fatique that
only a stranger would miss. "You're very tired aren't you?" I asked.

"Dead," he admitted.

"Then why aren't you in bed?" I asked wanting to know.

"I didn't mean to ruin the party for you."

The familiar tenderness in his voice brought mist to my eyes. "It's all
right."

"No, it isn't." A huge sigh lifted his chest. "I just ended an affair
and the silly woman is pestering me to death, and when you said what you did I overreacted. My tempers a little on edge lately, or I'd have
laughed it off."

I smiled at him. "Did you love her?"