Chapter 16

"If the two of you wouldn't mind my intrussion on your time together," Cassie replied with a wink.

"Oh come on mom! AJ is a bit too old for me and I have it on good authority that he is taken!" Grace giggled.

AJ put his arm around Cassie's shoulders and told her, "You are most welcome my love."

"Thank you," she answered. "But if that is the case then maybe we should get to bed early too." Turning to her father-in-law who was coming down the hall, she asked, "George could you and Brandon lock up tonight? The three of us are going for a very early run in the morning."

He happily agreed and sent them on their way with a cheerful 'good night'.

They walked Grace to her room and parted with hugs all around. Once at the door to their rooms they entered Cassie's room after making sure the hall was clear. They weren't ashamed of their sexual relationship but didn't want upset Grace at her young age.

Alone in her room they went into each others arms for the kind of kiss they couldn't share in public. After slowly undressing each other they kissed again and slid into bed. They made love tenderly with no rushing, taking time to enjoy each moment, savoring each other's reactions to kisses in unexpected places and caresses anywhere the mood struck them.

After recovering from their shared orgasms Cassie turned to her side of the bed and began to fiddle with the alarm clock sitting there.

"What are you doing my love?" AJ asked.

"Setting my alarm for our run tomorrow," she explained.

"That's not necessary," he told her. "I wake up automatically."

"You don't use an alarm?"

"Never have needed to. I'm not sure why I just have always been able to wake up at whatever time I needed or wanted to."

"That's amazing!" she told him, putting the clock down without turning the alarm setting on. She moved back into his arms and kissed him tenderly.

Moments later they fell asleep in each others arms as comfortably as if they had been doing it for years.

His eyes opened and his first sight was of her beautiful face. AJ couldn't help himself, he reached out and placed a kiss on the tip of her nose. It wrinkled and twitched just like that witch on the old TV show his sister used to love when they were kids. What was the name of it? He thought it was something like Bewitched, he would have to ask Adel about it when she got here this weekend.

Cassie's eyes blinked open slowly and she smiled brightly when she saw his face, "Good morning my love," he said to her.

"Mmmmmm morning," she whispered. "How much time do we have before we have to get up?"

"We might have time for a kiss or two if you can get dressed quickly," he teased.

"You have to get dressed too," she taunted. "And you have to get back to your own room to do that!"

"Then I guess that means we don't have time for those kisses after all," he sighed.

"Oh you!" Cassie exclaimed and kissed him lightly before getting out of bed and starting to dress for their run.

AJ quickly put his clothes from the night before back on before poking his head out of the room. Making sure the hall was clear he crossed to his own room and also began to dress for the run.

Both of their doors opened within moments of each other and they shared smiles as they took hands and headed for the stairs. They found Grace in the kitchen setting the timer on the coffee pot to start brewing when they were almost done with their run.

Cassie pulled out three water bottles and filled them while she watched AJ saying good morning to her barely awake daughter. She was very happy that the two of them got along so well. Grace had loved her father very much and it would have been so easy for her to resent AJ. But the fact that Grace actually liked the man who was about to become her stepfather pleased Cassie to no end.

"Everyone ready?" AJ asked as Cassie handed out the water bottles.

Two of them jumped and Cassie smiled as Brandon came into the kitchen. "George told me what you guys were planning for this morning, and I was wondering if you'd mind if I came along? It's been a long time since I went running for fun."

"Fun?!" Grace demanded.

To Be Continued…