Thanks for the reviews..shorter chapters seem to be working for me..not so overwhelming to sit down and write now.


Mark watched his daughter jerked weeds out and threw them in a pile. She was working, he couldn't complain, but she looked none to happy. "So how was shopping?"

Danni looked up at him, her little face streaked with dirt, where she had swiped her hand down her face. "Its so boring..I hate it."

Mark smirked, he wasn't one much for shopping either. "Yeah I ain't crazy bout it myself..so when does school start?" He asked as he sat back, looking at the pile of weeds they had pulled so far.

"Umm next week, next Monday." Danni said falling back on her back and closing her eyes. "Tired?"

Danni nodded and yawned. "Uhhh huhh."

"Well lets put these weeds in bags and we're done for the day, okay."

Danni nodded and rolled over and got up, helping Mark put all the weeds in a bag. "I was thinking, I'm going down to the shop tomorrow, you wanna come with me?"

Danni looked at her dad in surprise, she loved his bikes, she loved looking at bikes. "Uhhh yeah..that would be cool..can I maybe ride one, pleassssseeee?"

Mark looked at the usually grumpy girl and was surprised she seemed so eager to go. "Well okay, just a short ride with me and you have to wear a helmet and behave yourself between now and tomorrow."

Danni thought about that. "Well I think I can do that."

Mark let himself smile as she walked toward the house, he was starting to like the kid.


Mark smiled as he tucked the blanket around the sleepy baby, Misha had put her to bed, but he had just wanted to check on her, he realized in spite of his best efforts, he was becoming attached to these kids, he bent and kissed the babies soft little cheek and left the room, leaving the door cracked a little.

He was heading down to say goodnight to Danni, but saw Trini and Danni were both in Trini's room and Misha was sitting on the side of the bed reading to them. Mark stood at the door, listening to the tale of King Arthur and his knights. Misha was a wonderful story teller and her rendition had both girls eager and begging for more when she finished the chapter. "Nope..bedtime..I'll read more tomorrow."

Both girls groaned, but Danni climbed out of the bed. "Nite Trini..nite Miss Misha"

Trini smiled. "Nite see ya in the morning."

Misha smiled at Danni. "Good night honey."

Danni about ran into to Mark. "Ready for bed?"

Danni yawned and nodded and Mark followed her down the hall, smiling as she skipped in her room and jumped in her bed. Mark sat down on the edge and lifted her long enough to pull the covers back and tucked her in. "You worked real hard in the yard today, you did a good job."

Danni almost smiled. 'Really ..I mean I tried really hard."

Mark nodded. "You did good kid, now get ta sleep."

Danni nodded and closed her eyes, turning on her side and giving into the exhaustion of her very long day.

Mark patted her back and got up and walked out of the room, leaving her door cracked. He met Misha in the hall. "I got some more tea for us today, I picked out a few kinds, you can pick what you like best."

Misha smiled. "Thats so sweet Mark, let me shower and I'll meet you in the kitchen in say half an hour."

Mark nodded and continued down the hall, inside he was jumping up and down, he made big points by getting her tea, he grinned to himself. He already had his shower, he would just go downstairs and watch TV for a while. Misha disappeared in her room and shut the door. Mark thought about peeking, then mentally slapped himself. What was he thinking?

Mark headed down stairs and went in the den flopping in his recliner turning on the TV, then he remembered he was going to change into his sweats and a tank top, relax a little. He headed back upstairs and went in his room changing , he took his long hair down brushing it out and caught himself, he was acting like a girl on his first date. Mark shook his head and walked out of his room, he really needed to find that little black book.

Mark decided to check at her door and see if the shower was still running, if it wasn't he would go ahead and put the water on for tea. He walked down to her door, but before he could check , he heard sniffling coming from Trini's room, concern for the girl overshadowed his thoughts for the moment. Mark opened the door, light from the hallway spilling into the room. He saw the little girl sprawled on her bed apparently crying. "Here now..whats wrong?" Mark asked going to sit on the side of the bed.

Trini looked up embarrassed that Mark had caught her crying. "Nuthin."

Mark gave her a skeptical look. "Thats a lot of tears over nothing."

Trini sniffled trying to stop her tears, Mark got up and grabbed a tissue and came back ."Sit up and blow your nose."

Trini sat up and took the tissues blowing her nose, before tossing it in the trash can. "Okay little girl whats got you so upset?" Mark asked.

Trini shrugged. "I dunno."

Mark lifted her chin looking at her red face. "I find that hard to believe."

Trini sighed. "You're gonna think I'm dumb..its just..well..you didn't say nite ta me."

Mark was kind of flabbergasted, why would that make her cry, but then he thought , she was a little kid. "I didn't mean to hurt your feelings okay?"

Trini nodded. "I'm just bein a baby..its okay."

Mark looked at the little girl, she still looked upset to him. "Lay down..I'll tuck you in okay." He said and gently tucked the covers around her. "There that's better huh?"

Trini nodded, feeling much better. "uhh huhh thank you Mister Mark."

Mark nodded. "No problem..goodnight Trini."

Misha watched from the doorway, for all his bluster, he was a nice man, but Trini was getting to attached to him, she was going to have a talk with her daughter tomorrow, she couldn't let Trini be thinking about him as a daddy.

Misha turned and headed downstairs just as Mark came out of Trini's room, he followed her down and he sat at the bar counter watching her make lemon tea for both of them.

Mark thanked her and watched her sit down across from him, she had on pooh bear pajamas, and it worried him, that he found her completely adorable in them. "Thanks." He said taking a sip of the tea.

She smiled and nodded and she told him about school and Danni's teacher. "I think you should go with her on her first day.

Mark nodded. "You know what, I'll take both the girls..they will be fine..is that okay?"

Misha smiled. "Well I'm sure Trini will be over the moon if you take her to school, yeah its fine." She made a note to remind herself to talk to Trini.

They sat and drank tea, even had a refill and made plans for the next day for the kids, Mark was taking Danni with him for a couple of hours, the fence people were coming to put a fence around the pool and Misha was going to take Trini and the baby out for a little swim ,when they were done.

"Well I should get to bed." Misha finally said standing up.

Mark nodded and stood and watched as she picked up the cups, one slipped and feel right at her feet shattering.

Her and Mark bent at the same time to pick the pieces up , Mark looked over at her. "Stop you'll get cut." he realized she was barefooted and reached over lifting her body back off the floor and sitting her on the counter. "Stay put till I get the glass up."

Misha didn't get mad, in fact she smiled, he was so bossy sometimes, but what bothered her most, was how she felt, when his big hands had settled on her waist and lifted her. It had made her heart flutter, his smell of leather and whiskey had overwhelmed her senses.

She sighed as she watched him. He was surely a handsome devil. Mark cleaned up the glass and then washed his hands , then went back over and stood in front of Misha, who was almost eyes level with him, sitting on the counter. "Ready to get down?"

Misha could barely breathe, he was too close and he was doing funny things to her. It was a silly question anyway, she could get down herself, but instead she looked up in his green eyes. "Uhh huhh."

Mark put his hands around her waist, but didn't lift her right away, instead he looked down at her pretty lips, wanting nothing more than to kiss them, he sighed, God she was making him crazy. Finally he lifted her up till her face was right next to his, but instead of kissing her, like he wanted to. "Goodnight Misha." and he set her gently to the floor.

Misha just nodded unable to talk and fairly ran from the room. Mark closed his eyes and sighed.. "Fucking cold showers." He muttered as he headed upstairs.