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Mark watched Misha fuss over the girls, going over their hair, straightening out their clothes, he grinned as Danni fidgeted, she wasn't one for dressing up, but it was the first day of school.
Her and Misha had compromised on the outfit, it was camo, just a pink camo skirt set. Truthfully his little girl did look adorable and so did Trini in her purple Disney princess skirt set, they both had their hair in pigtails.
Mark called the two girl over and they ran over to him grinning. "You two look beautiful this morning." He said lifting them both to sit in his lap at the kitchen table. "Thanks daddy..but I wanna look cool, not beautiful."
Mark smiled. "okay well you're both."
Danni rolled her eyes but grinned and Trini hugged him. "Thank you Mister Mark."
Mark kissed her cheek. "You're most welcome."
He watched Misha rush around packing lunches as the girl chattered, she was so beautiful, the only time he got close to her was at the girls nightly good night kiss ritual, when he would get a peck on the cheek at the girls insistence. Mark sighed, he sure wanted way more than a peck on the cheek. But something held him back, she seemed vulnerable in a lot of ways, not that had ever stopped him before with a woman, but Misha was different, he liked her, respected her, she was wonderful to his kids, he had no desire you use her to just get off. He felt like they were friends and that put the brakes on him just using her for a quick roll in the hay. This was something new for him, having a woman as a friend and he had no plans to ruin it. He love their nightly talks over a cup of tea, he loved laughing with her over something funny the kids said or did, he wasn't about to ruin that.
So cold showers were a way of life for him.
Misha set the girls plates of pancakes on the table. "Okay you two eat up, then get your backpacks and lunches, we gotta get moving here, you don't want to be late on your first day.
The girls jumped off Mark's lap and into their seats. Misha smiled as they started eating, they were so excited.
"Okay guys Misha is actually taking a day off, like I been telling her to for two weeks now. I'm going to pick you two up too, right out front, remember where you're supposed to wait?"
Danni nodded shoveling pancake in her mouth. "Uhhh huhh with tha other riders."
Trini nodded. "We remember." She looked over at her mother and grinned. "Geee you look pretty mommy, do you have a date?"
All the girls looked at Mark as he started coughing and choking. Misha patted him on the back. "You okay?"
Mark nodded. "umm coffee went down the wrong way." No way she had a date, he hadn't even thought about that, she did look pretty in her pink tank top and the form fitting jeans.
Misha looked at Trini. "I don't have a date ..I'm going riding at the the stables. "
Misha loved to ride and she paid one of the local stables to let her ride once in a while.
Trini giggled. "That Mr. Pierson down there likes you..sometimes he lets you ride longer for free."
Misha blushed, because that much was true, the man was obviously smitten with her. "Don't be silly Trini."
Mark looked at her blush, was she actually interested in this jack ass whoever he was, why was this the first he was hearing about this guy?
Danni smiled at her daddy. "I bet he does like Miss Misha huh daddy, cuz she is really pretty huh daddy?"
Mark looked at his grinning daughter. "Yeah she is..I'm sure lots of men thinks she is pretty."He found nothing to smile about in that though.
Trini smiled and finished her juice. "Maybe it is a date huh mommy?"
Misha shook her head. "Don't be silly honey..you know I like to go riding once in a while."
Trini and Danni giggled. Mark had enough. "Okay girls, get your back packs, we have to go." He wiped the babies mouth and lifted her in his arms. "Have a good day off and don't worry, they will be fine."
Misha smiled and bent to kiss the girls. "I love you two..have a great day and I want to hear all about it this evening."
The girls hugged and kissed her. "Okay..love you too." Trini said.
Misha kissed Lexi and smiled at Mark. "see ya later."
Mark watched her leave..a date, maybe it was a date and she just didn't want to say anything in front of Trini, after all he had just shared one kiss with her, it was no big deal, it hadn't meant nothing. Mark sighed, if that was true, why did he feel like tracking down this Pierson guy and kicking his teeth in?
Mark smiled as he dropped Trini off at her class. "Okay Mister Mark..I'll see you at two-thirty..don't forget us okay?"
Mark bent and hugged the girl. "I won't , have a good day okay?"
She nodded and hopped in her class. Mark saw Lexi was wide eyed in her stroller watching all the kids go bye. Danni was hanging back, looking none to happy. Mark bent down in front of her. "Hey squirt whats wrong?"
Danni shrugged. "Nuthin..just what if I don't like it, what if I hate my teacher, what if the kids hate me." She asked in a rush of words.
Mark pulled the girl in a hug. "You'll like it..you'll like your teacher and make lots of friends and Trini said you two have recess together and lunch, you'll get to see her and talk to her if you're feeling a little lonely huh?"
Danni sighed. "Yeah that's true..at least I can play with Trini." She said cheering up a little.
Mark smiled. "Sure..its going to be great." Mark stood and Danni put her little hand in his and he walked her across the hall and waved as she walked in the classroom. He couldn't help but stand and watch for a minute as she went to the teacher's desk. Mark sighed, she looked so little, he hesitated, maybe he should hang around for a bit. "Mister Callaway..she is going to be fine, we have your number if we need you."
Mark found the teacher standing in front of him smiling. "Oh yeah sure..I should be going, just call me if she needs me okay?"
The teacher nodded and Mark back the stroller up and headed down the hallway. "Well its just you and me kiddo." He said to the grinning baby. Now he just hoped Danni didn't punch no body today or cuss them out.
Misha grinned and waved goodbye to Brett Pierson , he was a good looking fellow and she was pretty sure he liked her , but she was only interested in one man, her big handsome, sometimes growly employer.
Misha got in her car and started it. Brett was nice, good looking, had a good job, why couldn't she be interested in him, but he did nothing for her. Her cell rang and she snapped out of thoughts and answered the phone. "Hello."
"Hey I was uhhh just checking in..and I wanted ta let ya know the girls got to school fine and everything went okay."
Misha smiled. "ohh good..were they excited..no tears or anything?"
"No..Danni gotta little stubborn, but I talked to her and everything was fine." He said feeling stupid now for calling her.
"I'm through riding..I was going to go get a bite of lunch and do some shopping." Misha said.
Mark frowned, he wondered if she was having lunch with that horse loving Casanova. "Ummm ya know..I could throw some steaks on the grill..be better than anything you could get anywhere else..if you want to." He stuttered out.
Misha grinned. "That sounds great..maybe you and Lexi could come shopping with me afterward."
Mark was so relieved that she wasn't having lunch with horse boy, he lost his mind, he hated shopping. "Sure sounds like fun."
Misha smiled. "Great see you in a few minutes."
Mark sighed as he hung up the phone, he was losing his mind. Since when did he agree to go shopping. He kicked the kitchen chair and walked over to the refrigerator pulling out two steaks. He really needed to figure out what was happening to him, he wasn't so sure he liked feeling like this about any woman.
