Monday night
The sun was fading from the horizon, leaving the sky filled with hues of red, orange, and gold. Trees were back lit, their bark turned dusky in the oncoming darkness. Like a piece of artwork branches soared into the sky as if reaching for one another.
In a darkened house sitting at the end of a cul de sac a woman stood at the window. Her red hair shimmered in the glow of candlelight while her eyes stared sadly into the distance. Across the room a man entered, his heart swelling with emotions he could not contain.
"Hey honey." Shawn wrapped his finance in his arms as he came up behind her. He drew in a deep breath as the scent of her soft skin sent his heart racing. Unable to resist himself he ran his hands along her rib cage. "Keeping watch for monsters?"
Mandy smiled as she leaned back into his arms. "Not this time." She indicated the fading palette of colors. "Sunsets are the most beautiful time of day. Too bad they only last for a couple of minutes."
"In ten days you will be Mrs. Shawn Michaels and we will be watching the most spectacular sunsets ever displayed from the islands of Hawaii. After which we will have the most sensual lovemaking ever experienced." He lifted her up in his arms and twirled around the room.
She laughed in delight as she threw her arms around him. "Promises, Promises. I think we should practice to make sure we get it right." Her eyes reflected the flickering light from the dozens of candles she had lit around the room.
"Hmmm." He buried his face in her hair. "It would appear that you were prepared for this opportunity." He teased, laying her down on the soft rug in front of the fireplace.
Her hands trembled in anticipation as he flicked open button after button down the front of her dress. "We've not had a lot of time together this past week, what with the wedding plans and all." She said, her breath coming in pants.
He leaned down to trail his tongue down the path of bare skin the open buttons had reveled. "Have I told you today how beautiful you are?" He breathed, his hot breath sliding over the skin of her belly.
She tugged at his shirt. "Maybe you should show me." She murmured, her eyes drinking in the sight of his bare chest. Her hands slid up so that her thumbs brushed across his nipples.
In a frenzy now he pushed the dress away from her, leaving her laying there in sheer black panties and bra. She arched her back as his hand trailed up the inside of her thigh to cup the core of her heat. Impatiently she tore off her own bra, baring her breast to his waiting mouth.
Exotic shadows danced against the wall as sweat slicked bare skin slid against one another. Low hungry moans matched the sound of the wind through the trees encircling the house. Time stood still as the two lovers joined together for one endless minute.
"Damn." Mark muttered as he rapped his knuckles on the hub of the engine. Shaking his hand he watched blood welling up from the small cut under the bright spot light shining off the eve of the garage.
"You really should get that taken care of." A female voice came from behind him, causing him to slam his head against the hood of the truck as he jerked around.
"You're dangerous to be around." He muttered as he rubbed the back of his head. He glared at the grinning female in front of him. "Where'd you come from anyway?"
"I drove here like a normal person." Sammie said pointing to her own truck and the large horse trailer behind it. "You probably didn't hear me with the music blaring as loud as it is. It almost sounds like I'm at home with my son."
Mark grinned sheepishly as he turned the portable radio down. "Somehow I don't see him listening to my kind of music."
"Didn't you know that old was in." She shook her head as she evaded his arms. "Besides, I was referring to the volume."
"Is something wrong?" He asked, hurt darking his eyes as she stayed out of his reach.
"I have to go back to work in a little bit and you're covered in grease." She reached up to wipe at a spot on his cheek, touched that he cared. "Not to mention blood." Grabbing his hand she led him into the kitchen.
He remained silent as she efficiently cleaned the wound and applied a bandage. "You really should be more careful." she admonished him as she bent to brush a soft kiss to the injury.
"Why should I when this is the result?" He teased.
Sammie sent him a reproving look. "That isn't funny." She turned away to put up the first aid kit she had used.
Frowning Mark grabbed her elbows as he gently turned her to face him. "Hey darling, what's wrong? You have shadows in your eyes." He ran a thumb along her forehead, trying to erase the worry lines.
She sighed as she resisted the urge to lean into him. " It's nothing, just sometimes I hate my job."
Concerned he drew her to the table and pushed her into a chair. "Tell me about it." He ordered, handing her a bottle of water.
She gave him a small smile in thanks. "On Saturday I had to put down a dog. A sweet, gentle dog, a little old but other wise healthy. The owners wanted him put down." She shoved out of the chair to get up to pace. "There was no reason for it."
"What could you have done?" Mark asked from his position from the sink.
Sammie shrugged. "There are always people who are looking for a good dog, willing to rescue a needy animal."
"So why couldn't you have done that?" He ventured uneasily as he watched her stalk around the room. He didn't want to upset her anymore more than she already was.
She stopped to lean against the door. "It takes time and resources to find a foster family. I'm in an apartment right now, one that unfortunately does not accept pets. I'm looking to buy a house with a large tract of land but it takes time." She shrugged despondently.
"Darling you're breaking my heart. Isn't there something that you can do?" He reached out to pull her into his arms.
Sammie sighed as she evaded his touch. "It's okay. I should go, I have a lot of things I need to get done and it's getting late."
"I don't think so." He followed her out in to the yard. "Why don't you tell me what you came over here for, cause I doubt it was to bandage my hand."
She ran a hand through her hair in a restless motion. "I was going to ask for a favor but I realized that I care for you too much to use you like that."
Mark resisted the urge to smile at the feelings her words caused. His inattention gave her the time she needed to cover the distance to her truck. "Hey wait." He called, his hand reaching out to slam the truck door before she could get in.
"I've go to get back to work. I never should have stopped by here when I'm so upset." She apologized, being careful to keep her eyes averted.
"Hey," He gently turned her face to his, his heart breaking at the tears in her eyes. "Tell me what 's wrong."
"It's wrong of me to take advantage of you like this." She protested.
"Why don't you let me be the judge of that." He tried to tease a smile out of her. "I do have the ability to say no when I need to."
She shook her head as she tried to decide if he was serious. "Okay." She indicated the horse trailer. "I need a place to house a horse for a couple days."
Mark eyed the trailed as it rocked with the violent movements from the horse within. "What's wrong with him?" He asked sceptically.
She instantly defended the animal. "Nothing's wrong with him. He was abused by his owners."
"Unha, and why do you have him?" Mark turned to fix his stern gaze on her.
"I was called out to care for his injuries when the police arrested the owner for animal cruelty. Unfortunately he was to skittish to stay in the holding pen at the clinic. The only other option was to put his down."
"If he's as violent as he's acting that might be a good thing." He hated to point it out to her.
"It's not his fault that he was treated that way. You wouldn't kill an abused child just because they were acting out." She spun away from him. "I just need some time to work with him. I know I can overcome his fears."
"Can I ask one more question?" He ventured when she turned angry eyes to him. "Is it legal for you to have him here?"
She gave a little laugh as her shoulders relaxed. "I filled out all the appropriate paperwork much as if I was fostering a child." she assured him.
"You must have been awful confident that I would take him." He teased as he approached where she was standing at the trailer doors.
Sammie shrugged. "I'm not without connections in town. After all I am fast establishing myself to be the best vet in the area." sSe said causing him to laugh. "Though I have to admit I was drawn to come here, to ask you for help, I do know other men with barns."
He frowned threateningly at her. "I better be the only man with a barn that you're kissing." He growled causing her to laugh.
She threw her arms around him. "You're the only one." She pressed her lips against his. "For the moment."
Mark gave her a playful smack on her backside. "Let's see this horse of yours."
Laughing she turned to ope the doors of the tailer. "He's very jumpy and he doesn't like men so try to stay away from him okay?"
Mark frowned as he watched the high strung horse toss his head, almost lifting her small frame off the ground. "I don't think I like you being around him much either."
She gave him an exasperated look. "I know what I'm doing."
He waited in stern silence until she was finished. "So do you have plans tomorrow?" He asked helping her repack the trailer.
"Not particularly, why you have something in mind?" She grinned up at him.
Mark shifted restlessly. "I have some family coming up tomorrow and I was hoping you and your son could come to dinner."
Sammie narrowed her eyes as she assessed how uncomfortable he appeared. "Is this like meeting the parents?"
"Worse." He groaned. "More children."
"Those are some awful heavy thoughts there." Shawn observed as they cuddled on the floor, a blanket covering their naked bodies.
"Just thinking." She allowed a smile to curve her lips.
"Unha." He placed a feather light kiss to the back of her neck. "Do these heavy thoughts have anything to do with what happened in the mall on Saturday?"
Mandy groaned. "Laney has a mouth." She raised her hands to cover her face.
Drawing her hands down he turned her to face him. "Why did she have to be the one to tell me?" He asked gently.
"Because it was embarrassing." She laid her forehead against his chest to hide her face. He smiled, knowing she was grinning as she pressed her lips to his chest.
"Damn right it was. If I was Laney I would have denied all claim to you." He shook his head as he laughed. "I'm surprised she didn't take off."
"I'm pretty sure she wanted to." Mandy admitted as she swatted at him. "And you stop laughing." She ordered him playfully.
"You have to admit that it's funny." He teased as he pushed the blanket down to bare a breast. "So what was causing the dark thoughts?" He asked as he massaged the offered nipple.
She shrugged as she circled her arms around him, laying her head down so that the beat of his heart reverberated throughout her body. "It just worries me that I'm always going to have these kind of reactions."
He resisted the urge to laugh as he ran his hands along her back. "Honey it's a normal reaction for you. And let me tell you that what happened would have happened to any mother who saw a strange man talking to their daughter."
She sent him a look, clearly not believing him. "Okay, maybe not that extreme, but it would have happened." He insisted as his hands slid down to cup her bottom.
She leaned up to press a soft kiss to his grinning lips. "You always seem to make me feel better."
"What can I say, I've made it my life's work to make you happy." He whispered as he deepened the kiss.
She smiled as her hands reached down to grasp the essence of his manhood "You forgot one thing." She reminded him, her voice husky with need.
"And what would that be?" He asked as his body tightened up in reaction. She shivered as his tongue traced her collarbone.
"How our children are going to hate me because I'm so over protective and will embarrass them horribly." She murmured as she arched into him.
Startled he drew back. "Children?" He echoed faintly.
She laughed at the look on his face. "At least three." She closed her mouth over his.