like he’d been sucker punched, but in a completely wow-do-it-to-me-again kind of way. Mark just knew he’d have a goofy grin on his face for the rest of the night.
Raven watched the hope and pleasure light up Mark’s eyes and felt an answering jolt of happiness.
It was all sorts of crazy, but seeing the obvious relief on Mark’s face made all the difference. It certainly made Raven feel better about his decision to continue getting to know Mark.
He’d seen something last night. Something he came back to over and over again that made him think Mark just might be worth the risk. That he should take a chance and explore the connection that pulled at him whenever they were together. There was a vulnerability about Mark he hadn’t appreciated when they’d first met.
The fact he had never been a foregone conclusion to Mark also reassured him into thinking he might just be making the right decision. Mark hadn’t assumed Raven would agree to more dates without question. He hadn’t acted as if Raven didn’t have any options, or should be so grateful for the attention he would simply fall into line. Knowing Mark acknowledged that Raven could use that very small but extremely powerful word— No! — was everything. It was a word that was still very much a new and precious thing in Raven’s life.
“I should p-probably get back upstairs,” Raven finally managed to force out. “The boys are watching television, but…well, you know, never t-turn your back and all that.”
“Yeah.”
Raven moved to step around, but Mark’s voice stopped him as he was about to pass. “So where should I meet you tomorrow?”
The heat from Mark’s body brushed against Raven’s senses. It was breathtaking and he found it hard to concentrate on what Mark had said. Instead he wanted to stand very still and soak in Mark’s proximity and the spicy scent that surrounded him. It was an intense, delicious and scary reaction all at the same time.
“Raven?”
“Huh?”
“I was just wondering where I should meet you for our run tomorrow.”
“Oh! Um…” Raven took a deep breath and tried to focus, but the big, earnest puppy dog eyes were doing a real number on him. “I p-promised to take Wolf to p-preschool tomorrow.”
“Okay. Should I meet you here then?” Mark asked, seemingly oblivious to Raven’s internal chaos.
“I…um…I usually start my r-run from outside the boys’ p-preschool. Do you know where that is?”
“Yeah. I could meet you there if you like.”
“Okay.”
Wow! That felt good . That felt really good. Talking to Mark and trusting him with little details of his routine. Agreeing on a running date. Standing slightly too close and a little breathless. It was normal and natural and wonderful. Well, normal and wonderful in an alltied-up-in-giddy-excited-knots kind of way as they continued to stare at each other.
Raven couldn’t believe how ready to take on any challenge he felt right now.
“So, I guess I’ll see you tomorrow morning,” Mark finally murmured.
“Yeah. I…ah…I really n-need to get back.”
“Yeah, me too.”
Neither of them made a move to go anywhere, however. It was an exciting rush to think Mark was as reluctant to leave as he was.
“Night, Raven.”
“Night, M-Mark.”
Raven turned to head back upstairs.
“Hey, Raven.”
“Yeah?”
“Thanks for letting me tag along on your run tomorrow. I’m really looking forward to it.”
Raven studied Mark. Old habits of looking for teasing or sinister motivations died hard apparently. But there simply wasn’t anything like that on Mark’s face. There was just genuine happiness and a little vulnerability. “Yeah, m-me too.”
And amazingly enough, it was true.
Chapter Eight
Mark stood beside Zak under the shade of the trees that bordered the park and took another sip of his soda. March had flown by in a rush of work, settling in a new chef— Jayden—and seizing every opportunity he could to get to know Raven. Now, the first week of April and with
Raven watched the hope and pleasure light up Mark’s eyes and felt an answering jolt of happiness.
It was all sorts of crazy, but seeing the obvious relief on Mark’s face made all the difference. It certainly made Raven feel better about his decision to continue getting to know Mark.
He’d seen something last night. Something he came back to over and over again that made him think Mark just might be worth the risk. That he should take a chance and explore the connection that pulled at him whenever they were together. There was a vulnerability about Mark he hadn’t appreciated when they’d first met.
The fact he had never been a foregone conclusion to Mark also reassured him into thinking he might just be making the right decision. Mark hadn’t assumed Raven would agree to more dates without question. He hadn’t acted as if Raven didn’t have any options, or should be so grateful for the attention he would simply fall into line. Knowing Mark acknowledged that Raven could use that very small but extremely powerful word— No! — was everything. It was a word that was still very much a new and precious thing in Raven’s life.
“I should p-probably get back upstairs,” Raven finally managed to force out. “The boys are watching television, but…well, you know, never t-turn your back and all that.”
“Yeah.”
Raven moved to step around, but Mark’s voice stopped him as he was about to pass. “So where should I meet you tomorrow?”
The heat from Mark’s body brushed against Raven’s senses. It was breathtaking and he found it hard to concentrate on what Mark had said. Instead he wanted to stand very still and soak in Mark’s proximity and the spicy scent that surrounded him. It was an intense, delicious and scary reaction all at the same time.
“Raven?”
“Huh?”
“I was just wondering where I should meet you for our run tomorrow.”
“Oh! Um…” Raven took a deep breath and tried to focus, but the big, earnest puppy dog eyes were doing a real number on him. “I p-promised to take Wolf to p-preschool tomorrow.”
“Okay. Should I meet you here then?” Mark asked, seemingly oblivious to Raven’s internal chaos.
“I…um…I usually start my r-run from outside the boys’ p-preschool. Do you know where that is?”
“Yeah. I could meet you there if you like.”
“Okay.”
Wow! That felt good . That felt really good. Talking to Mark and trusting him with little details of his routine. Agreeing on a running date. Standing slightly too close and a little breathless. It was normal and natural and wonderful. Well, normal and wonderful in an alltied-up-in-giddy-excited-knots kind of way as they continued to stare at each other.
Raven couldn’t believe how ready to take on any challenge he felt right now.
“So, I guess I’ll see you tomorrow morning,” Mark finally murmured.
“Yeah. I…ah…I really n-need to get back.”
“Yeah, me too.”
Neither of them made a move to go anywhere, however. It was an exciting rush to think Mark was as reluctant to leave as he was.
“Night, Raven.”
“Night, M-Mark.”
Raven turned to head back upstairs.
“Hey, Raven.”
“Yeah?”
“Thanks for letting me tag along on your run tomorrow. I’m really looking forward to it.”
Raven studied Mark. Old habits of looking for teasing or sinister motivations died hard apparently. But there simply wasn’t anything like that on Mark’s face. There was just genuine happiness and a little vulnerability. “Yeah, m-me too.”
And amazingly enough, it was true.
Chapter Eight
Mark stood beside Zak under the shade of the trees that bordered the park and took another sip of his soda. March had flown by in a rush of work, settling in a new chef— Jayden—and seizing every opportunity he could to get to know Raven. Now, the first week of April and with
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