To Claim Her (4 page)

Awareness dawned on Gretchen as she heard the venom in Nora’s words.  “That’s right.  Your daughter was one of his …”  She stopped short, not sure how to finish her sentence tactfully.  One of his what?  Girlfriends?  Groupies?  He was a gorgeous man.  Gretchen had thought they had something special, but she certainly hadn’t been the only girl interested in Mark.  Half of the girls in town had held their breath for his next word, hanging around his favorite places for the chance to glimpse him.

Now that she thought about it, Mark had dated Nora’s daughter before he met Gretchen.  He just hadn’t been interested in a serious long term relationship.  He was more of a serial dater.

Gretchen shook her head.  He had seemed so wrapped up in them until he’d ended it unexpectedly.  It had made her question her judgment and perception.  She wasn’t going to do that again. 

Nora suddenly looked tired.  “Yes.  She was.”

“I’ll think about it.” 

“That’s all I can ask.  Now, let me change the bandages on your back.  I’ll get you something to help with sleep, and we’ll head out.”

No matter what Gretchen told Nora, there was no avoiding Mark.  Now that he was back and determined to connect, she had to tell him about Eddie.  He would find out eventually, and time was running out.  Once he saw the boy, he would have to be blind not to realize he was his son.  She just hoped he wouldn’t break her child’s heart like he had broken hers years before.

Chapter Three

Mark opened the door to let Gretchen in the back door.  He took the grocery sack from her arms and followed her inside where she turned on the oven.
              “So what miracles are you going to make happen here?”

Her smile stuttered at his words.    In another time, his words would have been foreplay.  She knew better now.  “Hardly a miracle.  Your dad likes my Mexican chicken casserole.” 

“Hmmm.  Spicy girl.”  He leaned toward her on the counter and watched her pull items from the bag.

“I can handle this here if you have other things to do.”  He was close and smelled masculine and sexy.  He was a more dangerous, grown up version of her teenage heartbreak.  With everything else going on, she wasn’t sure she had the energy to keep him at a distance after the day she’d had.

“I can’t think of anything I’d rather be doing, Gretchen.  Or anyone else I’d rather be with.” 

Her eyes stilled on the ingredients she was unpacking and skittered up to his.  She laughed.  “Does that work for you most of the time?”

He shrugged.  “You’ll have to let me know.  Never used it before.”

“Huh.  They usually follow you like the pied piper, don’t they?  You probably don’t have to speak a word and they’re eating out of your hand.”  Or off his body.  Her smile melted into more of a sneer without her permission.  She turned away to wash her hands and get her jealous attitude under control.

“I know you have this impression of me as a real playboy, but I’ve actually been kind of busy.”

Gretchen pointed toward the cabinet.  “Baking dish.” 

Mark complied, sitting the metal pan on the counter.  Gretchen dumped in half a bag of nacho cheese flavored tortilla chips and spread them along the bottom.  She handed Mark a can of cream of chicken soup to open.  “I realize you had training in the military and probably some risky missions to occupy your time.”

He lifted his eyebrow as if questioning her sincerity.  

She began pulling chicken from the bone and piling it into the baking dish. “But you can’t honestly say you were so busy you didn’t have time for any fun.  Your dad has shown me some of the pictures you emailed.”

He handed back the opened can and lowered his eyes to her lips before answering.  “No.”

“Just as I thought.  So don’t play Mr. Innocent with me.  You’re had plenty of time to practice your lines and woo your women over the years.  Just don’t think you’re coming back here means I’m woo-able again.  I’m not eighteen anymore.  I know better now.” 

He leaned against the counter and watched her add spicy tomatoes. 

She tried to get her mind on the cooking and less on cleaning Mark’s clock.  He didn’t owe her.

He popped a chip in his mouth and slowly chewed.  Was he considering his next words?  Figuring out how to best handle her?  If she had anything to say about it, he wouldn’t be handling her at all. 

“Whisk, please.”  Gretchen pulled a bowl down from the shelf and dumped in the soup, milk, and taco seasoning. 

When she’d mixed the concoction nice and smooth, she pointed to the dish.  “Pour.”  

Mark laughed.  “You sure you weren’t in the military while I was gone?  You’ve got a bossy way about you.” 

She smirked and turned to get a jar of jalapeno peppers and a bag of shredded cheese from the refrigerator.  “I didn’t need the military to teach me to be bossy.  It just comes naturally.”  She dropped a few peppers on the mixture and then piled the cheese on top before sliding it into the oven.  She set the timer for a half hour as Mark cleared away the trash.

Mark sat on a bar stool and watched her move around the room, gathering up ingredients for a salad.  “I wasn’t a playboy but you’ve made your point, I wasn’t a monk either.” 

“I wasn’t really making a point.  Besides, it’s not my point to make.  You’re not my responsibility any more, never really were.   We both know that.”

His expression softened.  “Maybe not.  You certainly felt like my responsibility back then.”

He would have really caved under the responsibility of a newborn then.  “Well, I shouldn’t have.  I wanted more than you were ready for.  I get that.  You decided to run for the hills.  It seems to have worked out well for you, and we’ve been fine without you.”  Because she’d seen to it.  She was stronger without him than she ever would have been if he had stayed.  “So what will you do now that you’re out?  Are you planning to stay in the Shreveport area?”

He nodded.  “I’ve been in contact with a rescue chopper setup.  They do the typical trauma flights but also do more sketchy operations like rescue from hard-to-reach areas.”

“Lots of those around here.”

“I’ve got lots of preparation for that sort of thing, so it’ll be a good fit.  I expect to start working with them in the next month or so.”  He handed her a knife from the drawer beside him when she was ready to start chopping veggies.  “My main goal is to be around for my dad, though.  I couldn’t be here when he got sick, but now I can.” 

“He’s done okay.  He knew you didn’t have a choice.”

“You’ve done a good job taking care of him since his stroke.  I had nightmares when it came to his care while I was overseas, but he told me you were first in line to make sure he had what he needed.”

She smiled.  “My relationship with your dad didn’t start when he got sick, Mark.”

“Well, of course, you already knew him from when we dated.”

“I did, but he was around even more after you left us.  Left Louisiana, I mean.  I was raising my sister, trying to get her out of school and into college.  She was a good girl, really, but normal teenage issues cropped up, and your dad was a trusted confidante for me.  He helped her get a part time job when she had a little too much free time on her hands.  Heck, he even helped me get into a training course for the work I do at the clinic.”  She bit her lip.  This would be as good a time as any to tell him about Eddie.

“I didn’t know.”

She tossed the ingredients into a bowl and added parmesan cheese and croutons.  “I didn’t imagine he’d bring it up.  You got away from me and all my baggage as fast as you could when I told you I loved you.” That memory was making it difficult to subject her son to the same treatment. 

“Listen, I didn’t mean to hurt you.” He shook his head.   “I was stupid.”

“No you weren’t.  You are typical.  Anyway, I needed to stand on my own two feet and that’s what I did.  Mindy got a scholarship and is doing well on her own.  She’s a junior in college now.”  She couldn’t be more proud of her younger sister.  Another year and she would be a teacher.

He smiled in response, crossing his arms and giving her a peek at his sexy biceps.  Her mouth went a little dry.  She considered slapping herself again.

“Anyway, things have been fine.  I’ve matured, become more independent than ever, and I like it this way.” 

Sure it was a little lonely at times.  When she ran into friends surrounded by their new families, babies and husbands, it made her feel the missing partner more, but that’s one reason she liked working with Sebastian.  The camaraderie was satisfying.   He gave her another adult perspective, one with much more experience than her own, when she had questions about raising Eddie. And he didn’t require any of the painful relationship bull that a love interest might. 

If she was a twenty-five year old with no real social life to speak of, it was only because she hadn’t had time to think about it.    When she decided she wanted that, she would pursue it.

Mark was watching her closely, and the scrutiny made her uncomfortable. 

“Are you here for the evening?” she asked.

“Yeah, I thought I’d hang here with dad, eat and catch up a little.”

“Great.  When the timer goes off, the casserole comes out.  The salad is ready, and your dad likes French dressing.  I don’t want to add it now because it’ll get soggy.”  She pulled out two plates and glasses before turning to pick up her bag. 

He moved toward the door.  “You’re not eating here?  Dad said you usually eat with him.”

She shrugged.  “I do.”  She glanced outside. 

Mark moved closer, crowding her with his big body.  She could smell his skin and the faint whiff of cologne.  The whisper of scent made her want to get closer to inhale him.  Exactly why she should back away.  He slid his arms around her shoulders and tangled his hand in her hair. 

“I want to touch you but I’m afraid I’ll hurt you.”  He stroked her neck.  “But soon.  Soon, this is going to happen, Gretchen.  Don’t even think about running.”

She shook her head.  Hadn’t he been listening?  No matter how cozy he felt right now, it wouldn’t last.  Either he’d lose interest or be too angry to want her after he met Eddie.  She instantly felt the weight of the day on her like a sack of wet concrete.

“It’s just that the sun is going down.”  She needed to keep her distance from him.  “I really want to get out of here and get home before it gets dark.”  She pulled her keys and phone from her purse, but Mark took them from her.  Her voice gave a tiny tremor she hoped he didn’t notice when she spoke.  “I just had a long night last night and really need to get some sleep.” 

Mark pulled her into his arms.  “Darlin’, there’s nothing silly about being nervous after the week you’ve had.  I already told Dad I’d be following you home to make sure you made it safely there.  Before your mind starts making up trouble, I’ll also be checking over your house once we get there to make sure you’re safe inside.”

She let herself lean into him for a moment.  She was going to be the strong, independent woman of the last five years.  In just a minute.  She sighed after a second and withdrew from him.

              “Better?”

              “I think I’m just really exhausted.  You would think after being unconscious for a whole day, then spending time recovering that I’d feel rested, but I just can’t seem to calm myself.  Last night, sleep was a joke even knowing the police car was right outside.  There are three sides to my house and only one side is covered, you know?”

              “I doubt the sheriff is going to be okay with giving you four officers to protect you.” 

              She rolled her eyes.  “I know.  I almost invited him in to sit inside the house, so I wouldn’t feel so creeped out and alone.”

              Mark’s expression turned from tender to stern.  “I don’t think that’s the best idea.  Stay here.  There’s something just as disturbing about a police officer sitting by your bed watching you sleep.”

              She shrugged.  “Maybe so.” 

The cook timer beeped, and she jumped and laughed half-heartedly at herself.  She grabbed a potholder and pulled the Mexican casserole out and placing it on the table.  She went to the icemaker and filled the glasses.   He handed her another glass for herself.

              “I don’t want to be a responsibility for you, Mark.  I should be okay going home alone tonight because the officer is still there.  I was just trying to take every precaution to make sure I’m safe.”

              “You’ve got to eat.  Let it sit through dinner.  We can discuss it before you leave.”

Gretchen expected to be uneasy during dinner now that Mark was back home.  He was perfectly pleasant, but their background put her on edge with him.  Maybe it was her own fatigue or maybe it was because they’d already been around each other as they cooked, but they settled in easily to relax and eat.  

They watched a sitcom and ate at the small table off the living area.  Mark shared a story of a water rescue that had her eyes bugging out and her fists clenching as he told about his close calls. 

He was competent, that was clear, when he spoke of the safety procedures he followed and the medical training he had.  He was also a daredevil.   Nothing new, but the audacity of a teenage boy had matured into a honed risk-taker that helped him save lives.  She supposed that was necessary with his job, but with her background, she played it safe more often than not. 

Was that why he’d left?  Because he’d known she was an effortless option?  Maybe that made her an unappealing choice for a risk-taker like him.  Living her own everyday life had felt like a tedious set of risks as she watched her mom spiral into oblivion.  Then she’d been busy trying to raise her sister.  She didn’t need to hang from a helicopter and save the war wounded to see risks.  She’d been trying to keep the bills paid and food in the fridge for several years by the time she met Mark.  A calm life with no danger was a tempting prospect that she didn’t think he could properly appreciate.

              When the meal was over, he helped her put the leftovers away.   “There’s more in the fridge if either of you want a midnight snack.  I’m heading home.”