Page 59 of Marcus

Marcus smirked, and pulled Cella away from the SUV’s hatch. Walking them around the side of the vehicle, he took the time to peek in the rear passenger window to find Tiffany was still fully engrossed in the movie her mother had put on her tablet to watch. “Well, we’re going to start with breakfast at a very kid-friendly business my mother loves to take the kids to, and then we’re going to go from there.”

“Yes, but where are we going?”

“Let me have a little fun, Cella.”

She passed him a look as they came up to the passenger side of the front, and he pulled open the door with a wink that had her shaking her head. She looked damn good standing in his driveway in a summer dress that was just loose enough to let the breeze flow through the fabric, but still fitted enough for him to admire all her curves. Those curves he’d spent the night adoring. As she deserved. Her scant makeup gave her cheeks a bit of color, and the sunglasses hid her blue eyes though he could tell by the way her lips turned upward that she was more than enjoying his staring.

Good.

He loved to stare at her.

And so much more, too.

But he’d get back to those thoughts later.

Today was about them, and fun.

“Just trust me,” he said.

Cella sighed. “I guess I don’t have a choice, hmm?”

“Tiffany will have a blast.”

“Is it going to tire her out?”

“Oh, absolutely.”

Her laughter soothed the ache in his chest. A new thing he noticed whenever Cella was near, but he wasn’t touching her. Something else for him to obsess over, even though he was sure that was anything but healthy.

Oh, well.

This was much more fun.

“Was that purposeful on your part?”

Marcus cocked a brow. “Pardon me?”

“Make sure my kid was good and tired so you could have me all to yourself for the evenings?”

“Not particularly, but if things work out in my favor that way, are you really going to complain?”

The prettiest red flush heated her cheeks, but Cella didn’t act the least bit ashamed when she replied, “Definitely not going to complain, Marcus.”

“Get in the car,” he told her. “Because I’m trying very hard to remain a gentleman, Cella, but you make it hard, cara mia.”

“You have a way with words, but I’m sure you know that.”

“Get in the car, woman.”

She did, laughing the whole way. Marcus certainly tested his limits and enjoyed teasing Cella when he could, but the woman knew how to give it back to him just as strong. He liked that a little too much for his own good, really.

Just before he rounded his side of the vehicle, the phone in his pocket buzzed.

Again.

The tenth time, at least, this morning.

Marcus had cleared his schedule for the weekend, and made sure everybody that needed to know did. He didn’t want anybody calling unless there was no other choice because the boss had to be involved in whatever emergency came up. Still, it annoyed him like nothing else to pull the cell phone out, and see his brother’s number on the screen.