Read part one, part two, and part three!

“Talk to me, Linds,” Mark said, leaning close to her ear. He could feel her trembling and knew something was wrong. He couldn’t put his finger on it, but something about the way she was shaking told him it was worse than he could imagine. He cared for her, somehow, and whatever was worrying her was making him terrified.

Lindsay shook him off, his hands falling uselessly to the side as she walked away. She ran her hands through her hair, her fingers locked together at the base of her neck. Tension radiated off her and Mark ached to alleviate it for her.

“I have positive genetic markers for breast cancer, like my mother. I’ve already scheduled a double mastectomy for next month.”

Mark’s heart sunk to his shoes. The overwhelming ache he felt for how heartbroken and hurt she must be killed him. He wanted to wrap his arms around her and take all the pain away, to heal her with just his touch. But he knew he couldn’t do it. Nothing could heal her.

“It’s okay, I know how you feel. I’m not really a woman without breasts and I’m certainly not someone anyone would want to be with. You don’t have to pretend to like me anymore. I understand.”

Anger mixed with pain inside Mark as Lindsay words sunk in. He spun her around, his hands gripping her upper arms as he pulled her tight against his chest. “Don’t you dare put words in my mouth, Lindsay. I never said anything about you not being a real woman, and don’t you ever say that about yourself. Jesus, Lindsay what you’re facing… I can’t even imagine.”

“It’s fine. I mean, I have no choice,” Lindsay said as she pushed free of Mark. The force of her break away from him was enough to make him release her. The feel of her leaving his embrace was like a physical ache, but the pain of her walking away from him was worse.

“Lindsay, what are you talking about? Why are you pushing me away?”

“Look at me Mark!” she hollered, pounding on her chest. “Look at me. In a month these will be gone. I’ll never have them again. I’ll never be able to feed my kids or keep a man interested. You don’t want me. I know we had a connection, or whatever, but I’m not complete. I’m tainted. I -“

“Stop, Linds, just stop. You’re strong. You’re facing something insanely difficult and you’re making a choice to save your life. You’re choosing to alter your physical appearance in a drastic way so you can live. That’s not tainted, that’s brave. That’s the strongest thing I’ve ever heard. It doesn’t make you less of a woman, it makes you more. And I’d never be able to live with myself if I let you walk away over something like that.”

Lindsay stopped and looked up at him, tears streaming down her cheeks, eyes red-rimmed. “How can you say that?”

“Lindsay, I’d be crazy to say I’m not interested in you because you’re choosing your health and well-being over your appearance. It shows your courage and confidence, not a weakness. I’d be lucky to call you a friend, but even more so if I were lucky enough to take you out. Get to know you. Be there for you. I don’t know what is going to come next, but I do know I want to find out with you.”

Lindsay covered her face with her hands and turned away from him. Sobs shook her shoulders and Mark couldn’t stop himself from pulling her back into his arms. She clung to him as he wrapped his arms around her, her face buried in his chest. Lindsay sobbed, her tears soaking through his shirt, but Mark didn’t care. He held her, rubbed her back, and whispered to her until she calmed down.

When her sobs turned to sniffles Mark asked softly if she was okay.

“Are you for real?” she finally managed, her voice muffled by his chest.

“What do you mean?” Mark asked, confused.

Lindsay pushed back and looked up at him. Her eyelashes were shiny with her tears and the red circles around her eyes made her look like she was suffering from an allergic reaction, but Mark had never seen someone as beautiful.

“Are you just saying this or do you mean it?”

Mark gently brushed a lock of hair from her face, tucking it behind her ear and lingering, his fingertips gliding over her jaw. “I’d never say something I didn’t mean, especially to you. And dear God, if you don’t let me kiss you soon, I think I’m going to explode.”

Mark didn’t wait for her to respond. She gasped as his lips came down on hers, allowing him access to her mouth. His tongue swept through, tasting, teasing, learning her. And he took his sweet ass time about it too.

Mark held her close, his arms cradling her in a gentle way that was in complete contrast to the absolutely devouring way he was kissing her. As her tongue became integral to the kiss, he deepened it, tilting her head to suit him and pressing her body tighter against his own. His arousal grew between them and he groaned when she brushed against it.

A throat cleared nearby and startled them both out of their embrace. Mark looked down guiltily into Lindsay’s mother’s smiling face.

“I apologize, but I thought maybe we could head home. You two could continue your, ahem, conversation at your house, Lindsay?”

Lindsay blushed and buried her face in Mark’s chest again. He kissed the top of her head and she nodded against him. “Let’s go, Mom,” Lindsay said. Then she took Mark’s hand, and he happily followed her.

Read part one and part two!

Lindsay lifted an eyebrow at Mark, still unsure if she was afraid of him or turned on by him. Maybe a little of both.

“I can get myself into a vehicle, thank you very much.”

He waved a strong hand toward the truck as though telling her to prove it. Lindsay looked at the truck, quickly realizing it was bigger than she’d initially thought. There weren’t rails underneath to help her up and just seeing the height she was going to have to jump to get in made her head spin.

She turned to look at him and found herself pressed against his chest. Her hands flew up to brace herself as his closed around her hips. A breath whooshed out of her as their bodies came together. His eyes darkened as he stared down at her from nearly a foot above. She’d never felt as small as she did standing before him. Her mind, and her body, wondered if they’d line up better if they were lying down, and she couldn’t stop the sway of her hips toward him.

Mark’s abs, and something a bit lower, twitched at her contact. He sucked in a breath and his fingers tightened on her hips, drawing her just slightly closer. His head dipped, as though he was going to kiss her.

“For goodness sake, Lindsay, just let the man help you into the truck,” her mother called out from inside the truck.

Mark moved back, the corners of his lips tipping up. “She’s right,” he said, his voice thick and raspy, telling Lindsay he was as affected by their contact as she’d thought. With her nipples reaching out for him and her girly parts doing a happy dance, he wasn’t alone.

Lindsay pursed her lips together in an attempt to hide her grin. Mark’s hands tightened on her hips again and she braced herself against his biceps, the bulky muscles dancing under her hands as he lifted her effortlessly into his truck.

As soon as his fingers left her body she felt the loss deep within her, like a part of her was gone. He closed the door between them then she saw him jogging around to the other side. Once he was settled back next to her he glanced over and winked at her, sending warmth and jitters through every last bit of her body.

Lindsay’s mom talked the entire way to the doctor’s appointment, asking Mark everything from what he did for a living to why he didn’t have plans for the day to if he was seeing anyone. Mark went along with it, answering every question and smiling over at Lindsay. When they finally arrived at the doctor’s office, Lindsay was feeling better, but Mark insisted she get checked out, just in case.

“A bump, but no signs of concussion. How’s your car?” the doctor asked Lindsay as he walked her out.

She cringed. “Not good. Mark was able to get it up the driveway, but it’ll need some work.”

“Well, at least you’re okay,” he said with a kind smile. Lindsay thanked him and walked back to the waiting room. Where Mark was waiting.

She dropped into the chair next to him and he grinned at her, immediately reaching for her hand. “Are you okay?”

His thumb teased the sensitive skin on the inside of her wrist, sending goose bumps across her entire body. “Yeah, just a bump.”

Concern filled his face and he immediately reached for her, his hand brushing gently over her head as though feeling for a lump.

“Nothing big,” Lindsay said, her hand drifting up to the bump hidden by her hair. “It’ll go down in a day or two.”

“Shit, Linds, I’m so sorry. I never meant to hit you.”

His use of a nickname affected her more than she cared to admit.

“Mom’ll be another hour or so. Did you want to walk around or grab something to eat?”

Mark nodded and pulled her to her feet. They walked outside hand in hand. The campus around the hospital had enough to keep them busy, but Lindsay knew exactly where she wanted to take him. They walked in a comfortable silence, Mark letting Lindsay lead him, until they reached the park that was nestled between the four primary buildings of the hospital.

“Wow,” Mark whispered, reverently, “I never knew this was here.”

“I come sit here while mom’s visiting the doctor. Thankfully she’s not here much anymore. She’s been in remission for nine years now.”

“That’s great. Have you been tested?”

Lindsay nodded and slid her hand from his. She walked over to the bench in the middle of the park and wondered how she would tell him. Lindsay hadn’t felt attracted to a man in years, since she found out what her future held. She was finally ready to take control of her future, and willing to accept she would be spending it alone, and Mark crashed into her world. Literally.

Mark came up behind her and rested his hands on her shoulders, not forcing her to turn, just holding onto her as though he couldn’t stand not touching her. He didn’t ask her anything else, just waited, letting Lindsay decide what she wanted to tell him, something she appreciated.

She didn’t know how she’d started to care for him so quickly. It seemed like when his car struck hers that it cracked not only her front quarter panel, but also the walls she’d carefully constructed around her heart.

And with those walls down, she was vulnerable.

Read part one here!

The woman in Mark’s arms struggled, but he didn’t let go. Damn, she was infuriating. Why couldn’t she see that she wasn’t okay? And he’d be damned if he’d let a woman he hurt wander away, and probably hurt herself worse.

He trudged up the long drive toward the house she’d pointed to, finally breathing when she stopped fighting him. He looked down to make sure she hadn’t passed out and found her staring up at him. Her green eyes had a gold ring around the middle and a chocolate ring around the outside. They were the strangest eyes he’d ever seen, and he was mesmerized. So much so that he stumbled over a crack in the driveway and nearly dumped her on the ground.

Her gasp shot straight to his groin, his pants tightening like he was a teenager seeing his first breast. Mark caught himself, holding her body close to his, and prevented either of them from getting hurt again.

“You don’t have to carry me,” she said in a throaty voice that made him wonder if she was as affected by their closeness as he was.

“I can’t see you hurt again,” he ground out, revealing more with his words than he’d intended.

“Oh,” was her quiet response. She pulled her lower lip between her teeth, the white contrasting sharply with the dark pink of her lipstick. Mark groaned as his pants tightened even more and picked up his pace, desperate to get her out of his arms before he did something stupid. Like kiss the woman he’d nearly killed, especially since he didn’t even know her name.

“What’s your name?” she asked in a small voice that didn’t seem to suit her.

Mark took the step up to her mother’s front door and set her down, her body sliding down his in a tempting erotic tease. Her eyes widened the moment she brushed against his erection. Mark sucked in a breath and squeezed his eyes closed, gently setting her away from him before his smaller brain took over and convinced the rest of his body to pull her closer and devour her.

“Mark Davies. I just moved here from the city.”

Mark could feel her watching him and prayed something would happen to break the spell he was under, knowing the only way he’d calm down was if someone turned a hose on him.

“Lindsay, what are you doing out here? And who’s this?”

Hose granted. In the form of her mother.

Immediately his pants felt looser and Mark was certain he’d survive.

He opened his eyes to see the two women embrace. The older woman had the same green eyes, but instead of rich brown hair, hers was more grey than anything else. She stood a good few inches shorter than her daughter, both of them making Mark feel like a giant as he towered over them.

“I’m sorry, ma’am, but I’m Mark Davies. I swerved to avoid a dog in the road and plowed into your daughter’s car. I offered to take you, and her, to the doctor. She nearly fainted and I don’t feel she should be driving.”

“Davies, huh? Any relation to Eleanor?”

“Yes, ma’am, she’s my mother.”

She eyed him as though trying to decide if she believed him. When she nodded once he knew he’d earned her trust. It was better than nothing. “Okay, you can drive us. Did Lindsay tell you where we’re going?”

A glance at Lindsay, with her head cocked to one side and her eyebrows raised, lips pursed, told him she’d tried, and he’d bulldozed right over her. “Uh, no ma’am, I didn’t give her a chance. She just mentioned the doctor.”

“I’m going to my oncology appointment at Memorial. Downtown.”

Shit. That was going to take an hour to get there, at least an hour for the appointment, and another hour home. His day was toast.

Mark looked at Lindsay again and decided in an instant it was worth it. Three hours in the company of a beautiful woman was a perfect way to spend his day. Of course he’d rather spend it with her tucked beneath him, screaming his name as she came apart in his arms, but he’d take what he could get.

Damn, his pants got tight again.

Mark cleared his throat and forced himself to look away from Lindsay to her mother, smiling. “Not a problem.”

Lindsay huffed out a breath, clearly not thrilled with the new situation.

“Well, why didn’t you pull into the driveway? I’m not walking all the way down there.”

Mark looked toward their cars, still linked on the road, and had to agree. It would be right of him to ask her to walk that distance. “What was I thinking? Of course. Lindsay, if I could have your keys I’ll pull your car into the driveway and then bring my truck up here to get you ladies.”

Lindsay reached for her side and came up empty, grasping at something that wasn’t there. “Shit. I left my purse in the car. And my keys.”

Panic tinged her voice. “Don’t worry. I’ll get it.”

Mark jogged back down the driveway, praying Lindsay could stay upright while he was gone. She seemed to be doing better, but the last thing he wanted was her to drop while they were standing on the concrete steps. That would only end badly.

He forced himself into her car and was immediately surrounded by her scent. “Fuck,” he swore quietly to himself. His pants were cutting off his circulation and her car was smaller than a toddler bed. He reached under the seat and yanked the lever to send the seat flying backward, not that it helped much.

Mark turned the key and thanked God when the car started up. The door and the entire side were pretty smashed, but if it started up it could be fixed. He steered around his truck and pulled into the driveway, parking the smashed up car near the house. He darted back down, with her purse and keys in his hand, and got in his own truck. He backed up and steered into the driveway, getting as close to the front walkway as he could.

Mark climbed out of the cab and darted around the front end, his arm sliding around Lindsay like it was the most natural thing in the world and offering his other arm to her mother. Lindsay stiffened beside him, but her mother was charmed, taking his arm and chatting about how kind he was.

At the door he released Lindsay opening both the front and back doors for them. “Oh, let me sit in the back,” Lindsay’s mother said. “I’d like to be able to stretch out my feet.”

“Mom, the front has more leg room,” Lindsay argued.

“Not if I’d like to rest my legs up on the seat. It looks comfortable.”

Lindsay growled something unintelligible as her mother moved closer to the backseat. Mark helped her up into the seat and closed the door for her, then turned to Lindsay. “Your turn.”

Lindsay was late. Always late. It was one of those things she kept trying to change, but never seemed to be able to figure out how. But today, of all days, she needed to be on time.

She rushed out of her house into her beat up old sedan, the car everyone around her declared unfit for the road. Lindsay had to admit she sort of agreed, but when you were barely hanging on, a new car wasn’t an option.

She cranked up the car, saying a silent prayer of thanks when it turned over, and backed out of the driveway. She didn’t have far to go, just a few blocks, but then they had an hour to go. She hated living in the middle of nowhere, but there was something that kept her there, even if she didn’t always know what it was.

The house was in sight, just another minute and she’d be there, ready to go, an not as late as usual. Knowing her mom, she’d planned for Lindsay’s lateness anyway.

The unmistakeable sound of metal collapsing and the jolt of her car coming to a sudden stop flung Lindsay into the steering wheel. Her forehead hit, instantly splitting her head with a blinding headache. She bounced, her head slamming into the headrest that normally sat a few inches from the back of her head.

Lindsay was vaguely aware of the car still running and her foot on the gas pedal, not that it helped. A metallic taste filled her mouth. She ran her tongue over her lips, sucking in a breath when she felt a gash on her lip. The pain brought clarity and Lindsay applied the brake and shifted into park, still trying to understand what happened.

A knock on her window startled her. She looked up into a concerned face, dark brown eyes, floppy caramel colored hair, and a chiseled jaw that even her foggy state couldn’t deny.

“Are you okay?” he asked through the closed window.

Lindsay glanced over herself, checking to see if anything else appeared to be hurt. “I think so,” she whispered.

“What?” he asked, a touch of panic reaching her ears.

Lindsay turned the car off and reached for the door. It didn’t budge, which instantly made her panic. The man outside looked equally scared and started yanking on the door as Lindsay pushed all her weight into the inside. Finally the old door creaked and eased open, slowly letting in fresh air and another scent that Lindsay didn’t know, but was drawn to.

Once the door was open the man crouched before her, still blocking her exit. “Are you okay?” he asked again.

“I think so,” Lindsay said, her head swimming in the scent of him, the same one she noticed as the door was opening. Like fresh cut wood and fresh cut grass mixed together. Lindsay tried to get out of the car, but couldn’t for some reason. Something had her trapped.

“Here, let me help,” he said, his deep, rich voice tickling her ear as he spoke, leaning in closer. Her breath caught when she realized he was going to kiss her. Her eyes slipped closed as she waited for his lips to touch hers, the first brush of them coming together.

“Oh, shit,” he muttered, the panic slipping back into his voice. “Don’t pass out on me.”

A clock registered in her mind then she was being lifted, like she was floating, but different. She was surrounded by his scent, strong arms around her. She reached up to loop her arms around his neck… and found air.

Lindsay’s eyes fluttered open, confusion taking the place of excitement when she found him carrying her toward the grass. “What are you doing? I’m not going to sleep with you out here!”

The man looked down at her, his confusion mirroring hers. “You passed out. I wanted to get you out of the car.”

“I thought you were trying to kiss me,” Lindsay said, her voice small and thoughtful.

“You still had your seatbelt on. You passed out when I was trying to unbuckle it.”

Lindsay groaned. Of all the crazy things she’d done, trying to make out with a stranger who was only helping her was pretty close to the top of the list. She shook her head and the pain came back in a flash, reminding her of why they were in the situation to begin with.

“Did I hit you?” She was still in his arms, draped over him like a passed out toddler. He made no move to set her down. Their faces were close, a breath away, close enough to smell the minty freshness of his breath and see the ring of green around the inside of his eyes.

He shook his head. “A dog ran out in front of me. I swerved without thinking and hit the front corner of your car.”

Lindsay groaned. She knew her car couldn’t take a hit. Neither could her insurance. “My mom’s gonna kill me.”

“Is that your mom’s car?”

Lindsay shook her head. “No, but I’m late. Her house is right there and I’m supposed to be taking her to the doctor.”

The man spun the way Lindsay nodded and looked up at the brick ranch set back from the road. His jaw ticked with something Lindsay couldn’t understand. Still, she held on to him, as though being in his arms was the most natural thing in the world. At that moment, Lindsay thought it was.

“I’ll take you. And her. I’ll drive you to the doctor.”

Of all the things he could have said, that wasn’t anywhere on the list of possibilities. He couldn’t possibly drive them an hour to the office. Lindsay struggled to get out of his arms, his scent and closeness making her dizzy all over again. He let her go, which disappointed her more than she cared to admit. As soon as her feet his the ground she spun, or the ground did, either way, Lindsay was on her ass.

His strong arms wrapped around her again and lifted her effortlessly. “That’s it,” he growled. “I’m taking you both to the doctor. And you’re not going to argue.”