Somebody to Love: Sigh With Contentment, Scream With Frustration. At Time You Will Weep. (27 page)

‘Yes, Jody-kiss-Jody, so flipping low down on your list, you can’t even remember her. God, the poor, poor girl.’ Donna looked mortified.

Mark looked at Donna, really worried now. ‘Donna, Jody’s…’

‘I don’t know how you can live with yourself.’ She dragged derisory eyes over him. ‘I certainly wouldn’t want to live with you.’

‘Donna, will you please…’

‘And she’s so young. She’s no more than a mere baby her…’

‘Donna, will you please listen!’ Mark raised his voice.

Donna blinked, then stepped swiftly back.

‘
Christ.
I’m sorry.’ Mark realised his mistake. ‘Jody is my carer, Donna,’ he said, more quietly. ‘Karl’s carer, that is. I really have
no
idea why you’re so upset.’

Donna stared at him, looking more confused than enlightened.

Mark ploughed on. ‘And Sally, if that’s who you’re referring to, is Starbuck’s trainer. You must realise that.’

‘Well, yes,’ Donna conceded, with a shrug, ‘I do now, no thanks to you.’ She gave him an unimpressed look. ‘But, whilst I’m prepared to accept that silken-Sally might not be an ‘intimate friend’, I’m struggling with Jody-kiss-kiss, who comes to
stay over
bringing a toothbrush and is apparently having your baby.’

‘What!?’ Mark almost fell over. He stared at Donna, shocked, raked his hand through his hair, smiled, then laughed out loud.

Donna folded her arms. ‘I’m glad
you
think the poor girl’s predicament is so amusing.’ She shot him an ultra-scathing glance this time. ‘Couldn’t even try to look pleased, could you? Honestly, men like you ought to be locked up for women’s safety.’

Mark laughed harder.

‘You ought to lock yourself up.’

‘Donna,’ he managed in between hoots, ‘it’s not mine.’

Donna’s mouth dropped open. ‘I don’t believe I’m hearing this.’

‘The baby’s not mine, Donna, I swear.’ Mark tried to keep his face straight. ‘I doubt Jody’s
husband
would be very pleased if it was.’

‘She’s married?’ Donna studied him, the bluster blowing out of her sails.

‘Yes.’ Mark took his life in his hands and walked over to her. ‘To a very nice bloke, who’s no doubt ecstatic he’s about to become a dad. I, on other hand, am already a dad, Donna; to an autistic child, who’s grown used to having Jody around.

‘She’s Karl’s carer, Donna. Of course, I’m pleased for her, but the fact remains, I’m going to have to find a new carer. Someone who cares, you know? And that is going to be hard.’

‘Oh,’ said Donna, her fury visibly dissipating.

Mark wrapped an arm around her. ‘So I take it you were the reason Agnes came flying out of the park like a bat out of hell to wallop me with her ball bag?’

‘Um…’ Donna looked a bit sheepish.

‘I take it you two had a little chat,’ Mark enquired interestedly, ‘me being the subject of?’

‘Yes, but I wasn’t running you down,’ Donna assured him, looking thoroughly ashamed, which made Mark smile all over again. He doubted she could run anyone down.

‘Just girl-talk, you know. The sort one doesn’t chat to one’s mum about for fear she’ll garrotte the subject. It was when we overheard Jody telling you about the baby that Agnes… Wait a minute?’ Donna arched a curious eyebrow. ‘I didn’t know you knew Agnes.’

‘Ah, I meant to tell you about that.’ Mark nodded, looking uncomfortable. ‘I do. We’re, er, quite intimate friends, actually. I thought Agnes might have, you know, been jealous when you…’

‘Ooh!’ Donna narrowed her eyes.

‘Uh, uh.’ Mark raised his hands defensively. ‘Assaulting an officer of the law is a criminal offence, Mrs O’Connor. I may have no choice but to arrest you.’

‘Humph.’ Donna’s mouth twitched into a smile.

‘And lock you up… with me, in a very small cell.’ Mark took a breath, took a chance and pulled her into his arms. ‘In which case,
we
may be forced to become intimate friends. Extremely intimate.’ He tentatively sought her mouth, irresistibly drawn to brush her sweet lips with his.

‘I think that might be quite, um, cosy,’ Donna said breathily, her gaze holding his, soft and inviting.

Mark searched her face, his eyes drinking in the dreamy warmth in hers. This kind, vulnerable, strong woman had bonded with his son, bonded with his very soul. He hadn’t thought it was possible.

He lowered his mouth to kiss her, to taste her. He wanted to hold her, to touch and taste every inch of her.

Donna didn’t pull away, even when their kiss grew deeper, his hand tracing her back, seeking the soft curve of her hip.

Mark took that as a good sign.

Pausing, out of necessity of breathing, he brushed her hair gently from her neck. Breathed deep the fragrance she wore: feminine and sweet, the scent of the woman he now knew, without question, he adored.

Still Donna hadn’t pulled away.

Mark’s heart hammered so loud in his chest, he swore she could hear it. He grazed her cheek with his, rode both hands nervously up her thighs.

God, he wanted her.

Wanted to make sweet love to her.

Here.

Right now.

Mark’s pulse quickened as Donna’s hands found their way under his shirt, nails grazing his back, her lips seeking his, her delicate tongue darting into his mouth.

God, that felt good. And then…

Donna eased back.

Mark’s heart stopped.

She glanced down.

Mark eased her chin back up. ‘Donna?’ He needed her to know, if she said not yet, he’d be fine with it. Desperate, but fine.

Donna chewed on her lip. ‘I think this is the bit where the waves lap metaphorically against the shore,’ she said, her eyes wide, uncertain, but still inviting.

Mark smiled. ‘Whilst keeping one foot on the floor?’

‘But of course.’ Donna fluttered her eyelashes. ‘Even whilst being pursued by a herd of majestic wildebeest, one keeps one’s foot…’

Mark kissed her, urgently.

Donna reciprocated, then almost bit off his tongue — as something outside landed not so majestically on the milk bottles.

Chapter Eighteen

‘Bloody hell!’ Mark pulled back. ‘What in God’s name was that?’

‘I’m not sure.’ Donna held tight to him.

‘Miaow,’ came a very convincing cry from outside.

Thank you, Lord
. Donna offered up a prayer of gratitude. It was obviously Simon, who must have dropped from the bedroom window to the porch roof, to the milk bottles and was, thankfully, still in one piece.

‘Cats.’ She nodded earnestly, and yanked Mark’s face back to hers. ‘Next door’s Tom on the prowl,’ she muttered, through lips busy with his, her fingers doing a little bit of walking under his shirt.
Mmm
, but he was toned.

Ooh, how she’d love to get an eyeful as well as a handful. To make love with him. Here and now. Donna felt herself flush scarlet, even as he kissed her, his lovely tongue doing despicable things to her. She couldn’t believe it. Where were her inhibitions, her button-up brushed cotton jim-jams?

She was ready to get naked with him, go-go boots a go-go, because he’d made her feel quite beautiful, even if she wasn’t, quite.

Alas, inhibitions aside, she couldn’t. Not in the lounge. She was a responsible mother, not a good-time girl, even if her dress did indicate otherwise.

Should she take him upstairs? Could she risk it, with Matt due home?

Oh, Lord, what if
he
suggested it. Her eyes sprang open. Mark’s were closed. Lovely dark eyelashes.
Mmm
, but she could. God, no she couldn’t.

‘Damn,’ Mark cursed suddenly, reaching for his beeping mobile. ‘That’ll be Jody. I promised to be back, but some bad person insisted on keeping me out late.’

He glanced at Donna, the lovely twinkle dancing in his eyes. That was better. Donna’s heart fluttered in her chest, like magical little butterfly’s wings. Twinkly smiles suited him better than tears, though who wouldn’t love a man who cried them — for all the right reasons?

‘Sorry,’ Mark mumbled, grazing her lips again with his, her cheek, her ear.

‘For what?’ Donna panted, dangerously close now to ravaging him.

‘Everything.’

Donna looked deep into his pretty blue eyes. ‘So am I,’ she said, knowing she’d been hasty and judgemental, factoring out that Mark was human, because she’d lived with someone who’d factored out normal human emotion. ‘I shouldn’t have jumped to…’

Mark silenced her with his lips. ‘I think you probably should have. Can’t we just have another go?’ he asked softly. ‘Try and get it right this time?’

Donna fiddled idly with one of his shirt buttons, knowing things had moved on, and wondering still whether she could live up to what was expected of a person in a relationship.

‘No complications,’ Mark suggested. ‘No demands on each other we’re not ready to handle. Just take it one day at a time. What do you think?’

Donna relaxed, marvelling at how she did relax in his company, even dressed like a call girl. ‘I think it sounds like a plan.’

‘Good.’ Mark closed his eyes, obviously relieved. ‘Now, what does a man have to do to get a girl to smile around here?’

Fool. She’d been smiling all over, outside and inside. ‘You’d be surprised.’ Donna laughed, then smothered his gorgeous mouth with hers.

‘
Hell.
’ Mark groaned as mobile beeped again. ‘I really have to go,’ he muffled, Donna’s lips reluctant to leave his. ‘I’ll call you, tomorrow, if that’s okay?’

‘You’d better had,’ Donna said with a mock scowl, following him as he walked to the hall, tucking in his assaulted shirt as he went.

‘Bye.’ He brushed her lips with a last kiss outside the front door, then ran to his car.

Donna waited until he’d started the engine, waving as he pulled off.

Then waited again when he stopped.

Mark wound the window down. ‘I forgot to say,’ he shouted, ‘I adore you, Donna O’Connor. Just thought you should know.’

****

Donna had barely reached the top of the stairs when the doorbell rang.

She about-faced on the landing and dashed back down, a gloopy smile all over her face.

‘Only me.’ Simon beamed as she opened the door.

Oh, no!
Donna almost choked, this time on nothing but fresh air. ‘Simon, what are you doing?’ She glanced worriedly past him. ‘Mark has only just left.’

‘I know, but I can’t go home in this, can I?’ Simon indicated his uniformed state of dress. ‘My cap and coat are upstairs, with my keys in the pocket.’

Donna closed her eyes, thanking God she hadn’t got carried away and dragged Mark up there. ‘Quick,’ she beckoned him in, leaving the door on the latch.

Simon darted upstairs whilst Donna hovered nervously in the hall.

‘Donna, I can’t find my cap,’ Simon called. ‘Any ideas?’

‘Dressing table, right-hand side.’

‘Nope, not there.’

Hell.
Donna flew up the stairs.

‘Got it,’ Simon announced, dragging the cap from under the dressing table and promptly plopping it on the bed.

‘
Noooo
! Not on the bed.’ Donna dashed over to snatch it up. Hats on beds were terribly bad luck, didn’t he real…?

‘Donna?’

Oh, God. Donna’s heart stopped dead.

She turned around, trepidation snaking its way icily down her spine.

Mark dragged confused eyes slowly from Donna, to a still-uniformed Simon. ‘Jody was texting me to say there was no rush, so I, er…’ Mark stopped, his gaze now fixed on the one silly fishnet dangling from the edge of the bed.

He looked back to Donna, trailing his eyes from the top of her boots, to the too-short hem of her dress, to her breasts; then to her face, his own face a kaleidoscope of emotion, from disbelief through fury to contempt.

Donna stepped towards him. ‘Mark, I…’

Mark stepped back, the look in his eye freezing the words on her lips. ‘Not bad, is she?’ he addressed Simon calmly, who stood immobile and apprehensive.

‘It’s not how it…’ Simon faltered. ‘We weren’t…’

‘Right little goer, in fact,’ Mark cut him short.

Donna’s heart flipped in her chest. ‘Mark, it’s not what you…’

‘But, you know, I’m thinking she might be right,’ Mark went on angrily, ‘not on the bed, sunshine, because if you do, I might just have to break your neck.’

‘He forgot… his… coat,’ Donna stuttered.

‘Now there’s a coincidence.’ Mark sneered sarcastically.

‘Simon, tell him!’ Donna beseeched.

Simon though, under Mark’s unwavering glare, was apparently dumbstruck.

‘Mark, for God’s sake, he’s
gay
! You met him in the pub.’

‘Right,’ Mark laughed contemptuously. ‘So, not your brother, rather your sister?’

‘No.’ Donna shook her head hopelessly. ‘Please listen, Mark. I can’t explain if you…’

‘No explanations necessary, Donna,’ Mark assured her, an angry tic going at his cheek. ‘Gay, bi-sexual, whatever. It really doesn’t bother me what sort of perverse erotica does it for either of you.’

Donna’s stomach turned over. ‘Mark, don’t, please. I…’

‘Oh, and I obviously
forgot
something else, didn’t I?’ Mark dragged disgusted eyes away from her, pulled out his wallet and tossed two twenty pound notes at her feet. I’m assuming you’re not charging full price as we didn’t have full sex?’

Donna stared at him, stunned.

‘Maybe I’ll ring and make another appointment.’ Mark broke the palpable silence. ‘Maybe not. Oh, the dress suits you, by the way. Very appropriate.’

He ran a hand across his neck and turned away.

‘Look,’ Simon found the use of his voice and went after him, ‘I know how it looks, but…’

Mark swung around, his fist clenching and unclenching at his side, pure murder in his eyes. ‘Get out of my face,’ he seethed, ‘before I’m tempted to do something I might well regret.’

‘Mark, don’t!’ Donna placed herself bodily between them, her heart racing. ‘You’re acting like a child. Let Simon…’

She stopped, flinching as Mark raised his hand; to rake it through his hair in that demonstrative way he had, she realised that immediately, but Simon’s reaction, born of some protective instinct, was to lurch forward and grab Mark’s arm.