Kristin opened the door and stepped inside. Bethany ran toward her with her arms open as if she hadn't seen her in ages. Mark and Glen stood up and walked toward her. Kristin stepped back when Bethany reached her. Bethany dropped her arms and looked at Kristin. "Kris, what's wrong?" she asked.

"Nothing." Kristin replied.

"Where have you been? I stopped by your office after work and Wayne said you already left." "I went for a drive." Bethany knew something was wrong. She reached out to touch Kristin's shoulder. Kristin pulled away immediately. "What happened?" Bethany asked. She was starting to panic.

Kristin took Bethany's face in her hands and said, "Nothing happened. I went for a late night drive. Nothing I haven't done a million times before."

Bethany looked at Kristin's tear stained face, "Okay." Kristin let go of her face. She didn't seem to notice the two big men standing a few feet away watching her. Slowly she walked across the room. She stopped when she reached the hall and, without looking back, said, "I'm going to bed." She walked into her room and closed the door.

Bethany watched as Kristin dissapeared into her room. She turned and looked at Mark and said, "What was that all about?"

Mark looked at her, "I have no idea." They looked at Glen.

"Hey, don't ask me."

"Who's car is that in the driveway?" Bethany, Mark, and Glen all turned toward Kristin.

"What car?" Mark asked.

"The one in the driveway behind the Harleys." Mark started to walk toward her and she backed away.

"There isn't a car behind our bikes." He told her.

"Yes there is. A green one."

Bethay looked out the front window and said, "No, Kris, there isn't." Kristin's eyes filled with tears as she looked past Mark to Bethany. "Did you look for me in my room when you got home?" she asked. "Yes." Bethany replied. She was starting to worry that Kristin had lost it.

"Was there anything on my bed when you looked?" Kristin asked. Bethany could hear the desperation in her friend's voice.

"No, Kris. Are you okay?" Unable to speak, Kristin shook her head no. Then she pulled two dozen blood red roses from behind her back.

"Where did you get those?" Glen asked. Kristin looked down and began to tremble. "They're from Tom." She answered as her tears spilled down her face. Bethany walked over to her. "Tom is in prison, Kris." She stated, trying to hold back her own tears.

"No." Kristin whispered. "He's not."

"What are you talking about?" Bethany asked fearing the worst. Kristin's knees suddenly felt weak. She walked over to the couch and sat down. Btehany followed her over and sat on the table infront of her. Mark and Glen, who had been watching the girls, sat down on either side of her. Kristin lowered her head and began to speak. "He came to see me. I ordered some take out and he brought it up to my office. Then he brought me these flowers." She showed them the card. It read, "You were wonderful. I can't wait to see you again."

"Are you sure this is from him?" Bethany asked. "Yes" Kristin replied, her voice just above a whisper.

"What happened?" Mark asked. He felt a rage building inside him as he imagined the things that man could have done to Kristin. Kristin opened her mouth, couldn't say it. She began to cry. Mark wrapped his arm around her. "What did he do to you?" He asked.

"He....ra....raped....me." She said between sobs. "No" Bethany whispered in disbelief. They sat in silence for a few minutes then Kristin looked up at Mark. "I'm sorry." She whispered.

Mark pulled her close. "It's not your fault." She knew it wasn't her fault, but she still felt like she could have done something to stop it.

"We need to call the police." Glen said as he stood up. He walked over to the phone and picked it up. Bethany took it from him, "I'll call." She said. Kristin refused to go to the hospital or to file a formal complaint with the police. It was two in the morning before the police left. Kristin took a shower while Bethany made up the guest room for the men.

Mark couldn't sleep so he silently sat in the living room thinking about what he had heard. 'How could anyone hurt her like that?' He asked himself. The more he thought about it, the more he wanted to kill the man who had done it. He was pulled out of his thoughts when he heard Kristin speak.

"Do you mind if I stay in here with you?" She asked. "I can't sleep."

"Of course not." He said. She laid down on the couch and put her head in his lap. She didn't know why, but she felt safe with him. She knew he loved her and would never hurt her. 'How do you know that?' She asked herself. She felt his fingers gently stroking her hair and fell asleep.

Mark looked down at her. She was so beautiful. His heart broke as he thought about what this "Tom" guy had done to her. He closed his eyes and drifted off to sleep.

Bethany walked to the kitchen. She looked at the two sleeping on the couch and smiled. She knew her friend was in good hands with Mark. She felt a pair of arms wrap around her waist. "Good morning." Glen said and kissed the top of her head.

"Good morning." She said. "Are you hungry?"

"I'm starving." He answered pulling her closer. He looked over at the sleeping couple. "Will she be alright?" He asked.

"Yea, she's strong. She'll get past this in time." She turned in his arms and said, "Now how about some breakfast."

Glen gave her a playful grin and said, "I've got a better idea." Then he picked her up and carried her into her room. He pulled her close and kissed her. She moaned softly and pushed him backward toward the bed. They fell into bed nearly ripping the clothes off each other. He moaned as he felt her walls close in around him. He rolled over on top of her and slowly made love to her.

Mark rubbed the back of his neck. It was sore from the position he had been sleeping in. He looked down at Kristin and felt his heart break again. He loved her so much and now he may never get to tell her. He knew there was more to this situation than they had told him, and that Kristin may never get over this. He gently ran his fingers over her cheek. "I love you." He whispered.

Chapter Nineteen

Bethany and Glen walked into the kitchen. Glen looked at the couple again. Mark was running his fingers through Kristin's hair. He heard Mark whisper to Kristin. Bethany put her arm around him. "Did you hear that?" He asked quietly.

She looked up, smiled, and said, "I knew it." She walked over to the fridge and began pulling the food out she needed to make breakfast. She put on a pot of coffee and told Glen to sit down. He sat down at the table and watched her as she moved around the kitchen. He commented on the view when she bent over to pull a pan out from the bottom cabinet. She smiled and blew him a kiss then continued making breakfast.

Kristin opened her eyes. Her back hurt from being pushed against her desk so hard. She looked up to find Mark smiling down at her. She smiled, "Good morning."

"Good morning." He said, still smiling. She loved his deep voice. She sat up and streched.

"I'm going to get a shower." She said. He nodded. There were so many things he wanted to say to her. He watched her as she stood up and walked into the hall. He rubbed his face cursing himself for not saying something to her, anything. He stood and walked into the kitchen.

Bethany said good morning and handed him a cup of coffee. He thanked her and sat down at the table with Glen.

"Where's Kristin?" Bethany asked after she noticed she didn't come in with him.

"She's taking a shower." He answered.

"Mark, there are some things you should know about Kristin." She told him.

"About Tom?" He asked knowing the answer.

"Yes, it's about Tom." She said. She told Mark and Glen about Kristin's relationship with Tom, about how he beat her, destroyed her self esteem. She told them what Kristin was like before she met Tom compared to how she was now. They sat in silence for a moment then Mark slammed his fist down on the table.

"That bastard!" He growled. He couldn't believe what he had heard. Tom had treated Kristin worse than he had imagined.

Kristin closed the bathroom door and stood over the sink looking in the mirror. She thought about everything that had happened over the past couple of days. She felt like she had known Mark forever and wondered if that was what true love felt like. After the attack all she wanted to do was be in his arms. When she went to him last night, he had been there for her. He probably didn't know how much she needed him to hold her last night. She sighed. "I love you too." She whispered.

She turned the water on in the shower, pulled her clothes off and stepped in. She washed her entire body three times and she still felt dirty. She was reaching for the soap again when the water began to run cold. She quickly turned it off and stepped out of the tub. She walked into her room wrapped in a towel and rummaged through her closet for something to wear. She wanted to put on a pair of old sweat pants and a tee shirt. Instead, she put on a pair of grey wool slacks, matching grey suit jacket, and a white blouse. She put on her grey pumps, grabbed her purse and walked into the kitchen. She sat her purse down on the counter and poured herself a cup of coffee.

The others watched her wondering what she was doing dressed like that. Kristin sat at the table and looked at the others. "What?" she asked to no one in particular.

"Why are you dressed like that?" Mark asked her.

"I always dress like this when I have to work." She replied.

"You should call in sick today." Bethany said.

"Why?" She asked and Bethany looked at her as if she were crazy.

"She's right." Glen said. Kristin shook her head. "I'm not going to let him ruin my life again." Mark looked at her silently pleading with her. She saw the expression on his face and said, "There are some things you should know about him."

Mark nodded, "Bethany told us."

Kristin looked at Bethany then looked down, "I didn't tell you everything, Beth."

Bethany looked at her clearly in shock. "He beat you. He put you down. He destroyed your self esteem. Kris, what else could he possibly do?"

Kristin took a deep breath and said, "He forced me to have sex with his friends while he watched then he'd accuse me of cheating on him and beat me."

Everyone listened in disbelief. "Oh, God." Glen said absently.

Kristin took another deep breath and continued. "He raped me." Her tears began falling again. "When he found out I was pregnant, he took me to his basement. He said the baby wasn't his. Then he tied me to some wooden stakes that were sticking up out of the floor. He picked up some kind of pipe or something and started hitting me in my stomach, my head, all over my body. When I woke up, I was in the hospital."

Bethany, Glen and Mark all stared at her. Nobody knew what to say. "Why didn't you tell me?" Bethany asked.

Kristin looked up through her tears and shook her head. "I don't know." Kristin stood up and walked over to the phone. She told Jerry she'd be a little late and that she'd explain when she got there. Mark stood up and walked over to her.

"Krisin" He began. Before he could say anything else she fell into his arms, crying. He wrapped his arms around her and held her. "You really sould stay home today." He told her. She shook her head and pulled away.

"I'll go crazy here. Besides, I have to finish up some stuff from yesterday. I'll be okay." She said reassuringly. He didn't like the idea of her going back to her office, but she was determined to go.

He looked down and smiled "Promise me you'll call if you need anything."

"I promise." She said. She reached up and kissed him. "I have to go. I'm already late." She turned quickly and walked away. She said goodbye to Bethany and Glen, gave them both a hug and left for work.

Chapter Twenty

Bethany sat staring at the table. "How could she keep something like that from me?" She asked not looking up.

"You didn't know anything about it?" Mark asked her. Bethany shook her head no.

Glen sighed, "Well, she must have had a reason for keeping it from you. Maybe she didn't want you to worry about her any more than you already did." He hadn't known her long, but he knew how much she cared for her friend. He could see it whenever thay were together.

"I'm going to open up the shop." Mark said and walked toward the door.

Glen stood up, "Are you going to be okay?" he asked Bethany. She smiled and said yes. He kissed her and walked quickly through the living room to catch up to Mark. Bethany watched as they got on their bikes and drove away. She noticed a green car pulling away from the curb across the street. Remembering what Kristin said about a green car being parked in the driveway, she stepped back inside and locked the door. She went through the house making sure all the windows were locked then took a shower and got dressed. She spent the rest of the morning catching up on housework and thinking about Kristin.

Kristin walked in Jerry's office. "I'm sorry I'm late." She said.

Jerry looked up from his desk, "What's going on Kristin?" He knew Kristin. It wasn't like her to miss a day of work or to come in late. She briefly explained what had happened from the night she met Mark at the bar till last night, leaving out most of the details.

"Why don't you take some time off?" Jerry suggested.

"No, I'm fine. Besides, I'd go crazy if I had to go too long without seeing you." She replied with a smile. Jerry grinned. Kristin walked back to her office and sat down. Pam looked up.

"Late again, I see." She said giving her a dissapointed look. Kristin rolled her eyes. "You will never guess what happened!" Pam exclaimed.

"You met a man." Kristin replied.

"How did you know?" Pam asked.

Kristin leaned forward and looked Pam in the eye. "I know everything." Pam laughed. "So, tell me about your new man." Pam opened her mouth and was about to speak when Kristin's phone rang. "Hold that thought." She told Pam as she picked up the receiver. "Kristin Moore. Oh, hello Mr.Adams. Is it that time again? I would love to come. Yes sir. I'll see you then. Goodbye." Kristin hung up the phone and shook her head. "It's Mr. Adams' birthday." He invited her to his big birthday party every year, and always at the last minute.

"You know," Pam said. "You should just mark the date on your calandar. He invites you every year."

"I did. I just forgot to look at it." Pam laughed loudly. "I'll pick you and mistery man up at seven."

Pam shook her head. "Mistery man and I already have plans." Kristin glared at her. "Can't Bethany go with you?"

"Yea, if she's not working." Kristin replied and picked up the phone and called Bethany. Bethany said she was off and would love to go.

"Are you going to call the guys or am I?" Bethany asked smiling.

"Why don't I come home, pick you up, and we can go to the shop on our way."

"On our way? Where are we going?"

"It's a formal party, Beth. We have to buy a gown." Bethany didn't say anything at first. "Beth?" "I'm here." Kristin smiled. "I'll pick you up in half an hour." They said their goodbyes and hung up. Kristin stood up, picked up her purse and went to tell Jerry where she was going and why. Jerry shook his head.

"You'd think he'd give you a little notice, huh?" Kristin laughed and went home. Kristin changed into a pair of black jeans and a Dark Green sweater. Bethany wore a pair of blue jeans and a sweat shirt. The girls grabbed their jackets and went out to Kristin's car. Kristin started her car and looked over at Bethany.

"You're not looking forward to seeing Glen are you, Beth?" Kristin said trying not to laugh. Bethany tried to glare at her, but couldn't stop smiling.

Bethany jumped out of the car when they pulled up at the shop. There wasn't anyone else there at the moment. Mark ran out of the office, with Glen on his heels, grabbed Kristin around the waist, and picked her up in a bear hug. Kristin laughed. "Miss me?"

Mark smiled. "Not at all." She leaned forward and kissed him.

Glen picked up Bethany and instantly claimed her lips in a passionate kiss.

"I'm glad you're taking today off." Mark said to Kristin as they walked in the office.

"I'm not." She said sitting down in his lap. "I have to go shopping for tonight."

"What's tonight?" Glen asked as he pulled Bethany down on his lap.

"One of my oldest clients is having a birthday party. He always waits till the last minute to ask me to come."

"A birthday party for a client. It doesn't sound like very much fun." Mark said.

"Well, it's not too bad. It's a formal party, so I get to wear an expensive dress and eat some expensive food. Which is why we're here." Mark and Glen looked at her suspiciously. "Bethany and I need dates. Would you two like to take us?" The men laughed.

"US at a formal party?" Glen asked trying to catch his breath.

"I don't know," Mark said still laughing. "I don't have a thing to wear." Hearing this, the girls burst out laughing. After they all calmed down, Kristin said. "Come on. It's a business party, kind of, the company's paying for everything."

Mark thought for a minute and said, "We would be honored to escort you ladies to the party." Kristin kissed him.

"Good be at our house at five. We'll get your tuxedos while we get our dresses." The girls stood up and they all walked to the front of the shop. Glen opened the passenger's side door for Bethany and a car pulled up. "I need to get this." He told her pointing to the car. "Okay." she said simply and sat down. Glen kissed her again and closed the door. Mark opened the door for Kristin. Just as she was about to sit down he pulled her arm and turned her around to face him.

"Are you sure you're up to this tonight?" he asked. Kristin smiled. "I'm sure. Besides, I get to go shopping. That's the best remedy a girl can get." He pulled her to him and kissed her passionately. Reluctantly, she got in the car and drove away.

Chapter Twenty-One

Mark and Glen followed Kristin inside. "Your tux's are in Bethany's room. You can get ready in there." She told them as she walked back to her room. Before she closed the bedroom door she turned and said, "I don't mean to be rude, but if Beth and I are going to be ready by the time the limo gets here, we are going to have to hurry." The men said they understood, although they had no idea why it took women so long to get ready, then walked in Bethany's room and started to change.

The door bell rang at 6:15. "Could you get that?" Kristin called out.

"Yea" Mark called back. "It's the limo." He called out a moment later.

"We'll be right out." Bethany called out. The girls were very nervous. Bethany had never been to a formal party or dinner before. Kristin went to them every so often, but never with Mark. She got butterflies in her stomach just thinking about him.

"You're beautiful." Kristin said as Bethany looked herself over in the full length mirror. She was wearing a long red velvet dress. It had a slit on one side up to the her hip, a high neckline and the back was cut low, to the top of her waist. She wore long red velvet gloves and red heels.

Kristin's dress was long black velvet. It also had a slit on one side, up to her hip. It had thin straps and a low cut neckline that showed off a little cleavage. With it, she wore black heels and a small diamond pendant. They approved of how each other looked, again, and walked out into the living room.

Glen was sitting on the sofa and stood as the girls walked into the room. He was unable to speak as he looked at Bethany. She looked down at her dress thinking something must be wrong with it. Glen walked over to her.

"You're beautiful." was all he could say. She smiled.

"Thank you. You look....." She couldn't find the right words to describe him ".....wow!" Kristin smiled as she watched the couple. Glen turned to Kristin, took her hand in his and kissed her fingers.

"Good evening, Kristin." Kristin's smile widened.

"Good evening, Glen."

"Mark is in the kitchen." He told her. She thanked him and almost tripped over her own feet trying to walk to the kitchen.

Mark was closing the refiigerater door with his back to Kristin. "Hello, Mark." She said.

"Hi" He said as he turned around. "I hope you don't mind, but I....." He stopped mid sentence and dropped his glass sending it shaddering on the floor. He stood mezmerized watching her. Kristin blushed. He walked over to her and said, "You look...breathtaking." She felt her cheeks turning a darker shade of red.

"Thank you. You look incredible." She replied. He smiled which made him look even more handsome than he already was.

Glen and Bethany walked in. Bethany saw the broken glass on the floor. "Let me clean this up before someone steps in it and gets hurt."

A few minutes later they were ready to leave. Thunder boomed in the distance. The phone rang just as Mark was closing the door.

"I'd better get that." Kristin said. "It might be important." They all walked back inside and waited for Kristin. "Hello. Yes, this is she. Yes. I understand. Thank you for calling. Goodbye." She turned and looked at the others. "That was Mr. Adams' attorney. Mr. Adams passed away a couple of hours ago." Kristin didn't wait for a response. She walked out the door and told the driver that they wouldn't be needing the car, then went back inside.

"Now what do we do?" Bethany asked.

"We could go out." Glen offered.

"In these dresses?" Bethany asked, "Besides, it's going to rain." The four sat down to decide what to do.

"We could stay in." Kristin said.

"And?" Bethany replied with a grin.

"I don't know. We could light some candles, put on some soft music, spread a blanket out, and open a bottle of wine." Kristin said looking at Mark.

"I'll get the candles." Bethany said as she stood up. A few minutes later the girls had every thing ready. Mark and Glen watched the women. Each deep in his own thoughts of how the evening would end.

Chapter Twenty-Two

Bethany turned off the lights as Kristin lit the last candle. Soft music filled the room as the girls walked back to their dates.

Mark stood up and moved the coffee table into the kitchen, then walked to Kristin. "May I have this dance?" he asked. His voice was low and passionate. Kristin smiled and took his hand. He pulled her close putting his other hand on her back. Soft music filled the room as they swayed back and forth. She laid her head on his chest and smiled. She couldn't remember ever being this happy before. Not even before she met Tom. She sighed.

Mark looked down at her. How had she made him fall in love with her? They had a one night stand. She happened to be with her friend when she brought her bike to the shop. He smiled when he felt her sigh. He let go of her hand, put his arm around her and pulled her closer. She wrapped her arms around his neck and looked up. Their eyes met and she knew there was no denying how she felt. He leaned over and pressed his lips to hers. She opened her mouth slightly, inviting him in, and he accepted immediately. She kissed him with all the love she felt inside and felt his love in return. The world faded away as they held each other. Thunder boomed and the house fell into silence.

Mark pulled away from her looking into her eyes. He stepped away from her and, taking two candles, left the room. He came back a moment later and walked over to her. He kissed her again, picked her up and carried her into her bedroom. He placed her on the floor beside the bed and claimed her lips once again. Gently he pulled away from her and began to undress. She watched as this magnificent man reveiled himself to her. He stood before her naked.

She stepped forward placing her hands on his chest. She felt as if she had never seen him before. She let her hands and lips explore every inch of his big, beautiful body. Feeling his rock hard chest, his strong arms, his flat stomach, his tight firm ass, and long powerful legs.

He turned her so her back was to him. Slowly, he unzipped the zipper of her dress. He kissed her back as he exposed her smooth milky white skin. Slowly he pulled her dress down, kissing her exposed body. His hands slid around to her flat stomach, her firm round breasts, and down her long legs to her waiting center. He kissed the back of her neck as he opened her with his fingers. She moaned softly as he slid his finger deep inside her. He laid her down on the bed and looked at her naked body lying infront of him. She had never looked more beautiful than she did at this moment. He gently rubbed her cheek with his fingertips, moving over her jaw, her lips, her chin. She smiled and pulled him down to her, kissing him passionately. He positioned himself over her. She opened herself up to him and moaned as he entered her, savoring the feel of him inside her. He felt her body tighten around him as he took her over the edge. Slowly he made love to her until he couldn't hold back any more. With one last loving thrust he fell over the edge.

He laid down beside her and wrapped her in his arms. She lay with her head on his chest thinking about how it would be to make love like this every night. But that couldn't happen if he didn't know how she really felt about him. Was it worth the risk of being hurt again? She knew he would never hurt her physically, but who knew how he would treat her in the future? She sighed as he ran his fingers through her hair. She leaned up on one elbow and looked deep into his eyes. "I love you, Mark." He was suprised. He never thought he'd hear those words from her. He placed his hand on her cheek. "I love you too, Kristin." She knew he meant what he said and kissed him. They lay wrapped in each others arms and drifted off to sleep, happy, content, and in love.

Chapter Twenty-Three

Bethany and Glen watched as Kristin and Mark danced. They wanted the two to find happiness with each other. Bethany walk over to where Glen was sitting. He reached out and pulled her into his lap. She smiled and kissed him.

He looked at her and smiled, "I thought Kristin was the one who could read minds." Bethany laughed and kissed him again, this time with more passion. He wrapped his arms around her pulling her closer. He reached around and slid his hand under her dress. She sighed at his touch. He pushed her dress off her shoulders exposing her breasts. Both had forgotten about the other couple in the room. His lips travled down over her neck, kissing and nibbling her soft skin. He took one breast in his hand, pinching her nipple and rolling it between his fingers, while he took the other in his mouth, biting gently and sucking on it. She took his head in her hands and arched her back, giving him better access.

He suddenly remembered the other couple and looked up to find them gone. Bethany looked behind her and smiled. She turned back to Glen and kissed him then stood up. He watched as she slipped out of her dress. She walked over to him, pulled him to his feet, and undressed him, kissing him as she did. He felt her hands carressing his hard body as she made her way between his thighs. She stroked his hard member as she kissed his chest and stomach. She knelt before him and slowly began to take him in her mouth. He grabbed her head and directed himself in and out. He pulled out of her mouth and laid her back on the blanket. He kissed her as he positioned himself over her. He lovingly thrust himself into her, filling her up. She moaned and wrapped her legs around his waist. He set a fast pace that soon sent them both tumbling over the edge. She lay with her head on his chest listening to his heart beat. She wanted to spend the rest of her life with him.

"Beth?" Glen said breaking the silence. Bethany looked up smiling. "I love you."

"I love you too, Glen." she replied. He smiled.

"Can I ask you something?"

"Anything."

He thought for a moment trying to find the right words. "I know we haven't known each other very long, but..." Her smile faded.

"But what?" She asked.

He sat up pulling her up with him. "Bethany, will you marry me?" She looked at him clearly in shock. "I feel like I've known you forever and the thought of leaving you, even for one night, is more than I can take. I want to spend the rest of my life with you."

She sat dumbfounded. His words began to sink in and tears filled her eyes.

He looked down knowing the answer was no. He knew better than to rush things like this.

She took his chin in her hands and raised his head so he was looking at her. She saw tears in his eyes. "Yes" She said simply. He must not have heard correctly, it sounded like she said yes. She smiled, "Yes, Glen. I will marry you." He pulled her to him and kissed her. She pushed him down on his back and their body's became one once again.

Chapter Twenty-Four

Mark woke up and looked down at the woman in his arms. He remembered the first time he watched her sleep and smiled. It seemed like it had been so long ago instead of just a few days. He wanted to spend the rest of his life with her, but knew she wasn't ready for that. Tom had put her through hell. He thought about that for a moment. 'How could she love me after everything he put her through?' She began to stir in her sleep. He leaned forward and kissed her cheek.

She opened her eyes, looked up at him and smiled. "Good morning." She said and kissed him.

"Good morning." he replied. He rolled over on top of her kissing her again. She felt his stiffness on her thigh and opened her legs to him. He slowly thrust is manhood deep inside her watching her face as he filled her up. She moaned softly and smiled, meeting his gaze. They loved each other until they sent each other over the edge.

Kristin sighed and rolled out of bed. She didn't want to leave him, but she had to go to work and so did he. They showered together, washing each other all over. After they were dressed, they walked into the living room.

They saw Bethany anf Glen lying naked in each other's arms. Kristin went into her room and pulled a blanket out of the closet. She walked back to the sleeping couple and covered them. Glen opened his eyes when he felt the blanket on his skin. He looked at Kristin and blushed.

Kristin smiled. "Good morning." She said quietly as not to wake Bethany.

"Good morning." Glen whispered back. Kristin turned and joined Mark in the kitchen.

Kristin walked to the sink and put on a pot of coffee then went to the fridge looking for something to make for breakfast. She pulled out some eggs and bacon and started cooking. Mark watched her. She was so graceful, so elegant.

She noticed him. "See something you like?" she asked grinning.

Mark smiled. "Come here." She walked over to him. He took her hands in his and looked her in the eye. "Last night...." He began. He wasn't sure if he should bring up what she said, but he had to know how she really felt.

"I meant what I said last night." Kristin said before he could continue. "I love you."

He smiled. "I love you, Kristin."

She looked in his eyes. "Mark, is there something wrong?" He shook his head. "No, angel. Nothing's wrong. It's just that after everything you've been through...I just needed to hear it again."

She looked down and sighed. She didn't want to think about the past. He lifted her face and kissed her. "I would never hurt you."

"I know." she said, her eyes filling with tears. He pulled her to him and held her. Bethany opened her eyes and looked around. It took a moment for her to remember they didn't go to bed last night. She looked up at Glen. He smiled. "I'd almost forgotten we were still in here." She said. She looked at the blanket covering them. "Where did this come from?"

"Kristin brought it to us this morning." He answered.

"She's so sweet. She......." She stopped. "This morning..... She saw us...... Oh my." She felt her cheeks getting hot. Glen laughed. p "Let's go get dressed. Something smells really good in there." He said pointing to the kitchen. They stood up and hurried to the bedroom and got dressed. p Mark was sitting at the table when they walked in the kitchen. Kristin was standing over the stove. She turned around and carried two platters of food over to the table. Bethany took two coffee cups and the pot of coffee, and joined the others at the table. No one said anything for awhile. They were hungry after their lovemaking the night before.

After they had finished eating and the dishes were loaded in the dishwasher they sat with their coffee in the living room.

Kristin couldn't resist the temptation and said, "So, Beth, how'd you sleep last night?"

Bethany, blushing, threw a pillow at her. Kristin laughed. "Don't you have to work today?" Bethany teased.

Kristin looked at the clock. "Oh, shit." She said as she jumped up. Bethany giggled. Kristin turned to Mark who was smiling at her. "I'll see you later?" she asked.

"You couldn't keep me away." Kristin smiled and bent over to kiss him goodbye.

"Oh, jeez!" Bethany exclaimed. "I have an early shift."

"Come on, I'll give you a ride. Kristin said. "Okay, I'll be right back." Bethany said. She went to her room and came back out a few minutes later in her uniform. They all walked outside.

Glen kissed Bethany and got on his bike. Mark kissed Kristin. "I love you." She smiled. "I love you too." She got in her car as he climbed on his bike. Mark and Glen went to open the shop. Kristin took Bethany to the hospital the went to the office.

Chapter Twenty-Five

Kristin stepped off the elevator smiling. She hadn't stopped smiling since she left the house. Her smile disappeared as she aproched her office. The detective that had come out the night Tom raped her was walking out of her and Pam's office. He saw her and went to meet her before she could reach the office door.

"What's going on?" Kristin asked trying to push her way past the detective.

"Ms. Moore..." he started. Kristin knew something was terribly wrong.

"What happened?" she demanded. With one hard shove, she pushed him aside and made her way through the cops into her office. She stopped when she saw a woman lying on the floor in a pool of blood. She looked around the room and saw blood on the carpet, the walls, and Pam's desk. She looked at her desk and saw something written on top. She walked over and looked at the words. She reached out and touched one of the letters, it was written in blood. The words read, "You're next biitch". She backed up until her back was against the wall and stared at her desk. She looked back down at the body which was lying face down in the middle of the room. She sqatted down beside the body and brushed the hair out of the face. It was Pam.

Kristin covered her mouth as the tears began to flow. The detective put his arm around her shoulder and pulled her to her feet. Kristin was barely aware of his presence. All she could do was stare at Pam's lifeless body. The detective led her out of the room into Jerry's office and sat her down in a chair.

"Kristin," he began. "Do you have any idea who would do this?" Kristin shook her head no. "Did she have any enimies? Was she dating anyone?" Kristin shook her head again then looked up.

"She had a date last night."

"Do you know who he was?" he asked gently.

"No. She was going to tell me, but I had to leave. She only said that she met someone and she couldn't go to the party with me because they had plans." Kristin began to sob.

"What about enemies?" the detective asked. He didn't want to pressure her, but he had to find out as much as possible.

"No. She didn't have any enimies. She was the sweetest....." She began. "Do you think it could have been Tom?" She asked as she looked up.

"That's what I think. We'll know for sure once we ID the fingerprints." He didn't want to go into too much detail.

Jerry walked up beside her. "Is there anythiing else, detective?" Jerry asked.

"No. If you think of anythiing else, Ms. Moore, please call me." He said handing her his card. She took the card but didn't say anything. The detective stood and walked out. He felt bad for her, first the rape and now this.

"Why don't you go home, Kristin." Jerry said gently. Kristin nodded. He stood and helped her up. "Do you want me to call a cab for you?" he asked.

"No thanks. I've got my car." She replied wiping the tears from her face.

He nodded. "Let me walk you out." He put his arm around her waist before she could protest and led her out to her car. "Take a few days off, and call me if you need anything." he told her.

She nodded, got in her car and drove away. She couldn't stop thinking about Pam. They weren't close friends, but they shared alot in common and were able to talk to each other when they needed to. She didn't want to go home. What if Tom was there? She remembered the words that were written on her desk and knew they were from Tom. He was going to kill her, she knew it. 'You're just being paranoid.' She told herself. 'He wouldn't come after you knowing the police would be expecting it.' She sighed. She didn't know where to go or what to do. She wasn't going to bother Bethany at work although she knew Bethany would be angry if she didn't. She didn't want to bother Mark. She had kept him from the shop enough this week. She decided to go home until it was time to pick up Bethany.

Kristin walked in her bedroom and fell across the bed and cried herself to sleep. Her dreams were filled with pictures of Pam. How happy she was when she told her about her new man. How she looked lying on the floor covered in blood. Kristin began to cry in her sleep.

He stood in the corner watching her, waiting. She looked so beautiful when she slept, especially when she was having nightmares. He smiled knowing what Kristin was dreaming about and walked over to the bed beside her. He opened his pants, releasing his member, and began to stroke himself as he watched her. He bent over and placed his hand between her legs. Kristin squirmed under his touch. He smiled and began to remove her clothes.

She woke up. "Tom!" she said, her voice just above a whisper.

Tom smiled an evil smile. "Hello sweetheart." He said as he pulled her skirt down her legs. She didn't realize what he was doing at first.

"You killed Pam." she stated.

He laughed. "Yeah, but not till after I raped her." He said as he ripped open the front of her blouse.

"You bastard!" She yelled as she tried to hit him. He caught her wrist in his and squeezed it hard. Tears filled her eyes as he ripped off her bra and panties. She fought back as hard as she could, but couldn't make him stop. He was bigger than her and much stronger. He closed his hand in a fist and hit her hard. She was stunned for a moment. She was still long enough for him to push her legs apart then she started fighting back again. He hit her again, this time cutting the top of her left eye. She continued to struggle but was unable to keep him from forcing himself inside her. She screamed as he continued his assault.

Suddenly, she felt him raise up off of her and pull out. She looked up and saw Mark beating Tom mercilessly. Bethany rushed over to Kristin and wrapped her arms around her. They watched as Glen tried to pull Mark off the man. He didn't want his friend going to prison for this peice of trash. Finally Glen succeeded.

Mark walked over to Kristin. His heart broke as he looked at her and he felt a rage he had never felt before. He turned toward Tom again and Glen stepped infront of him standing between him and Tom.

"He doesn't deserve to live." Mark growled.

"I agree, but Kristin needs you. You can't take care of her if you're in prison." Glen said calmly. Inside he wnated to do the same thing Mark did. Mark turned to Kristin. He knew Glen was right.

He walked over to her. She was sitting with her knees pulled up against her chest and her arms wrapped around her legs. She looked up at Mark.

"He killed her." She said as her tears began to flow.

"Who?" Bethany asked.

Kristin looked down. "Pam." she answered. Mark sat down beside her and pulled a blanket over her shoulders. She fell into his arms and he held her as she cried.

Bethany called the detective and told him what happened. "Detective Roberts is on his way." She told them.

Tom woke up and looked around at the others in the room. They were all sitting on the bed with Kristin. He slowly stood up and started backing toward the door. He bumped the dresser and a bottle of perfume fell over.

Glen and Bethany looked over. Glen lept off the bed and rushed across the room. He caught Tom by the throat, stopping him, and beat him back into unconciousness. The detective arrived a few minutes later and took statements from all four of them. It was late when the police finally left.

Kristin took a long hot shower then sat on her bed wrapped in a towel. Her mind was racing. So many things had happened in such a very short time.

Mark knocked on the door and peeked in. "Kristin, Detective Roberts is here. He wants to speak to you." Kristin looked up and nodded. "Will you be okay?" he asked. She nodded again. He walked over and took her in his arms.

"Thank you." she whispered. He closed his eyes, he would do anything for her.

Glen peeked in. "Kristin?" Kristin pulled away from Mark.

"I'm coming. Just let me put something on." Glen nodded and shut the door. Kristin put on a pair of sweat pants and a tee shirt and walked into the livingroom with Mark. The detective looked up when they came in. Kristin looked like hell.

"I'm sorry to disturb you this late, Ms. Moore, but I thought you'd want to know. Tom Hunter was shot and killed tonight." She looked at him. "How?" was all she could say. "He tried to escape. He grabbed a gun from one of the officer's holsters and shot him. Another officer returned fire and shot him."

"Will the officer be okay?" Bethany asked.

"Yes. It's a shoulder wound. He'll be fine. Goodnight." The detective said and turned and left. Bethany walked him to the door and thanked him. She walked into the kitchen and said, "I don't know about ya'll but I'm starving."

Mark looked down at Kristin. "Do you want something to eat?" Kristin looked up and smiled.

"Yep. I'm starving." she stated. Mark looked at her in disbelief. "I'm not going to let this ruin my life. It's over now. I want to get on with my life." He continued to look at her. She seemed so strong. They all walked in the kitchen. Kristin helped Bethany make some sub sandwiches while Glen and Mark sat down at the table.

"Why were you all here today?" Kristin asked them. "You should have all been at work."

Bethany looked up from her sandwich. "When you didn't show up after my shift, I called your office. They said you had come home, so I called here, and when you didn't answer I got worried. I called Glen to see if you had gone there to see Mark. They picked me up and we came home to see if you were alright."

Mark continued, "When we walked in, we heard a scream. I ran to your room to see if you were ok and saw Tom on top of you." He stopped.

"And the rest is history." Kristin said. She sighed. "Thank you." She said and leaned over and kissed him. Glen and Bethany were looking at each other. They didn't seen to hear anything that was said after Bethany finished her part of the story. Kristin watched them for a moment. "Is there something going on that you two want to tell us about?"

"Yes there is." Bethany said and smiled.

"So tell us." Mark said thinking the only thing that would make Glen act like this would be if they were getting married.

Glen looked at Mark and smiled. "Were getting married."

Kristin squeeled and jumped up pulling Bethany to her feet and hugged her tight. "I'm so happy for you." Kristin said.

"I wasn't sure if I should bring it up after all that's happened." Bethany said.

"Are you kidding? Some good news is exactlly what what we need!" Kristin stated. "Have you set a date?" She asked.

"Not yet." Bethany relpied.

"Well you could do it in the spring. It's so beautiful during the spring. We have to start planning immediately." Mark laughed.

Bethany looked over at him. "If you think she's excited now, wait till you two get married." Mark stopped laughing. The look on his face mad the girls laugh hard.

"What's wrong, Mark? You can't tell me you haven't thought of that." Glen said grinning. They talked for awhile then went to bed.

Bethany and Glen laid in each others arms talking about their wedding. Bethany told him how good it was to see Kristin laugh again and asked him if Mark really was thinking about marrying Kristin. He assured her that that was exactly what Mark was thinking.

"He was going to ask her before all this shit happened." He told her. She rolled over on top of him and kissed him. He held her tight as she made love to him.

Kristin laid down and snuggled up next to Mark. He wrapped her in his arms and held her. They didn't say anything, each was lost in their own thoughts. He thought about what Glen had said during dinner. He was going to ask her. He even had a ring, which belonged to his mother. His father gave it to him after she passed away to give to the woman he loved. He didn't think he'd fall in love with anyone. Women had used him for his money, for sex. It had been sex that brought Kristin to him, a one night stand, but she didn't know about the money. He pushed the thought out of his head. She loved him. There was no doubt about that. He felt her heart beat against his body and her breathe on his skin as they lay there in the dark. He wanted to be with her forever. He closed his eyes and drifted off to sleep as he dreamed of their future together.

Kristin lay in the dark against him. She thought of all that had happened. About how Mark had been there for her whenever she needed him. She remembered the look on his face when he was beating Tom, and when he held her afterward. His expression had gone from hatred to love. She knew he loved her. She imagined herself as his wife, the woman he came home to every day, and the mother of his children. She closed her eyes and smiled. Did Glen mean what he had said at dinner? Did Mark really want to marry her? She thouoght as she drifted off to sleep.

Chapter Twenty-Six

Mark woke up and looked around for Kristin. Not seeing her in the room, he got up, put on a pair of sweat pants, and walked toward the kitchen. When he reached the end of the hall, he heard Kristin arguing with Bethany and Glen.

"I'm not staying home!" Kristin said, almost yelling.

"You need to take some time off, Kristin. You don't need to go back to work right now. It's too soon." Bethany argued.

"Beth's right." Glen said calmly. "You need more time off." Mark peeked around the corner and watched the confrontation.

"Damn it! Tom is dead! There is no reason I shouldn't go back to work! And don't try to tell me what I need. I know what I need. I need to go to work. I need to get on with my life!" Kristin shouted. She was furious. Mark didn't want to get involved, especially since he agreed with Bethany and Glen.

Bethany saw Mark and said, "Mark, please tell Kristin she needs to stay home. She doesn't need to go back to work yet." Bethany was almost in tears. She loved Kristin and wanted her to have time to mourn Pam's death before going back to the office she had shared with her.

Mark walked over to Kristin. He wasn't sure how to tell her how he felt. He put his hands on her face and looked into her eyes. "I love you, Kristin, but I agree with Bethany. You need to take some time off."

Kristin looked into Mark's eyes and said, "Then you can go to hell with them." She pushed him away, grabbed her purse and stormed out the front door. Mark, Glen and Bethany watched her leave in disbelief.

Bethany turned to Mark and, seeing the hurt in his eyes, walked over to him and took his hands in hers. He looked down at her. "She didn't mean it, Mark. She looses her temper sometimes and says things that hurt, but she doesn't mean it. She'll apologize later. She always does." Mark nodded. Glen walked over and put his hand on Mark's shoulder.

"Are you okay?" Glen asked.

"Yeah." Mark replied. "I'm going to the shop." Mark turned and walked back to Kristin's bedroom to get dressed. He pulled a pair of black jeans and a tee shirt out of her closet and walked over to the bed. He sat down and put his face in his hands. Her words hurt him more than he wanted to admit.

Kristin sat in her car staring at the steering wheel. She was sitting in the driveway thinking about what just happened. Why did she say that to him? She wasn't angry at him. She wasn't even angry at Bethany and Glen. She knew they were right, but she had to be strong. She couldn't let what Tom did affect her life. Tears ran down her cheeks when she thought about the look on Mark's face. She looked into the rearview mirrow. "How could you hurt him like that?" She asked herself. She wiped the tears from her face, took the keys out of the ignition, picked up her purse and got out of the car. She knew what she had to do. She walked back into the house. Bethany and Glen were in the kitchen in each others arms, kissing. They didn't see her and she didn't want to disturb them right now. She walked back to her bedroom and saw Mark sitting on the edge of her bed with his face in his hands. She walked over and stood infront of him and watched him for a moment before he looked up. He sat looking at her, not saying anything, then reached out and wrapped his arms around her waist pulling her close.

"I'm sorry." she said running her hands through his hair. "I shouldn't have said that. I didn't mean it." He looked up and took her face in his hands. She looked back at him as a tear fell down her cheek. "I love you, Mark." He wiped her tear away, pulled her mouth to his and kissed her. He undressed her as they kissed and laid her on the bed, then took his pants off and laid down on top of her, covering her body with his. Slowly he made love to her.

Glen broke the kiss and looked down into Bethany's eyes. "I love you."

Bethany smiled, "I love you, too."

"I should go with Mark and help open the shop." Bethany nodded. She didn't want to him to leave, but he and Mark needed to work. They had closed the shop for the weekend to stay with the girls. They walked back toward Bethany's bedroom when they heard something. They peeked in Kristin's room and saw Kristin and Mark making love. They quickly and quietly turned away and closed the door. Glen turned to Bethany and she smiled. "I told him she'd apologize." Glen laughed and they went to shower together.

Glen lathered the washcloth and washed Bethany from head to toe, enjoying the feel of her body beneath his hands. When he finished, she took the washcloth and washed him. As she rinsed the soap off his body, he began kissing her neck, shoulders and soon they were making love.

Mark and Kristin walked into the living room. Bethany and Glen were standing by the door kissing. She pulled away when she heard Mark clear his throat. "You ready to go?" Mark asked Glen.

"Yeah. Let's go." Glen replied. The girls walked the men outside. Mark looked at Bethany, who was in her nurses uniform, as he sat on his Harley, then he turned to Kristin. "Are you going to be alright?" He asked her.

Kristin nodded. "I'll be fine." She leaned over and kissed him hoping he believed her. "If you need anything..." he began.

"I'll call you." She finished. He smiled, kissed her again and started the engine. Glen kissed Bethany and started his engine. The girls watched as their men drove away then Bethany turned to Kristin.

"Are you sure you'll be alright?" She asked. "I can call in sick. We can go shopping."

Kristin put her hand on Bethany's cheek and said, "I'm fine. Now go before you're late." They hugged and Bethany got in her car and left for the hospital.

Chapter Twenty-Seven

Kristin walked back into the house. This was the first time she'd been alone since she met Mark. She sat down on the couch, picked up the remote control and turned on the TV. She flipped through the channels several times then turned it off. She'd forgotten how boring it was here alone during the day. She stood up, streched, and walked into her bedroom. She went to her closet and pulled out a pair of black dress pants, a royal blue blouse, and a pair of black pumps. She quickly got dressed and walked out to her car. She sat behind the wheel for a moment thinking. "I never told them I wouldn't go to work. I just agreed I need the time off." She told herself. Satisfied she was doing the right thing, she started the car and drove to the office.

She turned off the engine and looked in the rearview mirror. She had to get on with her life, and she couldn't do that by sitting at home feeling sorry for herself. She looked down at her watch, 10:23am. She took a deep breath, got out of her car, and walked into the building. She was nervous about facing Jerry. He was going to tell her to go home, take some time off. She had a way of making people believe anything she said. "It's a gift." She told Bethany once. She stepped off the elevator and walked to her office.

Jerry stepped out of the men's room and saw Kristin walking down the hall. He knew she'd be here today, although he thought she should be at home. He walked to her office, looked in, and watched her as she moved around the room. He had the office painted and new carpet and furniture put in over the weekend. She bent down in the middle of the room and ran her fingers over the carpet where Pam's body had been. She swallowed back the tears that were threatening to fall. She stood up, walked over to her desk, and sat down. Jerry continued watching her.

He hired her right out of college. It, of course, had nothing to do with talent or knowledge. She was a very sexy and he wanted her, but the more he got to know her, the more he began to love her. It just happened to turn out that she was also very talented and intelligent. He smiled as he thought about this. He walked over, sat down on the other side of her desk, and looked at her. "Why are you here?" He asked.

She looked at him innocently and said, "I work here."

He smiled. "I told you to take some time off, Kristin." He saw the innocent look dissappear from her face and anger slowly begin to replace it. "I know, you don't need the time off. Right?" He said.

"That's right, Jerry. I don't need any more time off." Her voice was calm, but full of venom. He shook his head.

"I'm worried about you, Kris. You've been through so much this past week.....I care about you. I just don't want you pushing yourself too hard."

She looked down and nodded. She knew how he felt, although he never actually said it, and she didn't want to hurt his feelings. "I'm fine, I really am." She said looking him in the eye. "I just want my life back."

He nodded and stood up. "Okay then. But I want you to cut your work load in half, give some to Norris and some to Peterson. And I want you to think about taking a vacation, okay? I respect your decision to work, but I still think you could use the time off."

"I promise I'll think about it." She said smiling.

He turned and walked back to his office. Jerry closed his office door, sat down behind his desk and stared at the computer screen. It broke his heart to think about what had happened this past week. Everyone who knew Kristin loved her. Everyone but Tom. He heard on the morning news that Tom had been killed in a shoot out with the police. "I wish I could have been the one to pull that trigger." He said to himself. He shook his head to clear his mind, and began working.

Kristin buried herself in her work as she always did. She thought about Mark and smiled.

"Did I tell you about..." She stopped as she looked at Pam's desk. "About the guy I met last weekend." She finished quietly.

She forgot Pam wasn't there. Pam was always there, always interested in hearing about the 'new guy'. She felt tears sting her eyes as she stared at Pam's desk, and quickly blinked them away. She couldn't allow herself to cry. 'You have to be strong.' She told herself.

"You going to stay here all night?" She looked up and saw Jerry standing in the doorway looking at her.

She smiled. "Nope. I was just getting ready to leave." She replied.

"Do you want me to walk you out to your car?" He asked.

"No, I'll be fine. Thanks anyway." She answered.

"Okay. I'll see you tomorrow."

"Goodnight, Jerry." Kristin said.

"Goodnight." He replied. He turned and walked toward the elevator.

Kristin looked at her watch. "7:30! Beth's going to kill me!" She said standing up. She turned everything off and left the office. She walked to her car in the parking garage. The garage was almost desserted.

She heard footsteps behind her and turned around and saw no one. She continued walking, faster this time, and heard footsteps again. Again she turned around, nothing. She turned and ran to her car. She tried getting the key in the lock, but dropped them. Shaking, she picked them up and tried again. She heard the footsteps again as she struggled with the key. Finally, she was able to unlock the door. She jumped in the car, slammed the door shut and locked it. She looked out the window and saw no one. "You're losing it." She told herself. She started the engine and drove home.

She pulled in her driveway and turned off the engine. Her heart was still pounding. She took several deep breaths then went inside.

"I don't know where she is. Yes, I called the office. Everyone has already gone home."

"Beth." Kristin said knowing who she was looking for.

"Kristin!" Bethany exlaimed. She dropped the phone and ran across the room hugging her tightly. Kristin smiled. "Where have you been?" Bethany asked through her tears. "At work." She answered pulling away from Bethany and walking over to the phone. She put the reciever to her ear. She heard Mark cursing in the background and Glen trying to calm him down. "Glen." She said.

"Kristin?" He asked.

"Yes. Is everything okay?" She asked, playing dumb.

Mark took the phone from Glen. "Damn it, Kristin, where have you been?" He demanded.

"I was at work." She said. "I thought we agreed you'd stay home today."

"No, we agreed I should stay home today." She knew Mark was upset. "I was going crazy here, Mark. I can't stand being couped up in the house all day."

Mark took a deep breath. "Are you okay?" He asked.

"Yes." she answered.

"We're going to close the shop in about an hour. I'll see you then."

"Okay, Mark. We'll make dinner." She said.

"Great. I'm starving." He replied.

She smiled. "Good. I'll see you soon."

"I love you, Kris."

"I love you, too." They said goodbye and hung up. Bethany watched Kristin while she talked to Mark.

"How do you do that? He was furious with you and now he's coming to dinner." Kristin shrugged her shoulders. "It's a gift." Bethany laughed. "So what are we cooking for dinner?" She asked as they walked to Kristin's room.

"I don't know. How about those steaks?" She suggested.

"Sounds great." Bethany answered. The girls changed clothes, went into the kitchen and started preparing dinner. Bethany made a salad while Kristin cooked the steaks and baked potatoes.

Mark hung up the phone smiling. "What did she say to you?" Glen asked wondering what she said to calm Mark down so quickly. Mark told him the conversation.

"It's not what she said, it's how she said it. There's something about her voice..." Mark said thinking about Kristin. Glen shook his head. He had never seen Mark like this before. "Why don't we close up now." Mark said standing up.

Glen looked at Mark. "You're really in love with her." He said, as if he was just realizing it.

"Yes, I am." Mark replied with a grin. They turned off the lights, locked the doors and drove to the girls house.

Chapter Twenty-Eight

~Kristin felt a strong arm wrap around her waist as she slept. She smiled and rolled over looking into Mark's eyes. He was leaning up on one elbow watching her. She gently brushed a few strands of hair out of his face. He bent over and kissed her, then rolled over on top of her. His hand gently carressed her cheek slowly moving down her face to her neck, her breasts, her stomach..... Her hands wondered down his back and up again, down his chest, over his stomach to his manhood. She began to stroke him as he slid his hand between her thighs. He rubbed her hardened bud while sliding his finger in and out of her, sending wave after wave of pleasure through her body. He removed his hand and let her guide his member into her waiting body. He held her hands down above her head with one hand, pinning her to the bed, while he explored her body with the other one. He slid his hand around her throat and began to squeeze. His thrusts became harder, hurting her. His kiss also became hard and painfull. She tried to struggle, but the more she fought him, the harder his grip on her wrists and throat became. He broke the kiss and looked down at her. "Don't defy me, Kristin." It was Tom's voice. Tears filled her eyes as she watched Mark's face slowly begin to change, and soon she was looking at Tom. He smiled wickedly and said, "Hello, Sweetheart. Miss me?"~

Kristin sat up screaming, covered in sweat. She looked around her room, trembling, trying to catch her breath.

Mark was sitting against the headboard watching her sleep. He was about to lay down when Kristin started stirring in her sleep. She looked like she was having a pleasant dream then began trembling and gasping for air. He reached out and touched her shoulder. She pulled away and turned to face him. She looked at him as if he were a monster.

"Kristin?" Mark said reaching out for her again. She flinched when he touched her cheek even though she knew it was him and not Tom. Tears filled her eyes.

"Kristin, tell me what's wrong." Mark said gently.

"Bad dream." She replied. "Let's go to sleep." She said as she laid down.

Mark sighed and laid down next to her. He wanted to take her in his arms and hold her, take away the nightmares that haunted her, but she rolled on her side, away from him, and closed her eyes.

Her body was exausted, but her mind was was racing. She waited until Mark was fast asleep and crawled out of bed, careful not to wake him up. She pulled her robe on and crept through the house and out the back door. She sat on the porch steps looking out into the blackness of night. She started having nightmares after Pam died. At first, they only came once in awhile, but now it happened every time she closed her eyes. She knew Mark, Bethany, and Glen were worried about her and she wanted to tell them about the dreams, but she couldn't. She was pushing them away and she knew it. She didn't want to, but she couldn't stop herself. She began working long hours, finding excuses not to see Mark, coming up with reasons not to help Bethany plan the wedding.

She hated herself for the way she was acting, for letting Tom turn her back into that cold unemotional bitch. She buried her face in her hands and tried to cry. Why was it so hard to cry? She ran her fingers through her hair pulling it back out of her face. She had to change. She loved Mark and knew that if she didn't do something soon she would lose him. She thought about how her life would be without him and felt tears fill her eyes. She was so wrapped up in her thoughts, she didn't hear Mark walk up behind her.

He stood looking down at her wondering how he was going to tell her. It broke his heart to think about leaving her, but he couldn't take it anymore.

She stood up and turned to go back inside and ran into him losing her balance. He caught her before she fell. She thanked him and walked past him toward the door. He wanted to grab her as she walked past and pull her to him. She reached for the door knob and stopped. 'It's now or never.' She told herself.

She took a deep breath and turned around to face him. She felt her heart break as she looked into his eyes and saw the pain and lonliness there, knowing she was the reason for it. He walked over to the end of the porch and, without turning around, said, "We need to talk."

Her heart sank when she heard these words. She knew what he was going to say and tried desperately to think of the right words to say to stop him. When she didn't answer, he turned around to face her. He stood in shock as he watched the tears falling from her eyes. It was the first time she showed any emotion toward him in a long time.

"I know what you're going to say." She said through her tears. "And I don't blame you. I have given you every reason to leave me and none to make you stay. I've pushed you out of my life." She stopped, unable to continue. He walked to her and carressed her cheek, wiping her tears away. She looked up through her tears and said, "I'm so sorry."

He pulled her to him and held her feeling her tears on his bare chest.

Bethany opened her eyes as she felt the sun begin to warm her face. She knew she should get up, but she loved lying in Glen's arms. She felt as if he were her own personal force field, nothing could hurt her when he was near. He stroked her hair and kissed the top of her head. "Good morning." She said smiling.

"Good morning." He replied. She looked up and kissed him.

"What's wrong?" She asked.

He sat up and leaned against the headboard, and she leaned up on both elbows waiting for his answer. He didn't want to talk about Mark and Kristin, he wanted to make love to his fiance'. "We can talk about it later. Come here." He said pulling her toward him.

"That's what you said last night. Now tell me." She replied.

He sighed, "He's leaving her."

Bethany looked at him confused. "Who's leaving who?"

He looked over toward the window and took a deep breath. "Mark's leaving Kristin."

Bethany gasped. "I thought he loved her." She said.

"He does love her, but he can't take any more." He replied.

"Can't take anymore." She repeated. "Can't take anymore what?"

Glen knew Bethany loved Kristin and would stand up for her no matter what. "He can't take any more of Kristin's shit. She's done everything in her power to push him away, and she's finally succeeded."

Bethany sat up and looked down at the blanket. She knew he was right, but she also knew that Kristin loved Mark. Glen looked at her and saw tears in her eyes.

"I know you love Kristin and Mark, and want them to live happily ever after, but it isn't going to happen."

She looked at Glen and, as a tear fell down her cheek, she said, "I know."

He took her in his arms and held her. "Let's go eat." He said trying to lighten the mood.

Bethany smiled, "Sounds good to me." Bethany pulled on a tee shirt and a pair of sweats and Glen pulled on a pair of shorts, and they walked to the kitchen. Glen sat down at the table and watched Bethany as she started pulling pans out of the cabinet.

"This is better than TV." Glen said as she bent over.

"And to think, you get to see this show free everyday." She said over her shoulder. Glen laughed. "Shhh." Bethany said.

"What is it?" Glen asked. Bethany held up a finger silently telling him 'hold on a minute' and walked to the back door. Glen followed her over and both peeked out. They saw Mark sitting sideways on the top step holding Kristin. They didn't notice Glen and Bethany standing in the doorway. Glen stepped back pulling Bethany with him and closed the door.

Bethany looked up. "They're talking!" she said excitedly. Glen smiled. Bethany walked back over to the stove. "They're talking." She said again.

Chapter Twenty-Nine

Mark and Kristin walked inside hand in hand smiling. Mark poured himself and Kristin a cup of coffee, handed Kristin hers, and sat down with Glen at the table. Kristin thanked him and began setting the table for breakfast.

Bethany watched the couple and knew they were going to be okay. After breakfast, Mark and Glen left to open the shop.

"I'll see you tonight." Mark said to Kristin after sitting on his Harley.

Kristin smiled. "I can't wait." They kissed passionately as if they were the only two people in the world. Glen and Bethany kissed and said goodbye, then watched their friends kiss.

"Don't forget to come up for air." Bethany teased.

Mark smiled breaking the kiss and the two said goodbye. Kristin and Bethany watched as Mark and Glen drove away. "You know, Beth, I think I'd rather drown." Kristin said as they walked back inside making Bethany laugh.

Bethany took Kristin's hands in hers and looked her in the eye. She knew the old Kristin was back. "I missed you." She said as she felt tears stinging her eyes.

Kristin smiled. "I missed you too." The girls hugged then Bethany pulled away.

"I'm glad your back. I have a wedding to finish planning. We need to go shopping. I'm going to pick up my wedding gown today."

Kristin smiled. "Well, let's get dressed and go. We're running out time, you know, we've only got three more weeks before the big day." The girls dressed quickly and left for town.

Kristin hadn't been shopping in a long time and was enjoying the day completely. It felt good to be her old self again. Their first stop was the Bridal Shop for a fitting. Bethany's gown was done, but Kristin hadn't even tried hers on yet. I fit almost perfectly. It was a little tight in the bust and a little too long, but the rest was perfect. The dress was long, strapless, and fit snugly around her body, and had a slit in the back which allowed her to walk.

"You're beautiful." Bethany said as Kristin examined herself in the mirror.

Kristin grinned. "You think so?"

Bethany laughed. "Are you kidding? All eyes will be on you. Until I walk down the aisle, of course." She replied.

"Try on your dress. I want to see it." Kristin said smiling.

"I thought you'd never ask." Bethany replied and went to the dressing room to change. Kristin had never seen her dress and she was dying to show it off. When she walked out, Kristin's jaw dropped to the floor.

"Beth. You look so.....beautiful. Beth, it's perfect." Bethany smiled. She knew the dress was great, but she wasn't satisfied until she had Kristin's approval.

"We'd better get out of these dresses. We've got alot of things to do." Bethany said walking toward the back. Kristin followed her and a few minutes later both girls were ready to go.

Their next stop was the florist. Kristin picked out long stem red roses to decorate the church and red and white roses for the bridal bouquet. Bethany questioned her choice to use roses. "Kris, they're so expensive."

"Nothing is too good for you." Kristin replied.

"But Kristin..." Bethany began.

"Don't worry about the money. I'll use my inheritance. It's been sitting in that bank collecting dust ever since my parents died." Bethany sighed. There was no use arguing with Kristin after she had her mind set on something.

They left the florist and stopped by the photographer's and the caterer's to take care of some last minute details.

"Where to m'lady?" Kristin asked.

Bethany giggled. "To the mall. And be quick about it."

Kristin tried not to laugh. "Yes, m'lady. But wouldn't you prefer to see Mr.Jacobs?" Kristin replied.

"Ah, excelent idea." Kristin burst out laughing, turned the car around and drove them to the shop, stopping to pick up some pizza on the way.

Mark was under a BMW when the girls pulled in and Glen was walking out of the office. Glen smiled and walked over to them. "Hey." He said as he picked Bethany up and kissed her.

"Hey yourself big guy." Bethany replied.

Kristin laughed and looked over at Mark. She could hear him cursing as she walked closer. She bent down and looked under the car. "Hey sexy." She said running her hand up his thigh. Mark crawled out from under the car and smiled.

"This is a nice suprise."

Kristin's smile grew wider as she looked at him. She leaned over and kissed him.

"Careful, honey. You don't want to get this on you." He said holding up a grease covered hand.

"It'll wash off." She replied still smiling. "Come on, we brought lunch."

He stood up and patted his tummy. "You're my kind of woman." She laughed and she stood up. Mark and Glen washed their hands.....their arms, their faces..... and joined the girls in the office. Kristin and Bethany told the guys about their morning and their plans for the rest of the day, which were basiclly to raid the mall.

They finished the pizzas and talked for a few more minutes then Kristin said it was time to go. "We have more shopping to do and you have a car to fix." She told Mark as they all walked out to the car. Mark kissed Kristin goodbye and Glen kissed Bethany and the girls left for the mall.

"I've never seen Kristin that happy before." Glen said as they walked back into the garage.

"Yeah." Mark replied. "She's beautiful, isn't she."

Glen nodded. "Yes she is." He stopped Mark just as he was getting ready to crawl back under the car. "Are you two okay?" He asked.

Mark looked at him and smiled. "We are now." His smile faded. "Glen, she knew I was leaving her. I don't know how, but she knew. She told me she didn't blame me for leaving and told me all the reasons I should go. She looked so sad. I swear, it was the first emotion I've seen in her since....." Mark stopped. He didn't like thinking about what had happened to her.

Glen put his hand on his shoulder. "She's back now. I can see it in her eyes. You two are going to live a long and happy life together."

Mark smiled. "Yes, we are." He replied. A jeep pulled up and Glen went to work. Mark slid back under the car thinking about Kristin.

Chapter Thirty

Bethany and Kristin walked out of Victoria's Seceret with their shopping bags full. "I can't believe we've been here all afternoon." Bethany said. They had been here since they left the guys at the shop.

"I know." Kristin replied. They bought an ice cream cone and sat down at a table to rest. "We need to do this more often." Kristin said grinning. Bethany looked up from her ice cream at Kristin. "What?" Kristin asked.

"I was just thinking about everything that's happened over the past two years. You're so strong. I don't think I could have survived it all." Bethany answered.

Kristin smiled and said, "I couldn't have made it without you. I love you, Beth."

Bethany's eyes began to water. "I love you, too."

"Well, enough of this mushy stuff. We need to get home to our men." Kristin announced. Bethany nodded and they stood up and walked out to the car.

Mark and Glen were waiting when they pulled into their driveway. Kristin jumped out of the car, ran into Mark's arms, and kissed him.

Bethany climbed out of the driver's side and ran to Glen. "Not happy to see us are you?" Glen asked.

Kristin and Bethany laughed. "You? Gee, we thought you were someone else." Bethany teased as she walked back to the car. Kristin slipped out of Mark's arms and joined Bethany at the car.

The men watched them unload their bags from the trunk. "What did you do? Buy out half the mall?" Mark asked.

"Yep." Kristin replied walking into the house. The girls put their bags in their rooms and went into the kitchen to cook dinner.

Mark walked up behind Kristin and put his arms around her waist, burying his face in her hair. "Let's go out." He said in a low voice.

Kristin looked over at the other couple and smiled. Glen and Bethany were lost in their own little world. "That's a good idea." Kristin replied turning to face Mark. He smiled, pulled her close to him and kissed her. She wrapped her arms around his neck and ran her hands down his back.

Glen cleared his throat. "You guys want some privacy?" He asked.

Mark broke the kiss. "No, we were just getting ready to leave." He replied.

"You two have fun." Bethany said as she wrapped her arms around Glen. Bethany pulled out a pan while Glen walked Mark and Kristin to the door.

"See you later, Beth." Kristin called out.

"Have fun." Bethany called out.

Mark and Kristin climbed on Mark's Harley and drove away.

Glen walked back to the kitchen. He watched as Bethany put a pot of water on to boil and pull out a box of pasta from the pantry. He had never loved anyone as much as he loved her. 'My wife.' He thought. 'She's going to be my wife.' He smiled, walked over to the stove, and turned it off.

Bethany smiled as he took her in his arms. "I guess you're not hungry." She said. He didn't answer, instead he picked her up and carried her to her bedroom. He undressed her, kissing her as he did, then undressed himself. He laid her back on the bed and made love to her. Afterward, he held her in his arms, stroking her hair.

"Beth, there's something I want to talk to you about." He said.

She leaned up on one elbow and looked at him. "What is it?" She asked.

He looked down at her. "I want you to move in with me. I didn't ask before because I knew you were worried about Kristin and you probably wanted to stay with her as long as you could. Now that you know she'll be okay......Will you think about it?"

Bethany smiled. "I think it's a great idea. It will give us the privacy we need. And it will give Mark time alone with Kristin." She replied.

"Give Mark time alone with Kristin? What do you mean?"

"So he can propose to her." she answered grinning. "I saw the way he looked at her today. If he was in love with her before, he'll fall head over heals now that he can get to know the real Kristin. She really is a great person."

Glen smiled and kissed her. "He still wants to marry her. Speaking of weddings..." Bethany sat up smiling brightly. "Everything is taken care of. I made the final arrangements with the the caterer and photographer today, and Kristin ordered the flowers. We'll meet with Pastor Walker next week. Kristin had her dress fitted and I showed her my gown. She said it's perfect."

Glen watched her as she told him about all she and Kristin had done. She looked so happy. He leaned over and kissed her.

She pushed him back and laid on top of him, never breaking the kiss. Slowly their bodies became one once again.

Mark and Kristin pulled into a McDonald's, went inside to order their food to go, and drove to the edge of town. He turned off the road and carefully drove them through the woods until they came to a stream. Mark climbed off the Harley, took the bags of food from Kristin, then helped her off. She walked toward the stream looking around.

"How did you find this place?" She asked. "Glen and I use to camp out here when we were kids. Do you like it?"

"Oh Mark, it's beautiful. I love it." She said. They sat down in the soft grass beside the stream as a warm breeze blew through the trees. "I love you, Mark." She said placing her hand on the side of his face. The moonlight reflected off his face giving him an unearthly glow which made him look even more handsome.

"I love you, Kristin." He replied as he stroked her cheek with the back of his fingers. Everytime he looked at her he fell in love with her all over again. "Kris....." He began. He pulled himself up on one knee and continued. "I love you, Kris. I've never loved anyone the way I love you. I want to spend the rest of my life with you." He reached into his pocket and pulled out a small black velvet box and opened it. "Kristin, I want you to be my wife." Kristin's eyes filled with tears. "Will you marry me?" Kristin covered her mouth as the tears rolled down her face. Unable to speak, she nodded. A tear fell down Mark's cheek as he took his mother's ring from the box and placed it on the finger of the woman he loved.

She wrapped her arms around his neck and held him close, then pulled back and looked at him.....the man she loved, the man who would be her husband. He kissed her tenderly as he pulled the zipper on the back of her dress down. Slowly he pulled the dress off her shoulders as his lips travled down to her neck. He continued to kiss her as he undressed her. He looked down at her lying naked in the grass. She smiled, sat up, and undressed him, kissing him as she did. They kissed and carressed each others bodies and slowly loved each other for the rest of the night.

Chapter Thirty-One

Kristin wiped the tears from her eyes. "Oh Beth, you look so beautiful!" She said as tears rolled down her face. "You and Glen are going to be so happy together." Both girls were in tears.

"I love him so much, Kris. I never thought I could be so happy." Bethany replied as she wrapped her arms around Kristin. There was a knock at the door and Bethany's mother peeked in.

"Oh, Bethany..." She said as she walked in. Bethany released Kristin and hugged her mom. "I can't believe my baby girl is getting married." She said and started to cry. "Look at us, you'd think we were at a funeral. Here, let me fix your makeup." She pulled Bethany over to the sofa and told her to sit down and began to touch up her tear streaked face. When she was through she turned to Kristin. "Now it's your turn young lady. Come sit down."

Kristin did as she was told. Mary had been like a mother to her after her parents had been killed.

"So Kristin, Bethany tells me you've been dating someone."

Kristin smiled. "Yes Mam. Mark Callaway."

Mary smiled, she knew everything that had happened to Kristin and was glad to see her happy again. "Do you think we'll get to see you walking down the asile someday?"

Kristin smiled. "We're getting married in August." She said holding out her left hand. Mary grabbed Kristin and hugged her.

Kristin turned to Bethany. "Are you ready, Mrs. Jacobs?" She asked. Bethany smiled and nodded.

"Yes, I am. Besides, if we stay in here any longer I'm going to start crying again."The women stood and walked out of the little room and made their way to the front. They met Bethany's father, Michael, half way.

"I was just coming to ge..." He started. He stared at Bethany and a tear fell down his cheek. "You look beautiful." He said.

Bethany smiled and hugged her dad. "Thank you, Daddy." Mary took her place on the front row. The music started. Kristin kissed Bethany and slowly walked down the asile.

Mark and Glen turned and watched her walk. Mark dropped the ring and quickly retrieved it. Bethany and Glen wanted a small wedding so Mark and Kristin were the only ones in the wedding party.

"Is that Kristin?" Glen whispered to Mark.

"Yeah, I think so." Mark whispered back. Mark melted when she smiled. Kristin took her place and the organist began playing the wedding march. Bethany took a deep breath. Michael squeezed her hand.

"This is it." He said smiling. He led her, arm in arm, down the asile. Everyone turned to see the new bride.

"She's beautiful." Mark whispered. Glen didn't hear him, the world seemed to dissapear as she walked closer. She took her place beside Glen and the preacher began the ceremony, which seemed to go on forever. They exchanged their vows, never taking their eyes off each other. The preacher finally said, "You may kiss your bride." Glen took her in his arms and kissed her like he was never going to see her again. The world faded away as they became lost the kiss.

After about three minutes the preacher looked over at Mark then at Kristin, silently asking them what to do. Kristin smiled and looked over at Mark. Mark was smiling too, and decided to do somethiing before Glen forgot where he was and started going further. Mark cleared his throat, but Glen and Bethany didn't stop. He did it again, louder. Bethany pulled away breaking the kiss. She realized everyone was staring at them and began blushing. She and Glen turned to face their friends and family. "Mr. and Mrs. Glen Jacobs." The preacher announced. Everyone applauded as they made their way to the back of the church. Kristin put her arm in Mark's and he led her to the back to stand with the bride and groom.

Chapter Thirty-Two

Bethany walked in the kitchen. "Kristin, I need to talk to you." She said. Kristin turned around.

"Sure, Beth. What is it?" Bethany walked over to Kristin and put her hands in hers. "Beth, is there something wrong?" Kristin asked, seeing the tears in Bethany's eyes. Bethany shook her head no.

"No. Kris, I'm pregnant." She said smiling as a tear ran down her cheek. Kristin's eyes began to water.

"A baby?" Kristin asked smiling. Bethany nodded yes. Kristin hugged her friend. She was happy for Bethany and Glen, but she was hurt too. The doctor told her she would never be able to get pregnant because of what Tom had done to her, and if she did, the baby wouldn't survive. "I'm so happy for you, Beth." She said softly. Bethany knew Kristin couldn't have a baby and that the news was probably tearing her up inside, although she would never admit it.

Mark and Glen were in the doorway watching them. Mark came up to them. "Congradulations." He said to Bethany. Kristin pulled away to let Mark hug Bethany.

She walked over to Glen and put her arms around his waist. "Congradulations, Glen." He hugged her back. "Thank you." He replied.

"This calls for a celebration." Kristin said smiling. "Let's all go out."

"That's a great idea." Glen said. They decided to go to an Itallian restaurant. They went back to Kristin's house after dinner for dessert. They were all talking and laughing when Glen looked over at Bethany and smiled.

"Kristin. Mark." Glen began looking at the couple. "Beth and I have been talking and we've made a decision. We want you to be our baby's godparents."

Kristin's eyes filled with tears. "Are you sure about this?" She asked looking at Bethany.

"Yes." Bethany replied quietly.

"We would be honored to be your child's godparents." Mark answered. "Who know's." He continued. "Maybe one day we'll be asking you that same question."

"You've been practicing?" Glen asked Mark grinning. Mark laughed.

"I think I'll get us some more coffee." Kristin said standing up, and walked quickly to the kitchen. She put her hands on the edge of the sink, leaned forward, and looked down. She felt as if her heart had been ripped out. She had accepted the fact that she couldn't have a baby, but how was she going to tell him? They should have talked about this before she said agreed to marry him. She blinked back the tears that were threatening to fall.

"Are you okay?" Bethany asked putting her arm around Kristin.

"Yea, I'm fine. I should have told him." Bethany pulled her arm turning her so they faced each other.

"He'll understand, Kris. He loves you." Bethany said gently.

"I know he loves me, but did you hear him?" Kristin replied. Bethany wrapped her arms around Kristin and hugged her. "I'd better get that coffee." Kristin said turning away. She picked up that coffee pot and walked back into the living room.

"It's getting late." Bethany said. "We should be going." Glen stood up putting his arm around Bethany and walked her to the door. Mark and Kristin walked out with them and said good night. Bethany sat in the middle of the seat next to Glen, as she always did.

"Is something wrong?" he asked. She told him about what the doctor told Kristin. He put his arm around her and kissed her forhead.

"They'll be alright." He said. Kristin cleared the dishes off the coffee table, took them into the kitchen and washed them. Mark stood in the doorway watching her. He knew there was something wrong. He could see it in her eyes all evening.

"What's wrong, Kris?" He asked. She didn't hear him. She dried her hands on the dishtowel and walk out the back door. He followed her outside, determined to find out why she looked so sad. She was leaning on the railing with her back toward him. He walked over to her and gently brushed the hair out of her face. "What's wrong?" He asked again.

She lowered her head and told him what she had been told. He thought about the remark he made to Glen and wished he could take it back.

"I'm sorry." She said. "I should have told you." He hated seeing her like this. She wiped took a deep breath, stood up, and turned around. "Hey, doctors can be wrong." She said trying to smile. He reached out and wiped the single tear from her face. She fell into his arms and cried. He held her tightly against him comforting her.

The next few months passed by quickly. Bethany was finally getting over her morning sickness and was starting to show. Kristin and Mark decided to get married in a clearing in the woods by the stream. Kristin loved being outdoors surrounded by nature.

"I can't believe this day is finally here." Kristin said.

Bethany chuckled. "Don't be so nervous. You and Mark were made for each other."

"Yeah, we were." Keistin replied.

Michael smiled at Kristin. "Are you ready?"

"Yes." She said smiling. "Thank you doing this for me."

Michael hugged her. "I wouldn't miss this for the world." He said. She put her arm in his. Bethany walked into the clearing wearing a light blue cotton dress. It fell just below her knees and had thin straps. Kristin wore a simple white cotton dress. It fell to the top of her knees and had thin straps, like Bethany's. She carried a bouquet of wildflowers and wore wildflowers in her hair, which was in a french braid.

Mark watched as she walked toward him. He was mesmerized by her, barely hearing what the preacher was saying. As they kissed the world stood still.

Bethany was trying not to laugh remembering her own wedding and how Mark had to interrupt them. She looked over at Glen silently asking him to do something. Glen smiled and cleared his throat. When that didn't work he cleared it again, louder.

Mark smiled and broke the kiss. They turned as the preacher said, "I give you Mr. and Mrs. Marcus Callaway."

Mark looked down at Kristin and grinned. He pulled her back into his arms and kissed her again.

Glen laughed. "Why didn't I think of that?" He asked, still laughing. Mark and Kristin thanked everyone for coming and said their goodbyes. They drove to a hotel where Mark had reserved the honemoon suite. They made love all night.

Chapter Thirty-Three

Mark stood in the doorway of the hospital room. It had been two and a half years since he and Kristin were married. She had gotten pregnant on their honeymoon, but lost the baby shortly after she found out about it. She had five misscarrages altogether. She was determined to have a baby and no one was going to tell her she couldn't. The last misscarrage almost killed her and the doctor told her the next one would. She was so stubborn.

He knew she was doing this for him. He wanted a son and made the mistake of telling her once. He had watched her play with their goddaughter and imagined that she was theirs. He felt guilty about having those thoughts, but he felt even worse knowing that Tess put herself in danger time after time by trying to give him a baby.

A tear ran down his cheek as he watched her nurse their newborn son. She had done it. And she was alive. The doctors called it a miricle. He walked over and sat on the edge of the bed. "You did it, Kris."

Kristin looked up and smiled. "We did it." He kissed her lips and looked down at his son. He gently stroked the dark red hair as the child drank from his mother.

"He's so small and innocent." Mark said in awe.

Kristin chuckled. "Well he didn't feel so small a couple of hours ago." Mark laughed.

"I love you, Mark." She said. He looked up at her.

"I love you, too." They were happier than either one them ever thought possible.