The Protector: Broken (working title)

Chapter 23: LETS TALK

I had forgotten how beautiful the light was in my apartment in the morning, until I woke up, still holding Marks hand. I opened my eyes and looked around me, taking in my old familiar surroundings, then I smiled and turned to Mark. He was watching me already. I looked away for a moment. "Are you sure you want to start your morning with 'The Bobbi Bridges morning report!'?"

"It's ok, I don't have to take it all in. I can be selective to just what you're feeling right now."

"Well in THAT case!" I turned toward him wide eyed and smiling. I bit my lip to try to hide my excitement of him being there, us being here, together again! Like I can hide that...

"How can you be so excruciatingly beguiling? Honestly, I almost can't blame Sasha."

My smile faded.

"I'm sorry. Don't worry, I CAN blame him. I'm just lucky I have the advantages I do, or I would've blown it a long time ago myself." He sat up. "I'm torn between trying to be normal and fixing breakfast, or jumping right into all the things that seem to need to be talked about..."

"Reality. It doesn't take a vacation, does it?" I sat up now, and rested my head on my knees. "I suppose this is when I start having to deal with the consequences for my actions."

He laughed a little. "I'm not your parent, I'm not going to ground you or spank you!"

"What are you going to do, Mark?" I began to get worried. "Under these circumstances any normal man wouldn't be sleeping on my couch, let alone picking me up from the airport and carrying my bags and tucking me in!"

He leaned toward me and looked me in the eyes, "I'm not a normal man." We looked at each other for a moment and I tried to fathom what he could mean. It was very clear he was perfectly serious.

"You're amazing, Mark. I don't deserve you." I got up almost angrily. I grabbed my robe and slippers and went into the kitchen. He followed right behind and leaned against the counter next to me. I tried not to notice how adorable he looked in his striped flannel pajama bottoms and t-shirt.

"God doesn't base his blessings on merit." He said as he crossed his arms over his chest.

"So you're agreeing with me that I don't deserve you."

"Only by the same token that I don't deserve you."

I looked at him sarcastically.

He smiled. "I mean in a good way. I don't know many people who get to be adored the way you adore me..." he leaned closer. "I saw the way you were just looking!" he winked. "I knew you'd like these pajamas, I picked them out just for you because I knew you felt bad you didn't have anything for me last time..." He stood behind me and gave me a gentle hug and kissed my cheek, then let me go and walked to the living room to gather his clothes. "But I suppose this 'greek god' isn't playing fair, so I'll get dressed!"