Hired by the Single Dad (Single Dads of Seattle #1)

by Whitley Cox

  “Mine.”

  “For as long as you’ll have me.”

  She scrunched up her face and turned away from him in thought. “Hmmm … I’m going to have to think on that. This might just be a fling.”

  With a growl, he cupped her butt and powered them both up and out of the chair, falling on top of her on the couch. “Fling my incredibly puckered asshole,” he said into her neck. “It’s still terrified by that pegging comment a moment ago.”

  Her laugh made his shoulders relax and his heart swell. She poked a finger between the crease of his ass through his jeans. “You’re not even a touch curious?”

  Her giggle was infectious. His hand snaked up the hem of her tank top, and he cupped her breast. “Not even the slightest. Though I am curious about what your nipples taste like. It’s been fucking ages.” He shook like a junkie coming down from a high. “I’m going through withdrawals.” He fished a breast out of her bra and latched onto a nipple, sucking hard until it peaked inside his mouth, and she gasped and arched her back.

  Her hands threaded their way into his hair, and her fingers tugged until a dull but satisfying ache careened down his scalp and into his neck.

  “Things are going to be different this time,” he murmured, switching to the other breast. “I won’t fuck up like I did before.”

  “You’ll fuck up in different ways?”

  He pinched her nipple. She yelped.

  “Yes, I probably will. But I’ll need you to keep loving me anyway, just like I’ll keep loving you when you mess up.”

  “Oh, I never mess up.”

  He pinched her again. “Well, if you ever do, know I’ll never treat you the way I did before. Never speak to you like that ever again. I’ll keep loving you even through the hard stuff, even through the roadblocks and the storms.”

  Her lips fell to the top of his head. “Thank you.”

  He was about to take her top off completely when a knock at the door had them both pausing.

  “Do you think your sister or Mercedes forgot something?” he asked, leaning up on one elbow and gazing down at her.

  Her eyes were bright, and her face held a beautiful pink flush. She shook her head. “I don’t think so. Unless it was a forgotten phone, they’d both know to not come back until tomorrow.”

  He sat up so she could adjust her top and stand up. He followed her to the door. “It’s really fucking late. Who do you think it could be?” Tori peered through the peephole just as Mark pulled back the drapes of the big front window. “I don’t see a car.”

  “That’s because the motherfucker probably parked on the street,” she said, turning to face him. Fury now replaced the happiness that had just moments ago filled her eyes. “It’s Ken.”

  Oh, hell no.

  Mark gently pushed her out of the way and opened the door. “What the fuck do you want?”

  The look on the fucker’s face was priceless. He hadn’t been expecting Mark to open the door. Probably because his car wasn’t there. He’d been hoping to catch Tori alone. Had he waited until Isobel and Mercedes left? Mark wouldn’t put it past him. The man was pure trash.

  But Ken recovered quickly, and his mouth went from a surprised O to a sinister sneer. “I’m here to speak to Tori.”

  “She’s unavailable right now.”

  “Yeah? Too busy wiping your cum—”

  “I’m going to stop you right there, pal.” Mark’s fists bunched at his sides. It was all he could do not to haul off and knock the guy clear into next week. “What do you want? Because from now on you can deal with me or Tori’s lawyer, Liam Dixon, but you are no longer allowed to speak to or see Tori for any reason.”

  Ken snorted. “She’s got you fighting her battles now, does she?”

  “So what if she does? She’s capable of fighting them on her own, but now she doesn’t have to. She has me. We’re a team.”

  So far, Tori had remained hidden behind the door. Ken didn’t deserve to see her. Didn’t deserve to share the same space or air with such a strong, amazing woman. Mark did feel her hand on his back, though, felt her strength pouring into him.

  “I want my engagement ring back,” Ken said haughtily.

  Mark pinched his chin and tilted his head, squinting and making sure he looked down on Ken. He was a few inches taller than the weasel, but he wanted the man to think Mark towered over him. “Seems to me you gave her the engagement ring, and now it’s hers.”

  “And the marriage is over. So it’s mine now.”

  “Let’s let the lawyers decide that, shall we?”

  “She hit me! Did she tell you that? I could press charges for assault.”

  Mark began to close the door. He’d had more than enough of this douche to last a lifetime. “And your only witness to corroborate that claim is the five-year-old nonverbal autistic child you couldn’t be bothered to help Tori find after he ran away because of your rage issues. I’m sure the courts are going to love this story. Come at us, man. Come at us with your guns blazing, because we’re ready for you.” He closed the door even more. Ken’s hand landed on the side, and he tried to push it open. Mark leaned in close to the man’s ear. “If you ever touch her again, I will make sure you don’t have a pot to piss in when we’re through with you. I will destroy you. You hear me?”

  Ken’s gulp was so loud, Mark was sure Tori heard it too.

  But the man wasn’t going to go down without a fight. Ken pushed harder on the door. “I know you two are sleeping together. I could report you. It’s a conflict of interest.”

  Report them to whom?

  The man was a fucking tool.

  Mark rolled his eyes and shrugged, feigning indifference. Meanwhile, inside he was a volcano ready to erupt. “Go ahead, man. You fucked your hygienist. I’m not going to stand here and have a pissing match with you. So go away. Get a lawyer. Have a good night and don’t forget to go fuck yourself.” Then he slammed the door in Ken’s face, plastered his back against it and let out a long exhale.

  Tori’s big blue eyes blinked up at him. “I’m sorry.”

  “Holy fuck. How did you stay married to that monster for so long?”

  Her hand landed on his chest, and she stepped between his legs. “I have no idea. I drank the Kool-Aid.”

  “Kool-Aid is really bad for you.” He cupped her butt.

  “I know that now.” Her hands on his chest softened into a gentle caress, and she slowly peppered warm kisses up his neck. “I much prefer a malbec, aged, refined, mature. Something I can sip and savor, swirl around on my tongue and let slide silkily down my throat.”

  Mark groaned as her hand maneuvered between them and she cupped his growing erection. “I have a lot of malbec at home.”

  “Enough to keep me satisfied?” She hummed against his neck.

  “Enough to keep you satisfied for a lifetime.”

  She lifted her head and smiled, her eyes once again full of hope and joy. He never wanted to see them look any other way. “I think I can live with that.”

  Then he took her mouth with the same intensity and possessiveness that she took his heart: fierce, true and for fucking forever.

  Epilogue

  One year later …

  “Everything seems to be in order,” Liam said, sliding the document across the desk toward Tori. “Sign on the dotted line, and you are officially divorced. Mr. Snider will no longer be your husband. You will be free.” He grabbed a pen from the square wooden pen box on his desk and handed it to her.

  Tori took the pen from him and looked down at the divorce papers.

  Free.

  Free from Ken.

  Mark reached for her left hand and laced his fingers through hers. “You okay?”

  A small smile crept onto her face as she positioned the pen on the paper and signed her name. She dated it. Initialed where Liam had highlighted and then passed the papers back to her attorney. Only then did she turn to face Mark. “Never better.”

  Liam picked up the papers and tapped them o
n his glass-top desk twice to realign them. “Excellent. It’s such a wonderful feeling, isn’t it? To finally be rid of something so toxic in your life.”

  “Dude,” Mark warned.

  Liam threw his hands up in the air. “What? I’m just asking if she feels as good as I felt when I signed my divorce papers.”

  Tori’s eyes focused on Liam for a moment and then Mark. “It does feel wonderful. I thought it would be a melancholy thing, but I really do feel free. The man was pure poison, and the way he’s tried to paint me as the bad guy this whole time just proves it.”

  “I can’t believe he made it drag out so long,” Mark said, shaking his head. “Over a year of this bullshit.”

  Liam spun around in his chair and bent over, only to pop back up holding a bottle of prosecco and three flutes. “Bullshit’s over and done with. Shall we celebrate?”

  “Do you do this for all your clients?” Tori asked.

  “Only the ones I like,” he said with a grin before deploying the cork. “And only when I win big. Your ex hired a moron of an attorney. They had zero leg to stand on, and now Ken’s going to be out even more money in legal fees. He should have just accepted our offer to settle in the first place and not taken us to court.”

  “I don’t know what I ever saw in him,” Tori said. She thanked Liam for her flute of bubbly.

  “We all make mistakes,” Liam said. “Lucky for you, you hired the right lawyer to help you fix those mistakes.”

  “You’re not modest at all.” Mark chuckled.

  “Don’t have to be when I’m this good.”

  Mark rolled his eyes.

  “A toast?” Liam asked, lifting his glass.

  Tori nodded. “To … fixing our mistakes?”

  “To kick-ass lawyers?” Liam suggested.

  Tori laughed.

  “How about … to new beginnings,” Mark offered.

  Tori pinned her gaze on him, a small, knowing smile spreading across her face. “I love it.”

  “And I love you,” he said, leaning forward and kissing her on the cheek.

  “I like it.” Liam pushed his flute higher into the air. “To new beginnings.”

  “To new beginnings,” Tori and Mark said together.

  They all clinked glasses, smiling and laughing as they sipped the chilled and delicious prosecco.

  “So, what are your plans for the rest of the day … for the rest of your lives?” Liam asked, leaning back in his high-back leather chair and resting his feet on the top of his file cabinet. He looked like he should have a cigar in his other hand or, at the very least, a pipe.

  “Having a barbecue at the house this afternoon,” Mark said. “A little impromptu, but you’re welcome to pop by. I invited the guys and all the kids. Tori’s family is going to be there, my parents too.”

  Something passed between the two men, but it disappeared before Tori could decipher their wordless man-conversation.

  What was up?

  “Sounds good. I’ll bring Jordie. He’s just with my parents for a few hours, but he loves Gabe, so he’ll be excited to see him.”

  Tori and Mark both finished their wine, put their glasses on Liam’s desk and stood.

  Mark extended his hand over the desk and shook Liam’s hand. “Thanks so much, dude. We really appreciate you helping Tori out like this. Helping us out. Means a lot.”

  Liam was all smiles. “Anytime. I’m glad we could drag another cheating scumbag through the mud.”

  Tori winced. Liam really was jaded.

  Mark chuckled, though Tori could tell he was forcing it. “All right. We’ll see you later?”

  Liam’s head bobbed, his dark brown eyes full of mischief like they always were. “Count on it.” He wandered out from behind his desk, and he and Tori quickly embraced.

  She pecked him on the cheek. “Thank you, Liam … for everything.”

  This time his smile was far less cocky and mischievous. His eyes darted back and forth between Mark and Tori. Mark’s hand was on the small of her back, and she leaned affectionately into him. Something almost akin to longing passed across Liam’s face before he spoke. “I’m glad I could help. We all deserve to be happy. And if you two make each other happy, then I’m happy … and rich.” The cocky smile was back.

  Mark shook his head with a laugh. “Send the invoice to my accountant.” Pressure from his hand on Tori’s back made her turn with him to leave.

  “My secretary already sent it an hour ago,” Liam called back, as Mark and Tori made their way down the hallway toward the front doors.

  A few hours later, Mark and Tori’s house was filled with people. Yes, it was Tori’s house too. He wanted her in his life every day, all day, and every night, all night. Gabe had transitioned to Tori living with them more easily than any of them could have thought, and he was doing better than ever with his programs. He even started signing the word dad and was trying to say Dad but it came out more like “Da.”

  As much as Tori had to endure hellish moments in the last year, having a good woman in his life once again was like a dream for Mark. He finally had a woman who loved him and his son implicitly. And they loved her in return.

  Mark had wanted Tori to move in with him as soon as she’d finished her house-sitting gig, but she’d refused. Something that equal parts frustrated him and made him have the utmost respect for her.

  Her independence was paramount, and she didn’t think she would have it moving in with Mark so soon after her separation with Ken. She and Isobel found a place together, and for eight months Tori lived on her own with her sister. She also enrolled in an online business management class that she paid for with money she earned from her photography side-business. During the week, she worked for Mark, and on the weekends they dated. All as per their relationship and work agreement.

  But when the online course was finished, she agreed to move in with him, making Mark a very happy man because he finally had the woman he loved living with him. He finally had her in his life, his bed, his arms. So even though she was up at night fretting about her divorce, he was right there next to her, holding her hand, wiping her tears and letting her know that everything would be okay. Because it would be. They were together, they loved each other, and he was going to take care of her, help her achieve her goals no matter what.

  Liam had worked his magic, and now they were free. Free of Ken and his poisonous influence over their lives, free to truly enjoy their new life together, free to find their new beginning.

  And that’s just what Mark planned to do.

  “Can I have everyone’s attention, please?” Mark asked, using his big, stern doctor voice. The voice he generally reserved for when he’d reached his last nerve with Gabe or was tired of a resident or intern lipping it up to their attending.

  Murmurs around the big back yard slowly came to a halt, and all eyes focused on Mark. Tori was across the grass chatting with her mother and sister. She quirked an eyebrow at him. Her mesmerizing blue eyes focused on him and only him.

  Gabe was standing next to Mark, bouncing up and down in excitement. He had a box in his hand, and when Mark gave the all clear, Gabe knew what he had to do.

  Mark waited a few more moments until everyone was quiet. Then he tapped Gabe on the shoulder.

  The little boy leapt up into the air, then beelined it straight for Tori. She crouched down and welcomed him into her arms. He went willingly.

  Mark began to walk slowly toward them.

  “Victoria Mae Jones,” he began. She released Gabe, stood up again and watched Mark approach her. All eyes were on them, but she only had eyes for him.

  Mark only saw Tori.

  Tori and Gabe.

  His family.

  His future.

  “Victoria Mae Jones,” he repeated. “You came into our lives at the perfect time. Brought back the light and chased away the darkness. Gabe loves you. I love you, and we couldn’t imagine our world, our home, our lives or hearts without you.”

  Gabe handed her
the box. She took it from him just as Mark reached them. He got down on one knee.

  Gasps echoed around the yard.

  Gabe went to his father and stood next to him until Mark tugged on his arm, then the little boy dropped to one knee as well. They’d rehearsed this close to one hundred times over the last few weeks. Gabe was doing great.

  “Victoria, Tori … our Tori, I know your marriage to one man just ended, but … will you marry us?”

  Tori’s mouth opened, but no words came out.

  Gabe stepped forward and grabbed the box from her, holding it up and encouraging her to take it again. To open it.

  With a soft chuckle, she took it from him, her eyes full of love when she looked at Mark’s son. She opened the box, and her eyes went wide.

  Isobel and Mercedes had helped him pick out the ring.

  Gabe bounded back to stand next to Mark, his hands flapping at his sides. Mark grabbed his son’s hand and squeezed it. Now all they needed was Tori’s hand, and their family would be complete.

  She was still staring at the ring.

  “Tooori!” Gabe said, jumping on the spot, shaking his head and hands. “Toooooori!” He was all smiles as he flung himself back into her arms, nearly knocking her off her feet.

  She caught him, her eyes finally lifting up from the ring box to find Mark. The unshed tears made the sapphire blue sparkle.

  “We don’t have to do it right away. We can wait a while, six months, a year. Whatever you need. I just need you to know that we want you forever.”

  A tear bolted down her cheek, but she was all smiles.

  “Well?” Mark probed. “What do you say? You feel like making the day, the week, the month, the year, the life of a couple of guys who love you?”

  She took the half step there was between them and reached for his hand, helping him rise to his feet. Gabe clung to both their legs, bouncing up and down and humming.

  Her arms floated up and rested on his shoulders. “Nothing would make me happier.”