The Undertaker's Embrace 20

HERE'S THE SCENE YA'LL HAVE BEEN WAITING ON . . .
I HOPE IT MEETS WITH YOU APPROVAL . . .LOL

I took a deep breath, tears instantly coming to my eyes at the endearment. I’d honestly thought I’d never hear from him again. And as much as it had hurt, that was how I’d wanted it after what he’d said. I felt Dave’s fingers squeezing gently at my waist, reassuring me.

“Do you want to go in Dory? You don’t have to talk to him if you don’t want to,” Dave said quietly. He didn’t know what the problem was but he was prepared to stand by me. I really didn’t deserve such a good friend. I leaned against him for a minute, getting my bearings. God, I really wished I hadn’t had so much to drink now. It was all threatening to come right back up. Wouldn’t that serve him right—if I just urped all over him? Mark, not Dave. Taking a deep breath I let go of Dave and turned around to face Mark.

“What do you want Mark? I found the stuff you’d left here and I sent it back with Glenn.” I shook my head wearily at the hand he held out to me. “No.” I just let the simple answer hang there. There really wasn’t anything else I wanted to say to him.

I watched Mark’s eyes glint in the darkness, his gaze flickering over Dave who still stood behind me. “Why don’t you get rid of your—friend—and we’ll talk.”

“We’ve got nothing more to say. Just leave. I don’t want you here.” It just about tore my heart out to say those words but I did it. Damn him for doing this to me! I felt my chest start to hurt and wanted so badly to lean into Dave’s warmth at my back. But I refused. I was going to stand on my own two feet and confront him. I’d run the last time, he was the one that was going to leave this time.

Mark stood up and came towards us. The moon came out from behind a cloud and lit the scene with an eery glow. He projected menace, it oozed from every pore. He wanted to intimidate, he’d planned to intimidate. And he was damn good at it. He’d left his hair loose, the long strands flowing on his shoulders. I wanted to reach out and thread my fingers through it. My fingers itched with the need to feel its softness. Damn him for showing up and reminding me of all these things. He stood there silently staring at me, silently commanding me to do what he’d said.

“I think it’s time for you to leave, boy.” Mark growled, his voice fairly rumbling from his chest as he took another step towards us, towards Dave.

I took a step closer to Dave, putting myself between them. This wasn’t Dave’s problem. He had done nothing but be a good friend and let me get drunk and take care of me. He wasn’t going to get beat up for the effort.

“Back off Mark. Why don’t you go on back to the WWE? I’m sure you’ve got storylines to work on and plans to hatch. After all, Wrestle Mania is close right?”

I hated the bitterness in my voice, hated letting him see how much it bothered me but I couldn’t help it. I couldn’t hold it in.

“Tell lover boy there to get his hands off you. I won’t ask again.”

Mark nodded to where Dave’s fingers rested lightly at my waist. It had merely been a friendly gesture on Dave’s part, something he’d been doing all night to help me keep my balance. I’m sure he hadn’t even realized he was doing it. I hadn’t. I felt Dave start to move his hands and quickly slapped my hands over his, holding them tightly to my hips. I stared at Mark defiantly, begging him to say something. Dave stood silently behind me, just letting me play the scene however I wanted. God he was such a good friend. Who else did I know who’d be willing to get his teeth shoved down his throat because I wanted to make a point?

“Dory, what are you doing with this jerk?” Mark shook his head and looked at me, glaring hatefully at the hands on my hips. “Get. Rid. Of. Him.”

I sighed and dropped my hands, taking a step closer to Mark. I felt Dave hesitate before he dropped his hands. I prayed my knees wouldn’t buckle and the alcohol would stay down for just a few more minutes. I promised myself I’d go puke just as soon as I get rid of Mark and Dave. I promise.

“You know Mark I really didn’t want to do this in front of Dave.” I laughed without any amusement and ran a shaky hand through my hair. Hell, maybe it wasn’t the alcohol, maybe it was just being around Mark again.

“Hell, I didn’t want to do this at all but you just won’t let it go. Oh, no, not you. So you want to know what I’m doing? Well it’s none of your damn business Mark. How’d ya like that? It’s none of your damn business. Just go home.”

I heard Mark draw in a breath, heard it hiss out between his clenched teeth. “You are my business.”

I looked at him, wanting so badly to believe there was a hint of apology, of sorrow in his eyes but I was just kidding myself. I narrowed my eyes and scanned him from head to toe. “Don’t tell me your ring rats are already boring you?” I laughed wickedly and turned to Dave, putting my arm through his. Dave simply stood still waiting to see what was going to happen. It was humiliating to have him there, to have him hear everything but to hell with it. Mark wanted a fight, he’d get a fight. “Why did you come running back to me? Hell, you don’t even know how good a lay I might be remember?” I looked over at Dave and saw the shock on his face that he quickly hid. I felt the muscles in his arms tense. That was why I’d wrapped my arm around him. I knew Dave. He was protective. I didn’t want him involved anymore than he had to be. “Wasn’t that what you told me Mark?” I reached up and tapped my finger against my lips, as if lost in thought. “I believe your exact words were—‘You might be passionate, you might be a good lay but not that good?”

Dave tried to start towards Mark. I’d known that was how he’d react. That’s why I hadn’t wanted to have this conversation in front of him but damned if I’d been going to send him away after Mark demanded it. I quickly wrapped my arm around Dave and linked my fingers with his.

“Let it go Dave.” Looking up at him I smiled before glancing back at Mark. “He just isn’t worth it.”

“Damn it Dory if he doesn’t get his hands off you I’m going to remove them for him. We’ve had this discussion before. I. Do. Not. Share.”

I swallowed quickly, hating the emotions that were battling to the front. I was not going to cry in front of him, I was not going to let him see how upset he was making me.

“Yeah, I know we did Mark. But don’t worry about it—you can’t share what’s not yours.”

I heard him suck in his breath and felt guilty as hell for the triumph I felt at the direct hit. He deserved it. I kept repeating that to myself.

“Dory, we had an argument. That’s all. I said some things, you said some things—it’s over. We just need to be together and work it out. Without loverboy.” Mark glared at Dave over my head.

I could feel the heat in his look, could feel the hatred come from him in waves. It’s a wonder it didn’t bring Dave to his knees. Not very many people could stand up to Mark. Feeling a cramp in my fingers I looked down and saw that I’d made crescent shapes in Dave’s arm where my nails had dug in during my conversation with Mark. Well maybe Dave was just too attached to his arm to run.

Mark looked at her standing there, her arm wrapped around that bouncer and rage boiled inside him. How dare he have his hands on her? She belonged to him. She was his. God damn it he’d made a mess of things. And he wasn’t making it any better now. He’d finished the Raw show and caught the first flight here so they could have time to make up. She’d refused all of his phone calls, she wouldn’t even talk to Glenn. After five unproductive phone calls, Mark had swallowed his pride and asked Glenn to call. When she’d refused them both there had only been one thing he could do. Show up in person.

They were going to play the injury angle up. And as far as everyone knew—he was injured. Even Vince believed it. Glenn and Tony were the only ones who knew that he and Glenn had planned and waited for just this opportunity. They were going to be off Smackdown and Wrestle Mania was this Sunday. Big Show and Brock would get what was coming to them. Even during all this, all the planning that had went into Wrestle Mania, Dory had been on his mind. He’d done everything he could to speed things along. Now he had four days to convince her to give him a second chance.

Just from the look on her face when she’d turned to look at him tonight had assured him that she’d hadn’t forgotten . . .or forgiven what he’d said. He really couldn’t blame her. But he could damn well blame that jerk for touching her. He’d known it. He’d know that bouncer wanted her. And just as soon as his back was turned he’d made a move on her and she’d fallen right into his arms. Damn them both.

I looked at Mark. He really thought he could sweep in here and with a few simple words everything would be fine. I laughed out loud with real amusement for the first time all night. I laughed until I had to lean against Dave to stay upright. He casually slipped his arm around my waist and looked down at me with a grin. Poor man. He had no idea what I was laughing at but he was simply glad it wasn’t him. We shared a grin.

I heard a growl and looked over just in time to see Mark coming towards us. I opened my mouth to warn Dave. I could see Mark’s intentions in his eyes, in the fist curled so tightly at his side. Dave barely had enough time to let go of me, shoving me to the side safely before Mark was on top of him.

I landed in an ignominious heap in the grass and watched stunned as they went at it. To give him credit Dave held his own for a minute. But Mark outweighed him, stood taller and was just plain pissed off. Dave was too before long. I heard the horrifying crunch of bone against bone and saw the blood gush from Dave’s nose. It was probably broken. Dave just grunted and threw another punch at Mark’s jaw. I hate to admit that I liked the satisfying thud it made when he connected. If I couldn’t get my pound of flesh from him, the next best thing would be to watch while Dave did it.

I watched safely from the sidelines until the battle became grossly uneven. Mark was barely giving Dave a chance to stand up before he was knocking him back down. The solid thud of flesh on flesh was making me begin to feel sick to my stomach. I should have stopped this fight before it started. I shouldn’t have let Dave get hurt. Trying to assure myself I wouldn’t have let things go so far if I hadn’t been so hurt myself, if I hadn’t been so drunk. I only half believed me. Getting my wobbly knees to support me I lurched unsteadily to my feet, finally ready to put a stop to this.

“Mark!” He ignored me and drew his arm back again. “Mark!” I screamed his name again and he never even flicked me a look. I looked around a little desperately as he hit Dave. Dave lay on the ground now and Mark was reaching down to haul him to his feet again when I spotted the garden hose. It was laying just a few feet away, still hooked to the house from where I’d washed my car the other day. Stumbling to my feet, I took the few steps to the house and turned the spout, hearing the water gush into the hose.

Leaning down to pick up the nozzle, I almost fell on my head. A wave of dizziness caused me to lean against the house, taking a few deep breaths. Damn I really wished I hadn’t drank so much. Next thing you know I’d be heading into the bushes to urp everything back up. Hearing Dave swear and Mark grunt I jerked my head up. The positions were reversed now. Dave had hit Mark right up side the head, the same place he had stitches from earlier. Blood immediately gushed down the side of his face. God, it was getting ugly. Quickly grabbing the nozzle I walked over to the two men. I gave them one last chance.

“You better quit now. Please, quit.” I barely whispered the words. Somewhere between my disgust at my own behavior and my worry over them, I’d decided this was the perfect revenge.

I smiled as I looked at Mark. For a minute he met my eyes and he could see what I was going to do. He was already shaking his head no when I pressed the nozzle and hit him full in the chest with a blast of cold water. The blast wasn’t powerful but the shock of the cold water caused him to take a couple of steps back. Dave dropped to the ground, breathing heavy and trying not to laugh. He used one hand to hold part of his torn shirt to his nose. His free hand he held up to me, warding me off, asking silently to be spared. I just grinned at him. Dave hadn’t started it and I wasn’t mad at him. I kept the spray steady on Mark, raking him from head to toe. Every time he started to speak I gave him a mouthful of water. I was thoroughly enjoying myself.

By the time I finally turned the spray off, Mark was standing there in the yard, dripping wet. He didn’t look mad, he didn’t look upset. He was just looking at me, a question in his eyes. I looked at him for the longest time, held his gaze before I gave him an answer. Finally I simply nodded my head and turned away to turn the water off.

Walking back over I reached down to help Dave up but he waved me away and got to his feet. “Oh, Dave, I am so sorry. He shouldn’t have hit you like that. I—”

“Don’t apologize for me, Dory. I’m not sorry. He deserved it.” Mark stood stiffly to the side, water running off him. Dory had soaked him good. “He was touching you. He had his hands all over you.”

I stood up and turned to face Mark. I had to laugh at the spectacle he made. “He had his hands all over me? Mark, he was all that was holding me up.”

I stood there and threw my head back, laughing like a lunatic. Spraying him with the water had had a cleansing affect, it was as if it had washed away my bitterness, my anger at him. It left me feeling clean, like I could listen to him without having the hurt burst forth, without breaking down in tears like a baby. God I felt better after one simple childish act than I had after drinking all the beer I could hold.

I looked down at Dave and felt a wave of guilt sweep over me. “Dave, are you ok?”

He smiled at me despite the bruise already forming on the left side of his face. Getting to his feet he kept a wary eye on Mark. “I’ll be fine Dory. It’s not the first black eye I’ve had.” Looking angrily at Mark he added, “It’s not the first broken nose either. Won’t be the last I’m sure.”

“You’re right about that. You touch her again and I’ll break another bone in your body,” Mark delivered the threat quietly, matter of factly.

Dave took a step towards him and Mark just grinned despite the blood that was still trickling down the side of his face. His entire stance just begged Dave to keep coming.

“Don’t make me turn the hose on you again.” Mark lost his grin. Dave laughed out loud. “Both of you,” I added. Both men turned to look at me warily. I sighed. I had much more pressing problems than two men who wanted to act like little boys fighting over the same toy. I still had to pee.

I walked over to Dave and reached up to kiss his cheek. I heard Mark growl low in his chest behind me but ignored him. “Are you able to get home Dave? Or do you need to stay here?”

“He’s not staying here.”

I ignored Mark, concentrating on Dave instead. “Dave?”

Dave looked from me to Mark and back again. He finally met my eyes. “I’m fine. He busted my nose and that’s about it.” He turned to glare at Mark. “But I WILL stay if you need me.”

I smiled gently at him, loving him for the friend that he was. No matter what Mark threatened to do, Dave would stay if I asked him to. I shook my head. I needed to work this out with Mark, once and for all. We were either going to work it out or forget about it all together. “It’s ok Dave. I’ll be fine. You go ahead on home and put some ice on that eye. You can tell Steve that you got fresh and I did it when you go in to work tomorrow.”

Dave looked at me for the longest time before reaching out and hugging me. “You call if you need me, sweetheart. I’ll be here.” With a final glare at the grinning Mark he turned towards his truck. He opened the door and climbed up in the cab. Rolling the window down he slowly leaned out and grinned. “I’ll tell Steve that very thing, sweetheart. He’ll believe it too.” He winked before turning the truck around and starting down the drive.

I stood and watched until his truck disappeared. Slowly, so slowly I turned around to face Mark. There would be no more pretending, no more furious words flying back and forth. It was time to talk.

“You ready to talk to me darlin’?”

I met Mark’s dark eyes, the green almost black in this light. I felt a shiver go down my spine, my heart racing. Not from fear, no, I knew he would never hurt me physically. No, this fear was much worse. I was putting my heart back out there. And he’d already stepped all over it once. He could very well do it again.

“Don’t start thinking too deep on me darlin’. Listen to me first.” He held her gaze, sensing her hesitation now that she was alone with him. “Please.”

I turned away and started for the house, throwing over my shoulder. “You might as well come in and get dried off.”

Muttering to himself Mark started after her. “I’ve never had a more gracious offer.”

I stopped on the top step and turned to face him. “What did you say?”

Jerking his head up, Mark met her eyes and smiled innocently. “I said thanks for the invitation.” He held her suspicious eyes, held his breath until she finally turned and went on up the steps. While she fumbled to get the lock to click, he reached down and picked up what he’d left on the steps. Standing straight he followed her up the steps, grimacing as his boots squished with water. Damn, these were his favorite boots too.

“You want something to drink?”

I could feel him following me through the hall. I could hear the wet squish of his boots with every step and had to smile. That had been fun. I wouldn’t feel guilty about ruining his boots either. He’d deserved it. I put my purse on the bar and walked towards the refrigerator, not looking back at him.

“Sure.”

“What do you want?”

“Anything but water.”

I jerked upright but didn’t turn around to face him. Instead, I grabbed a bottle of beer and turned to twist the cap off before setting it on the table for him. I walked towards the laundry room off to the side.

“Let me grab you a couple of towels.”

Mark watched her walk quickly away from him before walking towards the table. Sitting down he gingerly pulled off his boots and socks. Next came his shirt. He was really chilled now that the excitement was over, that his rage at that bouncer had passed. He was going to have trouble getting this out if his teeth were chattering. And he had to get the words out, had to find the right words to make her believe him, to make her forgive him.

I walked back into the room and stopped dead in my tracks, the two towels I held dropped silently to the floor. My God the man looked good without a shirt on. His back was rippled with muscles stretching along his broad shoulders, big tattooed arms hanging loosely at his sides. I watched as drips of water slipped from his hair and ran down his back. I was reaching for him before I even realized it, licking my lips. Seeing the shiver shake his broad frame I felt guilt stab my conscience. I leaned down and grabbed the towels from the floor and cleared my throat. He turned around to look at me and I quickly dropped my eyes. All he’d have to do is look at me and he’d know he didn’t have to apologize. Geez, if he’d just stand there and let me stare at him a few more minutes I probably wouldn’t even remember to be mad at all. Crossing to his side I thrust the towels into his lap before going around the table to sit opposite him. Keeping the table between us would be the best idea.

Mark looked over at her framed in the doorway. He saw the rose color run up her cheeks and smiled to himself. She might be denying it, her mind might be fighting it, but her body still responded to him. It was a start. She crossed the room and tossed a couple of towels in his lap. Looking down at the fluffy pink towels he fought a scowl. Damn, she was definitely not over being mad yet. He did not usually use baby pink towels.

“Thanks,” he said gruffly, picking one up gingerly and starting to dry his dripping hair. He found it a lot easier to use the pink towel if he closed his eyes. He sighed, buying some time before he had to start his apology.

I watched his large hands rubbing his hair dry and had to bite my tongue. There was nothing I wanted more than to do that for him. Take that towel and gently rub those silky locks dry, to pull my fingers through them and watch the color change as it dried. The view from the front was just as bad as it was from the back. His chest was sculpted and tattooed, his nipples pebbled from the cold. His muscles moved and contracted as he dried his hair. Water droplets slowly meandered down the peaks and valleys of his chest. God, I wanted a drink. A drink of water was really appealing to me right now. Licking my lips and swallowing dryly I finally looked into his face. His eyes were locked on mine. The heat burning in the green depths should have dried him on the spot. Numbly I shook my head, denying the feelings still arching back and forth between us. He didn’t move, just kept rubbing his hair and moved the towel down over his chest. He didn’t drop his eyes from mine.

I was getting hot. What did I leave that thermostat sitting on? 100 degrees? Rubbing a hand upside my face I glanced down at the kitchen table and noticed for the first time what was laying there.

“What’s with this Mark?” I flicked one finger against the one of the tiny rosebuds that lay there.

Without taking his eyes off her he answered. “An apology. Part of it.” Wrapping the towel around his neck he leaned forward, reaching across the table for her hand. When she jerked away from him he grit his teeth, biting back a curse. “I figured yellow roses were your favorite. Right?” He smiled at her and settled back on his side of the table, determined to giver her the space she wanted. For now.

“How did you know?” We’d never talked about this, how could he know? It was probably just a lucky guess.

Mark looked at her and debated whether or not to tell her the truth. Might as well. He smiled at her, “Well, you do have a tattoo of one.”

He watched as she frowned. “Yes, but that’s on my . . . How--when . . . ?” He almost laughed out loud as the color came back into her face. He could see her mind working frantically trying to think of how and when he could have seen that tattoo, especially considering where it was. She opened her mouth a couple of times but nothing came out. He finally took pity on her.

“It was that morning after we spent the night together. When we were on the sofa and. . . ”

“Yes, I remember what we were doing. Never mind how or when. Yes that is my favorite flowers. Thank you.” I jumped up from the table and hunted through the cabinets for a vase, anything to get away from his scrutiny. Finally I found one under the sink and stood up to put water in it, finally feeling my face begin to cool. I didn’t want to think of that morning we’d spent together. I didn’t want to think about those touches, those kisses, the heat, the passion. Well, I was doing a damn good job of thinking of it considering I didn’t want to think of it, now wasn’t I? Shaking my head, I filled the vase and quickly arranged the flowers, leaving them on the counter. I turned back to the table and sat down.

“Mark, you know that flowers aren’t what I want. It was a nice gesture, the flowers are beautiful. But that’s not what was wrong.”

Mark opened his mouth to argue but I held up my hand. “I don’t need expensive flowers every time we argue or have a fight. That’s not what this is about.”

Mark swallowed quickly. This was the first bit of hope he’d had all night. She’d said every time they argue—like this was just the first of many arguments they’d make up for. It was if he had any say in it.

“Dory, darlin’, I know that. The flowers were merely a token, just a peace offering.” He swallowed almost audibly. “I know that what I said was unforgivable, completely undeserving of you. I let my temper get the best of me, I let my hurt get the best of me.” Looking up he had to be honest. “I let my mouth run ahead of my brain and I’m afraid it’s going to cost me the most important thing in my life.”

I felt tears start at the back of my eyes and I tried to swallow the knot in the back of my throat. I kept trying to tell myself they were words, just words. But what they did to my heart.

Reaching across the table Mark carefully folded her hand in his. It was a good sign when she left it there. He squeezed it gently.

“And the candy Mark? Flowers and candy? I feel like I’m living a cliché.” I sniffed, trying to make a joke so I didn’t start crying at his words. I watched as Mark grinned sheepishly and pushed the bag towards me.

“Sweetheart, after what I said to you I was afraid Hershey kisses were the only kind of kisses you’d accept from me.” After a hard look he added, “And I wasn’t sure you’d even accept those.”

“Oh, Mark.”

I felt like a watering pot. If he wasn’t saying something sweet, he was doing something sweet. Oh the man had definitely come to grovel. And damned if he wasn’t good at it too. I’d planned on being mad at him for a good long time, maybe never forgiving him. And with some flowers and candy I was ready to melt all over him.

Mark squeezed her hands, glad it was going so well. At least so far. She’d accepted the flowers and the candy. “I didn’t think you would want something expensive but I can buy you anything you want.” He looked up to see her shaking her head, assuring him he’d been right in his game plan. “The flowers were just to let you know that I notice everything about you. I love the little details as much as the whole picture. The candy was just to make you smile. It seems I usually have just the opposite effect lately.”

Clearing his throat Mark continued, “I want us to work this out darlin’. What I said, well I’d kill anyone else who would have said that to you. It’s not what I really think, not what I really feel.” Sitting back he released her hands running one of his impatiently through his hair. This was harder than he’d thought it would be. He was no good at baring his soul, telling her what he felt. Looking at her sitting so small across from him he felt his heart give a little catch. He could either talk to her now . . . or lose her forever. He began again. “I wanted you with me. Unfortunately, I’m not usually denied what I want. When I am, well, you saw that it’s not pretty. I get mean and ugly. I say things I don’t mean.”

Scooting his chair back he got to his feet, crossing the few feet that separated them. Dropping to his knees in front of her, he picked up her hand. Holding her eyes, he placed a gentle kiss in the center of her palm, once, twice, before placing her hand against the bare skin of his chest. “I hurt the one person I care the most about. I’m on my knees, I’ll even beg if you want me to. Will you forgive me?”

I looked into his eyes, so close to my own, and blinked back tears. I could feel his heart pounding hard beneath my palm, could feel the coolness of his skin against my own. But most of all I could see the honest regret in his eyes.