Free The Pineview Incident by Kayla Griffith Page B

John and I really had been in love forever, and he and I fit each other, like two pieces of a puzzle. I’ve known you all along, too, so loving you just feels right, like it did with John, but I’m not the same puzzle piece so it also feels different.” Donna moaned and shrugged apologetically. “I’m not sure that makes any sense.”
    Mark pulled her into a long hug. She relaxed as his warmth spread to her on the cool autumn evening. His deep voice rumbled through his chest. “That makes perfect sense. And yeah, this does feel like a forever thing.”
    “Mark Lewis, did you just hint at something permanent?” Her voice was teasing, but her words were not.
    He laughed. “You’ve always been the only permanent thing in my life. Well, you and men’s hair.”
    “Glad to know where I stand.”
    “Yep, right up there with shaving cream.” He released Donna and led her back toward the truck. “We’d better get back. So, what should we tell Rob and the rest of the town?”
    “We could start with the truth about us. Then we can tell Rob we’re ready to go up and talk to the Gilbertson family. I think it’s time we put this whole charade to rest.”
    “The whole thing?”
    “Every last bit of it.” Donna wanted nothing more than to get on with a life that included Mark and excluded strange black vans and even stranger sheep.
    “I’ll tell them we’ll report to them Saturday night. Let’s enjoy our secret until then.”
    Mark wrapped his arm around Donna’s shoulder and held on tight as they made their way to his truck. Donna wished the moment, the feeling of his arm, and the feeling in her heart could last forever.

 
    Chapter 10
     
    “Well?” asked Mark.
    Donna didn't move. She simply stood and stared at the thing with her mouth agape.
    Mark cleared his throat again, but she didn't budge.
    “You okay?” He waved his hand in front of her face.
    “Uh-huh.”
    “You sure about that?”
    She peeled her eyes off the sofa and looked at him.
    “I… I just don't know what to say,” she stammered. “It’s beautiful. I've wanted a couch like this one for so long, but I never thought I'd be able to afford it. How on earth did you know?”
    His grin grew until it felt like it might break his face.
    “It looked like you,” he began and then realized that saying she looked like a large piece of furniture might not be smart. “I mean, it looked like it should belong to you.”
    She launched herself at him, throwing her arms around him in a tight hug.
    He stood for a minute, too shocked to move.
    “You are supposed to hug back,” Donna said with a chuckle.
    Mark still wasn't used to her easy and open affection. He put his arms around her and held on tight. Her lips found his, and for a moment he was again consumed with her.
    The sofa thing was working out better than he thought.
    After a minute or so, Donna pulled back and grabbed his hand. She walked him over to the sofa and sat with a flourish, pulling him down beside her.
    It was quite comfortable, especially compared to the creaky old one that had just been here. And it smelled a lot better, too.
    “Thank you.” Donna squeezed his hand, and Mark smiled again. She sat by him, her fingers entwined with his and the other hand stroking the arm of the sofa. She didn’t speak but the smile on her face and closeness of her body were enough to fill the silence and make Mark feel at home. He took a deep breath. This was exactly how he pictured it would be.
    After a few minutes, he mumbled, “Um,” and Donna looked at him expectantly.
    “I bought a recliner at the same time. They kinda match,” he said.
    Donna looked around the small living room and chewed her lip. “I don't think it would fit in here.”
    “That's a pity, because they go together well.” Mark looked at her and took another deep breath. It was now or never. “I know there isn't enough room here, and there's even less at my place,” he began, “but there's plenty of room for both of