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  “Why?” Mark looked interested. “What did happen?”

  “Later.” Jack leaned in. “Right now, I want to do something else.”

  He had been thinking nothing else but kissing Mark on the way back to the hospital. That had gone out of his head when he had seen the uninvited guest. But now she was gone, Jack could have what he wanted. Mark accepted the kiss with a sigh, and Jack was sure he was smiling.

  “You can do more of that when I get out of here.” Mark whispered against his mouth. “Although I might have to be on my back for a while. And you would have to have temporary control over rules in the bedroom.”

  “Have to have?” Jack started laughing. “You don’t want to relinquish that control, do you?”

  “Not really.”

  Jack kissed him again. It was things like that which made him love Mark. He nibbled on Mark’s lower lip before drawing by.

  “By the way, while I was getting Amber and the kids settled in your house, Christy asked if you and I were dating.”

  Mark blinked.

  “She what?”

  “Do they know about your sexuality?”

  “Never brought it up. It’s not exactly something I’m going to discuss with them at their age.” Mark swallowed. “Damn. Was she angry?”

  “Curious, if anything. She said she already knew you preferred guys as she had seen how we interacted in the past. She just assumed we were dating in secret because we didn’t want to upset her and Stevie.”

  Mark’s expression had been very much like Jack’s when she first said it. He hadn’t realized the two of them had been so obvious. Mark licked his lips.

  “What did you say to her?”

  “I couldn’t say anything immediately.” Jack grimaced. “I mean, it’s barely been twenty-four hours since you and I first got into bed. I know we discussed it, but I don’t know what’s set in stone.”

  Mark chuckled.

  “You don’t think what we said earlier about me wanting to be there for you if you needed me classified as official?”

  “It could be, but…”

  “No buts about it.” Mark grabbed Jack’s head and kissed him. “I’m in love with you, Jack. And I’d happily make this official for us, but only if you want it.”

  He loved him. Those words Jack had wanted to hear. That had Jack smiling. If Mark weren’t in bed recovering from surgery, Jack would have jumped him.

  “I like the sound of that. A lot.” He sniggered and nipped at Mark’s lower lip with his teeth. “I just hope you can cope with me. I am... Well, I do things big.”

  As he spoke, he took Mark’s hand and pressed it over his erection, which was straining hard against his zipper. Mark grinned.

  “I noticed. Although maybe not here. I don’t want us to get thrown out.”

  “Later, then?”

  “Oh, yeah.” Mark was still smiling as Jack’s lips brushed across his. “Definitely.”