"Naked, now. Can that be a request?" He reached for her hand, biting his lower lip as he pulled it away. Mark crawled back on his knees and shifted until he was sitting in between her knees. He stretched away from her to snag his phone, still biting his lower lip when he looked at her. His blue eyes had mischief and sex in them and though she hadn't given him a stroking, it was morning so the standard salute of interest was there. That was about to get a bit more genuine if she was as ready as she had implied moments before.

She'd been on the verge of exactly that when he pulled her hand away, and at first it surprised her. The look in his eyes, the way he caught his lip in his teeth, these were her clues and a little nervous flutter of anticipation woke up in her belly. Even so, the girl nodded, and as he scooted towards the end of the bed -- well, as far towards the end of the bed as Grace's knees really reached--the girl sat up.

Grace was small enough that she could sit fully upright on the bed palette in absolutely no danger of bumping her head on the ceiling above, unlike her lover who perpetually had to bend and crouch. She tucked her arms into the sleeves of the t-shirt she was wearing - one of Mark's, of course -- and once she had them retracted against her ribs, she fit delicate little hands under the hem of that shirt and lifted her arms, pulling it all the way off in one smooth gesture. Her hair -freshly dyed yesterday for just this occasion- caught in the neck loop of the shirt and spilled like a waterfall down her back and around her shoulders as it finally pulled free.

Setting the shirt aside, the little dancers tilted her body back, balancing on her elbows as she wedged her thumbs into the little straps of her panties - these were purple. Lifting herself onto her elbows for a moment, she slipped the flimsy fabric down off her hips and then maneuvered them the rest of the way off, offering them out to him on the hook of one extended finger - for his wall counter, of course.

Her body wriggled jist tha way he liked. Little bit o' back arch tah toss his shirt offa that figure. He watched it moved over her like a sheet and din disappear off tah the side, leavin' behind her petite figure sittin comfortable on his bed. Now tha opportunity fer him was there.

Without the shirt, he was using his phone to catch images of her as the panties slid off and towards him. Jist about wordless fer it, tah. Whut was there tah say about it? His gaze followed tha motion o' her hands and was even helpful when gettin' around him was part o' whut she need him tah do. His left hand nudged her knees and he paused, jist then, tah get a pic o her spread tah him like that, panties hooked on a finger and looking at him tha way she were. His gaze were practically pleadin' fer her tah let him have the shot.

From their very first little flirtation at the camp fire, Mark had a way of making her feel both totally vulnerable and totally safe at once. It was something in the way he made it perfectly clear what he wanted and at the same time there was an almost bashful boyishness to him, like he never quite expected to actually get what he wanted.

Grace, for her part, had found even just the prospect of denying him virtually impossible even then; she certainly couldn't be counted on to do it now.

She'd been aware of the cellphone as she undressed, but she'd been ignoring it as best she could and tried to just move naturally. In that moment, though, her gaze locked first on him, her chin dropping in a slight nod, and then focused directly on the camera lens.
One. Two. Threefourfive. Tha phone were on silent sah there weren't nah real clicking to count off the pictures as he took them. Catching that moment of her paused with tha panties and looking at him. Demure little nod as it were fer him. Layin' right there for him, as she was, in his bed. Legs spread tah him and yet tha offer still came off as coy. Mehbe cause it were her and tha look on her face was still maybe a bit subtle and worried.

After getting a few pictures, he crawled down ovah tah her, kissin' that inside of her thigh before sittin' back up on his knees and smilin' down fer her, "Yah sah sexy, yah know?"

Grace shivered as his mouth found her skin, her knees parting that much more. It was a curious feeling, being this open and exposed for another person. It reminded her of that first night when he'd actually crawled through her window, the way he'd undressed her while remaining mostly clothed himself, the way he'd kissed her much as he was kissing her now. Only then he'd been trying to make her answer questions, too.

There it was again, that strange mix of vulnerable and comfortable, the intimacy of the moment that suddenly seemed so magnified. The brilliant green ponds of her eyes rippled with a mix of emotions, her back arching subtly with a soft little gasp when his tongue pushed her open.

As he sat back again, and Grace let her head fall back with a little laugh, shaking it once before she lifted it to meet his gaze once more. "So perfectly sweet and still so evil," she said in a whisper thick with the syllables of her heritage. "M'glad you think so."

"Sah evil?" He kissed her bent knee and then moved forward, elbows planting on tha bed tah either side o' her, expression softened up fer her jist a bit before he pressed his lips tah the side of her neck, p tah her cheek and din her lips, "Naht sah evil now, am I? And dun a man get tah be a little ways evil on his birthday?" Yeah, seemed tha he were gonna milk that fer all it was worth. The warmth of her body a great brush up tah his own, the morning haze still ovah everything.

"Yah got any wishes o' yer own fer tahday, love?" Sure it were his birthday, but that didn't mean it always had tah mean that everything were about him.

"Still pretty evil," insisted Grace, her fingers skimming over his ribs to his back as the gypsy king moved over her. She tipped her head back to give him better access even as she squirmed underneath him. "But yes. Y'get a pass today." And every other day, for that matter, but she wasn't going to go announcing that. Squeezing his sides lightly with her knees, the tiny dancer shook her head. "All I want is for you to have a good day." Mark hadn't told her the detailed particulars of why his last few birthdays had put him off them altogether, but whatever it was couldn't have been good. Grace was determined to fix that.

Her squirmin' only encouraged him. It caused him to lean further intah her, the weight o' his body comin' tah rest more on her. In tha morning everythin' had a way o' smellin' and feeling good. Maybe that was jist hormones or haze that sleepiness put on tha world, but as one o' his hands tracked from her knee to her rear, her skin was like a gently warmed silk. It was in this moment, looming sah close tah her as he was, that he felt how delicate her frame were compared tah his.

"Bein' with yah usually mean tha day turns out pretty good," said against the side of her neck befer he grinned, "I think I wanna eat my strawberry shortcake offa yah."

His hands on her body felt amazing, even simple, seemingly innocuous things like that glide of his palm over her thigh. They always did, but there was definitely something about morning, about this morning in particular. Maybe it was that it was his birthday, or the pictures, or both. Whatever it was, Grace shivered pleasantly, squeezed her bent leg into his side even more.

A smile draped her face at his words, her fingers working their way up his spine back to his shoulders. It seemed that food and sex and Grace were always going to be tangled up together in Mark's mind, and the girl immediately thought of that one morning they'd managed to order breakfast and still hadn't really actually eaten any of it - she'd wondered then if they would ever eat breakfast together like normal people.

It was true, though. Tha struggle to be with her and tha need to eat was a difficult one. Hard tah put the one befer her, even when he was hungry. The best he could do, then, was tah have 'em both at tha same time. Her fingers found a place ovah his BARLOW tattoo on tha shoulders, workin' her way intah the family name even more than she had already.

"It's nice tah jist be back home.?

Grace's answering laugh was essentially soundless, an echo of a giggle more so than an actual, real one. She said nothing, though, accepting that forehead kiss as she nuzzled lightly into his jaw. She considered the matter settled as a 'no', then: getting up to bother with the shower was the same as getting up to make pancakes -- it still required her to be upright with her eyes open, and that was precisely what the girl was trying to avoid.

Curling her fingers into his ribs, the tiny stylist was looking small and fragile again, most of her frame draped across him in a way that made it abundantly apparent just how little 'little' got. The leg that was still on the mattress ended somewhere just past his knee, she had her torso twisted across him to wrap that arm all the way around his chest. Mark's girl was pixie sized, an elfin fae like creature whose substance seemed to dissipate when her larger than life personality wasn't totally animated.

She was just considering drifting off in earnest when he squeezed her, issued that big sigh, said what he did. This time both eyes flashed open, processing what it was he was really saying. "Really, now?"

He woulda called her 'fun sized' iffin she asked him about it. Well, mehbe jist called her that in his head. His little fun sized candy bar. Fun sized Snickers. The thought had him chuckling a little tah himself. She was all ovah him and he liked tha way she jist hung ovah him with all tha ease in the world. Nevah thought he woulda gotten somethin' like dis. Naht after everythin'. Befer her sex jist startin' tah feel like a thin' that happened and like tha girls was jist goin' through a Mark phase they gotta work outta der system. Naht something dat felt right, that felt like it was really there, like whut he got with Grace.

When she perked up at his words sinkin' in tah her, he smiled at her and nodded, "Yeah, it's easier tah move to yours than do a Spring Cleanin' o this one." Tha grin followed.

Grace hadn't brought the question of where to move in together up at all since their first discussion. Mark was a man who weighed decisions carefully, and she'd gotten the impression from their first talk on the matter that he was slow to warm up to change. So it wasn't that she'd forgotten that it was still a question they were mulling over, but the tiny stylist was still caught off guard by how easily the answer seemed to come from him now.

She lifted her head off his chest, tipping it back so she could meet his gaze. The girl couldn't have consciously said what Mark could do to "reciprocate", to make her feel important and loved, but... somehow he'd hit on the perfect thing, anyway. Those wide green eyes were emotional, full to the brim with love for him as she nodded. "I love you."

Mark was won ovah by her steppin' out of her comfort zone. She'd gone and done something thoughtful fer him, tah make him happy, ?cause he asked and it was only some personal reservations tha had kept her from sayin' no. Same thing could be said fer moving in tahgether. They practically was livin' tahgether, her place was bigger and she were right in terms of it jist makin' sense. But it was outta his comfort zone and he had some personal reservations about movin' that had finally changed. In short, she'd been a source of inspiration. It didn't feel sah bad, sah impossible, now.

"Don't get all gooey on meh," he reached up, cuppin' tha side of her face tah give her a kiss, "I'm only doin' it sah dat yer panties can be guarded by meh bettah."

A little giggle spilled from her lips. That was another thing that was perfectly Mark - making light of a situation to bring a smile whenever something began to feel too serious. Particularly when it involved any kind of hardship or discomfort to himself - Mark was always 'fine', in good spirits, resilient and indomitable. It showed a strength that she admired, but it also made her heart ache for him in that secret, quiet way. Leadership had its burdens, for sure.

Leaning into his kiss, she nudged the tip of his nose with her own. "Mm. That's a good point. No random panty thief would dare steal my underwear when there's a chance they'll get yours instead..."

"Whut? Nah. My man-panties got twice tha value of your's, it's jist I'm there tah scare 'em off," and tah that end he nudged her nose right on back tah make his point. Tha knee furthest from her lifted up jist a little, not quiet at a full bend. Mark was a mornin' person, usually up and ready tah go first thin? but Grace had done well tah slow him down sah that they was lingering and chattin' in each other's arms. The photos had also kept him from makin' the coffee so that was workin' in her favor.

"Twice the value, you say?" Grace's brows arched curiously at this, not quite a challenge but kinda sorta thinking about it. "You can definitely scare anybody who tries to come in the window off, though..."

Rolling more completely onto her stomach, the girl was still mostly on and partly off of Mark, draped across him like the world's most strangely shaped blanket. She bent her head down, brushing his lips with hers, lingering there in a not-quite kiss that doubled as a tacit thank you.

With a sigh, she pulled back at last. "Well. There's no going back to sleep now, so I guess I should make those pancakes, huh?"

His hands went tah her waist tah pull her more directly on top o' him. He may or may naht o' liked tha way it felt when she straddled him. She pulled back with tha talk about pancakes which had him all sort of grinning. "And even though it's meh birthday. I may be inclined tah help you along with them." Yes. Help. That's whut the gypsy king did best with her and pancakes.

It was particularly easy to move a little thing like her when she didn't at all mind being moved. Pulled more completely on top of him, the girl straddled him in a boneless way, her legs falling to either side of his hips. She folded her hands together across his chest, pillowing her chin across her laced fingers. "Mm. S'nice up here," said Grace with a little grin.

Her nod was sage, serious. Grace knew full well how 'helpful' he could be when he was of a mind. "That would be... a very big help."

He had tah crane his neck and struggle a bit tah kiss her, but bein' that the angle was whut it was he only managed tah catch the tip of her nose fer a peck befer layin his head back down. Mark was all grin, o' course, His hands folded tahgether at her lower back as though he meant tah cradle her there. Finally, his legs stiffening fer a stretch he looked down at her, "Sah let's get this pancake party started, yeah? I've got tha coffee covered." His hands unfolded from her back, one hand smoothin' through the teal sea of her hair, circlin' around the curve o' her ear with his fingertips stoppin' at her earlobe tah give it a playful tug.

Grace stretched forward to meet that kiss, even though it ended up on her nose, which wrinkled playfully at the contact. The way his fingers curled around her ear left her lashes fluttering, a lazy smile on her face.

He was stretching underneath her, suggesting they get started, and the girl rolled off of him gain, landing on her back on the mattress. She stretched luxuriously before sitting up at last, raking her fingers through her hair. Scooting to the end of the bed, she took the stairs - not nearly tall enough to just jump down the way Mark had a habit of doing - and let herself down to the main floor. Instead of stopping in the kitchen, though, the girl went straight to the bathroom to freshen up a little.

Mark ended up sitting at tha edge o' tha bed, legs dangling down jist until he made tha small hop tah land on his feet. Not botherin' with boxers, he grabbed some old robe he wore sometimes. It were a bit wore out, ending somewhere at the middle of his shin instead of by tha ankle. Raking a hand through his messy bed-sex hair, he flicked tha switch tah the coffee kettle on as he had intended tah do from the onset of his day. His hands and skin still smelled like sex. Still smelled like her. It was enough that he smiled a bit about it while diggin' out two coffee cups tah set them on the counter.

"You want a cup?" He called down tah her, pretty sure she was of tha mind tah say yes. But mehbe naht after jist brushin' her teeth or somethin'. Mint and coffee wasn't always the best combination.

"That's a pretty good idea. Make some extra money for the family, clear out some of the stuff we just got layin' around." Grace nodded, agreeing with him about not having too many people come walking up on the camp. Things were getting better, feeling more like normal, but the overall sentiment was still more guarded than allowing strangers into their space would allow for. "Are there permits or whatever we'd need to set up there?"

She moved the first couple of pancakes off onto a plate and then ladled out two more. Mark came up behind her and she grinned. It could have been (probably was) deliberate, the way she suddenly bent forward at a slight angle, pushing back against him as soon as his fingers encircled her hip bone. "...Thanks baby," she breathed, looking up at him from over her shoulder. Was that a little wiggle? Of course not - Grace wouldn't do that.

"I dun think sah, naht fer a market day. Iffin we had a shop that'd be a whole otha thin'." Since they had lingered in RhyDin fer a bit, lifting things from shops was a bit risky. Wouldn't be long til folks started figuring it was them and givin' tha big frown in their direction. "Yah know Molly held her own sellin some booze and it naht that hard tah make, either. I bet a good few o' us got our own recipes tah share. Nother thin' tah put out there. Some o' that apple pie fer the comin' october should go real fast."

His weight shifted sah that his body was more directly staged behind her jist as she was gettin' some naht-sah-innocent ideas of her own. That bare, pert little bottom pressed intah him. There was a little groan from the tease, one hand sweepin' aside her teal hair sah that he could press his lips along tha back of her shoulder and up her neck, to tha part that was near the nape where the softer, short locks of her hair was. Tha hand which had been behaving jist about as good as she'd been was sneakin' lower.

Grace nodded, listening. "M'Dad had his own recipe I might could put my hands on," she said thoughtfully, of selling alcoholic brews. Grace had never tried to make it herself, but it didn't seem like it should be that hard? And from what she could tell, "the people in this town do seem to like their booze..."

She trailed off as he groaned, his mouth finding the sensitive skin along the back of her neck. Her moan answered him, a shiver slipsliding down her spine as her lashes fluttered. Grace managed to get the second set of pancakes flipped without burning them, but it was getting progressively harder to pay any attention to their welfare.

"That they do, naht that we fair any different from them in that regard." Though Grace weren't much of a drinker and truly, neither were he. He liked tah have his beers, but Mark weren't one tah get trashed too often. Mehbe it was cause he didn't like tah lose control or mehbe he jist didn't think he could.

There weren't any deflection of him then. Nah step around or excuse made tah reach into the fridge. She mighta just felt him smile against her neck, before his lips jist barely skimmed its surface, movin from the outter edge tah her nape where there was tha small indentations of where the bones beneath the skin was. She weren't squirming or redirectin' either the his hand that come tah rest between her legs.

His mouth broke away from her neck tah look down ovah her befer he spoke, "Still got some pancakes to make, yeah?"

"D-depends how many pancakes you w-wa--mmm." Grace tried to answer him, but found it suddenly hard to talk with his hand between her thighs. For Grace, their morning interlude had been something of a warm up, and her nerves were still on high alert, pulled tight and super sensitive. The girl caught her lower lip in her teeth, forcing herself to pull the second set of pancakes off the heat before they got trashed. She hesitated to put on any more.

Now she was squirming, but not in a way that suggested she wanted him to stop. One hand bent at the elbow, she clasped his bicep in little fingers, as though to hold him close.

He didn't see her hand move tah his arm, he just ended up feelin' tha pressure o' her fingers as they gripped him. Could feel her body give that bit o' shiftin' she was doing against him. Mark were wanting tah press intah her, but the fear o' gettin her too close to the hot stove eyes kept him back from that.

"Two's enough fer meh. Whut about you, love?" His mouth went back tah the worship o' her neck, a small nibble on tha edge of his skin which were largely inspired by her. Grace had gotten intah tha habit o' using gentle bites and he was startin' tah reflect that right back tah her.

"Two's plenty," the response came immediately, and with a deft twist of her wrist she turned the stove off. The eye would be hot for awhile to come, of course, but it was still better to do it now than forget about it as she got increasingly distracted.

"How's about..." a kiss at the outer arena of her ear, hand pausin' in its tease o' her befer he continued, "Yah lay yerself out on tha kitchen table sah I can eat yah proper?" Which was followed by a catch of her earlobe with his teeth. When his mouth pulled away there was a tug tah it befer his posture straightened up some. Those blue eyes of his tossed ovah taht he kitchen table. Pulling his hand from her was like a slow ache, one that ended with another playful smack tah her bottom.

Aftah Mark had made a meal o? her on tha table there were still the naggin? problem of actually needin? tah eat something dat morning.

The girl was still flush from the moment when she slowly sat up, pushing herself up on her hands and then sliding herself off the end of the table into his lap. There was a little grin on her face as she wrapped her arms around him, and maybe in this position they could mostly hold each other upright while they recovered?

Glancing over her shoulder at the state of the pancakes, Grace used a few fingers to push her hair behind one ear, lifting her shoulder in a shrug. "... We sorta... suck at breakfast, yeah." Said the girl with a giggle as she turned back to face him. "There's more batter, and ... they're okay microwaved?"

"Oi, hey there sexy," he said aftah she sank into his lap. Both his hands came tah brace her just at tha waist and once she settled in they moved right on down tah her hips. Fingers splayed on tha ouside o' her legs and thumbs dipped into tha pocket against her hip bone. She was grinning, which tahday seemed tah mean more mischief than normal.

"You look real tore up about it," was whut he had tah say to that lift and fall o' her shoulder. At the suggestion of the microwaving he smiled, givin' her sides a little squeeze, "I dun mind if tha fate of all yer pancakes is tha microwave." He could still see blotchy red patterns on their skin from sex and friction. Would be a minute more before that started tah adjust and fade.

That smile lingered on her face even as the girl laid her head down on his shoulder. Tracing idle designs in the skin of his back - outlining his name in invisible art - she slumped there, content against him. His hands fit into that perfect place along her hips, his favorite place to hold her, it seemed, from the fingerprint shaped marks that were becoming a somewhat permanent fixture. Grace liked it, though, liked that he had a favorite, liked that she could still see those little shapes sometimes days later.

"I do love breakfast," replied the girl doubtfully, and she grinned like a cat when he said he didn't mind the microwave. With her face all but an inch from his neck, Grace lifted her head just enough to catch the lobe of his ear in her teeth, tugging playfully. "But I love ruining breakfast with you more."

People that knew him well knew he got intah habits and that he got that sentimental streak in him. Weren't always that hips he likes but Grace had a way of straddlin' him to where his hands jist kept goin' there. Her finger drawin little patterns on him was somehow soothin' tah him, like a cat gettin a slow and diligent petting.

"You should ruin meh breakfast every time." His head drew back and din his hand made a real soft motion down the side o' her face with the inquiry, "You evah willing tah have kids again?" It was somethin he thought about when he thought about tha future and her bein' in it.

"I was thinkin' I'd like tah get out fer a little bit. Maybe have a beer or somethin' at tha dragon with yah." Mark was fine, jist fine, stayin' in camp and doing whut needed doin' here and there but even he got to where he'd jist like tah step out and see somethin' new. The problems which had been there fer every time he went out had died back, sah he was feelin' a bit more bold, "Mehbe invite a few others along or it can jist be tha two o' us." There was advantages tah both. Sometimes he figured the folks in camp needed tah get out too, but there was always tha chance that they would get themselves intah trouble with the locals and it be more about herdin' cats than havin' a night out.

Grace held her hand over the pan to check its temperature, then pushed away from the counter top so she could wash her hands in the sink. Drying them off on a paper towel, her face was still turned towards Mark as he answered. Nodding afterwards, there was a little smile on her face as she opened the cabinet that contained the trashcan to discard her paper towel.

"It would be nice to go back there," agreed the little dancer as she spun away from the sink, back towards the stove. Grace had really only been there the once with Mark, but she'd had a nice time up to the point that the Snakebites had done her in. "No snakebites," she admonished him, checking the temperature on the pan again and then picking up one of the now very cold pancakes she'd already made. Ripping it in half, she nibbled on the end of one piece, moving closer to Mark on light feet to offer him the other half. Even a cold pancake was still a good one, and this way they didn't have to wait on the microwave.

"One snakebite," he countered, holding up a finger at her with a smile. He wiggled it and reminded her with a hopeful expression, "Birthday?" His hand dropped and then his arm crossed ovah his chest tah look at her as she nibble on old pancake and started tah work on a whole new batch.

"Alright, one snakebite," Grace relented. Apparently today she was going to be an absolute pushover. The girl leaned in to steal a kiss from his lips before going back to the stove. Apparently it was warm enough for her now, because she was pouring out enough batter for two pancakes again.

"...I gotta say, though. Inviting other people sounds suspiciously like this party you swore you didn't want..." Her grin was spreading as she said it, though, a sparkle of mischief in her eyes.

Mark had a tendency tah like his little parties and his get tahgethers. Always liked tah hang at the bonfire spot and flag people down with that grin he got. But Grace made her little point and was callin' him out o nexactly tha thing he was saying he didn't want. His reaction, mature as it was, was tah stick his tongue out at her. Aftahwards, though, there was a tilt of his head, "Jist you and meh din."

"I was just teasin' you, Mark. Might be nice to let everybody celebrate." They could use a happy community occasion, even if it was a night on the town, and what better happy occasion than to celebrate her not-King? They'd had parties for less good reasons than that, surely.

It weren't good tah let him know there was a day with which tah get away with things. Mark were liable tah see if unbirthdays would count or if she could put some credit towards that day. Naht that Grace seemed much tah mind it. Her smile was still bright and she gave him a look which said she kinda liked that he troubled her with it all.

"Oi but you make a point nonetheless," he said with a small nod tah her. Did they wanna have the whole crew out with them or naht? He smiled at her and then stood up slowly, his moist skin partial tah stickin' tah the seat. Were good tah stand and stretch himself out though his body were feelin' some o' the wear.

Grace would be pretty disappointed if Mark didn't try to get away with things. What kind of Gypsy King would he be if he played by the rules all the time? She was all smiles for him as she checked the pancakes and them flipped them in the pan. "...Well, there's also the fact that ...given the way our day is going already, might be hard to have round fifteen when y'gotta be responsible for everybody else, too...."

"Round fifteen? Naht possible. Naht a man out there that can do all dat without bein' somethin' else." Mark's eyes had gone wide a bit like Grace might gah and try to hold him tah this '15' she was talkin' about. Rakin' his hands through his hair he moved back ovah by her, dippin' his head down tah kiss dah bare curve o' her shoulder.

Glancing up at him when he moved in behind her, Grace had to tilt her head back and to the side to catch sight of him. The look in her eyes was pure gypsy: a little bit of challenge, a little bit of mischief, a little bit of innocent ing?nue. "Mark Barlow," she said in a tone that seemed to indicate distress, or at the very least shock and surprise. "Are you standin' there tellin' me you're not up to the challenge? Not even up to trying?" She waved her spoon at him to make her point.

Truth be told, Grace wasn't exactly up to him trying, either. Fifteen sounded like... well, it sounded like more than the human female body could withstand, too. Whether she went numb from overstimulation or her brain actually leaked out her ears, either way it sounded like something that couldn't be. Even so, though, she couldn't resist firing just a little bit of that gypsy spirit right back at him.

Of course, then his mouth found her shoulder, and the girl practically purred. "Mmm. I swear you know just how to melt me," murmured the girl as she lifted the first two pancakes out of the pan.

"Oi, I like a good challenge as much as tha next fella," he grinned, comin' tah like tha moments where he got her tah wag that spoon at him. Seemed like tha was gettin' more and more tah be the goal o' thin's. His hands rubbed up her sides and he kissed her again when she said it were tha thing which was meltin' her. Dat gil knew how tah make a man feel sexy, fer sure.

"Looks like der's gonna be breakfast aftah all." He leaned intah her, wrappin' one arm around her waist as he picked up tha plate o' fresh pancakes and din retreated back tah the kitchen table. Der was some thin's he gotta put back on it since it was in disarray from the "treat" he had befer breakfast. Fork and syrup sorted, it weren't long befer he was makin' quick work o' it.

"I should hope so." The reply came with a deliberately coquettish bat of her lashes. Grace shifted her weight subtly back against him as he leaned in to kiss her again, one hand dropping from her work at the stove to rest lightly over one of his for just a moment when he wrapped that arm around her. It was a fleeting moment, just a second or two, but a tender one. "I love you," she said softly as he moved away to sit down.

Pouring out two more pancakes, that was pretty much the end of the batter she'd made. A grin stole over her features as she took the bowl to the sink to rinse it out while the pancakes cooked. She could hear Mark picking up things that had been knocked over - papers, a salt shaker, among other things- as she thought about how they ended up on the floor.

"...How's second breakfast?" She called nonchalantly as she slid back to the stove to flip her pancakes.

He always kinda got a smile when she said she loved him. Sometimes it were bright and other times, like just then, it appeared momentarily, but it was always there. Kinda a softer smile, like he was sayin' thanks or 'love yah too' when he did it. He were about half way through eatin' whut was there when she asked tha question. It prompted a smile from him befer he looked up from his plate, wiping his mouth with a napkin befer sayin, "Naht as good as the first, but it'll do." Der's his knowing smile. The one dat might be a touch cocky when he had it.

Sometimes when she was busy he'd steal a look ovah tah her. Some parts o' her skin still blushed and he kinda liked that look of it. Like her mussed hair and redness was all undeniable signs o' him being there. It ranked jist about as sexy as a woman wearing jist yer shirt and nothin' else.

Generally pale and petal-skinned, it wasn't particularly difficult to lift swirls of red from Grace; to leave lingering, ghost like shadow-bruises. Particularly wherever the delicate curve of bone most protruded -- her hips, her ribs, her collar. It lent to the illusion that she was a fragile, porcelain thing.

The girl laughed quietly as she pulled the last two pancakes from the pan, turning off the eye and then transferring the pan to the sink. She carried her plate to the kitchen table, but made no move towards either the other chair or the bench seat along the back. Instead Grace turned herself at an angle, setting her plate down beside his nearly empty one as she perched on his lap. "...Good answer."

"Oi yah jist love tah ask fer trouble." He said when her bottom found a home on on his lap. Of course he got an arm wrapped around her, his hand comin tah rest stop her thigh and give a little squeeze dat said she was more din welcome tah be there. His other hand moved down tah his lap tah make some adjustments tah himself since her addition changed the positioning o' some thin's.

"...Every chance I get," the look she gave him over her shoulder said it all, and that sultry little half smile on her lips only further underlined it. Mark squeezed her thigh and Grace stole his fork, using it to attack her own pancakes as he got comfortable underneath her.

"Yah know whut I'd like tah do? Der is a hot spring I wanna try out." Mark always liked swimming, it was one o' tha reasons he picked the glen fer camp.

Grace had a mouth full of breakfast when Mark made his announcement. She swallowed, used the back of her hand to wipe her mouth because she'd forgotten to bring over napkins. "Oh yeah?" There was a tone of anticipation in the way her voice curved up at the end. "Is it one of those fancy private ones that's like an outdoor spa or s'it public space?"