Early morning, Melissa woke up.

Marcus was still lounging in bed, topless, hiding under a thin blanket.

"Morning, Mrs. Fowler," he chimed, teasing her as usual with a hint of laughter in his voice. Propped up on one elbow, he casually ran his hand over her, his rugged charm in full swing.

Blushing, Melissa gently pushed him away. "Cut it out."

But Marcus just grinned and kept at it, his deep, dark eyes twinkling mischievously. "Are you feeling frisky?"

Melissa wasn't about to confess.

Grabbing his discarded robe, she covered herself and headed to the bathroom. "We're running late. It's time to rise and shine."

As much as she longed for alone time with him, they had two kids at home.

So, it was a bit tricky.

While Melissa showered, a familiar pair of hands wrapped around her from behind. He was just lending a hand, nothing more. Melissa hesitated but did not protest.

Afterward, he dried her off and suggested, "When the wedding rolls around, we'll leave the kids with my folks and jet off for our honeymoon."

Melissa inquired softly, "What about the company?"

Grumbling, Marcus nipped at her skin, remarking, "You're killing the romance."

Melissa grinned.

Marcus was at that age where he could easily lose control.

So, naturally, when he held her like that, she couldn't resist letting him cuddle and kiss her once more.

Both had the day off.

After breakfast, Melissa took the kids to a nearby park. Meanwhile, Marcus had an urgent project to tackle and a morning video conference.

In the park, Yvonne and Matthew were having a blast, while Minnie bounced around joyfully.

Melissa was bundled up in a lot of clothing.