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Her sentences came short and clipped between heavy breaths as she attempted to control her emotions. Meanwhile, Mark squeezed her tighter with each syllable.

"I'm so sorry," he said.

"Before I came here, I was the only one watching over her. Taking her to her appointments, paying for the bills when insurance fell through ... she's all I have left."

But now Jennifer wasn't alone. She had Mark, and everything about Jennifer so far screamed to him of certainties and questions answered after many long years. Just holding her like this, she made him feel like this was meant to be. He had reservations about ordering a mail order bride up until the second she arrived.

Now he knew he had to marry her. It was like, within minutes of her walking through that door, she had cast a spell on him.

And if she was to be his wife, he couldn't leave her mother behind, either. He couldn't let her or Jennifer struggle if there was something he could do for them.

Without hesitating, he said, "If paying for the treatment was an issue for you before, it isn't anymore. I'll cover everything. I'll find the best doctors, the best treatment money can buy. We can have her flown here so you don't have to worry about her being so far away, either."

Cancer was tricky, and he wasn't a medical or magical expert, but he was pretty sure that there were spells out there that could cure any kind of illness or disease ... for the right price. Mark had piles of money beneath his house, and he would give it all up if that was what it took to make sure Jennifer was happy, her mom was safe, and they could start a life together.

It was still incredible for him to think ... that she was going to be his wife. It was his responsibility to take care of her, wasn't it?

"How does that sound?" he said.

Jennifer didn't say anything at first. After a minute for her to calm down, he loosened his grip on her, and she wiped tears from her eyes.

"Mark ... thank you so much for your offer, really, it means the world to me, but ..." she trailed off, keeping her gaze on the floor. "I don't think I can accept it."

His brow furrowed. "Why not? Jennifer ... we're going to get married. As you can see"—he gestured to the mansion around them—"money is no object. Your mother's life is priceless. Let me do this for you."

She bit her lip and twisted her fingers. "Really, I can't express how grateful I am that you would even consider offeringto help us, but it's too soon. I need more time to just be here for a while before I could even consider accepting your help. And ..." She lifted her gaze to meet his again, her gorgeous, sky-blue eyes shadowed by her bangs. But it didn't hide the conflict in her eyes—her desire to accept his offer, muddied by something else. "I don't want you to think I came here with the intention of asking for money or help. Perhaps in the beginning I thought it could help. But I quickly realized that it isn't my main motivation."

Mark saw in her eyes that it was true. She desperately wanted to make sure her mom was safe and healthy, but there was something more, too. A hopefulness that after whatever she'd been through, love might be possible after all.

And whatever was starting to bud between them ... she didn't want to compromise it with talk of money. That was how Mark felt, too. But he made the offer for that very reason. He wanted it to be a way to pull them together, to show her that he was willing to make a commitment to her right here and now, something other than a marriage license and a ring. Except right now, it seemed more like it would drive a wedge between them.

She needed more time to learn to trust him. Maybe more time to trust herself. For now, all he could do was give her space and time to consider his offer ... even if he wished she just accepted it.

"I never thought it was," he whispered.

He wanted to kiss her right then. More than ever, he wanted to show her that he was on her side, that he would support her no matter what. But he sensed that she wasn't ready. That conflict was still high in her mind, and him kissing her might just confuse her even more.

For now, Mark could wait.

Jennifer took another step back. "Thank you again. I will consider it. But if you don't mind, I had a long flight, and I could use some rest."

"Of course. Let me show you to your room."

Jennifer relaxed once they moved away from the topic of money, and on the way to the guest bedroom, the warmth and tension between them grew to incredible heights. He saw from the way her body reacted to his that she felt it, too.

But just like before, Mark resisted. For now.

"I'll be around if you need anything," he said. "Just text or call me if you can't find me."

"Thank you."

They stared into each other's eyes for a long moment before he finally drew away ... striding down the hall before he had a chance to change his mind about waiting.

Chapter 5 – Jennifer

Jennifer couldn't sleep. Not at first, at least. That might have had something to do with how it was still early afternoon in Portland where she just flew from.

Or maybe because Mark had just offered her over $100,000 to cover various expenses, including Arabelle's cancer treatment.