Chapter Twenty

They both groaned in dismay when the phone rang loudly interrupting their kissing that was so close to being more. So close to reaching the next level of their relationship. Mark sighed as he leaned down to the table next to them and lifted the receiver. He reluctantly answered the phone.

"Darlene residence." He managed a polite greeting though he really wanted to rip the person's head off. She was opening up. But he couldn't be bitter, she was still in his arms with her head rested on his shoulder. She was making delicate circles on his chest.

"Mark Darlene?" The voice on the other end was shaking.

"Yes. May I ask who's calling?"

"Stephan Mannings. I'm..." Stephan swallowed. "I'm Dawn's brother. I wanted to see if she was alright and if she will be willing to maybe...meet me..." Another swallow and it sounded like he was sweating. "Maybe for dinner."

Mark looked to Dawn tilting the phone away from his mouth. "It's your brother. He wants to know if you want to have dinner with him."

She squeezed closer to him as she turned her head to look at his neck while the side of her head laid on his shoulder. "I don't know." She looked up at Mark. "I might be able to go if you are there with me."

Mark smiled and kissed her forehead. He turned back to the phone. "That is acceptable. Tomorrow night?" Stephan had obviously heard and was replying before he could be asked.

"Tomorrow okay with you?" Mark asked and she nodded. "Tomorrow will be fine. Where did you want to have dinner?"

"I was thinking Roman Oasis. Do you know where that is?"

Mark smile. "Of course. Seven o'clock?"

"Sounds perfect. Please tell her that I have missed her and can't wait to see her again." Stephan's voice turned giddy and excited. Like years had melted off of him in an instant.

"I will. Till tomorrow night."

"Tomorrow night." Stephan hung up the phone and Mark followed suit.

Mark held Dawn and she sighed relaxing. He didn't realize that she had tensed when she heard that it was her brother on the line. He led her to the couch and they sat down.

"If you can't do it, I can call him back." She shook her head as she took his hand and played with his fingers. "Even if we get there and you feel you can't, we can turn right back around. We'll take everything in stride. Nothing needs be rushed."

"I know. Thank you." She slid her fingers between his just to see how it felt. She smiled lightly at how incredibly good it felt. "I'm sorry I kept running from you. I was just..."

Mark place a finger on her lips stopping her. "I understand you were frightened. You had every right to be frightened after what you have been through. You didn't want to get hurt." Mark tilted his head to the side with a thought. "Want to pick your outfit out for tomorrow night? It would be a normal modern girl thing to do. We can see what Patience brought you."

Dawn looked up. "Is that something girls really do?" She didn't keep up with trends nor was ever normal.

Mark smiled at his plan to distract her was working. He nodded. "They do." He said as he rose pulling her up with him. "Lets have some normal fun." He intertwined their fingers together again as he led her into the bedroom.

He picked up the bags by the handles and set them on the bed. "Now let us see." He looked back at Dawn. "Would you mind giving me a little runway show?" He laughed at a thought. "We could go to my studio and we could have fun."

Dawn looked down feeling shy. "I don't think that is a normal thing girls do."

"Hmm...you're right. We'll go shopping for the perfect dress instead."

Dawn snapped her head up. "What?!?"

Mark smiled. "That's right. A normal girl would not wear anything she already has for a special dinner. A normal girl would go out shopping and drag their helpless boyfriend along to watch her trying on all those outfits. Its an all day venture most of the time."

She pouted. "But I don't have a boyfriend."

Mark smiled as he rose and caressed her cheek. "Dawn Mannings. Will you be my girlfriend?"

Dawn gulped. "I don't know how to be a girlfriend."

"That's alright with me. Just say you want to be with me because I want to be with you." Dawn blushed and nodded. "Then you have a boyfriend in me." He put their foreheads together. "We are a couple you and I. What's mine is yours if you need it." He kissed her stealing her breathe that her legs buckled. Mark felt it and held her up by the waist with both of his hands.

Dawn was the one to break their kiss. "Maybe we should go." She looked up at him. "Stay close to me out there. I don't know how, but you give me strength."

"Of course my gorgeous girlfriend. Anything for you." Mark smiled as he threaded his fingers with hers and took Dawn from his place. He laughed when they got to his car. Her face was priceless. "I have been very successful in what I do." He offered smiling as he opened the door for her and watched her get in.

When they got to the mall, Mark held a hand around Dawn's waist and smiled at her awed expression. Obviously she hadn't tried to venture to a mall all these years. Needing to stay under the radar was what Mark figured.

People stopped and stared at Dawn as she went passed them. Dawn held a nearly permanent blush the whole time. She would nudge Mark away from where the sunlight streamed down into the mall. He would chuckled and tell her it was alright.

They spent hours in the mall going from store to store. Mark suggesting dresses for Dawn to try on. Quickly Mark realized that she looked amazing in anything, but looked the best in the dresses with beadwork. Her shimmering skin was more defined with those dresses.

Dawn came out of the dressing room in the latest cocktail dress in the fifth store. Mark had already purchased four dresses for her just because they both like them on her. She had told him not to, but he did anyways. She would smile shyly making him and the cashier chuckle and giggle at her.

Mark stood eyes wide at her. "That's the outfit!" He exclaimed with a triumphant smile.

Dawn turned around to look at herself in the three mirrors at the entrance to the changing rooms. It was a simple black cocktail dress. The neckline was a v-neckline flowing into spaghetti straps. The dress had a empire waistline with beautiful black, dark smoke grey, and antique silver beads under the bust in a thick band. The skirt was a delicate sheer gathered handkerchief style.

She turned back to Mark. "Do you think that it will be alright to wear this?" She looked shy and innocent with that look on her face. All the years she has lived wasn't showing one ounce on her. She was like any sheltered girl at that moment.

Mark smiled brighter hearing the delight in her voice at the prospect. "Yes. That dress I think would be perfect for dinner tomorrow night."

Dawn twisted and turned watching the beads on the dress sparkle and shine brighter than her skin but didn't compete with her skin. "I do like this dress quite a bit."

"Good. Now change out of it and into one of the other dresses and I'll take you to dinner." Dawn blushed and took the bag that Mark offered. Mark grabbed her hand before she turned away and pulled her to him. He kissed her delicately before he smirked. "It could be our first date if you want."

Dawn looked down biting her lip. "What about the picnic in the park?"

Mark lifted his eyebrow. "Do you want to call that a date?" Dawn nodded. "Then we will call this one the official first date as you didn't say you would be my girl till today." He caress her cheek. "Now go change."

After Dawn changed out of the dress and into a new one from the bag, Mark greeted her with a smile and paid for the dress. Dawn's jaw had dropped at the price of the dress but Mark wouldn't let her put it back. The salesclerk just seemed amused by the two, especially when Mark said it was all inflation's fault for current prices.

As they left the store and headed to his car, Mark looked down at Dawn. "I think we need to make a stop first." He was grinning like a fool.

Dawn looked up at him curious. "A stop?" She could hear that he was planning something.

"Yes, a stop. I think you need another thing a girl does all the time." He smirked loving how she was willing to let him take her anywhere. He felt that she was trusting him which was another victory for him.

She didn't ask any questions about where they were going. He liked that, but it also hurt. He would have loved for her to voice her curiosity instead of hide it like she was doing. He told himself that she would be one day comfortable enough to be open all the time.

Mark parked and got out. He opened her door and helped her out of his car. He smiled brightly as he held her hand and tried not to skip down the sidewalk. They didn't have to go too far for them to be where he wanted to take her. He held the door open for her as she shyly entered the salon.

"Angelic Styling. Can I help you?" A perky young lady asked smiling from behind a desk.

"Yes. We're here to see Keith."

"He's in the back. Do you have an appointment?"

Mark smiled. "I just called and talked to him."

"Give me one second." She quickly got up and walked fast around the divider between the waiting area and work area.

Within mere seconds there was a squeal and Keith running out. He was smiling so brightly as he gawked at Dawn. "Oh honey! Don't you look smashing!!" Then he tilted his head to the side. "I don't remember Patience and I getting that particular dress."

"That's because I took her out shopping today for a dress for tomorrow night." Mark said proudly. He even have his chin held high in the air.

"And why is she wearing the dress now?"

"Oh thats not the dress. I kind of bought more dresses I like on her. This little flock is for our date tonight. Can you help with the rest?"

"A date?!?" Keith seemed happy to hear that word. "So I take it you two are an item?" Dawn blushed and gave Keith a nervous, shy, and tiny nod to confirm. "Yay!" Keith came up to Dawn and was about to hug her.

Dawn scurried around Mark and peeked around him to see Keith looking curious with wide eyes. Mark sighed. "She frightens easily. She's not used to people embracing her, so no hugs."

Keith's eyes softened with his new understanding. "I'm sorry to scare you. I don't mean to."

Dawn looked down feeling ashamed. "I'm sorry. I know you wouldn't hurt me, but it's hard right now." She looked up at him. "Maybe in time." She looked up at Mark. "And maybe with Mark's help I can get passed my past."

"Anything." Mark echoed his statement from earlier.

"Well. Should we get started?" Dawn nodded. Keith smiled as he turned around and led Dawn and Mark to the work room. He had a station towards the back. His was very private which relaxed Dawn some. Keith sat her down and got started on her hair.

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