Earth2Mama: Hopefully for Michael’s sanity they’ll find it soon!
We’ve got a feeling you’re right. Yeah, keep those vibes far away, lol!
We will be learning more about Adam. Maureen is still in New York, other than that, she hasn’t said a word to us. We’ll let ya know if we hear from her though.
LOL, he is a dork, but we love him too. We’ve got a feeling Uncle Michael might just be stuck with ‘Ki-Ki’.
Glad ya loved that Dreamer scene!
Natalie36: Thanks for reading!
mary mary: The things Michael has to put up with sometimes…
80s_UnLove_Child: Oh, yeah!
Anything’s possible this trip.
kismet: Thanks! We’re glad you enjoyed that – we know it’s been quite a wait for ya!
Wow, so, almost three days to come back from that Dreamer high, lol!
Michael will be working to make up for missing out on morning sex.
Liz is progressing right along now that she’s found Mr. Right.
Well, we can’t do anything to help ya out there, lol, but Liz seemed to enjoy the moment quite a lot.
zaneri1: Your Dreamer heart may just get more.
Now that they’re settling into their relationship and getting more comfortable with things we’ll be seeing more of that mature behavior.
More fun in the snow coming up.
April: Nope, we had no clue! Thanks!
He’s doing well with Caela. Being able to sit down and talk about things with his brother and their significant others is good for both of them.
“Ki-Ki”… we couldn’t resist.
sunrise102: Yup, a very big step for our Dreamer couple!
Michael has many hidden talents, lol.
Time for some R&R for our group.
Alien_Friend: Thanks! We kinda had a feeling which way your vote would swing, lol!
Hopefully that will continue over the Christmas holiday for our group.
Max and Liz do well at supporting each other and they’ll only get stronger as they get closer. It’s safe to say the same is very true of Michael and Maria.
He was very huggable in that last part, huh? And even though he has no good Christmas memories to speak of he wants things to be great for Caela.
sarammlover: LOL, some things just can’t be rushed.
Our Candy couple continues to grow. Hopefully this Christmas will leave a good impression on Michael.
keepsmiling7: LOL, we’ll see…
Part 101 – Babies and Bedtime Stories
Liz walked around the tree in the living room for the third time and then nodded. “Yeah, it looks good. Perfect place for the tree, perfect shape and it’s not leaning to any one side,” she clapped her hands happily.
It had taken them almost until dusk before they had suddenly found the right tree standing right in front of them. She was sure that Michael had been ready to explode by that time and even Max had seemed a little pissy.
She glanced at Maria and Karen as they entered the living room with cartons full of decorations for the tree. “I soooo love doin’ this,” Liz shrieked.
“Yeah, me too,” Maria smiled and placed the cartons on the floor next to the tree. “And we’ve got plenty of stuff, we can even decorate the windows and tables with it.”
Karen walked into the kitchen to make sure the boys had all they needed to make dinner. “You guys are okay?” She smiled when all three of them answered with positive grumbling in some form or other. “And you, my little girl?” Karen walked over to the highchair and kissed Caela’s forehead.
The baby replied with a happy scream and then concentrated on her sippy cup again, cheerfully banging it against the tray in front of her.
“Alright.” Karen walked back to the other girls then, stopping at the stereo to turn on some Christmas music from a CD she had brought with her. “How’s Michael doing with all of this Christmas stuff?” she asked.
Maria grimaced. “Not so good.”
“Brendan spent several Christmases with me and my mom, so at least he’s past that stage of discomfort.”
“I can only hope that Michael will start to feel better about the holidays soon. He... I don’t know... he feels uncomfortable because he feels nothing ya know?” Maria glanced in the direction of the kitchen, making sure he wouldn’t hear anything because she was sure he didn’t want her to talk about it with anyone. But Karen had known the family for so long and it was good to have someone like her to talk to.
“Coming here, someplace that has no connection to their past with Hank, and spending the holidays with people who care about them, who love them, was a very smart move. It’ll give them a chance to really make some good memories and they all need that.”
“Well, at least I have a Christmas present that will hopefully be memorable.”
“I guess you know him well enough by now to know that he might not be comfortable with bein’ on the receiving end of a gift.”
“True, but it’s Christmas and he will get a present from me,” Maria said.
“That’s good.” Karen smiled approvingly. “What about you, Liz? Got a little something special for Max?”
“Of course,” she said proudly.
Maria’s eyebrows lifted at Liz’s confident tone. “Gonna share?”
“Nope.”
Maria’s right eyebrow lifted even higher at the quiet, but adamant, denial. “No?”
“You gonna share yours for Michael?”
“No, but that really isn’t the point.”
Liz snorted. “I’m not sharing if you’re not sharing, deal with it.”
Maria laughed and shook her head. “Girl, you have totally come outta your shell since you and Max got together.”
Liz smiled inwardly. Yeah, she was very proud of finally speaking up for herself.
“Have you and Max been together long?” Karen asked.
“Um, no, since Thanksgiving.”
A loud crash from the kitchen had Maria looking at the others. “Maybe we should go check on them.”
“Well, at least nobody screamed,” Karen said, turning in the direction of the kitchen. “Everything okay in there?”
“Everything’s fine,” Brendan assured them as he leaned over the bar that divided the two rooms. “We’ve got it all under control.” He glanced back over his shoulder. “Right, guys?”
“Under control,” Max yelled in agreement.
Maria frowned when Michael was suspiciously silent and she moved closer to the bar, motioning for silence when Brendan started to say something to pass on a warning to his brother.
Another crash could be heard, followed by muttered cursing and her eyes widened when she saw her boyfriend sitting in the sink in the center island, while Max tried to pull a large pot off of Michael’s foot. A glance at the ceiling had her shaking her head and she decided not to ask how they had managed to get ketchup up there.
Michael gave up his struggle to get his ass out of the sink when he felt Maria staring at him. He knew it was her; the tingling feeling running along his spine gave it away. He had been attempting to climb up on the bar to clean the ketchup off of the ceiling when he had managed to slip on some water and from there it had been a matter of falling on his ass... right in the sink.
He shoved Max away when his foot finally came free and he wondered how he managed to get himself in these situations. Brendan’s clumsiness had to be rubbing off on him, he decided. Why else would he have suddenly turned into such a klutz?
“At least there was no water in the sink,” Max said helpfully.
“Yeah, I feel so much better about this now, Evans.”
Max just grinned at him and held his hand out to help Michael out of the sink.
“I don’t need anymore help from you,” Michael snapped, pushing Max’s hand away. “I think you’ve done enough.”
“Me?”
“You’re the one who said that experiment wouldn’t work... there’s no way Brendan wasn’t gonna try to prove you wrong.”
Maria couldn’t hold back any longer and started to laugh. “Oh, my god, you guys...” she panted, unable to get another word out.
“I think I bruised my ass,” Michael complained.
“Uh-huh,” Maria choked out, still laughing, “need a doctor?”
“No, I’ll live... my ass may be black and blue for the next week, but I’ll live.”
Maria shook her head. “We can’t leave you guys alone, huh? Maybe it’s better if Caela stays with us.”
Caela protested by banging her sippy cup against the tray. “Ki Ki!” she shouted happily.
“You wanna stay with Ki Ki?” Maria asked, amused.
Michael glared at his girlfriend and shook his head. “You don’t need to encourage her use of that name,” he growled.
“As if you wouldn’t do the same thing,” she said and then turned to go back to the girls.
He turned back to his niece. “Okay, kid, we’ve gotta come up with a name for Aunt Maria. And we wanna do somethin’ about this Ki Ki thing.”
“I don’t know, Michael, I think you’re stuck with it,” Brendan said.
“Yeah, it could be worse,” Max tried to help.
“Really? And how is that possible?”
Max just rolled his eyes and ignored him. “Let’s get back to cookin’ dinner.”
“Do we wanna know what they’re getting up to in there?” Karen asked when Maria joined her and Liz again.
“No, you’re better off not knowin’,” Maria said, knowing that Michael wouldn’t appreciate her sharing the details right now.
“That bad, huh?” She nodded. “Brendan was trying to prove something, right?”
“Uh, yeah... tryin’. Not sure he succeeded.”
“Uh-huh. Well, as long as no one’s hurt, it’s probably best if we leave them to their... man things.”
“Yeah, hopefully we won’t find anything strange in the food.”
“God, I hope not,” Liz muttered. She knew Max could cook, but sticking him in a kitchen with Michael and Brendan? Who knew what could happen?
“Let’s get to some decorating,” Maria said, gesturing at the tree.
*****
Christmas Eve in the Whitman household was a pleasantly chaotic affair and Alex had thoroughly enjoyed watching his girlfriend interacting with her parents. Joe and Katherine had happily spoiled Brooke and he was grateful for the attention they had lavished on her. She hadn’t had enough of that in her life and he was glad to see her having so much fun. He’d had to force himself to be strong when she had started a campaign to bring Socrates home with them and it had been even more difficult when Joe had started to back her up.
He watched from his seat at the dining room table as she ran back and forth, helping Isabel and her mother put the finishing touches on dinner. He and Joe had been kicked out of the kitchen more than an hour earlier and told to stay out of the way so they had gone to watch the last few minutes of the football game playing on the television.
Once it was over they had sat down at the table and talked about the game, books they had read, and raising teenage girls. Isabel had stuck her head in the room several times to warn her father to stop telling certain stories, but he had only dropped them until she had disappeared again. Joe was a good conversationalist and he was knowledgeable in a various number of subjects, but Alex couldn’t quite shake the feeling that the man was still weighing his worthiness where Isabel was concerned.
When dinner was ready and the food was placed on the table, they all took their places and waited while Joe carved the meat. Conversation flowed throughout dinner, going along smoothly until Katherine made an unexpected observation.
“Isabel, you’re not eating very much.”
Joe frowned when he realized that his wife was right. “You feelin’ alright, sweetie?” It was unusual for Isabel to eat so little over the holidays. The girl always put the food away; she loved her mother’s homemade food.
Isabel shifted in her seat as she glanced at her boyfriend and she smiled when he reached over to take her hand.
She took a deep breath and glanced at her mother again. “Um, yeah... yeah, I’m alright. There’s just something I... we have to tell you both and I’m a little bit nervous about it.”
Joe glanced between his daughter and her boyfriend, knowing that what she had to tell them could only be one of two things.
Katherine gave her husband an unsubtle kick beneath the table and she gently placed her fork down on her plate as she gave her daughter her full attention. “What is it, sweetie?”
Alex looked at Isabel, seeing the nervous tension in her eyes. “You want me to tell them?” he asked quietly.
“Well, someone had better tell us what the hell’s going on,” Joe said loudly.
“Joseph Aaron Whitman, do not use that language at the dinner table,” Katherine warned him.
Brooke giggled nervously, still not completely comfortable being in the middle of arguments.
Isabel shook her head at Alex, telling him without a word that she had to do this. “Well, uh... okay,” she sighed. “There’s no way to tell you in an easy way, so I’m just gonna say it.” She glanced at Alex, who nodded softly before her gaze met that of her parents. “Mom, Dad, I’m pregnant.” She bit her lip as she waited for their reactions.
Joe’s mouth dropped open in shock even though he had known that it was one of the options. He shook his head and reached up to rub his right ear. “I’m sorry... you’re what?”
Katherine rolled her eyes at her husband’s response. She knew just as soon as they were alone she was going to be hearing all about the cradle-robbing old man stealing their daughter.
“Alex and I are gonna be parents, Dad,” Isabel repeated, even though she knew her dad had understood her perfectly well.
“Parents... you’re 18 years old!” He pointed a finger at Alex. “You did this!”
“Well,” Alex said a little surprised, “I don’t suppose there’s any point denying that.”
“I knew it!” Joe huffed.
“They’re totally in love,” Brooke defended them.
“Uh-huh, and being in love means you have to rush things?” Joe shook his head.
Alex cleared his throat. “We weren’t rushin’ things, Joe; we didn’t intend to have a child just yet, but it’s happening and we’ve accepted it. Actually, while it wasn’t somethin’ we planned, we’re both pretty happy about it.”
“You do know what it means to have a child, right? A child is expensive and it cries at night and it’ll you keep awake most of the time. You can’t go to wild college parties while your friends will be out doing just do that.”
“We understand that this’s gonna be an adjustment, but we think we’re ready for it.” Alex laughed quietly. “Well, as ready as you can ever be for a baby. And neither of us are really party animals anyway.”
“How far along are you?” Katherine asked, her eyes wet from the thought that her little girl would soon have a child of her own.
Isabel squeezed Alex’ hand and smiled at her mother. “About eight weeks, give or take a few days.”
Katherine got to her feet to rush to her daughter. She pulled her into a hug when Isabel got up as well. “That’s why you’ve been so pale in the mornings. I remember pretty well how I felt when I was pregnant with you.”
Isabel closed her eyes, relieved that her mother was taking the news so well. “Please tell me that the morning sickness will pass soon.”
“Probably in a few weeks, sweetie.”
“I’ll be so happy to see the last of that.”
“I’ve got a few books about pregnancy, you can have them,” Katherine said, motioning for her husband to get rid of his shock. Now.
Joe stood up and walked around the table, intentionally ignoring Alex as he reached for his daughter. “This’s what you want?” he asked, meeting her gaze seriously.
Isabel nodded. “We didn’t plan this, Dad. But it happened and I could never live with any other decision.”
His stern expression gentled and he smiled softly at her. “You weren’t supposed to make me a grandpa for another ten years or so, baby girl.”
She smiled back at him. “Sorry.”
“Uh-huh,” he grumbled and pulled her into a hug. “I still love you even if you are gonna make me a grandpa well before my time.”
Isabel glanced at her parents, relieved. “I’m so glad you know now.”
Joe glanced at Alex. “Me an’ you, we’re gonna have a talk later.”
“Joe,” his wife urged him.
“It’s my right as her father to have a talk with him and find out exactly what his intentions are.”
*****
As evening neared on Christmas Eve the stories about past Christmases began to take the place of random conversations and Michael eventually fell silent because he didn’t have anything to add. It was moments like these when he felt like an outsider, like he didn’t belong, and despite their efforts to draw him into the conversations he slowly withdrew into himself.
He looked up when Karen came back from getting Caela ready for bed and he watched the little girl move around the room, drawing out the process of saying goodnight. She walked across the couch to where Max and Liz were sitting and she smiled bashfully when he reached out to tickle her.
“C’mon, you little flirt,” Brendan said as he scooped her up in his arms. “It’s past time for you to be in bed.” He raised an eyebrow when she howled in protest and squirmed around in an effort to get down.
“We’ll be back shortly,” Karen said as they started to leave the room.
“Hey, why don’t you guys let me take ‘er,” Michael offered as he stood up.
“Are you sure, Michael?” she asked.
“Yeah. Yeah, you guys are involved in the conversation and I don’t really…” He shrugged. “Anyway, I’ll take ‘er.”
Caela stopped fighting her father’s hold when her uncle spoke and she pointed at him. “Ki Ki,” she whimpered pathetically and held her arms out to him.
“She’s gonna be difficult to get to bed with all the activity out here,” Brendan warned. He was still trying to get the hang of how to do things where his daughter was concerned, but if his brother really wanted to handle the bedtime thing and give him a break he wasn’t about to argue.
“Nah, we can handle it,” Michael said, taking Caela in his arms. “Right, kid?” He rolled his eyes when she ignored his words in favor of reaching up to pet his hair. At least her hand wasn’t covered in baby spit this time, he thought.
“You need some help?” Maria asked quietly when he turned and started to walk past her.
“No, I need a break from all the… Christmas spirit,” he muttered, barely glancing at her as he continued on his way.
Maria sighed and followed him with her eyes. She didn’t want him to feel as if he didn’t belong, but she didn’t know how to change that either. It was going to take time and she had to remind herself to be patient, but sometimes it was hard not to go after him and demand an explanation when they were all together and he went off by himself.
*****
Michael walked into Caela’s room and glanced around, looking for something to amuse the little girl and take her mind off of the fact that she was missing out on all the fun in the other room. His gaze finally settled on a short stack of books sitting on the table by the chair and he shifted her around as he sat down and reached for the one on top. He frowned at the cartoon characters drawn on the cover and put it down and reached for the next one.
“Who picked these out?” he grumbled. “They suck. You wanna read a real book we should sit down with Ulysses one night and get that started. Good stuff.”
“You are not readin’ Ulysses to my daughter!” Brendan hissed from the doorway. “It isn’t fit for someone her age.”
Michael snorted at his brother and waved him away. “I think I’ve got this under control, Bren.” He raised an eyebrow expectantly. “That means, go away.” He rolled his eyes when his brother disappeared and then he reached for the next book on the stack. “I will introduce you to Ulysses one day,” he promised. “Not now, but one day. Okay, let’s see what else we’ve got… yeah, not readin’ that one.” He put it back, wondering how Brendan had even known he was talking about the book. “Oh, hey, this one’s not bad,” he said after discarding almost all of them. “Your aunt Brooke loved this one when she was little; it’s got a dragon and a knight, some fairies,” he wrinkled his nose. “Not my favorite part,” he growled, earning a sleepy giggle. “And, of course, there’s the beautiful princess.” He pressed a kiss to her head and slouched down so he could prop his feet up on the ottoman. “Okay, you ready? Once upon a time…”
Silence had fallen over the living room as everyone listened to the one-sided conversation coming through the small speaker of the baby monitor.
“He’s just full of surprises, isn’t he?” Liz asked quietly.
Maria smiled softly as she listened to him reading the story to his niece, altering his voice for the different characters and pausing every once in a while to turn a page. She leaned forward and grabbed the baby monitor, turning the volume down and motioning for everyone to go back to talking. She knew he’d have a fit if he found out they were all listening in on his moment with Caela.
Michael had just reached the end of the book where everyone lived happily ever after and he looked down at his niece when she sighed quietly. He leaned over to place the book on the table and shifted her as he stood up slowly and carried her over to the crib and eased her down. He covered her with the light blanket inside and propped his arm on the rail, chin resting in his hand as he watched her.
It was so easy to love kids and be open with them, he thought. They had no expectations beyond having someone to take care of them and love them unconditionally. He turned his head when a hand settled on his shoulder and he looked at Maria, knowing before she spoke that she was going to ask if he wanted to talk.
“Hey, you okay?” she asked quietly.
“Yeah, just… needed some air. Kinda felt like I couldn’t breathe in there.”
“You wanna talk about it?”
He shook his head. “No.”
“It might help if you talk about it,” she pressed, trying not to push.
“Maria, please don’t,” he pleaded. He winced, knowing his next words might hurt her. “I need some time alone, just for a little while, okay? I’ll come back soon, but I need a little time away from everyone.”
Maria nodded. “Alright.” She pressed a kiss to his shoulder. “Just come back when you’re ready.”
He sighed, relieved when she gave in to his wishes and left him alone with Caela.
*****
Maria walked back into the living room, feeling like she was carrying a heavy load on her back. She wasn’t mad a him. It was just... well, it was Christmas and she wanted to be with him, but he couldn’t right now. She glanced around the room and decided to take a seat on the big bear rug in front of the fireplace.
Liz looked up when Maria came back but didn’t join them, choosing instead to sit near the fireplace alone. “I’ll be back, Max,” she whispered.
Max glanced up to see where she was going and he nodded when she motioned to Maria. “Alright, darlin’.” He leaned in to give her a kiss before letting his arm fall from her shoulders.
She sat down close to Maria, careful to leave enough space between them so that the other girl didn’t feel pressured to talk. “You okay?” she asked quietly.
Maria tried to bring up a smile, but she had the feeling it didn’t look very convincing. “Yeah.”
Liz bit her bottom lip, debating whether or not she should question her further. “Um... is Michael okay?”
Maria sighed. “I don’t know. He’s having a hard time dealin’ with all the Christmas stuff.”
“He seems to really enjoy having Caela around,” she said, trying to find something positive.
“Yeah,” Maria smirked. “The girl’s too little to ask too many questions like his girlfriend does.”
“Have you noticed how all of the guys turn into mush around her? Okay, I mean, I kinda expected it with Max because I’ve seen him with his nephew, but I wasn’t expecting it with Michael.”
“Yeah, he has a way with kids. Ya remember when we were at that motocross event for Max?”
Liz nodded. “That seems like a lifetime ago.”
The other girl laughed. “I know. Michael and I were on our way to our next make out, when this little boy who had lost his parents somewhere bumped into us. And ya know he was great with the kid. He just needed like two seconds and the boy totally loved him.”
“I can honestly say that I wouldn’t have expected that. But, it’s a good thing,” Liz hurried to add. “It’s important to know how guys are gonna be with their own children someday.”
“True. Any I totally see him as a good father, but he doesn’t believe it.”
“I’m not surprised after everything I’ve heard about his parents.”
“Yeah, they did a really great job makin’ him believe that he doesn’t deserve anything.” Maria shook her head.
“He’s changed so much since you guys started... dating,” Liz said.
“Yeah, I know...” She didn’t want to talk about Michael any longer; it would only make her feel worse so she changed the subject and pinched her best friend’s side. “Someone else has changed a lot since she’s had a new boyfriend.”
Liz blushed a little as she smiled. “I didn’t know what I was missin’, Maria. God, I honestly didn’t understand what the big deal was about kissing a guy or touching him... having him touch me... I always just assumed I just wasn’t wired that way.” She turned her head and watched Max for several seconds before looking back at Maria. “I was sooo wrong.”
Maria grinned. “I would have bet every penny I’ve got at the beginning of college that I would never hear such a thing come out of your mouth, Liz Parker.”
“At the beginning of the school year I never would’ve imagined even thinking such a thing!”
“Have you... ya know... have you already had sex with him?”
Liz chewed on her thumbnail for a minute before she realized that she was falling back on the childish habit. “No, but...” She took a deep breath. “I want to,” she admitted, her voice lowered to a whisper. “Is that wrong? We haven’t even been together for a whole month yet.”
Maria shook her head. “It’s not wrong if you feel ready, girl.”
She nodded, relieved at Maria’s reassurance. “So... what’s it feel like? Y’know, the first time?” She glanced back at Max again. “I’ve been readin’ everything I can get my hands on about the first time and some people say it hurts really bad and others say it doesn’t... so, how’s it really feel?”
Maria laughed. “Well, I can only speak from my own experience, girl, but don’t believe all those horror stories. It might hurt a little bit for a few seconds but it’s not that bad.”
“Really?” God, what a relief! Liz thought. “How long does it take to have sex?” She rolled her eyes. “Does that sound totally stupid? Oh, God, it does! I’m sorry, Maria, I shouldn’t be askin’ questions like this at almost 19.”
“No, it’s okay Liz. How long... well, that mostly depends on Max, I guess,” she said, grinning.
Her eyes widened. “Um... why?” Great, another brilliant question.
“Because once men come, they need a little time before they can do it again. But I’m sure Max will make sure you’ve had all your fun before he has his own.”
“So, they can do it more than one time? Is there like a limit? Like, after so many times it just doesn’t work anymore?”
Maria bit her lip to keep from laughing. “There’s no rule for it, Liz; it’s different for all men.”
“Well...” She picked at the seam on her jeans as she rested her chin on her raised knees. “How many times do you and Michael do it?”
“In a day? In a night?”
“Yeah. Wait, is there a difference?”
“I mean in 24 hours? Or just in a night?”
“Just in a night, I guess.”
“Hmm...” Maria thought about it then shrugged. “It totally depends, Liz. Sometimes only once, sometimes more.”
“Hmm, okay, so it just kinda depends on the guy and his... um... stamina?”
“Mostly, yes, but also on you too, of course.”
Liz felt so confused. Guys were the ones who had to... she blushed. What did she have to do with it? “Me too?”
“Of course, Liz.” She grinned. “Don’t worry, you’ll figure it out. You shouldn’t just sleep with him because he wants to either. You have to be in the mood as well. Sometimes they’re all ready to go and you’re just not feelin’ it.”
“Oh, okay, I understand now.” She smiled, slightly embarrassed by her lack of knowledge. “What about the first time you do it? How long do you have to wait before you can do it again? I mean, y’know, from the woman’s side?”
“Uh, you can just go for it again if you want, girl.”
“But, is it gonna hurt to do it again after the first time?” She buried her face against her knees. “I’m sorry, Maria... I don’t have anyone else to ask about this stuff.”
Maria hugged her. “Don’t be sorry. I’m glad you asked. And it shouldn’t hurt then anymore. You might be a little sore, but whether you wanna go for it again or not is totally up to you.”
Liz nodded. “Did you talk to your mom about this stuff?”
“Sometimes, yes. She got pregnant so young so I guess she did tell me a lot.”
She sighed sadly and stared at the flames dancing in the fireplace. “I wish I had a better relationship with my mom.”
“She’ll get over your break up with Sean eventually.”
“Yeah, I guess, but it’s not gonna make our relationship any better.”
“Hey,” a warm male voice growled, “what’s got my girl lookin’ so sad over here?”
Liz looked up when Max crouched down beside her and she shook her head. “Hey, Max.”
“Everything okay?”
“Yeah, just... thinkin’ about my parents.”
Max sighed. He didn’t know what to say. It was Christmas so of course it was even harder for her than normal.
“I wish...” She shook her head again. “No, I’m not gonna even think about it.” She smiled at her boyfriend. “What time is it?”
“A little after ten.”
“Wanna take a little walk before bed?”
He nodded. “Sounds good.”
Maria watched them as they got ready to go outside and she glanced towards Caela’s room, wondering if Michael was going to come out anytime soon.
*****
Ed had been watching the younger couple interact all evening, thankful for whatever had happened to smooth things over between them. He knew his daughter was spoiled and that she could be a little pain in the ass when she wanted to be... and even sometimes when she wasn’t trying to be. The last couple of days things had been going well and he hoped Tess would realize just how much Kyle loved her.
“Hey, it’s your turn,” Tess said, snapping her fingers to get her father’s attention.
He smiled and picked a card out, tossing it on the table. “Did you talk to Maria?” he asked, knowing she had disappeared a while ago to call her friend.
“No, it just kept going to voicemail.”
“Yeah, got the same thing when I tried to call Michael and Max,” Kyle said as he studied his cards.
“Reception can be pretty questionable if you’re in the right place in Tahoe,” Lisa said as she motioned for Ed to give her two cards. “Especially if the weather changes and the snow starts falling.”
Kyle grinned. “I’m hopin’ for fresh powder on the mountains. I’m ready to hit the slopes.”
“What time will you two be leavin’ tomorrow?” Ed asked and tossed a card on the table.
“Early in the morning,” Kyle answered. “Michael’s family hasn’t really ever had a real Christmas and we’re gonna try to make sure they see what all the hype’s about.”
Lisa nodded. “You’ll all have a lot of fun up there.”
“Yeah,” Tess grinned, “I can’t wait. Hanging out in California together is cool, but this will be even better.”
Kyle glanced up at Ed. “She’s excited about all that snow.”
“I am,” Tess nodded.
“You’ve never been to Tahoe, Tess?” Lisa asked.
“No. Never ever.” The girl took a card and grimaced when she looked at it.
“You’ll love it.” She elbowed Ed. “Why haven’t you taken her up there?”
He shrugged. “We went to other places.”
Kyle grinned at the cards in his hand and laid them over the pile on the table. “Looks like I win this round.”
Tess and Ed both groaned. “Again?”
“What can I say? You just can’t beat the Valenti luck.”
Tess glanced at her watch. It was already 11pm and they had to get up around 5:30am. “I guess we should call it a night.”
“That’s true,” Kyle joked. “Your daughter doesn’t do early morning’s well, Ed.”
“For once I can say that’s something she got from me,” the older man said with a smile.
Kyle stood and held his hand out to Tess, pulling her up from the floor to stand next to him.
“I guess you guys won’t be up in the morning, huh?” Tess glanced at Ed and Lisa.
“I think I can manage to haul my old bones outta bed to say goodbye to my only daughter,” Ed said with a smile.
“I’ll get up too,” Lisa promised.
Kyle snorted. “Don’t be surprised if Tess completely misses the fact that you’re even in the same room... she’s like a zombie before dawn.”
“Shut up, Kyle,” she gave him a little slap on the back of his head.
Kyle rubbed his head. “Hey, what was that for?”
She smiled sweetly. “That was for the zombie comment.”
“Was I lyin’?”
She rolled her eyes. “Bed. Now.”
He smirked and snapped off a quick salute before shooting a grin at her dad. “G’night, Ed, Lisa.”
Tess walked upstairs and into her room, followed by Kyle. “Do ya think I packed too much stuff for Tahoe?” she asked, glancing at the two bags.
“You always pack too much and we go home with even more than we left with, but that’s alright.”
“I can never decide what I wanna wear, so I have to take it all with me,” she said, amused.
“We could make it simple and you could wear a lotta nothin’,” he said, grabbing the tiny bag he had purchased a few days earlier and shoving it under his pillow while she wasn’t looking. He threw himself down on the bed and linked his hands behind his head as he watched her.
“Around the cabin? In front of everyone?” she teased.
“Good point... we always seem to come back to that.”
“Uh-huh... maybe we can make it a rule for our room.”
“Or,” he said slowly, “we could go with somethin’ a little less than fully clothed and a little more than totally naked.”
“And that would be?”
“Maybe a little somethin’ I picked up for you.”
She grinned. “You did?”
“Um-hmm.” He slid his right hand under the pillow and crinkled the bag.
She sat down next to him on the bed and bounced up and down, excited. “Show me.”
He couldn’t stop the smile at her enthusiastic response and instead of drawing it out like he had intended he pulled the tiny red bag out and offered it to her.
Tess ripped the bag out of his hands and opened it. “Oh my God,” she breathed when she saw the lingerie he had bought for her. Her fingers wandered over the pale pink silk fabric before she pulled the two tiny scraps of cloth out of the bag. First she held up the tiny panties with the white lace at the hem. “It’s great, Kyle,” she said and grabbed the other part of the lingerie, a corsage with the same lace on it.
“Know what would be even greater?” he asked gruffly.
She smiled. “I think I know what you’re up to.”
“Yeah?”
“I’ll be back in just a couple minutes,” she told him and left the room to duck into the bath next door.
Kyle jumped up and hurried to shed his clothes, tossing them in a chair in the corner. He debated for several seconds about his boxers before discarding those as well and diving under the covers. It wasn’t like they were gonna be on for long anyway, he decided. He shoved his pillows up so he could lean back against them and he smoothed his hands over the blankets. He couldn’t believe she could still make his palms sweat.
Tess glanced at herself in the mirror and smiled. Amazing how he had picked out lingerie that fit her body so damn well and also looked fantastic and totally sexy. He’s gonna burst when he sees me, she thought in amusement and walked out of the bathroom again.
She found him – as expected – already undressed and in the bed. “Sooo,” she raised one arm and braced it on the doorframe, leaning to the side slightly. “What ya think?”
“I knew you’d look great, but this...” he swallowed hard and shook his head. “Tess, you’re takin’ sexy to a whole new level.”
“It really looks great, babe.”
“Yeah, it does.” He grinned at her. “I happen to have very good taste in lingerie,” he boasted.
“Uh-huh,” she crawled up onto the bed slowly. “How long ya think until you want it to be gone?”
His hands came up to trace over the material and he shook his head. “You might have to keep this one on,” he whispered huskily.
“What about you?” She reached out to slip her hand under the blanket. “Already gone, huh?”
“Hot, hard, and ready to go.”
She grinned when her fingers ghosted over him. “Yes, you are.” She withdrew her hand when he wrapped his arms around her and pulled her down against his body.
Double Trouble (CC, AU, Adult) [COMPLETE]
Moderators: Itzstacie, Forum Moderators
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Double Trouble
- Obsessed Roswellian
- Posts: 925
- Joined: Tue Dec 16, 2008 9:47 am
Double Trouble (CC, AU, Adult) - Part 101 - 3/11/10
Fics: A Xmas Story - A Merry Mt. R. Xmas - Cupid's Revenge - Double Trouble - Double Date - Double Dare - Double Empire - Double Xmas Wish - In The Course Of A Lifetime - Mountains So High - Not A Question At All - Surrender - TIC TAC - Two Double Dates at Xmas
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Double Trouble
- Obsessed Roswellian
- Posts: 925
- Joined: Tue Dec 16, 2008 9:47 am
Double Trouble (CC, AU, Adult) - Part 102 - 3/14/10
NotYourChick: Most of us have probably been there, huh?
Glad to hear you’re lovin’ Max and Liz!
Alien_Friend: Kyle and Tess are back to normal… was that a collective sigh of relief from the readers? LOL! Ed’s a good guy.
Isabel’s parents handled the news fairly well, and they have a good relationship with their daughter, so letting her know how they feel and what they think was definitely gonna happen.
Michael would be great at a job that deals with kids. He’s great with kids of all ages and he’s gonna be a great dad one day.
Maria is in a tough position, but her patience will pay off.
Friendships like these are so important! As for when they’ll get to it… we’ll see…
Yup, we knew you were debating between the two, lol.
mary mary: Nice experiences will be had all around. Michael is great with that little girl!
Earth2Mama: Quite possibly.
Poor guy, but Maria’s gonna take care of him.
Might be time for our Candy couple to follow the doctor’s orders, lol!
Thankfully Isabel’s parents reacted much better to her news. We’ll find out how that talk between Joe and Alex goes… eventually.
LOL, yep, Tess is finally over it!
keepsmiling7: Just can’t leave these guys alone!
We agree!
LOL, you could be right about that.
begonia9508: Ya gotta have friends, right?
No, but if he’ll let them, the others will help him make good memories for this Christmas.
Natalie36: Thanks for reading!
zaneri1: Isabel has a great relationship with her parents.
Yup, hopefully they can avoid anymore of those situations.
LOL, surprise, Liz!
kismet: It’s gonna get better.
Thank goodness for friends like Maria! Maybe one day Liz’ parents will try to repair their relationship with their daughter. But, until then, she has Max to help her.
Well, they’ll be arriving soon.
sarammlover: Don’t worry, Michael won’t stay there for long. And Maria knows that there are certain times when pushing him won’t help things. We think you’ll be happy with where his thoughts have led him while he was alone. True, Liz has no way of knowing, lol.
Thanks! Joe and Katherine have a great relationship with their daughter.
Yup, it was past time. Tess and her dad also have a great relationship.
Maiqu: LOL, we’re not easy to make speechless! DT Max is hard to resist.
Part 99 –
Michael just knows how to deal with kids despite his concerns that he doesn’t have it in him to be a good dad some day.
Karen and Maria, yup, they’re gonna be good friends.
Brendan and Michael… finally getting to where they’re supposed to be.
Part 100 –
Thanks!
Nope, turning them loose in the kitchen tends to be a disaster. Solo, they might be okay, but in a group? You’re just asking for trouble, lol!
Max and Liz are making great progress, huh?
Caela agrees with you!
Part 101 –
See? The girls turned ‘em loose in the kitchen… and there was more than one of them.
Yup, pretty sure Uncle Michael’s stuck with Ki-Ki from now on.
Isabel’s parents definitely go on the good parents list!
He’s just irresistible with his niece.
Easier to love now that Tess has gotten over herself, right? LOL!
guelbebek: It’s taken a long time for Max and Liz to finally reach this point but we think it’s been worth the wait. Well, we hope you won’t die of suspense before they take that step, lol!
We’re glad you’re enjoying Michael and Maria… and Michael’s interactions with Caela, too. You can be sure that there will be more scenes between Brendan and Karen.
Part 102 – Admissions By Firelight
Maria was sitting on the floor near the fireplace, reading a book and pretending not to notice that the others had started to head to the second floor so they could go to bed. It had been almost two hours since Michael had told her he would be back soon and she hadn’t seen a single sign that he had any intention of coming back. She knew he hadn’t asked her to leave him alone to hurt her; he just needed some time to process everything that was going on.
She wasn’t mad at him by any means, but it saddened her that he hadn’t come back and that he was having such a difficult time dealing with the holidays. She didn’t know how to get through to him and she wasn’t even sure it was something she could do after all the damage his parents had inflicted over the years. A part of her knew that she had to accept that he may never be able to enjoy things like this no matter how hard she tried, but that didn’t mean she was willing to give up just yet. She just had to come up with a new plan.
Across the room Brendan had just stepped out of the kitchen and he sighed when he saw the contemplative look on the face of the room’s only occupant. He glanced toward the room where his brother had been hiding for the past couple of hours and he decided it was time to step in and stick his nose in Michael’s business.
He moved to Caela’s room and quietly closed the door behind him when he stepped inside and saw his brother sitting in the chair, watching her sleep.
“I think you’ve left that woman of yours alone long enough, Michael.”
“Get off my back, Brendan,” he muttered gruffly.
“Look, man, I know how difficult this is for you; for a long time I dealt with the same doubts and insecurities around the holidays.”
“What changed it?”
“I let Karen in. I let her show me that it’s okay to be happy and want more… to enjoy holidays and understand that it’s all about bein’ with the people you care about and lettin’ them care about you.”
“It’s hard to do, Bren.”
“Hell, Michael, you let Maria in, so you’ve already made it over the worst of it. Relax, man, just let it happen. And for God’s sake, would you please go out and talk to her? You’ve left her alone for hours now and everyone else has already gone to bed. Matter of fact… I’d like to go to bed.”
“You just wanna make up for lost time,” Michael said with a grin. “Two years without sex,” he nudged his brother, “huh?”
Brendan shoved him away and grinned. “Shut up, man.”
“Uh-huh, you’re not denyin’ it.”
He leaned over the crib to check on Caela, pressing a kiss to her head when he was satisfied that she was sleeping soundly. “G’night, Michael.”
Michael waited until he heard Brendan call out a goodnight to Maria and then gave it a few more minutes, making sure the others had settled down for the night before he walked out of the room and pulled the door so that Caela wouldn’t be bothered by any light from the hall. He crept back to the living room and he stood just out of sight as he silently observed his girlfriend.
The firelight cast shadows across her face and he could see the worry that she no longer tried to hide now that she was alone in the room. She had respected his wishes and left him alone and he knew she had gone against every instinct she possessed to do as he had asked. He reached up to scratch his eyebrow and after a few minutes he eased around to the set of stairs that went up to the second floor off of the backside of the kitchen.
*****
Maria sighed when it became apparent that Michael wasn’t going to come back out and she got up and stretched. She walked over to Caela’s room and quietly stepped inside to see if Michael had maybe just fallen asleep. She was surprised when she realized that he wasn’t in the room and she wondered where he had gone to. Maybe he had snuck outside to go for a walk, needing to get away for a little while.
“I don’t suppose your uncle shared any of those deep, dark thoughts that he’s carrying around, did he?” She sighed when the baby simply continued to sleep, unaware of her visitor’s emotional state. “No, I didn’t think so.”
She lost track of time as she stared down at the little girl and she was startled when she heard a quiet knock on the door.
“Hey,” Michael said quietly, “you ready to go upstairs?”
“Where have you been?”
He shrugged. “Puttin’ the fire out in the livin’ room so we can go to bed.” He hooked his thumb over his right shoulder. “You ready?”
Translation: I don’t want to talk about it. She sighed in resignation and nodded. “Yeah, sure.”
Michael followed her upstairs and as they neared their bedroom he scooped her up in his arms and carried her inside, kicking the door shut behind him.
“Michael, what’re you…” She trailed off as she looked around the room, smiling when she saw that he had built a fire in the fireplace and placed several candles around the room. He had dragged the mattress off of the bed and it was lying in front of the fireplace and covered with the bearskin rug that she had been sitting on downstairs. “What’re you up to?”
“Nothin’ yet,” he answered with a smirk. He put her down and stepped back towards the bathroom. “Get naked, woman.”
Maria laughed at him when he disappeared into the smaller room, but instead of complying with his wishes she leaned back against the bed and waited for him to come back.
Michael frowned when he came back with a bottle of massage oil and saw that she was right where he had left her. “Uh, you’re not naked.”
“That won’t change anything, Michael.”
“I beg to differ.”
“Sex isn’t the answer to every – “
“Did I say anything about sex?” He leaned over to set the oil on the floor next to the mattress and pulled his shirt off over his head as he straightened up again.
“No, but that’s obviously what you’re planning…” She trailed off when he shook his head.
“Trust me, Maria.”
His voice was low, filled with intensity and a quiet plea that she knew she couldn’t say no to. She felt his heated gaze scorching her as she removed her clothes and was surprised when he didn’t make a move to touch her.
Michael was doing everything he could to keep his hands to himself. As a rule he wasn’t the type to just stand back and look without touching, but he needed her to know that this was about more than just sex. He hadn’t meant to hurt her with his silence, but he knew he had despite his best intentions, and he needed to fix that before it was overlooked in the heat of passion. Yeah, he could probably sidetrack her, but eventually she would remember that he had used sex to distract her and then she wouldn’t just be hurt she’d be pissed, too.
He took a deep breath and motioned for her to lie down on the mattress in front of the fire, taking a deep breath when the firelight threw waves of golden light over her naked body. His hands clenched into fists at his sides as he forced them to remain still and not reach for her when she stretched out on the mattress, her tanned skin a direct contrast to the soft white rug beneath her. He decided to leave his jeans on and he straddled her hips, tracing his fingertips over her back and sides before running his hands through her hair.
“Did I tell you I love what you did with your hair?” he murmured as he let the soft strands sift through his fingers.
“Yeah? I wanted to try something new this time.”
“Um-hmm, very sexy.” He shook his head before he could get sidetracked. Focus, Michael! He reached for the bottle of massage oil and popped the top, squeezing a little into his palm and then rubbing his hands together to warm it before placing his hands on her skin. “I kinda wanted to explain... y’know, about earlier,” he said slowly.
She nodded slightly. “Okay.”
“Everyone was talkin’ about all these great Christmas memories and after a while it just got to be a little bit too much. I was startin’ to feel like I was trapped and I was on the verge of tellin’ the next person who shared to shove their story up their ass.”
“I’m not mad at you, ya know. I’m just…” she sighed, “sometimes it feels like you want to shut me out again and when that happens I don’t know what to think or do.”
“No, that’s not what I was doin’.” His hands stroked over her back with just the right amount of pressure and he smiled when she wiggled around under him. “I know you guys have all these great stories and memories from your pasts and I’m glad you do. I know I’ve got a pretty shitty way of showin’ it, but, that’s a big part of the reason why I left when I did.”
“It was?” she asked.
“Yeah. I knew sayin’ somethin’ like I would’ve said would’ve hurt you and made you think that I was makin’ fun of your memories or just dismissin’ them like they weren’t worth anything and that’s the last thing I wanted to do. I wasn’t tryin’ to shut you out or anything, I just needed some time away from everyone to get my thoughts sorted out.”
“I think I can understand that.” At least I can try, she added silently.
Michael leaned over to brush a kiss against her cheek. “I never meant to hurt you, Maria, and if I did... I’m sorry.”
“You didn’t,” she insisted. “I was just... you know, sad.”
He listened carefully to her tone, searching for any underlying hints of sadness or hurt and he nodded to himself when he found a trace of both. “Here, turn over and look at me.” He waited until she had done as he asked and he stared into her green eyes. “Now tell me the truth.”
She frowned. “But that was the truth.”
He shook his head. “Oh, baby, I can hear it in your voice.” He knew he could hear it, so why wouldn’t she admit it? “Y’know how you always tell me that you can’t help if I won’t talk to you? Well, now I’m tellin’ you the same thing.” He gave her a grin. “It’s totally different when the roles are reversed, huh?”
She smirked shyly. “Fine, I was hurt, but at the same time I wasn’t mad.” She shrugged. “Maybe I expect too much sometimes.”
“Don’t stop expectin’ too much from me, Maria,” he said quietly. “You push me to be better than I am and while I don’t always appreciate it at the time, it means a lot to me that you care enough to do that.”
She swallowed. “I just want you to be a little bit more proud of yourself.”
He shrugged one shoulder. “And I just wanna be a man you can be proud of.” He sighed. “I know I don’t make that easy sometimes.”
“No,” she shook her head and raised her upper body up from the mattress, “you’re doin’ fine.”
Michael’s gaze slid down over her body when she propped herself up on her elbows and he smiled slowly. “So... it’s Christmas Eve...”
“Uh-huh.”
“Well, we could work on makin’ some good memories to look back on.” He waggled his eyebrows playfully. “Whatcha say?”
“I’d love that!”
“Yeah? So, you wanna play naked games or you want your Christmas present?”
“Hmm... tempting,” she chewed on her lips and thought about it.
Michael couldn’t believe how long it was taking for her to make a decision.
“Exchanging presents would mean getting up though, so...” she smiled, “I think I want you to touch me.”
“Wouldn’t mean I’d have to get up,” he said with a smirk. “But, if you don’t want your present...”
“That’s not fair,” she complained.
“Here, I’ll make it simple for you.” He leaned over her, letting his dog tags brush against the skin between her breasts as he reached for the rectangular box wrapped in Christmas paper that he had hidden beneath one corner of the rug. He leaned back and placed it next to his right knee. “So, whatcha think?” He cleared his throat when she stared at the gift and he shifted uncomfortably. “I probably should’ve had them wrap it at the shop, but I thought it’d mean more if I did it.” He frowned at it. “Definitely would’ve looked better if they’d done it.”
She laughed. “I’m glad you did it, baby. Let me just get yours out of my bag.”
“Well, alright, if you insist.” He flopped over on his back and crossed his arms behind his head as he watched her walk across the room naked, her skin flushed from the heat radiating out from the fireplace.
Maria just needed a few seconds to find it and then she came back to sit next to him. “Merry Christmas, Michael.” She kissed his cheek as she placed the gift on his chest.
Michael ran his fingers over the red envelope and he picked it up as he sat upright. He traced over his name, written in her bubbly, happy scrawl and he felt his throat close up.
“Open it, baby,” she whispered and pressed a kiss to his shoulder.
“I am,” he rasped. How could he explain that he had never received a gift from anyone outside of his brothers and Brooke without sounding like a big crybaby?
She could tell that he was uncomfortable about the situation, but what should she do about it? There was just no way around it.
“I...” He really had no words, something he was thankful for when he tried to swallow the lump in his throat. He turned the envelope over in his hands several times before pulling the flap free and sliding the card out.
He opened it and pressed it against his thigh so she wouldn’t be able to tell that his hands were shaking. He read through the card, wondering how long she had searched for one that was just the right mix of humor and sentimental before she had found it. She had picked up on his discomfort and she had done her best to keep it to a minimum.
He flipped the inside flap of the card over and he stared down at the pair of black, rectangular tickets tucked in the fold. “Uh, Maria...” He raised his gaze to hers in shock. “These are...” He shook his head. “You... how did you...?”
“Magic,” she whispered with a grin.
He slid the tickets out and his eyes got even wider when he saw what was below them. He tapped the backstage passes and shook his head in disbelief. “No way... you couldn’t... these are impossible to get...”
“Obviously not. Nobody can resist Maria DeLuca.”
“Damn, Maria, I’d say you shouldn’t have, but... tickets to a sold-out Metallica concert AND backstage passes? That’s fuckin’ awesome!” His dark eyes were shining as he turned and grinned at her. “Thanks, baby,” he said as he swooped in for a kiss.
“You’re welcome.” She crawled up to him, sitting down in his lap while he kissed her.
Michael wrapped his arms around her after carefully setting the envelope, card, and tickets aside and he wondered if the gift he had gotten for her was as good as the one she had given him. He knew he shouldn’t be nervous because she’d love whatever he got her simply because it was from him, but he couldn’t help feeling worried. What if she didn’t like it? What if she just pretended to like it to keep from hurting his feelings?
He suddenly broke the kiss and he stared into her startled eyes. “You don’t have to open yours tonight if you don’t want to,” he blurted out.
“Michael,” she rested her forehead against his, “I’ll love it no matter what it is.”
Damn, he should’ve known that she’d see right through him. “You’ll tell me if you don’t like it, right? I don’t want you to act like you do if you really don’t. I’m a big boy, I can handle it.” Great, now he was babbling like an idiot.
“I never got a real present from a boyfriend before,” she said as she reached for the gift from him where it was sitting next to them. She turned the little package a few times, trying to imagine what it could be. “Hmmmm....” she shook it slightly. “No sound.”
Michael rolled his eyes at her. “You’re almost as bad as Brooke.”
Maria shrugged. “I’m a girl, what d’you expect?”
Michael shook his head. “I’d like to say I expect you to do this without makin’ me crazy with the anticipation, but I think we both know that’s not gonna happen.”
She laughed. “Ya know I never opened a present naked.”
“Yeah, well... I don’t think I’ve ever seen anyone open one naked either.” He grinned. “I kinda like it though.”
She started to rip the paper from the gift slowly, her heartbeat accelerating with every second.
Michael bit his bottom lip as he watched her tear away the paper he had worked so hard to wrap around the gift and he lifted his gaze to watch her expression.
“Okay,” she said, taking a deep breath before opening it.
“Moment of truth,” he huffed out nervously.
At first she just saw something silver glistening in the firelight.
He couldn’t look away from her face even when he heard the tiny hinges on the velvety box squealing in protest as she opened it.
When she turned the box further in the direction from where the light was coming she gasped. “Michael.”
“That’s good, right?” he whispered hesitantly.
She nodded slowly and took the sterling silver dog tags on their chain out of the box. “I... wow, I don’t know what to say.”
Okay, he thought, this was good. “Maria DeLuca speechless?”
She smiled brightly, studying the tags intensely.
“I couldn’t decide whether to go with your birthstone or the emerald... hope I made the right choice.”
“You did,” she pulled the chain over her head, the tags felt cold on her skin.
“Yeah?” Michael reached out to take the tags in his hand, rubbing his thumb over the metal to warm it up.
“They’re just like yours,” she whispered.
“Well, I did decline to have any jewels put on mine,” he teased, relieved that she loved the tags.
She took one of his in her hand and studied it. “When is your birthday, Michael? I can’t believe I never asked before.”
“Same day every year,” he answered with a shrug. He avoided her eyes and stared at her hand where it was wrapped around his instead.
“Uh-huh, and which day of every year would that be?”
“Does it really matter? It’s just another day.”
“It matters to me. Of course I wanna know when my boyfriend’s birthday is.” She took his chin in her hand to make him look at her again. “I know it’s probably just another day for you and ya never really celebrated it with your family, but I’m gonna cook a big happy birthday cake for ya and I’m even gonna sing,” she told him with a smirk to take away his discomfort.
He sighed when he felt the weight of her stare. She wasn’t gonna let this one go, he just knew it. “Fine, you’d probably find out soon enough anyway because Karen makes a big deal of it for Brendan. It’s on New Years’ Day, okay?” And thankfully he was usually so hungover from the night before that he didn’t have to deal with it.
“Oh, my God, New Years’ Day?” Maria almost shrieked. How was she supposed to get him a present so fast?
“It’s really not a big deal, Maria.” How could he explain that the only reason he’d ever had a birthday party as a kid was because he and Brendan happened to share the same birthday? It had just been more publicity for Hank to use; the old man showing off what a great family man he was.
“It’s your birthday, baby, and so it’s a special day for you and for your family and friends. Because we’re all gonna hug you and tell you to stay healthy and wish you luck for the future... and after everyone’s gone your girlfriend might just put on some sexy underwear and see how you react to that,” she teased him. It hurt to know that his parents had probably never given him a good birthday party. That definitely needed to change.
“You’re gonna make a big deal of it, aren’t you?”
She smiled. “I’m gonna make a good birthday party. One that you deserve.”
He heaved a put-upon sigh, but inside he felt like maybe it wouldn’t totally suck. Being the center of attention would be uncomfortable, especially at first, but the Christmas present thing had turned out pretty good, so... “Alright, but it’s not gonna be like a lot of people, right?”
She thought about it. “No, I’m gonna talk to Karen. Maybe we can go somewhere all together. The whole gang, ya know, just like here at the cabin.”
“So it won’t be like totally focused on me? It’ll be Brendan, too?”
“Of course, it’s his birthday, too, right? Or were you born like shortly before midnight and he was born after midnight?”
“No, same day, just a couple minutes apart.”
“So we’d better behave on New Years’ Eve then, huh? We don’t wanna have a major hangover at your party.”
“Aw, Maria, no one’s gonna drink less on New Years’ Eve just so they can be sober at my...” he swallowed hard, “birthday party.” It felt so weird to even say those two words in connection with himself. Sure, he went to lots of birthday parties, but he was never the center of attention at them.
“Where’d we decide to spend New Years’ Eve anyway? I can’t remember if we ever talked about it.”
“I don’t think we talked about it. We can either stay here or go back to Long Beach.” He shrugged. “Just depends on what ya wanna do, I guess.”
“Stay here? Did we rent the cabin for that long?”
He shifted and cleared his throat. “Well, we’ve got the cabin for as long as we want it.”
“Really? That’s cool. I love it here. It’s so nice with all the wood and the fireplace... and don’t forget the hot tub. This’s just how I always pictured my home someday.”
His eyebrows lifted at her admission. “Really?”
She nodded. “Yeah, well maybe not as far away from civilization as this one here, because, ya know, I’m a girl. I need to shop, Starbucks... things like that. But the house is so comfy, I love that. It feels like, ya know, home.”
“I’ll bet we could design a pretty fuckin’ awesome house between the two of us.”
Her eyes gleamed at that thought. “Yeah, what else are we studying for, right? I always dreamed of designing my own house someday.” She grimaced. “Well, after I’ve earned enough money to afford it.”
Michael grinned and shrugged. “Money’s not a problem. Y’know what we should do?”
“What?”
“I picked up a couple acres outside of Long Beach last summer; it’s a prime location, looks over a lake, it’s already got all the necessary improvements... water, electricity, and stuff... whaddaya say we start designing a house to have built there? It could just be a project for now, if you’re interested.” He watched her for a moment. “It wouldn’t have to be for us – unless you wanted it to be.”
“Are you serious?” she asked, surprised. Her heart started to pound wildly in her chest.
“Maria,” he rolled his eyes, “we’re sittin’ here with you naked and on top of me and I’m talkin’ about designing a house... what do you think?”
She shrugged. “Maybe my sexiness got you all confused so you’re babbling strange things?”
“I usually save that for after you’ve blown my mind with a round or two of sex,” he muttered dryly.
She wrapped her arms around him. “I would really love to do that... the house thing I mean.”
“Yeah? What about the rest of it?” He lowered his gaze, staring at the sterling silver dog tags resting between her breasts. “Think you’d want it to be for us?” He hurried to go on. “I mean, we can also design it, have it built, and sell it for a profit.”
“If it turns out to be a house we both love then it should be for us,” she answered without thinking.
Michael nodded, not even questioning why the conversation wasn’t sending him into a panic.
“And then we’ll have a lot of kids,” she joked. “And a dog,” she added.
Michael smiled. “Kids AND a dog, huh?”
“Yeah, I always wanted a dog.”
“I’ve never had a dog. I’d want a big one though, not one of those ankle-biters like Brooke’s got.”
“Yeah,” she agreed, “a big one so nobody would come in the house uninvited.”
Michael glanced up at her. “Got any certain kind in mind?”
“Hmm, what about a Labrador?”
“Yeah, they’re good dogs... good with kids, too.”
“Ya know that they say that the possibility is bigger that you’ll have twins if there are twins in your family?” she asked with a grin.
Michael’s finger had been absently tracing designs on her breast, but his movements stopped and his gaze shot up to hers at her comment. “What?”
She smiled. “Uh-huh! But it’s just a possibility, so...”
“Two? At the same time? How difficult d’you think that’d be?” He reached up to scratch his eyebrow. “I mean, we were basically raised by nannies, but... I don’t want that for my kids.”
“Well, no doubt, that would be really, really exhausting. But it would work, I’m sure.”
He snorted. “Yeah, after watchin’ Bren and Karen chasin’ after Caela all day... that little girl doesn’t stop from the time she gets up until the time she goes back to sleep.” He shook his head. “And there’s just one of her.”
“Well, I don’t think we have to worry about this now, do we?”
“Huh-uh.” He snagged the dog tags hanging around her neck and pulled her closer. “Our kids would be little hellions, you know that, right?”
“Probably, yeah. That’s why we have to enjoy our time alone first. I mean... if it happens, then okay, but... ya know what I mean, right?”
He nodded. “Yeah, I’m totally with you on that.”
“Ya know what’s really weird?” She glanced down at the dog tags he had given her.
“What?”
She shook her head slightly. “That I don’t have any doubts that what we were just talkin’ about will really happen.”
“You think that’s weird?” He smiled as he looked at her. “Six months ago I would’ve run the other way at the slightest thought that a girl wanted any kind of future with me.” He shrugged one shoulder. “Okay, I would’ve done that if she wanted more than a couple dates and we’re talkin’ seriously about the future and while it’s a little bit scary, I don’t feel the slightest urge to run.”
“Uh-huh and that’s good. ‘Cause I don’t wanna be alone anymore.”
He reached up to cup her face and he stared into her eyes intensely. “You’ll never be alone again, Maria.”
“You either,” she whispered back.
He kissed her slowly and glanced at the fireplace. “I probably oughta toss another log on there.” He smirked as he nudged her. “I’m not gonna wanna do it after you wear my ass out.”
“You’d better do that then,” she told him with a saucy grin on her lips.
“Think maybe I’d rather do you,” he said with a grin as he smacked her bare ass and quickly toppled her onto the mattress so he could scramble to get up before she could retaliate.
“Hurry!” Maria shivered when he walked away and she pulled a blanket around her body.
“It’s always ‘hurry’ with you. You’re so damn impatient.” He grinned as he took care of the fire, making sure that they wouldn’t run out of the room’s best source of heat too soon.
She shrugged under the blanket. “I just wanna be with you.”
Okay, so he didn’t have a smartass remark for that one, he thought as he swallowed hard. She was so open with her feelings and sometimes he just felt completely inadequate. He cleared his throat as he stood back up and dusted his hands off. “Maria, I know I don’t say it a lot, but...” He scratched his right eyebrow and forced his gaze up to meet hers. “Bein’ with you means a lot to me.”
You suck! his conscience screamed and he winced. “Okay, totally fucked that up,” he muttered. “I just...” He dropped down on the mattress and propped himself up on his elbows as he looked down at her. He could feel the words struggling to get out; he knew what he wanted to say but what if it was too soon? What if she didn’t believe him? He bit his bottom lip as uncertainty washed over him and made him hesitate.
Maria reached up to caress his cheek with her fingertips. “I know that it means everything to you, too. And even if you’re not always aware of it, you have your ways of showing me that. Don’t worry.”
“Yeah, but, you’re a girl, Maria...” He shrugged when she rolled her eyes at his statement of the obvious. “Y’know what I mean, girls like to hear that stuff and I’m still not that great at getting it out.”
She shook her head. “No, that’s not right, Michael. I mean, yeah, we girls like to hear it, but you’re great at getting things out. Not every time of course...” she shrugged, “but that’s okay I guess. I suck at it sometimes, too.” Yeah, sometimes, pffff! She couldn’t even tell him what she REALLY felt for him even if she knew it was true.
Michael nodded and kissed her, certain she was totally full of shit but loving her for it anyway.
She lifted the blanket up and grabbed the waistband of his jeans to drag him under it with her.
“Always in a hurry,” he mumbled against her lips. “Gonna take it slow tonight though.”
Maria wrapped her arms and legs around him, enjoying the heat coming from his body. “Slow? How slow?”
“Hmm... I don’t know for sure, but I’m thinkin’ the kinda slow that drives you insane.” He placed tiny kisses over her face as he continued to tease her with his words. “The kind that draws the pleasure out so well that you come a couple of times before the big finale... not that screaming rush, but looong and slow.” He ran his thumb around her nipple as he met her gaze. “The kind that when you finally reach that last peak you come so hard you black out.”
She took a shaky breath, turned on just by his whispered words. “You don’t even know what you do to me.” She closed her eyes and leaned into his touch.
He shifted when her breath brushed against his skin and he paused to watch her as her eyes drifted closed. “You’re so fuckin’ beautiful,” he rasped as he traced his fingertips down over her cheekbone and across her lips.
She pressed a kiss to his fingers as her stomach twisted at his words.
She was everything he’d never thought he’d have and he still wasn’t certain that he deserved her, but he knew he would do everything in his power to keep her with him. His chest felt like it was going to explode from holding his feelings in and as much as he wanted to say it, just put it out there, he was scared to death of what might happen afterwards.
She felt him hesitate and opened her eyes again, finding him staring at her intensely.
“Maria...” God, his heart felt like it was gonna burst out of his chest at any moment.
She frowned when she saw the worry and insecurity in his eyes. “What’s wrong, baby?” She lifted her upper body and steadied herself with her arms behind her.
Michael shook his head and as he looked into her eyes, saw the concern, worry, and something else there, something that mirrored what he felt, the feeling of panic began to subside. “I love you,” he whispered.
Maria gasped lightly; she hadn’t expected him to say that. Deep inside she had already known it, but hearing those words from him was something different. She felt dizzy, hot, aroused, all at the same time and her heart was pounding wildly in her chest.
He watched her closely, biting his lip nervously when she didn’t say anything. Was her response good or bad? “Maria?” He hated how small his own voice sounded, how confused and in need of reassurance he felt.
She felt her eyes water from his confession and took a deep breath. God, why did she have to be such a crybaby sometimes? She swallowed hard to get rid of the lump in her throat. “I love you, too,” she whispered back, not sure if it was even loud enough for him to hear it.
Michael smiled slowly as he leaned in to kiss her. “I’ve been holdin’ that inside for so long,” he admitted. Her words suddenly hit him and his mouth opened and closed several times as he tried to work up a response to her declaration. He couldn’t seem to get a single word past the lump in his throat though and he was horrified to realize that his eyes were stinging.
Even though he knew she had feelings for him and that she had been emotionally involved for most of their time together he’d had no expectation of hearing those three words come out of her mouth. He didn’t know how to react to hearing her say that she loved him but the one thing he did know was that he didn’t want to fuck it up.
Maria felt more confident now that he had said it first. Suddenly it wasn’t so hard to tell him anymore. “I love you, Michael.” She said it again, louder this time.
His big hands came up to frame her face and he carefully brushed the pads of his thumbs over her cheeks as he stared into her shining eyes. “You love me,” he whispered, his voice filled with wonder.
She smiled softly. “Surprised by that?”
He dropped his gaze, suddenly ashamed that he felt completely unworthy of her love. He wanted to be worthy of her love, wanted to be someone she was proud of, and he didn’t know if he was that person. “Why?” he asked, just as softly.
“Why?” she asked, confused. She pushed herself into a sitting position, her arms coming up to loop around his neck. “Because you’re you. You’re the reason I have these feelings for you.”
His stomach felt like it was tied up in knots and he couldn’t decide if it was good or bad. She was sincere in her words and he knew if he didn’t get his inner voice under control he was gonna ruin the moment.
Maria knew all too well what was going on inside of him. “Baby, don’t ever think you’re not worth bein’ loved.”
He sighed. “I don’t wanna think that way, Maria, especially not right now. Sometimes I just can’t shut off that voice in my head, y’know?”
She nodded. “I wish I could do something to help ya with that,” she whispered.
He smirked softly. “Just keep lovin’ me, Maria.” He shrugged. “Every day you knock another hole in that wall around me... don’t ever stop.”
“I won’t,” she promised.
“No?”
“No,” she answered without a doubt.
He nodded. “Okay,” he said simply.
“Don’t stop loving me either, okay?”
“Never.”
She smiled. “And don’t stop being so sexy.”
He snorted when she managed to pull a smile out of him. “Pretty sure that’s not possible.”
She giggled. Yeah, until you’re too lazy to do sports and still eat so much...”
“Never be too lazy to have sex though...”
“What about now?”
“I don’t know,” he said, doing his best to keep a straight face. “I’m not too lazy, but I might be too emotionally drained.”
“Emotionally drained? You promised me slow sex, baby.”
“Well, I never make a promise I can’t keep.” He shifted and pinned her to the mattress, his dark eyes glinting with heat and humor as he stared down at her.
“You love to tease, huh?”
“Um-hmm.”
“You know ya get payback for that!”
Michael braced his weight on his left forearm as he let his right hand slide down to skim over her thigh, enjoying the feel of her smooth skin. “Payback, huh?” His voice lowered to a husky whisper. “What’re you gonna do to me?”
She grinned. “Bring you right to the edge several times and then back off just in time for you to get frustrated.”
He chuckled and shook his head. “I think you’ve overlooked one very...” he pressed a kiss to her breast, “important thing.”
“Uh-huh, and that would be?” Maria tried to stay focused, but it was hard when he was so close.
“I’m on top, which gives me the advantage.” He let his lips graze her skin as he nibbled his way up to her neck. “Very...” he nipped her flesh where her shoulder met her neck, “very...” he soothed the tiny bite with his tongue before sucking on her skin, “important thing to overlook, smartass.”
She moaned softly. Her hand came up to grab a fistful of his hair. “At some point,” she panted, “you’re gonna give up control.”
Michael’s eyes gleamed at her matter of fact tone and he raised himself up over her to look down into her darkened eyes. “Challenging me, Maria?” he asked softly.
“You just made a mistake,” she stated with a grin, raising herself up in one quick move and taking advantage of his confusion to push him down on the mattress.
He shook his head, still amazed that they could play around and tease each other while in bed together. “Think you’ve got the upper hand just because you’re on top now?”
“Yeah,” she sat down in his lap and rubbed her lower body against him.
Michael groaned and his hands grabbed her hips to hold her still. “You’re cheating,” he accused, but he couldn’t hide the arousal in his tone.
“Nah, that’s not cheating,” she shook her head and then did it again as soon as his grip loosened.
A slow grin spread over his features. “Y’know, there’s a slight problem with your plan,” he said, trying to distract her.
“Uh-huh? And that would be?”
“I think you’ve forgotten that I can take the upper hand anytime I want to.”
Maria leaned down until their upper bodies came into contact, her lips only a few millimeters away from his. “Wouldn’t it be unfair to use your physical advantage against me?”
His breathing altered at her closeness and he had to force himself to focus on her words. “As opposed to you usin’ your sexy little body as an advantage against me?” He snorted.
“That’s not an advantage,” she denied, “you’re sexy, too, so we’re even there.”
“Kinda hard to argue with that,” he muttered. He ran his hands down her sides to rest on her hips as he stared into her eyes. “Well, since usin’ my size to my advantage would be unfair I suppose the ball’s in your court.”
“And that out of your mouth,” she said with a grin. She sat up again, lightly raking her fingernails over his naked upper body. “You’re still wearing too much, baby.”
Michael’s eyes roved over her, loving the way the light from the fire played over her skin. “Guess we should do somethin’ about that, huh? Although, between you an’ me, Mike Jr’s gotten pretty worked up, so he’s not gonna be able to contain his enthusiasm for long once you turn him loose.” He winked at her and waited to see what she’d do next.
A/N: New voting round is up! Come to our Author´s page!
Glad to hear you’re lovin’ Max and Liz!
Alien_Friend: Kyle and Tess are back to normal… was that a collective sigh of relief from the readers? LOL! Ed’s a good guy.
Isabel’s parents handled the news fairly well, and they have a good relationship with their daughter, so letting her know how they feel and what they think was definitely gonna happen.
Michael would be great at a job that deals with kids. He’s great with kids of all ages and he’s gonna be a great dad one day.
Maria is in a tough position, but her patience will pay off.
Friendships like these are so important! As for when they’ll get to it… we’ll see…
Yup, we knew you were debating between the two, lol.
mary mary: Nice experiences will be had all around. Michael is great with that little girl!
Earth2Mama: Quite possibly.
Poor guy, but Maria’s gonna take care of him.
Might be time for our Candy couple to follow the doctor’s orders, lol!
Thankfully Isabel’s parents reacted much better to her news. We’ll find out how that talk between Joe and Alex goes… eventually.
LOL, yep, Tess is finally over it!
keepsmiling7: Just can’t leave these guys alone!
We agree!
LOL, you could be right about that.
begonia9508: Ya gotta have friends, right?
No, but if he’ll let them, the others will help him make good memories for this Christmas.
Natalie36: Thanks for reading!
zaneri1: Isabel has a great relationship with her parents.
Yup, hopefully they can avoid anymore of those situations.
LOL, surprise, Liz!
kismet: It’s gonna get better.
Thank goodness for friends like Maria! Maybe one day Liz’ parents will try to repair their relationship with their daughter. But, until then, she has Max to help her.
Well, they’ll be arriving soon.
sarammlover: Don’t worry, Michael won’t stay there for long. And Maria knows that there are certain times when pushing him won’t help things. We think you’ll be happy with where his thoughts have led him while he was alone. True, Liz has no way of knowing, lol.
Thanks! Joe and Katherine have a great relationship with their daughter.
Yup, it was past time. Tess and her dad also have a great relationship.
Maiqu: LOL, we’re not easy to make speechless! DT Max is hard to resist.
Part 99 –
Michael just knows how to deal with kids despite his concerns that he doesn’t have it in him to be a good dad some day.
Karen and Maria, yup, they’re gonna be good friends.
Brendan and Michael… finally getting to where they’re supposed to be.
Part 100 –
Thanks!
Nope, turning them loose in the kitchen tends to be a disaster. Solo, they might be okay, but in a group? You’re just asking for trouble, lol!
Max and Liz are making great progress, huh?
Caela agrees with you!
Part 101 –
See? The girls turned ‘em loose in the kitchen… and there was more than one of them.
Yup, pretty sure Uncle Michael’s stuck with Ki-Ki from now on.
Isabel’s parents definitely go on the good parents list!
He’s just irresistible with his niece.
Easier to love now that Tess has gotten over herself, right? LOL!
guelbebek: It’s taken a long time for Max and Liz to finally reach this point but we think it’s been worth the wait. Well, we hope you won’t die of suspense before they take that step, lol!
We’re glad you’re enjoying Michael and Maria… and Michael’s interactions with Caela, too. You can be sure that there will be more scenes between Brendan and Karen.
Part 102 – Admissions By Firelight
Maria was sitting on the floor near the fireplace, reading a book and pretending not to notice that the others had started to head to the second floor so they could go to bed. It had been almost two hours since Michael had told her he would be back soon and she hadn’t seen a single sign that he had any intention of coming back. She knew he hadn’t asked her to leave him alone to hurt her; he just needed some time to process everything that was going on.
She wasn’t mad at him by any means, but it saddened her that he hadn’t come back and that he was having such a difficult time dealing with the holidays. She didn’t know how to get through to him and she wasn’t even sure it was something she could do after all the damage his parents had inflicted over the years. A part of her knew that she had to accept that he may never be able to enjoy things like this no matter how hard she tried, but that didn’t mean she was willing to give up just yet. She just had to come up with a new plan.
Across the room Brendan had just stepped out of the kitchen and he sighed when he saw the contemplative look on the face of the room’s only occupant. He glanced toward the room where his brother had been hiding for the past couple of hours and he decided it was time to step in and stick his nose in Michael’s business.
He moved to Caela’s room and quietly closed the door behind him when he stepped inside and saw his brother sitting in the chair, watching her sleep.
“I think you’ve left that woman of yours alone long enough, Michael.”
“Get off my back, Brendan,” he muttered gruffly.
“Look, man, I know how difficult this is for you; for a long time I dealt with the same doubts and insecurities around the holidays.”
“What changed it?”
“I let Karen in. I let her show me that it’s okay to be happy and want more… to enjoy holidays and understand that it’s all about bein’ with the people you care about and lettin’ them care about you.”
“It’s hard to do, Bren.”
“Hell, Michael, you let Maria in, so you’ve already made it over the worst of it. Relax, man, just let it happen. And for God’s sake, would you please go out and talk to her? You’ve left her alone for hours now and everyone else has already gone to bed. Matter of fact… I’d like to go to bed.”
“You just wanna make up for lost time,” Michael said with a grin. “Two years without sex,” he nudged his brother, “huh?”
Brendan shoved him away and grinned. “Shut up, man.”
“Uh-huh, you’re not denyin’ it.”
He leaned over the crib to check on Caela, pressing a kiss to her head when he was satisfied that she was sleeping soundly. “G’night, Michael.”
Michael waited until he heard Brendan call out a goodnight to Maria and then gave it a few more minutes, making sure the others had settled down for the night before he walked out of the room and pulled the door so that Caela wouldn’t be bothered by any light from the hall. He crept back to the living room and he stood just out of sight as he silently observed his girlfriend.
The firelight cast shadows across her face and he could see the worry that she no longer tried to hide now that she was alone in the room. She had respected his wishes and left him alone and he knew she had gone against every instinct she possessed to do as he had asked. He reached up to scratch his eyebrow and after a few minutes he eased around to the set of stairs that went up to the second floor off of the backside of the kitchen.
*****
Maria sighed when it became apparent that Michael wasn’t going to come back out and she got up and stretched. She walked over to Caela’s room and quietly stepped inside to see if Michael had maybe just fallen asleep. She was surprised when she realized that he wasn’t in the room and she wondered where he had gone to. Maybe he had snuck outside to go for a walk, needing to get away for a little while.
“I don’t suppose your uncle shared any of those deep, dark thoughts that he’s carrying around, did he?” She sighed when the baby simply continued to sleep, unaware of her visitor’s emotional state. “No, I didn’t think so.”
She lost track of time as she stared down at the little girl and she was startled when she heard a quiet knock on the door.
“Hey,” Michael said quietly, “you ready to go upstairs?”
“Where have you been?”
He shrugged. “Puttin’ the fire out in the livin’ room so we can go to bed.” He hooked his thumb over his right shoulder. “You ready?”
Translation: I don’t want to talk about it. She sighed in resignation and nodded. “Yeah, sure.”
Michael followed her upstairs and as they neared their bedroom he scooped her up in his arms and carried her inside, kicking the door shut behind him.
“Michael, what’re you…” She trailed off as she looked around the room, smiling when she saw that he had built a fire in the fireplace and placed several candles around the room. He had dragged the mattress off of the bed and it was lying in front of the fireplace and covered with the bearskin rug that she had been sitting on downstairs. “What’re you up to?”
“Nothin’ yet,” he answered with a smirk. He put her down and stepped back towards the bathroom. “Get naked, woman.”
Maria laughed at him when he disappeared into the smaller room, but instead of complying with his wishes she leaned back against the bed and waited for him to come back.
Michael frowned when he came back with a bottle of massage oil and saw that she was right where he had left her. “Uh, you’re not naked.”
“That won’t change anything, Michael.”
“I beg to differ.”
“Sex isn’t the answer to every – “
“Did I say anything about sex?” He leaned over to set the oil on the floor next to the mattress and pulled his shirt off over his head as he straightened up again.
“No, but that’s obviously what you’re planning…” She trailed off when he shook his head.
“Trust me, Maria.”
His voice was low, filled with intensity and a quiet plea that she knew she couldn’t say no to. She felt his heated gaze scorching her as she removed her clothes and was surprised when he didn’t make a move to touch her.
Michael was doing everything he could to keep his hands to himself. As a rule he wasn’t the type to just stand back and look without touching, but he needed her to know that this was about more than just sex. He hadn’t meant to hurt her with his silence, but he knew he had despite his best intentions, and he needed to fix that before it was overlooked in the heat of passion. Yeah, he could probably sidetrack her, but eventually she would remember that he had used sex to distract her and then she wouldn’t just be hurt she’d be pissed, too.
He took a deep breath and motioned for her to lie down on the mattress in front of the fire, taking a deep breath when the firelight threw waves of golden light over her naked body. His hands clenched into fists at his sides as he forced them to remain still and not reach for her when she stretched out on the mattress, her tanned skin a direct contrast to the soft white rug beneath her. He decided to leave his jeans on and he straddled her hips, tracing his fingertips over her back and sides before running his hands through her hair.
“Did I tell you I love what you did with your hair?” he murmured as he let the soft strands sift through his fingers.
“Yeah? I wanted to try something new this time.”
“Um-hmm, very sexy.” He shook his head before he could get sidetracked. Focus, Michael! He reached for the bottle of massage oil and popped the top, squeezing a little into his palm and then rubbing his hands together to warm it before placing his hands on her skin. “I kinda wanted to explain... y’know, about earlier,” he said slowly.
She nodded slightly. “Okay.”
“Everyone was talkin’ about all these great Christmas memories and after a while it just got to be a little bit too much. I was startin’ to feel like I was trapped and I was on the verge of tellin’ the next person who shared to shove their story up their ass.”
“I’m not mad at you, ya know. I’m just…” she sighed, “sometimes it feels like you want to shut me out again and when that happens I don’t know what to think or do.”
“No, that’s not what I was doin’.” His hands stroked over her back with just the right amount of pressure and he smiled when she wiggled around under him. “I know you guys have all these great stories and memories from your pasts and I’m glad you do. I know I’ve got a pretty shitty way of showin’ it, but, that’s a big part of the reason why I left when I did.”
“It was?” she asked.
“Yeah. I knew sayin’ somethin’ like I would’ve said would’ve hurt you and made you think that I was makin’ fun of your memories or just dismissin’ them like they weren’t worth anything and that’s the last thing I wanted to do. I wasn’t tryin’ to shut you out or anything, I just needed some time away from everyone to get my thoughts sorted out.”
“I think I can understand that.” At least I can try, she added silently.
Michael leaned over to brush a kiss against her cheek. “I never meant to hurt you, Maria, and if I did... I’m sorry.”
“You didn’t,” she insisted. “I was just... you know, sad.”
He listened carefully to her tone, searching for any underlying hints of sadness or hurt and he nodded to himself when he found a trace of both. “Here, turn over and look at me.” He waited until she had done as he asked and he stared into her green eyes. “Now tell me the truth.”
She frowned. “But that was the truth.”
He shook his head. “Oh, baby, I can hear it in your voice.” He knew he could hear it, so why wouldn’t she admit it? “Y’know how you always tell me that you can’t help if I won’t talk to you? Well, now I’m tellin’ you the same thing.” He gave her a grin. “It’s totally different when the roles are reversed, huh?”
She smirked shyly. “Fine, I was hurt, but at the same time I wasn’t mad.” She shrugged. “Maybe I expect too much sometimes.”
“Don’t stop expectin’ too much from me, Maria,” he said quietly. “You push me to be better than I am and while I don’t always appreciate it at the time, it means a lot to me that you care enough to do that.”
She swallowed. “I just want you to be a little bit more proud of yourself.”
He shrugged one shoulder. “And I just wanna be a man you can be proud of.” He sighed. “I know I don’t make that easy sometimes.”
“No,” she shook her head and raised her upper body up from the mattress, “you’re doin’ fine.”
Michael’s gaze slid down over her body when she propped herself up on her elbows and he smiled slowly. “So... it’s Christmas Eve...”
“Uh-huh.”
“Well, we could work on makin’ some good memories to look back on.” He waggled his eyebrows playfully. “Whatcha say?”
“I’d love that!”
“Yeah? So, you wanna play naked games or you want your Christmas present?”
“Hmm... tempting,” she chewed on her lips and thought about it.
Michael couldn’t believe how long it was taking for her to make a decision.
“Exchanging presents would mean getting up though, so...” she smiled, “I think I want you to touch me.”
“Wouldn’t mean I’d have to get up,” he said with a smirk. “But, if you don’t want your present...”
“That’s not fair,” she complained.
“Here, I’ll make it simple for you.” He leaned over her, letting his dog tags brush against the skin between her breasts as he reached for the rectangular box wrapped in Christmas paper that he had hidden beneath one corner of the rug. He leaned back and placed it next to his right knee. “So, whatcha think?” He cleared his throat when she stared at the gift and he shifted uncomfortably. “I probably should’ve had them wrap it at the shop, but I thought it’d mean more if I did it.” He frowned at it. “Definitely would’ve looked better if they’d done it.”
She laughed. “I’m glad you did it, baby. Let me just get yours out of my bag.”
“Well, alright, if you insist.” He flopped over on his back and crossed his arms behind his head as he watched her walk across the room naked, her skin flushed from the heat radiating out from the fireplace.
Maria just needed a few seconds to find it and then she came back to sit next to him. “Merry Christmas, Michael.” She kissed his cheek as she placed the gift on his chest.
Michael ran his fingers over the red envelope and he picked it up as he sat upright. He traced over his name, written in her bubbly, happy scrawl and he felt his throat close up.
“Open it, baby,” she whispered and pressed a kiss to his shoulder.
“I am,” he rasped. How could he explain that he had never received a gift from anyone outside of his brothers and Brooke without sounding like a big crybaby?
She could tell that he was uncomfortable about the situation, but what should she do about it? There was just no way around it.
“I...” He really had no words, something he was thankful for when he tried to swallow the lump in his throat. He turned the envelope over in his hands several times before pulling the flap free and sliding the card out.
He opened it and pressed it against his thigh so she wouldn’t be able to tell that his hands were shaking. He read through the card, wondering how long she had searched for one that was just the right mix of humor and sentimental before she had found it. She had picked up on his discomfort and she had done her best to keep it to a minimum.
He flipped the inside flap of the card over and he stared down at the pair of black, rectangular tickets tucked in the fold. “Uh, Maria...” He raised his gaze to hers in shock. “These are...” He shook his head. “You... how did you...?”
“Magic,” she whispered with a grin.
He slid the tickets out and his eyes got even wider when he saw what was below them. He tapped the backstage passes and shook his head in disbelief. “No way... you couldn’t... these are impossible to get...”
“Obviously not. Nobody can resist Maria DeLuca.”
“Damn, Maria, I’d say you shouldn’t have, but... tickets to a sold-out Metallica concert AND backstage passes? That’s fuckin’ awesome!” His dark eyes were shining as he turned and grinned at her. “Thanks, baby,” he said as he swooped in for a kiss.
“You’re welcome.” She crawled up to him, sitting down in his lap while he kissed her.
Michael wrapped his arms around her after carefully setting the envelope, card, and tickets aside and he wondered if the gift he had gotten for her was as good as the one she had given him. He knew he shouldn’t be nervous because she’d love whatever he got her simply because it was from him, but he couldn’t help feeling worried. What if she didn’t like it? What if she just pretended to like it to keep from hurting his feelings?
He suddenly broke the kiss and he stared into her startled eyes. “You don’t have to open yours tonight if you don’t want to,” he blurted out.
“Michael,” she rested her forehead against his, “I’ll love it no matter what it is.”
Damn, he should’ve known that she’d see right through him. “You’ll tell me if you don’t like it, right? I don’t want you to act like you do if you really don’t. I’m a big boy, I can handle it.” Great, now he was babbling like an idiot.
“I never got a real present from a boyfriend before,” she said as she reached for the gift from him where it was sitting next to them. She turned the little package a few times, trying to imagine what it could be. “Hmmmm....” she shook it slightly. “No sound.”
Michael rolled his eyes at her. “You’re almost as bad as Brooke.”
Maria shrugged. “I’m a girl, what d’you expect?”
Michael shook his head. “I’d like to say I expect you to do this without makin’ me crazy with the anticipation, but I think we both know that’s not gonna happen.”
She laughed. “Ya know I never opened a present naked.”
“Yeah, well... I don’t think I’ve ever seen anyone open one naked either.” He grinned. “I kinda like it though.”
She started to rip the paper from the gift slowly, her heartbeat accelerating with every second.
Michael bit his bottom lip as he watched her tear away the paper he had worked so hard to wrap around the gift and he lifted his gaze to watch her expression.
“Okay,” she said, taking a deep breath before opening it.
“Moment of truth,” he huffed out nervously.
At first she just saw something silver glistening in the firelight.
He couldn’t look away from her face even when he heard the tiny hinges on the velvety box squealing in protest as she opened it.
When she turned the box further in the direction from where the light was coming she gasped. “Michael.”
“That’s good, right?” he whispered hesitantly.
She nodded slowly and took the sterling silver dog tags on their chain out of the box. “I... wow, I don’t know what to say.”
Okay, he thought, this was good. “Maria DeLuca speechless?”
She smiled brightly, studying the tags intensely.
“I couldn’t decide whether to go with your birthstone or the emerald... hope I made the right choice.”
“You did,” she pulled the chain over her head, the tags felt cold on her skin.
“Yeah?” Michael reached out to take the tags in his hand, rubbing his thumb over the metal to warm it up.
“They’re just like yours,” she whispered.
“Well, I did decline to have any jewels put on mine,” he teased, relieved that she loved the tags.
She took one of his in her hand and studied it. “When is your birthday, Michael? I can’t believe I never asked before.”
“Same day every year,” he answered with a shrug. He avoided her eyes and stared at her hand where it was wrapped around his instead.
“Uh-huh, and which day of every year would that be?”
“Does it really matter? It’s just another day.”
“It matters to me. Of course I wanna know when my boyfriend’s birthday is.” She took his chin in her hand to make him look at her again. “I know it’s probably just another day for you and ya never really celebrated it with your family, but I’m gonna cook a big happy birthday cake for ya and I’m even gonna sing,” she told him with a smirk to take away his discomfort.
He sighed when he felt the weight of her stare. She wasn’t gonna let this one go, he just knew it. “Fine, you’d probably find out soon enough anyway because Karen makes a big deal of it for Brendan. It’s on New Years’ Day, okay?” And thankfully he was usually so hungover from the night before that he didn’t have to deal with it.
“Oh, my God, New Years’ Day?” Maria almost shrieked. How was she supposed to get him a present so fast?
“It’s really not a big deal, Maria.” How could he explain that the only reason he’d ever had a birthday party as a kid was because he and Brendan happened to share the same birthday? It had just been more publicity for Hank to use; the old man showing off what a great family man he was.
“It’s your birthday, baby, and so it’s a special day for you and for your family and friends. Because we’re all gonna hug you and tell you to stay healthy and wish you luck for the future... and after everyone’s gone your girlfriend might just put on some sexy underwear and see how you react to that,” she teased him. It hurt to know that his parents had probably never given him a good birthday party. That definitely needed to change.
“You’re gonna make a big deal of it, aren’t you?”
She smiled. “I’m gonna make a good birthday party. One that you deserve.”
He heaved a put-upon sigh, but inside he felt like maybe it wouldn’t totally suck. Being the center of attention would be uncomfortable, especially at first, but the Christmas present thing had turned out pretty good, so... “Alright, but it’s not gonna be like a lot of people, right?”
She thought about it. “No, I’m gonna talk to Karen. Maybe we can go somewhere all together. The whole gang, ya know, just like here at the cabin.”
“So it won’t be like totally focused on me? It’ll be Brendan, too?”
“Of course, it’s his birthday, too, right? Or were you born like shortly before midnight and he was born after midnight?”
“No, same day, just a couple minutes apart.”
“So we’d better behave on New Years’ Eve then, huh? We don’t wanna have a major hangover at your party.”
“Aw, Maria, no one’s gonna drink less on New Years’ Eve just so they can be sober at my...” he swallowed hard, “birthday party.” It felt so weird to even say those two words in connection with himself. Sure, he went to lots of birthday parties, but he was never the center of attention at them.
“Where’d we decide to spend New Years’ Eve anyway? I can’t remember if we ever talked about it.”
“I don’t think we talked about it. We can either stay here or go back to Long Beach.” He shrugged. “Just depends on what ya wanna do, I guess.”
“Stay here? Did we rent the cabin for that long?”
He shifted and cleared his throat. “Well, we’ve got the cabin for as long as we want it.”
“Really? That’s cool. I love it here. It’s so nice with all the wood and the fireplace... and don’t forget the hot tub. This’s just how I always pictured my home someday.”
His eyebrows lifted at her admission. “Really?”
She nodded. “Yeah, well maybe not as far away from civilization as this one here, because, ya know, I’m a girl. I need to shop, Starbucks... things like that. But the house is so comfy, I love that. It feels like, ya know, home.”
“I’ll bet we could design a pretty fuckin’ awesome house between the two of us.”
Her eyes gleamed at that thought. “Yeah, what else are we studying for, right? I always dreamed of designing my own house someday.” She grimaced. “Well, after I’ve earned enough money to afford it.”
Michael grinned and shrugged. “Money’s not a problem. Y’know what we should do?”
“What?”
“I picked up a couple acres outside of Long Beach last summer; it’s a prime location, looks over a lake, it’s already got all the necessary improvements... water, electricity, and stuff... whaddaya say we start designing a house to have built there? It could just be a project for now, if you’re interested.” He watched her for a moment. “It wouldn’t have to be for us – unless you wanted it to be.”
“Are you serious?” she asked, surprised. Her heart started to pound wildly in her chest.
“Maria,” he rolled his eyes, “we’re sittin’ here with you naked and on top of me and I’m talkin’ about designing a house... what do you think?”
She shrugged. “Maybe my sexiness got you all confused so you’re babbling strange things?”
“I usually save that for after you’ve blown my mind with a round or two of sex,” he muttered dryly.
She wrapped her arms around him. “I would really love to do that... the house thing I mean.”
“Yeah? What about the rest of it?” He lowered his gaze, staring at the sterling silver dog tags resting between her breasts. “Think you’d want it to be for us?” He hurried to go on. “I mean, we can also design it, have it built, and sell it for a profit.”
“If it turns out to be a house we both love then it should be for us,” she answered without thinking.
Michael nodded, not even questioning why the conversation wasn’t sending him into a panic.
“And then we’ll have a lot of kids,” she joked. “And a dog,” she added.
Michael smiled. “Kids AND a dog, huh?”
“Yeah, I always wanted a dog.”
“I’ve never had a dog. I’d want a big one though, not one of those ankle-biters like Brooke’s got.”
“Yeah,” she agreed, “a big one so nobody would come in the house uninvited.”
Michael glanced up at her. “Got any certain kind in mind?”
“Hmm, what about a Labrador?”
“Yeah, they’re good dogs... good with kids, too.”
“Ya know that they say that the possibility is bigger that you’ll have twins if there are twins in your family?” she asked with a grin.
Michael’s finger had been absently tracing designs on her breast, but his movements stopped and his gaze shot up to hers at her comment. “What?”
She smiled. “Uh-huh! But it’s just a possibility, so...”
“Two? At the same time? How difficult d’you think that’d be?” He reached up to scratch his eyebrow. “I mean, we were basically raised by nannies, but... I don’t want that for my kids.”
“Well, no doubt, that would be really, really exhausting. But it would work, I’m sure.”
He snorted. “Yeah, after watchin’ Bren and Karen chasin’ after Caela all day... that little girl doesn’t stop from the time she gets up until the time she goes back to sleep.” He shook his head. “And there’s just one of her.”
“Well, I don’t think we have to worry about this now, do we?”
“Huh-uh.” He snagged the dog tags hanging around her neck and pulled her closer. “Our kids would be little hellions, you know that, right?”
“Probably, yeah. That’s why we have to enjoy our time alone first. I mean... if it happens, then okay, but... ya know what I mean, right?”
He nodded. “Yeah, I’m totally with you on that.”
“Ya know what’s really weird?” She glanced down at the dog tags he had given her.
“What?”
She shook her head slightly. “That I don’t have any doubts that what we were just talkin’ about will really happen.”
“You think that’s weird?” He smiled as he looked at her. “Six months ago I would’ve run the other way at the slightest thought that a girl wanted any kind of future with me.” He shrugged one shoulder. “Okay, I would’ve done that if she wanted more than a couple dates and we’re talkin’ seriously about the future and while it’s a little bit scary, I don’t feel the slightest urge to run.”
“Uh-huh and that’s good. ‘Cause I don’t wanna be alone anymore.”
He reached up to cup her face and he stared into her eyes intensely. “You’ll never be alone again, Maria.”
“You either,” she whispered back.
He kissed her slowly and glanced at the fireplace. “I probably oughta toss another log on there.” He smirked as he nudged her. “I’m not gonna wanna do it after you wear my ass out.”
“You’d better do that then,” she told him with a saucy grin on her lips.
“Think maybe I’d rather do you,” he said with a grin as he smacked her bare ass and quickly toppled her onto the mattress so he could scramble to get up before she could retaliate.
“Hurry!” Maria shivered when he walked away and she pulled a blanket around her body.
“It’s always ‘hurry’ with you. You’re so damn impatient.” He grinned as he took care of the fire, making sure that they wouldn’t run out of the room’s best source of heat too soon.
She shrugged under the blanket. “I just wanna be with you.”
Okay, so he didn’t have a smartass remark for that one, he thought as he swallowed hard. She was so open with her feelings and sometimes he just felt completely inadequate. He cleared his throat as he stood back up and dusted his hands off. “Maria, I know I don’t say it a lot, but...” He scratched his right eyebrow and forced his gaze up to meet hers. “Bein’ with you means a lot to me.”
You suck! his conscience screamed and he winced. “Okay, totally fucked that up,” he muttered. “I just...” He dropped down on the mattress and propped himself up on his elbows as he looked down at her. He could feel the words struggling to get out; he knew what he wanted to say but what if it was too soon? What if she didn’t believe him? He bit his bottom lip as uncertainty washed over him and made him hesitate.
Maria reached up to caress his cheek with her fingertips. “I know that it means everything to you, too. And even if you’re not always aware of it, you have your ways of showing me that. Don’t worry.”
“Yeah, but, you’re a girl, Maria...” He shrugged when she rolled her eyes at his statement of the obvious. “Y’know what I mean, girls like to hear that stuff and I’m still not that great at getting it out.”
She shook her head. “No, that’s not right, Michael. I mean, yeah, we girls like to hear it, but you’re great at getting things out. Not every time of course...” she shrugged, “but that’s okay I guess. I suck at it sometimes, too.” Yeah, sometimes, pffff! She couldn’t even tell him what she REALLY felt for him even if she knew it was true.
Michael nodded and kissed her, certain she was totally full of shit but loving her for it anyway.
She lifted the blanket up and grabbed the waistband of his jeans to drag him under it with her.
“Always in a hurry,” he mumbled against her lips. “Gonna take it slow tonight though.”
Maria wrapped her arms and legs around him, enjoying the heat coming from his body. “Slow? How slow?”
“Hmm... I don’t know for sure, but I’m thinkin’ the kinda slow that drives you insane.” He placed tiny kisses over her face as he continued to tease her with his words. “The kind that draws the pleasure out so well that you come a couple of times before the big finale... not that screaming rush, but looong and slow.” He ran his thumb around her nipple as he met her gaze. “The kind that when you finally reach that last peak you come so hard you black out.”
She took a shaky breath, turned on just by his whispered words. “You don’t even know what you do to me.” She closed her eyes and leaned into his touch.
He shifted when her breath brushed against his skin and he paused to watch her as her eyes drifted closed. “You’re so fuckin’ beautiful,” he rasped as he traced his fingertips down over her cheekbone and across her lips.
She pressed a kiss to his fingers as her stomach twisted at his words.
She was everything he’d never thought he’d have and he still wasn’t certain that he deserved her, but he knew he would do everything in his power to keep her with him. His chest felt like it was going to explode from holding his feelings in and as much as he wanted to say it, just put it out there, he was scared to death of what might happen afterwards.
She felt him hesitate and opened her eyes again, finding him staring at her intensely.
“Maria...” God, his heart felt like it was gonna burst out of his chest at any moment.
She frowned when she saw the worry and insecurity in his eyes. “What’s wrong, baby?” She lifted her upper body and steadied herself with her arms behind her.
Michael shook his head and as he looked into her eyes, saw the concern, worry, and something else there, something that mirrored what he felt, the feeling of panic began to subside. “I love you,” he whispered.
Maria gasped lightly; she hadn’t expected him to say that. Deep inside she had already known it, but hearing those words from him was something different. She felt dizzy, hot, aroused, all at the same time and her heart was pounding wildly in her chest.
He watched her closely, biting his lip nervously when she didn’t say anything. Was her response good or bad? “Maria?” He hated how small his own voice sounded, how confused and in need of reassurance he felt.
She felt her eyes water from his confession and took a deep breath. God, why did she have to be such a crybaby sometimes? She swallowed hard to get rid of the lump in her throat. “I love you, too,” she whispered back, not sure if it was even loud enough for him to hear it.
Michael smiled slowly as he leaned in to kiss her. “I’ve been holdin’ that inside for so long,” he admitted. Her words suddenly hit him and his mouth opened and closed several times as he tried to work up a response to her declaration. He couldn’t seem to get a single word past the lump in his throat though and he was horrified to realize that his eyes were stinging.
Even though he knew she had feelings for him and that she had been emotionally involved for most of their time together he’d had no expectation of hearing those three words come out of her mouth. He didn’t know how to react to hearing her say that she loved him but the one thing he did know was that he didn’t want to fuck it up.
Maria felt more confident now that he had said it first. Suddenly it wasn’t so hard to tell him anymore. “I love you, Michael.” She said it again, louder this time.
His big hands came up to frame her face and he carefully brushed the pads of his thumbs over her cheeks as he stared into her shining eyes. “You love me,” he whispered, his voice filled with wonder.
She smiled softly. “Surprised by that?”
He dropped his gaze, suddenly ashamed that he felt completely unworthy of her love. He wanted to be worthy of her love, wanted to be someone she was proud of, and he didn’t know if he was that person. “Why?” he asked, just as softly.
“Why?” she asked, confused. She pushed herself into a sitting position, her arms coming up to loop around his neck. “Because you’re you. You’re the reason I have these feelings for you.”
His stomach felt like it was tied up in knots and he couldn’t decide if it was good or bad. She was sincere in her words and he knew if he didn’t get his inner voice under control he was gonna ruin the moment.
Maria knew all too well what was going on inside of him. “Baby, don’t ever think you’re not worth bein’ loved.”
He sighed. “I don’t wanna think that way, Maria, especially not right now. Sometimes I just can’t shut off that voice in my head, y’know?”
She nodded. “I wish I could do something to help ya with that,” she whispered.
He smirked softly. “Just keep lovin’ me, Maria.” He shrugged. “Every day you knock another hole in that wall around me... don’t ever stop.”
“I won’t,” she promised.
“No?”
“No,” she answered without a doubt.
He nodded. “Okay,” he said simply.
“Don’t stop loving me either, okay?”
“Never.”
She smiled. “And don’t stop being so sexy.”
He snorted when she managed to pull a smile out of him. “Pretty sure that’s not possible.”
She giggled. Yeah, until you’re too lazy to do sports and still eat so much...”
“Never be too lazy to have sex though...”
“What about now?”
“I don’t know,” he said, doing his best to keep a straight face. “I’m not too lazy, but I might be too emotionally drained.”
“Emotionally drained? You promised me slow sex, baby.”
“Well, I never make a promise I can’t keep.” He shifted and pinned her to the mattress, his dark eyes glinting with heat and humor as he stared down at her.
“You love to tease, huh?”
“Um-hmm.”
“You know ya get payback for that!”
Michael braced his weight on his left forearm as he let his right hand slide down to skim over her thigh, enjoying the feel of her smooth skin. “Payback, huh?” His voice lowered to a husky whisper. “What’re you gonna do to me?”
She grinned. “Bring you right to the edge several times and then back off just in time for you to get frustrated.”
He chuckled and shook his head. “I think you’ve overlooked one very...” he pressed a kiss to her breast, “important thing.”
“Uh-huh, and that would be?” Maria tried to stay focused, but it was hard when he was so close.
“I’m on top, which gives me the advantage.” He let his lips graze her skin as he nibbled his way up to her neck. “Very...” he nipped her flesh where her shoulder met her neck, “very...” he soothed the tiny bite with his tongue before sucking on her skin, “important thing to overlook, smartass.”
She moaned softly. Her hand came up to grab a fistful of his hair. “At some point,” she panted, “you’re gonna give up control.”
Michael’s eyes gleamed at her matter of fact tone and he raised himself up over her to look down into her darkened eyes. “Challenging me, Maria?” he asked softly.
“You just made a mistake,” she stated with a grin, raising herself up in one quick move and taking advantage of his confusion to push him down on the mattress.
He shook his head, still amazed that they could play around and tease each other while in bed together. “Think you’ve got the upper hand just because you’re on top now?”
“Yeah,” she sat down in his lap and rubbed her lower body against him.
Michael groaned and his hands grabbed her hips to hold her still. “You’re cheating,” he accused, but he couldn’t hide the arousal in his tone.
“Nah, that’s not cheating,” she shook her head and then did it again as soon as his grip loosened.
A slow grin spread over his features. “Y’know, there’s a slight problem with your plan,” he said, trying to distract her.
“Uh-huh? And that would be?”
“I think you’ve forgotten that I can take the upper hand anytime I want to.”
Maria leaned down until their upper bodies came into contact, her lips only a few millimeters away from his. “Wouldn’t it be unfair to use your physical advantage against me?”
His breathing altered at her closeness and he had to force himself to focus on her words. “As opposed to you usin’ your sexy little body as an advantage against me?” He snorted.
“That’s not an advantage,” she denied, “you’re sexy, too, so we’re even there.”
“Kinda hard to argue with that,” he muttered. He ran his hands down her sides to rest on her hips as he stared into her eyes. “Well, since usin’ my size to my advantage would be unfair I suppose the ball’s in your court.”
“And that out of your mouth,” she said with a grin. She sat up again, lightly raking her fingernails over his naked upper body. “You’re still wearing too much, baby.”
Michael’s eyes roved over her, loving the way the light from the fire played over her skin. “Guess we should do somethin’ about that, huh? Although, between you an’ me, Mike Jr’s gotten pretty worked up, so he’s not gonna be able to contain his enthusiasm for long once you turn him loose.” He winked at her and waited to see what she’d do next.
A/N: New voting round is up! Come to our Author´s page!
Last edited by Double Trouble on Sun Mar 14, 2010 2:26 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Fics: A Xmas Story - A Merry Mt. R. Xmas - Cupid's Revenge - Double Trouble - Double Date - Double Dare - Double Empire - Double Xmas Wish - In The Course Of A Lifetime - Mountains So High - Not A Question At All - Surrender - TIC TAC - Two Double Dates at Xmas
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Double Trouble
- Obsessed Roswellian
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Double Trouble (CC, AU, Adult) - Part 103 - 3/18/10
Earth2Mama: They did!
The dog tags are cool, lol.
We’re pretty sure the twins’ birthday will be memorable. We’ll do our best to keep You Know Who away.
Maiqu: He is, there’s just no denying it. Oh, you know there’s gonna be a celebration!
kismet: LOL, we’ve left you speechless, huh?
They did!
Two aspiring architects… just seems right that they’d design their own home, huh?
He’s getting much better at articulating himself.
zaneri1: Thanks for reading!
mary mary: Oh, now you know we can’t possibly post more chapters, lol! Gotta build the suspense!
Alien_Friend: They’ve come a looong way since the beginning, haven’t they? It’s taken them some time and driven us all crazy at times, but they’re finally at a place where they’re really comfortable with themselves and each other.
Yeah, he did a good job not telling anyone when his birthday was. We’re sure Maria will get the gang together and come up with something amazing. Yeah, we totally agree with you and we think we all wanna hope that love can be like that. They’ll work hard to keep that promise!
We know it too forever, but these two just made it a long and at times, very difficult road to get to those three words, lol!
begonia9508: Thanks! We’re glad you enjoyed that update!
sarammlover: Yay! LOL, c’mon, it only took 1,250+ pages to get there! It was the right moment for the two of them though.
Eva: It was a great moment for our Candy couple, huh? We’re glad you enjoyed it!
destinyc: They’re doing great, aren’t they?
Hmm… you just never know… she could have something special planned.
Part 103 – Taking the Next Step
Maria pretended to think about what he had said. “Wouldn’t be fair to leave him outta this, huh?” She pushed herself a little further down to sit on his thighs while her hands were busy unfastening his belt.
“No,” he grated out when she brushed against him intentionally.
She smirked at him, loving that she could do that to him with just a brief touch in the right place. “Okay, let’s get these outta the way.” She pulled a little on his jeans before climbing to one side to get rid of them.
Michael shifted, helping her out and grinning at her when she tossed his jeans out of the way with an impatient sound. “Um-hmm, just as I suspected,” he mused, “you’ve got him all worked up.”
“Is that a bad thing?” she asked innocently.
“Not as long as he doesn’t make it to the finish line before you do.”
“Well,” she lay down next to him, left arm on the mattress under her, the side of her head resting in her palm, “what can we do about that?” She let her free hand travel down his upper body playfully.
It was next to impossible to control his breathing or his heartbeat while she was so close, touching him and looking at him that way. “Whatever it is I’m thinkin’ we should get it started.”
She smiled brightly at him. “Yeah.” Her hand wandered further down into his boxers. Her smile got even wider when he inhaled sharply the moment she slid her hand along his length.
“I’m about to use my size as an advantage,” he warned as his eyes rolled back in his head. Damn, she knew just how to touch him to drive him crazy.
“Is that a threat or a promise?” she teased.
He shifted, turning his body towards hers as he brought himself up on his right elbow. He leaned in to kiss her as he ran his hand over her hip, his fingers gripping her thigh and pulling her leg up to hook it over his hip. “Or maybe I’ll just go with brains over brawn for a while,” he whispered against her lips.
“Michael,” she groaned into his mouth when his erection pressed against her belly.
“Somethin’ I can help you with?” He reached between them, letting his fingers tease her and watching her eyes as they got darker.
She chuckled softly. “Unnecessary question.”
His fingers stilled and he fought back a grin as he looked at her. “Necessary now?”
“Don’t be mean,” she complained.
He chuckled and shook his head before gently knocking her over onto her back and leaning over her. “Mean, huh? Guess I’d better make up for that...”
She nodded. “Uh-huh, you’d better.”
“Hmm, so many options to choose from.” He settled between her legs and then braced his weight on his hands as he leaned back to look down at her. “Where should I start?”
She rolled her eyes. “Michael, would you stop that?” she begged.
“No sex tonight?” he asked, deliberately misunderstanding.
“You’d better get your hands on me, Guerin.”
“Threats, huh?” He slowly shifted backwards and rested his weight on her thighs as he took his time reaching his goal. He grinned when she shifted restlessly and after a few more moments of torture he lowered his head without warning and slid his tongue between her slick folds.
Her hands dug into the mattress as a loud moan escaped her lips.
No need to ask if she was interested in having his hands on her, he thought smugly. He flicked his tongue over her clit as he teased her entrance with the tip of one finger, knowing that it would make her crazy.
“You’re such a tease, baby,” she groaned.
Michael looked up at her as he continued to tease her with his fingers. “Sometimes,” he agreed, grinning when she just rolled her eyes at him.
“Baby,” she breathed, “I need more than that.”
Michael gave in to her needy request and slid his finger fully inside, testing her readiness and feeling his own desire spike when she moaned. Damn, he wished he hadn’t told her they were gonna take things so slow tonight!
“Kiss me,” she rasped, pulling him down to her. She bit his bottom lip playfully, smiling against him when she could feel his own desire.
He lowered his head and gave her a few playful nips before settling his mouth over hers in a deep kiss.
She groaned into his mouth while her right hand wandered down her own body to settle over his and add more pressure where she needed it.
Michael smiled against her lips when he felt her guiding his hand and despite the temptation to resist, he let her dictate his movements.
Maria raised her hips in the same rhythm as his finger that was thrusting in and out. She wasn’t far from her orgasm, but the question was if he would let her.
He lifted his head to meet her hooded gaze, seeing the need there and knowing how close she was. “No need to just hang on the edge tonight, baby,” he whispered, loving the way her breath hitched and her eyes darkened even more as she caught his meaning.
She bit her bottom lip as their gazes met. “I love you,” she breathed quietly before her eyes shut slowly.
“Love you too,” he growled as he eased his finger free of her body. He couldn’t explain it, but he needed to be a part of her at that moment, needed to be with her when she came apart. He shifted and lined himself up at her entrance before leaning on his forearms over her so that he could meet her surprised gaze.
“What are you...” she started, but her voice failed when she met his gaze.
“I just...” He kissed her as he slowly sank into her willing body. “I need to really be part of it,” he muttered, certain that his explanation was inadequate.
“Okay,” she whispered back as her hands trailed down his back.
Michael wasn’t sure he understood the difference, they were just words, but his awareness of her felt heightened and the connection they shared felt even stronger than normal.
“You okay?” she asked softly when she felt him hesitate for a brief second.
“Yeah,” he said gruffly. “Just don’t know why acknowledging our feelings...” He glanced away as he stilled. “I’m not makin’ any sense.”
“It feels more intense suddenly,” she admitted, almost sure that he had wanted to say something like that too.
Michael smiled slowly as he met her gaze again, relieved that she understood. “Yeah, more intense, that’s what it is.” He rolled his hips, teasing her as he sought the right rhythm. “Not sure how safe that is,” he said with a laugh. “We were pretty combustible before this.”
She laughed as well. “True.”
“You gonna hold it against me if we don’t take it slow this time around?”
“Well, we’ve taken it pretty slow until now, don’t ya think?”
He growled low in his throat when she gave an answer he hadn’t expected and his mouth crashed into hers as his thrusts picked up speed and force.
Her nails dug into his back, surprised by his sudden intense moves.
Michael knew he was too close to hold off for long and as he lifted his head he had to force his brain to work. “Maria,” he rasped, “open your eyes, baby, look at me.”
Her eyes fluttered open at his request and she tried to hold his gaze, even though the temptation to close them again was big.
“You’re so beautiful.” He shook his head once as if he couldn’t believe that she was his.
“Baby,” she groaned and didn’t know what else to say. She wanted to say something that would make him feel as special as she always felt when he told her how beautiful she was in his eyes, but she couldn’t think of anything that would be as good.
She had no idea how open she was in these moments, he realized. His hands sought hers out, interlocking their fingers as they rushed to the edge of the cliff, their orgasms seconds away.
She squeezed his hands tightly when the waves of her orgasm washed over her. She couldn’t control the need to close her eyes again anymore; the feeling was just too overwhelming in that moment.
As soon as her eyes slid closed Michael let his do the same. It was difficult to keep his eyes open no matter how much he wanted to when his orgasm hit and his entire body seized up. He wrapped his arms around her as he shifted to fall over on his back, bringing her with him and sighing when her body draped over him in a comfortable sprawl.
It was hard to move, but she managed to wiggle down a little further until her head could rest on his chest. Her eyelids felt heavy and she was sure she would drift off to sleep in no time if he didn’t keep her awake. She turned her head and pressed a soft kiss to his hand that was resting against her cheek. “Don’t ever leave me,” she whispered against his skin, totally unaware that she had spoken her biggest fear out loud. How was she supposed to ever live without him again? It didn’t seem possible in that moment.
“I’m not goin’ anywhere, baby,” he assured her drowsily. He reached for the edge of the blanket and flipped it over them. “Pretty sure you’re stuck with me for the rest of our lives now.”
“Sounds good,” she mumbled.
He made a sound of agreement and pressed a kiss to her head before letting his eyes slide closed.
*****
Karen came out of the bathroom after a nice long, hot shower and smiled when she saw Brendan fussing with the second receiver for the baby monitor. Once he was finally satisfied that it was in the right place he grabbed his laptop and flopped back on the bed. She leaned in the doorway and smiled when the little frown line that indicated he was deep in thought appeared between his eyebrows.
She didn’t know what he was working on but her curiosity got the best of her and she crossed the room to sit down on the bed beside him. “What’re you doin’?” she asked.
Brendan turned his head to look at her and his mouth opened and shut several times when he got a good look at the red negligee trimmed in black lace she was wearing. “Um, wow, Karen...” He swallowed hard, trying hard to work some moisture back into his suddenly dry mouth.
She reached over to lift his chin and force his mouth to close before leaning over to press a kiss to his lips. “You were about to explain what you’re doin’.”
“Huh?” His dark eyes followed her hand when she reached out and tapped the screen. “What’re you doin’, Bren?”
“Oh, makin’ a list of pros and cons.” He shrugged. “I’m startin’ with should we get a house or an apartment...” He glanced at her. “I mean, if you want us to live together... you do, right?”
Karen nodded. “I want you back in my life, Bren. And that wouldn’t work if we stayed at our current places.”
“Would be kinda hard to work out that distance thing, huh?” He smiled widely. “So, whatcha think? House or apartment?”
“Hmmm... ya think we’re ready for a house?”
“I don’t know.” He scratched his chin. “I’ve looked at some houses in Long Beach, kinda weighed the cost against what I pay in rent and long term we’d come out cheaper.” He paused and looked at her. “I’ve been thinkin’ about your mom, too, and... I was wonderin’ if you’d wanna talk to her about movin’ here?”
“Are you serious?” Karen asked happily. She had thought about her mom but decided not to bring that up too soon.
“Yeah, and Sean’s thinkin’ about getting his own place so your mom could stay there if she wanted. She wouldn’t have to work all day and then come home and keep kids in the evening, too. You won’t have to worry about her workin’ herself to death. Hell, Karen, the rent’s even paid up for the next three years, so all she’d have to pay would be the basic bills.” He paused. “Am I oversteppin’?”
Karen chuckled. “Well, we should ask her first.”
“But, if she says yes, you’re okay with it? I’m used to havin’ money and I like to spend it on the people I care about.” He met her gaze, his own serious. “I love you and I love your mom, too. From the first time I met her she’s always been good to me, so if she agrees...” He turned to take her hands in his. “Is it okay?”
She squeezed his hand. “I doubt that she’ll agree to let ya pay for everything, but we’ll find a way.”
“Well, not everything,” he said, shrugging self-consciously. “Just the rent; I paid it up for four years when I started school and got the apartment.” He reached up to scratch his neck. “I know how hard she works and I want her to enjoy life and her time with Caela without worryin’ about money stuff. And same for you... I could live on nothin’ more than the interest on my trust fund, but I don’t wanna make you uncomfortable.”
“I wanna go to work as well, Bren. Anything else would be too weird and unsatisfying. But it’s good to know that we don’t have to worry.”
He nodded, understanding what she was saying. “Yeah, I knew you’d wanna get a job and I respect that.” He grinned. “Guess that’ll give me an’ Caela lots of time to hang out.”
“Have you already looked at some houses or apartments in the Internet?”
“Yeah, I’ve got a few of them saved. Wanna take a look at ‘em?”
“Sure.” She got comfortable next to him.
“Well, there’s one that’s got a huge yard and looks over the ocean, there’s one that’s on the beach... those are both houses. Then there’s an apartment that’s got an awesome sunken den and it’s close to campus. Which one ya wanna look at first?”
“Hmmm, let’s start with the houses.”
Brendan pulled up the site and the set the laptop on the bed, sliding it forward and shifting around so that he was lying on his stomach. He motioned for her to join him and then reached out to click on the house he had looked at earlier. “This’s the one that looks out over the beach... it’s got two bedrooms, a den…”
They spent more than an hour looking at houses and apartments, discussing different features and play fighting over the possibilities for interior decorating before finally deciding on a couple to look at after the holidays.
Karen was leaning against his side, her left forearm braced on his shoulder as she watched him maneuver through the pages. She knew the moment he felt the change in her and his fingers hovered over the keyboard as he slowly turned his head to look at her.
“You look like you’ve suddenly lost interest in lookin’ at houses,” he said with a grin.
“Maybe we could look at them later.”
He shut the laptop down and leaned over to sit it on the floor before sitting up and shifting around to face her. He was reaching for her when the sound of quiet crying came through the baby monitor. He fell back on the bed and ran his hands through his hair as a frustrated groan escaped past his lips.
Karen chuckled as she stood up and reached for the robe hanging on the back of the door. “Like I said, she has your sense of timing, Bren.”
“I’ll go check on her,” he said, stopping her when she started to open the door. “And with any luck she’ll go right back to sleep.” He motioned to the bed. “You just make yourself comfortable and I’ll be back as soon as possible.” He kissed her before moving her away from the door and slipping out of their room.
*****
Liz glanced into the mirror over the sink in the bathroom next to bedroom she was sharing with Max, toothbrush in her mouth. Was she ready for IT?
“Are you comin’ to bed?” Max had been leaning in the doorframe for several seconds now, just watching her.
She let her gaze slide over his naked upper body and nodded before she spit out the toothpaste. “Almost ready.”
He walked further into the room to stand behind her. “Everything okay?” He wasn’t sure if he was right or not, but she seemed to be a little nervous and he wasn’t sure why.
“Sure,” she said a little bit too quickly. “Just gimme another second alright?”
Max nodded, deciding that if he kept asking questions he was only going to make her uncomfortable. He went back into the bedroom and pulled the covers back, sliding under them and leaning back against the pillows.
Liz took her time brushing her hair and changing into something for the night. She had been out with Maria to buy something special shortly before they had gone to Roswell. So far she hadn’t worn it, but tonight felt like the right time to finally put it on. It was nothing too sexy, nothing too slutty… it was just perfect.
She glanced at herself in the mirror again, liking the way the silky violet panties and the matching strappy top looked on her. Her heart pounded wildly as she walked to the door that separated her from the man she loved. How would he react to it? She still felt a little uncomfortable in it even though she knew that it looked great on her and that he would like it.
With one last deep breath, she opened the door and leaned in the doorframe, her provocative pose at odds with the shy smile she aimed at the man on the bed.
Max glanced up when movement caught his eye and he did a double take when he registered what he was seeing. “Liz...” he whistled under his breath. “You’re beautiful, darlin’.” He was scared to even dare to hope that she was ready to take the next step in their relationship.
“Like it?” she teased, enjoying that it was sooo obvious he did.
“Oh, yeah,” he said, sounding strangled. He was trying hard not to be too obvious about it, but he really hoped this was what he thought it was.
She wondered of she should get into bed or wait until he got out of it again. When he didn’t look like he would move the slightest bit, she started to walk towards him slowly. “I was hoping you would,” she said as she stopped next to the bed.
Max felt almost paralyzed as he stared at her. She was beautiful all the time, but tonight she just took his breath away. He threw the covers back again and turned to sit up facing her as he reached out to place his hands on her hips.
Liz stared down at him, biting her lip when she saw his boxer-covered erection that made it more than obvious how he felt.
“Can’t exactly hide that,” he said, hoping it wouldn’t scare her off. It wasn’t the first time she had seen him aroused, but something about tonight felt different.
“Yeah,” she chuckled hoarsely and reached out to caress his cheek.
His hands clenched on her hips for a moment before relaxing again. “I haven’t seen this one before,” he said as he brushed his hands over the silky material.
“Well, it’s new...” she whispered.
“Special occasion?” he asked and then winced. “Did that sound too eager?”
She smiled, relaxing a little at the realization that he seemed to be nervous as well. “Think so.”
He grinned and took her hands in his, tugging her closer and tipping his head back to look up at her. “You um, you ready for this?”
She nodded slowly. “I think I am...”
“You know we don’t have to do this if you’re not ready, right?”
“Wanna talk me outta this?” she teased.
He chuckled gruffly. “Hell, no, darlin’! I just want you to know that you’re the one in control here. You understand what I’m sayin’?”
She nodded. “Thanks.”
“Okay.” He drew in a deep breath. He stood up and pulled her up against his body as he lowered his head to kiss her.
She splayed her hands on his chest while he kissed her slowly and felt some of her nervousness ease away. He would be gentle, he would be wonderful, and there was no doubt that he would stop if she asked him too, so... there was nothing she should be scared off.
Max felt the change in her as soon as she started to relax, losing some of the tension as they kissed and she forgot all about what was coming. He felt like he had waited his whole life for this and he didn’t want to rush it.
Liz giggled when his goatee tickled her skin. She bent her head to the side when his lips wandered over her cheek to her neck. “I still can’t believe how things turned out this last month,” she admitted quietly as her hands ran through his hair. “I can’t imagine my life without you anymore.”
“You don’t have to ‘cause I’m not goin’ anywhere.” He nibbled along her collarbone and detoured to move lower. “I knew the first time I saw you that I wanted you... drove me crazy every time we met after that.”
“Oh my, the night in the karaoke bar,” she said giggling.
“Girl, I had just come off of a flight from Dallas, walked into the bar and gotten roped into goin’ up onstage and doin’ a mini stripper act and I walked over to join my friends at their table and there you were... I wanted to kiss you right then.”
“I remember how I just stared at your body the whole time until Maria took me to the ladies room to ask what was suddenly wrong with me.”
Max placed small kisses along the edge of the material at the tops of her breasts and his breath ghosted across her skin when he chuckled. “Guess it didn’t help that I stopped right in front of you...” he raised his head and looked up at her. “I unzipped my jeans to tuck my shirt in too, didn’t I?” He shook his head. “Sorry ‘bout that.”
“No, it’s good that you’ve been so... eager. It opened my eyes.”
“I wanted to be so much more,” he grinned at her, “eager, but it wouldn’t have been right considerin’ the circumstances.”
She smiled. “You don’t have to hold back anymore. Well... maybe a little, ya know what I mean, but we’re getting better.”
“Think we can get rid of this pretty little top?” he asked huskily.
She nodded and lifted her arms up so he would be able to pull it over her head.
His hands skimmed along her sides as he lifted the top up and off of her. He dropped it on the nightstand and let his eyes move over her as his hands came up to cup her breasts. His thumbs gently brushed over her nipples and he lifted his gaze to hers when he heard her inhale sharply.
She locked her eyes with his. “My knees are going weak,” she admitted quietly.
He wrapped his right arm around her and held her against him as he fell back on the bed. He relaxed his hold on her and rolled them over so that he was looking down at her. “Better?”
“Um-hmm, much.”
He shifted down a bit so he could nibble on her soft flesh, kissing the gently heaving mounds before giving her nipples a playful nip.
She couldn’t control the moan that escaped her lips. Her hands latched onto his shoulders to hold him against her.
Every sound she made encouraged him and he followed his original path, kissing a path down her stomach and paying special attention to her signals. He had touched her of course, but she hadn’t been comfortable enough to let him go down on her.
Liz gripped the sheets under her tightly when Max went further down. “Max,” she panted, “I trust you.”
He hooked his thumbs in the waistband of her panties and smiled when she lifted her hips, making it easier to rid her of the scrap of material. He ran his hands over her thighs and placed a kiss against her mound when she shifted just enough to part her legs and let him settle between them.
The musky scent of her arousal was enough to drive him crazy and he could see how wet she was when he lifted her left leg to rest over his shoulder. “You have no idea just how sexy you are, Liz,” he breathed against her as he leaned down to dip his tongue between her folds. He ran his tongue up to her clit, flicking the tip over the bundle of nerves and then leaning back to gauge her reaction.
Liz bit her lip almost painfully as the new feeling she had never experienced before washed over her. “I feel like I’m bursting,” she breathed with a shy smile.
He smiled. “Just wait, girl, it’s a wild ride and it’s only gonna get better.” He lowered his head once more and brought his hand up to tease her entrance as he sucked on her clit. He wanted her as relaxed as possible before they took that next step and he was pretty sure an orgasm would help with that.
“Max,” Liz panted out, surprised by her own reaction to him and the fact that she was already close.
She was right there and he gently bit her clit, sending her flying over the edge. Her body bowed up under him as it trembled with a breath-stealing orgasm.
“Come up here,” she begged him breathlessly after several moments of attempting to regain some of her control.
“See? Not that scary, huh?” He crawled back up over her body and allowed his weight to rest against her. He propped himself up on his forearms and kissed her slowly, letting her taste herself on his lips.
“No, not with you,” she admitted between kisses.
“Good.” He smiled against her lips and shifted his hips slowly, seeking a little bit of friction.
Her hands wandered down his back to the hem of his boxers. “I think we should get rid of these.”
“You’re not gonna get a complaint from me,” he huffed out and shifted around to shove his boxers down and off.
She felt some of her nervousness coming back again when she realized that the moment of her first time was getting so close. “Can’t believe we’re finally at this point,” she admitted.
“Only if you’re ready, darlin’,” he assured her as he kissed her.
“I’ll never be more ready than I am now. A little bit of nervousness is normal, right?”
“It’s perfectly normal.” He shifted to pull the drawer on the nightstand open, reaching inside and shaking one of the condoms out of the box he had tossed in there just in case they needed them at some point. He hadn’t had sex in months, since before he had met Liz, and he knew there were no health issues to worry about, but he wouldn’t risk her getting pregnant before they were ready for it.
She looked into his eyes and smiled. “I love you, Max Evans.”
“I love you too, Liz Parker.” He grinned at her before tearing the foil packet open with his teeth and rolling the condom on. He lined himself up at her entrance and looked into her eyes. “I don’t really know if there’s a position or method that makes this any less uncomfortable the first time,” he said apologetically.
“Don’t worry,” she took his face in her hands. “I’ll be fine.”
“How is it that suddenly I’m the one who’s nervous?” he rasped at her confident statement. Damn, the last thing he wanted to do was hurt her but he knew there was no way around it.
She chuckled softly. “I don’t know, but it’s good to know that you are.”
He gritted his teeth as he entered her one agonizing inch at a time, watching her for any sign that she was too uncomfortable.
“Just do it Max, stop worrying,” she told him softly.
He paused, holding himself still. “Just... you’re sure?” he asked.
She took a deep breath and nodded. Maybe one quick move was better than slow… like pulling off a band-aid.
Max nodded. She had no idea what she was asking him to do. He had never been in this particular position, but maybe she was right and faster was better. “Okay.” He mentally prepared himself and his right hand sought hers out, linking their fingers together. He kissed her deeply, thinking maybe the distraction would help as he pulled his hips back and then thrust into her hard, feeling the barrier that protected her virginity break. “I’m sorry, I’m sorry,” he whispered over and over again.
Liz was surprised. She almost wanted to ask if that had been all she had been worried about. “Max, I’m good,” she told him, running her hand over his neck.
Her reassuring tone suddenly broke through his fears and he lifted his head to look at her. “You’re okay?”
“Yeah, I’m totally okay.”
Relief washed over him and he smiled weakly. “I’m not sure, but I think that may have been more traumatic for me.”
She giggled. “Yeah, I think so too.”
“Are you laughin’ at me?”
“No,” she denied.
“Um-hmm, I don’t believe you,” he murmured against her lips. He withdrew and thrust back in again, slowly at first to allow her to get used to him. He was certain that she would let him know when she was ready for more... and God, he hoped it was soon because it had been too long and this pace was killing him!
Liz closed her eyes to enjoy the new feeling of him inside her. It felt better than she had ever imagined and she slowly started to understand why the other girls had always talked so openly and excited about it. Without even realizing it she spread her legs further apart to feel even more of him. Her fingernails dug into the flesh of his back while her hips started to move against him.
Max felt the need building to a fever pitch and when she started to move against him, her movements wild and uninhibited as she searched for a release she had never known he knew she was ready. He broke the kiss to look into her eyes. “I love you,” he whispered as he let go, following her demands. His movements picked up speed as he thrust into her, harder and deeper as he pushed them both over that edge. He kept his eyes locked on hers, not wanting to miss her expression the first time she experienced an orgasm while he was inside her.
“I love you too,” she breathed against his lips, unaware that the words had come out because she was still struggling to catch her breath.
Max held her close as he rolled over on his back and flopped back against his pillows. She didn’t move, her body bonelessly draped over him. “So worth the wait, darlin’,” he whispered against her head.
“I’m really glad you were so patient, Max. I know it was hard for you.”
“I love you, Liz.” He shook his head. “I wouldn’t rush you for anything. Sure, there were times when it was difficult, but I don’t regret a moment of it.”
Liz stayed in his arms for several long moments. “I guess you’re getting tired, huh?” She had heard the other girls talking about how guys got tired so quickly after they had sex and she knew Max could easily fall asleep right now.
“Not that much,” he said with a sleepy smile.
“Uh-huh,” she said, also smiling. “You should get rid of the condom.”
He snorted and shook his head at her as he shifted to handle her suggestion. “Smart girl.”
She propped herself up one arm and rested her chin in her hand. “I know.”
“Oh, you know, huh?” He laughed and settled down beside her again. “You’re not in any pain or anything are you?”
She shook her head. “No, I feel great, Max. That was wonderful, thank you.” She nipped his bottom lip. “Hey, since it’s already late and all... wanna open your Christmas gift?”
He traced over her cheek with his forefinger. “I think I already got my Christmas gift.”
“Well, I’ve got another one then.”
Max grinned and his eyes lit up like a kid on Christmas morning. “Well, if you just insist on givin’ me another one... then I should probably get up and get yours, too.”
“Sounds good,” she said excitedly. She had no idea what he could have bought for her. “I’ll be right back.” Liz got out of the bed, totally unaware of the fact that she was naked as she walked across the room to get the gift.
He lounged back on the bed and enjoyed the view, knowing she had no idea that she was walking around naked as a jaybird. He scrambled to his feet and grabbed his bag, jerking the zipper open and pulling the card out before jumping back in bed. He grinned when he realized she was still looking around in her own bag and he tipped his head to one side when she started humming.
“Got it,” she said happily and held it up in the air, grinning at him.
“Yes, you do,” he murmured thickly as his eyes wandered over her naked body.
Suddenly it occurred to her that she was standing in the room without a thing on. The weird thing was she didn’t really mind being naked in front of him this time. The way he was looking at her told her that he liked it a lot.
Max knew the exact moment when she realized that she was standing there without a stitch on and he smiled when she didn’t try to cover herself.
She walked back to join him on the bed, handing him two envelopes. “Here you go. I hope you like it.” She bit her lip as she thought about what he would say about the photo.
Max held his envelope out to her. “For you.” He leaned over to kiss her. “Merry Christmas.” He slid his finger along the seal at one end of the envelope. “Y’know, you’ve got no reason to be nervous ‘cause whatever it is, I’m gonna like it.”
“Uh-huh. You open up one first,” she decided.
“Hmm...” he glanced between the two envelopes and finally chose the smaller one. He opened the flap and reached inside, pulling out two tickets to the biggest professional motocross event in California. “Liz, these are great!”
“Yeah? You don’t have already tickets for it, right?”
“No, I knew they had gone on sale, but things have been so busy I had forgotten about it.”
“Good,” she nodded, satisfied. “I was a little worried about it.”
“For future reference, if I’ve picked up tickets for any event I write it on the desk calendar in my room.” He winked at her. “These are great. Thank you.”
She brushed a kiss against his lips. “Welcome.”
“Now... my turn again, or yours?”
“My turn,” she said, smiling as she took the envelope from the bed, turning it a few times in her hand before opening it.
“Max,” she breathed after a few moments when she had realized what it was. He had printed out a little map with a route they would take with this motorcycle. Some points on the map were marked red for either a hotel or a site where they would stop. “This’s... amazing.”
“Yeah? I was hopin’ you’d like it.” He grinned at her as she followed their route with one finger. “Motorcycle on the open road... there’s nothin’ like it.”
She smiled. “I’m excited about it.”
“I think I get the best part though,” he said as he rolled onto his side and his right hand settled on her bare thigh. “I’ll have you wrapped around me the whole time... a guy can’t ask for a better way to make a trip.”
She leaned forward to kiss him. “I’ll be holding onto you tightly.”
“I know. Like I said, best part. So, can I open my other present now?”
She nodded. “Sure. I’m actually really curious and also a bit nervous about what you think about this one.”
Max could see her nervousness notching up so he didn’t drag it out, unsealing the flap and tipping the envelope up so the contents would slide out. His mouth dropped open when he saw the glossy 8x10 photograph. Somehow he knew she had no idea just how provocative she looked in the photographs. “Liz... this’s...”
She glanced up at him, unsure. “What ya think?”
“I think... I think you’ve surprised me.” He shook his head when he saw the worried look in her eyes. “No, no, darlin’, in a good way,” he assured her. “The pics are beautiful and sexy... not as hot as the real you, but I love them.”
She smiled a little. “The girls convinced me to do it.”
“Um-hmm, and what was it that put such a sensual look on your face? Because if it was the photographer, me and him are gonna have a talk.”
She laughed. “The photographer was a woman... and I just thought of you during the shoot.”
“Me, huh?” He shifted so he was leaning over her and he brushed a kiss against her lips. “Anything specific you were thinkin’ about?” he growled.
“Just the way you make me feel whenever you’re around,” she replied. “You won’t show them to anyone, right? I’m okay with being more or less naked in front of you now... but not any of the others...”
He smiled. “No, we’re not showin’ ‘em to anyone else,” he promised.
“Thanks. Maria took some for Michael as well, so don’t tell the boys ya got some photos before they get their presents.”
He chuckled. “I won’t say a word.”
She tried to suppress a yawn but failed. “Sorry.”
“Tired?” he asked, even though he could see that she obviously was.
“Just a little.”
He shifted around to get comfortable and then held his arms open. “C’mere.”
She snuggled against him and pulled the blanket over them. “G’night,” she mumbled against his neck.
“G’night, darlin’,” he whispered, brushing a kiss against the top of her head before reaching over and turning the bedside lamp off.
The dog tags are cool, lol.
We’re pretty sure the twins’ birthday will be memorable. We’ll do our best to keep You Know Who away.
Maiqu: He is, there’s just no denying it. Oh, you know there’s gonna be a celebration!
kismet: LOL, we’ve left you speechless, huh?
They did!
Two aspiring architects… just seems right that they’d design their own home, huh?
He’s getting much better at articulating himself.
zaneri1: Thanks for reading!
mary mary: Oh, now you know we can’t possibly post more chapters, lol! Gotta build the suspense!
Alien_Friend: They’ve come a looong way since the beginning, haven’t they? It’s taken them some time and driven us all crazy at times, but they’re finally at a place where they’re really comfortable with themselves and each other.
Yeah, he did a good job not telling anyone when his birthday was. We’re sure Maria will get the gang together and come up with something amazing. Yeah, we totally agree with you and we think we all wanna hope that love can be like that. They’ll work hard to keep that promise!
We know it too forever, but these two just made it a long and at times, very difficult road to get to those three words, lol!
begonia9508: Thanks! We’re glad you enjoyed that update!
sarammlover: Yay! LOL, c’mon, it only took 1,250+ pages to get there! It was the right moment for the two of them though.
Eva: It was a great moment for our Candy couple, huh? We’re glad you enjoyed it!
destinyc: They’re doing great, aren’t they?
Hmm… you just never know… she could have something special planned.
Part 103 – Taking the Next Step
Maria pretended to think about what he had said. “Wouldn’t be fair to leave him outta this, huh?” She pushed herself a little further down to sit on his thighs while her hands were busy unfastening his belt.
“No,” he grated out when she brushed against him intentionally.
She smirked at him, loving that she could do that to him with just a brief touch in the right place. “Okay, let’s get these outta the way.” She pulled a little on his jeans before climbing to one side to get rid of them.
Michael shifted, helping her out and grinning at her when she tossed his jeans out of the way with an impatient sound. “Um-hmm, just as I suspected,” he mused, “you’ve got him all worked up.”
“Is that a bad thing?” she asked innocently.
“Not as long as he doesn’t make it to the finish line before you do.”
“Well,” she lay down next to him, left arm on the mattress under her, the side of her head resting in her palm, “what can we do about that?” She let her free hand travel down his upper body playfully.
It was next to impossible to control his breathing or his heartbeat while she was so close, touching him and looking at him that way. “Whatever it is I’m thinkin’ we should get it started.”
She smiled brightly at him. “Yeah.” Her hand wandered further down into his boxers. Her smile got even wider when he inhaled sharply the moment she slid her hand along his length.
“I’m about to use my size as an advantage,” he warned as his eyes rolled back in his head. Damn, she knew just how to touch him to drive him crazy.
“Is that a threat or a promise?” she teased.
He shifted, turning his body towards hers as he brought himself up on his right elbow. He leaned in to kiss her as he ran his hand over her hip, his fingers gripping her thigh and pulling her leg up to hook it over his hip. “Or maybe I’ll just go with brains over brawn for a while,” he whispered against her lips.
“Michael,” she groaned into his mouth when his erection pressed against her belly.
“Somethin’ I can help you with?” He reached between them, letting his fingers tease her and watching her eyes as they got darker.
She chuckled softly. “Unnecessary question.”
His fingers stilled and he fought back a grin as he looked at her. “Necessary now?”
“Don’t be mean,” she complained.
He chuckled and shook his head before gently knocking her over onto her back and leaning over her. “Mean, huh? Guess I’d better make up for that...”
She nodded. “Uh-huh, you’d better.”
“Hmm, so many options to choose from.” He settled between her legs and then braced his weight on his hands as he leaned back to look down at her. “Where should I start?”
She rolled her eyes. “Michael, would you stop that?” she begged.
“No sex tonight?” he asked, deliberately misunderstanding.
“You’d better get your hands on me, Guerin.”
“Threats, huh?” He slowly shifted backwards and rested his weight on her thighs as he took his time reaching his goal. He grinned when she shifted restlessly and after a few more moments of torture he lowered his head without warning and slid his tongue between her slick folds.
Her hands dug into the mattress as a loud moan escaped her lips.
No need to ask if she was interested in having his hands on her, he thought smugly. He flicked his tongue over her clit as he teased her entrance with the tip of one finger, knowing that it would make her crazy.
“You’re such a tease, baby,” she groaned.
Michael looked up at her as he continued to tease her with his fingers. “Sometimes,” he agreed, grinning when she just rolled her eyes at him.
“Baby,” she breathed, “I need more than that.”
Michael gave in to her needy request and slid his finger fully inside, testing her readiness and feeling his own desire spike when she moaned. Damn, he wished he hadn’t told her they were gonna take things so slow tonight!
“Kiss me,” she rasped, pulling him down to her. She bit his bottom lip playfully, smiling against him when she could feel his own desire.
He lowered his head and gave her a few playful nips before settling his mouth over hers in a deep kiss.
She groaned into his mouth while her right hand wandered down her own body to settle over his and add more pressure where she needed it.
Michael smiled against her lips when he felt her guiding his hand and despite the temptation to resist, he let her dictate his movements.
Maria raised her hips in the same rhythm as his finger that was thrusting in and out. She wasn’t far from her orgasm, but the question was if he would let her.
He lifted his head to meet her hooded gaze, seeing the need there and knowing how close she was. “No need to just hang on the edge tonight, baby,” he whispered, loving the way her breath hitched and her eyes darkened even more as she caught his meaning.
She bit her bottom lip as their gazes met. “I love you,” she breathed quietly before her eyes shut slowly.
“Love you too,” he growled as he eased his finger free of her body. He couldn’t explain it, but he needed to be a part of her at that moment, needed to be with her when she came apart. He shifted and lined himself up at her entrance before leaning on his forearms over her so that he could meet her surprised gaze.
“What are you...” she started, but her voice failed when she met his gaze.
“I just...” He kissed her as he slowly sank into her willing body. “I need to really be part of it,” he muttered, certain that his explanation was inadequate.
“Okay,” she whispered back as her hands trailed down his back.
Michael wasn’t sure he understood the difference, they were just words, but his awareness of her felt heightened and the connection they shared felt even stronger than normal.
“You okay?” she asked softly when she felt him hesitate for a brief second.
“Yeah,” he said gruffly. “Just don’t know why acknowledging our feelings...” He glanced away as he stilled. “I’m not makin’ any sense.”
“It feels more intense suddenly,” she admitted, almost sure that he had wanted to say something like that too.
Michael smiled slowly as he met her gaze again, relieved that she understood. “Yeah, more intense, that’s what it is.” He rolled his hips, teasing her as he sought the right rhythm. “Not sure how safe that is,” he said with a laugh. “We were pretty combustible before this.”
She laughed as well. “True.”
“You gonna hold it against me if we don’t take it slow this time around?”
“Well, we’ve taken it pretty slow until now, don’t ya think?”
He growled low in his throat when she gave an answer he hadn’t expected and his mouth crashed into hers as his thrusts picked up speed and force.
Her nails dug into his back, surprised by his sudden intense moves.
Michael knew he was too close to hold off for long and as he lifted his head he had to force his brain to work. “Maria,” he rasped, “open your eyes, baby, look at me.”
Her eyes fluttered open at his request and she tried to hold his gaze, even though the temptation to close them again was big.
“You’re so beautiful.” He shook his head once as if he couldn’t believe that she was his.
“Baby,” she groaned and didn’t know what else to say. She wanted to say something that would make him feel as special as she always felt when he told her how beautiful she was in his eyes, but she couldn’t think of anything that would be as good.
She had no idea how open she was in these moments, he realized. His hands sought hers out, interlocking their fingers as they rushed to the edge of the cliff, their orgasms seconds away.
She squeezed his hands tightly when the waves of her orgasm washed over her. She couldn’t control the need to close her eyes again anymore; the feeling was just too overwhelming in that moment.
As soon as her eyes slid closed Michael let his do the same. It was difficult to keep his eyes open no matter how much he wanted to when his orgasm hit and his entire body seized up. He wrapped his arms around her as he shifted to fall over on his back, bringing her with him and sighing when her body draped over him in a comfortable sprawl.
It was hard to move, but she managed to wiggle down a little further until her head could rest on his chest. Her eyelids felt heavy and she was sure she would drift off to sleep in no time if he didn’t keep her awake. She turned her head and pressed a soft kiss to his hand that was resting against her cheek. “Don’t ever leave me,” she whispered against his skin, totally unaware that she had spoken her biggest fear out loud. How was she supposed to ever live without him again? It didn’t seem possible in that moment.
“I’m not goin’ anywhere, baby,” he assured her drowsily. He reached for the edge of the blanket and flipped it over them. “Pretty sure you’re stuck with me for the rest of our lives now.”
“Sounds good,” she mumbled.
He made a sound of agreement and pressed a kiss to her head before letting his eyes slide closed.
*****
Karen came out of the bathroom after a nice long, hot shower and smiled when she saw Brendan fussing with the second receiver for the baby monitor. Once he was finally satisfied that it was in the right place he grabbed his laptop and flopped back on the bed. She leaned in the doorway and smiled when the little frown line that indicated he was deep in thought appeared between his eyebrows.
She didn’t know what he was working on but her curiosity got the best of her and she crossed the room to sit down on the bed beside him. “What’re you doin’?” she asked.
Brendan turned his head to look at her and his mouth opened and shut several times when he got a good look at the red negligee trimmed in black lace she was wearing. “Um, wow, Karen...” He swallowed hard, trying hard to work some moisture back into his suddenly dry mouth.
She reached over to lift his chin and force his mouth to close before leaning over to press a kiss to his lips. “You were about to explain what you’re doin’.”
“Huh?” His dark eyes followed her hand when she reached out and tapped the screen. “What’re you doin’, Bren?”
“Oh, makin’ a list of pros and cons.” He shrugged. “I’m startin’ with should we get a house or an apartment...” He glanced at her. “I mean, if you want us to live together... you do, right?”
Karen nodded. “I want you back in my life, Bren. And that wouldn’t work if we stayed at our current places.”
“Would be kinda hard to work out that distance thing, huh?” He smiled widely. “So, whatcha think? House or apartment?”
“Hmmm... ya think we’re ready for a house?”
“I don’t know.” He scratched his chin. “I’ve looked at some houses in Long Beach, kinda weighed the cost against what I pay in rent and long term we’d come out cheaper.” He paused and looked at her. “I’ve been thinkin’ about your mom, too, and... I was wonderin’ if you’d wanna talk to her about movin’ here?”
“Are you serious?” Karen asked happily. She had thought about her mom but decided not to bring that up too soon.
“Yeah, and Sean’s thinkin’ about getting his own place so your mom could stay there if she wanted. She wouldn’t have to work all day and then come home and keep kids in the evening, too. You won’t have to worry about her workin’ herself to death. Hell, Karen, the rent’s even paid up for the next three years, so all she’d have to pay would be the basic bills.” He paused. “Am I oversteppin’?”
Karen chuckled. “Well, we should ask her first.”
“But, if she says yes, you’re okay with it? I’m used to havin’ money and I like to spend it on the people I care about.” He met her gaze, his own serious. “I love you and I love your mom, too. From the first time I met her she’s always been good to me, so if she agrees...” He turned to take her hands in his. “Is it okay?”
She squeezed his hand. “I doubt that she’ll agree to let ya pay for everything, but we’ll find a way.”
“Well, not everything,” he said, shrugging self-consciously. “Just the rent; I paid it up for four years when I started school and got the apartment.” He reached up to scratch his neck. “I know how hard she works and I want her to enjoy life and her time with Caela without worryin’ about money stuff. And same for you... I could live on nothin’ more than the interest on my trust fund, but I don’t wanna make you uncomfortable.”
“I wanna go to work as well, Bren. Anything else would be too weird and unsatisfying. But it’s good to know that we don’t have to worry.”
He nodded, understanding what she was saying. “Yeah, I knew you’d wanna get a job and I respect that.” He grinned. “Guess that’ll give me an’ Caela lots of time to hang out.”
“Have you already looked at some houses or apartments in the Internet?”
“Yeah, I’ve got a few of them saved. Wanna take a look at ‘em?”
“Sure.” She got comfortable next to him.
“Well, there’s one that’s got a huge yard and looks over the ocean, there’s one that’s on the beach... those are both houses. Then there’s an apartment that’s got an awesome sunken den and it’s close to campus. Which one ya wanna look at first?”
“Hmmm, let’s start with the houses.”
Brendan pulled up the site and the set the laptop on the bed, sliding it forward and shifting around so that he was lying on his stomach. He motioned for her to join him and then reached out to click on the house he had looked at earlier. “This’s the one that looks out over the beach... it’s got two bedrooms, a den…”
They spent more than an hour looking at houses and apartments, discussing different features and play fighting over the possibilities for interior decorating before finally deciding on a couple to look at after the holidays.
Karen was leaning against his side, her left forearm braced on his shoulder as she watched him maneuver through the pages. She knew the moment he felt the change in her and his fingers hovered over the keyboard as he slowly turned his head to look at her.
“You look like you’ve suddenly lost interest in lookin’ at houses,” he said with a grin.
“Maybe we could look at them later.”
He shut the laptop down and leaned over to sit it on the floor before sitting up and shifting around to face her. He was reaching for her when the sound of quiet crying came through the baby monitor. He fell back on the bed and ran his hands through his hair as a frustrated groan escaped past his lips.
Karen chuckled as she stood up and reached for the robe hanging on the back of the door. “Like I said, she has your sense of timing, Bren.”
“I’ll go check on her,” he said, stopping her when she started to open the door. “And with any luck she’ll go right back to sleep.” He motioned to the bed. “You just make yourself comfortable and I’ll be back as soon as possible.” He kissed her before moving her away from the door and slipping out of their room.
*****
Liz glanced into the mirror over the sink in the bathroom next to bedroom she was sharing with Max, toothbrush in her mouth. Was she ready for IT?
“Are you comin’ to bed?” Max had been leaning in the doorframe for several seconds now, just watching her.
She let her gaze slide over his naked upper body and nodded before she spit out the toothpaste. “Almost ready.”
He walked further into the room to stand behind her. “Everything okay?” He wasn’t sure if he was right or not, but she seemed to be a little nervous and he wasn’t sure why.
“Sure,” she said a little bit too quickly. “Just gimme another second alright?”
Max nodded, deciding that if he kept asking questions he was only going to make her uncomfortable. He went back into the bedroom and pulled the covers back, sliding under them and leaning back against the pillows.
Liz took her time brushing her hair and changing into something for the night. She had been out with Maria to buy something special shortly before they had gone to Roswell. So far she hadn’t worn it, but tonight felt like the right time to finally put it on. It was nothing too sexy, nothing too slutty… it was just perfect.
She glanced at herself in the mirror again, liking the way the silky violet panties and the matching strappy top looked on her. Her heart pounded wildly as she walked to the door that separated her from the man she loved. How would he react to it? She still felt a little uncomfortable in it even though she knew that it looked great on her and that he would like it.
With one last deep breath, she opened the door and leaned in the doorframe, her provocative pose at odds with the shy smile she aimed at the man on the bed.
Max glanced up when movement caught his eye and he did a double take when he registered what he was seeing. “Liz...” he whistled under his breath. “You’re beautiful, darlin’.” He was scared to even dare to hope that she was ready to take the next step in their relationship.
“Like it?” she teased, enjoying that it was sooo obvious he did.
“Oh, yeah,” he said, sounding strangled. He was trying hard not to be too obvious about it, but he really hoped this was what he thought it was.
She wondered of she should get into bed or wait until he got out of it again. When he didn’t look like he would move the slightest bit, she started to walk towards him slowly. “I was hoping you would,” she said as she stopped next to the bed.
Max felt almost paralyzed as he stared at her. She was beautiful all the time, but tonight she just took his breath away. He threw the covers back again and turned to sit up facing her as he reached out to place his hands on her hips.
Liz stared down at him, biting her lip when she saw his boxer-covered erection that made it more than obvious how he felt.
“Can’t exactly hide that,” he said, hoping it wouldn’t scare her off. It wasn’t the first time she had seen him aroused, but something about tonight felt different.
“Yeah,” she chuckled hoarsely and reached out to caress his cheek.
His hands clenched on her hips for a moment before relaxing again. “I haven’t seen this one before,” he said as he brushed his hands over the silky material.
“Well, it’s new...” she whispered.
“Special occasion?” he asked and then winced. “Did that sound too eager?”
She smiled, relaxing a little at the realization that he seemed to be nervous as well. “Think so.”
He grinned and took her hands in his, tugging her closer and tipping his head back to look up at her. “You um, you ready for this?”
She nodded slowly. “I think I am...”
“You know we don’t have to do this if you’re not ready, right?”
“Wanna talk me outta this?” she teased.
He chuckled gruffly. “Hell, no, darlin’! I just want you to know that you’re the one in control here. You understand what I’m sayin’?”
She nodded. “Thanks.”
“Okay.” He drew in a deep breath. He stood up and pulled her up against his body as he lowered his head to kiss her.
She splayed her hands on his chest while he kissed her slowly and felt some of her nervousness ease away. He would be gentle, he would be wonderful, and there was no doubt that he would stop if she asked him too, so... there was nothing she should be scared off.
Max felt the change in her as soon as she started to relax, losing some of the tension as they kissed and she forgot all about what was coming. He felt like he had waited his whole life for this and he didn’t want to rush it.
Liz giggled when his goatee tickled her skin. She bent her head to the side when his lips wandered over her cheek to her neck. “I still can’t believe how things turned out this last month,” she admitted quietly as her hands ran through his hair. “I can’t imagine my life without you anymore.”
“You don’t have to ‘cause I’m not goin’ anywhere.” He nibbled along her collarbone and detoured to move lower. “I knew the first time I saw you that I wanted you... drove me crazy every time we met after that.”
“Oh my, the night in the karaoke bar,” she said giggling.
“Girl, I had just come off of a flight from Dallas, walked into the bar and gotten roped into goin’ up onstage and doin’ a mini stripper act and I walked over to join my friends at their table and there you were... I wanted to kiss you right then.”
“I remember how I just stared at your body the whole time until Maria took me to the ladies room to ask what was suddenly wrong with me.”
Max placed small kisses along the edge of the material at the tops of her breasts and his breath ghosted across her skin when he chuckled. “Guess it didn’t help that I stopped right in front of you...” he raised his head and looked up at her. “I unzipped my jeans to tuck my shirt in too, didn’t I?” He shook his head. “Sorry ‘bout that.”
“No, it’s good that you’ve been so... eager. It opened my eyes.”
“I wanted to be so much more,” he grinned at her, “eager, but it wouldn’t have been right considerin’ the circumstances.”
She smiled. “You don’t have to hold back anymore. Well... maybe a little, ya know what I mean, but we’re getting better.”
“Think we can get rid of this pretty little top?” he asked huskily.
She nodded and lifted her arms up so he would be able to pull it over her head.
His hands skimmed along her sides as he lifted the top up and off of her. He dropped it on the nightstand and let his eyes move over her as his hands came up to cup her breasts. His thumbs gently brushed over her nipples and he lifted his gaze to hers when he heard her inhale sharply.
She locked her eyes with his. “My knees are going weak,” she admitted quietly.
He wrapped his right arm around her and held her against him as he fell back on the bed. He relaxed his hold on her and rolled them over so that he was looking down at her. “Better?”
“Um-hmm, much.”
He shifted down a bit so he could nibble on her soft flesh, kissing the gently heaving mounds before giving her nipples a playful nip.
She couldn’t control the moan that escaped her lips. Her hands latched onto his shoulders to hold him against her.
Every sound she made encouraged him and he followed his original path, kissing a path down her stomach and paying special attention to her signals. He had touched her of course, but she hadn’t been comfortable enough to let him go down on her.
Liz gripped the sheets under her tightly when Max went further down. “Max,” she panted, “I trust you.”
He hooked his thumbs in the waistband of her panties and smiled when she lifted her hips, making it easier to rid her of the scrap of material. He ran his hands over her thighs and placed a kiss against her mound when she shifted just enough to part her legs and let him settle between them.
The musky scent of her arousal was enough to drive him crazy and he could see how wet she was when he lifted her left leg to rest over his shoulder. “You have no idea just how sexy you are, Liz,” he breathed against her as he leaned down to dip his tongue between her folds. He ran his tongue up to her clit, flicking the tip over the bundle of nerves and then leaning back to gauge her reaction.
Liz bit her lip almost painfully as the new feeling she had never experienced before washed over her. “I feel like I’m bursting,” she breathed with a shy smile.
He smiled. “Just wait, girl, it’s a wild ride and it’s only gonna get better.” He lowered his head once more and brought his hand up to tease her entrance as he sucked on her clit. He wanted her as relaxed as possible before they took that next step and he was pretty sure an orgasm would help with that.
“Max,” Liz panted out, surprised by her own reaction to him and the fact that she was already close.
She was right there and he gently bit her clit, sending her flying over the edge. Her body bowed up under him as it trembled with a breath-stealing orgasm.
“Come up here,” she begged him breathlessly after several moments of attempting to regain some of her control.
“See? Not that scary, huh?” He crawled back up over her body and allowed his weight to rest against her. He propped himself up on his forearms and kissed her slowly, letting her taste herself on his lips.
“No, not with you,” she admitted between kisses.
“Good.” He smiled against her lips and shifted his hips slowly, seeking a little bit of friction.
Her hands wandered down his back to the hem of his boxers. “I think we should get rid of these.”
“You’re not gonna get a complaint from me,” he huffed out and shifted around to shove his boxers down and off.
She felt some of her nervousness coming back again when she realized that the moment of her first time was getting so close. “Can’t believe we’re finally at this point,” she admitted.
“Only if you’re ready, darlin’,” he assured her as he kissed her.
“I’ll never be more ready than I am now. A little bit of nervousness is normal, right?”
“It’s perfectly normal.” He shifted to pull the drawer on the nightstand open, reaching inside and shaking one of the condoms out of the box he had tossed in there just in case they needed them at some point. He hadn’t had sex in months, since before he had met Liz, and he knew there were no health issues to worry about, but he wouldn’t risk her getting pregnant before they were ready for it.
She looked into his eyes and smiled. “I love you, Max Evans.”
“I love you too, Liz Parker.” He grinned at her before tearing the foil packet open with his teeth and rolling the condom on. He lined himself up at her entrance and looked into her eyes. “I don’t really know if there’s a position or method that makes this any less uncomfortable the first time,” he said apologetically.
“Don’t worry,” she took his face in her hands. “I’ll be fine.”
“How is it that suddenly I’m the one who’s nervous?” he rasped at her confident statement. Damn, the last thing he wanted to do was hurt her but he knew there was no way around it.
She chuckled softly. “I don’t know, but it’s good to know that you are.”
He gritted his teeth as he entered her one agonizing inch at a time, watching her for any sign that she was too uncomfortable.
“Just do it Max, stop worrying,” she told him softly.
He paused, holding himself still. “Just... you’re sure?” he asked.
She took a deep breath and nodded. Maybe one quick move was better than slow… like pulling off a band-aid.
Max nodded. She had no idea what she was asking him to do. He had never been in this particular position, but maybe she was right and faster was better. “Okay.” He mentally prepared himself and his right hand sought hers out, linking their fingers together. He kissed her deeply, thinking maybe the distraction would help as he pulled his hips back and then thrust into her hard, feeling the barrier that protected her virginity break. “I’m sorry, I’m sorry,” he whispered over and over again.
Liz was surprised. She almost wanted to ask if that had been all she had been worried about. “Max, I’m good,” she told him, running her hand over his neck.
Her reassuring tone suddenly broke through his fears and he lifted his head to look at her. “You’re okay?”
“Yeah, I’m totally okay.”
Relief washed over him and he smiled weakly. “I’m not sure, but I think that may have been more traumatic for me.”
She giggled. “Yeah, I think so too.”
“Are you laughin’ at me?”
“No,” she denied.
“Um-hmm, I don’t believe you,” he murmured against her lips. He withdrew and thrust back in again, slowly at first to allow her to get used to him. He was certain that she would let him know when she was ready for more... and God, he hoped it was soon because it had been too long and this pace was killing him!
Liz closed her eyes to enjoy the new feeling of him inside her. It felt better than she had ever imagined and she slowly started to understand why the other girls had always talked so openly and excited about it. Without even realizing it she spread her legs further apart to feel even more of him. Her fingernails dug into the flesh of his back while her hips started to move against him.
Max felt the need building to a fever pitch and when she started to move against him, her movements wild and uninhibited as she searched for a release she had never known he knew she was ready. He broke the kiss to look into her eyes. “I love you,” he whispered as he let go, following her demands. His movements picked up speed as he thrust into her, harder and deeper as he pushed them both over that edge. He kept his eyes locked on hers, not wanting to miss her expression the first time she experienced an orgasm while he was inside her.
“I love you too,” she breathed against his lips, unaware that the words had come out because she was still struggling to catch her breath.
Max held her close as he rolled over on his back and flopped back against his pillows. She didn’t move, her body bonelessly draped over him. “So worth the wait, darlin’,” he whispered against her head.
“I’m really glad you were so patient, Max. I know it was hard for you.”
“I love you, Liz.” He shook his head. “I wouldn’t rush you for anything. Sure, there were times when it was difficult, but I don’t regret a moment of it.”
Liz stayed in his arms for several long moments. “I guess you’re getting tired, huh?” She had heard the other girls talking about how guys got tired so quickly after they had sex and she knew Max could easily fall asleep right now.
“Not that much,” he said with a sleepy smile.
“Uh-huh,” she said, also smiling. “You should get rid of the condom.”
He snorted and shook his head at her as he shifted to handle her suggestion. “Smart girl.”
She propped herself up one arm and rested her chin in her hand. “I know.”
“Oh, you know, huh?” He laughed and settled down beside her again. “You’re not in any pain or anything are you?”
She shook her head. “No, I feel great, Max. That was wonderful, thank you.” She nipped his bottom lip. “Hey, since it’s already late and all... wanna open your Christmas gift?”
He traced over her cheek with his forefinger. “I think I already got my Christmas gift.”
“Well, I’ve got another one then.”
Max grinned and his eyes lit up like a kid on Christmas morning. “Well, if you just insist on givin’ me another one... then I should probably get up and get yours, too.”
“Sounds good,” she said excitedly. She had no idea what he could have bought for her. “I’ll be right back.” Liz got out of the bed, totally unaware of the fact that she was naked as she walked across the room to get the gift.
He lounged back on the bed and enjoyed the view, knowing she had no idea that she was walking around naked as a jaybird. He scrambled to his feet and grabbed his bag, jerking the zipper open and pulling the card out before jumping back in bed. He grinned when he realized she was still looking around in her own bag and he tipped his head to one side when she started humming.
“Got it,” she said happily and held it up in the air, grinning at him.
“Yes, you do,” he murmured thickly as his eyes wandered over her naked body.
Suddenly it occurred to her that she was standing in the room without a thing on. The weird thing was she didn’t really mind being naked in front of him this time. The way he was looking at her told her that he liked it a lot.
Max knew the exact moment when she realized that she was standing there without a stitch on and he smiled when she didn’t try to cover herself.
She walked back to join him on the bed, handing him two envelopes. “Here you go. I hope you like it.” She bit her lip as she thought about what he would say about the photo.
Max held his envelope out to her. “For you.” He leaned over to kiss her. “Merry Christmas.” He slid his finger along the seal at one end of the envelope. “Y’know, you’ve got no reason to be nervous ‘cause whatever it is, I’m gonna like it.”
“Uh-huh. You open up one first,” she decided.
“Hmm...” he glanced between the two envelopes and finally chose the smaller one. He opened the flap and reached inside, pulling out two tickets to the biggest professional motocross event in California. “Liz, these are great!”
“Yeah? You don’t have already tickets for it, right?”
“No, I knew they had gone on sale, but things have been so busy I had forgotten about it.”
“Good,” she nodded, satisfied. “I was a little worried about it.”
“For future reference, if I’ve picked up tickets for any event I write it on the desk calendar in my room.” He winked at her. “These are great. Thank you.”
She brushed a kiss against his lips. “Welcome.”
“Now... my turn again, or yours?”
“My turn,” she said, smiling as she took the envelope from the bed, turning it a few times in her hand before opening it.
“Max,” she breathed after a few moments when she had realized what it was. He had printed out a little map with a route they would take with this motorcycle. Some points on the map were marked red for either a hotel or a site where they would stop. “This’s... amazing.”
“Yeah? I was hopin’ you’d like it.” He grinned at her as she followed their route with one finger. “Motorcycle on the open road... there’s nothin’ like it.”
She smiled. “I’m excited about it.”
“I think I get the best part though,” he said as he rolled onto his side and his right hand settled on her bare thigh. “I’ll have you wrapped around me the whole time... a guy can’t ask for a better way to make a trip.”
She leaned forward to kiss him. “I’ll be holding onto you tightly.”
“I know. Like I said, best part. So, can I open my other present now?”
She nodded. “Sure. I’m actually really curious and also a bit nervous about what you think about this one.”
Max could see her nervousness notching up so he didn’t drag it out, unsealing the flap and tipping the envelope up so the contents would slide out. His mouth dropped open when he saw the glossy 8x10 photograph. Somehow he knew she had no idea just how provocative she looked in the photographs. “Liz... this’s...”
She glanced up at him, unsure. “What ya think?”
“I think... I think you’ve surprised me.” He shook his head when he saw the worried look in her eyes. “No, no, darlin’, in a good way,” he assured her. “The pics are beautiful and sexy... not as hot as the real you, but I love them.”
She smiled a little. “The girls convinced me to do it.”
“Um-hmm, and what was it that put such a sensual look on your face? Because if it was the photographer, me and him are gonna have a talk.”
She laughed. “The photographer was a woman... and I just thought of you during the shoot.”
“Me, huh?” He shifted so he was leaning over her and he brushed a kiss against her lips. “Anything specific you were thinkin’ about?” he growled.
“Just the way you make me feel whenever you’re around,” she replied. “You won’t show them to anyone, right? I’m okay with being more or less naked in front of you now... but not any of the others...”
He smiled. “No, we’re not showin’ ‘em to anyone else,” he promised.
“Thanks. Maria took some for Michael as well, so don’t tell the boys ya got some photos before they get their presents.”
He chuckled. “I won’t say a word.”
She tried to suppress a yawn but failed. “Sorry.”
“Tired?” he asked, even though he could see that she obviously was.
“Just a little.”
He shifted around to get comfortable and then held his arms open. “C’mere.”
She snuggled against him and pulled the blanket over them. “G’night,” she mumbled against his neck.
“G’night, darlin’,” he whispered, brushing a kiss against the top of her head before reaching over and turning the bedside lamp off.
Don’t forget – the second round of voting is still open! Click on the link below our siggie and visit our author's page if ya wanna cast your vote!
Fics: A Xmas Story - A Merry Mt. R. Xmas - Cupid's Revenge - Double Trouble - Double Date - Double Dare - Double Empire - Double Xmas Wish - In The Course Of A Lifetime - Mountains So High - Not A Question At All - Surrender - TIC TAC - Two Double Dates at Xmas
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Double Trouble
- Obsessed Roswellian
- Posts: 925
- Joined: Tue Dec 16, 2008 9:47 am
Part 104
Earth2Mama: At least that’s a good shock! Liz has gained a lot of confidence in the time she and Max have been together. It took them quite a while to get to this point, but it was well worth the wait.
We believe so, too. These two are definitely looking at their relationship long-term.
So close, lol! But Bren and Karen will have their moment. Brendan’s great and including Karen’s mom definitely gives him extra points.
Alien_Friend: Awesome! Plenty of it in that last part!
He’s come a long way since the beginning of this fic, hasn’t he?
Max and Liz have made a lot of progress in their relationship. You’re so right about Liz… and one day she will realize just how beautiful she is to Max and look out, Max! LOL, it has kinda become a theme, hasn’t it?
Brendan’s a great guy and Karen’s mom means a lot to him too.
Well, if you need some conflict… lol!
mary mary: LOL, Caela does have perfect timing!
Well, we may not quite get to the tree examination just yet.
Michael Jordan… yeah, those would’ve been awesome tickets!
kismet: We’re glad you liked the Dreamer moment!
Well, let’s get to that morning after then, lol.
keepsmiling7: Max made sure that Liz’s first time was not only a good experience, but a memorable one!
sarammlover: LOL, you’re so right about Michael and Maria. Max and Liz have come a long way in a short time.
Natalie36: Thanks for reading!
destinyc: You were right, lol.
Lots of progress being made for our Dreamer and Candy couples.
Cardinal: There is a difference and yes, they did, lol!
We’re glad you enjoyed that last part. Max and Liz have made a lot of progress in their relationship and he’s been very instrumental in helping her get past some of those old obstacles.
LOL, well, we’ll find out because ya know Tess is gonna figure it out!
begonia9508: Waiting until you know the time is right is important, and Liz certainly benefited from that waiting.
StrandedInSummer: We’re glad you’re enjoying the fic! Michael and Maria have made a lot of progress since the beginning. Liz was smart enough to wait until she was ready and with a man she loves and who she knows loves her as well. Brendan’s definitely getting his life back on track.
kay_b: We’re so glad you loved that last part!
Alex’s reaction? We’ll find out soon enough.
Maiqu: They do tend to set the screen on fire, don’t they? Brendan’s a sweetheart and he wants his family to be together and happy.
LOL! Aww, well, DT Max is hard to resist. Unfortunately, we seem to have an extreme shortage and Liz doesn’t seem to want to share, so… your DT Max is on back order.
quelbebek: We´re glad you liked the last parts, they were long awaited, lol.
Don´t worry, we keep our updates on the regular schedule. DT on Thursday and Sunday. MSH and ITCOAL on Sunday.
Part 104 – Christmas Morning
Michael rolled over and turned his head away from the sunlight reflecting off of the snow outside and blinding him. He mumbled something unintelligible and burrowed closer against the warmth coming from close by. He started to growl when it shifted out of reach and a moment later the sound of quiet laughter drew his attention and he forced one eye open.
“What’re you laughin’ at?” he grumbled, forcing his other eye open so he could enjoy the sight of Maria reclining against the pillows, bare from the waist up with the exception of the dog tags resting between her breasts.
She leaned over to rub his hair. “You, sleepyhead.”
He made a sound of content as he shifted closer to her. “It’s Christmas mornin’,” he observed lazily.
“Yeah. Merry Christmas, baby.” She kissed his hair as she wrapped her arms around him.
He cleared his throat. “Yeah, um, ya know,” he made a rolling motion with his right hand, “same to you.”
She chuckled as his less than enthusiastic comment. “It’s already ten. We should get up soon before the others start to arrive.”
“Is anyone else up yet?”
“I’ve heard some movement downstairs, so I’d say yes.”
“Great,” he muttered. “What time’s everyone supposed to get here?”
“I don’t know.... soon.”
“Yeah, we should get movin’ soon then. Don’t wanna be the last one down there.”
“First, I’ve got somethin’ for ya though.”
“Blowjob?” he asked with a wicked grin.
“Noooo...”
“Ya sure?” he teased. “’Cause that’d really put a smile on my face.”
“The other thing will too.”
“Okay,” he said, sitting up and looking around. “Where is it, then?”
She stretched her arm out to open the nightstand next to her and fumbled around until her fingers came in contact with the envelope. “Here,” she placed it on her chest.
Michael glanced at the manila envelope curiously. “You got me paperwork?” he asked as he hesitantly reached out to run his forefinger along one edge of the envelope.
She snorted. “Yeah.”
His right eyebrow shot up at her tone and he grabbed the envelope and carefully tore the flap open. He pinched the end of it as he held it upside down to let the contents slide out and into his waiting hand. “Ya know, you don’t have to be such a smartass all...” his breath caught in his throat as he realized it wasn’t paper at all but photographs. He dropped the envelope and carefully turned them over, feeling heat rush through his veins when he saw the provocative expression on her face as she posed for the sexy picture. “Maria...” he breathed, “you did this for me?”
She smiled. “You like them?”
“Like them?” he repeated as he sat up and spread them out around him. “Maria, you’re sexy any day of the week, but damn, girl!”
“Thought I’d try something new.”
“I love this one,” he said with a grin as he picked up the one where she was lying on her stomach, legs raised behind her and crossed at the ankles. “Okay, I was ready for mornin’ sex before this, so I really hope you don’t think we’re goin’ down for breakfast right now.”
She grinned. “I knew you would like that one the most.”
“Of course you did.” He carefully stacked the pictures and set them aside. “I love them all, but that one is definitely my favorite.” He was leaning in to kiss her when someone knocked on the door.
Maria groaned slightly. “Who is it?”
“Got a little short person out here who wants to say Merry Christmas to Uncle Mike and Aunt Maria,” Brendan said through the door.
Maria smiled and grabbed one of Michael’s shirts that was laying on the floor to cover herself.
“You realize Brendan’s just doin’ this to fuck with us, right?” Michael asked. “Matter of fact, I’d just about bet money that Max put him up to it.”
“Go on and open the door. He’s not gonna leave anyway.”
“You’d better be glad I put my boxers on earlier when I had to get up and get a blanket because you stole all the ones we had over here.” He gave her a quick kiss before rolling off of the mattress and getting to his feet. He snatched his jeans up off of the floor and pulled them on as he hopped to the door.
Caela smiled up at him and walked right inside as soon as he opened the door. She chattered happily as she looked around the room and smiled and waved when she saw Maria.
“Merry Christmas, Bro,” Brendan said.
Michael’s eyes widened in shock when his brother grabbed him and gave him a quick hug.
“Hey, would ya mind watchin’ her for a few minutes while I go get Karen up?”
“Nah,” Michael choked out, trying to find his voice again. “Go ahead.”
Brendan nodded. “Merry Christmas, Maria,” he called as he backed away.
Michael was turning around when Caela suddenly flung her right hand out and her stuffed moose collided with his groin.
Maria winced when he automatically doubled over, crossing one arm in front of himself protectively.
“Okay,” he wheezed out, “let’s not do that again, Caela. Uncle Mike needs his equipment in workin’ order.”
She looked up at him with a curious look on her face and after a moment she smiled and held the toy out to him.
Maria got to her feet as well and walked up next to them. “You’ve already got a gift from Santa?”
“Pair of bruised nuts,” Michael muttered. “I’d like to return my gift.”
She snorted and crouched down in front of Caela. “Do you like Christmas?”
The little girl gave her a big smile and held up the new toy. “Moo!” she said happily.
“Hello Moo,” Maria said to the toy. “Wanna say hi to Uncle Mike?”
Michael made a face at her. “Moo and I have already been introduced, thank you very much. I’m pretty sure we’re not gonna be friends or anything.”
“Come on. Don’t be grumpy.”
He slowly straightened up, shifting as inconspicuously as possible to make sure things were where they needed to be. “Uncle Mike’s not bein’ grumpy, is he, Caela?” he asked as he scooped her up and placed a kiss on her cheek.
The little girl giggled and dropped her stuffed animal to the ground to hug her uncle tightly.
“Aww, she so loves you.” Maria smiled, when she saw the little girl’s reaction to Michael.
Michael swallowed hard and nodded. “Kid doesn’t know any better,” he muttered gruffly, trying to play it off and not show just how much Caela’s open acceptance of him was affecting him.
“You look like her daddy too, I’m sure that’s still a little confusing her.”
Caela leaned back and reached up to pet his hair. “Ki-ki,” she said, giving him a big smile.
“Might look like her daddy, but she’s figured out there’s a difference.”
*****
Brendan opened the door to the bedroom quietly and slipped inside. He sat down on the edge of the bed and watched Karen, who still slept peacefully. How had he managed to live his life without her the past couple of years? It seemed impossible right now.
A glance at the clock beside the bed reminded him that he was supposed to wake her up. He reached out to let his fingers trail over her bare arm. “Hey, Mommy, time for you to wake up now.”
Karen smiled as she opened her eyes, blinking sleepily as she looked up at Brendan. She had heard him come into their room but she was enjoying the rare opportunity to laze around in bed. She reached out and squeezed his thigh. “You’ve been so great with Caela, Bren.” She smiled teasingly at him. “I may just have to keep you around.”
“May?”
She laughed at his question and grabbed a handful of his shirt to pull him down to her. “Hmm... definitely?”
He chuckled and allowed himself to lie down next to her. “Sounds a lot better.”
“Where’s Caela?” She glanced at the clock. “I know there’s no way she’s still asleep.”
“She’s with Michael.”
“I’m not sure which one of them’s having more fun.”
“Seems like we have the perfect babysitter if we need some time alone,” he said and wiggled his eyebrows.
“I hope he lives close by then, because we’re gonna be needing that.” She reached up to run her fingers through his hair as her eyes searched his face. “His reaction was so much better than I had hoped for. Do you think Alex and Brooke will react as well as he did?”
“We’ll find out soon. They just called when I was downstairs to let us know that they’ll be here in about an hour.”
“An hour, huh?” She grinned at him as her finger traced along the neckline of his shirt. “We could get up to all kinds of things in an hour.”
He growled low in his throat. “Tempting.... but breakfast is already waiting for ya downstairs.”
“I can see we’re gonna have to work on your sense of timing,” she said with a roll of her eyes.
“Sorry,” he grimaced.
“S’okay,” she smiled, “we’ve got plenty of time to figure these things out.” She tugged him closer for a kiss. “Merry Christmas, Bren.”
“Merry Christmas,” he said. “I love you. Never stopped.”
Her fingers ghosted across his jaw as she stared deeply into his eyes. “I’ve always loved you... always have and always will.”
“Looks like Mom and Dad are occupied,” Michael told Caela as they paused in the doorway. Take that for disturbing my plans for morning sex, Michael thought amused.
Caela looked up at him before turning to stretch her right arm out towards her parents, the little stuffed moose dangling from her hand. “Mama! Da!”
“Well, you’re leavin’ the ‘d’ off the end, but you’re close,” he said, grinning at her.
Brendan turned to look at Karen. “Did she just say... did she call me...”
She smiled. “I think she did. Our smart little girl.”
“Hey, I’m the one who’s been workin’ on that,” Michael grumbled. He glared playfully at the little girl. “You totally forgot that last ‘d’ though.”
She grinned at him before concentrating and making just the ‘d’ sound. He made a face and reached up to wipe his chin when her efforts resulted in her spitting on him and she squealed at his expression.
“Takin’ credit for Caela’s accomplishment, Michael?” Maria teased from behind him. “That’s just so low.”
“What? I am not,” he denied. “We’ve totally been workin’ on her sayin’ ‘dad’ and she went and said it all wrong.”
She stretched up to kiss him. “Looks to me like she said it just right,” she said, motioning to his brother and the happy expression on Brendan’s face. “Next time, try going with ‘da-da’... it’ll probably stick better at her age.”
“Da-da,” Caela said quietly, trying it out and then repeating it over and over.
“Show off,” Michael grumbled and set her down on the floor. “Why don’t you go show off for your...” he made a face. “Da-da.”
“Come on,” Maria grabbed Michael’s arm, “we should leave them alone for a few minutes.”
“Yeah, smells like breakfast is ready anyway.”
“Don’t eat all the pancakes,” Brendan warned.
“Guess you’d better hurry then because between me an’ Max, we can pack ‘em away.”
“Mornin’,” Liz greeted the couple when they entered the kitchen.
“Hey,” Michael mumbled as he brushed past her in search of food.
“That was ‘good morning’ in Michael’s caveman language,” Maria said, rolling her eyes. She hugged her friend. “Merry Christmas, girl.” She leaned back and looked at Liz, her eyes narrowing as she tried to decipher the smile that Liz couldn’t seem to control. “What’re you...” She turned her head to look at Max, grinning when she saw the goofy grin on his face as he watched Liz. “No, you didn’t! Did you?”
“She did what?” Michael asked, suddenly interested.
Maria waved him off. “Pancakes, Michael... make your plate.” She grabbed Liz’ hand and dragged her into the living room.
Liz shoved the last bite of her pancake in her mouth as she followed Maria. “Hey, I was eating...”
Michael turned to glare at Max. “What’d you do?”
“Me? Nothing,” he lied.
“Oh, you did somethin’.” He leaned over the bar between the kitchen and the living room. “Maria, we’re supposed to be havin’ breakfast together, remember?”
“Shhh,” she told Michael and turned to Liz again. “Did you two... did you have sex?”
“So, we’re not havin’ breakfast together?” Michael asked when she spoke to Liz, her voice lowered.
Maria rolled her eyes.
“Why don’t we just have breakfast? Seems like Michael really wants to eat with you, huh? We can talk later,” Liz suggested.
Michael smiled innocently when Maria turned to look at him, hands propped on her hips. “Bacon or sausage?”
“Neither, Mister.”
“Huh?”
“I’ll just have a croissant.”
“A croissant? But, we’ve got pancakes.” He looked at Max and stepped in front of him when he realized that the idiot was still staring at his girlfriend with that stupid look on his face. “Look, would you quit fantasizing about de-virginizing your girlfriend and pay attention.”
“First off, I don’t think that’s a real word and second, cut it out.”
“I’m not in the mood for pancakes,” Maria replied as she sat down next to Liz.
“How can anybody not be in the mood for pancakes?” Brendan asked as he came in behind her.
Michael just shrugged and added another pancake to his own plate. “No idea.” He grabbed a plate and handed it to Karen when she motioned to the stack on the counter next to him.
Brendan was busy situating Caela in her high chair, but he was keeping an eye on the platter of pancakes.
“You guys wouldn’t know anything about how we women stay in shape,” Maria said and poured coffee in her cup.
“I’m all for stayin’ in shape,” he said as he placed a sad little croissant on a plate and leaned over her shoulder to set it in front of her. “And I’m available anytime you need some help burnin’ off some calories... sex is a great workout.”
Max made a face. “Talk about that in private please.”
“Brendan, back me up here, man.”
“Huh?” He glanced up without really knowing what they were talking about because he had been busy with his daughter.
Michael sighed and sat down next to Maria. “Nothin’,” he sulked.
“The others will be here soon,” Max told Maria and Michael. “They called about half an hour ago.”
“Well, there’ll be plenty of pancakes leftover.”
“Let it go,” Maria advised.
Max grabbed a plate and filled it with pancakes. “Liz, pancakes or a croissant, darlin’?”
“No more for me. I’ve had enough.”
“So, what’d Santa bring this little lady?” Max asked, giving Caela’s leg a gentle tug as he passed her. “Is that a new moose?”
Caela just giggled, too occupied with the food Karen had just prepared for her to pay him much attention.
Maria looked up when she heard a car pulling into the driveway. She stood up to walk to the window, grinning when she saw Tess climbing out of the car and stretching. “Looks like they’re here.”
Alex parked the rental car right behind Kyle’s and Brooke was the first to get out.
“They already here?” Michael asked around a mouthful of pancakes.
She grimaced at him. “Please keep your food in your mouth, would ya?”
“It’s in my mouth,” he mumbled. He was in the process of wolfing down more food when there was suddenly a flurry of activity in the room.
“Merry Christmas, everybody!” Brooke shouted as she barreled into the room and started hugging everyone. “Karen, you’re here, too!” She froze when she got to Brendan and she saw the little girl he was fussing over.
“Um, Brooke, hi. This is Caela... your niece.” he said nervously.
Brooke stared at the little girl for several minutes, shocked at Brendan’s statement. “Um, my niece? So, she’s your... daughter?” Obviously the little girl had to belong to Brendan, but how was that possible?
He nodded, unable to say anything because he wasn’t sure how she would take it.
“Looks like Santa dropped off an unexpected package,” Kyle said, grinning as he ruffled the little girl’s hair. “Congrats, Brendan.” He leaned across the table to hold his hand out to Karen. “I don’t think we’ve ever met, but I’ve heard a lot about you.”
“Oh, hey, I guess you must be Kyle,” she greeted him, feeling very nervous.
“I see my reputation precedes me,” he bragged as he shot a smug look at his girlfriend. “All is as it should be in my world.”
Tess rolled her eyes. “Thank God, nobody wants to live in your world, Kyle.” She leaned around him to greet Karen. “Hey, I’m Tess.”
Karen shook the girl’s hand, relaxing just a little at their warm welcome. Before she could speak she heard Alex’ voice as he entered the room.
“Hey, what’s all the excitement?”
Isabel gave him an unsubtle nudge from behind. “Move it, Alex, I smell croissants and I’m starving.”
“Uh-oh, the pregnant woman’s here,” Maria joked and gave Isabel a hug.
“The pregnant woman is here and hungry!” Isabel said. “Merry Christmas, you guys!”
Alex paused when he reached his youngest brother, not expecting to see the little girl Brendan was holding when he turned around.
“Hey..." Brendan greeted him as Caela turned around to look around the room, taking in all of the strange people who were suddenly in it.
“Who’s this little sweetheart?” Alex asked, holding his hand out to her to see if she would take it.
Caela looked at Alex with big eyes before she glanced down at his hand. “This’s Caela, my daughter.”
“Your... what?” He turned to look at Karen, seeing the worry in her eyes.
“Hey, Alex,” she choked out.
“Karen.” He motioned to the little girl. “Looks like you’ve been keepin’ a little secret,” he said, but his tone wasn’t accusatory.
She just nodded and stared at the floor.
Finally Caela decided that the man didn’t look all that dangerous and she reached out to tug on his collar.
He smiled at the little girl when she grabbed onto his collar and he held his hands out to her, letting her decide if he could hold her or not.
Caela leaned further forward and Brendan let go of her when Alex grabbed her.
“Hi there,” Alex said softly. He smiled when she ducked her head bashfully and hugged the stuffed toy she was holding.
“Hey,” Isabel said from behind Karen and Brendan. “I’m Isabel,” she shook Karen’s hand. “Nice to finally meet you.”
“Nice to meet you too,” Karen said with a smile. “I’ve heard quite a bit about you. Congratulations, by the way.”
“Thanks... guess I can say the same to you.”
“What a cutie,” Tess said as she passed Alex and grabbed a plate.
“Aww, thanks, Tess,” Alex grinned when she just rolled her eyes at him.
Michael watched Brooke, who was standing a little away from everyone else and he walked over to her. “Hey, brat,” he wrapped one arm around her shoulders. “C’mon, let’s take a little walk.”
“Um, yeah, okay... Brendan has a baby,” she whispered.
He slipped into his boots and pulled on his jacket, giving Maria a sign to let her know they would be back soon. “He does,” he said as he opened the door for them.
“Is he moving to New York?”
“From what I’ve heard he’s plannin’ to bring his family to Long Beach.”
“It just feels like everything’s changing and you guys are... I don’t know... you’re getting your own lives and you’ve got your own thing goin’ on. You guys have a different father, now Bren’s got a baby... what’s next?”
“Hopefully nothin’,” he said, bringing her closer to him.
“He looked pretty comfortable with his little girl.”
“Yeah, he accepted his role as a father pretty quickly, I think. Not sure if I would’ve reacted the same way.” He shook his head. “Nope, I would’ve freaked out.”
“Guess it’s a good thing it happened to him and not you then,” Brooke said with a laugh. “He accepts things a lot easier than you do.”
“Hey, I’m tryin’,” he defended himself.
“I know, and you’re doin’ good. But, if you were in his shoes and you had found out about this, I know you wouldn’t have made as much progress as he’s already made with Karen.”
“That’s true. A kid means a lot of responsibility.”
“Right? Better watch out though, your name’s gonna be on their list of babysitters now.”
“That’s okay. The little girl’s really cute. You’ll love her.”
“Uh-huh, I already know I’m on that list, it’s like an unwritten rule or something. I was talkin’ about you.”
Michael snorted. “The girl loves me.”
“Yeah, there’s a shocker.”
“So how was your time in Roswell?”
“Good.” She giggled. “You should’ve seen Mom and Dad when Isabel and Alex broke the baby news.”
Michael laughed. “How’d they take it?”
“I thought for a while there that Dad was gonna have a stroke and then I thought Alex might be wise to run as far and as fast as he could, but Mom took control of the situation and calmed everyone down.” She grinned. “Of course, Dad and Alex did take a long walk later, but I have no idea what they talked about.”
“He’s still in one piece, so it probably wasn’t that bad.”
“Yeah. I guess I should talk to Brendan... I probably made him feel bad.”
“He was probably too nervous to feel much of anything.”
“I hope so.” She smiled. “So, you an’ Maria are lookin’ pretty happy.”
He grinned. “We’re not talkin’ about me and Maria.”
“You are so difficult, Michael,” she complained. “C’mon, let’s go back inside.”
“I’m not difficult,” he denied.
“You are difficult.”
He rolled his eyes. “Fine. I told her I love her. Satisfied now?”
“Really? Did she say it back? She did, I know she did. Did she?”
He groaned ad his sister’s excited babbling. “She did.”
“I knew it! You two are so perfect for each other!”
“Think so?”
“Like you don’t know it.” She rolled her eyes at him. “C’mon, let’s go inside so I can make nice with Brendan before he thinks I don’t love him anymore.”
“Alright,” he opened the front door again and they both stepped into the cabin. They went to the kitchen and found everyone sitting around the table having breakfast.
Brendan glanced up from cutting another pancake into smaller pieces for Caela when they came into the room. “Everything okay?” he asked hesitantly.
Michael nodded and walked over to Maria, lifting her up from her chair when he realized there wasn’t an empty seat next to her.
“Hey, what’re ya doin’?”
He sat down and placed her in his lap. “I’m still hungry.”
Brooke walked around the table and hugged Brendan from behind. “Congratulations,” she said quietly.
“Thanks, kid,” he mumbled, relieved that she seemed to be accepting things.
“Ready to hit the slopes?” Michael asked Kyle as he leaned forward to get another pancake and drop it on the plate Maria had used.
“Good grief, Michael, how many of those are you gonna eat?” Maria asked, rolling her eyes.
“Hey, snowboarding is exhausting; I need a good breakfast first.”
“You goin’ out too, Bren?” Alex asked.
“You are so coming with us, bro,” Michael said before Brendan could say anything.
“I’m goin’, too,” Brooke spoke up. “You guys promised you’d teach me to ski and snowboard.”
They all turned to look at Alex, waiting to see if he would let her go without an argument.
Alex shrugged. “Have fun, but do me a favor and try to avoid any broken bones or other life-threatening injuries.”
Michael rolled his eyes at his older brother. “You’re no fun.”
“Broken bones aren’t any fun either... return her just the way you’re takin’ her outta here.”
“You guys make me sound like a rental car,” Brooke complained.
“Me and Tess are coming, too,” Maria decided.
Brendan glanced up at Karen. “Wanna take Caela out?”
“Yeah, sure.” They got up from the table and started clearing some of the dishes away.
“Alex, why don’t you come with us?” Michael asked as he reached for the last pancake at the same time that Kyle did. He glared at Kyle. “Wanna fight over it?”
“I think I’m gonna stay here today. The traveling was exhausting,” Alex told his brother who was still battling over the last pancake.
“Seriously think you can take me, Guerin?” Kyle asked. He had no intention of letting that last pancake get away from him. He smacked Michael’s hand away and snatched the pancake off of the platter when his friend lost his concentration for a moment as he turned to look at his brother.
Maria placed her hand over Michael’s mouth when he was about to say something to Kyle. “How about we go out for dinner tonight?” she whispered.
“What, just the two of us?”
“Yeah.”
Brooke made a face and rolled her eyes. “No making out at the breakfast table please.”
“We’re just talkin’.”
“Uh-huh, sure you are.” She got up and rinsed her plate off before putting it in the dishwasher. “C’mon, let’s get goin’!”
Alex just grinned at them. “She’s been cooped up for the last couple of hours, so y’all have fun.”
*****
Brooke watched Michael and Kyle as they loaded a ton of stuff into the back of the Navigator, asking questions every once in a while about some piece of equipment one of them would pick up. Maria and Tess were inside the building debating over accessories that the guys had no interest in and Max had borrowed the keys to the truck Kyle and Tess had rented so he and Liz could take off on their own.
They looked up when the door opened and Brendan stepped outside and handed a set of keys over to one of the lodge employees, motioning to the truck he had borrowed from Alex. “Just put the gear in there,” he said, pulling a couple of bills out of his wallet and handing them to the man. He didn’t even register the shocked look on the guy’s face at the generous tip as he put his wallet away and set Caela down, holding her hand as they slowly made their way over to the others.
“Hey, bro, what’d you do with your girl?” Michael asked as he turned to lean back against the tailgate next to Brooke.
Brendan shook his head. “She’s with Maria and Tess; they were discussin’ whether or not pink or purple goggles would go best with the outfit Tess was wearin’.” He shuddered comically. “I figured I’d better get outta there quick.”
“Smart man,” Kyle said as he slid the last of their equipment into place.
“So, what’re you guys gonna do, Bren?” Brooke asked when he lifted Caela up onto his shoulders.
“We’re gonna take Caela over to the whatcha call ‘em… the bunny slopes.” He grinned when his little girl latched onto two of his fingers and held tightly.
“And what’s with Alex and Isabel? Guess skiing and snowboarding isn’t good for a pregnant woman,” Brooke considered.
“They probably just wanted some time alone, kid,” Michael said, glancing at her. “They’ve been surrounded by people constantly an’ it’ll do ‘em some good to just spend some time without anyone else around.”
“We’re ready,” Maria called when Tess, Karen and her walked out of the lodge.
“Finished accessorizing?” Kyle asked with a smile.
She shrugged. “Ya never know who you might meet. I’ve heard some Hollywood stars come here during the winter.”
Kyle and Michael exchanged a look as they both rolled their eyes.
“Are we ready or what?” Maria opened the door of the navigator.
“They spend the past 45 minutes chattering like a bunch of demented females about whether or not their goggles are gonna match their outfits and now they’re in a hurry?” Michael shook his head and reached out to tug on one of Caela’s booted feet. “Bren, you guys have fun out there and if you guys are at the lodge around lunch maybe we can get together?”
“Sure, sounds good.”
“Let’s go!’ Brooke said impatiently as she gave Michael a shove from behind. “Bye, Bren! You guys be careful with my niece.”
“You’re not takin’ the front seat, DeLuca,” Kyle said when Maria was about to climb into the SUV.
“Uh, excuse me? If Michael’s driving, I’m taking the front seat.” She glared at him when he reached out and grabbed the door. She smirked and held his gaze as she called her boyfriend, “Michael?”
“What is it, baby?” he asked as he climbed in behind the steering wheel.
“Tell Kyle he’s not getting the front seat.”
“We’re only drivin’ about 15 minutes from here,” he complained. “Where’s the problem? Get in the car. Both of you.”
Maria elbowed Kyle and jumped into the front seat before turning to stick her tongue out at him. “You lose,” she hissed.
“You’re gonna eat snow, DeLuca,” he grumbled and got in the backseat.
“Whatever.”
Michael started to pull out of the driveway as soon as the last door was closed. “Alright! It’s 10:30am and we’re finally ready.” He shook his head slightly.
“It’s Christmas morning,” Maria said as she reached over to cover his hand where it rested on the gearshift. “There’s no need to rush things.”
“Who’s gonna teach me how to snowboard?” Brooke asked from behind them.
Michael glanced at her in the rearview mirror. “I’ve got ya covered, kid.”
“Hopefully nobody gets hurt today,” Maria thought aloud. “That would suck.”
“That would suck,” Tess spoke up from the backseat. “Especially with New Years’ Eve coming up.”
“Yeah.... first New Years’ party at college,” Maria waggled her eyebrows.
“Can I go?” Brooke asked.
“Huh?” Michael turned for a short moment in his seat. “I don’t know, Brooke. There aren’t gonna be any high school kids where we’ll go.”
“So? You guys will all be there and you won’t let anything happen to me.”
“She’s right, Michael. Would you prefer she spend the night alone at home or at some high school party?”
“Well,” he hedged. It wasn’t really his call whether or not she could go to a party and he didn’t want to cross that line. “How ‘bout we talk to Alex and see what he thinks?”
Brooke rolled her eyes. “Fine.”
“I’ll talk to him. Hey, we got him to let you go out with us the other night, right?”
“We’ll convince him,” Maria said.
“See? Ya gotta pick your battles,” Michael said with a grin.
“Hey, Tess, we should do the ‘where do you see yourself after college thing’ like we did in high school,” Maria suggested.
Tess nodded. “Yeah, we should do that, huh?”
Brooke glanced between the two girls. “What’re you guys talkin’ about?”
Maria turned in her seat to look at Brooke. “When we were 15, Tess, Anna and I buried a case in my mom’s garden; it had notes in it that we had written about what we would do and where we thought we would be when we graduated from high school. And on graduation day we dug it up again.”
“Oh, that’s cool.”
“Yeah,” Tess said a little sadly, “wasn’t as cool last time because Anna wasn’t with us anymore, but it was really interesting to see how some things changed and other things didn’t.”
“Don’t go there, girl,” Maria said as she turned in her seat to look at her friend.
“Yeah,” Tess sighed. “Happy thoughts.”
“That’s right, happy thoughts.”
Michael glanced over at Maria, scanning her features for any signs that she was hurting at the mention of her old friend. “You okay?” he asked quietly.
She nodded. “Yeah, I’m fine.” She leaned over to kiss his cheek. “I’m with the sexiest man alive,” she whispered.
He grinned at her as he pulled into the parking area and threw the gearshift into park.
“Ungh, make-out alert,” Brooke groaned. “Let me out before they start goin’ at it. Someone’s gonna teach me to snowboard today.”
Maria winked at Michael. “Your sister is so right. I would love to drag you into some dark corner right now.”
“I’d be easy to convince... we can send Brooke with Kyle an’ Tess.”
“Think you two can hold it back until tonight?” Kyle rolled his eyes as he started to unload the truck.
“I don’t know... whatcha think, baby? Can we control ourselves until tonight?” he asked.
Maria sighed heavily. “Okaaaay.” She stuck her tongue out at Kyle. “Maybe we should go on another trip after New Years’, Michael. Just you and me.”
“We should do that,” Michael agreed. “Got anyplace in mind that you’d like to go?”
“No. You, me, a king size bed and room service.”
“Perfect... we won’t even have to go far for that.” He leaned over the console to kiss her. “Let’s go before my sister gets impatient and heads out to try to get started without us.”
“Okay. Not sure how I’m gonna be at snowboarding, baby, so don’t laugh at me.”
He shook his head at her as they joined the others. “Not makin’ any promises there.”
“If ya wanna get lucky tonight...”
“Okay, no one will laugh at you today,” he promised. “And if they do, I’ll kick their ass.”
“That sounds more like my man. Let’s get up there then.”
Michael smiled and followed her lead, enjoying the feeling of happiness that had settled over him. It was Christmas and he was with the girl he loved and surrounded by his family and friends. It was actually pretty cool, he thought. [/i]Maybe Christmas wasn’t so bad after all.[/i]
“C’mon, big boy,” Maria called for him when he fell behind.
Brooke smirked at her brother when he hurried to fall in beside Maria, and it changed to a grin when he stuck his tongue out at her. She loved the way he was beginning to open up more with everyone since he and Maria had gotten so close.
The final voting round is up on our Author´s Thread. Come and vote one last time!
We believe so, too. These two are definitely looking at their relationship long-term.
So close, lol! But Bren and Karen will have their moment. Brendan’s great and including Karen’s mom definitely gives him extra points.
Alien_Friend: Awesome! Plenty of it in that last part!
He’s come a long way since the beginning of this fic, hasn’t he?
Max and Liz have made a lot of progress in their relationship. You’re so right about Liz… and one day she will realize just how beautiful she is to Max and look out, Max! LOL, it has kinda become a theme, hasn’t it?
Brendan’s a great guy and Karen’s mom means a lot to him too.
Well, if you need some conflict… lol!
mary mary: LOL, Caela does have perfect timing!
Well, we may not quite get to the tree examination just yet.
Michael Jordan… yeah, those would’ve been awesome tickets!
kismet: We’re glad you liked the Dreamer moment!
Well, let’s get to that morning after then, lol.
keepsmiling7: Max made sure that Liz’s first time was not only a good experience, but a memorable one!
sarammlover: LOL, you’re so right about Michael and Maria. Max and Liz have come a long way in a short time.
Natalie36: Thanks for reading!
destinyc: You were right, lol.
Lots of progress being made for our Dreamer and Candy couples.
Cardinal: There is a difference and yes, they did, lol!
We’re glad you enjoyed that last part. Max and Liz have made a lot of progress in their relationship and he’s been very instrumental in helping her get past some of those old obstacles.
LOL, well, we’ll find out because ya know Tess is gonna figure it out!
begonia9508: Waiting until you know the time is right is important, and Liz certainly benefited from that waiting.
StrandedInSummer: We’re glad you’re enjoying the fic! Michael and Maria have made a lot of progress since the beginning. Liz was smart enough to wait until she was ready and with a man she loves and who she knows loves her as well. Brendan’s definitely getting his life back on track.
kay_b: We’re so glad you loved that last part!
Alex’s reaction? We’ll find out soon enough.
Maiqu: They do tend to set the screen on fire, don’t they? Brendan’s a sweetheart and he wants his family to be together and happy.
LOL! Aww, well, DT Max is hard to resist. Unfortunately, we seem to have an extreme shortage and Liz doesn’t seem to want to share, so… your DT Max is on back order.
quelbebek: We´re glad you liked the last parts, they were long awaited, lol.
Lol, thank god, there was no need to kill her. We would miss Liz in our fic. when liz thought that she believes he would stop when she wanted i thought im gonna kill her.
Don´t worry, we keep our updates on the regular schedule. DT on Thursday and Sunday. MSH and ITCOAL on Sunday.
Part 104 – Christmas Morning
Michael rolled over and turned his head away from the sunlight reflecting off of the snow outside and blinding him. He mumbled something unintelligible and burrowed closer against the warmth coming from close by. He started to growl when it shifted out of reach and a moment later the sound of quiet laughter drew his attention and he forced one eye open.
“What’re you laughin’ at?” he grumbled, forcing his other eye open so he could enjoy the sight of Maria reclining against the pillows, bare from the waist up with the exception of the dog tags resting between her breasts.
She leaned over to rub his hair. “You, sleepyhead.”
He made a sound of content as he shifted closer to her. “It’s Christmas mornin’,” he observed lazily.
“Yeah. Merry Christmas, baby.” She kissed his hair as she wrapped her arms around him.
He cleared his throat. “Yeah, um, ya know,” he made a rolling motion with his right hand, “same to you.”
She chuckled as his less than enthusiastic comment. “It’s already ten. We should get up soon before the others start to arrive.”
“Is anyone else up yet?”
“I’ve heard some movement downstairs, so I’d say yes.”
“Great,” he muttered. “What time’s everyone supposed to get here?”
“I don’t know.... soon.”
“Yeah, we should get movin’ soon then. Don’t wanna be the last one down there.”
“First, I’ve got somethin’ for ya though.”
“Blowjob?” he asked with a wicked grin.
“Noooo...”
“Ya sure?” he teased. “’Cause that’d really put a smile on my face.”
“The other thing will too.”
“Okay,” he said, sitting up and looking around. “Where is it, then?”
She stretched her arm out to open the nightstand next to her and fumbled around until her fingers came in contact with the envelope. “Here,” she placed it on her chest.
Michael glanced at the manila envelope curiously. “You got me paperwork?” he asked as he hesitantly reached out to run his forefinger along one edge of the envelope.
She snorted. “Yeah.”
His right eyebrow shot up at her tone and he grabbed the envelope and carefully tore the flap open. He pinched the end of it as he held it upside down to let the contents slide out and into his waiting hand. “Ya know, you don’t have to be such a smartass all...” his breath caught in his throat as he realized it wasn’t paper at all but photographs. He dropped the envelope and carefully turned them over, feeling heat rush through his veins when he saw the provocative expression on her face as she posed for the sexy picture. “Maria...” he breathed, “you did this for me?”
She smiled. “You like them?”
“Like them?” he repeated as he sat up and spread them out around him. “Maria, you’re sexy any day of the week, but damn, girl!”
“Thought I’d try something new.”
“I love this one,” he said with a grin as he picked up the one where she was lying on her stomach, legs raised behind her and crossed at the ankles. “Okay, I was ready for mornin’ sex before this, so I really hope you don’t think we’re goin’ down for breakfast right now.”
She grinned. “I knew you would like that one the most.”
“Of course you did.” He carefully stacked the pictures and set them aside. “I love them all, but that one is definitely my favorite.” He was leaning in to kiss her when someone knocked on the door.
Maria groaned slightly. “Who is it?”
“Got a little short person out here who wants to say Merry Christmas to Uncle Mike and Aunt Maria,” Brendan said through the door.
Maria smiled and grabbed one of Michael’s shirts that was laying on the floor to cover herself.
“You realize Brendan’s just doin’ this to fuck with us, right?” Michael asked. “Matter of fact, I’d just about bet money that Max put him up to it.”
“Go on and open the door. He’s not gonna leave anyway.”
“You’d better be glad I put my boxers on earlier when I had to get up and get a blanket because you stole all the ones we had over here.” He gave her a quick kiss before rolling off of the mattress and getting to his feet. He snatched his jeans up off of the floor and pulled them on as he hopped to the door.
Caela smiled up at him and walked right inside as soon as he opened the door. She chattered happily as she looked around the room and smiled and waved when she saw Maria.
“Merry Christmas, Bro,” Brendan said.
Michael’s eyes widened in shock when his brother grabbed him and gave him a quick hug.
“Hey, would ya mind watchin’ her for a few minutes while I go get Karen up?”
“Nah,” Michael choked out, trying to find his voice again. “Go ahead.”
Brendan nodded. “Merry Christmas, Maria,” he called as he backed away.
Michael was turning around when Caela suddenly flung her right hand out and her stuffed moose collided with his groin.
Maria winced when he automatically doubled over, crossing one arm in front of himself protectively.
“Okay,” he wheezed out, “let’s not do that again, Caela. Uncle Mike needs his equipment in workin’ order.”
She looked up at him with a curious look on her face and after a moment she smiled and held the toy out to him.
Maria got to her feet as well and walked up next to them. “You’ve already got a gift from Santa?”
“Pair of bruised nuts,” Michael muttered. “I’d like to return my gift.”
She snorted and crouched down in front of Caela. “Do you like Christmas?”
The little girl gave her a big smile and held up the new toy. “Moo!” she said happily.
“Hello Moo,” Maria said to the toy. “Wanna say hi to Uncle Mike?”
Michael made a face at her. “Moo and I have already been introduced, thank you very much. I’m pretty sure we’re not gonna be friends or anything.”
“Come on. Don’t be grumpy.”
He slowly straightened up, shifting as inconspicuously as possible to make sure things were where they needed to be. “Uncle Mike’s not bein’ grumpy, is he, Caela?” he asked as he scooped her up and placed a kiss on her cheek.
The little girl giggled and dropped her stuffed animal to the ground to hug her uncle tightly.
“Aww, she so loves you.” Maria smiled, when she saw the little girl’s reaction to Michael.
Michael swallowed hard and nodded. “Kid doesn’t know any better,” he muttered gruffly, trying to play it off and not show just how much Caela’s open acceptance of him was affecting him.
“You look like her daddy too, I’m sure that’s still a little confusing her.”
Caela leaned back and reached up to pet his hair. “Ki-ki,” she said, giving him a big smile.
“Might look like her daddy, but she’s figured out there’s a difference.”
*****
Brendan opened the door to the bedroom quietly and slipped inside. He sat down on the edge of the bed and watched Karen, who still slept peacefully. How had he managed to live his life without her the past couple of years? It seemed impossible right now.
A glance at the clock beside the bed reminded him that he was supposed to wake her up. He reached out to let his fingers trail over her bare arm. “Hey, Mommy, time for you to wake up now.”
Karen smiled as she opened her eyes, blinking sleepily as she looked up at Brendan. She had heard him come into their room but she was enjoying the rare opportunity to laze around in bed. She reached out and squeezed his thigh. “You’ve been so great with Caela, Bren.” She smiled teasingly at him. “I may just have to keep you around.”
“May?”
She laughed at his question and grabbed a handful of his shirt to pull him down to her. “Hmm... definitely?”
He chuckled and allowed himself to lie down next to her. “Sounds a lot better.”
“Where’s Caela?” She glanced at the clock. “I know there’s no way she’s still asleep.”
“She’s with Michael.”
“I’m not sure which one of them’s having more fun.”
“Seems like we have the perfect babysitter if we need some time alone,” he said and wiggled his eyebrows.
“I hope he lives close by then, because we’re gonna be needing that.” She reached up to run her fingers through his hair as her eyes searched his face. “His reaction was so much better than I had hoped for. Do you think Alex and Brooke will react as well as he did?”
“We’ll find out soon. They just called when I was downstairs to let us know that they’ll be here in about an hour.”
“An hour, huh?” She grinned at him as her finger traced along the neckline of his shirt. “We could get up to all kinds of things in an hour.”
He growled low in his throat. “Tempting.... but breakfast is already waiting for ya downstairs.”
“I can see we’re gonna have to work on your sense of timing,” she said with a roll of her eyes.
“Sorry,” he grimaced.
“S’okay,” she smiled, “we’ve got plenty of time to figure these things out.” She tugged him closer for a kiss. “Merry Christmas, Bren.”
“Merry Christmas,” he said. “I love you. Never stopped.”
Her fingers ghosted across his jaw as she stared deeply into his eyes. “I’ve always loved you... always have and always will.”
“Looks like Mom and Dad are occupied,” Michael told Caela as they paused in the doorway. Take that for disturbing my plans for morning sex, Michael thought amused.
Caela looked up at him before turning to stretch her right arm out towards her parents, the little stuffed moose dangling from her hand. “Mama! Da!”
“Well, you’re leavin’ the ‘d’ off the end, but you’re close,” he said, grinning at her.
Brendan turned to look at Karen. “Did she just say... did she call me...”
She smiled. “I think she did. Our smart little girl.”
“Hey, I’m the one who’s been workin’ on that,” Michael grumbled. He glared playfully at the little girl. “You totally forgot that last ‘d’ though.”
She grinned at him before concentrating and making just the ‘d’ sound. He made a face and reached up to wipe his chin when her efforts resulted in her spitting on him and she squealed at his expression.
“Takin’ credit for Caela’s accomplishment, Michael?” Maria teased from behind him. “That’s just so low.”
“What? I am not,” he denied. “We’ve totally been workin’ on her sayin’ ‘dad’ and she went and said it all wrong.”
She stretched up to kiss him. “Looks to me like she said it just right,” she said, motioning to his brother and the happy expression on Brendan’s face. “Next time, try going with ‘da-da’... it’ll probably stick better at her age.”
“Da-da,” Caela said quietly, trying it out and then repeating it over and over.
“Show off,” Michael grumbled and set her down on the floor. “Why don’t you go show off for your...” he made a face. “Da-da.”
“Come on,” Maria grabbed Michael’s arm, “we should leave them alone for a few minutes.”
“Yeah, smells like breakfast is ready anyway.”
“Don’t eat all the pancakes,” Brendan warned.
“Guess you’d better hurry then because between me an’ Max, we can pack ‘em away.”
“Mornin’,” Liz greeted the couple when they entered the kitchen.
“Hey,” Michael mumbled as he brushed past her in search of food.
“That was ‘good morning’ in Michael’s caveman language,” Maria said, rolling her eyes. She hugged her friend. “Merry Christmas, girl.” She leaned back and looked at Liz, her eyes narrowing as she tried to decipher the smile that Liz couldn’t seem to control. “What’re you...” She turned her head to look at Max, grinning when she saw the goofy grin on his face as he watched Liz. “No, you didn’t! Did you?”
“She did what?” Michael asked, suddenly interested.
Maria waved him off. “Pancakes, Michael... make your plate.” She grabbed Liz’ hand and dragged her into the living room.
Liz shoved the last bite of her pancake in her mouth as she followed Maria. “Hey, I was eating...”
Michael turned to glare at Max. “What’d you do?”
“Me? Nothing,” he lied.
“Oh, you did somethin’.” He leaned over the bar between the kitchen and the living room. “Maria, we’re supposed to be havin’ breakfast together, remember?”
“Shhh,” she told Michael and turned to Liz again. “Did you two... did you have sex?”
“So, we’re not havin’ breakfast together?” Michael asked when she spoke to Liz, her voice lowered.
Maria rolled her eyes.
“Why don’t we just have breakfast? Seems like Michael really wants to eat with you, huh? We can talk later,” Liz suggested.
Michael smiled innocently when Maria turned to look at him, hands propped on her hips. “Bacon or sausage?”
“Neither, Mister.”
“Huh?”
“I’ll just have a croissant.”
“A croissant? But, we’ve got pancakes.” He looked at Max and stepped in front of him when he realized that the idiot was still staring at his girlfriend with that stupid look on his face. “Look, would you quit fantasizing about de-virginizing your girlfriend and pay attention.”
“First off, I don’t think that’s a real word and second, cut it out.”
“I’m not in the mood for pancakes,” Maria replied as she sat down next to Liz.
“How can anybody not be in the mood for pancakes?” Brendan asked as he came in behind her.
Michael just shrugged and added another pancake to his own plate. “No idea.” He grabbed a plate and handed it to Karen when she motioned to the stack on the counter next to him.
Brendan was busy situating Caela in her high chair, but he was keeping an eye on the platter of pancakes.
“You guys wouldn’t know anything about how we women stay in shape,” Maria said and poured coffee in her cup.
“I’m all for stayin’ in shape,” he said as he placed a sad little croissant on a plate and leaned over her shoulder to set it in front of her. “And I’m available anytime you need some help burnin’ off some calories... sex is a great workout.”
Max made a face. “Talk about that in private please.”
“Brendan, back me up here, man.”
“Huh?” He glanced up without really knowing what they were talking about because he had been busy with his daughter.
Michael sighed and sat down next to Maria. “Nothin’,” he sulked.
“The others will be here soon,” Max told Maria and Michael. “They called about half an hour ago.”
“Well, there’ll be plenty of pancakes leftover.”
“Let it go,” Maria advised.
Max grabbed a plate and filled it with pancakes. “Liz, pancakes or a croissant, darlin’?”
“No more for me. I’ve had enough.”
“So, what’d Santa bring this little lady?” Max asked, giving Caela’s leg a gentle tug as he passed her. “Is that a new moose?”
Caela just giggled, too occupied with the food Karen had just prepared for her to pay him much attention.
Maria looked up when she heard a car pulling into the driveway. She stood up to walk to the window, grinning when she saw Tess climbing out of the car and stretching. “Looks like they’re here.”
Alex parked the rental car right behind Kyle’s and Brooke was the first to get out.
“They already here?” Michael asked around a mouthful of pancakes.
She grimaced at him. “Please keep your food in your mouth, would ya?”
“It’s in my mouth,” he mumbled. He was in the process of wolfing down more food when there was suddenly a flurry of activity in the room.
“Merry Christmas, everybody!” Brooke shouted as she barreled into the room and started hugging everyone. “Karen, you’re here, too!” She froze when she got to Brendan and she saw the little girl he was fussing over.
“Um, Brooke, hi. This is Caela... your niece.” he said nervously.
Brooke stared at the little girl for several minutes, shocked at Brendan’s statement. “Um, my niece? So, she’s your... daughter?” Obviously the little girl had to belong to Brendan, but how was that possible?
He nodded, unable to say anything because he wasn’t sure how she would take it.
“Looks like Santa dropped off an unexpected package,” Kyle said, grinning as he ruffled the little girl’s hair. “Congrats, Brendan.” He leaned across the table to hold his hand out to Karen. “I don’t think we’ve ever met, but I’ve heard a lot about you.”
“Oh, hey, I guess you must be Kyle,” she greeted him, feeling very nervous.
“I see my reputation precedes me,” he bragged as he shot a smug look at his girlfriend. “All is as it should be in my world.”
Tess rolled her eyes. “Thank God, nobody wants to live in your world, Kyle.” She leaned around him to greet Karen. “Hey, I’m Tess.”
Karen shook the girl’s hand, relaxing just a little at their warm welcome. Before she could speak she heard Alex’ voice as he entered the room.
“Hey, what’s all the excitement?”
Isabel gave him an unsubtle nudge from behind. “Move it, Alex, I smell croissants and I’m starving.”
“Uh-oh, the pregnant woman’s here,” Maria joked and gave Isabel a hug.
“The pregnant woman is here and hungry!” Isabel said. “Merry Christmas, you guys!”
Alex paused when he reached his youngest brother, not expecting to see the little girl Brendan was holding when he turned around.
“Hey..." Brendan greeted him as Caela turned around to look around the room, taking in all of the strange people who were suddenly in it.
“Who’s this little sweetheart?” Alex asked, holding his hand out to her to see if she would take it.
Caela looked at Alex with big eyes before she glanced down at his hand. “This’s Caela, my daughter.”
“Your... what?” He turned to look at Karen, seeing the worry in her eyes.
“Hey, Alex,” she choked out.
“Karen.” He motioned to the little girl. “Looks like you’ve been keepin’ a little secret,” he said, but his tone wasn’t accusatory.
She just nodded and stared at the floor.
Finally Caela decided that the man didn’t look all that dangerous and she reached out to tug on his collar.
He smiled at the little girl when she grabbed onto his collar and he held his hands out to her, letting her decide if he could hold her or not.
Caela leaned further forward and Brendan let go of her when Alex grabbed her.
“Hi there,” Alex said softly. He smiled when she ducked her head bashfully and hugged the stuffed toy she was holding.
“Hey,” Isabel said from behind Karen and Brendan. “I’m Isabel,” she shook Karen’s hand. “Nice to finally meet you.”
“Nice to meet you too,” Karen said with a smile. “I’ve heard quite a bit about you. Congratulations, by the way.”
“Thanks... guess I can say the same to you.”
“What a cutie,” Tess said as she passed Alex and grabbed a plate.
“Aww, thanks, Tess,” Alex grinned when she just rolled her eyes at him.
Michael watched Brooke, who was standing a little away from everyone else and he walked over to her. “Hey, brat,” he wrapped one arm around her shoulders. “C’mon, let’s take a little walk.”
“Um, yeah, okay... Brendan has a baby,” she whispered.
He slipped into his boots and pulled on his jacket, giving Maria a sign to let her know they would be back soon. “He does,” he said as he opened the door for them.
“Is he moving to New York?”
“From what I’ve heard he’s plannin’ to bring his family to Long Beach.”
“It just feels like everything’s changing and you guys are... I don’t know... you’re getting your own lives and you’ve got your own thing goin’ on. You guys have a different father, now Bren’s got a baby... what’s next?”
“Hopefully nothin’,” he said, bringing her closer to him.
“He looked pretty comfortable with his little girl.”
“Yeah, he accepted his role as a father pretty quickly, I think. Not sure if I would’ve reacted the same way.” He shook his head. “Nope, I would’ve freaked out.”
“Guess it’s a good thing it happened to him and not you then,” Brooke said with a laugh. “He accepts things a lot easier than you do.”
“Hey, I’m tryin’,” he defended himself.
“I know, and you’re doin’ good. But, if you were in his shoes and you had found out about this, I know you wouldn’t have made as much progress as he’s already made with Karen.”
“That’s true. A kid means a lot of responsibility.”
“Right? Better watch out though, your name’s gonna be on their list of babysitters now.”
“That’s okay. The little girl’s really cute. You’ll love her.”
“Uh-huh, I already know I’m on that list, it’s like an unwritten rule or something. I was talkin’ about you.”
Michael snorted. “The girl loves me.”
“Yeah, there’s a shocker.”
“So how was your time in Roswell?”
“Good.” She giggled. “You should’ve seen Mom and Dad when Isabel and Alex broke the baby news.”
Michael laughed. “How’d they take it?”
“I thought for a while there that Dad was gonna have a stroke and then I thought Alex might be wise to run as far and as fast as he could, but Mom took control of the situation and calmed everyone down.” She grinned. “Of course, Dad and Alex did take a long walk later, but I have no idea what they talked about.”
“He’s still in one piece, so it probably wasn’t that bad.”
“Yeah. I guess I should talk to Brendan... I probably made him feel bad.”
“He was probably too nervous to feel much of anything.”
“I hope so.” She smiled. “So, you an’ Maria are lookin’ pretty happy.”
He grinned. “We’re not talkin’ about me and Maria.”
“You are so difficult, Michael,” she complained. “C’mon, let’s go back inside.”
“I’m not difficult,” he denied.
“You are difficult.”
He rolled his eyes. “Fine. I told her I love her. Satisfied now?”
“Really? Did she say it back? She did, I know she did. Did she?”
He groaned ad his sister’s excited babbling. “She did.”
“I knew it! You two are so perfect for each other!”
“Think so?”
“Like you don’t know it.” She rolled her eyes at him. “C’mon, let’s go inside so I can make nice with Brendan before he thinks I don’t love him anymore.”
“Alright,” he opened the front door again and they both stepped into the cabin. They went to the kitchen and found everyone sitting around the table having breakfast.
Brendan glanced up from cutting another pancake into smaller pieces for Caela when they came into the room. “Everything okay?” he asked hesitantly.
Michael nodded and walked over to Maria, lifting her up from her chair when he realized there wasn’t an empty seat next to her.
“Hey, what’re ya doin’?”
He sat down and placed her in his lap. “I’m still hungry.”
Brooke walked around the table and hugged Brendan from behind. “Congratulations,” she said quietly.
“Thanks, kid,” he mumbled, relieved that she seemed to be accepting things.
“Ready to hit the slopes?” Michael asked Kyle as he leaned forward to get another pancake and drop it on the plate Maria had used.
“Good grief, Michael, how many of those are you gonna eat?” Maria asked, rolling her eyes.
“Hey, snowboarding is exhausting; I need a good breakfast first.”
“You goin’ out too, Bren?” Alex asked.
“You are so coming with us, bro,” Michael said before Brendan could say anything.
“I’m goin’, too,” Brooke spoke up. “You guys promised you’d teach me to ski and snowboard.”
They all turned to look at Alex, waiting to see if he would let her go without an argument.
Alex shrugged. “Have fun, but do me a favor and try to avoid any broken bones or other life-threatening injuries.”
Michael rolled his eyes at his older brother. “You’re no fun.”
“Broken bones aren’t any fun either... return her just the way you’re takin’ her outta here.”
“You guys make me sound like a rental car,” Brooke complained.
“Me and Tess are coming, too,” Maria decided.
Brendan glanced up at Karen. “Wanna take Caela out?”
“Yeah, sure.” They got up from the table and started clearing some of the dishes away.
“Alex, why don’t you come with us?” Michael asked as he reached for the last pancake at the same time that Kyle did. He glared at Kyle. “Wanna fight over it?”
“I think I’m gonna stay here today. The traveling was exhausting,” Alex told his brother who was still battling over the last pancake.
“Seriously think you can take me, Guerin?” Kyle asked. He had no intention of letting that last pancake get away from him. He smacked Michael’s hand away and snatched the pancake off of the platter when his friend lost his concentration for a moment as he turned to look at his brother.
Maria placed her hand over Michael’s mouth when he was about to say something to Kyle. “How about we go out for dinner tonight?” she whispered.
“What, just the two of us?”
“Yeah.”
Brooke made a face and rolled her eyes. “No making out at the breakfast table please.”
“We’re just talkin’.”
“Uh-huh, sure you are.” She got up and rinsed her plate off before putting it in the dishwasher. “C’mon, let’s get goin’!”
Alex just grinned at them. “She’s been cooped up for the last couple of hours, so y’all have fun.”
*****
Brooke watched Michael and Kyle as they loaded a ton of stuff into the back of the Navigator, asking questions every once in a while about some piece of equipment one of them would pick up. Maria and Tess were inside the building debating over accessories that the guys had no interest in and Max had borrowed the keys to the truck Kyle and Tess had rented so he and Liz could take off on their own.
They looked up when the door opened and Brendan stepped outside and handed a set of keys over to one of the lodge employees, motioning to the truck he had borrowed from Alex. “Just put the gear in there,” he said, pulling a couple of bills out of his wallet and handing them to the man. He didn’t even register the shocked look on the guy’s face at the generous tip as he put his wallet away and set Caela down, holding her hand as they slowly made their way over to the others.
“Hey, bro, what’d you do with your girl?” Michael asked as he turned to lean back against the tailgate next to Brooke.
Brendan shook his head. “She’s with Maria and Tess; they were discussin’ whether or not pink or purple goggles would go best with the outfit Tess was wearin’.” He shuddered comically. “I figured I’d better get outta there quick.”
“Smart man,” Kyle said as he slid the last of their equipment into place.
“So, what’re you guys gonna do, Bren?” Brooke asked when he lifted Caela up onto his shoulders.
“We’re gonna take Caela over to the whatcha call ‘em… the bunny slopes.” He grinned when his little girl latched onto two of his fingers and held tightly.
“And what’s with Alex and Isabel? Guess skiing and snowboarding isn’t good for a pregnant woman,” Brooke considered.
“They probably just wanted some time alone, kid,” Michael said, glancing at her. “They’ve been surrounded by people constantly an’ it’ll do ‘em some good to just spend some time without anyone else around.”
“We’re ready,” Maria called when Tess, Karen and her walked out of the lodge.
“Finished accessorizing?” Kyle asked with a smile.
She shrugged. “Ya never know who you might meet. I’ve heard some Hollywood stars come here during the winter.”
Kyle and Michael exchanged a look as they both rolled their eyes.
“Are we ready or what?” Maria opened the door of the navigator.
“They spend the past 45 minutes chattering like a bunch of demented females about whether or not their goggles are gonna match their outfits and now they’re in a hurry?” Michael shook his head and reached out to tug on one of Caela’s booted feet. “Bren, you guys have fun out there and if you guys are at the lodge around lunch maybe we can get together?”
“Sure, sounds good.”
“Let’s go!’ Brooke said impatiently as she gave Michael a shove from behind. “Bye, Bren! You guys be careful with my niece.”
“You’re not takin’ the front seat, DeLuca,” Kyle said when Maria was about to climb into the SUV.
“Uh, excuse me? If Michael’s driving, I’m taking the front seat.” She glared at him when he reached out and grabbed the door. She smirked and held his gaze as she called her boyfriend, “Michael?”
“What is it, baby?” he asked as he climbed in behind the steering wheel.
“Tell Kyle he’s not getting the front seat.”
“We’re only drivin’ about 15 minutes from here,” he complained. “Where’s the problem? Get in the car. Both of you.”
Maria elbowed Kyle and jumped into the front seat before turning to stick her tongue out at him. “You lose,” she hissed.
“You’re gonna eat snow, DeLuca,” he grumbled and got in the backseat.
“Whatever.”
Michael started to pull out of the driveway as soon as the last door was closed. “Alright! It’s 10:30am and we’re finally ready.” He shook his head slightly.
“It’s Christmas morning,” Maria said as she reached over to cover his hand where it rested on the gearshift. “There’s no need to rush things.”
“Who’s gonna teach me how to snowboard?” Brooke asked from behind them.
Michael glanced at her in the rearview mirror. “I’ve got ya covered, kid.”
“Hopefully nobody gets hurt today,” Maria thought aloud. “That would suck.”
“That would suck,” Tess spoke up from the backseat. “Especially with New Years’ Eve coming up.”
“Yeah.... first New Years’ party at college,” Maria waggled her eyebrows.
“Can I go?” Brooke asked.
“Huh?” Michael turned for a short moment in his seat. “I don’t know, Brooke. There aren’t gonna be any high school kids where we’ll go.”
“So? You guys will all be there and you won’t let anything happen to me.”
“She’s right, Michael. Would you prefer she spend the night alone at home or at some high school party?”
“Well,” he hedged. It wasn’t really his call whether or not she could go to a party and he didn’t want to cross that line. “How ‘bout we talk to Alex and see what he thinks?”
Brooke rolled her eyes. “Fine.”
“I’ll talk to him. Hey, we got him to let you go out with us the other night, right?”
“We’ll convince him,” Maria said.
“See? Ya gotta pick your battles,” Michael said with a grin.
“Hey, Tess, we should do the ‘where do you see yourself after college thing’ like we did in high school,” Maria suggested.
Tess nodded. “Yeah, we should do that, huh?”
Brooke glanced between the two girls. “What’re you guys talkin’ about?”
Maria turned in her seat to look at Brooke. “When we were 15, Tess, Anna and I buried a case in my mom’s garden; it had notes in it that we had written about what we would do and where we thought we would be when we graduated from high school. And on graduation day we dug it up again.”
“Oh, that’s cool.”
“Yeah,” Tess said a little sadly, “wasn’t as cool last time because Anna wasn’t with us anymore, but it was really interesting to see how some things changed and other things didn’t.”
“Don’t go there, girl,” Maria said as she turned in her seat to look at her friend.
“Yeah,” Tess sighed. “Happy thoughts.”
“That’s right, happy thoughts.”
Michael glanced over at Maria, scanning her features for any signs that she was hurting at the mention of her old friend. “You okay?” he asked quietly.
She nodded. “Yeah, I’m fine.” She leaned over to kiss his cheek. “I’m with the sexiest man alive,” she whispered.
He grinned at her as he pulled into the parking area and threw the gearshift into park.
“Ungh, make-out alert,” Brooke groaned. “Let me out before they start goin’ at it. Someone’s gonna teach me to snowboard today.”
Maria winked at Michael. “Your sister is so right. I would love to drag you into some dark corner right now.”
“I’d be easy to convince... we can send Brooke with Kyle an’ Tess.”
“Think you two can hold it back until tonight?” Kyle rolled his eyes as he started to unload the truck.
“I don’t know... whatcha think, baby? Can we control ourselves until tonight?” he asked.
Maria sighed heavily. “Okaaaay.” She stuck her tongue out at Kyle. “Maybe we should go on another trip after New Years’, Michael. Just you and me.”
“We should do that,” Michael agreed. “Got anyplace in mind that you’d like to go?”
“No. You, me, a king size bed and room service.”
“Perfect... we won’t even have to go far for that.” He leaned over the console to kiss her. “Let’s go before my sister gets impatient and heads out to try to get started without us.”
“Okay. Not sure how I’m gonna be at snowboarding, baby, so don’t laugh at me.”
He shook his head at her as they joined the others. “Not makin’ any promises there.”
“If ya wanna get lucky tonight...”
“Okay, no one will laugh at you today,” he promised. “And if they do, I’ll kick their ass.”
“That sounds more like my man. Let’s get up there then.”
Michael smiled and followed her lead, enjoying the feeling of happiness that had settled over him. It was Christmas and he was with the girl he loved and surrounded by his family and friends. It was actually pretty cool, he thought. [/i]Maybe Christmas wasn’t so bad after all.[/i]
“C’mon, big boy,” Maria called for him when he fell behind.
Brooke smirked at her brother when he hurried to fall in beside Maria, and it changed to a grin when he stuck his tongue out at her. She loved the way he was beginning to open up more with everyone since he and Maria had gotten so close.
The final voting round is up on our Author´s Thread. Come and vote one last time!
Fics: A Xmas Story - A Merry Mt. R. Xmas - Cupid's Revenge - Double Trouble - Double Date - Double Dare - Double Empire - Double Xmas Wish - In The Course Of A Lifetime - Mountains So High - Not A Question At All - Surrender - TIC TAC - Two Double Dates at Xmas
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Double Trouble
- Obsessed Roswellian
- Posts: 925
- Joined: Tue Dec 16, 2008 9:47 am
Double Trouble (CC, AU, Adult) - Part 105 - 3/25/10
destinyc: Brooke easily managed to find a place to fit in with Isabel’s parents. She could’ve had an issue with Caela’s presence, but thankfully Michael picked up on her uncertainty and was able to talk with her and ease her worries. Yup, they like big surprises!
Max is definitely a gentleman.
begonia9508: Ki-ki… Michael’s just not gonna be able to ditch that name!
mary mary: Michael wasn’t about to let that opportunity pass by.
Caela’s lovin’ the attention! Kids are hilarious and Caela’s gonna have fun.
guelbebek: Caela would be impossible to resist. Michael and Maria are well on their way to making their relationship work.
Yep, just can’t hide those grins!
zaneri1: We’re glad this fic makes ya smile or laugh most of the time!
Eva: Poor Michael… his introduction to Moo wasn’t very friendly, lol.
Alien_Friend: All together and having fun! No conflict? You’re sure about that?
Their family’s growing and getting closer all the time.
Michael and his little sister have a great relationship and he could tell that she wasn’t sure about this news. Brooke can certainly use another female ally, lol!
This group’s managed to form their own unique family and they’re stronger for it.
Earth2Mama: LOL, we’re pretty sure that’s the point of vacations… forget about everything else!
Love is a beautiful thing… and especially for this group!
Yup, it didn’t take long for Caela to work her magic, lol. Yeah, He-Who-Shall-Not-Be-Named is one grandparent that isn’t needed or wanted.
Ah, the negative factor to vacation… facing the reality afterwards!
April: Catch up can be good… you get to read more and not have to wait for the updates, lol!
Liz took her time and was lucky enough to be with someone who made sure she knew they wouldn’t do anything until she was ready.
LOL, well, the only way to avoid the Christmas spirit early would have been to stay on that one part per week schedule and then we would’ve been celebrating right on time… Christmas 2010. But, considering where that would’ve meant we’d be right now in the fic… well… you know.
Michael just loves Caela… we’re pretty sure he’s not gonna develop a fondness for Moo though.
Maiqu: LOL, sorry.
Who could resist Caela? Michael and Brooke have a great relationship and they easily pick up on each other’s moods. Brooke’s very happy about the way Isabel’s parents accepted her.
Yup, Michael and Moo… definitely not gonna be friends now!
kay_b: They’ve made a lot of progress since the beginning, haven’t they?
sarammlover: This group is loud and there’s lots of chaos when they all get together, but it’s great, isn’t it? And it’s even better at Christmas! LOL, we’re not sure if Maria will spend too long learning to snowboard, but she could surprise us. But, if she does end up as one big owie at least she’s got Michael to take care of her.
kismet: That little girl is getting a great family. Brooke quickly and easily got comfortable with Katherine and Joe.
Hmm… yes, we will find out where Max and Liz went.
Part 105 – A Little R&R and A Big Question
“So, what’s first?” Brooke asked.
“What’s first? Step on the board and go,” Michael said. “That’s pretty much it.”
“That’s it?” she asked skeptically. “Are you sure?” She glanced at the snowboard and then up at the slopes with a frown. “Um, we’re startin’ on a small slope, right?”
“Yeah, you need to find your balance first.”
“Balance,” she repeated. “Got it.”
“Yeah, when you know how to hold your body in a good balance... then you’ll know how to snowboard.”
“So, it’s kinda like skiing, right? Just no poles and one board instead of two skis?”
Michael snorted. “It’s so much cooler than skiing. But there are probably some similarities.”
“Well, I know how to ski, so if it’s kinda similar then I figure I’ll have an advantage.”
“Lucky you,” Maria said.
Brooke glanced at her. “You don’t know how to ski?”
“I grew up in Roswell. No snow at all, girl.”
“You should probably be over on the bunny slopes with Bren an’ Karen,” the younger girl said, laughing.
“Uh-huh,” Tess came up from behind. “I’d be quiet if ya really wanna party with us on New Years’ Eve.”
“Hey, I’m just thinkin’ of your safety. I hadn’t realized you guys didn’t know how to ski.”
Michael gave his sister a playful shove. “Don’t pick on my little desert rat.”
“RAT?” Maria demanded.
He shrugged. “My little desert fox?”
She rolled her eyes at him. “Don’t call me any animal names, how about that?”
“No pet names?” He winked at Brooke and he saw the look of relief on her face when she realized he was just messing around with Maria.
“Yeah, Ki-ki.”
He made a face at his girlfriend. “No one but Caela gets away with that one.”
“You’d better think of a better nickname for me then,” she told him and grabbed a handful of snow to throw at him.
He ducked and managed to miss the snowball she had thrown at him. “How ‘bout we just stick with ‘baby’ and forget any other pet names?”
“Took you long enough to figure that one out,” she said, bumping him slightly from the side.
“Let’s hit the slopes before I get in more trouble.”
“Good idea,” she agreed.
“You two suck,” Brooke said but smiled.
“Keep talkin’, little girl,” Michael warned.
“Sucker,” she teased again and squealed when he suddenly came after her.
“We’ll see who the sucker is,” he growled when he caught her around the waist and hefted her up over his right shoulder.
“Put me down, Michael.”
“Hey, Kyle... whatcha think? Should I put her down?”
“Hmmm... you could stick her in the snow, head first.”
“Good idea. Hear that, Brooke?”
“Don’t you dare,” she screamed and pounded on his back with her fisted hands. “I’m gonna tell Maria every embarrassing little detail about your life if you do...”
Michael paused, thinking about that. “I could share some of those about you, too.”
“C’mon, Michael,” she whined. “I can walk on my own.”
“I had no intention of carryin’ your heavy ass to the lifts.”
“Put her down,” Kyle begged and held his hands over his ears when Brooke continued to make high-pitched sounds.
“Damn, girl, where the hell did you learn to make all that noise?” Michael asked, rubbing his right ear after putting her back down.
“From all those times when you’d block the bathroom upstairs back in New York,” she joked.
He shot a glare at her. “Ya know, it might just be time for me to take your little boyfriend out and tell him all about some of your more embarrassing moments.”
“Luke isn’t my boyfriend.... yet.”
“Hmm, maybe I could tell him about that time we all had to go to that stupid formal dinner when you were about what... three, almost four? Remember that? You stripped down to your underwear and ran around the room laughing like a little hyena.”
“I was only three, Michael.”
“Still makes for an entertaining story.”
“Stop it now, you two,” Maria said when they reached the lift.
Kyle just shook his head at them as they got in line; they were still bantering back and forth over which of them had the most embarrassing story in their past.
*****
“Whoaaa...” Liz struggled to hold her balance. She couldn’t count the many times her ass had hit the snow during the past two hours and it didn’t feel like she had made any progress during that time.
Just then Max came up next to her in an easy move on his own skis and she lost her concentration and landed in the snow again. “Damn, I’m such a loser out here,” she complained and glanced up at Max, who had stopped in front of her with a smirk on his face. “Sorry, I’m totally bad at this,” she said and brushed some snow off of her.
“It’s not easy when you’ve never done it before, darlin’.”
“It looks so easy when you do it,” she said and tried to get up.
Max reached down to take her hand and help her to her feet. “I’ve been hittin’ the slopes for a couple of years now... not my first time out.”
“I think I’m gonna need a lot of practice if you want me to learn this,” she told him with a smirk
“Patience is somethin’ that I have plenty of, darlin’.”
“I already know that,” she told him with a wink.
He smiled at her and nodded at the hill behind them. “You wanna give it another shot? Or you wanna head over to the lodge and have lunch and warm up with a cup of hot chocolate?”
“Would you be mad if I say the last? My ass hurts.”
“No, of course not,” he denied. “There’s a nice big couch in front of the fireplace at the lodge where we can snuggle up and get warm while we wait for lunch.” He grinned wickedly. “And after lunch we’ll head back to the cabin and see what we can do about makin’ you forget all about your ass hurtin’.”
“Oh, no, after lunch we’re gonna practice again,” she promised. She knew he loved to ski.
“I’m perfectly happy practicin’ for indoor sports too,” he teased as he leaned over to kiss her.
“Uh-huh, I think we’ll still have plenty of time for that as well. Maybe we could stay at the cabin tomorrow.”
“Well, if you’re that determined to learn to ski then that’s what we’re gonna do.”
Liz’s stomach started to growl. “These outdoor sports really make me hungry.”
“C’mon, then, let’s head back to the lodge and have some lunch.”
“No complaints from me,” she said as she crouched down to get rid of the skis.
When they reached the lodge they checked their equipment in and ordered a couple mugs of hot chocolate before walking over to the sitting area by the large fireplace.
“Wow, it’s really comfy here,” Liz told him and snuggled against his side.
“Yup,” he agreed, smiling when his arm settled around her shoulders and one of her hands came up to link with his.
*****
Brendan dropped the large round blue sled on the ground and stomped one booted foot on it to make sure it would stay in place. He sat down on it and planted his feet in the snow before looking up at Karen and clapping his hands. “Okay, hand my baby girl over.”
Caela looked around at all of the snow surrounding them and clapped her hands in excitement. Her little mittened hands slapped against Brendan’s thighs as she was settled in front of him and she latched onto his arm when it came around her to hold her against him.
Brendan looked up at Karen, grinning when he saw the way she was scanning the slope before them. It was steep, but not steep enough to be too dangerous to sled with their daughter. “It’s perfectly safe, sweetheart.”
Karen swallowed hard and nodded. “I know. It’s just a little nerve wracking to send her flying down a hill.”
He snorted. “Tell ya what, next trip? You can go with us.” He glanced down at his little girl and kissed the top of her head as he adjusted her hat and made sure her ears were covered. “You all ready?” He grinned when she turned and showed off her smile. “Yeah, you’re ready. Let’s go!” he shouted and brought his feet up to hook on the bottom edge of the sled as he pushed off.
Karen’s heart leapt into her throat when the sled quickly picked up momentum and they practically flew down the hill. She could hear Brendan whooping and Caela screaming, but she could easily tell that their daughter was having fun with her daddy.
Brendan laughed when he heard his daughter’s giggles as they began to slow down and finally came to a stop. “Alright, baby girl,” he stood up and lifted her into his arms and they turned to Karen and waved at her happily.
Karen felt a little bit of relief when they stood and started waving. She smiled at them and waited impatiently for them to climb back up the hill.
“I think she liked it,” Brendan told his girlfriend with a grin.
“I think that’s a safe bet,” Karen said when Caela started tugging on the sled Brendan was holding.
“You wanna go again?”
The little girl gave the sled another tug and turned to point at the slope. “Go!”
He chuckled. “Okay.”
Karen watched as Brendan settled into place again, lifting an eyebrow in question when he turned and held a hand out to her.
“There’s enough room for all three of us,” he said and wiggled his eyebrows.
She bit her bottom lip as she looked at the slope once more. “Sure it’s safe?”
“Yeah, come on.”
Karen slid her hand into his, trusting him to keep her safe.
“Alright, come here and sit in front of me.”
She sat in front of him and settled Caela between her legs before leaning back against his chest. “Okay, we’re ready.”
“Alright, let’s go!” He used his feet to get them moving.
The cold air rushed past them as they picked up speed, flying down the hill and laughing, their voices carefree.
*****
“Alex? Where are you?” Isabel called from upstairs. Her man had insisted that she should take a long bath and relax after the long exhausting trip up to the cabin and well, she hadn’t found a single reason to complain about it.
Alex glanced up from where he had been sitting in the living room and took a deep breath. “I’m here, Iz.” He stood up and walked over to the bottom of the stairs when he heard her coming down. “How was the bath?” he asked, blocking her way.
“It was awesome. You were right, I feel much better now.”
He smiled slightly and leaned forward to place a kiss on her forehead. “Are you hungry?”
“Very,” she admitted with a grin.
He chuckled and finally stepped to the side, giving her access to look further into the living room.
“Alex,” she breathed when she saw the nicely decorated dining table with candles in the center.
“I know it’s already too late for lunch and too early for dinner, but this’s probably the only time we’re gonna be alone here and I thought we should enjoy it as much as possible.”
She nodded. “It’s so romantic.”
Alex smiled and held his hand out to her, ignoring the nervous beating of his heart. “I was hoping you’d like it.”
“Did you have doubts about that?” She shook her head. “It’s beautiful and you know any time is the right time to eat for me lately.”
“Are you blaming our baby for your insatiable appetite?”
“Uh-huh...”
He grinned and shook his head as he led her across the room. “Hey, whatever works for you.”
“What’d you cook? It smells amazing.”
“I know you’ve been on a Mexican kick since you got pregnant, but you mentioned the other day that you wanted spaghetti with meatballs, so I’ve put my culinary abilities to work.”
“You are too good to be true, Alex.”
“The garlic bread isn’t homemade, but that’s one ability I have yet to master in the kitchen.”
She chuckled. “I wonder if we’ll still have time to do all the homemade stuff once our little baby is with us.”
“It’ll probably be pretty crazy at first, but I think we’ll manage it. Besides, we’ve got a lot of help.”
She nodded and watched him as he filled her plate with the food he had made. “This looks so good.”
“It is,” he admitted with a smug grin. “I did a taste test while you were relaxing. You realize we’re always gonna have a full house over the holidays since both of us cook, right?”
She smiled. “I love a full house over Christmas. That’s totally okay.”
“And next Christmas we’ll have two kids underfoot now that Brendan’s got a little girl.” He shook his head as he cut a slice of the garlic bread and placed it on her plate. “I still can’t believe that one.”
“Yeah, me neither. It’s like the whole family situation changed in such a short time. The little girl is cute though. And Brendan will be a great father.” She chuckled, “And our baby will have a cousin almost the same age, so that’s great.”
“It’s weird, ya know? A year ago my family hardly had a relationship to speak of and now... now, it’s more than I had even dared to hope for.”
She smiled. “Well, you just needed some girls from Roswell to make it happen...”
“My own little alien invasion, huh?” he teased.
“Yep, but in a good way.”
“It means a lot to finally have a good relationship with them, to finally feel like we’re a real family. Especially now that you and I are startin’ our own family.”
“Don’t worry, Alex. Now that Hank’s out of the picture, I’m sure your relationship with your brothers and sister will only get stronger.”
“Yeah. I’m glad he’s outta the picture now. I wouldn’t have wanted him around our little girl or boy before I knew all that he had done.” He reached up to tug on his left ear and shrugged one shoulder. “Ungh, let’s not talk about him.”
She smiled. “Yeah, let’s eat.”
After dinner Alex leaned back in his chair and took a deep breath. “Why don’t you go have a seat by the fireplace and let me clear this away. It won’t take but a few minutes and then I’ll join you.”
“You don’t have to do all this alone just because I’m pregnant, Alex.”
He smiled. “Would you let me pamper you just for one night?”
“If you insist.” She stood up and thought about it a moment before she tossed her napkin on the table with a grin. “I’ll go.”
“I’m insisting, so humor me.”
Isabel walked over to the fireplace and took one of the fluffy blankets as she sat down.
Alex quickly cleared the table, filled the dishwasher and got it started before taking a moment to draw in a deep breath. “Okay, Guerin, you’re both ready for this,” he muttered to himself. He checked his pocket before smoothing his hands over his shirt and turning the light off. He walked into the living room and joined Isabel next to the fire.
“Hey,” she greeted him softly.
“Hey,” he whispered as he leaned in to kiss her. “Think we’d better enjoy these quiet moments while we can.”
“Yeah,” she glanced at her watch, “I think the others will probably be back soon.”
“Probably. Ya know, six months ago if someone had told me that I’d be about to do this I would’ve told ‘em to see a shrink.”
She smiled and snuggled closer against him. “Sometimes it’s hard to believe that something so good can happen after so many years with the opposite, huh?”
“Very hard to believe,” he agreed. “I think I started fallin’ in love with you from the first time I saw you. I wouldn’t have thought it was possible before, but now I know it’s true. And the day you told me we were gonna be parents... I saw our future so clearly, but I didn’t wanna scare you away or make you think I was reacting to the news instead of reacting from the heart.” He shifted away from her so he could pull the little black box out of his pocket. He got up on one knee in front of her as he opened the box, revealing the diamond engagement ring resting inside the velvet lining. He took a deep breath. “Marry me, Isabel.”
She stared at him in shock for several long seconds, not knowing what to say since she had never expected him to do this right now. “Alex,” she whispered, her gaze sliding slowly to the beautiful ring he had picked out for her. It glistened in the late afternoon sunlight that was coming from the window behind them and she smiled with tears in her eyes. “Yes, I’ll marry you.”
All of the feelings of nervousness disappeared as soon as she responded with an affirmative answer and Alex lifted the ring out, taking her left hand and sliding the ring into place. “I love you so much,” he whispered before kissing her.
“I love you too,” she mumbled against his lips.
*****
Maria, Michael, Brooke, Kyle and Tess had decided to sit down on the porch of the lodge since the sun was shining brightly and they had a good view over the slopes from there.
Brendan, Karen and Caela had been there for lunch as well, but were already on their way back to the cabin because it was time for Caela’s nap. The little girl had been totally worn out after all the fun in the snow.
They had also met Max and Liz, but by the time they had gotten to the lodge the other couple had already been on their way back to the slope.
“It’s amazing out here.” Maria leaned back in her chair, pulling her sunglasses from her hair and sliding them back on her nose. Her hands were wrapped around a hot mug of coffee.
“We should go back out. The slope’s are empty right now ‘cause everyone’s here for lunch,” Michael said.
Kyle nodded. “I’m in,” he agreed. “The slopes are even better when they’re not packed with people.”
“Seriously? I’m exhausted,” Tess said.
“Yeah, me too.” Maria was thinking that Caela had the right idea about that afternoon nap.
Kyle shook his head. “I still owe Guerin that ass-kickin’ on the slopes.”
“Why don’t you guys go back out there and we’ll stay here for awhile?” Brooke suggested.
“Works for me.” Michael glanced at Maria. “You care if I hit the slopes for a while without ya?”
She smiled. “No, go ahead. I don’t feel like moving right now and I know you had to hold back this morning because of me.”
He turned and pointed to the slopes behind them. “You'll be able to see us up there... the one with his face in the snow, that’s gonna be Kyle.”
“Uh-huh... and I can see every woman who hits on you.”
He leaned over and braced his hands on the arms of her chair as he kissed her. “There’s only one woman that makes my blood run hot or who’s worth more than a look.” He smiled at her as he gently ran his thumb over her cheek. “I love you, no other woman matters.”
Tess and Brooke exchanged a surprised look. I LOVE YOU, Brooke mouthed with a questioning look. Yeah, Michael had told her the three words had been spoken, but she hadn’t heard it with her own ears until just now.
Tess nodded with wide eyes.
Maria felt the shiver ran down her spine at his confession and smiled weakly. “I love you, too,” she whispered against his lips.
Michael straightened up again, wondering at the weird feeling that seemed to take up residence in his chest when she said those three words.
“C’mon, Guerin.” Kyle leaned down to give Tess a quick kiss. “Behave until I get back,” he told her with a wink.
Tess gave him a saucy grin. “We’ll see.”
Brooke waited impatiently until her brother left the porch and was out of earshot until she couldn’t hold back any longer. “Did he just say ‘I love you’?”
Maria couldn’t hide her grin and really didn’t want to. “Um-hmm, he said it.”
“Didn’t seem like the first time,” Tess guessed.
“Really?” she teased.
“C’mon girl. Details.”
“What details? He said it for the first time last night... well, we both did.”
“What’d he give you for Christmas?” Brooke asked.
Maria grinned and reached up to tug the chain free of her sweater and held it out so that the dog tags swung freely.
Brooke and Tess both leaned forward to have a better look at the tags. “Wow, that’s cool,” the younger girl said and Tess nodded.
“Yeah, wouldn’t have thought Guerin was capable of picking out such a good present.”
“Hey!” Maria protested.
“What? It’s not like he seems to be Mr. Romantic.”
“He just doesn’t let everyone see that side of him.” Maria smiled to herself. “But it’s there.” And it was all hers.
Tess smirked. “Knew that guy was into you from the very first second.”
“Know-it-all,” Maria mumbled.
Brooke glanced out where the boys were heading up the slope and smiled. “You make him happier than he’s ever been, Maria.”
“He deserves to be happy. And if I have anything to say about it he’ll stay that way.”
*****
Michael and Kyle had always been competitive and it showed as they pushed themselves to the limits in an effort to show off and be the first one to cross the finish line at the bottom of the hill. After the third time running the course and crossing the finish line too close to call either of them the winner they decided that they were done for the day.
Michael waited while Kyle took his time checking his board before gathering it up and heading back toward the lodge and the girls. “Hey, Kyle?”
“Huh?” The other guy glanced up
“I um...” Michael reached up and scratched his eyebrow as he swallowed hard. “Look, I just wanted to...” Fuck, he just wasn’t any good at stuff like this!
Kyle raised one eyebrow. “What is it, Michael? Somethin’ wrong?” He knew better than to make fun of his friend’s inability to say things straight out. If Michael started like this then it was probably something serious.
“No, no, nothing’s wrong, I just...” He cleared his throat. “I just wanted to say... ya know... Fuck,” he muttered. “Just, thanks, for, ya know, always havin’ my back.”
Kyle stopped and studied his friend intensely for several seconds. “Ya know ya don’t have to thank me for that. That’s what friends are for.”
“Yeah, but,” he kicked a clump of snow with his right boot, “I’m kind of a dick a lot of the time and no one would’ve blamed you for turnin’ your back on me a long time ago. I know there are times when I’ve pushed the boundaries of friendship.”
The other guy smirked. “You’ve been a total pain in the ass at times.”
Michael rolled his eyes. “Well, I’m workin’ on that,” he grumbled.
“You’re doing better lately.”
“So, anyway, that’s all I wanted to say.”
“You’re welcome.”
“Yeah, okay.” He always felt so stupid trying to get stuff like this out.
Kyle smirked. “Guess it was a good decision to go to California, huh?”
Michael nodded. “Yeah. What made you decide on Long Beach, Kyle?”
“Hot girls, sunny beaches, and the guarantee of plenty of sex,” Kyle joked.
“So, the fact that Alex was already goin’ there and Bren was plannin’ to go there... that didn’t have anything to do with it?”
“Would you believe me if I said no?”
“If you’re bein’ honest about it, then yeah, I’d believe you.”
“Guess I have to admit that those two might’ve influenced my decision.”
Michael nodded. “Okay. So, you up for a game of Quarters tonight?”
“If you promise me it won’t turn out the way it did last time, yeah, I’m in.”
“Last game of Quarters,” he mused and then shrugged his right shoulder. “Me an’ Maria, we’re in a better place now, so I can safely promise that you guys won’t be tryin’ to pick up the pieces tomorrow mornin’.”
“Good.” Kyle nodded.
“So... Quarters?”
“Yeah, sure.”
“We should stop on the way back, pick up some tequila.” He frowned. “Or is that somethin’ that’s not okay since it’s Christmas?”
Kyle snorted. “Who cares? We don’t have to take it to the point where we’re too drunk to walk though.”
Michael nodded. “Okay, sounds like a plan then.”
“Think we can convince our girls?”
“I know mine’ll be easy to convince.”
Kyle nodded. “Guess mine will be as well.”
“Think Max an’ his girl will wanna play?”
“I don’t know. Liz seems to have loosened up lately, hasn’t she?”
Michael smirked. “Sex tends to do that,” he said.
Kyle looked at him, shocked. “You think they actually...”
“Forgot, you weren’t there this mornin’... you didn’t see the dumbass look on his face while he was moonin’ over her before breakfast.” He rolled his eyes.
“So Evans finally got lucky. We should celebrate,” he joked.
“Somehow I got the feelin’ we’d have a seriously pissed off Evans on our hands if we said anything.”
“No fun,” Kyle complained, grinning.
“Right?” Michael looked around when a few people started to leave the lodge and walk in their direction. “Kinda think he’s gonna keep her around.”
“Who’d have thought that we’d all turn into some serious boyfriends... last Christmas was so different.”
“Not me, that’s for damn sure.”
Kyle snorted in agreement. “Ready to head back over to the girls?”
“Yeah, let’s go.”
*****
Michael stood in the doorway between the kitchen and the living room after going to grab a couple of beers, watching his family and friends as they laughed and talked about everything and nothing. Maria was sitting on the bear rug in front of the fire, the other couples had claimed the various couches, and Brooke was comfortably kicked back in the recliner, IMing Luke. Buffy and Spike had retreated to the room Brooke had claimed, hiding from the tiny human that had quickly decided she liked to carry them around.
He and Maria had decided to wait to go out to dinner until the next night since they had spent a long day exhausting themselves on the slopes. He glanced down at his little companion when Caela tugged on his jeans. She was standing on his foot, arms wrapped around his right leg, catching a ride instead of using her own two feet.
Caela pointed at the others. “Go!”
“Go?” he questioned. “What? Now I’m your chauffer?”
She pointed again. “Da-da.”
“Fine, I suppose you want me to carry your drink for you, too?” He rolled his eyes when she gave him a grin and held her sippy cup up for him to take.
“Hey, Guerin’s finally advancing from bottles to sippy cups,” Kyle teased when his friend joined them again. “How’d you manage that one, Maria?”
“You’re a bucket of laughs, Valenti,” Michael grumbled as he hobbled over to Brendan. “Here, I’ve got this strange growth on my leg. Maybe you could gimme a hand with it.” He handed the sippy cup over to his brother and waited for Brendan to detach his daughter from his leg.
Maria watched Michael and his niece and she smiled secretly. He was so good with the kid and he didn’t even know what a great job he was doing. It was strange, she had never really thought about having her own family, but lately those thoughts had crossed her mind again and again and she was sure that one day Michael was going to be the perfect dad for her kids.
Caela took a drink from her sippy cup and dropped it in Brendan’s lap, grabbing her stuffed moose and turning to look at the others. She looked up at Michael and motioned to the guitar leaning up against the wall, frowning when he shook his head.
“Maybe later, short stuff.”
Max shook his head when she looked at him. “Trust me, kid, you don’t wanna hear me sing.”
Liz laughed and reached up to cover his mouth. “That’s no lie.”
“Maybe you should ask Uncle Kyle,” Maria suggested with a grin.
Tess giggled when Caela approached them, pausing for just a moment before leaning forward to rest her weight against his knees. The little girl gave him a big smile and he groaned in response.
“Uncle Mike can sing and Kyle can do back up vocals.” He leaned forward and picked her up, letting her stand on his legs as he held her steady. “Or, y’know what’s even more fun? Uncle Kyle can show you how to play the drums.”
“Oh, no, you are not doing that, Kyle,” Karen warned. “We like to sleep, ya know? And trust me, there’s precious little of that without her playing any musical instruments.”
“What? The kid’s got talent, I can see it. She’d be a natural at the drums.”
Brendan shook his head. “Yeah, and once ya show her she’ll drum on every possible thing she can reach. Not gonna happen.”
Kyle snorted. “Mommy and Daddy just don’t want you to have any fun, do they?” He winked at her. “Don’t worry, we’ll figure it out.”
“Not in our apartment though,” Max told Kyle in a playfully warning tone.
“You guys gonna stay in California?” Kyle asked Brendan.
“Yeah, we’re gonna start lookin’ for a place after the first of the year,” Brendan answered, smiling when his daughter climbed down off of one couch and moved to the next one. She pulled herself up and gingerly walked along the cushions until she reached Max. None of the other guys had facial hair so she had become as fascinated by his goatee as she was by Michael’s spiky hair.
Max made a face when she touched his face with the fingers she had just pulled out of her mouth. “Thanks, I always wanted baby spit all over me,” he reached out to tickle the little girl, trying to distract her from doing it again.
“Great, isn’t it?” Michael asked. He had gotten his share of baby spit over the past couple of days.
Tess leaned further against Kyle while all of the attention was on the kid. “Hey, ya think we could use this opportunity with all of them being down her to get into the hot tub?”
He grinned. “Yeah, just gotta check with Michael, make sure he knows we’re gonna be out there for a while.”
“I’ll wait for you upstairs.” She stood up and turned to the others. “Alright guys, I’m gonna say good night and I’ll see you in the morning.”
“Hey, I thought we were gonna play a game of Quarters?” Michael interrupted when it looked like Tess and Kyle were calling it a night.
“We kinda wanted to jump in the hot tub,” Kyle hissed in his friend’s direction.
“Well, unless you’re into foursomes that’s probably not gonna happen.” He grinned. “Alex and Isabel are... celebrating their engagement.”
Kyle and Tess both raised their eyebrows in surprise. “I thought they were already in bed,” she said, pouting.
“You stay here with us, Harding. You can...” Maria lowered her voice so that Caela wouldn’t hear it, “do your man later.”
“Come on, little girl,” Karen gathered her daughter up in her arms, “I think it’s time for you to go to sleep.”
Caela struggled to get free because she didn’t want to go to sleep yet. She wanted to stay with everyone else and she howled in protest when she was handed over to her daddy.
“No ma’am, we’re not gonna throw a fit over this,” Brendan said as he held her snugly so she wouldn’t squirm out of his arms.
Caela started to cry in earnest when Daddy said ‘no’ in that way that told her he wasn’t kidding and she dropped her head on his shoulder and hugged her moose tightly.
Karen smiled slightly when Brendan didn’t suddenly develop a case of nerves when their daughter reacted in a less than pleasant manner.
“Say good night to everyone, Caela.”
She stretched the hand holding the moose out in Michael’s direction. “Ki-ki...”
“We seriously need to talk about that one,” he told her and squeezed her tiny arm.
She squirmed around so she could rest her head on his hand, looking at him with her big brown eyes.
“Are ya trying to make me weak, little girl?”
The smallest hint of a smile tugged at the corners of her lips and she quickly brought the moose up and buried her face against it.
“We’ll see ya in the mornin’,” he said and caressed her cheek for a second.
She laid her head against Brendan’s shoulder and waved at Michael. “Nigh-nigh, Ki-ki,” she said quietly.
“You wanna play Quarters?” Max asked when the couple and Caela had left the room.
Liz wrinkled her nose. “No more Jäger for me... I need something that isn’t so... sneaky.”
“We’ve got tequila,” Michael joked.
“Tequila, huh?” She glanced up at Max. “You’ll stop me if I start getting goofy, right? ‘Cause I’d like to be able to remember what happens tonight when tomorrow rolls around.”
Max tugged her closer. “You’ll remember,” he promised with a smirk.
“Alright, then we’ll play a few rounds.”
“Promise me the night won’t turn out like the last time we played this,” Maria told Michael with a wink.
“Tonight will end the way the last one should have,” he promised.
“Alright. So, Tess, Kyle, are you in?” Maria moved further towards the coffee table.
“Like that’s even a question,” Tess muttered.
Kyle snorted. “Would be a question if the hot tub wasn’t occupied.”
“Too bad.” Maria rolled her eyes.
“I wanna play, too,” Brooke spoke up.
“No tequila for you,” Michael said.
“Aw, c’mon, what kinda shots am I gonna do if you won’t let me have any tequila?”
“Um... water?” he joked.
“If you’re gonna baby me maybe you could just get me one of Caela’s bottles and fill it with warm milk,” she grumbled.
“Good idea,” he grinned at her.
“How am I supposed to learn to hold my liquor if you guys won’t let me drink?”
“Come on, Michael. Let her have a few drinks,” Maria told her boyfriend.
“What?” He turned to look at Maria, wondering if she had lost her mind.
“She’s with us; nothing’s gonna happen.”
“Think I should water it down?” he asked, lowering his voice.
“Yeah, she won’t be able to tell the difference,” she whispered back.
He nodded. “Okay,” he said as he turned around again, “I’ll get the alcohol an’ you guys get everything set up.”
Max is definitely a gentleman.
begonia9508: Ki-ki… Michael’s just not gonna be able to ditch that name!
mary mary: Michael wasn’t about to let that opportunity pass by.
Caela’s lovin’ the attention! Kids are hilarious and Caela’s gonna have fun.
guelbebek: Caela would be impossible to resist. Michael and Maria are well on their way to making their relationship work.
Yep, just can’t hide those grins!
zaneri1: We’re glad this fic makes ya smile or laugh most of the time!
Eva: Poor Michael… his introduction to Moo wasn’t very friendly, lol.
Alien_Friend: All together and having fun! No conflict? You’re sure about that?
Their family’s growing and getting closer all the time.
Michael and his little sister have a great relationship and he could tell that she wasn’t sure about this news. Brooke can certainly use another female ally, lol!
This group’s managed to form their own unique family and they’re stronger for it.
Earth2Mama: LOL, we’re pretty sure that’s the point of vacations… forget about everything else!
Love is a beautiful thing… and especially for this group!
Yup, it didn’t take long for Caela to work her magic, lol. Yeah, He-Who-Shall-Not-Be-Named is one grandparent that isn’t needed or wanted.
Ah, the negative factor to vacation… facing the reality afterwards!
April: Catch up can be good… you get to read more and not have to wait for the updates, lol!
Liz took her time and was lucky enough to be with someone who made sure she knew they wouldn’t do anything until she was ready.
LOL, well, the only way to avoid the Christmas spirit early would have been to stay on that one part per week schedule and then we would’ve been celebrating right on time… Christmas 2010. But, considering where that would’ve meant we’d be right now in the fic… well… you know.
Michael just loves Caela… we’re pretty sure he’s not gonna develop a fondness for Moo though.
Maiqu: LOL, sorry.
Who could resist Caela? Michael and Brooke have a great relationship and they easily pick up on each other’s moods. Brooke’s very happy about the way Isabel’s parents accepted her.
Yup, Michael and Moo… definitely not gonna be friends now!
kay_b: They’ve made a lot of progress since the beginning, haven’t they?
sarammlover: This group is loud and there’s lots of chaos when they all get together, but it’s great, isn’t it? And it’s even better at Christmas! LOL, we’re not sure if Maria will spend too long learning to snowboard, but she could surprise us. But, if she does end up as one big owie at least she’s got Michael to take care of her.
kismet: That little girl is getting a great family. Brooke quickly and easily got comfortable with Katherine and Joe.
Hmm… yes, we will find out where Max and Liz went.
Part 105 – A Little R&R and A Big Question
“So, what’s first?” Brooke asked.
“What’s first? Step on the board and go,” Michael said. “That’s pretty much it.”
“That’s it?” she asked skeptically. “Are you sure?” She glanced at the snowboard and then up at the slopes with a frown. “Um, we’re startin’ on a small slope, right?”
“Yeah, you need to find your balance first.”
“Balance,” she repeated. “Got it.”
“Yeah, when you know how to hold your body in a good balance... then you’ll know how to snowboard.”
“So, it’s kinda like skiing, right? Just no poles and one board instead of two skis?”
Michael snorted. “It’s so much cooler than skiing. But there are probably some similarities.”
“Well, I know how to ski, so if it’s kinda similar then I figure I’ll have an advantage.”
“Lucky you,” Maria said.
Brooke glanced at her. “You don’t know how to ski?”
“I grew up in Roswell. No snow at all, girl.”
“You should probably be over on the bunny slopes with Bren an’ Karen,” the younger girl said, laughing.
“Uh-huh,” Tess came up from behind. “I’d be quiet if ya really wanna party with us on New Years’ Eve.”
“Hey, I’m just thinkin’ of your safety. I hadn’t realized you guys didn’t know how to ski.”
Michael gave his sister a playful shove. “Don’t pick on my little desert rat.”
“RAT?” Maria demanded.
He shrugged. “My little desert fox?”
She rolled her eyes at him. “Don’t call me any animal names, how about that?”
“No pet names?” He winked at Brooke and he saw the look of relief on her face when she realized he was just messing around with Maria.
“Yeah, Ki-ki.”
He made a face at his girlfriend. “No one but Caela gets away with that one.”
“You’d better think of a better nickname for me then,” she told him and grabbed a handful of snow to throw at him.
He ducked and managed to miss the snowball she had thrown at him. “How ‘bout we just stick with ‘baby’ and forget any other pet names?”
“Took you long enough to figure that one out,” she said, bumping him slightly from the side.
“Let’s hit the slopes before I get in more trouble.”
“Good idea,” she agreed.
“You two suck,” Brooke said but smiled.
“Keep talkin’, little girl,” Michael warned.
“Sucker,” she teased again and squealed when he suddenly came after her.
“We’ll see who the sucker is,” he growled when he caught her around the waist and hefted her up over his right shoulder.
“Put me down, Michael.”
“Hey, Kyle... whatcha think? Should I put her down?”
“Hmmm... you could stick her in the snow, head first.”
“Good idea. Hear that, Brooke?”
“Don’t you dare,” she screamed and pounded on his back with her fisted hands. “I’m gonna tell Maria every embarrassing little detail about your life if you do...”
Michael paused, thinking about that. “I could share some of those about you, too.”
“C’mon, Michael,” she whined. “I can walk on my own.”
“I had no intention of carryin’ your heavy ass to the lifts.”
“Put her down,” Kyle begged and held his hands over his ears when Brooke continued to make high-pitched sounds.
“Damn, girl, where the hell did you learn to make all that noise?” Michael asked, rubbing his right ear after putting her back down.
“From all those times when you’d block the bathroom upstairs back in New York,” she joked.
He shot a glare at her. “Ya know, it might just be time for me to take your little boyfriend out and tell him all about some of your more embarrassing moments.”
“Luke isn’t my boyfriend.... yet.”
“Hmm, maybe I could tell him about that time we all had to go to that stupid formal dinner when you were about what... three, almost four? Remember that? You stripped down to your underwear and ran around the room laughing like a little hyena.”
“I was only three, Michael.”
“Still makes for an entertaining story.”
“Stop it now, you two,” Maria said when they reached the lift.
Kyle just shook his head at them as they got in line; they were still bantering back and forth over which of them had the most embarrassing story in their past.
*****
“Whoaaa...” Liz struggled to hold her balance. She couldn’t count the many times her ass had hit the snow during the past two hours and it didn’t feel like she had made any progress during that time.
Just then Max came up next to her in an easy move on his own skis and she lost her concentration and landed in the snow again. “Damn, I’m such a loser out here,” she complained and glanced up at Max, who had stopped in front of her with a smirk on his face. “Sorry, I’m totally bad at this,” she said and brushed some snow off of her.
“It’s not easy when you’ve never done it before, darlin’.”
“It looks so easy when you do it,” she said and tried to get up.
Max reached down to take her hand and help her to her feet. “I’ve been hittin’ the slopes for a couple of years now... not my first time out.”
“I think I’m gonna need a lot of practice if you want me to learn this,” she told him with a smirk
“Patience is somethin’ that I have plenty of, darlin’.”
“I already know that,” she told him with a wink.
He smiled at her and nodded at the hill behind them. “You wanna give it another shot? Or you wanna head over to the lodge and have lunch and warm up with a cup of hot chocolate?”
“Would you be mad if I say the last? My ass hurts.”
“No, of course not,” he denied. “There’s a nice big couch in front of the fireplace at the lodge where we can snuggle up and get warm while we wait for lunch.” He grinned wickedly. “And after lunch we’ll head back to the cabin and see what we can do about makin’ you forget all about your ass hurtin’.”
“Oh, no, after lunch we’re gonna practice again,” she promised. She knew he loved to ski.
“I’m perfectly happy practicin’ for indoor sports too,” he teased as he leaned over to kiss her.
“Uh-huh, I think we’ll still have plenty of time for that as well. Maybe we could stay at the cabin tomorrow.”
“Well, if you’re that determined to learn to ski then that’s what we’re gonna do.”
Liz’s stomach started to growl. “These outdoor sports really make me hungry.”
“C’mon, then, let’s head back to the lodge and have some lunch.”
“No complaints from me,” she said as she crouched down to get rid of the skis.
When they reached the lodge they checked their equipment in and ordered a couple mugs of hot chocolate before walking over to the sitting area by the large fireplace.
“Wow, it’s really comfy here,” Liz told him and snuggled against his side.
“Yup,” he agreed, smiling when his arm settled around her shoulders and one of her hands came up to link with his.
*****
Brendan dropped the large round blue sled on the ground and stomped one booted foot on it to make sure it would stay in place. He sat down on it and planted his feet in the snow before looking up at Karen and clapping his hands. “Okay, hand my baby girl over.”
Caela looked around at all of the snow surrounding them and clapped her hands in excitement. Her little mittened hands slapped against Brendan’s thighs as she was settled in front of him and she latched onto his arm when it came around her to hold her against him.
Brendan looked up at Karen, grinning when he saw the way she was scanning the slope before them. It was steep, but not steep enough to be too dangerous to sled with their daughter. “It’s perfectly safe, sweetheart.”
Karen swallowed hard and nodded. “I know. It’s just a little nerve wracking to send her flying down a hill.”
He snorted. “Tell ya what, next trip? You can go with us.” He glanced down at his little girl and kissed the top of her head as he adjusted her hat and made sure her ears were covered. “You all ready?” He grinned when she turned and showed off her smile. “Yeah, you’re ready. Let’s go!” he shouted and brought his feet up to hook on the bottom edge of the sled as he pushed off.
Karen’s heart leapt into her throat when the sled quickly picked up momentum and they practically flew down the hill. She could hear Brendan whooping and Caela screaming, but she could easily tell that their daughter was having fun with her daddy.
Brendan laughed when he heard his daughter’s giggles as they began to slow down and finally came to a stop. “Alright, baby girl,” he stood up and lifted her into his arms and they turned to Karen and waved at her happily.
Karen felt a little bit of relief when they stood and started waving. She smiled at them and waited impatiently for them to climb back up the hill.
“I think she liked it,” Brendan told his girlfriend with a grin.
“I think that’s a safe bet,” Karen said when Caela started tugging on the sled Brendan was holding.
“You wanna go again?”
The little girl gave the sled another tug and turned to point at the slope. “Go!”
He chuckled. “Okay.”
Karen watched as Brendan settled into place again, lifting an eyebrow in question when he turned and held a hand out to her.
“There’s enough room for all three of us,” he said and wiggled his eyebrows.
She bit her bottom lip as she looked at the slope once more. “Sure it’s safe?”
“Yeah, come on.”
Karen slid her hand into his, trusting him to keep her safe.
“Alright, come here and sit in front of me.”
She sat in front of him and settled Caela between her legs before leaning back against his chest. “Okay, we’re ready.”
“Alright, let’s go!” He used his feet to get them moving.
The cold air rushed past them as they picked up speed, flying down the hill and laughing, their voices carefree.
*****
“Alex? Where are you?” Isabel called from upstairs. Her man had insisted that she should take a long bath and relax after the long exhausting trip up to the cabin and well, she hadn’t found a single reason to complain about it.
Alex glanced up from where he had been sitting in the living room and took a deep breath. “I’m here, Iz.” He stood up and walked over to the bottom of the stairs when he heard her coming down. “How was the bath?” he asked, blocking her way.
“It was awesome. You were right, I feel much better now.”
He smiled slightly and leaned forward to place a kiss on her forehead. “Are you hungry?”
“Very,” she admitted with a grin.
He chuckled and finally stepped to the side, giving her access to look further into the living room.
“Alex,” she breathed when she saw the nicely decorated dining table with candles in the center.
“I know it’s already too late for lunch and too early for dinner, but this’s probably the only time we’re gonna be alone here and I thought we should enjoy it as much as possible.”
She nodded. “It’s so romantic.”
Alex smiled and held his hand out to her, ignoring the nervous beating of his heart. “I was hoping you’d like it.”
“Did you have doubts about that?” She shook her head. “It’s beautiful and you know any time is the right time to eat for me lately.”
“Are you blaming our baby for your insatiable appetite?”
“Uh-huh...”
He grinned and shook his head as he led her across the room. “Hey, whatever works for you.”
“What’d you cook? It smells amazing.”
“I know you’ve been on a Mexican kick since you got pregnant, but you mentioned the other day that you wanted spaghetti with meatballs, so I’ve put my culinary abilities to work.”
“You are too good to be true, Alex.”
“The garlic bread isn’t homemade, but that’s one ability I have yet to master in the kitchen.”
She chuckled. “I wonder if we’ll still have time to do all the homemade stuff once our little baby is with us.”
“It’ll probably be pretty crazy at first, but I think we’ll manage it. Besides, we’ve got a lot of help.”
She nodded and watched him as he filled her plate with the food he had made. “This looks so good.”
“It is,” he admitted with a smug grin. “I did a taste test while you were relaxing. You realize we’re always gonna have a full house over the holidays since both of us cook, right?”
She smiled. “I love a full house over Christmas. That’s totally okay.”
“And next Christmas we’ll have two kids underfoot now that Brendan’s got a little girl.” He shook his head as he cut a slice of the garlic bread and placed it on her plate. “I still can’t believe that one.”
“Yeah, me neither. It’s like the whole family situation changed in such a short time. The little girl is cute though. And Brendan will be a great father.” She chuckled, “And our baby will have a cousin almost the same age, so that’s great.”
“It’s weird, ya know? A year ago my family hardly had a relationship to speak of and now... now, it’s more than I had even dared to hope for.”
She smiled. “Well, you just needed some girls from Roswell to make it happen...”
“My own little alien invasion, huh?” he teased.
“Yep, but in a good way.”
“It means a lot to finally have a good relationship with them, to finally feel like we’re a real family. Especially now that you and I are startin’ our own family.”
“Don’t worry, Alex. Now that Hank’s out of the picture, I’m sure your relationship with your brothers and sister will only get stronger.”
“Yeah. I’m glad he’s outta the picture now. I wouldn’t have wanted him around our little girl or boy before I knew all that he had done.” He reached up to tug on his left ear and shrugged one shoulder. “Ungh, let’s not talk about him.”
She smiled. “Yeah, let’s eat.”
After dinner Alex leaned back in his chair and took a deep breath. “Why don’t you go have a seat by the fireplace and let me clear this away. It won’t take but a few minutes and then I’ll join you.”
“You don’t have to do all this alone just because I’m pregnant, Alex.”
He smiled. “Would you let me pamper you just for one night?”
“If you insist.” She stood up and thought about it a moment before she tossed her napkin on the table with a grin. “I’ll go.”
“I’m insisting, so humor me.”
Isabel walked over to the fireplace and took one of the fluffy blankets as she sat down.
Alex quickly cleared the table, filled the dishwasher and got it started before taking a moment to draw in a deep breath. “Okay, Guerin, you’re both ready for this,” he muttered to himself. He checked his pocket before smoothing his hands over his shirt and turning the light off. He walked into the living room and joined Isabel next to the fire.
“Hey,” she greeted him softly.
“Hey,” he whispered as he leaned in to kiss her. “Think we’d better enjoy these quiet moments while we can.”
“Yeah,” she glanced at her watch, “I think the others will probably be back soon.”
“Probably. Ya know, six months ago if someone had told me that I’d be about to do this I would’ve told ‘em to see a shrink.”
She smiled and snuggled closer against him. “Sometimes it’s hard to believe that something so good can happen after so many years with the opposite, huh?”
“Very hard to believe,” he agreed. “I think I started fallin’ in love with you from the first time I saw you. I wouldn’t have thought it was possible before, but now I know it’s true. And the day you told me we were gonna be parents... I saw our future so clearly, but I didn’t wanna scare you away or make you think I was reacting to the news instead of reacting from the heart.” He shifted away from her so he could pull the little black box out of his pocket. He got up on one knee in front of her as he opened the box, revealing the diamond engagement ring resting inside the velvet lining. He took a deep breath. “Marry me, Isabel.”
She stared at him in shock for several long seconds, not knowing what to say since she had never expected him to do this right now. “Alex,” she whispered, her gaze sliding slowly to the beautiful ring he had picked out for her. It glistened in the late afternoon sunlight that was coming from the window behind them and she smiled with tears in her eyes. “Yes, I’ll marry you.”
All of the feelings of nervousness disappeared as soon as she responded with an affirmative answer and Alex lifted the ring out, taking her left hand and sliding the ring into place. “I love you so much,” he whispered before kissing her.
“I love you too,” she mumbled against his lips.
*****
Maria, Michael, Brooke, Kyle and Tess had decided to sit down on the porch of the lodge since the sun was shining brightly and they had a good view over the slopes from there.
Brendan, Karen and Caela had been there for lunch as well, but were already on their way back to the cabin because it was time for Caela’s nap. The little girl had been totally worn out after all the fun in the snow.
They had also met Max and Liz, but by the time they had gotten to the lodge the other couple had already been on their way back to the slope.
“It’s amazing out here.” Maria leaned back in her chair, pulling her sunglasses from her hair and sliding them back on her nose. Her hands were wrapped around a hot mug of coffee.
“We should go back out. The slope’s are empty right now ‘cause everyone’s here for lunch,” Michael said.
Kyle nodded. “I’m in,” he agreed. “The slopes are even better when they’re not packed with people.”
“Seriously? I’m exhausted,” Tess said.
“Yeah, me too.” Maria was thinking that Caela had the right idea about that afternoon nap.
Kyle shook his head. “I still owe Guerin that ass-kickin’ on the slopes.”
“Why don’t you guys go back out there and we’ll stay here for awhile?” Brooke suggested.
“Works for me.” Michael glanced at Maria. “You care if I hit the slopes for a while without ya?”
She smiled. “No, go ahead. I don’t feel like moving right now and I know you had to hold back this morning because of me.”
He turned and pointed to the slopes behind them. “You'll be able to see us up there... the one with his face in the snow, that’s gonna be Kyle.”
“Uh-huh... and I can see every woman who hits on you.”
He leaned over and braced his hands on the arms of her chair as he kissed her. “There’s only one woman that makes my blood run hot or who’s worth more than a look.” He smiled at her as he gently ran his thumb over her cheek. “I love you, no other woman matters.”
Tess and Brooke exchanged a surprised look. I LOVE YOU, Brooke mouthed with a questioning look. Yeah, Michael had told her the three words had been spoken, but she hadn’t heard it with her own ears until just now.
Tess nodded with wide eyes.
Maria felt the shiver ran down her spine at his confession and smiled weakly. “I love you, too,” she whispered against his lips.
Michael straightened up again, wondering at the weird feeling that seemed to take up residence in his chest when she said those three words.
“C’mon, Guerin.” Kyle leaned down to give Tess a quick kiss. “Behave until I get back,” he told her with a wink.
Tess gave him a saucy grin. “We’ll see.”
Brooke waited impatiently until her brother left the porch and was out of earshot until she couldn’t hold back any longer. “Did he just say ‘I love you’?”
Maria couldn’t hide her grin and really didn’t want to. “Um-hmm, he said it.”
“Didn’t seem like the first time,” Tess guessed.
“Really?” she teased.
“C’mon girl. Details.”
“What details? He said it for the first time last night... well, we both did.”
“What’d he give you for Christmas?” Brooke asked.
Maria grinned and reached up to tug the chain free of her sweater and held it out so that the dog tags swung freely.
Brooke and Tess both leaned forward to have a better look at the tags. “Wow, that’s cool,” the younger girl said and Tess nodded.
“Yeah, wouldn’t have thought Guerin was capable of picking out such a good present.”
“Hey!” Maria protested.
“What? It’s not like he seems to be Mr. Romantic.”
“He just doesn’t let everyone see that side of him.” Maria smiled to herself. “But it’s there.” And it was all hers.
Tess smirked. “Knew that guy was into you from the very first second.”
“Know-it-all,” Maria mumbled.
Brooke glanced out where the boys were heading up the slope and smiled. “You make him happier than he’s ever been, Maria.”
“He deserves to be happy. And if I have anything to say about it he’ll stay that way.”
*****
Michael and Kyle had always been competitive and it showed as they pushed themselves to the limits in an effort to show off and be the first one to cross the finish line at the bottom of the hill. After the third time running the course and crossing the finish line too close to call either of them the winner they decided that they were done for the day.
Michael waited while Kyle took his time checking his board before gathering it up and heading back toward the lodge and the girls. “Hey, Kyle?”
“Huh?” The other guy glanced up
“I um...” Michael reached up and scratched his eyebrow as he swallowed hard. “Look, I just wanted to...” Fuck, he just wasn’t any good at stuff like this!
Kyle raised one eyebrow. “What is it, Michael? Somethin’ wrong?” He knew better than to make fun of his friend’s inability to say things straight out. If Michael started like this then it was probably something serious.
“No, no, nothing’s wrong, I just...” He cleared his throat. “I just wanted to say... ya know... Fuck,” he muttered. “Just, thanks, for, ya know, always havin’ my back.”
Kyle stopped and studied his friend intensely for several seconds. “Ya know ya don’t have to thank me for that. That’s what friends are for.”
“Yeah, but,” he kicked a clump of snow with his right boot, “I’m kind of a dick a lot of the time and no one would’ve blamed you for turnin’ your back on me a long time ago. I know there are times when I’ve pushed the boundaries of friendship.”
The other guy smirked. “You’ve been a total pain in the ass at times.”
Michael rolled his eyes. “Well, I’m workin’ on that,” he grumbled.
“You’re doing better lately.”
“So, anyway, that’s all I wanted to say.”
“You’re welcome.”
“Yeah, okay.” He always felt so stupid trying to get stuff like this out.
Kyle smirked. “Guess it was a good decision to go to California, huh?”
Michael nodded. “Yeah. What made you decide on Long Beach, Kyle?”
“Hot girls, sunny beaches, and the guarantee of plenty of sex,” Kyle joked.
“So, the fact that Alex was already goin’ there and Bren was plannin’ to go there... that didn’t have anything to do with it?”
“Would you believe me if I said no?”
“If you’re bein’ honest about it, then yeah, I’d believe you.”
“Guess I have to admit that those two might’ve influenced my decision.”
Michael nodded. “Okay. So, you up for a game of Quarters tonight?”
“If you promise me it won’t turn out the way it did last time, yeah, I’m in.”
“Last game of Quarters,” he mused and then shrugged his right shoulder. “Me an’ Maria, we’re in a better place now, so I can safely promise that you guys won’t be tryin’ to pick up the pieces tomorrow mornin’.”
“Good.” Kyle nodded.
“So... Quarters?”
“Yeah, sure.”
“We should stop on the way back, pick up some tequila.” He frowned. “Or is that somethin’ that’s not okay since it’s Christmas?”
Kyle snorted. “Who cares? We don’t have to take it to the point where we’re too drunk to walk though.”
Michael nodded. “Okay, sounds like a plan then.”
“Think we can convince our girls?”
“I know mine’ll be easy to convince.”
Kyle nodded. “Guess mine will be as well.”
“Think Max an’ his girl will wanna play?”
“I don’t know. Liz seems to have loosened up lately, hasn’t she?”
Michael smirked. “Sex tends to do that,” he said.
Kyle looked at him, shocked. “You think they actually...”
“Forgot, you weren’t there this mornin’... you didn’t see the dumbass look on his face while he was moonin’ over her before breakfast.” He rolled his eyes.
“So Evans finally got lucky. We should celebrate,” he joked.
“Somehow I got the feelin’ we’d have a seriously pissed off Evans on our hands if we said anything.”
“No fun,” Kyle complained, grinning.
“Right?” Michael looked around when a few people started to leave the lodge and walk in their direction. “Kinda think he’s gonna keep her around.”
“Who’d have thought that we’d all turn into some serious boyfriends... last Christmas was so different.”
“Not me, that’s for damn sure.”
Kyle snorted in agreement. “Ready to head back over to the girls?”
“Yeah, let’s go.”
*****
Michael stood in the doorway between the kitchen and the living room after going to grab a couple of beers, watching his family and friends as they laughed and talked about everything and nothing. Maria was sitting on the bear rug in front of the fire, the other couples had claimed the various couches, and Brooke was comfortably kicked back in the recliner, IMing Luke. Buffy and Spike had retreated to the room Brooke had claimed, hiding from the tiny human that had quickly decided she liked to carry them around.
He and Maria had decided to wait to go out to dinner until the next night since they had spent a long day exhausting themselves on the slopes. He glanced down at his little companion when Caela tugged on his jeans. She was standing on his foot, arms wrapped around his right leg, catching a ride instead of using her own two feet.
Caela pointed at the others. “Go!”
“Go?” he questioned. “What? Now I’m your chauffer?”
She pointed again. “Da-da.”
“Fine, I suppose you want me to carry your drink for you, too?” He rolled his eyes when she gave him a grin and held her sippy cup up for him to take.
“Hey, Guerin’s finally advancing from bottles to sippy cups,” Kyle teased when his friend joined them again. “How’d you manage that one, Maria?”
“You’re a bucket of laughs, Valenti,” Michael grumbled as he hobbled over to Brendan. “Here, I’ve got this strange growth on my leg. Maybe you could gimme a hand with it.” He handed the sippy cup over to his brother and waited for Brendan to detach his daughter from his leg.
Maria watched Michael and his niece and she smiled secretly. He was so good with the kid and he didn’t even know what a great job he was doing. It was strange, she had never really thought about having her own family, but lately those thoughts had crossed her mind again and again and she was sure that one day Michael was going to be the perfect dad for her kids.
Caela took a drink from her sippy cup and dropped it in Brendan’s lap, grabbing her stuffed moose and turning to look at the others. She looked up at Michael and motioned to the guitar leaning up against the wall, frowning when he shook his head.
“Maybe later, short stuff.”
Max shook his head when she looked at him. “Trust me, kid, you don’t wanna hear me sing.”
Liz laughed and reached up to cover his mouth. “That’s no lie.”
“Maybe you should ask Uncle Kyle,” Maria suggested with a grin.
Tess giggled when Caela approached them, pausing for just a moment before leaning forward to rest her weight against his knees. The little girl gave him a big smile and he groaned in response.
“Uncle Mike can sing and Kyle can do back up vocals.” He leaned forward and picked her up, letting her stand on his legs as he held her steady. “Or, y’know what’s even more fun? Uncle Kyle can show you how to play the drums.”
“Oh, no, you are not doing that, Kyle,” Karen warned. “We like to sleep, ya know? And trust me, there’s precious little of that without her playing any musical instruments.”
“What? The kid’s got talent, I can see it. She’d be a natural at the drums.”
Brendan shook his head. “Yeah, and once ya show her she’ll drum on every possible thing she can reach. Not gonna happen.”
Kyle snorted. “Mommy and Daddy just don’t want you to have any fun, do they?” He winked at her. “Don’t worry, we’ll figure it out.”
“Not in our apartment though,” Max told Kyle in a playfully warning tone.
“You guys gonna stay in California?” Kyle asked Brendan.
“Yeah, we’re gonna start lookin’ for a place after the first of the year,” Brendan answered, smiling when his daughter climbed down off of one couch and moved to the next one. She pulled herself up and gingerly walked along the cushions until she reached Max. None of the other guys had facial hair so she had become as fascinated by his goatee as she was by Michael’s spiky hair.
Max made a face when she touched his face with the fingers she had just pulled out of her mouth. “Thanks, I always wanted baby spit all over me,” he reached out to tickle the little girl, trying to distract her from doing it again.
“Great, isn’t it?” Michael asked. He had gotten his share of baby spit over the past couple of days.
Tess leaned further against Kyle while all of the attention was on the kid. “Hey, ya think we could use this opportunity with all of them being down her to get into the hot tub?”
He grinned. “Yeah, just gotta check with Michael, make sure he knows we’re gonna be out there for a while.”
“I’ll wait for you upstairs.” She stood up and turned to the others. “Alright guys, I’m gonna say good night and I’ll see you in the morning.”
“Hey, I thought we were gonna play a game of Quarters?” Michael interrupted when it looked like Tess and Kyle were calling it a night.
“We kinda wanted to jump in the hot tub,” Kyle hissed in his friend’s direction.
“Well, unless you’re into foursomes that’s probably not gonna happen.” He grinned. “Alex and Isabel are... celebrating their engagement.”
Kyle and Tess both raised their eyebrows in surprise. “I thought they were already in bed,” she said, pouting.
“You stay here with us, Harding. You can...” Maria lowered her voice so that Caela wouldn’t hear it, “do your man later.”
“Come on, little girl,” Karen gathered her daughter up in her arms, “I think it’s time for you to go to sleep.”
Caela struggled to get free because she didn’t want to go to sleep yet. She wanted to stay with everyone else and she howled in protest when she was handed over to her daddy.
“No ma’am, we’re not gonna throw a fit over this,” Brendan said as he held her snugly so she wouldn’t squirm out of his arms.
Caela started to cry in earnest when Daddy said ‘no’ in that way that told her he wasn’t kidding and she dropped her head on his shoulder and hugged her moose tightly.
Karen smiled slightly when Brendan didn’t suddenly develop a case of nerves when their daughter reacted in a less than pleasant manner.
“Say good night to everyone, Caela.”
She stretched the hand holding the moose out in Michael’s direction. “Ki-ki...”
“We seriously need to talk about that one,” he told her and squeezed her tiny arm.
She squirmed around so she could rest her head on his hand, looking at him with her big brown eyes.
“Are ya trying to make me weak, little girl?”
The smallest hint of a smile tugged at the corners of her lips and she quickly brought the moose up and buried her face against it.
“We’ll see ya in the mornin’,” he said and caressed her cheek for a second.
She laid her head against Brendan’s shoulder and waved at Michael. “Nigh-nigh, Ki-ki,” she said quietly.
“You wanna play Quarters?” Max asked when the couple and Caela had left the room.
Liz wrinkled her nose. “No more Jäger for me... I need something that isn’t so... sneaky.”
“We’ve got tequila,” Michael joked.
“Tequila, huh?” She glanced up at Max. “You’ll stop me if I start getting goofy, right? ‘Cause I’d like to be able to remember what happens tonight when tomorrow rolls around.”
Max tugged her closer. “You’ll remember,” he promised with a smirk.
“Alright, then we’ll play a few rounds.”
“Promise me the night won’t turn out like the last time we played this,” Maria told Michael with a wink.
“Tonight will end the way the last one should have,” he promised.
“Alright. So, Tess, Kyle, are you in?” Maria moved further towards the coffee table.
“Like that’s even a question,” Tess muttered.
Kyle snorted. “Would be a question if the hot tub wasn’t occupied.”
“Too bad.” Maria rolled her eyes.
“I wanna play, too,” Brooke spoke up.
“No tequila for you,” Michael said.
“Aw, c’mon, what kinda shots am I gonna do if you won’t let me have any tequila?”
“Um... water?” he joked.
“If you’re gonna baby me maybe you could just get me one of Caela’s bottles and fill it with warm milk,” she grumbled.
“Good idea,” he grinned at her.
“How am I supposed to learn to hold my liquor if you guys won’t let me drink?”
“Come on, Michael. Let her have a few drinks,” Maria told her boyfriend.
“What?” He turned to look at Maria, wondering if she had lost her mind.
“She’s with us; nothing’s gonna happen.”
“Think I should water it down?” he asked, lowering his voice.
“Yeah, she won’t be able to tell the difference,” she whispered back.
He nodded. “Okay,” he said as he turned around again, “I’ll get the alcohol an’ you guys get everything set up.”
Fics: A Xmas Story - A Merry Mt. R. Xmas - Cupid's Revenge - Double Trouble - Double Date - Double Dare - Double Empire - Double Xmas Wish - In The Course Of A Lifetime - Mountains So High - Not A Question At All - Surrender - TIC TAC - Two Double Dates at Xmas
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Double Trouble
- Obsessed Roswellian
- Posts: 925
- Joined: Tue Dec 16, 2008 9:47 am
Re: Double Trouble (CC, AU, Adult) - Part 105 - 3/25/10
Alien_Friend: LOL, well, Alex is otherwise occupied at the moment.
That is a good thing, even if poor Michael was completely out of his element. Kyle is a great friend.
The wedding may be a ways off yet. Looks like Caela’s already been nominated.
Conflict, huh? Think so?
kismet: The guys did have a great moment there.
The group scenes do rock!
Yup… the ring, finally.
Oh, you can count on the girls cornering Liz.
The game… coming up in this next part.
Earth2Mama: LOL, everyone’s so suspicious of this round of Quarters! Ah, Brendan may just surprise you.
It’s about time things turned around for this family.
Hmm… they’ll probably wait a while before they get married.
Very cool about the dog tags! They’re awesome!
begonia9508: LOL… most everyone has one of those nicknames that they just can’t shake.
keepsmiling7: Gotta have a game of Quarters.
sunrise102: One game of Quarters, coming up!
We’re pretty sure Max and Liz will be revisiting that step, lol.
sarammlover: Not an easy thing, especially for Michael, but he got it out there. Yup, Michael’s doing so much better.
mary mary: LOL, Spike and Buffy aren’t used to being hauled around by a little person.
Reno… don’t give them any ideas!
Maiqu: Caela’s a real sweetheart! Michael and Kyle’s talk was overdue and not an easy thing for Michael, but he did it and survived. Here Comes Trouble, huh? LOL, you know it!
Part 106 – A Better Ending This Time Around
Tess crawled over to the coffee table and moved a few things that would only disturb the game.
“Wait, so I get to play?” Brooke asked.
“Yeah, c’mon over here, sweetheart,” Maria said happily.
The teenager hurried to put her laptop away and clapped her hands together excitedly as she joined the others. “We play the same way we did before?”
Maria glanced at the others. “Do we?”
“Yeah, just a game of Quarters; we play until people are too goofy to keep goin’.”
“There’s not really any sense to this game,” Tess admitted.
“It got kinda sexy last time,” Kyle said and wiggled his eyebrows.
Maria rolled her eyes. “You tried to knock yourself unconscious in the shower,” she reminded him. “Um-hmm, Tess told me all about it.”
“At least we slept in the same bed at the end of the night,” Kyle teased back.
“Hey, hey, hey, let’s not bring that up,” Michael said as he came back into the room with a couple of bottles and a stack of shot glasses.
“Let’s get started,” Brooke said.
He handed her the shot glasses. “Here, get those set up for me, kid.” He turned to Max and handed him both bottles of tequila, tapping the one in his right hand. “Watered down,” he muttered. “Let the others know.”
Max nodded with a grin and turned to Kyle, gesturing to the one bottle and then to Brooke.
Kyle shot a thumbs-up at him before taking his place around the table. “So, think you’re ready to drink with the big dogs, huh?” he asked, shoving Brooke’s shoulder lightly.
She snorted. “You are a dog.”
“I’m a ‘big’ dog,” he corrected with a grin.
“Stop that,” Maria told them. “I need a drink.”
“’Stop that’,” Max mocked as he poured a shot from the watered down bottle and handed it to Maria. He grinned, knowing she hadn’t seen which bottle it had come from.
Maria took the drink and frowned. She glared at Max and shook her head at him.
“Problem?” he asked, knowing she couldn’t really say anything with Brooke listening to the conversation.
“No,” she grumbled.
“Max,” Liz warned as she leaned in closer to him, “you’d better behave yourself.”
“Or what? I’m not allowed to snuggle up later?”
Her eyes twinkled playfully. “Are you gonna behave yourself?”
“I’ll behave,” he promised.
“Are we ready to start?” Maria asked.
“Let’s go,” Michael said as he sat down behind her, legs bracketing her body as he pulled her back to rest against his chest. “Hey, Bren,” he called when his brother and Karen entered the room, “you guys wanna get in on this?”
“Yeah, c’mon, you guys,” Maria told them. “It’s fun and easy to play.”
Brendan glanced at Karen. “Ya wanna play a few rounds?”
She shrugged. “Okay, but promise me you won’t get too drunk.”
“So, no plans to get me drunk and take advantage of me?” he asked with a smirk.
“Do I need to get ya drunk for that?”
“Never needed alcohol for that.” He took her hand as he pulled her up against his body. “We’ll just hang out and play a few rounds, okay? I’m not interested in getting drunk and I don’t ever wanna be in that condition with our daughter around, so you don’t have to worry about that.”
“Who’s gonna start?” Liz asked.
“I’ll start,” Brooke said, scooting up closer to the table.
“You’ll wait your turn,” Brendan said, thumping the back of her head as he passed behind her.
“Great... another father in the group.” She turned to stick her tongue out at him.
He grinned. “Uh-huh, the one real one.”
“The real one,” she muttered under her breath. “You never drink, Bren, are you sure you wanna play this game?”
“We’re never gonna get started,” Tess mumbled.
Michael leaned back to pull a quarter out of his pocket and bounced it off of the shiny surface of the coffee table so that it landed in Tess’ lap. “Get the game started, Buddha-Girl.”
“Here we go,” she muttered and started the game. Everyone groaned in response when the quarter landed in the shot glass. “Yes, baby!” Tess shouted and fisted the air.
Everyone grabbed their glasses and slammed their shots before placing them back on the table for Max to refill.
“Hey, how come you filled mine from a different bottle?” Brooke complained.
Michael grinned when she reached up to rub her eyes because they were watering just a little bit. “The alcohol content isn’t as high... still gotta bite though, doesn’t it?”
“Shut up,” she muttered.
“I thought you watered that down?” Maria whispered as she turned her head to kiss him.
“I did, but she doesn’t have enough experience with alcohol to know the difference.”
“Evil boy.”
“I have no intention of lettin’ my little sister get drunk as a skunk ‘cause if memory serves she turns into a puke machine when that happens.”
Maria made a face. “Don’t remind me of that night.”
“You? The kid threw up all over my apartment.”
“Um, who was it who got totally drunk at the cabin last time we were all out together?” Brooke asked when she realized they were talking about her.
“She threw up at my place as well,” Maria told him then turned to Brooke. “You are so right.”
“Thanks,” the teenager said, making a face when everyone laughed. “Can we stop with the reminders of my one foray into public drunkenness?”
“Yeah, let’s talk about Michael’s and Max’s little stunt the last time at the cabin,” Kyle grinned.
“I don’t think we need to go there,” Max said, grimacing at the memory.
“Yeah,” Michael made a face as the memory of the day after this drinking session crossed his mind.
“Bad experience?” Brendan asked as he accepted the quarter and balanced it in his hand before bouncing it off of the table and grinning when it landed in the glass with precision.
“Not really something I wanna repeat,” Michael muttered, automatically bringing Maria closer to his body.
“There were some parts of that night that weren’t all bad,” Maria reminded him, massaging his thigh with her left hand while reaching for her shot glass with the other.
“The day started out pretty good,” he remembered. How had he managed to fuck it up after that? He had known that she was the girl for him and it still hadn’t stopped him from screwing things up.
She shook her head when she realized where his thoughts were heading. She dropped her head back to rest against his shoulder. “Hey,” she said quietly, “that’s in the past and so is that stupid agreement... don’t go back there. That night wasn’t just your fault.” She pressed a kiss to his stubborn jaw.
He smiled at her and nodded. “Cheers.”
“I always sucked at this game,” Karen muttered when Brendan handed the quarter to her. “I can’t remember a single time I’ve ever landed this shot.”
“Then maybe this’ll be the first time,” Liz offered.
“Yeah, y’know that expression ‘you throw like a girl’? That’s me.”
Brendan grinned and nodded. “It really is. You should see her throw a baseball.”
Karen concentrated on the glass for a moment before she bounced the quarter. It hit the edge of the shot glass, but landed back on the table again.
“Looks like tonight’s not gonna be your night,” Max commented and motioned to her glass. “Drink up!”
“I’m gonna be drunk in no time if the game continues this way,” she muttered and swallowed the drink down.
Brendan’s arm came around her shoulders and he tugged her closer. “I can have Max switch your Tequila so you’re just drinkin’ the watered down...” He trailed off when she jabbed her elbow into his ribs. “Or not. There’s no need to be mean,” he complained.
It was Michael’s turn now. He bounced the quarter and missed the glass by more than a foot. “You just wanted a drink,” Maria said.
“Yeah, had nothin’ to do with the way you keep squirmin’ around,” he growled in her ear as he leaned forward to pick up his shot glass.
Maria grabbed the quarter and sighed when it landed in the glass. “No drink for me.”
“You can have a drink if you want one,” Michael said after emptying his own glass. “I don’t think the rules say you can’t have one.” He shrugged. “And who cares if they do?”
“Nah, I’ll wait,” she told him.
“More for me then,” he said and reached around her to grab her shot glass and toss it back. He put it down next to his own and motioned for Max to fill both of them up again.
“Hey, that wasn’t yours, buddy!” she complained.
“You didn’t want it, remember?” He leaned in and pressed a kiss to her neck and then nipped it playfully before soothing it with his tongue.
“Don’t start makin’ out,” Kyle warned.
“This isn’t makin’ out,” Michael denied.
Max snorted at that.
He shot a look at Max. “I realize this’s probably porn for you two since a little hand-holdin’ ranks up there with makin’ out, but trust me, we could put on a show that’d embarrass the hell outta all of you... and I’m not even talkin’ about havin’ sex.”
“Try it,” Liz challenged.
Maria reached back and covered his mouth with her hand. “Ignore him... he’s startin’ to feel the effects of the Tequila.” She glanced back at him. “You’re not pacin’ yourself.”
Max grinned. “Well, I was kinda lookin’ forward to seein’ the show he offered.”
“Um-hmm, and we’re not puttin’ on a show in front of his brother or his little sister.”
Brooke giggled and shook her head. “I don’t think I need to see that... it could damage me for life.”
“Aw, let’s give ‘em a show, Maria,” Michael mumbled behind her hand. “Max needs some pointers... and ya know Liz is a rookie,” he hiccupped. “She hasn’t made it past the face-suckin’ stage yet.”
“You don’t know anything, Guerin,” Liz told him.
“That’s not true,” he denied as he studied the shot glass in his hand before swallowing the Tequila. He raised the hand holding the empty glass and sat up straighter. “I know...” he frowned, trying to remember what he knew. “Oh, I know! I know Maria loves me and...” the frown returned until he realized that Maria had turned to look at him, her eyes soft with amusement. “And I love her,” he said with a stupid, drunk grin on his face.
“Oh, good grief, you’ve turned him into a rambling idiot, Maria,” Kyle complained.
“No more tequila for you, baby,” Maria said and took the glass from him.
“Huh?”
“You’re an open book right now; you’re scarin’ everyone,” she told him with a smirk.
His face scrunched up into a mask of concentration. “’m not a scary book... open...” He frowned at her. “What’d you say?”
She laughed. “See?”
“See what?” He looked around when the others burst out laughing. “Don’t see wha’s so funny,” he mumbled.
“He’s so different,” Karen muttered to Brendan.
Brendan chuckled. “Tell me about it. She’s been good for him though.”
“Are we still playing or what?” Brooke asked impatiently.
“Still playin’,” Michael agreed loudly and reached around Maria for her shot glass when Max filled it up once more.
“Don’t you dare,” she slapped his hand away. “That’s mine.”
“M’ria,” he pouted. “I’d do you... I mean for you... I’d...”
“Smooth, Guerin,” Max muttered, hiding a grin behind his own shot glass.
“Shut up,” Michael mumbled. “I know what I’m sayin’... I think.”
Maria emptied both of their shot glasses on her own before he noticed it.
“You’d better put your boy to bed soon, Maria,” Tess said as the quarter came around to her again. “You wait much longer and he’s not gonna be able to crawl up the stairs.”
Maria made a sign at Max to refill Michael’s shot just with the watered one.
Kyle smirked when he saw the exchange between Maria and Max. “Hey, Guerin, think you can hit the shot glass this time?”
“My turn ‘gain?” He grinned and tried to pick the quarter up, finally settling on sliding it towards himself and pulling it off of the edge of the table.
“You’re drunk, Guerin,” Maria told him, amused.
“No ‘m not.” He tried to bounce the quarter and ended up skipping it across the table to Tess. His hands shot up in the air when it hit her throat before dropping down the neckline of her shirt. “He shoots and he scores!” he shouted.
Kyle shook his head and glanced at Tess. “Can I help ya with that?” he asked with a grin.
Brooke rolled her eyes. “And this is where I go to bed,” she told them and stood up to grab her laptop. Emailing Luke would be more fun than putting up with the sexual vibes in this room.
“You tell that little pick... puck...” he snapped his fingers. “Prick, that’s right!”
Brooke bit her lip to keep from laughing at him as she turned to ruffle his hair. “That’s right, Ki-Ki, you keep talkin’ like you think you’re makin’ any sense.”
He brushed her hands off. “Bed, brat.”
“Bed, brat,” Brooke mocked. “G’night, you guys.”
“G’night,” Maria replied.
“We may need to cut Guerin off,” Max muttered to Kyle. “I don’t know about you, but I don’t wanna have to carry his heavy ass upstairs.”
“Yeah, think he’ll notice if we refill his shot glass with water only?”
Tess snorted. “About the only thing he’d notice right now is if Maria moved.”
Max nodded. “I’m gonna get a bottle of water only,” he said and got up. “Be right back.”
“I know wha’ you’re doin’,” Michael slurred when Max sat down and uncapped a bottle of Coke. “Cheater.”
“Do you really?” Max asked as he took a drink and set the second bottle on the floor next to him.
“Slowin’ the game down.”
Brendan shook his head at his twin and reached for Michael’s glass, sliding it across the table to Max. “Here, fill his glass up before he starts singin’ or somethin’.”
“That’s my brother,” Michael said satisfied with the turn of events.
Brendan grinned happily and tossed a shot back. “I can sing better than him when he’s drunk.”
Karen made a face. “I don’t think we need to put that to a test, Bren.”
“Shhh,” Tess hissed and turned her ear to the stairs. “I think Alex and Isabel came out of the hot tub,” she wiggled her eyebrows at Kyle.
Kyle tossed his last shot back and stood up. “Hey, we’re gonna take a dip in the hot tub... think you two are gonna be up for a while yet?”
“Are we?” Maria turned to look at Michael.
“Yup,” he declared. “Think we should go ou’side an’ have a snowball fight now.”
She shivered. “Hell, no!”
“Aw, c’mon, it’ll be fun.”
“Yeah, why not?” Brendan agreed.
“See? Bren knows how to have fun.” He leaned over to slap his brother on the back.
Brendan grinned and got to his feet quickly, lifting Karen up in his arms.
“What’re you doin’, Bren?” Karen asked, hoping he wasn’t about to do what she thought he was about to do.
“What ya think?” he asked with a saucy grin.
“I think if you’re thinkin’ you’re gonna run outside like a madman and dump my ass in the snow you’d better remember that payback’s a bitch.”
“Sorry, but it’s just too tempting,” he said and started to wander to the front door.
Karen locked her arms around his neck and held on tightly. “I’m not goin’ down without a fight, Guerin.”
He reached out with one hand to open the door, shivering when the cold night air hit his bare arms. “Uh-oh, cold, huh?” he teased.
She smirked. “Go ahead,” she dared. “I’ve lived in New York all my life… I’m not afraid of a little cold, California boy.”
“Michael? Are ya comin’?” he called for his brother.
“Come out an’ play, M’ria,” he mumbled as he untangled himself from her and managed a strange half-crawling, half-walking gait on his way to the front door.
“I prefer to stay in here where it’s warm,” she said.
“’kay, but you’re missin’ all the fun,” he called and then yelped as soon as he was out of sight.
Brendan laughed when Michael turned to look at Maria and he tripped over the top step and fell backwards in the snow.
Maria got to her feet to see what had happened and laughed when she saw her boyfriend covered in snow.
“Wanna join him?” Brendan asked his girlfriend and didn’t wait for an answer as he let her fall into the deep snow, where he was sure she wouldn’t get hurt.
Karen shrieked when she landed in the cold snow and as soon as she could scramble to her feet she charged him, taking him to the ground and landing on top of him.
“Whoa,” Brendan growled out when his bare skin came in contact with the snow. “Fuckin’ cold.”
“Told you!”
He laughed and shoved some snow in her face.
“Oh, you so did not just do that!” she sputtered as she made a show of brushing the snow away. While he was occupied laughing at her she brought her right arm up and scooped a bunch of snow together and dumped it on him.
Michael came up from behind and grabbed her. “I got her, Bren.”
“You are in so much trouble now, girl,” Brendan growled as he grabbed her feet. “You’re goin’ into the biggest snowdrift out here.”
“Nooooo,” Karen screamed, but it was already to late.
“You guys are cheating, ganging up on her like that,” Maria said and suddenly realized her mistake when the guys turned to look at her.
“Oh, no, you don’t,” she told them, shaking her head.
“Just give ‘er a minute,” Michael advised. “She’ll wear herself out hoppin’ around in all that snow.”
“You wish, Guerin,” she told him and tried to get back in the house.
“Hey, Maria,” Max said, blocking the door and grinning at her.
“Oh, no, Max.”
“What? I’m just standin’ here... not doin’ a thing.”
“Get outta the way.” She glanced back and saw that Michael was already coming up behind her.
“Yeah, can’t really do that.”
“Liz, tell your man to move,” Maria shouted into the house.
Liz grinned when Max turned to look at her, his lazy gaze moving over her and making her hot. His right eyebrow lifted when she stood and slowly advanced on him. He turned and was opening his arms when she suddenly barreled into him, shouting to Maria at the same time. He didn’t have enough time to register what was happening when the unexpected impact of her body propelled him backwards and out of nowhere he tripped over what he quickly realized was Maria’s foot and he landed in a high snowdrift.
Both girls laughed furiously and enjoyed the sight of Max, face first in the snow.
“Looks like that girl of yours needs to be taught a lesson,” Michael said, leaning one hip against the railing and crossing his arms over his chest as he stood on the steps. The cold air was slowly clearing his mind and he was enjoying the chance to just get out and horse around with his friends.
“Yeah, agreed,” Max got to his feet again.
“Uh-oh,” Liz muttered as she glanced at Maria. “Why do I have a very bad feeling about this?”
“We should hurry inside,” she guessed.
“Or, we could take the upper hand,” Liz mused as the guys paused to grab Brendan and start making plans. “They’re totally expecting us to run from them.”
“Oh, yeah,” Karen agreed as she joined them, still brushing snow off of herself. “I’m gonna check on Caela and then grab my coat... Bren isn’t getting off this easily.”
“Alright,” Maria said, “ya know what? We should surprise them.” With that she ran towards Michael, who was turned away from her and she jumped on him.
Michael grinned and quickly shifted his weight when Maria pounced on him from behind. “Told you guys... sneak attack. I know my girl.” His smug expression slipped when the alcohol in his system messed with his ability to maintain his balance and he staggered several steps to the side before falling into the snow again.
Maria got to her feet quickly when she had managed to smack him down and ran away several steps.
“Here, girl,” Karen called and tossed Maria's coat to her. “No cheatin’, Michael, let her put her coat on before you attack again.”
“Hey, I’m the one getting attacked out here.”
Maria put her coat on and zipped it up. “C’mon, Guerin,” she teased.
“Think you can take me, DeLuca?” he asked, watching her closely as he took a few steps in her direction.
“I’m stronger than I look,” she teased.
“We’ll see.”
She quickly turned and an in a different direction when he came dangerously close.
Brendan was watching them and keeping an eye on Karen at the same time. He knew she was just waiting for him to lose his focus on her so she could attack.
“Waiting for something, Bren?” she asked with a smirk.
“Just to see what you’re gonna do next.”
“Nothin’,” she said innocently.
“Uh-huh, sell that innocent act to someone who doesn’t know you.” He winked and shook his head at her.
Maria glanced around to see if Liz could help her but neither her nor Max was in sight. Of course, she thought, new horny couple.
“Lookin’ for help?” Michael asked, making a tsking sound.
“Wanna have sex tonight?” she teased.
“How is that even a question?”
“Just wondering... ‘cause if you’re gonna throw me in the snow...”
“Yes, to both.”
She stepped to the side because her back was against the parked Navigator and that wasn´t good.
“You’re not gonna get away, ya know.”
“We’ll see,” she said and started to run away from him.
“Um-hmm, you keep forgettin’ that I’ve got the upper hand... and you can threaten me with no sex, but we both know better.”
He was probably right about that, but it was just so much fun to tease him. “First, you’re gonna have to catch me,” she called over her shoulder.
Michael just grinned, watching her as she carefully kept backing away from him. “Bet you think you can avoid me, but you can’t.” She was seconds away from tripping over one of the logs the owners had used to line the sides of the driveway and sidewalk. He knew she would safely fall in the snow so he didn’t bother warning her.
Maria took another step back and felt something irregular under her foot, but it was already too late and she muttered in annoyance when she fell backwards.
Michael jumped up, laughing when she tripped and fell, his right fist punching the air. He hurried after her, pouncing and landing on top of her, but carefully balancing his weight on his hands and knees to keep from crushing her. “How’s it goin’?”
She tried to suppress a shiver when some of the snow fell into her collar and hit the skin of her neck. “Great.”
Michael slid one arm around her waist and rolled them over, brushing the snow off of her when he saw her shiver. “Ready to go back inside?”
“Uh-huh, totally ready.”
“C’mon,” he said, helping her up. “You can run upstairs and change into somethin’ dry and I’ll clean up the mess we made in the livin’ room.”
She smiled and hugged him. “I love you, Michael.” He didn’t even know how good he was as a boyfriend, she thought happily.
“Love you too,” he murmured, returning the hug before releasing her and turning her towards the front door. He gave her a little push and then smacked her ass to get her going.
“Come on,” Brendan said to Karen and hugged her with his right arm. “Peace?”
“For now,” she said with a smirk.
“I think I’ll take a quick shower,” Max said loudly when they got back into the house.
“Wait for me!” Liz kicked her shoes off by the door and hurried after him.
“Oh, no girl, we’re gonna talk now,” Maria said.
“But...”
“No buts.”
“You wanna talk now?”
“Uh-huh. You two can make out later.”
Liz growled under her breath. Yeah, sure, there was always later, but he was in the shower now! “Okay, fine, let’s talk... what’s up?”
Maria grabbed her friends hand and pulled her to the fireplace, where they both sat down. “I can’t believe that you aren’t bursting to tell me about your first time.”
“Oh, well, I am,” she said with a little embarrassed smile. “It’s just...” she brushed her hair back behind her ear. “Well, I don’t really know what to... how to tell you about it.” She chewed on her thumbnail and grinned. “It was... God, Maria, what words do you use to describe the most amazing thing you’ve ever experienced?”
“Orgasm’s a good word for it,” the other girl joked.
“Oh my God,” she sighed, “I thought it was intense before, but when he was, ya know, inside me? Maria, I swear I nearly passed out.”
“Did it hurt first?”
“It’s the weirdest thing ‘cause I was so scared about that part, and it didn’t really. It kinda stung at first and it was a little uncomfortable, but then that part was just... forgotten.”
Maria smiled. “Yeah, people come up with the worst horror stories, but it’s not half as bad when you’re ready for it.”
“Oh, I was ready for it,” Liz admitted.
“I’m sooo proud of you, girl!”
“Really?”
“Yeah, you totally did the right thing.”
“I think so too. It was the right time and he was the right guy.”
“A lot of girls could learn from you, Liz.”
Liz rested her chin on her raised knees. “Do you ever wish you had waited?”
“Sometimes, yes.”
“If you could go back and change it... would you have waited for Michael?”
Maria thought about it. “Considering how things between me and Michael started I doubt he’d be my boyfriend now, if I had waited.”
“You don’t think you guys ever would’ve gotten together if you had been a virgin when you met?” Liz asked curiously.
“Well, Michael and I just got so close because we started this thing out with the stupid getting each other off thing.”
“Yeah, but what if you hadn’t recently been hurt? I mean, a lot of that was because of the way you were feelin’ after breakin’ up with Billy, right?”
Maria nodded. “Yeah, true. But I doubt that Michael would’ve really paid any attention to me.”
“That kinda sucks.”
Maria shrugged. “We’re past all that superficial stuff now.”
“I’m just glad you guys are so happy.”
The other girl smiled. “So are you.”
Liz grinned. “Yeah, I really am.”
“Li-iz,” Max called as he leaned on the railing on the second floor and looked down at the girls. He was freshly showered and bare from the waist up. “Are you comin’ to bed anytime soon?”
She bit her bottom lip for just a moment before she grinned at Maria and stood up. “I’ve gotta go…” she blushed just slightly. “He’s so cute when he begs,” she confided in a whisper.
“They usually are.” Maria laughed out loud and gave her friend a high-five. “Go on, girl!” She watched as Liz ran up the stairs and straight into Max’s arms. She rolled her eyes and grinned when their kiss turned into one of those long deep ones that had them blindly feeling along the wall as they made their way down the hall to their room without breaking the kiss.
“What’re you grinnin’ about?” Michael asked, looking around to see what had caught her attention and not finding anything of interest.
“Gidget and Moon-doggie.” She shook her head at his confused expression and clarified, “Liz and Max.”
“Oh, the newest horndogs in the group.”
She made a face at him. “You’re such a romantic.”
He grinned and shrugged as he moved into her space and pulled her into his arms. “Why don’t you go upstairs and slip into somethin’ sexy while I’m cleanin’ this mess up an’ then I’ll show you romantic,” he murmured suggestively.
“Well, how could I possibly say no to that?” She smiled and cradled his face in her hands as she leaned in to kiss him.
“Y’all better cut that out,” Brendan interrupted them as he and Karen came out of Caela’s room after checking on her.
“Bren!” Karen said and elbowed him.
“Huh-uh, I’m not about to get stuck cleanin’ this up on my own, and if they start makin’ out you can bet I’ll be doin’ this by myself.”
Michael grinned and gave Maria a little push towards the stairs. “Can’t exactly deny that, so take your sexy little ass upstairs and put it in some seriously sexy underwear.”
She paused on the third step and stuck her tongue out at him. “Sexy and easy to remove?”
“See? You know me so well.”
“Is Brendan this predictable?” Maria asked as the two girls walked upstairs, leaving the guys in the living room cleaning up.
Karen snorted. “Bren and I aren’t that far ahead of Liz in the experience department,” she said with a laugh.
“So, where do we start?” Brendan glanced around.
“You get the liquor put up... I’ll get the glasses and stuff.”
“Which one was the watered one?”
“Uh...” Michael glanced between the two bottles his brother was holding. “Yeah, uh... no clue.”
Brendan grinned. “Wanna taste?”
“Not happenin’, little brother.”
“I’m as old as you. Don’t gimme shit about that one minute either.”
“It’s a minute and 57 seconds, Bren.”
His twin rolled his eyes. “And still I’m the more responsible twin here.”
“Hey, I’m responsible... and which one of us has a baby again?”
Brendan stuck his tongue out at his brother.
“So, how do you feel about Karen not tellin’ you about Caela? I mean, that had to be a pretty big shock, huh?”
Brendan sighed. “You can count on that. I hate that I missed so much time with her.”
“How’re you not just totally pissed at her? 18 months is a lot of time to miss out on with a kid.”
“Bein’ pissed won’t really change anything. And it won’t be any good for Caela either.”
“Well, I guess not, but... I mean, do you think it would’ve made a difference?”
“Sure. I honestly hate the thought that Karen was alone with her all that time.”
Michael hopped up to sit on the counter next to the refrigerator and he leaned over and pulled a couple of beers out, handing one to Brendan. “Yeah, but, I mean... aren’t you pissed at her?”
“I can’t decide if I should be more pissed at her or Hank for what he did to make her leave.”
“Shouldn’t you decide that before you guys start makin’ plans for her to move to Long Beach? I mean, what if you guys start getting settled and Caela gets used to all of us bein’ around and then you an’ Karen realize you can’t get past that?”
Brendan shook his head. “I wanna be with her, Michael. And with my daughter. Hank did enough to our family. Chances would’ve been good that she would’ve lost the baby if we had stayed together at that point. I don’t know; I can’t change the past but... I wanna leave that all behind.”
“She could’ve lost Caela?” Michael shook his head. He hadn’t known about that. The little girl had only been in his life for a couple of days but he couldn’t imagine her not being there now.
“Yeah, Karen had a difficult pregnancy. She had to stay in bed most of the time.”
“Oh, damn. I had no idea.” He took a drink of his beer. “I’m glad you guys are back together, Bren. Kinda feels like things are finally the way they’re supposed to be, ya know?”
“Yeah. About damn time.”
“Had you an’ Karen ever talked about havin’ kids?”
“We had talked about it, like sometime in the future, ya know?”
“Guess the future kinda got her a little faster than you guys had anticipated. You got a cute kid out of it though.”
“She is cute and, well, it was a surprise, but I wouldn’t wanna change it now, even if I could.”
“So, it’s for sure that they’re gonna move out to Long Beach?”
“That’s definitely the plan, yes.”
Michael leaned forward to toss his empty bottle in the trash.
“Things have changed a lot lately.”
“Crazy, huh? Six months ago we were all single and we weren’t even talkin’ an’ now... damn, I had no idea how quickly things can change.”
“To the better in the end.”
He nodded and reached up to scratch his eyebrow. “Speakin’ of the end... the end of the year’s comin’ up and uh... well, that means birthdays. Any idea what Karen’s thinkin’ about?” He shrugged. “Just wonderin’ ‘cause Maria’s got it in her head that she wants to do somethin’ and she mentioned getting with Karen to figure it out.”
Brendan shrugged. “We haven’t really celebrated for a while now, huh?”
“Not really much to celebrate.”
“Well, since we just realized how much has changed, how about we let our girlfriends plan a party?”
“Think that’s safe?”
“Probably not, but we can’t change it anyway.”
“Just not real comfortable with the whole thing, ya know?”
“Me neither but guess we’re gonna have to get over it.”
“We could get ourselves in trouble if we just let the girls run with these crazy ideas of theirs.”
“We can tell them to keep the party small.”
“Uh-huh, I don’t know how well that works with Karen, but I can tell you how well it’s gonna work with Maria.”
“Probably not so good, huh?”
“Bingo.”
“Well, she cares about you a lot.”
“Yeah, I know... just not sure how to deal with it sometimes.” He grinned uncomfortably and shrugged one shoulder. “Takes time I guess.”
“Yeah,” Brendan glanced around the room. “Are we ready?”
“Yup, think so.”
“Guess we should head upstairs then.”
“Probably... wasn’t really plannin’ to spend the night in the kitchen with you.”
“Ha ha,” Brendan made a face at his brother.
“Just sayin’.” Michael dropped down off of the counter and paused in the doorway. “I’m glad things are workin’ out for you, Bren.”
“For us,” he corrected.
He scratched his eyebrow. “Yeah... for us.” He followed Brendan and slapped the light switch on his way out.
_______________
Watch out for the results of the last voting round after 7am CST
That is a good thing, even if poor Michael was completely out of his element. Kyle is a great friend.
The wedding may be a ways off yet. Looks like Caela’s already been nominated.
Conflict, huh? Think so?
kismet: The guys did have a great moment there.
The group scenes do rock!
Yup… the ring, finally.
Oh, you can count on the girls cornering Liz.
The game… coming up in this next part.
Earth2Mama: LOL, everyone’s so suspicious of this round of Quarters! Ah, Brendan may just surprise you.
It’s about time things turned around for this family.
Hmm… they’ll probably wait a while before they get married.
Very cool about the dog tags! They’re awesome!
begonia9508: LOL… most everyone has one of those nicknames that they just can’t shake.
keepsmiling7: Gotta have a game of Quarters.
sunrise102: One game of Quarters, coming up!
We’re pretty sure Max and Liz will be revisiting that step, lol.
sarammlover: Not an easy thing, especially for Michael, but he got it out there. Yup, Michael’s doing so much better.
mary mary: LOL, Spike and Buffy aren’t used to being hauled around by a little person.
Reno… don’t give them any ideas!
Maiqu: Caela’s a real sweetheart! Michael and Kyle’s talk was overdue and not an easy thing for Michael, but he did it and survived. Here Comes Trouble, huh? LOL, you know it!
Part 106 – A Better Ending This Time Around
Tess crawled over to the coffee table and moved a few things that would only disturb the game.
“Wait, so I get to play?” Brooke asked.
“Yeah, c’mon over here, sweetheart,” Maria said happily.
The teenager hurried to put her laptop away and clapped her hands together excitedly as she joined the others. “We play the same way we did before?”
Maria glanced at the others. “Do we?”
“Yeah, just a game of Quarters; we play until people are too goofy to keep goin’.”
“There’s not really any sense to this game,” Tess admitted.
“It got kinda sexy last time,” Kyle said and wiggled his eyebrows.
Maria rolled her eyes. “You tried to knock yourself unconscious in the shower,” she reminded him. “Um-hmm, Tess told me all about it.”
“At least we slept in the same bed at the end of the night,” Kyle teased back.
“Hey, hey, hey, let’s not bring that up,” Michael said as he came back into the room with a couple of bottles and a stack of shot glasses.
“Let’s get started,” Brooke said.
He handed her the shot glasses. “Here, get those set up for me, kid.” He turned to Max and handed him both bottles of tequila, tapping the one in his right hand. “Watered down,” he muttered. “Let the others know.”
Max nodded with a grin and turned to Kyle, gesturing to the one bottle and then to Brooke.
Kyle shot a thumbs-up at him before taking his place around the table. “So, think you’re ready to drink with the big dogs, huh?” he asked, shoving Brooke’s shoulder lightly.
She snorted. “You are a dog.”
“I’m a ‘big’ dog,” he corrected with a grin.
“Stop that,” Maria told them. “I need a drink.”
“’Stop that’,” Max mocked as he poured a shot from the watered down bottle and handed it to Maria. He grinned, knowing she hadn’t seen which bottle it had come from.
Maria took the drink and frowned. She glared at Max and shook her head at him.
“Problem?” he asked, knowing she couldn’t really say anything with Brooke listening to the conversation.
“No,” she grumbled.
“Max,” Liz warned as she leaned in closer to him, “you’d better behave yourself.”
“Or what? I’m not allowed to snuggle up later?”
Her eyes twinkled playfully. “Are you gonna behave yourself?”
“I’ll behave,” he promised.
“Are we ready to start?” Maria asked.
“Let’s go,” Michael said as he sat down behind her, legs bracketing her body as he pulled her back to rest against his chest. “Hey, Bren,” he called when his brother and Karen entered the room, “you guys wanna get in on this?”
“Yeah, c’mon, you guys,” Maria told them. “It’s fun and easy to play.”
Brendan glanced at Karen. “Ya wanna play a few rounds?”
She shrugged. “Okay, but promise me you won’t get too drunk.”
“So, no plans to get me drunk and take advantage of me?” he asked with a smirk.
“Do I need to get ya drunk for that?”
“Never needed alcohol for that.” He took her hand as he pulled her up against his body. “We’ll just hang out and play a few rounds, okay? I’m not interested in getting drunk and I don’t ever wanna be in that condition with our daughter around, so you don’t have to worry about that.”
“Who’s gonna start?” Liz asked.
“I’ll start,” Brooke said, scooting up closer to the table.
“You’ll wait your turn,” Brendan said, thumping the back of her head as he passed behind her.
“Great... another father in the group.” She turned to stick her tongue out at him.
He grinned. “Uh-huh, the one real one.”
“The real one,” she muttered under her breath. “You never drink, Bren, are you sure you wanna play this game?”
“We’re never gonna get started,” Tess mumbled.
Michael leaned back to pull a quarter out of his pocket and bounced it off of the shiny surface of the coffee table so that it landed in Tess’ lap. “Get the game started, Buddha-Girl.”
“Here we go,” she muttered and started the game. Everyone groaned in response when the quarter landed in the shot glass. “Yes, baby!” Tess shouted and fisted the air.
Everyone grabbed their glasses and slammed their shots before placing them back on the table for Max to refill.
“Hey, how come you filled mine from a different bottle?” Brooke complained.
Michael grinned when she reached up to rub her eyes because they were watering just a little bit. “The alcohol content isn’t as high... still gotta bite though, doesn’t it?”
“Shut up,” she muttered.
“I thought you watered that down?” Maria whispered as she turned her head to kiss him.
“I did, but she doesn’t have enough experience with alcohol to know the difference.”
“Evil boy.”
“I have no intention of lettin’ my little sister get drunk as a skunk ‘cause if memory serves she turns into a puke machine when that happens.”
Maria made a face. “Don’t remind me of that night.”
“You? The kid threw up all over my apartment.”
“Um, who was it who got totally drunk at the cabin last time we were all out together?” Brooke asked when she realized they were talking about her.
“She threw up at my place as well,” Maria told him then turned to Brooke. “You are so right.”
“Thanks,” the teenager said, making a face when everyone laughed. “Can we stop with the reminders of my one foray into public drunkenness?”
“Yeah, let’s talk about Michael’s and Max’s little stunt the last time at the cabin,” Kyle grinned.
“I don’t think we need to go there,” Max said, grimacing at the memory.
“Yeah,” Michael made a face as the memory of the day after this drinking session crossed his mind.
“Bad experience?” Brendan asked as he accepted the quarter and balanced it in his hand before bouncing it off of the table and grinning when it landed in the glass with precision.
“Not really something I wanna repeat,” Michael muttered, automatically bringing Maria closer to his body.
“There were some parts of that night that weren’t all bad,” Maria reminded him, massaging his thigh with her left hand while reaching for her shot glass with the other.
“The day started out pretty good,” he remembered. How had he managed to fuck it up after that? He had known that she was the girl for him and it still hadn’t stopped him from screwing things up.
She shook her head when she realized where his thoughts were heading. She dropped her head back to rest against his shoulder. “Hey,” she said quietly, “that’s in the past and so is that stupid agreement... don’t go back there. That night wasn’t just your fault.” She pressed a kiss to his stubborn jaw.
He smiled at her and nodded. “Cheers.”
“I always sucked at this game,” Karen muttered when Brendan handed the quarter to her. “I can’t remember a single time I’ve ever landed this shot.”
“Then maybe this’ll be the first time,” Liz offered.
“Yeah, y’know that expression ‘you throw like a girl’? That’s me.”
Brendan grinned and nodded. “It really is. You should see her throw a baseball.”
Karen concentrated on the glass for a moment before she bounced the quarter. It hit the edge of the shot glass, but landed back on the table again.
“Looks like tonight’s not gonna be your night,” Max commented and motioned to her glass. “Drink up!”
“I’m gonna be drunk in no time if the game continues this way,” she muttered and swallowed the drink down.
Brendan’s arm came around her shoulders and he tugged her closer. “I can have Max switch your Tequila so you’re just drinkin’ the watered down...” He trailed off when she jabbed her elbow into his ribs. “Or not. There’s no need to be mean,” he complained.
It was Michael’s turn now. He bounced the quarter and missed the glass by more than a foot. “You just wanted a drink,” Maria said.
“Yeah, had nothin’ to do with the way you keep squirmin’ around,” he growled in her ear as he leaned forward to pick up his shot glass.
Maria grabbed the quarter and sighed when it landed in the glass. “No drink for me.”
“You can have a drink if you want one,” Michael said after emptying his own glass. “I don’t think the rules say you can’t have one.” He shrugged. “And who cares if they do?”
“Nah, I’ll wait,” she told him.
“More for me then,” he said and reached around her to grab her shot glass and toss it back. He put it down next to his own and motioned for Max to fill both of them up again.
“Hey, that wasn’t yours, buddy!” she complained.
“You didn’t want it, remember?” He leaned in and pressed a kiss to her neck and then nipped it playfully before soothing it with his tongue.
“Don’t start makin’ out,” Kyle warned.
“This isn’t makin’ out,” Michael denied.
Max snorted at that.
He shot a look at Max. “I realize this’s probably porn for you two since a little hand-holdin’ ranks up there with makin’ out, but trust me, we could put on a show that’d embarrass the hell outta all of you... and I’m not even talkin’ about havin’ sex.”
“Try it,” Liz challenged.
Maria reached back and covered his mouth with her hand. “Ignore him... he’s startin’ to feel the effects of the Tequila.” She glanced back at him. “You’re not pacin’ yourself.”
Max grinned. “Well, I was kinda lookin’ forward to seein’ the show he offered.”
“Um-hmm, and we’re not puttin’ on a show in front of his brother or his little sister.”
Brooke giggled and shook her head. “I don’t think I need to see that... it could damage me for life.”
“Aw, let’s give ‘em a show, Maria,” Michael mumbled behind her hand. “Max needs some pointers... and ya know Liz is a rookie,” he hiccupped. “She hasn’t made it past the face-suckin’ stage yet.”
“You don’t know anything, Guerin,” Liz told him.
“That’s not true,” he denied as he studied the shot glass in his hand before swallowing the Tequila. He raised the hand holding the empty glass and sat up straighter. “I know...” he frowned, trying to remember what he knew. “Oh, I know! I know Maria loves me and...” the frown returned until he realized that Maria had turned to look at him, her eyes soft with amusement. “And I love her,” he said with a stupid, drunk grin on his face.
“Oh, good grief, you’ve turned him into a rambling idiot, Maria,” Kyle complained.
“No more tequila for you, baby,” Maria said and took the glass from him.
“Huh?”
“You’re an open book right now; you’re scarin’ everyone,” she told him with a smirk.
His face scrunched up into a mask of concentration. “’m not a scary book... open...” He frowned at her. “What’d you say?”
She laughed. “See?”
“See what?” He looked around when the others burst out laughing. “Don’t see wha’s so funny,” he mumbled.
“He’s so different,” Karen muttered to Brendan.
Brendan chuckled. “Tell me about it. She’s been good for him though.”
“Are we still playing or what?” Brooke asked impatiently.
“Still playin’,” Michael agreed loudly and reached around Maria for her shot glass when Max filled it up once more.
“Don’t you dare,” she slapped his hand away. “That’s mine.”
“M’ria,” he pouted. “I’d do you... I mean for you... I’d...”
“Smooth, Guerin,” Max muttered, hiding a grin behind his own shot glass.
“Shut up,” Michael mumbled. “I know what I’m sayin’... I think.”
Maria emptied both of their shot glasses on her own before he noticed it.
“You’d better put your boy to bed soon, Maria,” Tess said as the quarter came around to her again. “You wait much longer and he’s not gonna be able to crawl up the stairs.”
Maria made a sign at Max to refill Michael’s shot just with the watered one.
Kyle smirked when he saw the exchange between Maria and Max. “Hey, Guerin, think you can hit the shot glass this time?”
“My turn ‘gain?” He grinned and tried to pick the quarter up, finally settling on sliding it towards himself and pulling it off of the edge of the table.
“You’re drunk, Guerin,” Maria told him, amused.
“No ‘m not.” He tried to bounce the quarter and ended up skipping it across the table to Tess. His hands shot up in the air when it hit her throat before dropping down the neckline of her shirt. “He shoots and he scores!” he shouted.
Kyle shook his head and glanced at Tess. “Can I help ya with that?” he asked with a grin.
Brooke rolled her eyes. “And this is where I go to bed,” she told them and stood up to grab her laptop. Emailing Luke would be more fun than putting up with the sexual vibes in this room.
“You tell that little pick... puck...” he snapped his fingers. “Prick, that’s right!”
Brooke bit her lip to keep from laughing at him as she turned to ruffle his hair. “That’s right, Ki-Ki, you keep talkin’ like you think you’re makin’ any sense.”
He brushed her hands off. “Bed, brat.”
“Bed, brat,” Brooke mocked. “G’night, you guys.”
“G’night,” Maria replied.
“We may need to cut Guerin off,” Max muttered to Kyle. “I don’t know about you, but I don’t wanna have to carry his heavy ass upstairs.”
“Yeah, think he’ll notice if we refill his shot glass with water only?”
Tess snorted. “About the only thing he’d notice right now is if Maria moved.”
Max nodded. “I’m gonna get a bottle of water only,” he said and got up. “Be right back.”
“I know wha’ you’re doin’,” Michael slurred when Max sat down and uncapped a bottle of Coke. “Cheater.”
“Do you really?” Max asked as he took a drink and set the second bottle on the floor next to him.
“Slowin’ the game down.”
Brendan shook his head at his twin and reached for Michael’s glass, sliding it across the table to Max. “Here, fill his glass up before he starts singin’ or somethin’.”
“That’s my brother,” Michael said satisfied with the turn of events.
Brendan grinned happily and tossed a shot back. “I can sing better than him when he’s drunk.”
Karen made a face. “I don’t think we need to put that to a test, Bren.”
“Shhh,” Tess hissed and turned her ear to the stairs. “I think Alex and Isabel came out of the hot tub,” she wiggled her eyebrows at Kyle.
Kyle tossed his last shot back and stood up. “Hey, we’re gonna take a dip in the hot tub... think you two are gonna be up for a while yet?”
“Are we?” Maria turned to look at Michael.
“Yup,” he declared. “Think we should go ou’side an’ have a snowball fight now.”
She shivered. “Hell, no!”
“Aw, c’mon, it’ll be fun.”
“Yeah, why not?” Brendan agreed.
“See? Bren knows how to have fun.” He leaned over to slap his brother on the back.
Brendan grinned and got to his feet quickly, lifting Karen up in his arms.
“What’re you doin’, Bren?” Karen asked, hoping he wasn’t about to do what she thought he was about to do.
“What ya think?” he asked with a saucy grin.
“I think if you’re thinkin’ you’re gonna run outside like a madman and dump my ass in the snow you’d better remember that payback’s a bitch.”
“Sorry, but it’s just too tempting,” he said and started to wander to the front door.
Karen locked her arms around his neck and held on tightly. “I’m not goin’ down without a fight, Guerin.”
He reached out with one hand to open the door, shivering when the cold night air hit his bare arms. “Uh-oh, cold, huh?” he teased.
She smirked. “Go ahead,” she dared. “I’ve lived in New York all my life… I’m not afraid of a little cold, California boy.”
“Michael? Are ya comin’?” he called for his brother.
“Come out an’ play, M’ria,” he mumbled as he untangled himself from her and managed a strange half-crawling, half-walking gait on his way to the front door.
“I prefer to stay in here where it’s warm,” she said.
“’kay, but you’re missin’ all the fun,” he called and then yelped as soon as he was out of sight.
Brendan laughed when Michael turned to look at Maria and he tripped over the top step and fell backwards in the snow.
Maria got to her feet to see what had happened and laughed when she saw her boyfriend covered in snow.
“Wanna join him?” Brendan asked his girlfriend and didn’t wait for an answer as he let her fall into the deep snow, where he was sure she wouldn’t get hurt.
Karen shrieked when she landed in the cold snow and as soon as she could scramble to her feet she charged him, taking him to the ground and landing on top of him.
“Whoa,” Brendan growled out when his bare skin came in contact with the snow. “Fuckin’ cold.”
“Told you!”
He laughed and shoved some snow in her face.
“Oh, you so did not just do that!” she sputtered as she made a show of brushing the snow away. While he was occupied laughing at her she brought her right arm up and scooped a bunch of snow together and dumped it on him.
Michael came up from behind and grabbed her. “I got her, Bren.”
“You are in so much trouble now, girl,” Brendan growled as he grabbed her feet. “You’re goin’ into the biggest snowdrift out here.”
“Nooooo,” Karen screamed, but it was already to late.
“You guys are cheating, ganging up on her like that,” Maria said and suddenly realized her mistake when the guys turned to look at her.
“Oh, no, you don’t,” she told them, shaking her head.
“Just give ‘er a minute,” Michael advised. “She’ll wear herself out hoppin’ around in all that snow.”
“You wish, Guerin,” she told him and tried to get back in the house.
“Hey, Maria,” Max said, blocking the door and grinning at her.
“Oh, no, Max.”
“What? I’m just standin’ here... not doin’ a thing.”
“Get outta the way.” She glanced back and saw that Michael was already coming up behind her.
“Yeah, can’t really do that.”
“Liz, tell your man to move,” Maria shouted into the house.
Liz grinned when Max turned to look at her, his lazy gaze moving over her and making her hot. His right eyebrow lifted when she stood and slowly advanced on him. He turned and was opening his arms when she suddenly barreled into him, shouting to Maria at the same time. He didn’t have enough time to register what was happening when the unexpected impact of her body propelled him backwards and out of nowhere he tripped over what he quickly realized was Maria’s foot and he landed in a high snowdrift.
Both girls laughed furiously and enjoyed the sight of Max, face first in the snow.
“Looks like that girl of yours needs to be taught a lesson,” Michael said, leaning one hip against the railing and crossing his arms over his chest as he stood on the steps. The cold air was slowly clearing his mind and he was enjoying the chance to just get out and horse around with his friends.
“Yeah, agreed,” Max got to his feet again.
“Uh-oh,” Liz muttered as she glanced at Maria. “Why do I have a very bad feeling about this?”
“We should hurry inside,” she guessed.
“Or, we could take the upper hand,” Liz mused as the guys paused to grab Brendan and start making plans. “They’re totally expecting us to run from them.”
“Oh, yeah,” Karen agreed as she joined them, still brushing snow off of herself. “I’m gonna check on Caela and then grab my coat... Bren isn’t getting off this easily.”
“Alright,” Maria said, “ya know what? We should surprise them.” With that she ran towards Michael, who was turned away from her and she jumped on him.
Michael grinned and quickly shifted his weight when Maria pounced on him from behind. “Told you guys... sneak attack. I know my girl.” His smug expression slipped when the alcohol in his system messed with his ability to maintain his balance and he staggered several steps to the side before falling into the snow again.
Maria got to her feet quickly when she had managed to smack him down and ran away several steps.
“Here, girl,” Karen called and tossed Maria's coat to her. “No cheatin’, Michael, let her put her coat on before you attack again.”
“Hey, I’m the one getting attacked out here.”
Maria put her coat on and zipped it up. “C’mon, Guerin,” she teased.
“Think you can take me, DeLuca?” he asked, watching her closely as he took a few steps in her direction.
“I’m stronger than I look,” she teased.
“We’ll see.”
She quickly turned and an in a different direction when he came dangerously close.
Brendan was watching them and keeping an eye on Karen at the same time. He knew she was just waiting for him to lose his focus on her so she could attack.
“Waiting for something, Bren?” she asked with a smirk.
“Just to see what you’re gonna do next.”
“Nothin’,” she said innocently.
“Uh-huh, sell that innocent act to someone who doesn’t know you.” He winked and shook his head at her.
Maria glanced around to see if Liz could help her but neither her nor Max was in sight. Of course, she thought, new horny couple.
“Lookin’ for help?” Michael asked, making a tsking sound.
“Wanna have sex tonight?” she teased.
“How is that even a question?”
“Just wondering... ‘cause if you’re gonna throw me in the snow...”
“Yes, to both.”
She stepped to the side because her back was against the parked Navigator and that wasn´t good.
“You’re not gonna get away, ya know.”
“We’ll see,” she said and started to run away from him.
“Um-hmm, you keep forgettin’ that I’ve got the upper hand... and you can threaten me with no sex, but we both know better.”
He was probably right about that, but it was just so much fun to tease him. “First, you’re gonna have to catch me,” she called over her shoulder.
Michael just grinned, watching her as she carefully kept backing away from him. “Bet you think you can avoid me, but you can’t.” She was seconds away from tripping over one of the logs the owners had used to line the sides of the driveway and sidewalk. He knew she would safely fall in the snow so he didn’t bother warning her.
Maria took another step back and felt something irregular under her foot, but it was already too late and she muttered in annoyance when she fell backwards.
Michael jumped up, laughing when she tripped and fell, his right fist punching the air. He hurried after her, pouncing and landing on top of her, but carefully balancing his weight on his hands and knees to keep from crushing her. “How’s it goin’?”
She tried to suppress a shiver when some of the snow fell into her collar and hit the skin of her neck. “Great.”
Michael slid one arm around her waist and rolled them over, brushing the snow off of her when he saw her shiver. “Ready to go back inside?”
“Uh-huh, totally ready.”
“C’mon,” he said, helping her up. “You can run upstairs and change into somethin’ dry and I’ll clean up the mess we made in the livin’ room.”
She smiled and hugged him. “I love you, Michael.” He didn’t even know how good he was as a boyfriend, she thought happily.
“Love you too,” he murmured, returning the hug before releasing her and turning her towards the front door. He gave her a little push and then smacked her ass to get her going.
“Come on,” Brendan said to Karen and hugged her with his right arm. “Peace?”
“For now,” she said with a smirk.
“I think I’ll take a quick shower,” Max said loudly when they got back into the house.
“Wait for me!” Liz kicked her shoes off by the door and hurried after him.
“Oh, no girl, we’re gonna talk now,” Maria said.
“But...”
“No buts.”
“You wanna talk now?”
“Uh-huh. You two can make out later.”
Liz growled under her breath. Yeah, sure, there was always later, but he was in the shower now! “Okay, fine, let’s talk... what’s up?”
Maria grabbed her friends hand and pulled her to the fireplace, where they both sat down. “I can’t believe that you aren’t bursting to tell me about your first time.”
“Oh, well, I am,” she said with a little embarrassed smile. “It’s just...” she brushed her hair back behind her ear. “Well, I don’t really know what to... how to tell you about it.” She chewed on her thumbnail and grinned. “It was... God, Maria, what words do you use to describe the most amazing thing you’ve ever experienced?”
“Orgasm’s a good word for it,” the other girl joked.
“Oh my God,” she sighed, “I thought it was intense before, but when he was, ya know, inside me? Maria, I swear I nearly passed out.”
“Did it hurt first?”
“It’s the weirdest thing ‘cause I was so scared about that part, and it didn’t really. It kinda stung at first and it was a little uncomfortable, but then that part was just... forgotten.”
Maria smiled. “Yeah, people come up with the worst horror stories, but it’s not half as bad when you’re ready for it.”
“Oh, I was ready for it,” Liz admitted.
“I’m sooo proud of you, girl!”
“Really?”
“Yeah, you totally did the right thing.”
“I think so too. It was the right time and he was the right guy.”
“A lot of girls could learn from you, Liz.”
Liz rested her chin on her raised knees. “Do you ever wish you had waited?”
“Sometimes, yes.”
“If you could go back and change it... would you have waited for Michael?”
Maria thought about it. “Considering how things between me and Michael started I doubt he’d be my boyfriend now, if I had waited.”
“You don’t think you guys ever would’ve gotten together if you had been a virgin when you met?” Liz asked curiously.
“Well, Michael and I just got so close because we started this thing out with the stupid getting each other off thing.”
“Yeah, but what if you hadn’t recently been hurt? I mean, a lot of that was because of the way you were feelin’ after breakin’ up with Billy, right?”
Maria nodded. “Yeah, true. But I doubt that Michael would’ve really paid any attention to me.”
“That kinda sucks.”
Maria shrugged. “We’re past all that superficial stuff now.”
“I’m just glad you guys are so happy.”
The other girl smiled. “So are you.”
Liz grinned. “Yeah, I really am.”
“Li-iz,” Max called as he leaned on the railing on the second floor and looked down at the girls. He was freshly showered and bare from the waist up. “Are you comin’ to bed anytime soon?”
She bit her bottom lip for just a moment before she grinned at Maria and stood up. “I’ve gotta go…” she blushed just slightly. “He’s so cute when he begs,” she confided in a whisper.
“They usually are.” Maria laughed out loud and gave her friend a high-five. “Go on, girl!” She watched as Liz ran up the stairs and straight into Max’s arms. She rolled her eyes and grinned when their kiss turned into one of those long deep ones that had them blindly feeling along the wall as they made their way down the hall to their room without breaking the kiss.
“What’re you grinnin’ about?” Michael asked, looking around to see what had caught her attention and not finding anything of interest.
“Gidget and Moon-doggie.” She shook her head at his confused expression and clarified, “Liz and Max.”
“Oh, the newest horndogs in the group.”
She made a face at him. “You’re such a romantic.”
He grinned and shrugged as he moved into her space and pulled her into his arms. “Why don’t you go upstairs and slip into somethin’ sexy while I’m cleanin’ this mess up an’ then I’ll show you romantic,” he murmured suggestively.
“Well, how could I possibly say no to that?” She smiled and cradled his face in her hands as she leaned in to kiss him.
“Y’all better cut that out,” Brendan interrupted them as he and Karen came out of Caela’s room after checking on her.
“Bren!” Karen said and elbowed him.
“Huh-uh, I’m not about to get stuck cleanin’ this up on my own, and if they start makin’ out you can bet I’ll be doin’ this by myself.”
Michael grinned and gave Maria a little push towards the stairs. “Can’t exactly deny that, so take your sexy little ass upstairs and put it in some seriously sexy underwear.”
She paused on the third step and stuck her tongue out at him. “Sexy and easy to remove?”
“See? You know me so well.”
“Is Brendan this predictable?” Maria asked as the two girls walked upstairs, leaving the guys in the living room cleaning up.
Karen snorted. “Bren and I aren’t that far ahead of Liz in the experience department,” she said with a laugh.
“So, where do we start?” Brendan glanced around.
“You get the liquor put up... I’ll get the glasses and stuff.”
“Which one was the watered one?”
“Uh...” Michael glanced between the two bottles his brother was holding. “Yeah, uh... no clue.”
Brendan grinned. “Wanna taste?”
“Not happenin’, little brother.”
“I’m as old as you. Don’t gimme shit about that one minute either.”
“It’s a minute and 57 seconds, Bren.”
His twin rolled his eyes. “And still I’m the more responsible twin here.”
“Hey, I’m responsible... and which one of us has a baby again?”
Brendan stuck his tongue out at his brother.
“So, how do you feel about Karen not tellin’ you about Caela? I mean, that had to be a pretty big shock, huh?”
Brendan sighed. “You can count on that. I hate that I missed so much time with her.”
“How’re you not just totally pissed at her? 18 months is a lot of time to miss out on with a kid.”
“Bein’ pissed won’t really change anything. And it won’t be any good for Caela either.”
“Well, I guess not, but... I mean, do you think it would’ve made a difference?”
“Sure. I honestly hate the thought that Karen was alone with her all that time.”
Michael hopped up to sit on the counter next to the refrigerator and he leaned over and pulled a couple of beers out, handing one to Brendan. “Yeah, but, I mean... aren’t you pissed at her?”
“I can’t decide if I should be more pissed at her or Hank for what he did to make her leave.”
“Shouldn’t you decide that before you guys start makin’ plans for her to move to Long Beach? I mean, what if you guys start getting settled and Caela gets used to all of us bein’ around and then you an’ Karen realize you can’t get past that?”
Brendan shook his head. “I wanna be with her, Michael. And with my daughter. Hank did enough to our family. Chances would’ve been good that she would’ve lost the baby if we had stayed together at that point. I don’t know; I can’t change the past but... I wanna leave that all behind.”
“She could’ve lost Caela?” Michael shook his head. He hadn’t known about that. The little girl had only been in his life for a couple of days but he couldn’t imagine her not being there now.
“Yeah, Karen had a difficult pregnancy. She had to stay in bed most of the time.”
“Oh, damn. I had no idea.” He took a drink of his beer. “I’m glad you guys are back together, Bren. Kinda feels like things are finally the way they’re supposed to be, ya know?”
“Yeah. About damn time.”
“Had you an’ Karen ever talked about havin’ kids?”
“We had talked about it, like sometime in the future, ya know?”
“Guess the future kinda got her a little faster than you guys had anticipated. You got a cute kid out of it though.”
“She is cute and, well, it was a surprise, but I wouldn’t wanna change it now, even if I could.”
“So, it’s for sure that they’re gonna move out to Long Beach?”
“That’s definitely the plan, yes.”
Michael leaned forward to toss his empty bottle in the trash.
“Things have changed a lot lately.”
“Crazy, huh? Six months ago we were all single and we weren’t even talkin’ an’ now... damn, I had no idea how quickly things can change.”
“To the better in the end.”
He nodded and reached up to scratch his eyebrow. “Speakin’ of the end... the end of the year’s comin’ up and uh... well, that means birthdays. Any idea what Karen’s thinkin’ about?” He shrugged. “Just wonderin’ ‘cause Maria’s got it in her head that she wants to do somethin’ and she mentioned getting with Karen to figure it out.”
Brendan shrugged. “We haven’t really celebrated for a while now, huh?”
“Not really much to celebrate.”
“Well, since we just realized how much has changed, how about we let our girlfriends plan a party?”
“Think that’s safe?”
“Probably not, but we can’t change it anyway.”
“Just not real comfortable with the whole thing, ya know?”
“Me neither but guess we’re gonna have to get over it.”
“We could get ourselves in trouble if we just let the girls run with these crazy ideas of theirs.”
“We can tell them to keep the party small.”
“Uh-huh, I don’t know how well that works with Karen, but I can tell you how well it’s gonna work with Maria.”
“Probably not so good, huh?”
“Bingo.”
“Well, she cares about you a lot.”
“Yeah, I know... just not sure how to deal with it sometimes.” He grinned uncomfortably and shrugged one shoulder. “Takes time I guess.”
“Yeah,” Brendan glanced around the room. “Are we ready?”
“Yup, think so.”
“Guess we should head upstairs then.”
“Probably... wasn’t really plannin’ to spend the night in the kitchen with you.”
“Ha ha,” Brendan made a face at his brother.
“Just sayin’.” Michael dropped down off of the counter and paused in the doorway. “I’m glad things are workin’ out for you, Bren.”
“For us,” he corrected.
He scratched his eyebrow. “Yeah... for us.” He followed Brendan and slapped the light switch on his way out.
_______________
Watch out for the results of the last voting round after 7am CST
Fics: A Xmas Story - A Merry Mt. R. Xmas - Cupid's Revenge - Double Trouble - Double Date - Double Dare - Double Empire - Double Xmas Wish - In The Course Of A Lifetime - Mountains So High - Not A Question At All - Surrender - TIC TAC - Two Double Dates at Xmas
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Double Trouble
- Obsessed Roswellian
- Posts: 925
- Joined: Tue Dec 16, 2008 9:47 am
Double Trouble (CC, AU, Adult) - Part 107 - 4/1/10
kismet: Yeah, Tess might not be quite as patient… although, Liz might just surprise her.
Michael and Brendan are doing well, finally.
Liz is still expanding her horizons.
keepsmiling7: Thanks for reading!
zaneri1: Glad you enjoyed the fun in the snow!
begonia9508: LOL, sometimes the fun’s worth the cold though… and you’ve got a very good point about the guys!
Eva: Ah, yes, the memories, lol!
Hopefully the guys won’t lose any more time.
Earth2Mama: We totally agree! The guys have made so much progress since the start of this fic. The birthday should live up to those expectations.
Very cool!
Alien_Friend: The twins are doing great, huh?
Gotta have an evening of just fun every once in a while.
It’s been a long time coming, and it’s definitely Liz’s turn.
No worries, we’ll get to drop in on that birthday party.
Natalie36: LOL, were you a Quarters champ?
mary mary: Gotta have a feel good scene for everyone on occasion. About that birthday party…
lilah: Ouch! No alcohol poisoning.
Maiqu: He is pretty funny, lol.
Hey, it’s their turn!
The guys better learn to just roll with it.
sarammlover: Yup, he was just lovable, wasn’t he?
Part 107 – Hanging Out
Michael pushed back away from the table, rubbing his stomach as he groaned loudly. “Damn, that was good, but I’m full.”
Maria rolled her eyes at him. “You should be full; you ate all of yours and half of mine!” Not that she really cared. They had all spent the morning out on the slopes as a group, playing around and having a good time. When they had realized it was past noon they had decided to call it a day and converge on the restaurant at the lodge.
“Hey, I worked up a huge appetite showin’ everyone else up out there today,” he bragged.
“Uh-huh, aren’t you the one who did that great nosedive when you tripped getting off the lift?” Max asked from the other end of the tables they had pushed together.
“I didn’t trip,” Michael denied, glaring at Kyle.
“Hey, I’ve already apologized for that.” Kyle shrugged unapologetically. “Is it my fault if Alex lost his balance, grabbed me, and I automatically grabbed for the person in front of me?”
“Hey, I told you I’ve never done winter sports,” Alex said, complaining.
“You’ll jump out of a plane like a fool, but on solid ground you try to fall flat on your face.” Michael shook his head and started to say more but his attention was caught by the tray of desserts being carried past him.
“Ooh, what’s that?” Brendan asked, spotting something chocolaty.
The waitress stopped next to them and smiled politely at both of the twins. “See somethin’ ya like?”
Brendan came up out of his chair as he leaned over to look at his options. “Oh, yeah,” he mumbled, pointing to a small chocolate cake, recognizing it from the dessert menu. It was filled with hot fudge and served with a side of vanilla ice cream drizzled with hot caramel.
“I’ll take that one,” Michael pointed to a vanilla one.
“I thought you said you’re full?” Maria asked.
“This’s dessert, Maria... completely different.”
“Whatever.” She rolled her eyes at him.
He just grinned at her and shrugged. “Want me to order some of that caramel sauce for later?” he asked, eyes darkening as he met her gaze.
Brooke made a face. “God, shut up Michael!”
“Was I talkin’ to you? This’s an A and B conversation... C your way out of it.” He shook his head and turned back to Maria. “Now, back to my question.”
“We already have those sauces at the cabin, baby.”
“Think so?” He turned to stick his tongue out at his little sister.
“Thanks, Michael,” Brendan muttered when Caela giggled and mimicked her uncle.
Tess had been watching Liz all morning, observing her interactions with Max and she was almost certain that the girl had finally cashed in her V card. She raised one eyebrow when the couple in question shared a kiss that threatened to melt the ice cream the waitress had just put on the table. She kicked Maria under the table to get her attention, nodding at Liz and raising one eyebrow meaningfully.
Maria winked at her friend knowingly.
Her eyes widened at the silent confirmation and she gasped audibly. “Elizabeth Parker!” she scolded. “I can’t believe you haven’t said a word!”
“Tess,” Maria hissed. “Save this for later.”
“Yeah, Tess, save it for later,” Liz repeated, her calm demeanor surprising her friends.
Tess’ mouth dropped open, shocked when Liz didn’t stutter or even blush. “Oh, we are sooo talkin’ about this later on.”
“So what’re we gonna do after lunch?” Brooke asked, ignoring the obvious topic Tess had mentioned.
Michael leaned in closer to Maria, keeping his voice low when he spoke. “Hey, I was kinda thinkin’ about spendin’ some time with my brothers and sister... it’s been a while since the four of us really spent any time together. Is that cool with you?”
She nodded. “Sure.”
“Okay.”
Maria smiled. She knew how much Michael cared about his siblings and that he was happy they were there all together.
Alex leaned back in his chair and stretched, watching his family and friends and enjoying the opportunity to hang out without anything hanging over them. “I’m glad we decided to spend the holiday together like this,” he said when Isabel asked him what he was thinking.
“Hey, how about the Guerin siblings spendin’ some time at the lodge together?” Michael asked. “They’ve got a game room, pool tables... other cool stuff.”
Brendan glanced at Karen. “Would you mind? I can take Caela if you want,” he offered.
“No, you go on, Bren. It’ll be good for you guys to spend some time together and it’ll be time for her nap soon.”
Brooke glanced up from her own dessert. “That sounds good... I mean if you guys are actually gonna treat me like someone my age instead of your little sister that needs constant protection from her older brothers.”
“We’ll see,” Michael said with a smirk.
“Ya know, I’m sixteen years old and one of these days you guys are gonna have to acknowledge the fact that I’m almost an adult.”
“Awww,” Michael reached across the table to rub her hair, “you’re always gonna be the baby sister.”
“Awww,” she mocked, “and you’re always gonna be Ki-Ki.”
Caela squealed happily and started banging her sippy cup on her tray. “Ki-Ki!” she shouted, drawing the attention of the others in the restaurant.
“Thanks Brooke,” he hissed.
Maria couldn’t stop the snort of laughter that escaped when some woman at a nearby table commented about how cute Caela’s outburst was and then leaned over to ask if Michael was the one with the special nickname. He left her to answer the question when he slid further down in his seat and glared at his niece, making her laugh at him.
Caela looked down at the French fries she had lost interest in a while ago and she picked one up, studying it for a second before throwing it at Michael. “Ki-Ki!”
Karen took the plate away from her. “We’re not throwing our food, young lady.”
The little girl stuck her bottom lip out in a pout and when she realized that no one was going to help her out she picked her sippy cup up and threw it on the floor.
Karen sighed. “I think someone needs to go to bed.”
Brendan accepted the sippy cup when Max retrieved it from the floor. He handed it to Karen and then reached for Caela, wiping her hands and face while Karen pulled her coat out of her bag.
Caela wiggled around, trying to avoid the cloth that Daddy was using to clean her up.
“See, that’s why I’m still glad she’s his kid,” Michael whispered into Maria’s ear and nipped at her earlobe playfully when Caela realized it was time to say good bye and she started to cry.
“That’s us in a year,” Isabel said to Alex, watching him for his reaction.
“Scared?” he teased.
“Maybe a little bit,” she admitted.
“We’ll manage it, and hey, I’ve got a brother now who’s gonna be full of good advice at this time next year.”
Isabel snorted lightly as she watched Brendan and Karen work together to wrestle their resisting daughter into her coat.
“Alright,” Karen said when they finally had everything ready. “Caela and I are gonna leave now. Say bye-bye, little girl.”
Michael leaned over to pick Moo up off of the floor before standing up and holding it out to his niece. “Hey, little girl,” he said quietly and immediately had her attention. “You get some sleep and when I get back to the cabin and you’re all rested up... we’ll make all of ‘em sing your favorite song, okay?”
Caela cuddled the moose and rested her cheek against its soft fur. “Bye-bye, Ki-Ki.”
He just couldn’t be mad at the girl for calling him Ki-Ki. “Good night.”
She laid her head on Mommy’s shoulder and waved to everyone else.
“Bye you two, we’ll see you later at the cabin,” Maria waved.
“Well, since the Guerin clan’s gonna be hangin’ out this afternoon I think it’d be a great time for us girls to hang out,” Tess said. She glanced at Kyle. “You can find somethin’ to do, right, babe?”
Kyle glanced at Max. “Evans?”
“Need a date for the afternoon, Valenti?”
“How about we hit the slopes further up the mountain?”
“Ready to take on a real challenge, huh? Let’s go.”
“What’re we doin’?” Isabel asked the girls.
“They’ve got a great spa right here at the lodge,” Maria said.
“You’re goin’ to the spa again?” Michael asked.
“Why?” Maria asked. “Jealous?”
“Are there any men there givin’ the massages?”
“Yes, Michael,” she said sarcastically, “because knowin’ you and how you are I would actually let another man put his hands on my body like that.”
He grinned and gave her a quick kiss on the lips. “Just makin’ sure, Maria.” He got to his feet and braced his arms behind her on the chair. “I’ll see you at the cabin later then?”
She shook her head at him. “You have doubts?”
“Well, ya never know.”
“You’re so goofy sometimes, Michael. Go, hang out with your sister and brothers. Have a good time and try not to get into any trouble.”
“Me? Trouble?”
She laughed and kissed him again. “Go on.”
“Alright. I’ll see you soon, baby.”
Maria leaned back in her chair when they had left and she glanced around at her friends. “So, you guys wanna head over to the spa?”
“Yeah, why not, a hot bath and a massage will loosen up my muscles,” Tess said.
“A massage does sound wonderful,” Isabel said.
“Let’s go then.”
Tess grinned and got up, leaning over and squeezing Liz’s shoulder. “C’mon, girl, time for you to share.”
“Maria, help me. Tess is gonna torture me.”
“I’m afraid you’re on your own for this inquisition,” Maria said with a laugh.
“What is this all about? I have a feeling no one’s told me what’s goin’ on,” Isabel complained.
“I realize you’re eating for two, but if you could see beyond your next meal you’d realize that Liz is no longer the reigning queen of Virgin-land,” Tess said.
“Seriously?” Her eyes widened in surprise.
Liz finally just bit the bullet and turned to face her friends, fisted hands propped on her hips. “Okay, yes, for the official record, I lost my virginity on Christmas Eve.” She held her hands out and curled her fingers towards her. “Go ahead, let the interrogation begin.”
“Did it hurt?” Tess was the first to speak up.
“What, you’re just gonna ask me here? In the hallway?” She rolled her eyes and sighed in exasperation. “No, it didn’t... it was... it was too good to hurt.”
“Too good to hurt,” Tess mocked. “How did ya do it?”
“Well, Tess, I would imagine you’ve been doing it long enough to know how it’s done,” Liz tossed right back.
“I mean, was he on top?” Tess rolled her eyes.
Liz controlled the urge to do anything that would reveal just how nervous she was about this conversation. On the one hand, she wanted to share, but it was still so new that it was just a little nerve-wracking. Talking to Maria or Isabel was one thing, but Tess was a different story. Her thoughts were momentarily sidetracked when she saw Max walking past the window behind her interrogators and she hid a smile and gave a subtle nod of her head when he paused to see if she was alright. His quiet smile gave her the confidence she needed and as he disappeared from sight she met Tess’ gaze head on. “He was, yes.” She turned, resuming their walk to the spa and a devilish grin graced her features as she tossed, “The first time,” over her shoulder.
“You did it more than once?” Tess asked, mouth hanging open.
“Yes, we did.”
“Where is our little innocent Parker?” Tess asked in Maria’s direction.
Maria shrugged when her best friend turned to her. “I think she’s expanding her horizons.”
Liz rolled her eyes at them when they talked about her as if she weren’t standing right there. “Um, hello? Still here.”
“And? Do ya feel any different now?” Isabel asked, walking up beside her.
“I feel...” Liz searched for a word that would adequately describe what she felt. “Hmm... complete.”
Maria giggled at her definition. “You are so in love with him.”
Liz just smiled and nodded.
“Well, that just leaves Brooke out in the dark,” Tess said, smirking.
“Uh-huh, and her brothers will do their best to make sure that doesn’t change.”
“Yeah,” Isabel agreed, “I’m afraid Luke’s in for a shock if he and Brooke ever get caught doing more than holding hands.” She shook her head. “It’s up to us to keep them from strangling that poor boy and locking her up for the rest of her life when that happens... and it’s gonna happen, it’s just a matter of time.”
Maria nodded. “It’s really not easy for our little girl. We’re gonna have to distract her brothers.”
“True. Karen and I may have a slight advantage there; Caela will keep Brendan busy and Hector will be keeping Alex busy... Michael on the other hand...” She laughed. “You’re gonna have your hands full with him.”
“Well, we might be busy building a house next year,” Maria said with a secretive smile.
All three girls stopped and looked at Maria. “What?” they asked all together.
“It’s not for sure yet, but we’ve talked about it.”
“Building a house together... that’s pretty big,” Tess mused.
“It’s just like a common project. We’ll decide later if it’s gonna be our house or not.”
“Um-hmm... whatever,” the three of them sang as they started walking again.
Maria stopped and watched her friends. “Do ya think it’s too early?”
Liz turned and met her gaze directly. “Does it feel right?”
She nodded. “Yeah, it does.”
“Then it’s right.” Liz smiled. “That’s what you told me, remember? Take your own advice once in a while, Maria.”
“Yeah, and you never know if this relationship will last forever. Not now and not in ten years,” Tess said.
“Maybe not, but it feels like forever,” Maria said as she thought about her relationship with Michael.
Tess made a face. “Okay, let’s be a little less cheesy.”
Liz giggled at Maria’s offended expression, knowing that the denial was about to make an appearance.
“I was not being cheesy!”
“Uh-huh, whatever,” Tess said with a smirk.
“What? But, I wasn’t,” Maria complained.
Isabel draped an arm around her friend’s shoulders as they resumed walking once more. “You were, but it’s okay because really, we all were. Even Tess has had a cheesy moment once in a while here lately.”
“MEE?!”
They all laughed at Tess’ surprised shriek.
*****
“Let’s have a pool match,” Brooke said as soon as they entered the game room of the lodge. “I’ll play with Michael.”
“You’re not gonna ask me first?” He glared at his sister playfully.
She rolled her eyes at him. “Would you team up with me, big bro?”
“Sure brat,” he answered, satisfied. He turned to Brendan and Alex. “Are you guys in?”
Alex nodded. “Sure. But I have to warn you, it’s been a while since I played pool.”
“Even better for us,” Brooke grinned.
“Hey,” a waitress stopped by and leaned against the pool table. Her gaze moved over Michael and Brendan until a cheeky grin appeared on her lips. “You two want anything?”
The twins exchanged a grin at her obvious opening and nodded. “Beer.” No need to get in trouble with their girls over a little flirtation.
“I’ll take a Coke,” Brooke said loudly to get the girls’ attention.
Alex was leaning over to line up a shot when he realized the woman was waiting for his order. “Rum and Coke,” he said with a quick glance at her.
“I’ll be right back,” she said and walked past them, swaying her hips a little more than necessary.
“Oh, yeah, that wasn’t obvious or anything,” Brooke muttered. “She’s totally got the two of you pegged for a little ménage à trios.”
The twins roared with laughter when Alex slipped unexpectedly at Brooke’s matter of fact tone. The cue ball bounced across the table and hopped over the edge to roll across the floor.
“What?” she asked when Alex glared at her. “I was just pointing out the obvious.”
“What exactly have you been watchin’ and readin’?” he asked, shaking his head as he retrieved the cue ball.
“Don’t be so vintage, Alex,” she complained.
“You’re growin’ up too fast... and that whole three-way thing? That’s a personal preference I suppose, but...” He found himself floundering for words and he looked to his brothers for help, but they were leaning on their pool sticks, with identical expressions of interest on their faces as they watched him struggle with an explanation.
“Here we go,” the waitress interrupted them and released Alex from his current predicament. “Your beer,” she glanced at the twins and smiled.
“Dying of thirst over here,” Brooke muttered when the woman couldn’t seem to take her eyes off of Michael and Brendan.
The woman controlled the urge to roll her eyes and handed out the two other drinks. “Anything else I can get you?” She asked sweetly, the question obviously aimed at the twins more than the other two.
Michael glanced at Brendan, grinning when his younger brother shrugged to let him know to go along with the game. “Got anything in mind?” he asked, his voice lowering to a raspy growl.
“Well, we have great... desserts here.”
Brendan was having a hard time keeping a straight face, but he gave it a valiant effort as he met the woman’s heated gaze. “Well, we do enjoy dessert... we don’t usually share though.”
Brooke rolled her eyes when the twins actually started playing around. Michael was a bad influence on Brendan’s innocence, she thought.
“Yeah, just because we’re twins doesn’t mean we like to share,” Michael agreed.
“You boys just don’t know what you’re missin’,” the waitress purred. “I could teach you two to enjoy sharing.”
Behind them Brooke made an exaggerated gagging sound.
Michael snorted and shook his head at his twin. “I never wanna see you less clothed than this, Bren.”
Brendan gave his brother a shove and laughed. “Trust me I feel the same way about you.”
“Are you two ready now?” Brooke asked.
“Is it my turn?” Michael asked, already losing interest in the game with the waitress.
“It was your turn five minutes ago, goofy.”
Michael walked around the table, studying the layout as he mentally calculated potential shots. He paused when he suddenly realized he had no idea which shot he needed to line up. “Are we solids or stripes?”
“You suck, Michael. Stripes.”
He grabbed the little blue chalk block sitting on one side of the table and tossed it at her. “Shut it or I’ll scratch on purpose.”
“So, what’d you guys get for Christmas from your girlfriends, huh?” Brooke asked, interested.
“Karen and I didn’t really exchange gifts,” Brendan answered. “We’ve just been getting to know each other again and then there’s Caela... couldn’t ask for a better present that that.”
“Well, I don’t know yet. Isabel told me she’d give me her present tonight,” Alex said.
“Well, I’m expecting lots of presents because none of you guys have given me anything yet... so, several of those packages under that tree had better have my name on them,” Brooke muttered. “Only our family would be exchanging gifts the day after Christmas.”
“Well, we are special in every way,” Michael said.
“Uh-huh... you guys did get me presents, right?” she asked when none of them responded to her previous comment.
“You’ll see, brat,” Brendan told her coolly.
“Whatever. I’m not tellin’ you guys if I got you anything either.”
“Damn,” Michael said, acting shocked.
“C’mon, you guys... tell me!”
“Nope,” Alex walked around the pool table to decide on his next shot.
“Ungh, you guys suck.”
“So, did ya get something from Lucky?”
Brooke rolled her eyes at Michael. “Luke gave me the perfect present... and he didn’t make me jump through hoops to get it.”
“And it was what?”
“Why should I tell you?”
“Then why should we tell you about our gifts?”
“You tell me and I’ll tell you.” She shot an evil grin at her brothers. “Or maybe I shouldn’t tell you at all.”
Alex glanced up, alarmed. “It wasn’t anything sexual, right?”
The teenager studied her nails for a few moments before tossing a cool look over her shoulder at him. “Like I said, maybe I won’t tell you.”
“Maybe you should if ya don’t want us to visit him,” Michael said seriously.
“Oh, please,” she scoffed. “Do the three of you tell me when you’ve had sex?” She rolled her eyes. “Not that it’s necessary since you walk around grinnin’ like a bunch of mindless fools.”
“You had sex?” Michael asked, horrified.
“Do I look like a mindless fool?” she countered.
He started to calm down again. “You are so in trouble, young lady,” he shook his head at her.
She snorted and lined up the next shot. “You guys are my brothers not my father. Sex is part of the natural order of things... and you’re gonna have to get over yourselves and accept that while I may be your little sister I’m also well on my way to becoming a woman.” She took the shot and sank the combo. “Sex isn’t somethin’ that doesn’t exist just because I’m your little sister.”
“I’m gonna be sick,” Michael muttered.
“Oh, please,” she muttered.
“We’ll talk about this later,” Alex decided.
“We will not talk about this later,” Brooke stated decisively. “I want you guys to tell me you’re gonna stop treatin’ me like I’m 12.”
“And you should stop acting like you are as old as we are,” Alex countered. “Maybe you’re hanging out too much with people our age.”
Brooke groaned. “You’re nine years older than me, Alex... you act like you’re 40 sometimes. Would you just relax?”
“Okay, why don’t we try to just hang out together, huh?” Brendan asked.
She turned to look at Brendan, smiling at him. “You do realize that you have a daughter to focus all those fatherly worries on now, right?”
“Thank God, she is way too young to even know anything about sex.”
Brooke laughed. “Yeah, for now.”
“How’d ya react when you found out?” Alex asked. He couldn’t imagine what it would feel like to find out that he was already a father for over a year without even knowing.
“Uh, well...” he grinned sheepishly. “Panic attack.”
“You seem to be pretty cool with it now though,” Alex admitted.
“I think my life’s finally goin’ the way it’s supposed to be goin’, ya know? I’ve got Karen back and... Caela... wow, she added a whole new level to our relationship and my life. I don’t know how to describe the feelings, but it’s like there’s this whole other little person and I’m part of the reason she exists... it’s just amazing.”
“Won’t take long for you to find out as well,” Brooke told her oldest brother. “And hopefully it takes longer for you,” she told Michael.
“Yeah, that makes two of us.”
Alex laughed. “Why? You’re very good with kids,” he teased his brother.
“Me an’ Maria, we both agree that we’re not ready for that just yet. One day, yeah, but now? Huh-uh, we wanna wait a while.” He grinned. “And until then,” he shrugged, “I’ve got a niece that’s already here and another niece or a nephew on the way.”
“God, I still can’t believe all this,” Brooke shook her head.
“But, you’re okay with it, right?” Brendan asked, staring at the floor.
“Yeah. It’s just all so unbelievable, ya know? In a good way though.”
“Did not see this comin’ six months ago,” Michael said as he set his bottle down on the edge of the table and crouched down to check the angle for his next shot.
“Six month ago we were all single, Brooke was in New York, Hank was your father too, and you two,” Alex gestured between the twins, “weren’t talking at all.”
“It’s been a wild ride, hasn’t it?” Michael shook his head.
“Oh, yeah. Hopefully the future will be a little less eventful. At least until Alex and Isabel have their baby,” Brooke said. “You two don’t plan to do anything crazy, right?”
Michael and Brendan exchanged a look and said, “We hadn’t planned any of this so far,” at the same time.
“Good.”
“I could do with a little less excitement,” Alex admitted.
“Me either,” Michael nodded.
“Maybe that should be your New Years’ Resolution,” Brooke suggested.
“Shouldn’t a resolution be something you have actually an influence in?”
She snorted. “I’m pretty sure you two,” she motioned at Alex and Brendan, “played a role in your girlfriend’s getting pregnant, and you,” she sent a pointed look in Michael’s direction, “could avoid at least half of the drama you and Maria get into if you’d just talk things out. So, the way I see it, it’d be a perfectly acceptable resolution for all three of you.”
“Hey, we do talk lately, okay?” Michael defended himself.
“You’ve made a lot of progress, big brother.”
“See.”
She grinned as she walked past him and flicked his dog tags. “I’m very proud of you.”
He smirked at her. Yeah, he knew he had made progress in the last month. Before Maria had crossed his path he had been a dick to almost everyone. He had fucked around with random girls, had avoided talking about anything that was on his mind... God, he had been an asshole.
Alex watched over them, a look of contentment on his handsome features. This was the way things were supposed to be, he thought.
*****
Michael followed the others into the cabin, stomping snow off of his boots and shrugging out of his coat. “Hey, where’s Maria?” he asked the others who were sitting around the living room.
“She said she had to try on a new outfit or somethin’,” Max muttered, his concentration focused on the chess board set up between him and Liz.
He rolled his eyes and took the stairs two at a time, hurrying down the hall to their room.
“Hey,” he called as he shut the door behind him, “I thought you girls were just goin’ to sit in a mud bath or somethin’? No one said anything about shoppin’.”
“You did say we were going out to dinner tonight, correct? You didn’t say anything about the local McDonalds or Taco Bell, so I took a risk and figured you were plannin’ something a little more special.”
“Well, it’s nothin’ fancy, Maria,” he hedged when he realized she had gone out and bought a nice outfit for their dinner out. “I mean, it’s a nice place an’ all, and I called and reserved a table, but it’s just a steakhouse.” Damn, she was gonna be disappointed now.
Her stomach growled at the image her mind conjured up. “Don’t worry it’s nothing too fancy to wear at a steakhouse.” She stepped out of the bathroom to show him her new outfit.
Nothing too fancy? he wondered. Her idea of fancy and his clearly wasn’t the same. “You’re sure as hell gonna look sexier than any other woman in the place,” he said gruffly.
She glanced down at herself. She had bought a new pair black jeans that hugged her legs and rode low on her hips. It did look hot, but it wasn’t anything you would wear to a restaurant that served French cuisine. She knew Michael would never pick out one of those.
“Okay, c’mon, outta the bathroom so I can get ready.” His eyes slowly slid over her and he growled low in his throat. “I promised I’d take you out for dinner and if you don’t move we’re not gonna make it outta this room.”
She smacked his head playfully. “You’re not getting outta this, Guerin. You’re taking me out tonight.”
“Fine,” he grumbled and then ruined it with a grin. “It won’t take me long... our table’s reserved for 7pm.”
“I’ll wait downstairs.”
“Good idea.”
They arrived at the restaurant five minutes before their reservation and he rolled his eyes when Maria decided to pay a quick visit to the ladies room before joining him at their table.
He ordered their drinks and was browsing through the menu when he felt someone touch his shoulder and he turned, expecting to see Maria. He frowned when he recognized the woman standing there as the waitress from the lodge that afternoon.
“Hey,” he said, not sure why she was there, “did ya need somethin’?”
“I was just surprised to see ya here... without you brother...”
What was her freakish fascination with twins? he wondered. “We’re not Siamese twins and we don’t do everything together.”
She chuckled. “That’s good, since you said you don’t share everything.” She glanced around the room to see if there was a jealous girlfriend around, but there wasn’t. Maybe he was waiting for a friend? A steakhouse wasn’t exactly the type of place for a very romantic dinner... and she had watched him the whole afternoon in the lodge. There had been no sign of a girlfriend and the only female with them had been too young and his sister, she had later realized. “Are you here all alone?”
Michael motioned to the opposite side of the table that was obviously just waiting for a second person. “I’m here with my girlfriend... and she’s not interested in sharin’ either.”
Damn it, she thought. Why were all the hot looking guys up here already taken?
Maria smirked when she overheard Michael’s comment and she decided to play it cool. “Hey,” she greeted the other woman politely and lifted her hand to her mouth to whisper in her direction. “One of the toilets is clogged, you might wanna fix that.” She made a serious face as if she really believed the woman was authorized for repairs like that.
Michael bit back a grin at the obvious insult. “So, yeah, like I was sayin’ I’m all taken.”
The other woman left without saying another word and Maria shook her head at Michael with a grin as she sat down on the opposite side. “I can’t leave ya alone for a second.”
He held his hands up. “What? Can I help it if women are interested? I think she was lookin’ for a three-way this afternoon. She’s a waitress over at the lodge and she had a weird interest in me an’ Bren.”
“Uh-huh... well, sex with two of you...” she grinned, “the woman has good taste. But she chose the wrong guys.”
“Ungh, gross,” he muttered and shuddered comically.
She laughed. “Obviously she’s never had a man in bed that really paid any attention to her because if she had she wouldn’t be looking for a three-way.”
“Glad we don’t have to worry ‘bout that.”
She took the menu from the table and studied it. “Hmm, what’re we gonna eat?”
“I’m kinda leanin’ towards the rib eye steak, but I can’t decide between the baked potato and the fries.”
“I’ll order the fries, you order the baked potato and we’ll split it half and half?”
“That works.”
“But what do I eat with it? I can’t decide.”
“What’re you lookin’ at?” he asked, leaning forward.
“Hmm... there’s steak with herb butter or the grilled chicken. I’m so hungry right now I wanna eat both,” she said with a grin.
“Get the chicken and we’ll go half and half, how’s that?”
She smiled. “Genius idea.”
“We’re good like that.”
“Did ya already order something to drink?”
“Just ordered soda... didn’t know what ya wanted with dinner.”
“Hmm... maybe I’ll have a wine.”
He shook his head. “Beer.”
Maria waited for Michael to place their order when the waiter joined them. “So, how was your afternoon out with your brothers and sister?” she asked when they were alone again.
“It was good for us to get out like that. It’s always fun when we’re out with other people, but I think that’s really the first time it’s just been the four of us.” He rolled his eyes. “Brooke made another pitch for her independence.” He sighed. “Kid’s in a hurry to be all grown up.”
She laughed. “I think a lot of what she says she is only saying because she knows how much you guys react to it.”
“When that waitress was hittin’ on me an’ Bren earlier Brooke started talkin’ shit and she busted out with a ménage à trios comment that just about made Alex pass out,” he laughed.
“Well, she is 16. Nobody can expect her to be all that innocent at that age. Well, Liz was, but she really was a big exception.”
“Right. Guess I can’t really expect my little sister to stay all sweet and innocent, huh?”
“No,” she laughed. “Definitely not.”
He frowned when the waiter came back and placed two salads on the table. He knew the meals came with soup or salad, but somehow he had overlooked it.
“A little bit of healthy food won’t hurt, Michael.”
“No, of course not.” He grabbed the bottle of Ranch dressing and he uncapped it, squeezing it all over his salad and drowning the lettuce.
Maria rolled her eyes at him. “That’s enough, Michael.”
“If I can still taste the lettuce, it’s not enough,” he disagreed.
“Goofy.”
“I don’t think they put enough cheese on mine,” he muttered as he picked several sliced radishes out of the messy salad.
Maria winced when her cell phone started to ring in her bag and several guests looked at them, a little annoyed. “Oops,” she reached down to get it out.
“Mom, hi,” she whispered. “I can’t really talk right now.”
Michael glanced up at her. “Tell ‘er I said hi,” he said as he turned his attention back to his salad.
She nodded. “Yeah, we’re out for dinner, so that’s why I can’t really talk right now. Uh-huh, yeah, it’s really nice here. And Michael says hi.”
She glanced up at him. “She says hi to you too.”
He grinned and nodded, lifting his head when their waiter passed by. “Hey, buddy,” he called, motioning the guy over, “think I could get some extra cheese for my salad?”
“Sure, I’ll be right back.”
“Okay, Mom. I really need to hang up now. I’ll call you later, okay? Okay, bye.” She put her cell back in her bag after turning the ringer off. “She really has the worst timing.”
“What’s she doin’?” he asked, picking through his drenched lettuce and making sure there were no other unwelcome surprises.
“She’s had a day off for once.”
“Cool.” He nodded in thanks when the waiter set a little bowl filled with shredded cheese. He dumped the whole think on top of his salad and mixed it all up before finally digging in and taking a big bite. “Much better,” he muttered.
“You are such a pig,” she shook her head at him. “But I still love you.”
He shrugged and grinned at her. “How was your afternoon with the girls?” he asked between bites. It was better to just get the salad out of the way as fast as possible.
“It was fun. Liz and her no longer existing V-card was the major theme.”
“How come you girls can talk about that but if us guys talk about it it’s like we’re keepin’ score or bein’ rude or somethin’?”
“We don’t talk about it in public and we don’t high five each other.”
He snorted. “Okay, but Max busts my chops every time I say somethin’.”
She lifted her eyebrows. “Do ya talk to Kyle and Max about us havin’ sex?”
“Well... no.” His brows pulled down in a frown for a moment. “Oh...” he said slowly.
“See? Ya don’t share the details when you’re seriously interested in the other person.”
He had never really thought about it like that. “Guess that makes sense.”
“It does.”
“Huh.” He shook his head. “Next topic. I’m tired of that one.”
“Guerin, is that you?!” a male voice demanded.
“Man, that’s not Guerin... the guy doesn’t take chicks out to dinner before nailin’ ‘em.”
Michael glanced over his shoulder and his eyes widened slightly when he saw the three guys heading for their table. “Uh, Maria...”
“Yeah?” she glanced up from her salad.
“Maybe you could ignore the guys headin’ this way,” he suggested just before they arrived, grabbing chairs from other tables and dragging them over to join the couple at the table.
Michael and Brendan are doing well, finally.
Liz is still expanding her horizons.
keepsmiling7: Thanks for reading!
zaneri1: Glad you enjoyed the fun in the snow!
begonia9508: LOL, sometimes the fun’s worth the cold though… and you’ve got a very good point about the guys!
Eva: Ah, yes, the memories, lol!
Hopefully the guys won’t lose any more time.
Earth2Mama: We totally agree! The guys have made so much progress since the start of this fic. The birthday should live up to those expectations.
Very cool!
Alien_Friend: The twins are doing great, huh?
Gotta have an evening of just fun every once in a while.
It’s been a long time coming, and it’s definitely Liz’s turn.
No worries, we’ll get to drop in on that birthday party.
Natalie36: LOL, were you a Quarters champ?
mary mary: Gotta have a feel good scene for everyone on occasion. About that birthday party…
lilah: Ouch! No alcohol poisoning.
Maiqu: He is pretty funny, lol.
Hey, it’s their turn!
The guys better learn to just roll with it.
sarammlover: Yup, he was just lovable, wasn’t he?
Part 107 – Hanging Out
Michael pushed back away from the table, rubbing his stomach as he groaned loudly. “Damn, that was good, but I’m full.”
Maria rolled her eyes at him. “You should be full; you ate all of yours and half of mine!” Not that she really cared. They had all spent the morning out on the slopes as a group, playing around and having a good time. When they had realized it was past noon they had decided to call it a day and converge on the restaurant at the lodge.
“Hey, I worked up a huge appetite showin’ everyone else up out there today,” he bragged.
“Uh-huh, aren’t you the one who did that great nosedive when you tripped getting off the lift?” Max asked from the other end of the tables they had pushed together.
“I didn’t trip,” Michael denied, glaring at Kyle.
“Hey, I’ve already apologized for that.” Kyle shrugged unapologetically. “Is it my fault if Alex lost his balance, grabbed me, and I automatically grabbed for the person in front of me?”
“Hey, I told you I’ve never done winter sports,” Alex said, complaining.
“You’ll jump out of a plane like a fool, but on solid ground you try to fall flat on your face.” Michael shook his head and started to say more but his attention was caught by the tray of desserts being carried past him.
“Ooh, what’s that?” Brendan asked, spotting something chocolaty.
The waitress stopped next to them and smiled politely at both of the twins. “See somethin’ ya like?”
Brendan came up out of his chair as he leaned over to look at his options. “Oh, yeah,” he mumbled, pointing to a small chocolate cake, recognizing it from the dessert menu. It was filled with hot fudge and served with a side of vanilla ice cream drizzled with hot caramel.
“I’ll take that one,” Michael pointed to a vanilla one.
“I thought you said you’re full?” Maria asked.
“This’s dessert, Maria... completely different.”
“Whatever.” She rolled her eyes at him.
He just grinned at her and shrugged. “Want me to order some of that caramel sauce for later?” he asked, eyes darkening as he met her gaze.
Brooke made a face. “God, shut up Michael!”
“Was I talkin’ to you? This’s an A and B conversation... C your way out of it.” He shook his head and turned back to Maria. “Now, back to my question.”
“We already have those sauces at the cabin, baby.”
“Think so?” He turned to stick his tongue out at his little sister.
“Thanks, Michael,” Brendan muttered when Caela giggled and mimicked her uncle.
Tess had been watching Liz all morning, observing her interactions with Max and she was almost certain that the girl had finally cashed in her V card. She raised one eyebrow when the couple in question shared a kiss that threatened to melt the ice cream the waitress had just put on the table. She kicked Maria under the table to get her attention, nodding at Liz and raising one eyebrow meaningfully.
Maria winked at her friend knowingly.
Her eyes widened at the silent confirmation and she gasped audibly. “Elizabeth Parker!” she scolded. “I can’t believe you haven’t said a word!”
“Tess,” Maria hissed. “Save this for later.”
“Yeah, Tess, save it for later,” Liz repeated, her calm demeanor surprising her friends.
Tess’ mouth dropped open, shocked when Liz didn’t stutter or even blush. “Oh, we are sooo talkin’ about this later on.”
“So what’re we gonna do after lunch?” Brooke asked, ignoring the obvious topic Tess had mentioned.
Michael leaned in closer to Maria, keeping his voice low when he spoke. “Hey, I was kinda thinkin’ about spendin’ some time with my brothers and sister... it’s been a while since the four of us really spent any time together. Is that cool with you?”
She nodded. “Sure.”
“Okay.”
Maria smiled. She knew how much Michael cared about his siblings and that he was happy they were there all together.
Alex leaned back in his chair and stretched, watching his family and friends and enjoying the opportunity to hang out without anything hanging over them. “I’m glad we decided to spend the holiday together like this,” he said when Isabel asked him what he was thinking.
“Hey, how about the Guerin siblings spendin’ some time at the lodge together?” Michael asked. “They’ve got a game room, pool tables... other cool stuff.”
Brendan glanced at Karen. “Would you mind? I can take Caela if you want,” he offered.
“No, you go on, Bren. It’ll be good for you guys to spend some time together and it’ll be time for her nap soon.”
Brooke glanced up from her own dessert. “That sounds good... I mean if you guys are actually gonna treat me like someone my age instead of your little sister that needs constant protection from her older brothers.”
“We’ll see,” Michael said with a smirk.
“Ya know, I’m sixteen years old and one of these days you guys are gonna have to acknowledge the fact that I’m almost an adult.”
“Awww,” Michael reached across the table to rub her hair, “you’re always gonna be the baby sister.”
“Awww,” she mocked, “and you’re always gonna be Ki-Ki.”
Caela squealed happily and started banging her sippy cup on her tray. “Ki-Ki!” she shouted, drawing the attention of the others in the restaurant.
“Thanks Brooke,” he hissed.
Maria couldn’t stop the snort of laughter that escaped when some woman at a nearby table commented about how cute Caela’s outburst was and then leaned over to ask if Michael was the one with the special nickname. He left her to answer the question when he slid further down in his seat and glared at his niece, making her laugh at him.
Caela looked down at the French fries she had lost interest in a while ago and she picked one up, studying it for a second before throwing it at Michael. “Ki-Ki!”
Karen took the plate away from her. “We’re not throwing our food, young lady.”
The little girl stuck her bottom lip out in a pout and when she realized that no one was going to help her out she picked her sippy cup up and threw it on the floor.
Karen sighed. “I think someone needs to go to bed.”
Brendan accepted the sippy cup when Max retrieved it from the floor. He handed it to Karen and then reached for Caela, wiping her hands and face while Karen pulled her coat out of her bag.
Caela wiggled around, trying to avoid the cloth that Daddy was using to clean her up.
“See, that’s why I’m still glad she’s his kid,” Michael whispered into Maria’s ear and nipped at her earlobe playfully when Caela realized it was time to say good bye and she started to cry.
“That’s us in a year,” Isabel said to Alex, watching him for his reaction.
“Scared?” he teased.
“Maybe a little bit,” she admitted.
“We’ll manage it, and hey, I’ve got a brother now who’s gonna be full of good advice at this time next year.”
Isabel snorted lightly as she watched Brendan and Karen work together to wrestle their resisting daughter into her coat.
“Alright,” Karen said when they finally had everything ready. “Caela and I are gonna leave now. Say bye-bye, little girl.”
Michael leaned over to pick Moo up off of the floor before standing up and holding it out to his niece. “Hey, little girl,” he said quietly and immediately had her attention. “You get some sleep and when I get back to the cabin and you’re all rested up... we’ll make all of ‘em sing your favorite song, okay?”
Caela cuddled the moose and rested her cheek against its soft fur. “Bye-bye, Ki-Ki.”
He just couldn’t be mad at the girl for calling him Ki-Ki. “Good night.”
She laid her head on Mommy’s shoulder and waved to everyone else.
“Bye you two, we’ll see you later at the cabin,” Maria waved.
“Well, since the Guerin clan’s gonna be hangin’ out this afternoon I think it’d be a great time for us girls to hang out,” Tess said. She glanced at Kyle. “You can find somethin’ to do, right, babe?”
Kyle glanced at Max. “Evans?”
“Need a date for the afternoon, Valenti?”
“How about we hit the slopes further up the mountain?”
“Ready to take on a real challenge, huh? Let’s go.”
“What’re we doin’?” Isabel asked the girls.
“They’ve got a great spa right here at the lodge,” Maria said.
“You’re goin’ to the spa again?” Michael asked.
“Why?” Maria asked. “Jealous?”
“Are there any men there givin’ the massages?”
“Yes, Michael,” she said sarcastically, “because knowin’ you and how you are I would actually let another man put his hands on my body like that.”
He grinned and gave her a quick kiss on the lips. “Just makin’ sure, Maria.” He got to his feet and braced his arms behind her on the chair. “I’ll see you at the cabin later then?”
She shook her head at him. “You have doubts?”
“Well, ya never know.”
“You’re so goofy sometimes, Michael. Go, hang out with your sister and brothers. Have a good time and try not to get into any trouble.”
“Me? Trouble?”
She laughed and kissed him again. “Go on.”
“Alright. I’ll see you soon, baby.”
Maria leaned back in her chair when they had left and she glanced around at her friends. “So, you guys wanna head over to the spa?”
“Yeah, why not, a hot bath and a massage will loosen up my muscles,” Tess said.
“A massage does sound wonderful,” Isabel said.
“Let’s go then.”
Tess grinned and got up, leaning over and squeezing Liz’s shoulder. “C’mon, girl, time for you to share.”
“Maria, help me. Tess is gonna torture me.”
“I’m afraid you’re on your own for this inquisition,” Maria said with a laugh.
“What is this all about? I have a feeling no one’s told me what’s goin’ on,” Isabel complained.
“I realize you’re eating for two, but if you could see beyond your next meal you’d realize that Liz is no longer the reigning queen of Virgin-land,” Tess said.
“Seriously?” Her eyes widened in surprise.
Liz finally just bit the bullet and turned to face her friends, fisted hands propped on her hips. “Okay, yes, for the official record, I lost my virginity on Christmas Eve.” She held her hands out and curled her fingers towards her. “Go ahead, let the interrogation begin.”
“Did it hurt?” Tess was the first to speak up.
“What, you’re just gonna ask me here? In the hallway?” She rolled her eyes and sighed in exasperation. “No, it didn’t... it was... it was too good to hurt.”
“Too good to hurt,” Tess mocked. “How did ya do it?”
“Well, Tess, I would imagine you’ve been doing it long enough to know how it’s done,” Liz tossed right back.
“I mean, was he on top?” Tess rolled her eyes.
Liz controlled the urge to do anything that would reveal just how nervous she was about this conversation. On the one hand, she wanted to share, but it was still so new that it was just a little nerve-wracking. Talking to Maria or Isabel was one thing, but Tess was a different story. Her thoughts were momentarily sidetracked when she saw Max walking past the window behind her interrogators and she hid a smile and gave a subtle nod of her head when he paused to see if she was alright. His quiet smile gave her the confidence she needed and as he disappeared from sight she met Tess’ gaze head on. “He was, yes.” She turned, resuming their walk to the spa and a devilish grin graced her features as she tossed, “The first time,” over her shoulder.
“You did it more than once?” Tess asked, mouth hanging open.
“Yes, we did.”
“Where is our little innocent Parker?” Tess asked in Maria’s direction.
Maria shrugged when her best friend turned to her. “I think she’s expanding her horizons.”
Liz rolled her eyes at them when they talked about her as if she weren’t standing right there. “Um, hello? Still here.”
“And? Do ya feel any different now?” Isabel asked, walking up beside her.
“I feel...” Liz searched for a word that would adequately describe what she felt. “Hmm... complete.”
Maria giggled at her definition. “You are so in love with him.”
Liz just smiled and nodded.
“Well, that just leaves Brooke out in the dark,” Tess said, smirking.
“Uh-huh, and her brothers will do their best to make sure that doesn’t change.”
“Yeah,” Isabel agreed, “I’m afraid Luke’s in for a shock if he and Brooke ever get caught doing more than holding hands.” She shook her head. “It’s up to us to keep them from strangling that poor boy and locking her up for the rest of her life when that happens... and it’s gonna happen, it’s just a matter of time.”
Maria nodded. “It’s really not easy for our little girl. We’re gonna have to distract her brothers.”
“True. Karen and I may have a slight advantage there; Caela will keep Brendan busy and Hector will be keeping Alex busy... Michael on the other hand...” She laughed. “You’re gonna have your hands full with him.”
“Well, we might be busy building a house next year,” Maria said with a secretive smile.
All three girls stopped and looked at Maria. “What?” they asked all together.
“It’s not for sure yet, but we’ve talked about it.”
“Building a house together... that’s pretty big,” Tess mused.
“It’s just like a common project. We’ll decide later if it’s gonna be our house or not.”
“Um-hmm... whatever,” the three of them sang as they started walking again.
Maria stopped and watched her friends. “Do ya think it’s too early?”
Liz turned and met her gaze directly. “Does it feel right?”
She nodded. “Yeah, it does.”
“Then it’s right.” Liz smiled. “That’s what you told me, remember? Take your own advice once in a while, Maria.”
“Yeah, and you never know if this relationship will last forever. Not now and not in ten years,” Tess said.
“Maybe not, but it feels like forever,” Maria said as she thought about her relationship with Michael.
Tess made a face. “Okay, let’s be a little less cheesy.”
Liz giggled at Maria’s offended expression, knowing that the denial was about to make an appearance.
“I was not being cheesy!”
“Uh-huh, whatever,” Tess said with a smirk.
“What? But, I wasn’t,” Maria complained.
Isabel draped an arm around her friend’s shoulders as they resumed walking once more. “You were, but it’s okay because really, we all were. Even Tess has had a cheesy moment once in a while here lately.”
“MEE?!”
They all laughed at Tess’ surprised shriek.
*****
“Let’s have a pool match,” Brooke said as soon as they entered the game room of the lodge. “I’ll play with Michael.”
“You’re not gonna ask me first?” He glared at his sister playfully.
She rolled her eyes at him. “Would you team up with me, big bro?”
“Sure brat,” he answered, satisfied. He turned to Brendan and Alex. “Are you guys in?”
Alex nodded. “Sure. But I have to warn you, it’s been a while since I played pool.”
“Even better for us,” Brooke grinned.
“Hey,” a waitress stopped by and leaned against the pool table. Her gaze moved over Michael and Brendan until a cheeky grin appeared on her lips. “You two want anything?”
The twins exchanged a grin at her obvious opening and nodded. “Beer.” No need to get in trouble with their girls over a little flirtation.
“I’ll take a Coke,” Brooke said loudly to get the girls’ attention.
Alex was leaning over to line up a shot when he realized the woman was waiting for his order. “Rum and Coke,” he said with a quick glance at her.
“I’ll be right back,” she said and walked past them, swaying her hips a little more than necessary.
“Oh, yeah, that wasn’t obvious or anything,” Brooke muttered. “She’s totally got the two of you pegged for a little ménage à trios.”
The twins roared with laughter when Alex slipped unexpectedly at Brooke’s matter of fact tone. The cue ball bounced across the table and hopped over the edge to roll across the floor.
“What?” she asked when Alex glared at her. “I was just pointing out the obvious.”
“What exactly have you been watchin’ and readin’?” he asked, shaking his head as he retrieved the cue ball.
“Don’t be so vintage, Alex,” she complained.
“You’re growin’ up too fast... and that whole three-way thing? That’s a personal preference I suppose, but...” He found himself floundering for words and he looked to his brothers for help, but they were leaning on their pool sticks, with identical expressions of interest on their faces as they watched him struggle with an explanation.
“Here we go,” the waitress interrupted them and released Alex from his current predicament. “Your beer,” she glanced at the twins and smiled.
“Dying of thirst over here,” Brooke muttered when the woman couldn’t seem to take her eyes off of Michael and Brendan.
The woman controlled the urge to roll her eyes and handed out the two other drinks. “Anything else I can get you?” She asked sweetly, the question obviously aimed at the twins more than the other two.
Michael glanced at Brendan, grinning when his younger brother shrugged to let him know to go along with the game. “Got anything in mind?” he asked, his voice lowering to a raspy growl.
“Well, we have great... desserts here.”
Brendan was having a hard time keeping a straight face, but he gave it a valiant effort as he met the woman’s heated gaze. “Well, we do enjoy dessert... we don’t usually share though.”
Brooke rolled her eyes when the twins actually started playing around. Michael was a bad influence on Brendan’s innocence, she thought.
“Yeah, just because we’re twins doesn’t mean we like to share,” Michael agreed.
“You boys just don’t know what you’re missin’,” the waitress purred. “I could teach you two to enjoy sharing.”
Behind them Brooke made an exaggerated gagging sound.
Michael snorted and shook his head at his twin. “I never wanna see you less clothed than this, Bren.”
Brendan gave his brother a shove and laughed. “Trust me I feel the same way about you.”
“Are you two ready now?” Brooke asked.
“Is it my turn?” Michael asked, already losing interest in the game with the waitress.
“It was your turn five minutes ago, goofy.”
Michael walked around the table, studying the layout as he mentally calculated potential shots. He paused when he suddenly realized he had no idea which shot he needed to line up. “Are we solids or stripes?”
“You suck, Michael. Stripes.”
He grabbed the little blue chalk block sitting on one side of the table and tossed it at her. “Shut it or I’ll scratch on purpose.”
“So, what’d you guys get for Christmas from your girlfriends, huh?” Brooke asked, interested.
“Karen and I didn’t really exchange gifts,” Brendan answered. “We’ve just been getting to know each other again and then there’s Caela... couldn’t ask for a better present that that.”
“Well, I don’t know yet. Isabel told me she’d give me her present tonight,” Alex said.
“Well, I’m expecting lots of presents because none of you guys have given me anything yet... so, several of those packages under that tree had better have my name on them,” Brooke muttered. “Only our family would be exchanging gifts the day after Christmas.”
“Well, we are special in every way,” Michael said.
“Uh-huh... you guys did get me presents, right?” she asked when none of them responded to her previous comment.
“You’ll see, brat,” Brendan told her coolly.
“Whatever. I’m not tellin’ you guys if I got you anything either.”
“Damn,” Michael said, acting shocked.
“C’mon, you guys... tell me!”
“Nope,” Alex walked around the pool table to decide on his next shot.
“Ungh, you guys suck.”
“So, did ya get something from Lucky?”
Brooke rolled her eyes at Michael. “Luke gave me the perfect present... and he didn’t make me jump through hoops to get it.”
“And it was what?”
“Why should I tell you?”
“Then why should we tell you about our gifts?”
“You tell me and I’ll tell you.” She shot an evil grin at her brothers. “Or maybe I shouldn’t tell you at all.”
Alex glanced up, alarmed. “It wasn’t anything sexual, right?”
The teenager studied her nails for a few moments before tossing a cool look over her shoulder at him. “Like I said, maybe I won’t tell you.”
“Maybe you should if ya don’t want us to visit him,” Michael said seriously.
“Oh, please,” she scoffed. “Do the three of you tell me when you’ve had sex?” She rolled her eyes. “Not that it’s necessary since you walk around grinnin’ like a bunch of mindless fools.”
“You had sex?” Michael asked, horrified.
“Do I look like a mindless fool?” she countered.
He started to calm down again. “You are so in trouble, young lady,” he shook his head at her.
She snorted and lined up the next shot. “You guys are my brothers not my father. Sex is part of the natural order of things... and you’re gonna have to get over yourselves and accept that while I may be your little sister I’m also well on my way to becoming a woman.” She took the shot and sank the combo. “Sex isn’t somethin’ that doesn’t exist just because I’m your little sister.”
“I’m gonna be sick,” Michael muttered.
“Oh, please,” she muttered.
“We’ll talk about this later,” Alex decided.
“We will not talk about this later,” Brooke stated decisively. “I want you guys to tell me you’re gonna stop treatin’ me like I’m 12.”
“And you should stop acting like you are as old as we are,” Alex countered. “Maybe you’re hanging out too much with people our age.”
Brooke groaned. “You’re nine years older than me, Alex... you act like you’re 40 sometimes. Would you just relax?”
“Okay, why don’t we try to just hang out together, huh?” Brendan asked.
She turned to look at Brendan, smiling at him. “You do realize that you have a daughter to focus all those fatherly worries on now, right?”
“Thank God, she is way too young to even know anything about sex.”
Brooke laughed. “Yeah, for now.”
“How’d ya react when you found out?” Alex asked. He couldn’t imagine what it would feel like to find out that he was already a father for over a year without even knowing.
“Uh, well...” he grinned sheepishly. “Panic attack.”
“You seem to be pretty cool with it now though,” Alex admitted.
“I think my life’s finally goin’ the way it’s supposed to be goin’, ya know? I’ve got Karen back and... Caela... wow, she added a whole new level to our relationship and my life. I don’t know how to describe the feelings, but it’s like there’s this whole other little person and I’m part of the reason she exists... it’s just amazing.”
“Won’t take long for you to find out as well,” Brooke told her oldest brother. “And hopefully it takes longer for you,” she told Michael.
“Yeah, that makes two of us.”
Alex laughed. “Why? You’re very good with kids,” he teased his brother.
“Me an’ Maria, we both agree that we’re not ready for that just yet. One day, yeah, but now? Huh-uh, we wanna wait a while.” He grinned. “And until then,” he shrugged, “I’ve got a niece that’s already here and another niece or a nephew on the way.”
“God, I still can’t believe all this,” Brooke shook her head.
“But, you’re okay with it, right?” Brendan asked, staring at the floor.
“Yeah. It’s just all so unbelievable, ya know? In a good way though.”
“Did not see this comin’ six months ago,” Michael said as he set his bottle down on the edge of the table and crouched down to check the angle for his next shot.
“Six month ago we were all single, Brooke was in New York, Hank was your father too, and you two,” Alex gestured between the twins, “weren’t talking at all.”
“It’s been a wild ride, hasn’t it?” Michael shook his head.
“Oh, yeah. Hopefully the future will be a little less eventful. At least until Alex and Isabel have their baby,” Brooke said. “You two don’t plan to do anything crazy, right?”
Michael and Brendan exchanged a look and said, “We hadn’t planned any of this so far,” at the same time.
“Good.”
“I could do with a little less excitement,” Alex admitted.
“Me either,” Michael nodded.
“Maybe that should be your New Years’ Resolution,” Brooke suggested.
“Shouldn’t a resolution be something you have actually an influence in?”
She snorted. “I’m pretty sure you two,” she motioned at Alex and Brendan, “played a role in your girlfriend’s getting pregnant, and you,” she sent a pointed look in Michael’s direction, “could avoid at least half of the drama you and Maria get into if you’d just talk things out. So, the way I see it, it’d be a perfectly acceptable resolution for all three of you.”
“Hey, we do talk lately, okay?” Michael defended himself.
“You’ve made a lot of progress, big brother.”
“See.”
She grinned as she walked past him and flicked his dog tags. “I’m very proud of you.”
He smirked at her. Yeah, he knew he had made progress in the last month. Before Maria had crossed his path he had been a dick to almost everyone. He had fucked around with random girls, had avoided talking about anything that was on his mind... God, he had been an asshole.
Alex watched over them, a look of contentment on his handsome features. This was the way things were supposed to be, he thought.
*****
Michael followed the others into the cabin, stomping snow off of his boots and shrugging out of his coat. “Hey, where’s Maria?” he asked the others who were sitting around the living room.
“She said she had to try on a new outfit or somethin’,” Max muttered, his concentration focused on the chess board set up between him and Liz.
He rolled his eyes and took the stairs two at a time, hurrying down the hall to their room.
“Hey,” he called as he shut the door behind him, “I thought you girls were just goin’ to sit in a mud bath or somethin’? No one said anything about shoppin’.”
“You did say we were going out to dinner tonight, correct? You didn’t say anything about the local McDonalds or Taco Bell, so I took a risk and figured you were plannin’ something a little more special.”
“Well, it’s nothin’ fancy, Maria,” he hedged when he realized she had gone out and bought a nice outfit for their dinner out. “I mean, it’s a nice place an’ all, and I called and reserved a table, but it’s just a steakhouse.” Damn, she was gonna be disappointed now.
Her stomach growled at the image her mind conjured up. “Don’t worry it’s nothing too fancy to wear at a steakhouse.” She stepped out of the bathroom to show him her new outfit.
Nothing too fancy? he wondered. Her idea of fancy and his clearly wasn’t the same. “You’re sure as hell gonna look sexier than any other woman in the place,” he said gruffly.
She glanced down at herself. She had bought a new pair black jeans that hugged her legs and rode low on her hips. It did look hot, but it wasn’t anything you would wear to a restaurant that served French cuisine. She knew Michael would never pick out one of those.
“Okay, c’mon, outta the bathroom so I can get ready.” His eyes slowly slid over her and he growled low in his throat. “I promised I’d take you out for dinner and if you don’t move we’re not gonna make it outta this room.”
She smacked his head playfully. “You’re not getting outta this, Guerin. You’re taking me out tonight.”
“Fine,” he grumbled and then ruined it with a grin. “It won’t take me long... our table’s reserved for 7pm.”
“I’ll wait downstairs.”
“Good idea.”
They arrived at the restaurant five minutes before their reservation and he rolled his eyes when Maria decided to pay a quick visit to the ladies room before joining him at their table.
He ordered their drinks and was browsing through the menu when he felt someone touch his shoulder and he turned, expecting to see Maria. He frowned when he recognized the woman standing there as the waitress from the lodge that afternoon.
“Hey,” he said, not sure why she was there, “did ya need somethin’?”
“I was just surprised to see ya here... without you brother...”
What was her freakish fascination with twins? he wondered. “We’re not Siamese twins and we don’t do everything together.”
She chuckled. “That’s good, since you said you don’t share everything.” She glanced around the room to see if there was a jealous girlfriend around, but there wasn’t. Maybe he was waiting for a friend? A steakhouse wasn’t exactly the type of place for a very romantic dinner... and she had watched him the whole afternoon in the lodge. There had been no sign of a girlfriend and the only female with them had been too young and his sister, she had later realized. “Are you here all alone?”
Michael motioned to the opposite side of the table that was obviously just waiting for a second person. “I’m here with my girlfriend... and she’s not interested in sharin’ either.”
Damn it, she thought. Why were all the hot looking guys up here already taken?
Maria smirked when she overheard Michael’s comment and she decided to play it cool. “Hey,” she greeted the other woman politely and lifted her hand to her mouth to whisper in her direction. “One of the toilets is clogged, you might wanna fix that.” She made a serious face as if she really believed the woman was authorized for repairs like that.
Michael bit back a grin at the obvious insult. “So, yeah, like I was sayin’ I’m all taken.”
The other woman left without saying another word and Maria shook her head at Michael with a grin as she sat down on the opposite side. “I can’t leave ya alone for a second.”
He held his hands up. “What? Can I help it if women are interested? I think she was lookin’ for a three-way this afternoon. She’s a waitress over at the lodge and she had a weird interest in me an’ Bren.”
“Uh-huh... well, sex with two of you...” she grinned, “the woman has good taste. But she chose the wrong guys.”
“Ungh, gross,” he muttered and shuddered comically.
She laughed. “Obviously she’s never had a man in bed that really paid any attention to her because if she had she wouldn’t be looking for a three-way.”
“Glad we don’t have to worry ‘bout that.”
She took the menu from the table and studied it. “Hmm, what’re we gonna eat?”
“I’m kinda leanin’ towards the rib eye steak, but I can’t decide between the baked potato and the fries.”
“I’ll order the fries, you order the baked potato and we’ll split it half and half?”
“That works.”
“But what do I eat with it? I can’t decide.”
“What’re you lookin’ at?” he asked, leaning forward.
“Hmm... there’s steak with herb butter or the grilled chicken. I’m so hungry right now I wanna eat both,” she said with a grin.
“Get the chicken and we’ll go half and half, how’s that?”
She smiled. “Genius idea.”
“We’re good like that.”
“Did ya already order something to drink?”
“Just ordered soda... didn’t know what ya wanted with dinner.”
“Hmm... maybe I’ll have a wine.”
He shook his head. “Beer.”
Maria waited for Michael to place their order when the waiter joined them. “So, how was your afternoon out with your brothers and sister?” she asked when they were alone again.
“It was good for us to get out like that. It’s always fun when we’re out with other people, but I think that’s really the first time it’s just been the four of us.” He rolled his eyes. “Brooke made another pitch for her independence.” He sighed. “Kid’s in a hurry to be all grown up.”
She laughed. “I think a lot of what she says she is only saying because she knows how much you guys react to it.”
“When that waitress was hittin’ on me an’ Bren earlier Brooke started talkin’ shit and she busted out with a ménage à trios comment that just about made Alex pass out,” he laughed.
“Well, she is 16. Nobody can expect her to be all that innocent at that age. Well, Liz was, but she really was a big exception.”
“Right. Guess I can’t really expect my little sister to stay all sweet and innocent, huh?”
“No,” she laughed. “Definitely not.”
He frowned when the waiter came back and placed two salads on the table. He knew the meals came with soup or salad, but somehow he had overlooked it.
“A little bit of healthy food won’t hurt, Michael.”
“No, of course not.” He grabbed the bottle of Ranch dressing and he uncapped it, squeezing it all over his salad and drowning the lettuce.
Maria rolled her eyes at him. “That’s enough, Michael.”
“If I can still taste the lettuce, it’s not enough,” he disagreed.
“Goofy.”
“I don’t think they put enough cheese on mine,” he muttered as he picked several sliced radishes out of the messy salad.
Maria winced when her cell phone started to ring in her bag and several guests looked at them, a little annoyed. “Oops,” she reached down to get it out.
“Mom, hi,” she whispered. “I can’t really talk right now.”
Michael glanced up at her. “Tell ‘er I said hi,” he said as he turned his attention back to his salad.
She nodded. “Yeah, we’re out for dinner, so that’s why I can’t really talk right now. Uh-huh, yeah, it’s really nice here. And Michael says hi.”
She glanced up at him. “She says hi to you too.”
He grinned and nodded, lifting his head when their waiter passed by. “Hey, buddy,” he called, motioning the guy over, “think I could get some extra cheese for my salad?”
“Sure, I’ll be right back.”
“Okay, Mom. I really need to hang up now. I’ll call you later, okay? Okay, bye.” She put her cell back in her bag after turning the ringer off. “She really has the worst timing.”
“What’s she doin’?” he asked, picking through his drenched lettuce and making sure there were no other unwelcome surprises.
“She’s had a day off for once.”
“Cool.” He nodded in thanks when the waiter set a little bowl filled with shredded cheese. He dumped the whole think on top of his salad and mixed it all up before finally digging in and taking a big bite. “Much better,” he muttered.
“You are such a pig,” she shook her head at him. “But I still love you.”
He shrugged and grinned at her. “How was your afternoon with the girls?” he asked between bites. It was better to just get the salad out of the way as fast as possible.
“It was fun. Liz and her no longer existing V-card was the major theme.”
“How come you girls can talk about that but if us guys talk about it it’s like we’re keepin’ score or bein’ rude or somethin’?”
“We don’t talk about it in public and we don’t high five each other.”
He snorted. “Okay, but Max busts my chops every time I say somethin’.”
She lifted her eyebrows. “Do ya talk to Kyle and Max about us havin’ sex?”
“Well... no.” His brows pulled down in a frown for a moment. “Oh...” he said slowly.
“See? Ya don’t share the details when you’re seriously interested in the other person.”
He had never really thought about it like that. “Guess that makes sense.”
“It does.”
“Huh.” He shook his head. “Next topic. I’m tired of that one.”
“Guerin, is that you?!” a male voice demanded.
“Man, that’s not Guerin... the guy doesn’t take chicks out to dinner before nailin’ ‘em.”
Michael glanced over his shoulder and his eyes widened slightly when he saw the three guys heading for their table. “Uh, Maria...”
“Yeah?” she glanced up from her salad.
“Maybe you could ignore the guys headin’ this way,” he suggested just before they arrived, grabbing chairs from other tables and dragging them over to join the couple at the table.
Fics: A Xmas Story - A Merry Mt. R. Xmas - Cupid's Revenge - Double Trouble - Double Date - Double Dare - Double Empire - Double Xmas Wish - In The Course Of A Lifetime - Mountains So High - Not A Question At All - Surrender - TIC TAC - Two Double Dates at Xmas
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Double Trouble
- Obsessed Roswellian
- Posts: 925
- Joined: Tue Dec 16, 2008 9:47 am
Double Trouble (CC, AU, Adult) - Part 108 - 4/3/10
Alien_Friend: Always gotta be something to keep it interesting, lol.
Glad that made ya laugh!
Maria did well with the waitress situation.
It was great to see the Guerin siblings hanging out together and just having fun.
kismet: Hey, as long as it made ya laugh!
Brooke is still pushing for her brothers to recognize that she’s growing up.
Hmm… we could have drama coming up.
Earth2Mama: Keep your fingers crossed!
Yeah, publicly announcing “Ki-Ki” probably isn’t something Michael was looking forward to.
Oh, yeah, these guys are gonna learn.
Liz is doing great, lol… and yup, she definitely shocked Tess!
mary mary: LOL, some things are just universal!
Yeah, these guys are not the company our Candy couple was looking for at dinner.
Max and Caela… yup, both too cute.
Natalie36: Either one is a possibility.
Eva: The Guerin family is finally doing well.
Liz and Tess, lol… looks like Liz has finally gotten the upper hand.
Yep, these guys aren’t exactly the kinda guys Michael wants around his girl.
begonia9508: That may be what her brothers would prefer, but Brooke’s not gonna let that happen!
sarammlover: We’ll see what happens… but, Michael and Maria have come a long way. Yup, hangin’ out, just the four of them, was a good thing.
Maiqu: Hmm… bad feelings about these guys… seems you’re not alone there!
Part 108 – Hangin’ ‘round the Christmas Tree
Maria didn’t have time to ask any questions before they had company in the form of three guys who obviously know Michael.
“Told you it was him, Don,” the first guy said as he turned to Maria. “What’s up?”
She lifted one eyebrow. “Do I know you?”
He grinned, showing off perfect teeth. “Not yet.”
“Back off, Tommy,” Michael growled.
Maria took another bite of her salad, waiting to see if Michael would introduce them or not.
“Hey, so, we saw the lights up at the cabin last night and we were wonderin’ when you guys are openin’ up party central?” Don asked, wondering at Guerin’s warning tone.
“Yeah, Pete keeps sayin’ he saw you with a kid and some chick out on the slopes the other day but I told him he had to be full of shit,” Tommy said, motioning to the third guy with them.
Michael glanced at the guys and then at Maria, noting the way she was watching the guys and listening to the conversation. She was waiting to see if he would introduce them but he wasn’t really interested in them sticking around. They weren’t the kinda guys he wanted around the girl he was hoping to have in his life for the next 50 or 60 years.
Yeah, they were great to party with and hang out with and he had known them since he and Kyle had first started coming up to Tahoe every year, but... They weren’t like Kyle or Max, guys that he trusted to be there if he wasn’t around. He wouldn’t leave any of these jackals around his girl if he wasn’t there.
“We’re not really lookin’ to open the place up for parties this year,” he muttered finally.
Maria felt a little unsure what to do. No one was introducing her and Michael seemed to be uncomfortable.
“No parties?” Tommy asked, shocked. “Dude, you guys throw the best parties up here!”
“Yeah, well, it’s different this year.”
The three guys exchanged a look before turning to look at the only girl at the table.
“Dude, seriously, have you seen the buffet of fine ass up on the slopes this year?” Tommy asked, turning back to Michael. “Look, a lot of the regulars are up here and people are gonna be expectin’ one of those wild parties you guys throw.”
“Why don’t you party at one of your cabins then?”
“Man, our places are time-shares... you guys actually own yours! You know what we get charged to have someone come in and clean up after a party?” Don demanded. He reached over and punched the third guy, Pete, in the shoulder. “Convince him, man.”
Maria’s eyes widened. Owned it? Seriously?
Michael shifted uncomfortably. “We’re kinda doin’ the family thing this year, so... no parties, guys.”
The guys made faces at that news. “You’re here with your family?”
“That’s right, wanna make somethin’ of it?” he snapped.
“No offense, man,” Tommy said and turned to Maria. “So, are you part of the family?”
Maria wanted to just put it out there, say she was Michael’s girlfriend, and shut the guys up but while she was perfectly secure in her relationship with him he was being put on the spot and she knew how uncomfortable that made him.
“She’s my girlfriend,” Michael said.
Tommy had just picked up a dinner roll from the basket in the center of the table and he paused with it halfway to his mouth. “Wait... she’s your... your what?”
“Someone needs to clean his ears out,” Maria muttered.
“Dude,” Don lowered his voice as he leaned in towards Michael, “I mean, she’s cute an’ all, but, c’mon, have you seen the women up here?”
Maria reached out and tapped the guy on the shoulder. She leaned forward and whispered just the same way he had just done with Michael. “And have you noticed that your ass is gonna get kicked soon?”
He snorted and let his gaze rake over her as if she were nothing more than a pesky insect. “Was I talkin’ to you?”
“Leave ‘er alone,” Michael grumbled. He didn’t want to start a fight in here, but Tommy was gong way too far.
“Hey, s’all good, man,” Tommy said as he held his hands up. “Just never figured you for the type to let some chick put you on a leash.”
“Things change,” Michael answered with a shrug.
“Yeah, just never thought you would.” Tommy shook his head. He didn’t understand it and didn’t want to either. “Okay, well, whatever, man, where’re the others? I’m sure Evans and Valenti still know how to hang with the big dogs.”
Michael grinned a little. “Well, to use your words: They’re on the leash as well. Sorry.”
“You’ve gotta be kiddin’,” Don exclaimed. “ALL of you?!”
“Yep,” he nodded, glancing at Maria to see how she was doing. Was she mad?
Maria was watching the back and forth conversation, amused by the disbelief expressed on the guys’ faces. She nodded to let Michael know everything was okay when she realized he was looking at her.
The waiter approached the table with their meals. “Here you go. Can I get you anything else?”
Pete nudged Tommy before he could say anything else. “Let’s get goin’, man. I think the party’s over for Guerin.”
Maria waited until the boys had mumbled their goodbyes and left before she turned to Michael. “Seems like they’re not too happy about me.”
“Their happiness is of no importance to me,” he said as he cut into his steak.
Maria decided to leave it there for now. She wanted to enjoy dinner first, but on the way back she had some questions for him.
“We used to party together,” he said, sensing that she was already starting to make a mental list of questions.
“Yeah, already figured that out.”
“Uh-huh,” he said slowly and leaned back in his chair. “Okay, hit me with it... first question, let’s go.”
She almost chuckled. He knew her so well. “Um, okay. Most importantly… You OWN the cabin?”
“Oh, that...” That was the most important thing, huh? Cool.
“Yeah, me, Kyle and Max kinda went in together and bought it.”
“Why didn’t you tell me? I mean, we talked about the cabin and building our own house and you never mentioned it”
“I guess I didn’t want you to read anything into it. We originally got the place to get away and party... I don’t think any of us really ever thought we’d be bringin’ girlfriends or family up here.”
“Your parties up here were pretty wild, huh?”
Michael nodded. “Yeah, that’s a pretty accurate description.”
“Uh-huh...” She took one of the baked potatoes from his plate and took a bite.
He rolled his eyes and motioned to her plate. “You gonna share your fries?”
“Sure,” she pushed her plate a little bit more to the middle of the table.
“Are you mad ‘cause I didn’t say anything?”
“You could’ve at least introduced me, Michael. Even if those guys were obviously total horndogs.”
“Oh, well... I was talkin’ about not tellin’ you about the cabin.” He glanced back over his shoulder, glancing at the bar near the entrance where the guys had taken up residence. “You want me to go introduce you?”
She rolled her eyes at him. “No, it’s to late for that now. About the cabin... well I don’t really know why you didn’t tell me, but well...”
“It’s not too late if you really want me to introduce you to that bunch of degenerates. About ownin’ the cabin, I told you, I just didn’t want any misunderstandings. I know what it looks like... up until a few months ago, me, Kyle and Max were single... this place was party central when we came up here... and I know how quickly things can go from calm to Category 5 with us.” He picked at his steak. “Just didn’t want that.”
“Let’s just eat, okay? And gimme a piece of that steak!”
He lifted one eyebrow in question, still not sure that he wasn’t about to be roasted over an open fire. He cut off a portion of the steak and slid it onto her plate.
She did the same with her grilled chicken before she leaned back in her chair to eat.
Michael cleared his throat. “So... I know you’re not done with what you’ve got to say,” he said slowly.
She glanced up at him. “I don’t know what to say.”
“Am I in trouble?” he asked, playing with a French fry instead of eating it.
She shrugged. “Guess not.”
“You guess not... Why not? I mean, I don’t wanna be in trouble, but... how come I’m not?”
She sighed. Since when did HE want to talk about anything? “I don’t know. I don’t wanna make a big deal out of it, okay? It’s just... it feels a little weird but I’ll get over it.”
Damn, how did he manage to always find a way to trip himself up? “Okay.”
“Okay.” She stared down at her food, not really hungry anymore. Great, this was stupid.
“Okay, you said this wasn’t an issue, right?” He took a deep breath. “So we’re not gonna let it ruin tonight, right?”
She glanced up at him and nodded. “Right.”
“Alright, so let’s talk about somethin’ else... you choose the topic.”
“Hmm... okay. What ya think about Alex marrying Isabel?”
Leave it to Maria to pick marriage, he thought. “I think they both know what they want, but I also think they’re smart to wait, ya know?”
“Think he would’ve asked her already if she wasn’t pregnant?”
“Knowin’ Alex the only reason he hadn’t asked before now is ‘cause he thought she’d think he was askin’ because of the baby. One thing about Alex... he knows what he wants and he doesn’t do anything without really thinkin’ about it.''
“And he is still your brother,” she joked.
“What’s that mean?” he asked curiously.
“The part where you said he doesn’t do anything without thinkin’ about it first part... guess you didn’t get that attribute from your shared genes.” She took a fry and studied it. “When will you start lookin’ for your real Dad?”
He shifted uncomfortably at the mention of his biological father. He’d rather talk about marriage. “I guess when Alex’s lawyer gets some info on the guy.”
She nodded. “Maybe that’ll be somethin’ you can write on your note on New Years’ Eve. You know, about what you think you’ll be doin’ in the next four years.”
“'I thought that was just some goofy thing you girls were gonna do?”
“C’mon, we should all do it together.”
“It’s kind of a chick thing, Maria.”
She rolled her eyes. “It kinda doesn’t count for you guys anyway, ‘cause you’re already a year ahead of us in college.”
“So, it’s what?” he asked. “Where we see ourselves in four years as far as jobs? Relationships? Where we live? Stuff like that?”
“Whatever you think of.”
A slow smile lifted the corners of his lips. “Okay.”
She looked at him. “But it has to be something real!”
He shrugged. “Trust me, it’s as real as it gets.”
“And you’re not allowed to tell anyone until we open it up again,” she warned.
“So, I can’t even tell you?” He pretended to ponder over that. “That should make things interesting.”
“Nope, not even me, buddy.”
“Okay, but you’re gonna wanna know.”
“That’s not fair, Michael,” she complained.
“You’re the one who wants me to do this, so I’m gonna have some fun with it.”
She shook her head with a grin. “Sucker!”
He snorted. “We’ll see.”
“I’m not tellin’ you either.”
“Um-hmm, maybe not, but you’re the one who’s gonna be tryin’ to figure it out.”
“Nope.”
“Okay,” he said in a tone that told her he didn’t believe her.
She rolled her eyes at him and concentrated on eating.
Michael relaxed when her appetite resurfaced and she dug into her meal.
“When will we go back to Cali?” she asked and took a sip of his beer.
“Whenever we want to.” He shrugged. “Could kinda wait around and let everyone else go back first... just depends on what we wanna do.”
“Isabel, Alex, and Brooke are leavin’ tomorrow, right?”
“Yeah, I think so. Alex couldn’t get the entire two weeks off.”
“Maybe we can stay until the 29th or something?”
He nodded. Maybe he’d get lucky and she’d forget about his birthday. “Sure, we can do that.”
“And when we get home you’re gonna show me the place we talked about the other night.”
“The property out by the lake?”
“Yeah.”
He nodded. “You’ll love it out there. It’s quiet and the view’s awesome.”
“How far is it from campus?”
“Maybe about 45 minutes if you hit traffic comin’ into the city.”
She nodded and shoved her plate a little away from her. “I’m full.”
“No dessert?”
“I can’t eat anything else,” she said, rubbing her belly.
He grinned and shook his head. “I saved room for dessert, but we can always just get it to go and enjoy it later... together.”
She smiled. “Okay.”
“No babysitting duty, no group games, no hangin’ out with everyone... just the two of us, dessert, and some seriously hot sex.”
“Uh-huh, do ya remember that we’re supposed to sit around the tree together and exchange presents when we get back to the cabin?”
“Maria,” he whined, “I’m needin’ some attention.”
She lifted one eyebrow. “Are you saying I’m paying too little attention to you?”
“No, I’m just sayin’ that it’s kinda impossible for us to get much alone time when the place is full of people and we keep agreein’ to do stuff all together.”
“We can have a lot of time alone when we get back to Cali, Michael.”
“I’m not gonna get outta this, am I?”
“Nope.”
“Hell, Brooke cleaned up this year... I think most of the stuff under the tree has her name on it. Kinda sucks that we didn’t know Caela was gonna be here though.”
“She’s still too young to realize what’s going on. Karen told me earlier that she wanted to wait for our presents exchanges until she had put Caela to bed.”
“Maybe we can get her somethin’ when we get back home. Just not right for her not to get anything from us.”
“Anything you can think of?”
“Well, no, not yet.”
She took a sip of his beer again. “I’ll try to think of something.”
“You seem to have a thing for my beer tonight,” he observed.
She shrugged with a sweet smile.
He shook his head at her. “How much time do we have before we need to be back?”
Maria glanced at her watch. “Not much.”
“What kinda dessert ya wanna get?”
“You pick it out,” she decided.
“Somethin’ with chocolate?” He grinned wickedly. “Whipped cream?”
“Definitely,” she answered with a nod.
He snapped his fingers to get their waiter’s attention and as soon as the man reached him Michael placed their dessert order to go. “Oh, tell whoever’s preparing it to keep the chocolate sauce separate from the cake and don’t put the whipped cream or cherries on top either.” He waved his hand dismissively. “Matter of fact, just tell ‘em we’ll take the can of whipped cream and the jar of cherries.” He ignored the man’s speculative look and glared at him when he dared to smirk in Maria’s direction.
Maria laughed. “Did ya really think that kinda order was.... subtle? Anyone would know what that’s about, Michael.”
“Maybe I just like cherries and whipped cream.”
“Yeah, sure.”
“And I do... just like ‘em better when they’re bein’ served on you.”
It only took a few moments before the waiter was back with the dessert. “Anything else, sir?”
Michael turned to look at him slowly when he detected the hint of knowing amusement in the man’s tone. “Not unless you were waitin’ for an invitation to tag along for dessert. Which, just for the record, is an invitation that I won’t be extending.”
The waiter grumbled something as he turned and left the table.
“Don’t be rude, Michael.”
“I’m not bein’ rude,” he denied. “He just doesn’t need to be imaginin’ you naked except for whipped cream an’ cherries.”
“You’re gonna have to deal with it, Michael; I’m sexy and everyone wants to see me naked,” she teased.
“Yeah, well, no one gets that privilege except me.”
She grinned. “You are so hot when you’re territorial, baby.”
“Ya know it’s just wrong to say stuff like that and then make me go back to the cabin an’ sit around a tree to watch Brooke open presents.”
She rolled her eyes at him. “You’ll survive it and after that we can go to our room and snuggle up. Just the two of us.”
“Snuggling’s fun, but...”
“Not satisfied with that, huh?”
“Well, not JUST that.”
“Come on, we should go.”
He nodded and grabbed the sack with dessert inside and grinned smugly as he followed her to the entrance so he could pay the cashier. “Y’know you’re a little tease, right?” he hissed, unable to keep his eyes off of the sexy swing in her hips.
“Really?” She asked, feigning surprise.
“Oh, yeah,” he snorted. “Like you don’t know.” He handed her the sack so he could pull his wallet out and retrieve a credit card, handing it over to the cashier. He drummed his fingers on the counter in irritation when the woman’s eyes widened at the itemized charges.
Maria shook her head slightly when the woman behind the counter let her gaze wander over Michael a little too obviously. She glanced back into the restaurant and caught the eye of one of the guys Michael had talked to earlier. They were obviously checking her out, trying to figure out why he was no longer chasing after every available female in the vicinity.
“You wanna just ring that up? We’ve got plans an’ you’re holdin’ us up.”
“Sure,” the woman said and got everything done before she handed him the credit card back. “Here ya go. Thanks for visiting.”
Michael grunted and put his card away as they walked to the double doors and he grabbed one, pulling on it and holding it open for Maria without thinking about his actions.
“Uh... you’re turning into a real gentleman, Guerin,” she said as she walked past him.
“Huh?”
She waved him off. “Nothing. C’mon, big boy.”
He shrugged when she let it go. He had no idea what was going through her head and he probably wouldn’t understand it if she did tell him.
*****
It was shortly after 9 pm when they finally managed to come together around the Christmas tree in the living room of the cabin. The only light sources in the room were the fire in the fireplace and some candles that had been lit and set up high enough that little hands couldn’t reach them.
It had taken them almost an hour to exchange all the presents they had brought for each other. Somehow, everyone had managed to buy a little something for Caela who had strictly refused to go to bed when she was supposed to.
Now the little girl was lying in her fathers lap, barely able to keep her eyes open for more than a few seconds at a time.
“I think someone is finally beat,” Brendan said, amused as he lifted his daughter up in his arms carefully. “I’ll take her to bed. I doubt that it’ll take long tonight.”
Karen smiled. “She won’t even see you walking out the door again before she’s sound asleep.”
Brooke was lying next to the fireplace and studying the new cell phone her brothers had bought her for Christmas. An expensive PDA. She knew the boys had given it to her for their own good as well because the tiny thing was able to do everything a laptop could do and she would be available everywhere. It was kinda like an electronic dog collar, she thought. Although it was pretty cool.
Michael was slouched down next to Maria on one of the couches, watching the people who meant more to him than he could ever adequately express as they looked over the small pile of gifts they had each gotten. He leaned his head on Maria’s shoulder and sighed contentedly. “This’s what it’s supposed to be like, huh?” he asked quietly.
She smiled and wrapped her hands around the cup of hot chocolate Max had made for all the girls – even Tess. “Yeah, this is what Christmas should be about.”
“It doesn’t suck like I thought it would.” He grimaced as he remembered their return to the cabin earlier that evening and he had realized that Isabel wasn’t simply admiring the tree, she had been examining it for any deviations from her diagram.
“Told you so.”
“Gimme a break, M’ria,” he mumbled.
“From what?”
He smiled sleepily as the heat from the fireplace and the feeling of contentment combined to make him drowsy. “No more told you so’s.”
She chuckled. “Okay, but only until tomorrow.”
“Um-hmm, I’ll take what I can get.” He nodded at his sister. “I think her phone’s cooler than mine.”
“Envious?”
“Yeah.”
“Ya don’t need a better one. ‘Cause I’m planning to be with you most of the time... who else are you gonna call?”
“Guerin just doesn’t like that someone has better toys,” Kyle said, looking up from a new video game he had gotten.
“Yeah,” Max agreed, “our electronics in the apartment cost a little fortune ‘cause Guerin wanted everything to be high-end products.”
“Oh, yeah, like you guys are any different. Don’t act like you aren’t the same when it comes to the electronics. Valenti’s got every available gaming system on the market and don’t get me started on that surround sound system you had to have, Evans,” Michael said when they tried to put it all on him.
“And don’t even start with your coffee obsession,” Liz said, winking at her boyfriend who was sitting on the floor between her legs, while she was comfortably lounging in the armchair.
“You just don’t know good coffee, darlin’. As much as I hate to admit it, the only one here who understands that particular obsession is Tess... who still hasn’t paid for any of my coffee.” He shot a glare at the blond when she stuck her tongue out at him.
Liz nudged him with her right knee. “You got a gift card for a year’s supply from Maria and Michael.”
“Yeah, and it’s only gonna last half the year with Tess helpin’ me drink it.”
“You’re such a penny pincher, Evans. You always eat the leftovers when I cook dinner. That’s my way of paying it back.”
“Yeah, because the food you cook is...” he trailed off when Liz gave him a nudge that wasn’t so subtle this time. “Lock an’ key, Harding... No more coffee for you, and I’ll move the coffee maker into my room if I have to.”
“You suck!”
He just grinned and shrugged. “My coffee and until you keep your promise to pay for half of what you’ve already shared you’re not getting anymore of mine. Now, you wanna do that then I’ll share my gift... won’t even charge you for it, but only if you live up to your end of our agreement.”
She rolled her eyes. “Fine, ya know it was supposed to be a surprise, but I ordered a six-month supply of the coffee and it should be delivered when we get back home... ha! I didn’t forget to buy you a present, Evans.”
“Seriously?” He groaned and dropped his head back against Liz’s leg. “Damn, I didn’t forget your present either, got you the same thing.” He laughed suddenly. “Wonder if it was our orders that caused the coffee to go on backorder?”
Maria chuckled. “Seems like you two have a lot of coffee to drink in the next year, huh?”
“Between the two of us we might just survive the year,” Max joked.
“Does this mean no coffee fights next year?” Kyle asked.
“Sounds like it,” Tess said with a grin.
“Thank God.”
“I miss coffee,” Isabel said after listening to their banter over the drink.
“Aww, it’s just a few more months, Iz,” Maria tried.
“That’ll probably be the first thing she does after our baby’s born,” Alex said, teasing her as he brushed her hair back and kissed her.
Brendan came back into the room and joined Karen again. “She was asleep before I had the chance to lay her down.”
“Yeah, this was pretty exciting for her. So many people and presents... it got her all worked up.”
He laughed when Spike and Buffy peered around the corner of one of the couches, searching for Caela before they crept out of hiding and ran across the room to plaster themselves to Brooke’s side. “I don’t think the dog’s care for Caela’s attentions.”
“They just need some time to get used to her,” Brooke said.
“She’s never really been around animals,” Karen said.
“You should see Isabel’s dog.” Brooke grinned at Alex when he rolled his eyes. “Big brother wouldn’t let us bring him home. I think he was intimidated by Socs.”
“That dog is... big,” Maria admitted.
“Max leaned his head back to look at his girlfriend who had been pretty quiet the last few minutes. “Wanna go to bed?” he asked quietly
“Impatient to see me wearin’ the gift Tess gave me?” she asked, barely suppressing the urge to roll her eyes at the rather risqué negligee Tess had given her.
He just wiggled her eyebrows at her.
She thumped the back of his head and wondered if she would even be able to figure the stupid thing out. It had seemed to have more openings in it than actual material.
Maria watched Max and Liz leave after they had told them good night. “Seems like your present might be seein’ some action now,” Maria told Tess with a grin.
“Of course it will.” Tess smirked. “And the beauty of a gift like that is it keeps on giving.”
“You got somethin’ you wanna give me?” Kyle teased as he turned the video game off and snuggled closer to his girlfriend.
She pouted. “Don’t you like the game?”
He snorted. “Love it.” He nipped her earlobe. “Love you more, though.”
A slow grin spread over her features. “Then you definitely deserve one more gift... you’re gonna have to unwrap me in private though.”
“Let’s go,” he growled and started to get up.
“Room’s clearin’ out pretty fast,” Michael muttered.
“Seems like some of the couples need some alone time,” Maria smirked.
“Some of ‘em are just makin’ up for lost time,” Michael said, leaning over to scoop Spike up when the little dog jumped up against his leg.
“Well,” Alex cleared his throat, “since it’s just the Guerin family right now... I’ve gotta say somethin’.”
They all turned when Alex spoke, his words and tone commanding their attention.
“God, tell me nothing’s wrong. I can’t stand anymore surprises, Alex,” Brendan complained.
“Yeah, not sure I’m ready for anymore surprises either,” Michael agreed.
“Maybe it’s something good,” Maria said her tone doubtful.
Brooke looked around the room, her eyes revealing her worry.
“Well, not so much a surprise, no,” Alex assured them. “I guess you could say it’s just additional information regarding a recent surprise. Ben called me earlier to let me know that his investigator’s located your biological father.”
The twins stared at each other, neither of them knowing what to say. “Um... where’s he live?” Maria asked when there was an awkward silence in the room.
“He lives in Carson City, Nevada,” Alex answered. “It’s about an hour from here.”
“Well, I guess you should take the advantage and get to know him then while you are up here,” Brooke guessed to everyone’s surprise.
Michael shifted uncomfortably. It was easier to talk about finding and meeting Adam before he knew it was actually something within his grasp. He glanced at Brendan, wondering what he was thinking.
Brendan leaned his head back against the armchair he and Karen were sitting in front of now. “Who the hell decided that our lives were gonna be turned upside down in only a few weeks?”
“Bren, you don’t have to meet him if you don’t want to,” Karen assured him.
“No, I wanna meet him. I’m just... I don’t know. It’s hard to imagine.”
She rubbed his shoulder. “I know it’s a lot to take in, so don’t rush into a decision.”
“You should just do it now,” Brooke said. “It won’t be any better to postpone it because you won’t feel any better until it’s over and we have some answers. So why not go into the new year without any secrets left?”
“Since when are you a fan of this particular investigation?” Michael asked.
“I just wanna get it over with,” she told him honestly.
“You still worried that it’s gonna change things between us?” Brendan asked, watching her carefully.
“No.... it’s just... what if he has another surprise to reveal, ya know? I wanna know it now so I don’t have to worry about it anymore.”
“Jeez, kid, what kinda surprise could he have?” Michael asked. He hadn’t considered that Adam might have a surprise or two for them.
“I don’t know... and I really don’t wanna start thinking about it,” his sister told him.
“Maybe it’d be easier for Ben’s investigator to go talk to this guy,” Michael said, already feeling himself chickening out.
Alex shook his head. “I really doubt that he’d do that. The investigator lives in New York and he was just doin’ Ben a favor with this.”
“Oh.” Michael played with the ID tags on Spike’s collar. “So, we’d have to contact him then.”
“We could call him and see if he’s willing to meet,” Maria suggested.
“What’re we gonna say? Oh, hey, Adam... I know you’re probably not lookin’ for a couple of kids that’re our age, but hey, here we are.”
“Well, just showing up at his place and telling him about this would be much worse, wouldn’t it?”
“Huh... hangin’ up or slammin’ a door in our faces... both options suck.”
“You won’t find out if you don’t try,” Karen said.
“You didn’t try,” Michael snapped without thinking.
“Michael,” Brendan warned him.
Damn it, he hadn’t meant to say that and seeing the hurt expression on Karen’s face just made him feel worse. “Sorry,” he muttered. “This situation just makes me edgy.”
“We don’t have to decide this tonight,” Maria said, trying to clear the air.
“How do you just call some guy you’ve never met and tell him that 21 years ago he fathered twin boys?” Michael grumbled.
“Just say it straight out, I guess,” Brooke said. “There’s really no way to say it that’s gonna make it less shocking.”
“This’s stupid,” he snarled. “He’s not gonna want anything to do with us. We should just leave it alone.”
The teenager shook her head. “No.”
He slowly lifted his head to look at his sister when she spoke. “Why?”
“Because you’ll always wonder what if...”
“And maybe that’s better than the alternative.”
“The worst case is that he doesn’t want to have anything to do with you. So what? If not then at least you tried.”
“Yeah, because I handle rejection so well.”
“Cut it out, Michael,” Alex insisted. “No one handles rejection well. Look, either you do this or you don’t, but it’s not gonna make or break you. If he wants to get to know you, fine, and if he doesn’t it’s his loss. Any man worth his salt would be proud to have you two as his sons.”
Maria thought about her own father and almost snorted at that, but bit her inner cheek instead because she knew that wouldn’t help Michael at all.
“I hope the guy’s willing to listen to what you’ve got to say and I really hope he takes the time to really get to know the two of you, but if he’s too stupid to see what’s right in front of him, then you guys are better off without him. You guys will always have us no matter what happens with Adam.”
“That’s true,” Maria said nodding and glanced at Michael.
He shrugged one shoulder. “I guess we can decide what we wanna do later.” He glanced at Brendan. “Unless you already know what you wanna do?”
“I guess I need to sleep on it.”
Michael was relieved when Brendan didn’t have an answer ready.
Alex nodded. “Take your time with it. I’ll leave the address here just in case since we’re gonna leave tomorrow.”
“Oh, right, forgot you guys were leavin’ so soon,” Brendan said.
Michael sighed and stretched his legs out in front of him. “You gonna be here for breakfast?”
“Depends... we have to be at the airport at 10, so it’d have to be an early breakfast.”
Michael glanced over at Brooke. “You gonna get up early so we can have breakfast before ya go, brat?”
“Sure.”
He clapped his hands together. “Great.” He turned to look at Alex and Isabel. “So you guys will be makin’ breakfast?”
“How about Maria and I make breakfast since they have to pack?” Karen suggested.
“How about no?” Michael interrupted. “We’ve been up early for one thing or another since we got here... I’d like to laze around in bed with my girl for once.”
Karen rolled her eyes. “Fine. I’ll make breakfast then.”
“I’ll help you,” Brendan told her.
Maria leaned over and bumped Michael’s shoulder with hers. “You don’t have to be so irritable. I know this’s difficult, but it doesn’t mean you have to act like a dick.” She kept her tone light, but still let him know that his behavior wasn’t acceptable.
He didn’t respond to that and stared into the fireplace.
“I’m gonna call it a night,” Brooke told them and got to her feet. “G’night everyone.”
Alex watched his brothers as they sat there lost in their own thoughts. “Would it make it easier on you guys if I called Adam and spoke with him?”
Brendan looked at Alex and shook his head slowly. “We should probably do that on our own.”
“That’s okay as long as you guys understand that we’re still here for you, no matter what happens.”
Maria watched Michael carefully and laid one hand over his when he continued to stare into the fireplace.
He glanced down when her hand slid over his and he looked at her as he turned his hand over and linked their fingers together.
“You’re lost in your thoughts,” she pointed out the obvious quietly.
“Sorry,” he mumbled. “Just wonderin’ what this guy’s like... if he even has any interest in knowin’ about us.”
“We’ll find out.”
“Yeah, I guess.”
“Wanna go to bed?”
“You gonna make me forget all about this for a while?” he asked, feeling a grin tugging at his lips.
Maria shook her head in amusement. “You wouldn’t be Michael Guerin if ya hadn’t asked that huh? Horny boy.”
“What? I’ve got chocolate sauce, cherries, and whipped cream,” he growled.
“Um... the chocolate sauce and cake’s kinda gone,” Brendan muttered guiltily.
“Gone?” Michael asked his brother irritated.
“Well, since Max was chowin’ down on the jar of cherries an’ Kyle an’ Tess were messin’ around with the whipped cream I just figured it was every man for himself... it wasn’t for everyone?”
Michael groaned out loud. “Did ya hear that, M’ria? They ate our dessert.”
“Guess that means it’s just you, me, and Mike Jr. then.” She reached up to rub at the frown lines between his eyes. “We don’t need the extras to have hot sex.”
“You’re gonna pay for this, Bren,” he told his brother while looking at Maria.
“Me? What about Max and Kyle? What’d you need with all that stuff anyway?”
“Nothin’ that we’re gonna share.”
Brendan’s eyes widened. “You were gonna do naked stuff with it?” He glanced at Karen. “I think I missed that chapter when I was readin’ up on this stuff a few years back.”
Alex rolled his eyes. “Seems like my family is incapable of not talkin’ about sex,” he told Isabel. “I’m ready for bed. You?”
“That depends... will we be doin’ more than talkin’ about sex?” she asked with a grin.
“Come on,” he growled into her ear.
Um-hmm, more than talking was definitely on the menu, she thought as she took his hand and allowed him to pull her up from the couch.
Glad that made ya laugh!
Maria did well with the waitress situation.
It was great to see the Guerin siblings hanging out together and just having fun.
kismet: Hey, as long as it made ya laugh!
Brooke is still pushing for her brothers to recognize that she’s growing up.
Hmm… we could have drama coming up.
Earth2Mama: Keep your fingers crossed!
Yeah, publicly announcing “Ki-Ki” probably isn’t something Michael was looking forward to.
Oh, yeah, these guys are gonna learn.
Liz is doing great, lol… and yup, she definitely shocked Tess!
mary mary: LOL, some things are just universal!
Yeah, these guys are not the company our Candy couple was looking for at dinner.
Max and Caela… yup, both too cute.
Natalie36: Either one is a possibility.
Eva: The Guerin family is finally doing well.
Liz and Tess, lol… looks like Liz has finally gotten the upper hand.
Yep, these guys aren’t exactly the kinda guys Michael wants around his girl.
begonia9508: That may be what her brothers would prefer, but Brooke’s not gonna let that happen!
sarammlover: We’ll see what happens… but, Michael and Maria have come a long way. Yup, hangin’ out, just the four of them, was a good thing.
Maiqu: Hmm… bad feelings about these guys… seems you’re not alone there!
Part 108 – Hangin’ ‘round the Christmas Tree
Maria didn’t have time to ask any questions before they had company in the form of three guys who obviously know Michael.
“Told you it was him, Don,” the first guy said as he turned to Maria. “What’s up?”
She lifted one eyebrow. “Do I know you?”
He grinned, showing off perfect teeth. “Not yet.”
“Back off, Tommy,” Michael growled.
Maria took another bite of her salad, waiting to see if Michael would introduce them or not.
“Hey, so, we saw the lights up at the cabin last night and we were wonderin’ when you guys are openin’ up party central?” Don asked, wondering at Guerin’s warning tone.
“Yeah, Pete keeps sayin’ he saw you with a kid and some chick out on the slopes the other day but I told him he had to be full of shit,” Tommy said, motioning to the third guy with them.
Michael glanced at the guys and then at Maria, noting the way she was watching the guys and listening to the conversation. She was waiting to see if he would introduce them but he wasn’t really interested in them sticking around. They weren’t the kinda guys he wanted around the girl he was hoping to have in his life for the next 50 or 60 years.
Yeah, they were great to party with and hang out with and he had known them since he and Kyle had first started coming up to Tahoe every year, but... They weren’t like Kyle or Max, guys that he trusted to be there if he wasn’t around. He wouldn’t leave any of these jackals around his girl if he wasn’t there.
“We’re not really lookin’ to open the place up for parties this year,” he muttered finally.
Maria felt a little unsure what to do. No one was introducing her and Michael seemed to be uncomfortable.
“No parties?” Tommy asked, shocked. “Dude, you guys throw the best parties up here!”
“Yeah, well, it’s different this year.”
The three guys exchanged a look before turning to look at the only girl at the table.
“Dude, seriously, have you seen the buffet of fine ass up on the slopes this year?” Tommy asked, turning back to Michael. “Look, a lot of the regulars are up here and people are gonna be expectin’ one of those wild parties you guys throw.”
“Why don’t you party at one of your cabins then?”
“Man, our places are time-shares... you guys actually own yours! You know what we get charged to have someone come in and clean up after a party?” Don demanded. He reached over and punched the third guy, Pete, in the shoulder. “Convince him, man.”
Maria’s eyes widened. Owned it? Seriously?
Michael shifted uncomfortably. “We’re kinda doin’ the family thing this year, so... no parties, guys.”
The guys made faces at that news. “You’re here with your family?”
“That’s right, wanna make somethin’ of it?” he snapped.
“No offense, man,” Tommy said and turned to Maria. “So, are you part of the family?”
Maria wanted to just put it out there, say she was Michael’s girlfriend, and shut the guys up but while she was perfectly secure in her relationship with him he was being put on the spot and she knew how uncomfortable that made him.
“She’s my girlfriend,” Michael said.
Tommy had just picked up a dinner roll from the basket in the center of the table and he paused with it halfway to his mouth. “Wait... she’s your... your what?”
“Someone needs to clean his ears out,” Maria muttered.
“Dude,” Don lowered his voice as he leaned in towards Michael, “I mean, she’s cute an’ all, but, c’mon, have you seen the women up here?”
Maria reached out and tapped the guy on the shoulder. She leaned forward and whispered just the same way he had just done with Michael. “And have you noticed that your ass is gonna get kicked soon?”
He snorted and let his gaze rake over her as if she were nothing more than a pesky insect. “Was I talkin’ to you?”
“Leave ‘er alone,” Michael grumbled. He didn’t want to start a fight in here, but Tommy was gong way too far.
“Hey, s’all good, man,” Tommy said as he held his hands up. “Just never figured you for the type to let some chick put you on a leash.”
“Things change,” Michael answered with a shrug.
“Yeah, just never thought you would.” Tommy shook his head. He didn’t understand it and didn’t want to either. “Okay, well, whatever, man, where’re the others? I’m sure Evans and Valenti still know how to hang with the big dogs.”
Michael grinned a little. “Well, to use your words: They’re on the leash as well. Sorry.”
“You’ve gotta be kiddin’,” Don exclaimed. “ALL of you?!”
“Yep,” he nodded, glancing at Maria to see how she was doing. Was she mad?
Maria was watching the back and forth conversation, amused by the disbelief expressed on the guys’ faces. She nodded to let Michael know everything was okay when she realized he was looking at her.
The waiter approached the table with their meals. “Here you go. Can I get you anything else?”
Pete nudged Tommy before he could say anything else. “Let’s get goin’, man. I think the party’s over for Guerin.”
Maria waited until the boys had mumbled their goodbyes and left before she turned to Michael. “Seems like they’re not too happy about me.”
“Their happiness is of no importance to me,” he said as he cut into his steak.
Maria decided to leave it there for now. She wanted to enjoy dinner first, but on the way back she had some questions for him.
“We used to party together,” he said, sensing that she was already starting to make a mental list of questions.
“Yeah, already figured that out.”
“Uh-huh,” he said slowly and leaned back in his chair. “Okay, hit me with it... first question, let’s go.”
She almost chuckled. He knew her so well. “Um, okay. Most importantly… You OWN the cabin?”
“Oh, that...” That was the most important thing, huh? Cool.
“Yeah, me, Kyle and Max kinda went in together and bought it.”
“Why didn’t you tell me? I mean, we talked about the cabin and building our own house and you never mentioned it”
“I guess I didn’t want you to read anything into it. We originally got the place to get away and party... I don’t think any of us really ever thought we’d be bringin’ girlfriends or family up here.”
“Your parties up here were pretty wild, huh?”
Michael nodded. “Yeah, that’s a pretty accurate description.”
“Uh-huh...” She took one of the baked potatoes from his plate and took a bite.
He rolled his eyes and motioned to her plate. “You gonna share your fries?”
“Sure,” she pushed her plate a little bit more to the middle of the table.
“Are you mad ‘cause I didn’t say anything?”
“You could’ve at least introduced me, Michael. Even if those guys were obviously total horndogs.”
“Oh, well... I was talkin’ about not tellin’ you about the cabin.” He glanced back over his shoulder, glancing at the bar near the entrance where the guys had taken up residence. “You want me to go introduce you?”
She rolled her eyes at him. “No, it’s to late for that now. About the cabin... well I don’t really know why you didn’t tell me, but well...”
“It’s not too late if you really want me to introduce you to that bunch of degenerates. About ownin’ the cabin, I told you, I just didn’t want any misunderstandings. I know what it looks like... up until a few months ago, me, Kyle and Max were single... this place was party central when we came up here... and I know how quickly things can go from calm to Category 5 with us.” He picked at his steak. “Just didn’t want that.”
“Let’s just eat, okay? And gimme a piece of that steak!”
He lifted one eyebrow in question, still not sure that he wasn’t about to be roasted over an open fire. He cut off a portion of the steak and slid it onto her plate.
She did the same with her grilled chicken before she leaned back in her chair to eat.
Michael cleared his throat. “So... I know you’re not done with what you’ve got to say,” he said slowly.
She glanced up at him. “I don’t know what to say.”
“Am I in trouble?” he asked, playing with a French fry instead of eating it.
She shrugged. “Guess not.”
“You guess not... Why not? I mean, I don’t wanna be in trouble, but... how come I’m not?”
She sighed. Since when did HE want to talk about anything? “I don’t know. I don’t wanna make a big deal out of it, okay? It’s just... it feels a little weird but I’ll get over it.”
Damn, how did he manage to always find a way to trip himself up? “Okay.”
“Okay.” She stared down at her food, not really hungry anymore. Great, this was stupid.
“Okay, you said this wasn’t an issue, right?” He took a deep breath. “So we’re not gonna let it ruin tonight, right?”
She glanced up at him and nodded. “Right.”
“Alright, so let’s talk about somethin’ else... you choose the topic.”
“Hmm... okay. What ya think about Alex marrying Isabel?”
Leave it to Maria to pick marriage, he thought. “I think they both know what they want, but I also think they’re smart to wait, ya know?”
“Think he would’ve asked her already if she wasn’t pregnant?”
“Knowin’ Alex the only reason he hadn’t asked before now is ‘cause he thought she’d think he was askin’ because of the baby. One thing about Alex... he knows what he wants and he doesn’t do anything without really thinkin’ about it.''
“And he is still your brother,” she joked.
“What’s that mean?” he asked curiously.
“The part where you said he doesn’t do anything without thinkin’ about it first part... guess you didn’t get that attribute from your shared genes.” She took a fry and studied it. “When will you start lookin’ for your real Dad?”
He shifted uncomfortably at the mention of his biological father. He’d rather talk about marriage. “I guess when Alex’s lawyer gets some info on the guy.”
She nodded. “Maybe that’ll be somethin’ you can write on your note on New Years’ Eve. You know, about what you think you’ll be doin’ in the next four years.”
“'I thought that was just some goofy thing you girls were gonna do?”
“C’mon, we should all do it together.”
“It’s kind of a chick thing, Maria.”
She rolled her eyes. “It kinda doesn’t count for you guys anyway, ‘cause you’re already a year ahead of us in college.”
“So, it’s what?” he asked. “Where we see ourselves in four years as far as jobs? Relationships? Where we live? Stuff like that?”
“Whatever you think of.”
A slow smile lifted the corners of his lips. “Okay.”
She looked at him. “But it has to be something real!”
He shrugged. “Trust me, it’s as real as it gets.”
“And you’re not allowed to tell anyone until we open it up again,” she warned.
“So, I can’t even tell you?” He pretended to ponder over that. “That should make things interesting.”
“Nope, not even me, buddy.”
“Okay, but you’re gonna wanna know.”
“That’s not fair, Michael,” she complained.
“You’re the one who wants me to do this, so I’m gonna have some fun with it.”
She shook her head with a grin. “Sucker!”
He snorted. “We’ll see.”
“I’m not tellin’ you either.”
“Um-hmm, maybe not, but you’re the one who’s gonna be tryin’ to figure it out.”
“Nope.”
“Okay,” he said in a tone that told her he didn’t believe her.
She rolled her eyes at him and concentrated on eating.
Michael relaxed when her appetite resurfaced and she dug into her meal.
“When will we go back to Cali?” she asked and took a sip of his beer.
“Whenever we want to.” He shrugged. “Could kinda wait around and let everyone else go back first... just depends on what we wanna do.”
“Isabel, Alex, and Brooke are leavin’ tomorrow, right?”
“Yeah, I think so. Alex couldn’t get the entire two weeks off.”
“Maybe we can stay until the 29th or something?”
He nodded. Maybe he’d get lucky and she’d forget about his birthday. “Sure, we can do that.”
“And when we get home you’re gonna show me the place we talked about the other night.”
“The property out by the lake?”
“Yeah.”
He nodded. “You’ll love it out there. It’s quiet and the view’s awesome.”
“How far is it from campus?”
“Maybe about 45 minutes if you hit traffic comin’ into the city.”
She nodded and shoved her plate a little away from her. “I’m full.”
“No dessert?”
“I can’t eat anything else,” she said, rubbing her belly.
He grinned and shook his head. “I saved room for dessert, but we can always just get it to go and enjoy it later... together.”
She smiled. “Okay.”
“No babysitting duty, no group games, no hangin’ out with everyone... just the two of us, dessert, and some seriously hot sex.”
“Uh-huh, do ya remember that we’re supposed to sit around the tree together and exchange presents when we get back to the cabin?”
“Maria,” he whined, “I’m needin’ some attention.”
She lifted one eyebrow. “Are you saying I’m paying too little attention to you?”
“No, I’m just sayin’ that it’s kinda impossible for us to get much alone time when the place is full of people and we keep agreein’ to do stuff all together.”
“We can have a lot of time alone when we get back to Cali, Michael.”
“I’m not gonna get outta this, am I?”
“Nope.”
“Hell, Brooke cleaned up this year... I think most of the stuff under the tree has her name on it. Kinda sucks that we didn’t know Caela was gonna be here though.”
“She’s still too young to realize what’s going on. Karen told me earlier that she wanted to wait for our presents exchanges until she had put Caela to bed.”
“Maybe we can get her somethin’ when we get back home. Just not right for her not to get anything from us.”
“Anything you can think of?”
“Well, no, not yet.”
She took a sip of his beer again. “I’ll try to think of something.”
“You seem to have a thing for my beer tonight,” he observed.
She shrugged with a sweet smile.
He shook his head at her. “How much time do we have before we need to be back?”
Maria glanced at her watch. “Not much.”
“What kinda dessert ya wanna get?”
“You pick it out,” she decided.
“Somethin’ with chocolate?” He grinned wickedly. “Whipped cream?”
“Definitely,” she answered with a nod.
He snapped his fingers to get their waiter’s attention and as soon as the man reached him Michael placed their dessert order to go. “Oh, tell whoever’s preparing it to keep the chocolate sauce separate from the cake and don’t put the whipped cream or cherries on top either.” He waved his hand dismissively. “Matter of fact, just tell ‘em we’ll take the can of whipped cream and the jar of cherries.” He ignored the man’s speculative look and glared at him when he dared to smirk in Maria’s direction.
Maria laughed. “Did ya really think that kinda order was.... subtle? Anyone would know what that’s about, Michael.”
“Maybe I just like cherries and whipped cream.”
“Yeah, sure.”
“And I do... just like ‘em better when they’re bein’ served on you.”
It only took a few moments before the waiter was back with the dessert. “Anything else, sir?”
Michael turned to look at him slowly when he detected the hint of knowing amusement in the man’s tone. “Not unless you were waitin’ for an invitation to tag along for dessert. Which, just for the record, is an invitation that I won’t be extending.”
The waiter grumbled something as he turned and left the table.
“Don’t be rude, Michael.”
“I’m not bein’ rude,” he denied. “He just doesn’t need to be imaginin’ you naked except for whipped cream an’ cherries.”
“You’re gonna have to deal with it, Michael; I’m sexy and everyone wants to see me naked,” she teased.
“Yeah, well, no one gets that privilege except me.”
She grinned. “You are so hot when you’re territorial, baby.”
“Ya know it’s just wrong to say stuff like that and then make me go back to the cabin an’ sit around a tree to watch Brooke open presents.”
She rolled her eyes at him. “You’ll survive it and after that we can go to our room and snuggle up. Just the two of us.”
“Snuggling’s fun, but...”
“Not satisfied with that, huh?”
“Well, not JUST that.”
“Come on, we should go.”
He nodded and grabbed the sack with dessert inside and grinned smugly as he followed her to the entrance so he could pay the cashier. “Y’know you’re a little tease, right?” he hissed, unable to keep his eyes off of the sexy swing in her hips.
“Really?” She asked, feigning surprise.
“Oh, yeah,” he snorted. “Like you don’t know.” He handed her the sack so he could pull his wallet out and retrieve a credit card, handing it over to the cashier. He drummed his fingers on the counter in irritation when the woman’s eyes widened at the itemized charges.
Maria shook her head slightly when the woman behind the counter let her gaze wander over Michael a little too obviously. She glanced back into the restaurant and caught the eye of one of the guys Michael had talked to earlier. They were obviously checking her out, trying to figure out why he was no longer chasing after every available female in the vicinity.
“You wanna just ring that up? We’ve got plans an’ you’re holdin’ us up.”
“Sure,” the woman said and got everything done before she handed him the credit card back. “Here ya go. Thanks for visiting.”
Michael grunted and put his card away as they walked to the double doors and he grabbed one, pulling on it and holding it open for Maria without thinking about his actions.
“Uh... you’re turning into a real gentleman, Guerin,” she said as she walked past him.
“Huh?”
She waved him off. “Nothing. C’mon, big boy.”
He shrugged when she let it go. He had no idea what was going through her head and he probably wouldn’t understand it if she did tell him.
*****
It was shortly after 9 pm when they finally managed to come together around the Christmas tree in the living room of the cabin. The only light sources in the room were the fire in the fireplace and some candles that had been lit and set up high enough that little hands couldn’t reach them.
It had taken them almost an hour to exchange all the presents they had brought for each other. Somehow, everyone had managed to buy a little something for Caela who had strictly refused to go to bed when she was supposed to.
Now the little girl was lying in her fathers lap, barely able to keep her eyes open for more than a few seconds at a time.
“I think someone is finally beat,” Brendan said, amused as he lifted his daughter up in his arms carefully. “I’ll take her to bed. I doubt that it’ll take long tonight.”
Karen smiled. “She won’t even see you walking out the door again before she’s sound asleep.”
Brooke was lying next to the fireplace and studying the new cell phone her brothers had bought her for Christmas. An expensive PDA. She knew the boys had given it to her for their own good as well because the tiny thing was able to do everything a laptop could do and she would be available everywhere. It was kinda like an electronic dog collar, she thought. Although it was pretty cool.
Michael was slouched down next to Maria on one of the couches, watching the people who meant more to him than he could ever adequately express as they looked over the small pile of gifts they had each gotten. He leaned his head on Maria’s shoulder and sighed contentedly. “This’s what it’s supposed to be like, huh?” he asked quietly.
She smiled and wrapped her hands around the cup of hot chocolate Max had made for all the girls – even Tess. “Yeah, this is what Christmas should be about.”
“It doesn’t suck like I thought it would.” He grimaced as he remembered their return to the cabin earlier that evening and he had realized that Isabel wasn’t simply admiring the tree, she had been examining it for any deviations from her diagram.
“Told you so.”
“Gimme a break, M’ria,” he mumbled.
“From what?”
He smiled sleepily as the heat from the fireplace and the feeling of contentment combined to make him drowsy. “No more told you so’s.”
She chuckled. “Okay, but only until tomorrow.”
“Um-hmm, I’ll take what I can get.” He nodded at his sister. “I think her phone’s cooler than mine.”
“Envious?”
“Yeah.”
“Ya don’t need a better one. ‘Cause I’m planning to be with you most of the time... who else are you gonna call?”
“Guerin just doesn’t like that someone has better toys,” Kyle said, looking up from a new video game he had gotten.
“Yeah,” Max agreed, “our electronics in the apartment cost a little fortune ‘cause Guerin wanted everything to be high-end products.”
“Oh, yeah, like you guys are any different. Don’t act like you aren’t the same when it comes to the electronics. Valenti’s got every available gaming system on the market and don’t get me started on that surround sound system you had to have, Evans,” Michael said when they tried to put it all on him.
“And don’t even start with your coffee obsession,” Liz said, winking at her boyfriend who was sitting on the floor between her legs, while she was comfortably lounging in the armchair.
“You just don’t know good coffee, darlin’. As much as I hate to admit it, the only one here who understands that particular obsession is Tess... who still hasn’t paid for any of my coffee.” He shot a glare at the blond when she stuck her tongue out at him.
Liz nudged him with her right knee. “You got a gift card for a year’s supply from Maria and Michael.”
“Yeah, and it’s only gonna last half the year with Tess helpin’ me drink it.”
“You’re such a penny pincher, Evans. You always eat the leftovers when I cook dinner. That’s my way of paying it back.”
“Yeah, because the food you cook is...” he trailed off when Liz gave him a nudge that wasn’t so subtle this time. “Lock an’ key, Harding... No more coffee for you, and I’ll move the coffee maker into my room if I have to.”
“You suck!”
He just grinned and shrugged. “My coffee and until you keep your promise to pay for half of what you’ve already shared you’re not getting anymore of mine. Now, you wanna do that then I’ll share my gift... won’t even charge you for it, but only if you live up to your end of our agreement.”
She rolled her eyes. “Fine, ya know it was supposed to be a surprise, but I ordered a six-month supply of the coffee and it should be delivered when we get back home... ha! I didn’t forget to buy you a present, Evans.”
“Seriously?” He groaned and dropped his head back against Liz’s leg. “Damn, I didn’t forget your present either, got you the same thing.” He laughed suddenly. “Wonder if it was our orders that caused the coffee to go on backorder?”
Maria chuckled. “Seems like you two have a lot of coffee to drink in the next year, huh?”
“Between the two of us we might just survive the year,” Max joked.
“Does this mean no coffee fights next year?” Kyle asked.
“Sounds like it,” Tess said with a grin.
“Thank God.”
“I miss coffee,” Isabel said after listening to their banter over the drink.
“Aww, it’s just a few more months, Iz,” Maria tried.
“That’ll probably be the first thing she does after our baby’s born,” Alex said, teasing her as he brushed her hair back and kissed her.
Brendan came back into the room and joined Karen again. “She was asleep before I had the chance to lay her down.”
“Yeah, this was pretty exciting for her. So many people and presents... it got her all worked up.”
He laughed when Spike and Buffy peered around the corner of one of the couches, searching for Caela before they crept out of hiding and ran across the room to plaster themselves to Brooke’s side. “I don’t think the dog’s care for Caela’s attentions.”
“They just need some time to get used to her,” Brooke said.
“She’s never really been around animals,” Karen said.
“You should see Isabel’s dog.” Brooke grinned at Alex when he rolled his eyes. “Big brother wouldn’t let us bring him home. I think he was intimidated by Socs.”
“That dog is... big,” Maria admitted.
“Max leaned his head back to look at his girlfriend who had been pretty quiet the last few minutes. “Wanna go to bed?” he asked quietly
“Impatient to see me wearin’ the gift Tess gave me?” she asked, barely suppressing the urge to roll her eyes at the rather risqué negligee Tess had given her.
He just wiggled her eyebrows at her.
She thumped the back of his head and wondered if she would even be able to figure the stupid thing out. It had seemed to have more openings in it than actual material.
Maria watched Max and Liz leave after they had told them good night. “Seems like your present might be seein’ some action now,” Maria told Tess with a grin.
“Of course it will.” Tess smirked. “And the beauty of a gift like that is it keeps on giving.”
“You got somethin’ you wanna give me?” Kyle teased as he turned the video game off and snuggled closer to his girlfriend.
She pouted. “Don’t you like the game?”
He snorted. “Love it.” He nipped her earlobe. “Love you more, though.”
A slow grin spread over her features. “Then you definitely deserve one more gift... you’re gonna have to unwrap me in private though.”
“Let’s go,” he growled and started to get up.
“Room’s clearin’ out pretty fast,” Michael muttered.
“Seems like some of the couples need some alone time,” Maria smirked.
“Some of ‘em are just makin’ up for lost time,” Michael said, leaning over to scoop Spike up when the little dog jumped up against his leg.
“Well,” Alex cleared his throat, “since it’s just the Guerin family right now... I’ve gotta say somethin’.”
They all turned when Alex spoke, his words and tone commanding their attention.
“God, tell me nothing’s wrong. I can’t stand anymore surprises, Alex,” Brendan complained.
“Yeah, not sure I’m ready for anymore surprises either,” Michael agreed.
“Maybe it’s something good,” Maria said her tone doubtful.
Brooke looked around the room, her eyes revealing her worry.
“Well, not so much a surprise, no,” Alex assured them. “I guess you could say it’s just additional information regarding a recent surprise. Ben called me earlier to let me know that his investigator’s located your biological father.”
The twins stared at each other, neither of them knowing what to say. “Um... where’s he live?” Maria asked when there was an awkward silence in the room.
“He lives in Carson City, Nevada,” Alex answered. “It’s about an hour from here.”
“Well, I guess you should take the advantage and get to know him then while you are up here,” Brooke guessed to everyone’s surprise.
Michael shifted uncomfortably. It was easier to talk about finding and meeting Adam before he knew it was actually something within his grasp. He glanced at Brendan, wondering what he was thinking.
Brendan leaned his head back against the armchair he and Karen were sitting in front of now. “Who the hell decided that our lives were gonna be turned upside down in only a few weeks?”
“Bren, you don’t have to meet him if you don’t want to,” Karen assured him.
“No, I wanna meet him. I’m just... I don’t know. It’s hard to imagine.”
She rubbed his shoulder. “I know it’s a lot to take in, so don’t rush into a decision.”
“You should just do it now,” Brooke said. “It won’t be any better to postpone it because you won’t feel any better until it’s over and we have some answers. So why not go into the new year without any secrets left?”
“Since when are you a fan of this particular investigation?” Michael asked.
“I just wanna get it over with,” she told him honestly.
“You still worried that it’s gonna change things between us?” Brendan asked, watching her carefully.
“No.... it’s just... what if he has another surprise to reveal, ya know? I wanna know it now so I don’t have to worry about it anymore.”
“Jeez, kid, what kinda surprise could he have?” Michael asked. He hadn’t considered that Adam might have a surprise or two for them.
“I don’t know... and I really don’t wanna start thinking about it,” his sister told him.
“Maybe it’d be easier for Ben’s investigator to go talk to this guy,” Michael said, already feeling himself chickening out.
Alex shook his head. “I really doubt that he’d do that. The investigator lives in New York and he was just doin’ Ben a favor with this.”
“Oh.” Michael played with the ID tags on Spike’s collar. “So, we’d have to contact him then.”
“We could call him and see if he’s willing to meet,” Maria suggested.
“What’re we gonna say? Oh, hey, Adam... I know you’re probably not lookin’ for a couple of kids that’re our age, but hey, here we are.”
“Well, just showing up at his place and telling him about this would be much worse, wouldn’t it?”
“Huh... hangin’ up or slammin’ a door in our faces... both options suck.”
“You won’t find out if you don’t try,” Karen said.
“You didn’t try,” Michael snapped without thinking.
“Michael,” Brendan warned him.
Damn it, he hadn’t meant to say that and seeing the hurt expression on Karen’s face just made him feel worse. “Sorry,” he muttered. “This situation just makes me edgy.”
“We don’t have to decide this tonight,” Maria said, trying to clear the air.
“How do you just call some guy you’ve never met and tell him that 21 years ago he fathered twin boys?” Michael grumbled.
“Just say it straight out, I guess,” Brooke said. “There’s really no way to say it that’s gonna make it less shocking.”
“This’s stupid,” he snarled. “He’s not gonna want anything to do with us. We should just leave it alone.”
The teenager shook her head. “No.”
He slowly lifted his head to look at his sister when she spoke. “Why?”
“Because you’ll always wonder what if...”
“And maybe that’s better than the alternative.”
“The worst case is that he doesn’t want to have anything to do with you. So what? If not then at least you tried.”
“Yeah, because I handle rejection so well.”
“Cut it out, Michael,” Alex insisted. “No one handles rejection well. Look, either you do this or you don’t, but it’s not gonna make or break you. If he wants to get to know you, fine, and if he doesn’t it’s his loss. Any man worth his salt would be proud to have you two as his sons.”
Maria thought about her own father and almost snorted at that, but bit her inner cheek instead because she knew that wouldn’t help Michael at all.
“I hope the guy’s willing to listen to what you’ve got to say and I really hope he takes the time to really get to know the two of you, but if he’s too stupid to see what’s right in front of him, then you guys are better off without him. You guys will always have us no matter what happens with Adam.”
“That’s true,” Maria said nodding and glanced at Michael.
He shrugged one shoulder. “I guess we can decide what we wanna do later.” He glanced at Brendan. “Unless you already know what you wanna do?”
“I guess I need to sleep on it.”
Michael was relieved when Brendan didn’t have an answer ready.
Alex nodded. “Take your time with it. I’ll leave the address here just in case since we’re gonna leave tomorrow.”
“Oh, right, forgot you guys were leavin’ so soon,” Brendan said.
Michael sighed and stretched his legs out in front of him. “You gonna be here for breakfast?”
“Depends... we have to be at the airport at 10, so it’d have to be an early breakfast.”
Michael glanced over at Brooke. “You gonna get up early so we can have breakfast before ya go, brat?”
“Sure.”
He clapped his hands together. “Great.” He turned to look at Alex and Isabel. “So you guys will be makin’ breakfast?”
“How about Maria and I make breakfast since they have to pack?” Karen suggested.
“How about no?” Michael interrupted. “We’ve been up early for one thing or another since we got here... I’d like to laze around in bed with my girl for once.”
Karen rolled her eyes. “Fine. I’ll make breakfast then.”
“I’ll help you,” Brendan told her.
Maria leaned over and bumped Michael’s shoulder with hers. “You don’t have to be so irritable. I know this’s difficult, but it doesn’t mean you have to act like a dick.” She kept her tone light, but still let him know that his behavior wasn’t acceptable.
He didn’t respond to that and stared into the fireplace.
“I’m gonna call it a night,” Brooke told them and got to her feet. “G’night everyone.”
Alex watched his brothers as they sat there lost in their own thoughts. “Would it make it easier on you guys if I called Adam and spoke with him?”
Brendan looked at Alex and shook his head slowly. “We should probably do that on our own.”
“That’s okay as long as you guys understand that we’re still here for you, no matter what happens.”
Maria watched Michael carefully and laid one hand over his when he continued to stare into the fireplace.
He glanced down when her hand slid over his and he looked at her as he turned his hand over and linked their fingers together.
“You’re lost in your thoughts,” she pointed out the obvious quietly.
“Sorry,” he mumbled. “Just wonderin’ what this guy’s like... if he even has any interest in knowin’ about us.”
“We’ll find out.”
“Yeah, I guess.”
“Wanna go to bed?”
“You gonna make me forget all about this for a while?” he asked, feeling a grin tugging at his lips.
Maria shook her head in amusement. “You wouldn’t be Michael Guerin if ya hadn’t asked that huh? Horny boy.”
“What? I’ve got chocolate sauce, cherries, and whipped cream,” he growled.
“Um... the chocolate sauce and cake’s kinda gone,” Brendan muttered guiltily.
“Gone?” Michael asked his brother irritated.
“Well, since Max was chowin’ down on the jar of cherries an’ Kyle an’ Tess were messin’ around with the whipped cream I just figured it was every man for himself... it wasn’t for everyone?”
Michael groaned out loud. “Did ya hear that, M’ria? They ate our dessert.”
“Guess that means it’s just you, me, and Mike Jr. then.” She reached up to rub at the frown lines between his eyes. “We don’t need the extras to have hot sex.”
“You’re gonna pay for this, Bren,” he told his brother while looking at Maria.
“Me? What about Max and Kyle? What’d you need with all that stuff anyway?”
“Nothin’ that we’re gonna share.”
Brendan’s eyes widened. “You were gonna do naked stuff with it?” He glanced at Karen. “I think I missed that chapter when I was readin’ up on this stuff a few years back.”
Alex rolled his eyes. “Seems like my family is incapable of not talkin’ about sex,” he told Isabel. “I’m ready for bed. You?”
“That depends... will we be doin’ more than talkin’ about sex?” she asked with a grin.
“Come on,” he growled into her ear.
Um-hmm, more than talking was definitely on the menu, she thought as she took his hand and allowed him to pull her up from the couch.
Fics: A Xmas Story - A Merry Mt. R. Xmas - Cupid's Revenge - Double Trouble - Double Date - Double Dare - Double Empire - Double Xmas Wish - In The Course Of A Lifetime - Mountains So High - Not A Question At All - Surrender - TIC TAC - Two Double Dates at Xmas
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Double Trouble
- Obsessed Roswellian
- Posts: 925
- Joined: Tue Dec 16, 2008 9:47 am
Double Trouble (CC, AU, Adult) - Part 109 - 4/8/10
Alien_Friend: Nope, no dessert, but we think they’ll survive.
Support is important and especially for this family. The fact that Michael’s opened up recently makes a big difference here. He might be prickly right now, but he’s not running, and that’s a major step for him.
Michael has come a long way and it shows in the way he deals with different situations and with his family and friends.
It does make if feel as if it should be Christmas!
mary mary: Well, apparently it disappeared pretty fast.
You just never know who we’ll introduce next, lol!
Natalie36: We’ll find out eventually.
Earth2Mama: Yup, we can imagine… it makes us laugh!
We’ll see what happens with Adam.
Those guys were a bunch of jerks.
keepsmiling7 You must have an appreciation for the java!
begonia9508: Thanks!
Oh, no, she loves the coffee, she’s just avoiding the caffeine during the pregnancy.
Yeah, Michael’s rethinking that decision, lol!
Adam’s reaction… we’re gonna find out.
zaneri1: Thanks! We’re glad you’re enjoying the fic!
Maiqu: Michael did really well! Let’s hope that meeting goes well.
Perfect gift for a couple of java fiends, lol!
kismet: Thanks!
Maybe we’ll find out.
Yes, Michael definitely has more experience, lol!
Brooke once again shows her maturity.
Yeah, we’re thinkin’ he’s learned that lesson!
sarammlover: We all react in ways that annoy at times, lol. Michael had his reasons for not sharing the information that the cabin belongs to him and the guys.
Oh, no worries, he’s still Michael. He may have his sweet moments, but yeah, he’s still Michael.
The guys could never forget Brooke. Little Sis has nothin’ to worry about there. She’s just doing what she thinks is the right thing for her brothers.
We’re glad you enjoyed the update!
Part 109 – Sleepless Nights and a Wild Breakfast
Max shifted over onto his back when he felt the mattress move and it only took a few moments for his fuzzy brain to register the fact that Liz was getting up. He reached up to rub his eyes as he propped himself up on his elbows, trying to follow her around the room in the dark.
“Liz, you okay?”
“What? Yeah, fine, go back to sleep.”
He lay back down and he could feel sleep beginning to pull him under once more when the sound of the balcony door unlocking and being slid open registered. He came up on his elbows once again and he frowned when Liz slipped outside and pushed the door closed after her.
He hauled himself to his feet and pulled a pair of jeans on before looking around for a shirt. He frowned when the flannel shirt he had been wearing earlier was nowhere to be found and it only took a few moments to realize that Liz had pulled it on over her clothes.
He stumbled over to the closet and pulled another flannel out, shrugging into it and shoving his feet into a pair of tennis shoes.
Liz turned around when the door slid open once more and she tried to force a smile when Max stepped out on the snow-covered balcony, his hair standing up in several places and his expression still sleepy. “I told you to go back to sleep.”
He rubbed his right hand over his face as he studied her features in the moonlight. “What’s got you out here in the cold at this time of night, darlin’?”
She shrugged and turned to look out to the landscape again. “Couldn’t sleep.”
Max shuffled up behind her and wrapped his arms around her, pulling her up against his body and resting his chin on her shoulder. “What’s keepin’ you awake?” he asked, certain he already knew the answer.
Spending time with everyone earlier, unwrapping gifts around the Christmas tree, and enjoying the time with their friends had to be reminding her of what she was missing with her parents.
“Just... thoughts,” she tried, trying to wipe a tear away before he could see it.
“Hey,” he whispered, “you wanna call your parents in the mornin’?”
“She won’t talk to me anyway,” she mumbled quietly.
He hated that she was hurting over her parents’ rejection and it pissed him off that they were treating her so badly. “What about your dad?”
She snorted. “He’s cool when he’s alone. But he won’t dare to say anything to my mom.”
“Ya know my mom would be more than happy to call your parents and tell them a thing or two. She was ready to get on a plane and tell them in person when I talked to her a couple days ago.” He brushed his nose against her neck. “Your mom doesn’t know it but she doesn’t want my mom to open up a can of whoop ass.”
She chuckled softly. “Why can’t my mom be a little bit more like your mom?”
He wanted to make her feel better, but damn, her mom was a... No, no, Max, behave, he reminded himself. “I don’t know, darlin’... I don’t understand why your mom acts the way she does. But, until she gets her shit straightened out – and even after – the Evans family has your back.”
“Thanks,” she whispered. “You know I really appreciate it, right? It’s just not the same as havin’ your own family there for you.”
“No, I know it’s not the same.” He rubbed his hands over her arms when he felt her shiver. “We can go see ‘em for New Years’ if ya want... give it another shot.”
“You think we’d make it to Roswell on New Years’?” she asked, a little amused.
“If that’s what you wanna do then we’ll do it.” Ungh, the thought of spending New Years’ with her parents was agonizing, but if it would help to mend her relationship with them then he’d make the sacrifice.
“Nah,” she decided. “Maria told me earlier that the twins have a birthday on New Years’ Day.”
“Liz, the guys will understand if we have other plans. I know how important this is to you and while I could do without your mom’s attitude and the way she treats you, if you think it’ll make a difference we’ll go.”
She sighed. “We don’t have to decide this right now, do we?”
“About the only thing we really need to decide right now is whether or not the temperatures out here are gonna be permanently damaging to my lower extremities,” he said, trying to tease a smile out of her.
“I’m pretty sure you’ll be okay, but we can go inside again if ya want.”
“No, I’m good... what’s a case of frozen nuts if bein’ out in the cold’s makin’ my girl feel better?” He grinned and nipped at her neck, letting her know he was just kidding.
“Shut up.” She turned and slapped his shoulder playfully.
He grinned and lifted an eyebrow when her mood shifted to playful. “Or what? You gonna make me?”
“Or I’m gonna lock ya out here.”
“Lock me out here and you’ll have to sleep all alone.”
She made a face. “Nah, that wouldn’t be any fun. Who would warm up my cold feet?”
“So nice to know I’m useful for somethin’,” he grumbled.
She smiled and hugged him closely. “You know you’re more than that.”
Max held her against him snugly, glad to hear the change in her voice that indicated her thoughts were moving away from the problems with her parents. “I sure hope so.”
“Let’s go back inside. It’s freezing.”
“And now you’re cold.” He shook his head at her.
“I’ll bet you know a way to warm me up again. Don’t you?”
“Hmm... I don’t know,” he murmured as he picked her up and carried her inside. “Got somethin’ in mind?”
“Well, you could start with a massage.”
“Massage, huh?” He kissed her as he kicked the door closed behind them and locked it. “And after that?”
“You tell me.”
He chuckled when she turned it around on him and he carefully lowered her to the bed before settling over her. She was still adjusting to the changes in their relationship and she was still learning how to tell him what she wanted. “Hmm... where to start,” he mused.
“Start with kissing me,” she mumbled and grabbed his dog tags to pull him down to her.
The kiss quickly turned heated and Max hurried to unbutton his shirt and wiggle out of it when she tugged on it impatiently.
She wasted no time and her hands wandered down to the first button of his jeans when he pushed his shirt over his shoulders.
“In a hurry tonight?” he rasped as he reached for the hem of the tee shirt she was wearing under his flannel.
“Complaining?” she asked back.
“Huh-uh,” he muttered, letting her deal with the shirts while he went to work on her jeans. He paused when she shrugged out of his shirt and his eyes darkened when she pulled the tee shirt off in one fluid motion and he saw that she was bare underneath. “Put my shirt back on,” he said gruffly. “Just... leave it unbuttoned.”
“Really?” she asked doubtfully.
“Don’t ask... it’s probably a guy thing.” He rolled his eyes as he finished pulling her jeans off. “It’s hot, okay?” he admitted with an eye roll.
“Okay...” She did what he had asked for and pulled his soft flannel shirt on again.
He nodded and reached out to rub the material between his thumb and forefinger as the back of his hand brushed against her breast. Soft and softer, he mused silently. He grinned and shook his head when he glanced up and caught her watching him.
“Ten dollars for your thoughts,” she joked.
“Not sure they’re worth that much.” He laughed and kicked his own jeans off as he wrapped one arm around her waist and rolled them over so she was on top.
*****
Michael glanced at the clock once again. 7am, he thought frustrated. How long had he been laying awake thinking? He couldn’t say for sure, but it felt like hours.
His mind was running over and over what his biological father would say when they really called him. How would the man react? How would he react if his father didn’t want anything to do with him?
He wondered if he should just get up to get breakfast started since Alex, Isabel and Brooke were leaving early today.
“You’re thinking too loud, Michael,” Maria mumbled as she turned around to face him sleepily. She had woken up a few times and realized that he wasn’t sleeping. His even breathing was missing and she wasn’t in his arms.
Michael turned his head to look at her when she spoke, startling him out of his thoughts. “Sorry, did I wake you?”
“I’m cold. You’re too far away,” she said and shifted closer to him. “Why’re ya already up, baby?”
He wrapped his arm around her and pulled her up against him as he considered his answer. “Just couldn’t sleep... wonderin’ about callin’ Adam... what his reaction’s gonna be... what mine’s gonna be.” He shrugged. “Maybe I should just go make breakfast and forget about all that.”
She sighed. “Maybe Brooke was right last night.”
“Huh?”
“With just getting it over with. Maybe we should just... find out about him instead of wondering any longer.”
“So, just call him and get it over with... Yeah, maybe after Alex and the others leave. Or you think I should just call him now?”
She made a face. “Nah, we should at least wait until chances are good that he’s awake.”
“Yeah, maybe you’re right. Wanna help me with breakfast?”
“Yeah, sure,” she tried to force her eyes top stay open.
“Uh-huh, you’re not even awake yet.” He moved so that he was braced on his elbows above her and he smiled into her sleepy green eyes. “Know how to wake ya up though.”
She smiled sleepily and caressed his cheek. “Love you.”
His heart thumped madly in his chest at her quiet, drowsy declaration. “Love you too.”
Maria tried to force herself to wake up more instead of going back to sleep. “You don’t have to be scared, Michael,” she told him quietly. “No matter what happens when you guys call him, your family and I will still be there with you and for you.”
He was about to say something, but she pressed her index finger against his lips to silence him because there was something else she wanted to say. She should have already said it the night before. “About those guys from the restaurant... I know you felt uncomfortable when they were around and I know that there were quite a few parties up here where ya did things that you probably don’t want to know me about. I just want you to know that I don’t care what happened in your past with other girls. It’s not important.”
He nodded silently, taking a few minutes to put his thoughts together before speaking. “There were a lot of parties here, Maria, but... just like back home I’ve never brought any other girl here.” He didn’t know why, but he just felt like it was important to make sure she knew that.
She nodded silently, not knowing what to say.
“I never wanted that kinda involvement... not until you showed up and made me want more.” He swallowed hard. This stuff just wasn’t easy to talk about. “You’ve made my life...” he laughed gruffly. “Well, you’ve made it difficult and complicated at times, but it’s better, ya know? You’ve made ME better... and...” he lowered his head and scratched his eyebrow. “Anyway, so... yeah.”
She giggled. “You so love me.”
He rolled his eyes. “You gonna help me with breakfast?”
“Sure. I just need a short cold shower to wake me up, I guess.”
“Cold showers are just so... not fun,” he said, shaking his head.
“No, but very helpful sometimes.”
“I don’t recall a time when I’ve ever found a cold shower helpful,” he denied.
“Well, if ya wanna wake me up in a different way, you better hurry,” she told him playfully.
He shifted so he could settle more fully between her legs and he nudged her with his erection. “Thankfully, those threats about a cold shower haven’t taken the edge off of Junior’s enthusiasm,” he said with a grin.
“Thankfully I didn’t bother to wear any underwear last night,” she breathed against his lips.
“Me either.” He snorted. “How smart are we?” he asked as his right hand moved to grip her thigh and pull it up higher against his side.
She groaned and lifted her lower body up from the mattress to press against him.
He had never imagined that being with the same girl could hold his interest, but he had been so wrong, he thought as her response tugged at something inside of him. Neither of them was in the mood for foreplay and he entered her in one smooth move as he kissed her hard and deep.
Her right hand came up to grip the headboard, when he immediately started to move against her.
“Beats a cold shower any day of the week, huh?” he grunted as their bodies moved together, seeking their common goal.
“Yeah,” she breathed out and grabbed his shoulder with the other hand.
He heard the catch in her breathing and his own breathing increased when she threw her head back and sank her teeth into her bottom lip as she lifted her hips to meet every thrust. He lowered his head to suck at the pulse point at the juncture between her neck and shoulder.
Maria was surprised when her orgasm hit her so fast and she brought both of her arms around him to hold him close as he trembled through the aftershocks of his own.
“Need to go back to sleep now, huh?” he teased.
“No,” she denied.
“Not even a little? ‘Cause I could go back to sleep.”
“Thought you wanted to make breakfast?”
“That was pre-sex.”
“Pre-sex?”
“Before sex I was wide awake... now I’m in that place where sleep seems like a really good idea.”
“Then c’mere,” she pulled him down next to her on the mattress.
“Okay,” he mumbled agreeably. He knew she’d be sending him down to make breakfast soon enough, but he was gonna enjoy this for now.
Maria kissed his forehead and let her fingers trail through his hair over and over again.
“Gonna put me to sleep you keep doin’ that.”
“Thought that was the goal,” she mumbled against his hair.
“Okay, not arguin’ with you anymore.” He nuzzled the skin below her ear as he made a sound of contentment.
She suddenly felt the need to sneeze and wasn’t able to suppress it. “Sorry,” she giggled when her movement shook Michael’s head up and down.
“Did you just sneeze on me?” He reached up and brushed his fingers over his hair.
“No, don’t worry.”
“Okay.” He sighed as his thoughts once again turned to his biological father. “Do you think he’s gonna want to even meet us, Maria?”
“I don’t know,” she said honestly. She wanted to tell him that Adam would be totally into getting to know his sons... but how could she tell him that after her own father had left her without a look back when he had known that she existed in this world.
Michael’s eyes opened when he sensed the shift in her mood and he raised himself up, resting his weight on his left arm as he looked down at her. “What’re you thinkin’ about?”
“I really wanna tell you everything is gonna be fine, but I can’t.”
“Um-hmm... that’s what you’re thinkin’ about?” he asked, not buying it.
“No, I was thinking about my own…” she made quotation marks in the air, “father.”
He picked up her dog tags, playing with them as he tried to figure out the best way to phrase his next question. “Has he ever gotten in contact with you?”
She shook her head. “No.”
“I don’t know why some people have kids, ya know? I’d never leave my kids or treat them badly.”
“Guess I wasn’t really a planned kid, Michael.”
“What’s that matter?” He rested more of his weight against her as he propped his chin in his hand. “I saw the pictures your mom’s got all over the house, Maria... you might not have been planned but you were wanted. That woman loves you, and your father... I don’t know what he was thinkin’ or if he was even thinkin’ at all. If I ever meet him I’m gonna lay him out flat with a right hook.”
She smiled at his protective tone. “You were pretty freaked out when you found the pregnancy tests under my bed. Remember? You ever thought what would’ve happened if it had been really me?”
“I’d rather not... I wasn’t in a good place then. I do think I would’ve eventually dealt with it and accepted it though.”
“Maybe in a few years...” she suggested.
“You think it would’ve taken me years to deal with it?”
She laughed. “No. That’s not what I meant.”
“Oh.” He pondered that for a moment and he suddenly realized what she had meant. “Oh, we might have kids in a few years.”
“Yeah, maybe.”
“We’d have good lookin’ kids,” he said smugly.
“You can be sure about that.”
“I am. Good lookin’ kids that’d raise hell.”
She sighed. “Yeah, they better be more like their mother.”
He snorted. “Whatever... between your temperament and mine, it’s not gonna matter, baby.”
“But I’m smarter an’ better looking,” she teased.
He laughed and leaned in to kiss her. “What you are, is crazy, girl.”
“Crazy is not bad,” she told him. “We wouldn’t be together if I was normal.”
“Crazy, sexy, smart, sexy, ya put up with my shit, ya love me... did I mention sexy?”
“Wow, thank God I’m sexy, huh? Otherwise you wouldn’t have even looked at me.”
“Uh-huh... considerin’ my attitude when we first met... would you have given me a second thought if it hadn’t been for this crazy attraction between us?”
“Don’t remind me about how things started between us. That was just too weird.”
“It was weird, but it got us to where we are now, right? Its always gonna be part of our history.”
“Can we just leave out the part where I was with Brendan, please?”
He laughed and shook his head. “I wasn’t even thinkin’ about Bren, but thanks for the reminder.”
“So, since we’re all awake now… think we should make breakfast?”
“Sure... I’m feelin’ good an’ mellow now.” He grinned at her. “Think that must be because of you.”
*****
Breakfast was the loud, raucous event that they had gotten used to whenever the group got together for meals. The twins had put the information about Adam on the back burner for now, preferring to spend the morning focusing on the family and friends they were certain of.
As usual, even though they could agree on some things everyone seemed to want something different and there was plenty of variety, lots of laughter, and plenty of conversation as they talked over each other.
Alex, Isabel, and Brooke were scheduled to leave in just a couple of hours but they were enjoying the time hanging out with everyone. Isabel’s appetite had returned with a vengeance and Hector seemed to have settled down and decided to let her enjoy it. Brooke was wedged in between the twins, happily chowing down on waffles and bacon while sharing her viewpoint on every topic that came up for discussion.
Alex was debating the pros and cons of skiing and snowboarding versus hang gliding with Kyle and Brendan while Michael and Max had a friendly disagreement over who was better out on the slopes. The girls were discussing a shopping marathon they had been planning when they returned back home while Tess tried her best to find out as subtly as possible whether or not her gift had been put into action the night before.
Liz rolled her eyes when Tess kicked her under the table when she smoothly side-stepped the question once more and in a move completely out of character for her she flung the sliced strawberry on her fork across the table. The entire room fell silent at Tess’ shocked gasp and then laughter erupted when they saw the strawberry clinging to the irate blonde’s cheek.
“Parker, this means war,” Tess declared and did the same thing. The strawberry landed directly in Liz’s hair.
“Tess!”
Caela grabbed a handful of food off of her plate and squealed happily as she flung it in the general vicinity of the table. She clapped her messy hands together when everyone turned to look at Max and the oatmeal sticking to his goatee.
“Ungh, that’s seriously gross,” he muttered.
“Caela, no!” Karen warned her and took the little girl’s hands to clean them up before she turned to Tess and Liz. “She’s in a place where she imitates everyone... so if ya wanna stop throwing food...”
“Learn to live a little, Karen,” Michael mumbled as he leaned forward to flip a couple of slices of kiwi and strawberry at her.
“Michael,” she squealed in surprise. “That’s not fair.”
Caela watched the adults, laughing happily.
“Fair has nothin’ to do with it,” he shouted and flung half of a waffle at Alex since he seemed to be avoiding the fun. “Let the kid live a little.”
“I guess I’m gonna have to rethink letting you babysit our kid,” Alex growled at his brother and wiped his cheek where the waffle had hit him.
“Aw, c’mon, Alex,” Brooke complained. “A little bit of the good kind of insanity every now an’ then’s a good thing.” She grinned at him and pelted him with half a dozen blueberries.
Liz used the little distraction to dip her spoon into the honey and then leaned over the table to push it on Tess’ nose.
“Parker, you’re gonna get it!” Tess howled, wincing at the sticky mess. “All you had to do was answer one little question... did you or did you not put on that hot little number and give Evans a night to remember...” She grabbed the bowl of syrup and slowly stood up, moving around the table and advancing on Liz.
“Oh, no, you will not, Harding!” She stood up to get away from Tess.
“You know, Evans, if we don’t put a stop to this we’re gonna have two very sticky women on our hands,” Kyle mumbled around a mouthful of scrambled eggs. He was keeping an eye on all of the combatants, not interested in getting involved in a food fight. He’d much rather be eating the food.
“Any ideas?” Max asked his friend, reaching out to stop Tess from going any further towards his girlfriend.
Tess glared at Max when he dared to stop her and without giving it a second thought she lifted the bowl in her hand and dumped it over his head.
Max froze in shock for several moments and everyone stopped moving to look at him with wide eyes and open mouths.
“You’re dead, Harding,” he suddenly told her and stood up with one quick move. “Kyle, forgive me, but I’m gonna have to punish your girlfriend for that one.” He grabbed Tess and threw her over his right shoulder.
“EVANS!” she shouted and fisted her hands to hit him in the back. “Lemme down! Now!”
“You wish,” he answered coolly, wiping the side of his head on her jeans to get rid of some syrup, before he reached for the front door to step out on the porch.
He walked along it and stopped in front of a big pile of snow in front of the porch and he threw her over the low railing, directly into the cold white stuff.
“Oh, no, you did not just do that!” she screamed as she struggled to get out of the snow.
“I did,” he answered with a smirk and walked back inside, not bothering to help her out.
Tess scrambled to get out of the snow and just as she succeeded in getting her feet under her she slipped on something and fell face first into the snow again. “Damn it,” she muttered as she finally managed to crawl out of the snow onto the walkway that had been cleared.
“Could’ve told you that Evans wasn’t gonna let you get away with that one,” Kyle mused from where he was standing at the top of the steps watching her.
“Why didn’t you help me out?” she asked in annoyance while brushing the snow from her clothes.
“You really expected me to help you out after you poured syrup on the guy’s head?”
“At least you could’ve tried to stop him.” She shivered as she walked up the stairs to go inside again.
“Syrup on the guy’s head... you know what a bitch that’s gonna be to get out?”
She shrugged, grinning as she imagined Max trying to get it out of his hair.
“You’re a bad, bad, girl, Tess,” he said, shaking his head and following her back inside.
The moment Tess and Kyle walked into the kitchen again food flew in their direction, thrown by everyone in the room.
“Hey, wait!” Kyle shouted. “I wasn’t even involved!”
“Doesn’t matter. That little package of evil is your girlfriend,” Max declared.
“See the stuff I get involved in for you?” he asked, turning to look at her and biting back the laugh threatening to erupt when he saw the state she was in. She had definitely gotten the worst of that last attack. “Um, we might have to take you outside and hose you off, babe.”
“Wanna take a shower with me?”
He bit his bottom lip as he looked at her, his eyes slowly traveling over the bits of food stuck everywhere. “While food and sex can make a fun combination, um... this...” he waved at her, “this really isn’t turnin’ me on.” He winced as soon as the words were out because he just knew he was in for it. The words hadn’t come out exactly the way he’d meant them to.
Tess placed her hands on her hips and glared at him. “Fine. Watch out for some very lonely nights, Valenti.” She walked past him to go upstairs.
“Okay, Tess, that just came out all wrong,” he hollered as he turned to follow her. “All I meant was – “ his protest was cut off when he stepped on a slice of kiwi and his feet shot out from under him. “Aww, hell that hurt,” he muttered when he landed on the floor... hard.
“Everyone laughed at Kyle while he was struggling to get to his feet. “You’re in trouble, man,” Michael told him.
“Shut up, Guerin. This’s all...” he paused to think about that as he went over the past few minutes. “Oh,” he grinned, “I guess it’s all Tess’ fault, huh? She did start this mess.”
“Totally right, thank you!” Liz nodded.
Max was hanging over the sink pouring warm water over his hair in an attempt to dislodge the honey Tess had poured all over him. “What exactly started all this anyway?” he asked, his voice muffled by the sink.
“Tess and her desire to know everything,” Liz told him.
“What’s she gotta be so nosy for? Damn it, this crap’s not comin’ out.”
“Um, I’ll tell ya later.”
“Can you get me a towel or somethin’? I’m gonna have to get in the shower an’ see if shampoo will help... I think this stuff’s just getting... stickier.”
“Okay,” Liz hurried to get him the towel.
“I take it back. I’m not sharin’ my coffee with that she-devil.” He patted his head, getting rid of the worst of the water and then lowered his head. “How bad’s it look?” he asked her.
“Well…” she looked at him and bit her lip to keep from laughing.
“Seriously?” He rolled his eyes when he saw how hard she was trying to keep from laughing. “If I have to shave my head over this you can bet Harding’s goin’ bald too!” He stalked out of the room and hurried to the second floor.
Karen took Caela outta her seat as well. “I’m gonna clean her up.”
“Need a hand?” Brendan asked, tipping his head back to look at her as she passed behind him.
“No, you can help clean the kitchen.”
He looked between Caela and the kitchen. Somehow his daughter was the least messy of the two. “I don’t mind, really.” He didn’t wanna clean this mess up.
“Uh-huh. Help clean the kitchen, Bren. I think us girls are all good on our own.”
“Hey, I’ll give you a hand,” Brooke offered and hurried to follow Karen out of the room.
“I can’t believe you threw food at Karen,” Brendan hissed at Michael after she had left the room.
Michael shrugged. “Relax.”
“Relax? I’m the one who’s gonna have to deal with her if she’s pissed off over this.”
“You think she’ll be pissed?”
“I don’t know... we’re tryin’ to get Caela to stop throwin’ things, not encourage her to throw her food ‘cause it’s fun.”
“Ah, come on, it was just a little fun.”
Alex leaned back in his chair and grinned as he nodded at his youngest brother. “And now you get to see what I’ve been talkin’ about with Brooke.”
Michael looked up from the pyramid of blueberries he was creating on top of the waffle on his plate. “What’re you talkin’ about, Alex?”
“It’s not about takin’ the fun out of everything even though sometimes it feels like that.” He smiled and shrugged his right shoulder. “Kinda like you lettin’ her drink watered down tequila the other night… had I known about it she wouldn’t have been playin’ with you guys. And you know it.”
“We didn’t let her drink that much, Alex. She only had a couple of drinks before she called it a night anyway.”
“That’s not the point. She’s 16 years old, Michael; she doesn’t need to be drinkin’ tequila or any other hard liquor at her age.” He shook his head when his brother started to protest. “It doesn’t matter if it was watered down, that’s not the point.” He looked at Brendan. “Would you want Caela hangin’ out drinkin’ watered down tequila at 16 years old?”
“Huh-uh.”
Alex grinned at them. “See? It’s not just about me bein’ the guy who doesn’t want anyone to have any fun.”
“We never said that, Alex,” Michael denied.
“Don’t worry about it, just do me a favor and don’t let it happen again. I have to draw the line in certain areas and you guys have to back me up. If you turn around and let her do whatever she wants to do, she’s gonna do exactly that ‘cause she thinks its okay and eventually she’s gonna stop listenin’ to me.”
“We’ll do better,” Brendan promised.
“Yeah, um, about that…” Michael started. “Ya think we can let ‘er hit one of the parties on New Years’ Eve?”
Alex lifted one eyebrow skeptically. “Where’re you guys goin’?”
Michael shrugged. “We haven’t decided yet; one of the parties on campus most likely.”
“We’ll watch out for her,” Maria offered, trying to help out. “And I think you two should come with us too. We’ve never really had a chance to all party together.”
“Wild New Years’ Eve parties?” Isabel asked doubtfully. “I don’t know, Maria.”
“Yeah, not sure how well that’s gonna work for us,” Alex agreed as he placed a protective hand over his fiancé’s belly, smiling at her.
“We could hit the one out at the football field,” Michael mumbled around the waffle he was wolfing down. “We’ll already be there anyway ‘cause of the game and we’ve had several people ask us to play a few songs, so…”
“It’s not very far from Brendan’s apartment,” Maria thought aloud. “So, by the time it’s midnight we’ll all be together, even little Caela. There’s no way she’s gonna be able to sleep with all the noise on New Years’ Eve.”
“C’mon,” Michael urged, giving his older brother a little shove on the shoulder when Alex still looked uncertain. “I know ya gotta lay down the law an’ all, but we can still have fun with the kid. Besides, Brooke’s gonna be in a pissy mood all night if ya don’t let ‘er go and you, old man… you need to have a little fun as well.”
Alex laughed. “Old man? Okay, I think we’re in. Guess we don’t wanna miss my little brothers turning 21,” he said, amused when he got a groan from both Brendan and Michael.
Support is important and especially for this family. The fact that Michael’s opened up recently makes a big difference here. He might be prickly right now, but he’s not running, and that’s a major step for him.
Michael has come a long way and it shows in the way he deals with different situations and with his family and friends.
It does make if feel as if it should be Christmas!
mary mary: Well, apparently it disappeared pretty fast.
You just never know who we’ll introduce next, lol!
Natalie36: We’ll find out eventually.
Earth2Mama: Yup, we can imagine… it makes us laugh!
We’ll see what happens with Adam.
Those guys were a bunch of jerks.
keepsmiling7 You must have an appreciation for the java!
begonia9508: Thanks!
Oh, no, she loves the coffee, she’s just avoiding the caffeine during the pregnancy.
Yeah, Michael’s rethinking that decision, lol!
Adam’s reaction… we’re gonna find out.
zaneri1: Thanks! We’re glad you’re enjoying the fic!
Maiqu: Michael did really well! Let’s hope that meeting goes well.
Perfect gift for a couple of java fiends, lol!
kismet: Thanks!
Maybe we’ll find out.
Yes, Michael definitely has more experience, lol!
Brooke once again shows her maturity.
Yeah, we’re thinkin’ he’s learned that lesson!
sarammlover: We all react in ways that annoy at times, lol. Michael had his reasons for not sharing the information that the cabin belongs to him and the guys.
Oh, no worries, he’s still Michael. He may have his sweet moments, but yeah, he’s still Michael.
The guys could never forget Brooke. Little Sis has nothin’ to worry about there. She’s just doing what she thinks is the right thing for her brothers.
We’re glad you enjoyed the update!
Part 109 – Sleepless Nights and a Wild Breakfast
Max shifted over onto his back when he felt the mattress move and it only took a few moments for his fuzzy brain to register the fact that Liz was getting up. He reached up to rub his eyes as he propped himself up on his elbows, trying to follow her around the room in the dark.
“Liz, you okay?”
“What? Yeah, fine, go back to sleep.”
He lay back down and he could feel sleep beginning to pull him under once more when the sound of the balcony door unlocking and being slid open registered. He came up on his elbows once again and he frowned when Liz slipped outside and pushed the door closed after her.
He hauled himself to his feet and pulled a pair of jeans on before looking around for a shirt. He frowned when the flannel shirt he had been wearing earlier was nowhere to be found and it only took a few moments to realize that Liz had pulled it on over her clothes.
He stumbled over to the closet and pulled another flannel out, shrugging into it and shoving his feet into a pair of tennis shoes.
Liz turned around when the door slid open once more and she tried to force a smile when Max stepped out on the snow-covered balcony, his hair standing up in several places and his expression still sleepy. “I told you to go back to sleep.”
He rubbed his right hand over his face as he studied her features in the moonlight. “What’s got you out here in the cold at this time of night, darlin’?”
She shrugged and turned to look out to the landscape again. “Couldn’t sleep.”
Max shuffled up behind her and wrapped his arms around her, pulling her up against his body and resting his chin on her shoulder. “What’s keepin’ you awake?” he asked, certain he already knew the answer.
Spending time with everyone earlier, unwrapping gifts around the Christmas tree, and enjoying the time with their friends had to be reminding her of what she was missing with her parents.
“Just... thoughts,” she tried, trying to wipe a tear away before he could see it.
“Hey,” he whispered, “you wanna call your parents in the mornin’?”
“She won’t talk to me anyway,” she mumbled quietly.
He hated that she was hurting over her parents’ rejection and it pissed him off that they were treating her so badly. “What about your dad?”
She snorted. “He’s cool when he’s alone. But he won’t dare to say anything to my mom.”
“Ya know my mom would be more than happy to call your parents and tell them a thing or two. She was ready to get on a plane and tell them in person when I talked to her a couple days ago.” He brushed his nose against her neck. “Your mom doesn’t know it but she doesn’t want my mom to open up a can of whoop ass.”
She chuckled softly. “Why can’t my mom be a little bit more like your mom?”
He wanted to make her feel better, but damn, her mom was a... No, no, Max, behave, he reminded himself. “I don’t know, darlin’... I don’t understand why your mom acts the way she does. But, until she gets her shit straightened out – and even after – the Evans family has your back.”
“Thanks,” she whispered. “You know I really appreciate it, right? It’s just not the same as havin’ your own family there for you.”
“No, I know it’s not the same.” He rubbed his hands over her arms when he felt her shiver. “We can go see ‘em for New Years’ if ya want... give it another shot.”
“You think we’d make it to Roswell on New Years’?” she asked, a little amused.
“If that’s what you wanna do then we’ll do it.” Ungh, the thought of spending New Years’ with her parents was agonizing, but if it would help to mend her relationship with them then he’d make the sacrifice.
“Nah,” she decided. “Maria told me earlier that the twins have a birthday on New Years’ Day.”
“Liz, the guys will understand if we have other plans. I know how important this is to you and while I could do without your mom’s attitude and the way she treats you, if you think it’ll make a difference we’ll go.”
She sighed. “We don’t have to decide this right now, do we?”
“About the only thing we really need to decide right now is whether or not the temperatures out here are gonna be permanently damaging to my lower extremities,” he said, trying to tease a smile out of her.
“I’m pretty sure you’ll be okay, but we can go inside again if ya want.”
“No, I’m good... what’s a case of frozen nuts if bein’ out in the cold’s makin’ my girl feel better?” He grinned and nipped at her neck, letting her know he was just kidding.
“Shut up.” She turned and slapped his shoulder playfully.
He grinned and lifted an eyebrow when her mood shifted to playful. “Or what? You gonna make me?”
“Or I’m gonna lock ya out here.”
“Lock me out here and you’ll have to sleep all alone.”
She made a face. “Nah, that wouldn’t be any fun. Who would warm up my cold feet?”
“So nice to know I’m useful for somethin’,” he grumbled.
She smiled and hugged him closely. “You know you’re more than that.”
Max held her against him snugly, glad to hear the change in her voice that indicated her thoughts were moving away from the problems with her parents. “I sure hope so.”
“Let’s go back inside. It’s freezing.”
“And now you’re cold.” He shook his head at her.
“I’ll bet you know a way to warm me up again. Don’t you?”
“Hmm... I don’t know,” he murmured as he picked her up and carried her inside. “Got somethin’ in mind?”
“Well, you could start with a massage.”
“Massage, huh?” He kissed her as he kicked the door closed behind them and locked it. “And after that?”
“You tell me.”
He chuckled when she turned it around on him and he carefully lowered her to the bed before settling over her. She was still adjusting to the changes in their relationship and she was still learning how to tell him what she wanted. “Hmm... where to start,” he mused.
“Start with kissing me,” she mumbled and grabbed his dog tags to pull him down to her.
The kiss quickly turned heated and Max hurried to unbutton his shirt and wiggle out of it when she tugged on it impatiently.
She wasted no time and her hands wandered down to the first button of his jeans when he pushed his shirt over his shoulders.
“In a hurry tonight?” he rasped as he reached for the hem of the tee shirt she was wearing under his flannel.
“Complaining?” she asked back.
“Huh-uh,” he muttered, letting her deal with the shirts while he went to work on her jeans. He paused when she shrugged out of his shirt and his eyes darkened when she pulled the tee shirt off in one fluid motion and he saw that she was bare underneath. “Put my shirt back on,” he said gruffly. “Just... leave it unbuttoned.”
“Really?” she asked doubtfully.
“Don’t ask... it’s probably a guy thing.” He rolled his eyes as he finished pulling her jeans off. “It’s hot, okay?” he admitted with an eye roll.
“Okay...” She did what he had asked for and pulled his soft flannel shirt on again.
He nodded and reached out to rub the material between his thumb and forefinger as the back of his hand brushed against her breast. Soft and softer, he mused silently. He grinned and shook his head when he glanced up and caught her watching him.
“Ten dollars for your thoughts,” she joked.
“Not sure they’re worth that much.” He laughed and kicked his own jeans off as he wrapped one arm around her waist and rolled them over so she was on top.
*****
Michael glanced at the clock once again. 7am, he thought frustrated. How long had he been laying awake thinking? He couldn’t say for sure, but it felt like hours.
His mind was running over and over what his biological father would say when they really called him. How would the man react? How would he react if his father didn’t want anything to do with him?
He wondered if he should just get up to get breakfast started since Alex, Isabel and Brooke were leaving early today.
“You’re thinking too loud, Michael,” Maria mumbled as she turned around to face him sleepily. She had woken up a few times and realized that he wasn’t sleeping. His even breathing was missing and she wasn’t in his arms.
Michael turned his head to look at her when she spoke, startling him out of his thoughts. “Sorry, did I wake you?”
“I’m cold. You’re too far away,” she said and shifted closer to him. “Why’re ya already up, baby?”
He wrapped his arm around her and pulled her up against him as he considered his answer. “Just couldn’t sleep... wonderin’ about callin’ Adam... what his reaction’s gonna be... what mine’s gonna be.” He shrugged. “Maybe I should just go make breakfast and forget about all that.”
She sighed. “Maybe Brooke was right last night.”
“Huh?”
“With just getting it over with. Maybe we should just... find out about him instead of wondering any longer.”
“So, just call him and get it over with... Yeah, maybe after Alex and the others leave. Or you think I should just call him now?”
She made a face. “Nah, we should at least wait until chances are good that he’s awake.”
“Yeah, maybe you’re right. Wanna help me with breakfast?”
“Yeah, sure,” she tried to force her eyes top stay open.
“Uh-huh, you’re not even awake yet.” He moved so that he was braced on his elbows above her and he smiled into her sleepy green eyes. “Know how to wake ya up though.”
She smiled sleepily and caressed his cheek. “Love you.”
His heart thumped madly in his chest at her quiet, drowsy declaration. “Love you too.”
Maria tried to force herself to wake up more instead of going back to sleep. “You don’t have to be scared, Michael,” she told him quietly. “No matter what happens when you guys call him, your family and I will still be there with you and for you.”
He was about to say something, but she pressed her index finger against his lips to silence him because there was something else she wanted to say. She should have already said it the night before. “About those guys from the restaurant... I know you felt uncomfortable when they were around and I know that there were quite a few parties up here where ya did things that you probably don’t want to know me about. I just want you to know that I don’t care what happened in your past with other girls. It’s not important.”
He nodded silently, taking a few minutes to put his thoughts together before speaking. “There were a lot of parties here, Maria, but... just like back home I’ve never brought any other girl here.” He didn’t know why, but he just felt like it was important to make sure she knew that.
She nodded silently, not knowing what to say.
“I never wanted that kinda involvement... not until you showed up and made me want more.” He swallowed hard. This stuff just wasn’t easy to talk about. “You’ve made my life...” he laughed gruffly. “Well, you’ve made it difficult and complicated at times, but it’s better, ya know? You’ve made ME better... and...” he lowered his head and scratched his eyebrow. “Anyway, so... yeah.”
She giggled. “You so love me.”
He rolled his eyes. “You gonna help me with breakfast?”
“Sure. I just need a short cold shower to wake me up, I guess.”
“Cold showers are just so... not fun,” he said, shaking his head.
“No, but very helpful sometimes.”
“I don’t recall a time when I’ve ever found a cold shower helpful,” he denied.
“Well, if ya wanna wake me up in a different way, you better hurry,” she told him playfully.
He shifted so he could settle more fully between her legs and he nudged her with his erection. “Thankfully, those threats about a cold shower haven’t taken the edge off of Junior’s enthusiasm,” he said with a grin.
“Thankfully I didn’t bother to wear any underwear last night,” she breathed against his lips.
“Me either.” He snorted. “How smart are we?” he asked as his right hand moved to grip her thigh and pull it up higher against his side.
She groaned and lifted her lower body up from the mattress to press against him.
He had never imagined that being with the same girl could hold his interest, but he had been so wrong, he thought as her response tugged at something inside of him. Neither of them was in the mood for foreplay and he entered her in one smooth move as he kissed her hard and deep.
Her right hand came up to grip the headboard, when he immediately started to move against her.
“Beats a cold shower any day of the week, huh?” he grunted as their bodies moved together, seeking their common goal.
“Yeah,” she breathed out and grabbed his shoulder with the other hand.
He heard the catch in her breathing and his own breathing increased when she threw her head back and sank her teeth into her bottom lip as she lifted her hips to meet every thrust. He lowered his head to suck at the pulse point at the juncture between her neck and shoulder.
Maria was surprised when her orgasm hit her so fast and she brought both of her arms around him to hold him close as he trembled through the aftershocks of his own.
“Need to go back to sleep now, huh?” he teased.
“No,” she denied.
“Not even a little? ‘Cause I could go back to sleep.”
“Thought you wanted to make breakfast?”
“That was pre-sex.”
“Pre-sex?”
“Before sex I was wide awake... now I’m in that place where sleep seems like a really good idea.”
“Then c’mere,” she pulled him down next to her on the mattress.
“Okay,” he mumbled agreeably. He knew she’d be sending him down to make breakfast soon enough, but he was gonna enjoy this for now.
Maria kissed his forehead and let her fingers trail through his hair over and over again.
“Gonna put me to sleep you keep doin’ that.”
“Thought that was the goal,” she mumbled against his hair.
“Okay, not arguin’ with you anymore.” He nuzzled the skin below her ear as he made a sound of contentment.
She suddenly felt the need to sneeze and wasn’t able to suppress it. “Sorry,” she giggled when her movement shook Michael’s head up and down.
“Did you just sneeze on me?” He reached up and brushed his fingers over his hair.
“No, don’t worry.”
“Okay.” He sighed as his thoughts once again turned to his biological father. “Do you think he’s gonna want to even meet us, Maria?”
“I don’t know,” she said honestly. She wanted to tell him that Adam would be totally into getting to know his sons... but how could she tell him that after her own father had left her without a look back when he had known that she existed in this world.
Michael’s eyes opened when he sensed the shift in her mood and he raised himself up, resting his weight on his left arm as he looked down at her. “What’re you thinkin’ about?”
“I really wanna tell you everything is gonna be fine, but I can’t.”
“Um-hmm... that’s what you’re thinkin’ about?” he asked, not buying it.
“No, I was thinking about my own…” she made quotation marks in the air, “father.”
He picked up her dog tags, playing with them as he tried to figure out the best way to phrase his next question. “Has he ever gotten in contact with you?”
She shook her head. “No.”
“I don’t know why some people have kids, ya know? I’d never leave my kids or treat them badly.”
“Guess I wasn’t really a planned kid, Michael.”
“What’s that matter?” He rested more of his weight against her as he propped his chin in his hand. “I saw the pictures your mom’s got all over the house, Maria... you might not have been planned but you were wanted. That woman loves you, and your father... I don’t know what he was thinkin’ or if he was even thinkin’ at all. If I ever meet him I’m gonna lay him out flat with a right hook.”
She smiled at his protective tone. “You were pretty freaked out when you found the pregnancy tests under my bed. Remember? You ever thought what would’ve happened if it had been really me?”
“I’d rather not... I wasn’t in a good place then. I do think I would’ve eventually dealt with it and accepted it though.”
“Maybe in a few years...” she suggested.
“You think it would’ve taken me years to deal with it?”
She laughed. “No. That’s not what I meant.”
“Oh.” He pondered that for a moment and he suddenly realized what she had meant. “Oh, we might have kids in a few years.”
“Yeah, maybe.”
“We’d have good lookin’ kids,” he said smugly.
“You can be sure about that.”
“I am. Good lookin’ kids that’d raise hell.”
She sighed. “Yeah, they better be more like their mother.”
He snorted. “Whatever... between your temperament and mine, it’s not gonna matter, baby.”
“But I’m smarter an’ better looking,” she teased.
He laughed and leaned in to kiss her. “What you are, is crazy, girl.”
“Crazy is not bad,” she told him. “We wouldn’t be together if I was normal.”
“Crazy, sexy, smart, sexy, ya put up with my shit, ya love me... did I mention sexy?”
“Wow, thank God I’m sexy, huh? Otherwise you wouldn’t have even looked at me.”
“Uh-huh... considerin’ my attitude when we first met... would you have given me a second thought if it hadn’t been for this crazy attraction between us?”
“Don’t remind me about how things started between us. That was just too weird.”
“It was weird, but it got us to where we are now, right? Its always gonna be part of our history.”
“Can we just leave out the part where I was with Brendan, please?”
He laughed and shook his head. “I wasn’t even thinkin’ about Bren, but thanks for the reminder.”
“So, since we’re all awake now… think we should make breakfast?”
“Sure... I’m feelin’ good an’ mellow now.” He grinned at her. “Think that must be because of you.”
*****
Breakfast was the loud, raucous event that they had gotten used to whenever the group got together for meals. The twins had put the information about Adam on the back burner for now, preferring to spend the morning focusing on the family and friends they were certain of.
As usual, even though they could agree on some things everyone seemed to want something different and there was plenty of variety, lots of laughter, and plenty of conversation as they talked over each other.
Alex, Isabel, and Brooke were scheduled to leave in just a couple of hours but they were enjoying the time hanging out with everyone. Isabel’s appetite had returned with a vengeance and Hector seemed to have settled down and decided to let her enjoy it. Brooke was wedged in between the twins, happily chowing down on waffles and bacon while sharing her viewpoint on every topic that came up for discussion.
Alex was debating the pros and cons of skiing and snowboarding versus hang gliding with Kyle and Brendan while Michael and Max had a friendly disagreement over who was better out on the slopes. The girls were discussing a shopping marathon they had been planning when they returned back home while Tess tried her best to find out as subtly as possible whether or not her gift had been put into action the night before.
Liz rolled her eyes when Tess kicked her under the table when she smoothly side-stepped the question once more and in a move completely out of character for her she flung the sliced strawberry on her fork across the table. The entire room fell silent at Tess’ shocked gasp and then laughter erupted when they saw the strawberry clinging to the irate blonde’s cheek.
“Parker, this means war,” Tess declared and did the same thing. The strawberry landed directly in Liz’s hair.
“Tess!”
Caela grabbed a handful of food off of her plate and squealed happily as she flung it in the general vicinity of the table. She clapped her messy hands together when everyone turned to look at Max and the oatmeal sticking to his goatee.
“Ungh, that’s seriously gross,” he muttered.
“Caela, no!” Karen warned her and took the little girl’s hands to clean them up before she turned to Tess and Liz. “She’s in a place where she imitates everyone... so if ya wanna stop throwing food...”
“Learn to live a little, Karen,” Michael mumbled as he leaned forward to flip a couple of slices of kiwi and strawberry at her.
“Michael,” she squealed in surprise. “That’s not fair.”
Caela watched the adults, laughing happily.
“Fair has nothin’ to do with it,” he shouted and flung half of a waffle at Alex since he seemed to be avoiding the fun. “Let the kid live a little.”
“I guess I’m gonna have to rethink letting you babysit our kid,” Alex growled at his brother and wiped his cheek where the waffle had hit him.
“Aw, c’mon, Alex,” Brooke complained. “A little bit of the good kind of insanity every now an’ then’s a good thing.” She grinned at him and pelted him with half a dozen blueberries.
Liz used the little distraction to dip her spoon into the honey and then leaned over the table to push it on Tess’ nose.
“Parker, you’re gonna get it!” Tess howled, wincing at the sticky mess. “All you had to do was answer one little question... did you or did you not put on that hot little number and give Evans a night to remember...” She grabbed the bowl of syrup and slowly stood up, moving around the table and advancing on Liz.
“Oh, no, you will not, Harding!” She stood up to get away from Tess.
“You know, Evans, if we don’t put a stop to this we’re gonna have two very sticky women on our hands,” Kyle mumbled around a mouthful of scrambled eggs. He was keeping an eye on all of the combatants, not interested in getting involved in a food fight. He’d much rather be eating the food.
“Any ideas?” Max asked his friend, reaching out to stop Tess from going any further towards his girlfriend.
Tess glared at Max when he dared to stop her and without giving it a second thought she lifted the bowl in her hand and dumped it over his head.
Max froze in shock for several moments and everyone stopped moving to look at him with wide eyes and open mouths.
“You’re dead, Harding,” he suddenly told her and stood up with one quick move. “Kyle, forgive me, but I’m gonna have to punish your girlfriend for that one.” He grabbed Tess and threw her over his right shoulder.
“EVANS!” she shouted and fisted her hands to hit him in the back. “Lemme down! Now!”
“You wish,” he answered coolly, wiping the side of his head on her jeans to get rid of some syrup, before he reached for the front door to step out on the porch.
He walked along it and stopped in front of a big pile of snow in front of the porch and he threw her over the low railing, directly into the cold white stuff.
“Oh, no, you did not just do that!” she screamed as she struggled to get out of the snow.
“I did,” he answered with a smirk and walked back inside, not bothering to help her out.
Tess scrambled to get out of the snow and just as she succeeded in getting her feet under her she slipped on something and fell face first into the snow again. “Damn it,” she muttered as she finally managed to crawl out of the snow onto the walkway that had been cleared.
“Could’ve told you that Evans wasn’t gonna let you get away with that one,” Kyle mused from where he was standing at the top of the steps watching her.
“Why didn’t you help me out?” she asked in annoyance while brushing the snow from her clothes.
“You really expected me to help you out after you poured syrup on the guy’s head?”
“At least you could’ve tried to stop him.” She shivered as she walked up the stairs to go inside again.
“Syrup on the guy’s head... you know what a bitch that’s gonna be to get out?”
She shrugged, grinning as she imagined Max trying to get it out of his hair.
“You’re a bad, bad, girl, Tess,” he said, shaking his head and following her back inside.
The moment Tess and Kyle walked into the kitchen again food flew in their direction, thrown by everyone in the room.
“Hey, wait!” Kyle shouted. “I wasn’t even involved!”
“Doesn’t matter. That little package of evil is your girlfriend,” Max declared.
“See the stuff I get involved in for you?” he asked, turning to look at her and biting back the laugh threatening to erupt when he saw the state she was in. She had definitely gotten the worst of that last attack. “Um, we might have to take you outside and hose you off, babe.”
“Wanna take a shower with me?”
He bit his bottom lip as he looked at her, his eyes slowly traveling over the bits of food stuck everywhere. “While food and sex can make a fun combination, um... this...” he waved at her, “this really isn’t turnin’ me on.” He winced as soon as the words were out because he just knew he was in for it. The words hadn’t come out exactly the way he’d meant them to.
Tess placed her hands on her hips and glared at him. “Fine. Watch out for some very lonely nights, Valenti.” She walked past him to go upstairs.
“Okay, Tess, that just came out all wrong,” he hollered as he turned to follow her. “All I meant was – “ his protest was cut off when he stepped on a slice of kiwi and his feet shot out from under him. “Aww, hell that hurt,” he muttered when he landed on the floor... hard.
“Everyone laughed at Kyle while he was struggling to get to his feet. “You’re in trouble, man,” Michael told him.
“Shut up, Guerin. This’s all...” he paused to think about that as he went over the past few minutes. “Oh,” he grinned, “I guess it’s all Tess’ fault, huh? She did start this mess.”
“Totally right, thank you!” Liz nodded.
Max was hanging over the sink pouring warm water over his hair in an attempt to dislodge the honey Tess had poured all over him. “What exactly started all this anyway?” he asked, his voice muffled by the sink.
“Tess and her desire to know everything,” Liz told him.
“What’s she gotta be so nosy for? Damn it, this crap’s not comin’ out.”
“Um, I’ll tell ya later.”
“Can you get me a towel or somethin’? I’m gonna have to get in the shower an’ see if shampoo will help... I think this stuff’s just getting... stickier.”
“Okay,” Liz hurried to get him the towel.
“I take it back. I’m not sharin’ my coffee with that she-devil.” He patted his head, getting rid of the worst of the water and then lowered his head. “How bad’s it look?” he asked her.
“Well…” she looked at him and bit her lip to keep from laughing.
“Seriously?” He rolled his eyes when he saw how hard she was trying to keep from laughing. “If I have to shave my head over this you can bet Harding’s goin’ bald too!” He stalked out of the room and hurried to the second floor.
Karen took Caela outta her seat as well. “I’m gonna clean her up.”
“Need a hand?” Brendan asked, tipping his head back to look at her as she passed behind him.
“No, you can help clean the kitchen.”
He looked between Caela and the kitchen. Somehow his daughter was the least messy of the two. “I don’t mind, really.” He didn’t wanna clean this mess up.
“Uh-huh. Help clean the kitchen, Bren. I think us girls are all good on our own.”
“Hey, I’ll give you a hand,” Brooke offered and hurried to follow Karen out of the room.
“I can’t believe you threw food at Karen,” Brendan hissed at Michael after she had left the room.
Michael shrugged. “Relax.”
“Relax? I’m the one who’s gonna have to deal with her if she’s pissed off over this.”
“You think she’ll be pissed?”
“I don’t know... we’re tryin’ to get Caela to stop throwin’ things, not encourage her to throw her food ‘cause it’s fun.”
“Ah, come on, it was just a little fun.”
Alex leaned back in his chair and grinned as he nodded at his youngest brother. “And now you get to see what I’ve been talkin’ about with Brooke.”
Michael looked up from the pyramid of blueberries he was creating on top of the waffle on his plate. “What’re you talkin’ about, Alex?”
“It’s not about takin’ the fun out of everything even though sometimes it feels like that.” He smiled and shrugged his right shoulder. “Kinda like you lettin’ her drink watered down tequila the other night… had I known about it she wouldn’t have been playin’ with you guys. And you know it.”
“We didn’t let her drink that much, Alex. She only had a couple of drinks before she called it a night anyway.”
“That’s not the point. She’s 16 years old, Michael; she doesn’t need to be drinkin’ tequila or any other hard liquor at her age.” He shook his head when his brother started to protest. “It doesn’t matter if it was watered down, that’s not the point.” He looked at Brendan. “Would you want Caela hangin’ out drinkin’ watered down tequila at 16 years old?”
“Huh-uh.”
Alex grinned at them. “See? It’s not just about me bein’ the guy who doesn’t want anyone to have any fun.”
“We never said that, Alex,” Michael denied.
“Don’t worry about it, just do me a favor and don’t let it happen again. I have to draw the line in certain areas and you guys have to back me up. If you turn around and let her do whatever she wants to do, she’s gonna do exactly that ‘cause she thinks its okay and eventually she’s gonna stop listenin’ to me.”
“We’ll do better,” Brendan promised.
“Yeah, um, about that…” Michael started. “Ya think we can let ‘er hit one of the parties on New Years’ Eve?”
Alex lifted one eyebrow skeptically. “Where’re you guys goin’?”
Michael shrugged. “We haven’t decided yet; one of the parties on campus most likely.”
“We’ll watch out for her,” Maria offered, trying to help out. “And I think you two should come with us too. We’ve never really had a chance to all party together.”
“Wild New Years’ Eve parties?” Isabel asked doubtfully. “I don’t know, Maria.”
“Yeah, not sure how well that’s gonna work for us,” Alex agreed as he placed a protective hand over his fiancé’s belly, smiling at her.
“We could hit the one out at the football field,” Michael mumbled around the waffle he was wolfing down. “We’ll already be there anyway ‘cause of the game and we’ve had several people ask us to play a few songs, so…”
“It’s not very far from Brendan’s apartment,” Maria thought aloud. “So, by the time it’s midnight we’ll all be together, even little Caela. There’s no way she’s gonna be able to sleep with all the noise on New Years’ Eve.”
“C’mon,” Michael urged, giving his older brother a little shove on the shoulder when Alex still looked uncertain. “I know ya gotta lay down the law an’ all, but we can still have fun with the kid. Besides, Brooke’s gonna be in a pissy mood all night if ya don’t let ‘er go and you, old man… you need to have a little fun as well.”
Alex laughed. “Old man? Okay, I think we’re in. Guess we don’t wanna miss my little brothers turning 21,” he said, amused when he got a groan from both Brendan and Michael.
Fics: A Xmas Story - A Merry Mt. R. Xmas - Cupid's Revenge - Double Trouble - Double Date - Double Dare - Double Empire - Double Xmas Wish - In The Course Of A Lifetime - Mountains So High - Not A Question At All - Surrender - TIC TAC - Two Double Dates at Xmas
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Double Trouble
- Obsessed Roswellian
- Posts: 925
- Joined: Tue Dec 16, 2008 9:47 am
Re: Double Trouble (CC, AU, Adult) - Part 109 - 4/8/10
Earth2Mama: It is just a bit mind-boggling!
Alex was bound to find out about it eventually, but he did a nice job of making his point without being overbearing about it.
We’ve got our fingers crossed that the syrup comes out.
Yup, Liz didn’t win the parent lottery.
Oh, we’ll get to both of them.
Alien_Friend: Finally, lol.
Lots of fun… until it’s all over!
Ah, he had to say something. He does have responsibilities after all.
There were some great couple moments there. We’ll find out what happens with Liz and her parents. We think Michael and Maria will make great parents someday too.
mary mary: Oh, yeah, so much cuter than when someone else has that chore!
Nope, not a good thing, and it’s a pretty sure thing that Alex would say something just as soon as he found out about it.
Oh, we’re gonna find out what happens with Adam.
begonia9508: That’s Tess for ya! Let’s hope Max doesn’t have to shave it all off… not sure how he’d look with no hair.
sarammlover: We’re hoping that Liz’ parents come around in time.
April: Glad you’re all caught up again.
Always fun as long as you’re not the one cleanin’ it up!
You just never know what could happen, lol.
guelbebek: They do seem older, don’t they? But, nope.
Max is around the twins’ age… and we’re biased of course, but he is pretty perfect.
We’re glad you enjoyed those two scenes.
Natalie36: We’re thinking he’s gonna opt for more washing.
Eva: We’re glad you like our DT Max.
Not having that unconditional love, never really having experienced it, leaves a gaping hole in a person’s heart and life. We’re hoping that’s what he gets too!
kismet: Diane would be more than happy to have words with the Parkers!
LOL, so you and Tess have something in common.
Yeah, even though you might wanna let things slide that responsibility means you’ve gotta maintain certain boundaries.
We’ll see what happens where the Parkers are concerned.
Max’ parents are pretty cool!
Maiqu: Yeah, he’s got his work cut out for him!
Finally, right?
Part 110 – Making the Call
“Need any help?” Liz asked Maria, who was busy with the dishes from the breakfast, while Michael and Brendan tried to clean the rest of the kitchen after the big and ugly food fight half an hour ago.
“Sure. If ya wanna dry these,” the blonde gestured to several plates and cups she had already rinsed and set aside.
“Okay.” Liz grabbed one of the towels hanging next to the refrigerator and started drying. “Did you know that Michael, Kyle and Max own this cabin?” she whispered while the boys were busy talking.
“Yeah, but only since last night.”
“Max told me this morning. That’s pretty cool, huh? I mean we can come here whenever we want to.”
“Yeah, maybe a good place to study for finals, huh?”
“Oh, right, hadn’t thought about that.” Liz took another plate from the counter next to the sink and started to dry it off. “How long you think we’ll stay here?”
“We thought maybe until the 29th or something.”
“I’ve been thinking, and maybe I should go back to Roswell before New Years’ Eve,” Liz said quietly.
Maria looked at her in surprise. “Really? That’s a lotta travelling in a short time.”
Liz made a face. “I know, but I can’t leave things with my parents as they are. It’s driving me insane.”
“Well, I guess I can understand that,” Maria mused. “Does Max know?”
“He suggested us maybe goin’ to Roswell on New Years’. But if we go I wanna do it before then. I know he wants to party with his friends and it’s the twins’ birthday on January 1st, soo…”
“Are you gonna call your parents before?”
“Probably not. That would give my mom too much time to think about the situation again.”
“True…” Maria stopped when Brooke came back into the kitchen, a heavy bag in her hand.
“Time to say goodbye,” she told everyone with a sad face. “Why can’t I stay here with you a few more days?”
“We’re not havin’ this discussion again, Brooke,” Alex said when he joined them. “Say your goodbyes and find your pups and let’s get movin’.”
The teenager rolled her eyes and dropped her bag to the floor. “Have fun here,” she told Liz and gave her a quick hug before she turned to Maria. “And you…” she hugged her as well, “make sure my brothers contact their biological father okay?” she pleaded quietly.
Maria nodded. “I’ll do my best.”
Brooke glanced over her shoulder to watch the twins as they helped Alex with the luggage. “He’s gonna be in a bad mood if this guy doesn’t react the way we hope he will.”
“I know. Don’t worry. No matter what the outcome is we’ll get past this just like we always do.”
Brooke smiled. “Good answer. Alright, have a good time and we’ll see you in a few days, alright? Call me if there’s any news.” The younger girl didn’t wait for a reply and hurried to join her brothers.
Michael bit back a grin when the front door opened and Buffy shot outside as if she were being chased by the hounds of hell. He caught her when she ran up to him and jumped and a moment later he knew why she was in such a hurry. Caela ran outside ahead of Brendan, her little snowsuit-encased body weaving drunkenly from left to right as she tried to maintain her balance and hold the small dog at the same time. Spike looked completely humiliated and resigned to his capture as he hung limply from the little girl’s stranglehold.
Brendan laughed as he caught up with his daughter and swept her up in his arms. “I think you need to let Spike go before he loses his last shred of dignity.” He glanced at Michael and shook his head. “Not that these little guys have that much to start with.”
“Tell me about it,” Michael said as extricated the little dog from his niece’s stubborn hold. He grinned at Brooke when she stepped out on the porch behind Brendan. “Hey, just in time. Here, brat, watch your little devils,” Michael told her and pushed Buffy and Spike into her arms without any warning.
She rolled her eyes at him and walked over to the car to put the two dogs inside before closing the door so they wouldn’t get back out. “I’m gonna go get my jacket,” she said and hurried inside again.
“So, you guys enjoy the next couple of days up here. We’ll see you on New Years’ Eve at the latest I guess,” Isabel said to the twins when she stepped out on the porch.
“Sure. Make sure ya rest a little,” Michael told her.
Isabel’s eyes grew a little wide when he gave her a quick hug. “I will,” she promised as he released her again. “You’ve got our lunch?” she asked Alex, who was trying to get everything in the trunk. They had decided to drive back to Long Beach instead of taking another flight.
He chuckled. “Don’t tell me you’re already hungry again. We just had breakfast, honey.”
“Just making sure,” she told him with a grin.
“It’s behind your seat.” He slammed the trunk shut and walked towards her. “Already said goodbye to everyone inside?”
She nodded. “Yeah.”
“Okay, get in the car then, it’s freezing out here. We’ll leave in a few minutes.” He opened the door for her and closed it again once she had settled in her seat.
He walked back into the cabin to get his coat. “Ready?” he asked Brooke, who was hugging Brendan goodbye.
“Almost,” she told her oldest brother and walked over to Michael. She practically jumped up and hugged him.
“Brooke,” he said in surprise as he stumbled a few steps backwards, but holding her up against him. “Wanna knock me over?”
“Promise me you’re gonna contact Adam,” she whispered.
He looked at her intensely and nodded softly.
“And don’t take your bad mood out on your girlfriend if it doesn’t go so well,” she warned.
“What are you? My mother or somethin’?” he asked, but his tone was soft.
She rolled her eyes at him. “Fine, I’ll be quiet. See ya soon,” she kissed his cheek before he placed her back on the ground again.
“Make sure ya give Isabel a hand around the house when Alex is workin’.”
“What are you? My father or somethin’?” she joked with a wink and waved before she walked out of the house.
“Alright, we’d better hurry,” Alex said to his brothers. “We’re already runnin’ behind schedule.”
“Call us when you get home,” Brendan said and patted his shoulder.
“Sure,” he said and considered bringing their biological father up again, but decided that the twins would decide what was best for them, and he left it alone.
*****
Michael followed Brendan into the kitchen, leaning against the counter and drumming his fingers on the surface. “So, you think we should just go ahead and call this guy?”
Brendan shrugged. “What’re we gonna say?”
“What’re YOU gonna say,” Michael corrected him. “We both know I’m not callin’ him.”
“Why not? Why me?”
“Because you know I’ll just go off if he says the wrong thing.”
Brendan rolled his eyes. “Great.”
Michael moved to the island in the center of the room, reaching out and pushing the little piece of paper with Adam’s number scrawled on it. “So...”
“So... I just say what? Hello, I’m your son.”
He rolled his eyes. “Alright, I’ll do it... probably better to just get it over with.”
“Okay,” Brendan said, relieved. He wasn’t really looking forward to doing it, so if Michael offered...
“Hey,” Maria came up from behind, “I’ll wait upstairs, okay?”
Michael nodded and then turned around to look at her, seeking reassurance.
“You don’t have to be nervous. He can’t make it any worse, okay? If he wants to see you, good, and if not then it’s his own loss.” She rubbed his chest. “Just don’t expect too much from this call. He’s probably gonna be surprised... shocked...”
“I just wanna get it over with.”
She nodded. “Alright. I’ll be in our room. I need to take a shower; I’ve got berries in my hair.”
He nodded, so occupied with his thoughts that he didn’t even comment on what she had said.
Maria left the room with mixed feelings. She wasn’t really sure how well this was going to turn out.
Michael pulled his cell phone out of his pocket and stared at it for several minutes before reaching for the piece of paper lying on the counter. He punched in the number and hit the call button, lifting the phone to his ear and listening to the ringing on the other end before beginning to pace.
He was surprised when a woman answered the phone and she said ‘hello’ several times before he found his voice. “Uh, yeah, hi... I’m lookin’ for an Adam Smith?”
“Who’s calling please?”
He bit his tongue to stop himself from asking what business it was of hers. “Michael Guerin,” he snapped out finally.
“One moment please.” The woman put the phone down and Michael could hear her calling for the man. “Adam? Phone call for you. He said his name’s Michael Guerin.”
Brendan was sitting on the counter and he straightened up as he listened to the one-sided conversation. “What’s goin’ on?”
“Some woman answered the phone... I don’t know.”
Adam took the phone out of his wife’s hand with a questioning look. She just shrugged. “Hello?”
“Is this Adam Smith? Architect from Washington State?”
“Yeah, it is. What’s the matter?”
“You, uh, you...” He cleared his throat. “You remember a woman named Maureen Guerin?”
“Uh...” Adam started to sweat. Maureen Guerin? It seemed like a lifetime since he had heard her name the last time. “Barely,” he lied.
Barely? “But you do remember her?”
“Vaguely.” How could he forget the woman he had loved so many years ago? A married woman he had fallen for, the wife of a man who would have made both of their lives a living hell if he hadn’t left New York.
“So glad to know she left a lasting impression,” Michael muttered. “Anyway she’s my mother and I’m callin’ ‘cause we... well, my twin brother and me... we just found out that we’re the result of the affair you two had.”
Brendan winced. Okay, maybe he should’ve been the one to make the call.
Adam almost dropped the phone at the declaration from the other end. “Listen,” he insisted. His voice was raspy and he coughed slightly. “Boy, I don’t know if this’s a bad joke or what, but I’m pretty sure I don’t have any children with that woman.” He would know, wouldn’t he?
“Yeah, ‘cause this is the kinda joke I’d waste my time playin’ on a perfect stranger.”
Brendan dropped down off of the counter and grabbed the phone out of his brother’s hand. “Hey,” he spoke into the mouthpiece, “my name’s Brendan... I’m Michael’s twin brother. This isn’t some kinda joke. We just found out about it and we were kinda hopin’ you’d wanna meet with us.”
“I’d appreciate it if you wouldn’t bother me anymore, thanks.” Adam hung up the phone, his heart beating a mile a minute.
“What happened?” Michael demanded when Brendan lowered the phone and just stared at it.
“He just hung up.”
“What?!”
“He...” Brendan put the cell on the counter a little too hard.
“You know what? So fuckin’ what. It’s not like we need him for anything,” Michael snarled, shoving down the immediate feeling of rejection at the man’s easy dismissal.
“Yeah, fuck him,” Brendan muttered and kicked the island in the middle.
That actually caused Michael to pause and he suddenly grinned. “Bren, that’s one of the few times I can remember you sayin’ ‘fuck’ in response to anything.”
“Save it for the best, ya know,” he told his brother.
“Good point.” Michael shook his head. “Look, it’s like Maria said... it’s his loss, not ours.” He wondered if he said that enough times he’d start to believe it.
*****
“Hey, Alex?” Brooke was slouched down against the door, her legs stretched across the seat as she stroked the little dogs sleeping in her lap.
He glanced at Isabel to make sure she was still sleeping soundly before looking up to meet his sister’s gaze in the rearview mirror. “What’s up?”
She bit her bottom lip as she phrased the question in her head before vocalizing it. “What if Adam doesn’t want anything to do with Michael and Brendan?”
“I wish I had a good answer for you. I hope Adam responds positively, but the reality is that he might not. That’s pretty big news for a guy to learn when his kids are Brendan and Michael’s age. Well, it’s big news no matter when you get it, but in this situation… there’re a lot of variables.”
“If he doesn’t react well do you think it’ll make Michael go back to the way he used to be?”
“I think it could set him back a little bit, but no, I don’t think it’d push him to those lengths.”
She straightened the dogs’ collars. “Bren accepted his daughter.”
“I know, but Adam’s relationship with Mom ended 21 years ago and to our knowledge he had no idea she was pregnant when they went their separate ways. 21 years is a long time, Brooke; there’s a very good chance that the man’s married and has other children now. He’s moved on with his life and he may not be interested in dealing with the past.”
“Well, that would suck.” She made a face. “Especially since I’ve been pushin’ them to call the guy.”
“They need to know one way or the other.”
“Yeah. Y’know, I was worried about this before. I was scared that with Maria, Karen, and then Adam that the guys would just… I don’t know, move on. I know it’s irrational; even without us all havin’ the same father that doesn’t suddenly mean they’re not our brothers, but… I was just scared that they’d leave.”
Alex changed lanes and reached for the sack of donuts sitting in the console between the seats. “You feel differently now?”
“Seein’ Bren with Karen and Caela really helped. Everyone’s so stable right now and even though things are changin’ it’s like it’s gonna be okay.” She reached between the seats to tug on his sleeve. “Can I have one of those?”
He pushed the sack further back so she could grab it. “I think you’re right about that, Brooke; I think no matter how this thing with Adam turns out it’s gonna be okay.”
*****
Nicole Smith followed her husband of nearly 17 years into the study, easily picking up on his agitation. She had known the moment she had heard him deny having children with another woman that whatever was going on was serious. It hadn’t taken long for her mind to connect the dots; she knew about his affair with Maureen Guerin, but it wasn’t until she had turned the phone over to Adam that the name the young man on the other end of the phone had given her struck a chord of familiarity.
The affair had happened long before they had met each other and she wasn’t the type of woman who held anyone’s past over their head. She had never expected him to pretend that he didn’t have a past with other women, but it hadn’t taken long to realize that Maureen Guerin wasn’t just a fling. Adam had dealt with his past with his ex and she hadn’t agreed to marry him until she had been sure that it was settled and it wouldn’t create problems between them.
“Adam, what’s going on?”
“Just a prank, Nicole.”
“Are you sure?”
“Of course I’m sure!” he exploded as he jerked around and smacked his palm down against the desk. “I think I’d know if I had a couple of boys out there with my genes.”
She snorted when she tried to choke back a laugh. Adam was generally a calm man, but he had a temper and it had a tendency of getting the best of him when things moved beyond his control. “If you didn’t know she was pregnant it’s doubtful that you’d just magically know you had… wait, did you say boys? As in more than one?”
“Said they’re twins… can you believe that? I’m tellin’ you it’s a prank, Nicole. There’s no way I’ve got a couple of 21-year-old boys out there somewhere.”
She watched him as he resumed pacing. He ran his right hand through his blond hair and her eyes followed the agitated movement when a moment later he reached up to rub his graying temple. “Adam, if there’s any chance that it’s true – “
“It’s not true, Nicole! How do you have a kid and just not know about it?”
“Hey, Mom, Pop, where’re you guys at?” a young male voice shouted.
“In here, Shane,” Nicole called out to their 15-year-old son.
“Hey, Jerry and Zack just called; the guys are getting a game together with their dads and they wanted to know if we wanted to come over. The indoor arena’s free for the afternoon.”
Adam held his hands up when he saw the black and white soccer ball in his son’s hands, catching it when the boy tossed it to him. “Call ‘em back and tell ‘em we’ll be there.”
“Cool.” He paused at the doorway on his way out. “We don’t gotta take Brian or Tyler do we?” he asked, referring to his younger brothers.
“Keep it up and we’ll take your sisters, too.” He tossed the ball back to the teenager. “Get your brothers ready to go.” He smiled when the boy ran out of the room, hollering at the top of his lungs for his brothers to get a move on.
“You can go out and play with the boys for a few hours, but we’re gonna deal with this other issue when you get home.”
“There’s nothin’ to deal with,” he insisted stubbornly. “Have you heard the phone ring again? No. And do you know why? Because it was a stupid prank.”
“Um-hmm.” She reached out and snagged one of his belt loops when he started to pace past her once again. “Sometimes it still amazes me just how much you haven’t changed over the years.” She kissed him and gave him a little push, smacking his backside as she passed him on her way out of the room. “Later, Adam… after dinner when the kids have gone to bed. You know you can’t hide from me for long.”
Adam rolled his eyes at his wife’s back and shook his head as he pushed down the memories that the call had brought up. He wasn’t interested in dragging his past up again. It had taken several years for him to get over losing the woman he had been so certain he would one day spend his life with. He was married to a woman he loved and who loved him, they had five great kids, and he was happy with his life; he didn’t need or want anything or anyone to come in and ruin things.
*****
Karen glanced up when Brendan slipped out of the kitchen and through the front door without a word to anyone. It was only a matter of seconds before Michael ducked past everyone and headed for the stairs, taking the steps two at a time to get to the second floor. She bit her lip as she looked down at Caela, wondering what her daughter was thinking as she looked around when her daddy and uncle both hurried out of the room.
“We can watch short stuff there if you wanna go after him,” Kyle offered when he saw the look of indecision on her face.
“You’re sure you don’t mind?” Karen asked.
“Nope, not at all.”
She nodded in appreciation and after making sure Caela was comfortable she hurried to pull her coat on and follow Brendan. He hadn’t gone farther than the porch, but he had moved to one end and he was leaning against one of the support posts as he stared out into the distance.
“Bren?”
“Should’ve just left it alone,” he said. “He didn’t wanna hear about it.”
“He’s probably in shock, Bren. Maybe he’ll call back.”
“He didn’t wait long enough for us to give him a number.”
“Caller ID, sweetie.”
He shrugged one shoulder. “I think I’m gonna have to go with Michael on this one, Karen. I don’t think the guy wants anything to do with us. Told us not to bother him again.”
She could hear the hurt in his voice and she moved to wrap her arms around him from behind. “Give it some time. Don’t accept defeat this early in the game. Maybe give him some time and try again.”
“Nope, no interest in doin’ that again.”
*****
Max shook himself like a wet dog as he got out of the shower, flinging water all over the bathroom. “Okay, I think I’ve got it all out… finally.” He rubbed the towel over his head roughly before shaking it out and wrapping it around his hips. He leaned over the sink, trying to see if there was any syrup left in his hair.
Liz squeezed in between him and the sink, hopping up to sit on the counter and examine his hair for herself. “Yeah, looks like you’re good.”
He grinned as he lifted his head to look at her. “I am good. Want me to show ya how good?”
She smiled as her fingertips ghosted over his chest and moved to latch onto his dog tags. “Max, do you think my parents will ever accept me for who I am?”
“Darlin’, I hope they do, but I think it’s somethin’ they’re gonna have to do on their own. We can go back there anytime you want to, but whether or not they choose to accept you isn’t really somethin’ that you should have to convince them to do. And I think if you do you’re always gonna wonder if they accepted you on their own or because you made a good sales pitch.”
She nodded and slid the dog tags on their chain, listening to the light metallic rasp it made. “Yeah, I know you’re right.” She glanced around the bathroom and shook her head when she noticed the drops of water peppering every surface. “You made such a mess in here,” she mused with a smile.
“Could’ve made a bigger mess if you’d joined me,” he teased.
“I would – “ She trailed off when a door nearby slammed shut. “I think Michael and Brendan were getting ready to call their biological father.”
“Sounds like they did, but didn’t get the result they were hopin’ for.” He nodded over his shoulder. “Maybe we oughta go downstairs and see how things are goin’.”
*****
Maria looked up when Michael stalked into their room and slammed the door. She wished she hadn’t been expecting a reaction similar to this, but she wasn’t surprised. “What happened?”
“What happened?” he repeated incredulously. “What happened is that the guy doesn’t want anything to do with us. Which is exactly what I said would happen.” He paced around the room, right hand raking through his hair repeatedly. “I knew the guy was gonna be a waste of time.”
“Michael, it wasn’t a waste of time; you’ve put the information out there and now he knows about you guys. You’ve told him and he probably needs time to process that information.”
“Whatever. He’s not gonna contact us ‘cause he doesn’t want anything to do with us.”
“You sound like a broken record. How well do you think you’d react if you got a call informing you that you had twin sons that’re 21 years old? Think about the time it took for you to process the information that Hank isn’t your father, Michael.”
“It’s not even worth thinkin’ about, Maria. I don’t wanna talk about this and I don’t wanna think about it; I’m goin’ snowboardin’.” He walked over to the closet and started pulling clothes out, dressing in comfortable layers before turning to look at her. “I’m gonna see if Bren wants to hit the slopes for the day.”
She nodded, deciding to let him go without an argument. Even though he had insisted that he didn’t care what his biological father said she knew he had been hoping to get something better than an outright rejection. It wouldn’t hurt to let him go off for a few hours and cool off, let his temper settle down before trying to talk to him.
*****
Maria found Max, Liz, Karen and Caela in the living room when she went downstairs about half an hour after Michael had left the cabin in a hurry. “Hey,” she greeted them. “Survived the Guerin Hurricane?”
Karen snorted lightly. “You’d never have expected Brendan’s sudden enthusiasm for learning to snowboard when Michael asked him to go earlier.”
“Yeah,” Maria sighed, “he took it pretty bad, but I guess some time alone on the slopes will be good for them.” She sat down in one of the armchairs and turned to look at the couple snuggled up on one of the couches. “How’s your hair doin’?”
“Think I finally got the syrup out of it,” Max grumbled. “After washin’ it like 30 times.”
“Where’re Kyle and Tess?”
Liz shrugged. “They just told us they were spending today together alone somewhere and that they didn’t know when they’d be back. Probably before dinner though.”
“So, what’re your plans for today?”
Max and Liz both shrugged. “Haven’t really decided yet.”
“And you?” she asked Karen.
The woman glanced down at her daughter, cradled in her arms. “Well, the original plan was to go into town today and hang out at the indoor swimming pool, but looks like we kinda got abandoned.”
Maria nodded absentmindedly and chewed on her bottom lip.
“What’re you thinking about?” Karen asked, knowing the other girl had something in mind.
“How do ya think Michael and Brendan would react if I tried to talk to Adam?”
“Um…” Karen was surprised.
“That’s probably not a good idea, Maria,” Max told her. “You know what could happen. Michael will most likely be pissed like hell once he finds out about it. Especially if you do it behind his back.”
She made a face. “I know, but I’m pretty sure Adam just reacted the way he did because he was surprised and shocked. Who wouldn’t have been? I doubt I’m gonna be able to convince Michael to call him again after the man’s first reaction to the news.” She had seen the way that Maureen lit up when she talked about the man and she couldn’t imagine that he was cold of unfeeling. She was positive it was just shock.
“Bren made it very clear that he has no intention of talking to the man again either,” Karen agreed. “Still, I doubt the twins would like it.”
Maria wiggled around in the armchair to get more comfortable and laid her head on the armrest. “I just don’t wanna go back to California without even trying. We’re not gonna get a better chance to talk to him than we have right now.”
“You mean you wanna go there? Visit him at home?” Karen asked, wide-eyed.
Maria turned to look at her and shrugged. “I don’t know. It’s an idea. He’s probably not gonna answer the phone if we try calling and if he does he’ll probably just hang up again.”
“But what if his current family isn’t okay with this? You could cause a lot of trouble for him,” Liz told Maria.
“Yeah, I know. Maybe I should just leave it alone.” She stared up at the ceiling. Or maybe not.
Alex was bound to find out about it eventually, but he did a nice job of making his point without being overbearing about it.
We’ve got our fingers crossed that the syrup comes out.
Yup, Liz didn’t win the parent lottery.
Oh, we’ll get to both of them.
Alien_Friend: Finally, lol.
Lots of fun… until it’s all over!
Ah, he had to say something. He does have responsibilities after all.
There were some great couple moments there. We’ll find out what happens with Liz and her parents. We think Michael and Maria will make great parents someday too.
mary mary: Oh, yeah, so much cuter than when someone else has that chore!
Nope, not a good thing, and it’s a pretty sure thing that Alex would say something just as soon as he found out about it.
Oh, we’re gonna find out what happens with Adam.
begonia9508: That’s Tess for ya! Let’s hope Max doesn’t have to shave it all off… not sure how he’d look with no hair.
sarammlover: We’re hoping that Liz’ parents come around in time.
April: Glad you’re all caught up again.
Always fun as long as you’re not the one cleanin’ it up!
You just never know what could happen, lol.
guelbebek: They do seem older, don’t they? But, nope.
Max is around the twins’ age… and we’re biased of course, but he is pretty perfect.
We’re glad you enjoyed those two scenes.
Natalie36: We’re thinking he’s gonna opt for more washing.
Eva: We’re glad you like our DT Max.
Not having that unconditional love, never really having experienced it, leaves a gaping hole in a person’s heart and life. We’re hoping that’s what he gets too!
kismet: Diane would be more than happy to have words with the Parkers!
LOL, so you and Tess have something in common.
Yeah, even though you might wanna let things slide that responsibility means you’ve gotta maintain certain boundaries.
We’ll see what happens where the Parkers are concerned.
Max’ parents are pretty cool!
Maiqu: Yeah, he’s got his work cut out for him!
Finally, right?
Part 110 – Making the Call
“Need any help?” Liz asked Maria, who was busy with the dishes from the breakfast, while Michael and Brendan tried to clean the rest of the kitchen after the big and ugly food fight half an hour ago.
“Sure. If ya wanna dry these,” the blonde gestured to several plates and cups she had already rinsed and set aside.
“Okay.” Liz grabbed one of the towels hanging next to the refrigerator and started drying. “Did you know that Michael, Kyle and Max own this cabin?” she whispered while the boys were busy talking.
“Yeah, but only since last night.”
“Max told me this morning. That’s pretty cool, huh? I mean we can come here whenever we want to.”
“Yeah, maybe a good place to study for finals, huh?”
“Oh, right, hadn’t thought about that.” Liz took another plate from the counter next to the sink and started to dry it off. “How long you think we’ll stay here?”
“We thought maybe until the 29th or something.”
“I’ve been thinking, and maybe I should go back to Roswell before New Years’ Eve,” Liz said quietly.
Maria looked at her in surprise. “Really? That’s a lotta travelling in a short time.”
Liz made a face. “I know, but I can’t leave things with my parents as they are. It’s driving me insane.”
“Well, I guess I can understand that,” Maria mused. “Does Max know?”
“He suggested us maybe goin’ to Roswell on New Years’. But if we go I wanna do it before then. I know he wants to party with his friends and it’s the twins’ birthday on January 1st, soo…”
“Are you gonna call your parents before?”
“Probably not. That would give my mom too much time to think about the situation again.”
“True…” Maria stopped when Brooke came back into the kitchen, a heavy bag in her hand.
“Time to say goodbye,” she told everyone with a sad face. “Why can’t I stay here with you a few more days?”
“We’re not havin’ this discussion again, Brooke,” Alex said when he joined them. “Say your goodbyes and find your pups and let’s get movin’.”
The teenager rolled her eyes and dropped her bag to the floor. “Have fun here,” she told Liz and gave her a quick hug before she turned to Maria. “And you…” she hugged her as well, “make sure my brothers contact their biological father okay?” she pleaded quietly.
Maria nodded. “I’ll do my best.”
Brooke glanced over her shoulder to watch the twins as they helped Alex with the luggage. “He’s gonna be in a bad mood if this guy doesn’t react the way we hope he will.”
“I know. Don’t worry. No matter what the outcome is we’ll get past this just like we always do.”
Brooke smiled. “Good answer. Alright, have a good time and we’ll see you in a few days, alright? Call me if there’s any news.” The younger girl didn’t wait for a reply and hurried to join her brothers.
Michael bit back a grin when the front door opened and Buffy shot outside as if she were being chased by the hounds of hell. He caught her when she ran up to him and jumped and a moment later he knew why she was in such a hurry. Caela ran outside ahead of Brendan, her little snowsuit-encased body weaving drunkenly from left to right as she tried to maintain her balance and hold the small dog at the same time. Spike looked completely humiliated and resigned to his capture as he hung limply from the little girl’s stranglehold.
Brendan laughed as he caught up with his daughter and swept her up in his arms. “I think you need to let Spike go before he loses his last shred of dignity.” He glanced at Michael and shook his head. “Not that these little guys have that much to start with.”
“Tell me about it,” Michael said as extricated the little dog from his niece’s stubborn hold. He grinned at Brooke when she stepped out on the porch behind Brendan. “Hey, just in time. Here, brat, watch your little devils,” Michael told her and pushed Buffy and Spike into her arms without any warning.
She rolled her eyes at him and walked over to the car to put the two dogs inside before closing the door so they wouldn’t get back out. “I’m gonna go get my jacket,” she said and hurried inside again.
“So, you guys enjoy the next couple of days up here. We’ll see you on New Years’ Eve at the latest I guess,” Isabel said to the twins when she stepped out on the porch.
“Sure. Make sure ya rest a little,” Michael told her.
Isabel’s eyes grew a little wide when he gave her a quick hug. “I will,” she promised as he released her again. “You’ve got our lunch?” she asked Alex, who was trying to get everything in the trunk. They had decided to drive back to Long Beach instead of taking another flight.
He chuckled. “Don’t tell me you’re already hungry again. We just had breakfast, honey.”
“Just making sure,” she told him with a grin.
“It’s behind your seat.” He slammed the trunk shut and walked towards her. “Already said goodbye to everyone inside?”
She nodded. “Yeah.”
“Okay, get in the car then, it’s freezing out here. We’ll leave in a few minutes.” He opened the door for her and closed it again once she had settled in her seat.
He walked back into the cabin to get his coat. “Ready?” he asked Brooke, who was hugging Brendan goodbye.
“Almost,” she told her oldest brother and walked over to Michael. She practically jumped up and hugged him.
“Brooke,” he said in surprise as he stumbled a few steps backwards, but holding her up against him. “Wanna knock me over?”
“Promise me you’re gonna contact Adam,” she whispered.
He looked at her intensely and nodded softly.
“And don’t take your bad mood out on your girlfriend if it doesn’t go so well,” she warned.
“What are you? My mother or somethin’?” he asked, but his tone was soft.
She rolled her eyes at him. “Fine, I’ll be quiet. See ya soon,” she kissed his cheek before he placed her back on the ground again.
“Make sure ya give Isabel a hand around the house when Alex is workin’.”
“What are you? My father or somethin’?” she joked with a wink and waved before she walked out of the house.
“Alright, we’d better hurry,” Alex said to his brothers. “We’re already runnin’ behind schedule.”
“Call us when you get home,” Brendan said and patted his shoulder.
“Sure,” he said and considered bringing their biological father up again, but decided that the twins would decide what was best for them, and he left it alone.
*****
Michael followed Brendan into the kitchen, leaning against the counter and drumming his fingers on the surface. “So, you think we should just go ahead and call this guy?”
Brendan shrugged. “What’re we gonna say?”
“What’re YOU gonna say,” Michael corrected him. “We both know I’m not callin’ him.”
“Why not? Why me?”
“Because you know I’ll just go off if he says the wrong thing.”
Brendan rolled his eyes. “Great.”
Michael moved to the island in the center of the room, reaching out and pushing the little piece of paper with Adam’s number scrawled on it. “So...”
“So... I just say what? Hello, I’m your son.”
He rolled his eyes. “Alright, I’ll do it... probably better to just get it over with.”
“Okay,” Brendan said, relieved. He wasn’t really looking forward to doing it, so if Michael offered...
“Hey,” Maria came up from behind, “I’ll wait upstairs, okay?”
Michael nodded and then turned around to look at her, seeking reassurance.
“You don’t have to be nervous. He can’t make it any worse, okay? If he wants to see you, good, and if not then it’s his own loss.” She rubbed his chest. “Just don’t expect too much from this call. He’s probably gonna be surprised... shocked...”
“I just wanna get it over with.”
She nodded. “Alright. I’ll be in our room. I need to take a shower; I’ve got berries in my hair.”
He nodded, so occupied with his thoughts that he didn’t even comment on what she had said.
Maria left the room with mixed feelings. She wasn’t really sure how well this was going to turn out.
Michael pulled his cell phone out of his pocket and stared at it for several minutes before reaching for the piece of paper lying on the counter. He punched in the number and hit the call button, lifting the phone to his ear and listening to the ringing on the other end before beginning to pace.
He was surprised when a woman answered the phone and she said ‘hello’ several times before he found his voice. “Uh, yeah, hi... I’m lookin’ for an Adam Smith?”
“Who’s calling please?”
He bit his tongue to stop himself from asking what business it was of hers. “Michael Guerin,” he snapped out finally.
“One moment please.” The woman put the phone down and Michael could hear her calling for the man. “Adam? Phone call for you. He said his name’s Michael Guerin.”
Brendan was sitting on the counter and he straightened up as he listened to the one-sided conversation. “What’s goin’ on?”
“Some woman answered the phone... I don’t know.”
Adam took the phone out of his wife’s hand with a questioning look. She just shrugged. “Hello?”
“Is this Adam Smith? Architect from Washington State?”
“Yeah, it is. What’s the matter?”
“You, uh, you...” He cleared his throat. “You remember a woman named Maureen Guerin?”
“Uh...” Adam started to sweat. Maureen Guerin? It seemed like a lifetime since he had heard her name the last time. “Barely,” he lied.
Barely? “But you do remember her?”
“Vaguely.” How could he forget the woman he had loved so many years ago? A married woman he had fallen for, the wife of a man who would have made both of their lives a living hell if he hadn’t left New York.
“So glad to know she left a lasting impression,” Michael muttered. “Anyway she’s my mother and I’m callin’ ‘cause we... well, my twin brother and me... we just found out that we’re the result of the affair you two had.”
Brendan winced. Okay, maybe he should’ve been the one to make the call.
Adam almost dropped the phone at the declaration from the other end. “Listen,” he insisted. His voice was raspy and he coughed slightly. “Boy, I don’t know if this’s a bad joke or what, but I’m pretty sure I don’t have any children with that woman.” He would know, wouldn’t he?
“Yeah, ‘cause this is the kinda joke I’d waste my time playin’ on a perfect stranger.”
Brendan dropped down off of the counter and grabbed the phone out of his brother’s hand. “Hey,” he spoke into the mouthpiece, “my name’s Brendan... I’m Michael’s twin brother. This isn’t some kinda joke. We just found out about it and we were kinda hopin’ you’d wanna meet with us.”
“I’d appreciate it if you wouldn’t bother me anymore, thanks.” Adam hung up the phone, his heart beating a mile a minute.
“What happened?” Michael demanded when Brendan lowered the phone and just stared at it.
“He just hung up.”
“What?!”
“He...” Brendan put the cell on the counter a little too hard.
“You know what? So fuckin’ what. It’s not like we need him for anything,” Michael snarled, shoving down the immediate feeling of rejection at the man’s easy dismissal.
“Yeah, fuck him,” Brendan muttered and kicked the island in the middle.
That actually caused Michael to pause and he suddenly grinned. “Bren, that’s one of the few times I can remember you sayin’ ‘fuck’ in response to anything.”
“Save it for the best, ya know,” he told his brother.
“Good point.” Michael shook his head. “Look, it’s like Maria said... it’s his loss, not ours.” He wondered if he said that enough times he’d start to believe it.
*****
“Hey, Alex?” Brooke was slouched down against the door, her legs stretched across the seat as she stroked the little dogs sleeping in her lap.
He glanced at Isabel to make sure she was still sleeping soundly before looking up to meet his sister’s gaze in the rearview mirror. “What’s up?”
She bit her bottom lip as she phrased the question in her head before vocalizing it. “What if Adam doesn’t want anything to do with Michael and Brendan?”
“I wish I had a good answer for you. I hope Adam responds positively, but the reality is that he might not. That’s pretty big news for a guy to learn when his kids are Brendan and Michael’s age. Well, it’s big news no matter when you get it, but in this situation… there’re a lot of variables.”
“If he doesn’t react well do you think it’ll make Michael go back to the way he used to be?”
“I think it could set him back a little bit, but no, I don’t think it’d push him to those lengths.”
She straightened the dogs’ collars. “Bren accepted his daughter.”
“I know, but Adam’s relationship with Mom ended 21 years ago and to our knowledge he had no idea she was pregnant when they went their separate ways. 21 years is a long time, Brooke; there’s a very good chance that the man’s married and has other children now. He’s moved on with his life and he may not be interested in dealing with the past.”
“Well, that would suck.” She made a face. “Especially since I’ve been pushin’ them to call the guy.”
“They need to know one way or the other.”
“Yeah. Y’know, I was worried about this before. I was scared that with Maria, Karen, and then Adam that the guys would just… I don’t know, move on. I know it’s irrational; even without us all havin’ the same father that doesn’t suddenly mean they’re not our brothers, but… I was just scared that they’d leave.”
Alex changed lanes and reached for the sack of donuts sitting in the console between the seats. “You feel differently now?”
“Seein’ Bren with Karen and Caela really helped. Everyone’s so stable right now and even though things are changin’ it’s like it’s gonna be okay.” She reached between the seats to tug on his sleeve. “Can I have one of those?”
He pushed the sack further back so she could grab it. “I think you’re right about that, Brooke; I think no matter how this thing with Adam turns out it’s gonna be okay.”
*****
Nicole Smith followed her husband of nearly 17 years into the study, easily picking up on his agitation. She had known the moment she had heard him deny having children with another woman that whatever was going on was serious. It hadn’t taken long for her mind to connect the dots; she knew about his affair with Maureen Guerin, but it wasn’t until she had turned the phone over to Adam that the name the young man on the other end of the phone had given her struck a chord of familiarity.
The affair had happened long before they had met each other and she wasn’t the type of woman who held anyone’s past over their head. She had never expected him to pretend that he didn’t have a past with other women, but it hadn’t taken long to realize that Maureen Guerin wasn’t just a fling. Adam had dealt with his past with his ex and she hadn’t agreed to marry him until she had been sure that it was settled and it wouldn’t create problems between them.
“Adam, what’s going on?”
“Just a prank, Nicole.”
“Are you sure?”
“Of course I’m sure!” he exploded as he jerked around and smacked his palm down against the desk. “I think I’d know if I had a couple of boys out there with my genes.”
She snorted when she tried to choke back a laugh. Adam was generally a calm man, but he had a temper and it had a tendency of getting the best of him when things moved beyond his control. “If you didn’t know she was pregnant it’s doubtful that you’d just magically know you had… wait, did you say boys? As in more than one?”
“Said they’re twins… can you believe that? I’m tellin’ you it’s a prank, Nicole. There’s no way I’ve got a couple of 21-year-old boys out there somewhere.”
She watched him as he resumed pacing. He ran his right hand through his blond hair and her eyes followed the agitated movement when a moment later he reached up to rub his graying temple. “Adam, if there’s any chance that it’s true – “
“It’s not true, Nicole! How do you have a kid and just not know about it?”
“Hey, Mom, Pop, where’re you guys at?” a young male voice shouted.
“In here, Shane,” Nicole called out to their 15-year-old son.
“Hey, Jerry and Zack just called; the guys are getting a game together with their dads and they wanted to know if we wanted to come over. The indoor arena’s free for the afternoon.”
Adam held his hands up when he saw the black and white soccer ball in his son’s hands, catching it when the boy tossed it to him. “Call ‘em back and tell ‘em we’ll be there.”
“Cool.” He paused at the doorway on his way out. “We don’t gotta take Brian or Tyler do we?” he asked, referring to his younger brothers.
“Keep it up and we’ll take your sisters, too.” He tossed the ball back to the teenager. “Get your brothers ready to go.” He smiled when the boy ran out of the room, hollering at the top of his lungs for his brothers to get a move on.
“You can go out and play with the boys for a few hours, but we’re gonna deal with this other issue when you get home.”
“There’s nothin’ to deal with,” he insisted stubbornly. “Have you heard the phone ring again? No. And do you know why? Because it was a stupid prank.”
“Um-hmm.” She reached out and snagged one of his belt loops when he started to pace past her once again. “Sometimes it still amazes me just how much you haven’t changed over the years.” She kissed him and gave him a little push, smacking his backside as she passed him on her way out of the room. “Later, Adam… after dinner when the kids have gone to bed. You know you can’t hide from me for long.”
Adam rolled his eyes at his wife’s back and shook his head as he pushed down the memories that the call had brought up. He wasn’t interested in dragging his past up again. It had taken several years for him to get over losing the woman he had been so certain he would one day spend his life with. He was married to a woman he loved and who loved him, they had five great kids, and he was happy with his life; he didn’t need or want anything or anyone to come in and ruin things.
*****
Karen glanced up when Brendan slipped out of the kitchen and through the front door without a word to anyone. It was only a matter of seconds before Michael ducked past everyone and headed for the stairs, taking the steps two at a time to get to the second floor. She bit her lip as she looked down at Caela, wondering what her daughter was thinking as she looked around when her daddy and uncle both hurried out of the room.
“We can watch short stuff there if you wanna go after him,” Kyle offered when he saw the look of indecision on her face.
“You’re sure you don’t mind?” Karen asked.
“Nope, not at all.”
She nodded in appreciation and after making sure Caela was comfortable she hurried to pull her coat on and follow Brendan. He hadn’t gone farther than the porch, but he had moved to one end and he was leaning against one of the support posts as he stared out into the distance.
“Bren?”
“Should’ve just left it alone,” he said. “He didn’t wanna hear about it.”
“He’s probably in shock, Bren. Maybe he’ll call back.”
“He didn’t wait long enough for us to give him a number.”
“Caller ID, sweetie.”
He shrugged one shoulder. “I think I’m gonna have to go with Michael on this one, Karen. I don’t think the guy wants anything to do with us. Told us not to bother him again.”
She could hear the hurt in his voice and she moved to wrap her arms around him from behind. “Give it some time. Don’t accept defeat this early in the game. Maybe give him some time and try again.”
“Nope, no interest in doin’ that again.”
*****
Max shook himself like a wet dog as he got out of the shower, flinging water all over the bathroom. “Okay, I think I’ve got it all out… finally.” He rubbed the towel over his head roughly before shaking it out and wrapping it around his hips. He leaned over the sink, trying to see if there was any syrup left in his hair.
Liz squeezed in between him and the sink, hopping up to sit on the counter and examine his hair for herself. “Yeah, looks like you’re good.”
He grinned as he lifted his head to look at her. “I am good. Want me to show ya how good?”
She smiled as her fingertips ghosted over his chest and moved to latch onto his dog tags. “Max, do you think my parents will ever accept me for who I am?”
“Darlin’, I hope they do, but I think it’s somethin’ they’re gonna have to do on their own. We can go back there anytime you want to, but whether or not they choose to accept you isn’t really somethin’ that you should have to convince them to do. And I think if you do you’re always gonna wonder if they accepted you on their own or because you made a good sales pitch.”
She nodded and slid the dog tags on their chain, listening to the light metallic rasp it made. “Yeah, I know you’re right.” She glanced around the bathroom and shook her head when she noticed the drops of water peppering every surface. “You made such a mess in here,” she mused with a smile.
“Could’ve made a bigger mess if you’d joined me,” he teased.
“I would – “ She trailed off when a door nearby slammed shut. “I think Michael and Brendan were getting ready to call their biological father.”
“Sounds like they did, but didn’t get the result they were hopin’ for.” He nodded over his shoulder. “Maybe we oughta go downstairs and see how things are goin’.”
*****
Maria looked up when Michael stalked into their room and slammed the door. She wished she hadn’t been expecting a reaction similar to this, but she wasn’t surprised. “What happened?”
“What happened?” he repeated incredulously. “What happened is that the guy doesn’t want anything to do with us. Which is exactly what I said would happen.” He paced around the room, right hand raking through his hair repeatedly. “I knew the guy was gonna be a waste of time.”
“Michael, it wasn’t a waste of time; you’ve put the information out there and now he knows about you guys. You’ve told him and he probably needs time to process that information.”
“Whatever. He’s not gonna contact us ‘cause he doesn’t want anything to do with us.”
“You sound like a broken record. How well do you think you’d react if you got a call informing you that you had twin sons that’re 21 years old? Think about the time it took for you to process the information that Hank isn’t your father, Michael.”
“It’s not even worth thinkin’ about, Maria. I don’t wanna talk about this and I don’t wanna think about it; I’m goin’ snowboardin’.” He walked over to the closet and started pulling clothes out, dressing in comfortable layers before turning to look at her. “I’m gonna see if Bren wants to hit the slopes for the day.”
She nodded, deciding to let him go without an argument. Even though he had insisted that he didn’t care what his biological father said she knew he had been hoping to get something better than an outright rejection. It wouldn’t hurt to let him go off for a few hours and cool off, let his temper settle down before trying to talk to him.
*****
Maria found Max, Liz, Karen and Caela in the living room when she went downstairs about half an hour after Michael had left the cabin in a hurry. “Hey,” she greeted them. “Survived the Guerin Hurricane?”
Karen snorted lightly. “You’d never have expected Brendan’s sudden enthusiasm for learning to snowboard when Michael asked him to go earlier.”
“Yeah,” Maria sighed, “he took it pretty bad, but I guess some time alone on the slopes will be good for them.” She sat down in one of the armchairs and turned to look at the couple snuggled up on one of the couches. “How’s your hair doin’?”
“Think I finally got the syrup out of it,” Max grumbled. “After washin’ it like 30 times.”
“Where’re Kyle and Tess?”
Liz shrugged. “They just told us they were spending today together alone somewhere and that they didn’t know when they’d be back. Probably before dinner though.”
“So, what’re your plans for today?”
Max and Liz both shrugged. “Haven’t really decided yet.”
“And you?” she asked Karen.
The woman glanced down at her daughter, cradled in her arms. “Well, the original plan was to go into town today and hang out at the indoor swimming pool, but looks like we kinda got abandoned.”
Maria nodded absentmindedly and chewed on her bottom lip.
“What’re you thinking about?” Karen asked, knowing the other girl had something in mind.
“How do ya think Michael and Brendan would react if I tried to talk to Adam?”
“Um…” Karen was surprised.
“That’s probably not a good idea, Maria,” Max told her. “You know what could happen. Michael will most likely be pissed like hell once he finds out about it. Especially if you do it behind his back.”
She made a face. “I know, but I’m pretty sure Adam just reacted the way he did because he was surprised and shocked. Who wouldn’t have been? I doubt I’m gonna be able to convince Michael to call him again after the man’s first reaction to the news.” She had seen the way that Maureen lit up when she talked about the man and she couldn’t imagine that he was cold of unfeeling. She was positive it was just shock.
“Bren made it very clear that he has no intention of talking to the man again either,” Karen agreed. “Still, I doubt the twins would like it.”
Maria wiggled around in the armchair to get more comfortable and laid her head on the armrest. “I just don’t wanna go back to California without even trying. We’re not gonna get a better chance to talk to him than we have right now.”
“You mean you wanna go there? Visit him at home?” Karen asked, wide-eyed.
Maria turned to look at her and shrugged. “I don’t know. It’s an idea. He’s probably not gonna answer the phone if we try calling and if he does he’ll probably just hang up again.”
“But what if his current family isn’t okay with this? You could cause a lot of trouble for him,” Liz told Maria.
“Yeah, I know. Maybe I should just leave it alone.” She stared up at the ceiling. Or maybe not.
Fics: A Xmas Story - A Merry Mt. R. Xmas - Cupid's Revenge - Double Trouble - Double Date - Double Dare - Double Empire - Double Xmas Wish - In The Course Of A Lifetime - Mountains So High - Not A Question At All - Surrender - TIC TAC - Two Double Dates at Xmas