A/N: Granger Clan Saga. Rafe loses a bet and has to baby-sit the twins.
--"What do you want to do this evening, Verity?" Rafe's strong fingers massaged the tension from her shoulders. He smiled when she moaned with pleasure, and leaned forward on her desk to give him greater access to her back. "You're tense from studying all day."
Verity sighed with pleasure when his hands gentled to a caress. "How about going to the gun range?"
"The gun range!" Rafe couldn't keep the surprise out of his voice. "You want to go to the gun range on a Friday night? You've got to be kidding."
She laughed, "No, I'm not kidding. Let's go to the gun range."
"Who goes to a gun range on a Friday night for a date?" Rafe eyed her, sure that she was pulling his leg.
Verity grinned in mischief, "Uncle Don and Aunt Robin."
"Really. I didn't know she could shoot." The disbelief was still written all over Rafe's face.
"She can't, not well anyway," Verity laughed again. "It's apparently where he first made a pass at her. They still go, once in a while. For old times sake."
"That still doesn't explain why you want to go to the gun range. Can you shoot? Are doctors allowed to shoot?"
Her lips twitched in amusement, "Why the resistance, Rafe? Are you afraid I'll outshoot you?"
"Can't be done." Rafe was sure of himself there.
She gazed at him in silence, searching his eyes.
He began to feel uncomfortable, wondering if he'd offended her in some way. Rafe sighed in relief when she smiled. A sweet, gentle smile.
"Let's go anyway."
"Alright, alright, we'll go to the gun range." Rafe gave in. He couldn't say no to her anyway.
----
Rafe got her all set up when they got to the gun range. He slid his arms around her and started to instruct her. "Squeeze gently on the trigger..."
"You really don't think I can do this, do you?" Verity's eyes narrowed when she turned to look at him.
"I didn't say that," Rafe said hastily.
"But you implied it. I'm going to put five bullets in his heart."
Rafe's eyebrows shot up before he could control his expression, and he cursed himself silently when she frowned.
"Put your money down."
"I'm not betting money against you, sweetheart."
"Bet something. I don't care what it is."
Rafe sighed, "Alright. I'll baby-sit the twins by myself the next time Brandon asks you to."
Verity's eyes widened. He'd always been nervous about being alone with the twins. "You're on."
He knew he was in trouble by the gleam in her eye.
She turned around, and took careful aim. Then hit the heart of the paper target five times in a row. She turned back to him with a triumphant grin. "I am my father's daughter, you know."
Rafe brought the target in and studied it in open-mouthed astonishment. He would never have expected it.
Verity took pity on him, and put her arms around him. "I don't think I could do what you do, shoot a man or anything like that. But I can hit a paper target."
"Just kick me next time I'm a pain in the rear end," he said wryly.
"Was it just me? Surely you don't underestimate people like that. You wouldn't still be here if you did."
Rafe looked at her and hesitated. He looped an arm around her and pulled her close, "You're beautiful and loving and you represent everything that's right and good in my life. I guess I got a little protective, and didn't want to think of you needing a gun, or needing to know how to shoot." He kissed her. "I want to love and cherish you. And keep you separate from the nastier side of my life, which just happens to include shooting."
She reached a hand to the back of his head and pulled him down for a deep kiss. Then she murmured, "It was a male chauvinist thing to do. Don't do it again."
He laughed, "Yes, ma'am. Punish me, please."
Verity grinned as she reached up to kiss him again.
----
I can't believe I fell for it, Rafe thought gloomily, eying the twins with some trepidation.
"I don't have to go," Hannah said, feeling sorry for Rafe.
"Mama, we need you." Verity protested. "Erin will never pick out a wedding dress if you don't go. Besides, Rafe promised."
"Oh, that's not true. Erin is perfectly capable of picking a wedding dress. And I'm quite certain you coerced Rafe in some way." Hannah aimed a smack at Verity's behind.
Verity dodged Hannah's hand with practiced ease. Her eyes lit with laughter and mischief. "I did not coerce him! And Erin would have picked a dress by now if she could really decide on her own."
"I'll be fine, Mrs. G. Don't worry about us."
Hannah shook her head. Rafe looked more nervous than the night they went to get the twins from Mexico. "Alright, I give. We're trying to potty train the twins. So help them out a little, okay? There are little paper targets in the bathroom. Toss one of them in the toilet, and show them how to aim for the targets." She grinned at his astonishment.
"Um, okay." Rafe looked at the twins with uncertainty.
Verity burst into laughter, and dragged Hannah out the door before she could say anymore.
Rafe relaxed a little when Quinn ran up to him and hugged him. Quade on the other hand grinned wickedly and tossed a Lego brick at him.
He narrowed his eyes as he caught it. "I recognize that grin, Quade. You look just like Cameron when you do that. I've got my eye on you." Quade cackled with glee. Well, that's what it sounded like, Rafe decided, grinning. He tried to remember what he'd liked doing when he was younger. When his dad allowed him to play anyway.
Rafe pulled out the box of toys that Hannah had pointed out to him. The twins clambered eagerly over him to get at the toys. He grinned. Maybe this wouldn't be too bad after all. He looked at his watch. Oh good. Five whole minutes had passed. Only four hours and fifty-five minutes before they got back.
He let them play on their own. Let them entertain themselves while they're willing to, he thought. And soon, he was laughing at their play, and their innocent two-year-old conversation.
Several hours passed pleasantly for Rafe. But after happily building innumerable strange designs with the Legos, the twins began to get whiny.
Rafe looked uncertainly at them, "Do you need to go potty?"
Quinn nodded, but Quade shook his head.
"Oh good, we have a consensus," Rafe muttered. He got up to take them. He picked Quade up when he refused to budge, and was glad to see Quinn follow him.
"All right. You guys know the drill, right? Here we go. Hit the target." Rafe tossed a paper target into the toilet and looked at them. The twins looked back at him with huge, solemn eyes.
"Oh, boy. Um, Plan B." He helped them take their pants off. Then he showed them what to do, hitting his own target perfectly. And grinned when they missed. "All right. I guess you need some practice. Maybe next time." He cleaned up the twins and the mess they made, then put fresh diapers on them.
To his relief, they went back to the living room without any fuss. "Now what do you want to do?" Rafe asked.
"Cookie!" Quinn grinned at him.
"Milk!" Quade shouted, jumping up and down.
"No, no. You bad boys." Hannah scolded the twins from the front door. "You know you're not supposed to have milk and cookies till later." She laughed at the look of relief on Rafe's face.
"You're early. Thank God!" Rafe hugged Hannah and kissed her on the cheek.
"Oh, Rafe! It couldn't have been that bad." Verity laughed as she came in the door.
"No, not really. They were great for my ego."
Verity raised an eyebrow.
"They missed their targets." Rafe said with a straight face.
She laughed and tossed a Lego at him.
"Verity!" Hannah said in exasperation. "I've been trying to stop Quade from doing that. Don't encourage him." She hugged Rafe. "Thank you, Rafe."
"You're welcome, Mrs. G. I might even do it again sometime. And next time, they might even hit their targets."