Chapter 2

Cody and Sab pulled into the driveway and as they got out of the car they heard Frank and Elaina yelling at one another. They looked at each other wondering if they should leave and forget about going riding.

"I think we'd be interfering if we knocked right now. Why don't we go on out to the horses?" Cody suggested.

The next thing they heard was glass shattering. "I think we need to go see what's going on," Sab said, going to the front door. She knocked and rang the doorbell. When she didn't hear anyone coming she knocked again. "LAINIE!"

"Coming!" When Elaina opened the door her hair was a mess and she had red welts on her arms.

"What the hell is going on here?" Sab demanded to know.

"We're working out and things got a bit out of hand," Elaina explained. "Come on in."

"Are you ok?"

"Yeah, I'm fine. If you're wondering about the marks its from blocking his moves. We don't pull our punches all the time."

"Sounded like world war three was going on," Cody said.

"Nah. Frank is in the game room cleaning up the vase we broke." They followed her up the steps to the game room. Frank had a few red welts on his arms as well.

"Put shoes on woman before for you get cut," Frank said with a touch of anger to his voice. "I need to vacuum before you can go barefoot in here."

"Fine, you vacuum. I'll go find my shoes," Elaina said. Sab followed her to the bedroom.

"Lainie, Are sure you two were just sparing? He sounded a mad."

"He lost. I got in more hits than he did," Elaina said with a laugh.

"Are you really going through with this surrogate thing? I mean, aren't you afraid that the mother would keep the baby?"

"We discussed it a long time and we have talked to our lawyer about it too. He said he will make it a very binding agreement with all parties involved and there won't be any doubt we'll get the baby." Elaina looked in her closet for her shoes but didn't see what she wanted.

"I still have my doubts about it. I'd be really worried until I held the baby in my arms," Sab said.

"Are you trying to talk me out of this?" She looked under the bed for them next. "There they are," she said digging under the bed for them.

"No, I just don't want to see you hurt."

"I won't be. I have a couple of people in mind. I'm hoping one will say yes," Elaina said, slipping on her tennis shoes.

"Who?"

"Not going to say until I find out. I don't want to jinx any part of this."

"I hope it's someone you can trust."

"I do trust both of them."

"Good. Have you and Frank been riding yet?" Sab wondered.

"Nope, we were waiting on you and Cody."

"We're ready to go. You two need to pull your punches more often," Sab said, looking at Elaina's arms again.

"We just got carried away. This isn't the first time we just haven't done it in a while. We usually just wear clothes that hide the bruises for a few days after we do this," Elaina laughed.

"You two are weird sometimes," Sab said as they walked out of the room.

"Thank you."

"That wasn't a complement."

"Too bad. I took it as one."

******

The four of them went riding in the pasture. Frank and Elaina decided to race each other to see who would cook dinner. Elaina was about to win when Frank came up fast and moved Velvet quickly in front of Sahara causing her to rear up. Elaina was able to stay on but was furious with Frank, she took off after him when she caught up to him, and she flung herself over knocking him and herself to the ground.

"Don't you ever do that again, Frank Donovan."

"Do what?"

She went to hit him but he held on to her arm. "You are evil when it comes to winning and I'm not going to let you hurt me or any of the horses. You do something like that again, you'll regret it."

Frank chuckled not taking her seriously. They both got up from the ground as Sab and Cody came up to them. "I won, so you cook."

Elaina turned around and smiled at him then punched him hard in the stomach. "I don't think you'll feel like eating much tonight, do you?"

Frank was doubled over in pain as Elaina got on her horse and took off to the stables. Cody and Sab stayed with Frank.

"Do you need a doctor, Frank?" Sab asked worried about him.

He shook his head no. He straightened up slowly. "Damn, she was serious." Frank said, finally.

"I don't blame her. You could've hurt her or Sahara. You should be ashamed of yourself," Sab said.

"Sab, I think we should help him back to the house and leave. It's not our argument," Cody suggested.

"I'd prefer you don't go until she calms down a little. She seems to have a short fuse today."

"I'd say that was rather obvious. Do you know why?" Cody asked.

"Yeah, I think I do. I think it's because of what I said about her sister earlier when we were alone. I'm sure she'll calm down if you two stay for dinner."

"You sound like you're afraid of her," Sab commented with a slight giggle.

"I'm not afraid of her. I'm just worried about her. She's been drinking heavy today and I could use some back-up to get her to quit," Frank told them as they led the horses back. "You know how she is."

"Why has she been drinking?"

"I think the surrogate thing bothers her but she won't tell me. I'm hoping maybe you could get her to talk about it."

"I already have and she said it was ok with her. She said she even had a couple of people in mind that she trusted."

"Oh yeah, she does. Did she happen to mention who?"

"No. She said she didn't want to jinx it."

"I won't tell you then if she didn't. She was right about one thing. I don't feel like eating now." Frank said, rubbing where she punched him.

*****

Frank didn't bother with eating anything at dinner. He did sit at the table and talked with Sab and Cody, rarely speaking to Elaina. After dinner Frank went out on the balcony upstairs while Elaina walked Cody and Sab out to their van; he waved at them as they left. Elaina went up to see him after finishing up the dishes; she walked up and put her arms around him as he still stood on the balcony.

"I'm sorry about punching you the way I did. I was just angry; you could've hurt Sahara. I love her as much as you love Velvet."

"I know. I'm sorry for being so stupid. I forgive you, if you forgive me."

"I do. I can't stay mad at you," she said, hugging him.

"Want to kiss and make out?"

"Sure, I don't have anything better to do," she said, with a wicked smile. "Can I use the handcuffs again?"

"Umm, no. I want to be able to touch you all over."

"Oooo, that sounds heavenly." Elaina took her t-shirt off. "How's this for a starting point?" she asked unfastening her bra as he stood there watching.

"I'm glad we don't have neighbors close by." Frank kissed her neck while he fondled her breasts.

"Umm, I wouldn't care if we did, as far as I'm concerned, we're in our own little world." She ran her fingers through his long hair. "I LOVE YOU!" she yelled.

"You're in a rare mood. I like it though."

"The night is still young, Love," she said, kissing him deeply. She backed away and started unfastening his pants. "I want you here and now."

"What happened to the night is young?"

"It is. We have the whole house to ourselves. I want to make love where ever I want."

"I love the way you think."