"I saw the way you looked at Lena, Fred. Don't lie."
They had been lounging around the Blake family pool. Her parents were off in Sweden for a charity event, and they were enjoying the solitude.
Daphne swam gracefully around him, avoiding his muscular arms when he reached out to snatch her up.
"Well, she was an attractive woman."
She playfully splashed water in his direction, "Apparently, so was Thorn."
Fred dunked under, coming up for air directly beside her, "She was pretty, yes."
Daphne narrowed her eyes, suddenly not wanting to tease him anymore, "And that cocktail waitress at Joran's fourth of July party."
He quirked an eyebrow at that, "Heidi? She's alright, I guess."
She crossed her arms, her playfulness becoming more defensive, "You couldn't stop staring."
Fred shrugged his shoulders and rolled his eyes,, "Daph, everyone was staring. She had lettuce stuck between her two front teeth."
She softened at his answer, moving closer, hinting for Fred to hold her in the water. He complied, easily lifting her against him.
"You can be pretty oblivious at times." Daphne leaned her head back in his arms, wetting her hair, purposely giving Fred a good view of her cleavage.
She grinned when she came forward again, catching his eyes at her chest, "In fact, women are always hitting on you, Freddie."
He pulled them both to the tiled side of the pool, her legs wrapping tightly around his waist underwater. He groaned out loud when she rolled her hips ever so slightly against his, his swim trunks beginning to tent.
Fred pressed kisses along her jawline, nipping lightly on the shell of her ear, "I'm not oblivious, I just dont want anyone else. Working in show biz, I'm around gorgeous women all the time," he paused to cup her cheek, "but I think you are easily the most beautiful woman I've ever met."
Daphne rested her forehead to his, her fingers working to release the ties on his swim trunks, "Do you really mean that?"
He responded by claiming her lips, sliding his tongue alongside hers. When his erection was finally free underwater, Fred pulled his mouth away to look over her shoulder, back at the Blake mansion, "In the pool, Daph? Are you sure? I know your parents aren't home, but wouldn't they have security cameras?"
Daphne laughed, tugging him back into a needy kiss, "I threw a towel over the camera when we came outside," she added a sly wink, "just in case."
He chuckled, as he moved his mouth to her neck, a hand running along the lines of her bakini top, pulling the knot loose. The covering slid away, leaving her bare breasts floating in the water, gently boucing with the waves of the pool.
Fred hoisted her higher up on the pool wall, using their buoyancy to his advantage, entering her easily. Someone looking in wouldn't have seen or heard much, except for the small splashing sounds or hushed moans and pants that couldn't be helped.
XXXXXX
The spring sunshine felt good on Fred's skin, a warm breeze gently rocking the large hammock his family was lying in. Penny was nestled between her parents facing the sky. All three of them were looking at clouds passing by from their back porch.
Penny's baby fists grasped at the air, her squeals and babbles sounding loud and happy. Fred held out his index finger and the baby eagerly grabbed it, her tiny hand wrapping completely around his digit. She brought it to her mouth, trying to suckle, and quickly gave up when she realized there was no milk inside it.
Fred's other arm was acting as Daphne's pillow, and he adjusted himself to see her face better. Her eyes were halfway closed, breathing deep and relaxed. He was unprepared for the wave of emotion that rushed through his heart right then.
"Gretchen kissed me," he said suddenly, breaking the tranquil moment. "I kissed her back, thinking she was you."
Daphne's eyes shot wide open and she frowned, but didn't reply. Instead, she smoothed down Penny's hair, which was becoming redder by the day. The baby rubbed her eyes with her balled up fists, and yawned.
He continued, "She caught me while I was asleep and it was dark. I swear, I thought it was you...I never would have…"
His words drifted away to silence. He wanted Daphne to answer him so he could read her voice, govern how she was handling this revelation that had been eating him alive the past few weeks…or if he should just go inside and pack his bags.
The quiet was broken by Penny's frustrated noises, her little arms flailing. She was trying so desperately to grab her feet, but wasn't coordinated yet.
When Daphne spoke it was suprisingly calm, "I figured something like that would happen. Women like Gretchen are pretty aggressive."
Fred scoffed, "More like in denial. I've told her in every way I can think of that I'm not interested. I even slept in a bathtub to get away from her."
He reached across their baby to clasp his hand with Daphne's, and to his immense relief she squeezed it in return and laced their fingers together.
She grinned, changing the subject, "Was it comfortable? In the bathtub?"
"Not at all," he answered, suddenly feeling light as a feather at Daphne's understanding of the situation. He mentally recalled some of the less than reputable places the gang bedded down in while crossing the country for mysteries, "but definitely not the worst sleeping arrangement I've had so far."
Penny had given up grabbing her feet, but was content just kicking her legs around, cooing to the clouds.
Fred turned his head towards Daphne the best he could, "When are you going to marry me?"
She smiled, tucking her head in close to his, "I dunno, but I'm coming around to it."
Slipping her hand over to rest on his chest, she said simply, "I trust you."
Fred pulled her hand up to place a gentle kiss to her knuckles, "You are the only woman for me, Daph."