DINNER PARTY

Donovan received a phone call from Farron after his and Kara's plane landed.  Donovan wanted to talk to his brother face-to-face about some of the things he had found.  Instead of arranging a restaurant meeting, he invited them over for dinner.  Since he had done so in such short notice, Donovan called his wife and told her about dinner, promising her that he would do all the cooking.  Of course, he knew she wouldn't argue against that and his hunch had been correct.  Although it seemed sneaky, he wanted an opportunity to speak to Farron alone without the benefit of Loralei and Kara's listening in.  It wasn't the brightest idea he'd ever had, especially considering that Kara was the twins' mother, but it was information he didn't believe needed to be tossed about loosely.  After all, he remembered Farron's brutal and abrupt attitude when he brought it up.  The danger was over and all was well, but he wanted to delve into it further, to ensure that Farron stayed sharp and on his toes.

He went home fairly early that day with an armload of supermarket bags.  Loralei took about half a dozen from him and carried them into the kitchen.  Curious as to what he had gotten for dinner, she began to empty the bags.  Fixings for homemade ravioli and baked ziti.  Apparently, he intended to cook Italian tonight.  What was it with the Donovan brothers and Italian food?  She glanced at her husband and noticed that he was concentrating hard on unloading his stuff. 

"So, what's the deal?  Any specific reason you invited your brother over for dinner?"

Donovan met her curious gaze.  "That is a very unusual and probing question," he commented lightly.  "Would you accept the theory that I'd simply like to spend time with my brother and his family?"

She shook her head.  "Nope.  I know you love your brother, but something just ain't right.  What is it?  Did you find out more than you thought?"

He laughed.  "You certainly don't mince words, do you?  Truly, it's nothing that serious."

"Shouldn't you be telling Kara some of this?  After all, she is the mother of those babies."

Incredibly, she had picked apart his brain and dug in.  "I don't think it's necessary or even warranted to tell her.  It was hard enough trying to tell Farron.  If I'd found something, I wouldn't hesitate."

Loralei nodded solemnly.  "I won't lie to her if she asks, Frank.  Would you deny me the information?"

Pausing, he stopped fooling around with the dinner makings and turned to look at his wife.  He noticed that she was gazing at him steadily, ready to hear his answer.  It didn't immediately come to him.  Would he?  Would he actually do that to her?  "Loralei, you know I'd never withhold anything from you when it comes our kids.  Farron and Kara's situation is different than us.  There are different variables involved.  We don't have bloodthirsty drug cartels waiting in the wings to hurt us." 

Loralei took her eyes off her husband's face for a moment and began picking at the stem of a tomato she had plucked out of one of the shopping bags.  After a moment, she focused her eyes on him again and said, "Sometimes, I think you and Farron underestimate Kara's strength.  She is not a sheltered brat.  She isn't a dried orchid beneath a glass case."

"Baby, neither Farron nor I think that of her.  Both of them are oblivious and painfully happy.  I'm glad they are.  I know how it feels.  I don't think shattering that is the way to go right now.  If I had found something, I would include her, but I didn't, and I don't think scaring the shit out of her will do any good.  Don't say anything to her.  I'll continue to monitor the situation and if anything pops up, I'll take care of it."

"I don't like this, Frank.  I don't like it at all."  She wanted to bring up the night she had seen him crying as he held Tristan in his arms.  There had to be more.  As much as he loved his children, he shouldn't be talking like this at all.  "Lie creatively, Frank.  I know you can do it."

She intended to move past him, but he took hold of her arm and brought her around to face him.  "Loralei, wait.  Don't get angry about this.  Kara is your friend.  Do you want her to hurt for no good reason?"

"You're justifying your stand through manipulation?  I didn't think our marriage was set that way."  She sighed, immediately regretful.  "God, I'm sorry, I didn't mean that."

"I know," he said quietly.  "You can disagree with my motives, but I want to protect them at all costs.  I know how I would feel if anything ever happened to Rachel or Tristan.  The thought scares the hell out of me.  Farron has far more and dangerous enemies than I could ever have in my life.  I don't want to see anything happen to those babies.  It would cut me deeply to see and feel his pain.  Does that make sense?"

The tears with Tristan.  She finally understood the tears.  "It does.  I don't like it, but I'll try.  It's all I can do."

"It's enough," he said.  "By the way, I called Angie.  She's coming tonight to help with the kids."

At that moment, they heard a healthy set of lungs scream out for 'Mommy.'  "It's Rachel.  She just woke up, I suppose.  Tristan will be next."

"Loralei, we're okay, right?"

"For now, yes."  She took her arm out of his grasp and moved toward the stairs.

That evening when Angie arrived, Rachel and Tristan were in the middle of the floor arguing over a toy.  Loralei had just appeared to break it up.  Not two minutes later, Farron, Kara, and the twins arrived.  The three women corralled the children and took off upstairs with them.  Loralei couldn't wait to hold the babies.  They were adorable and reminded her of Rachel when she was an infant.  It had been far too long since she had held a baby.  Rachel, as always, was curious.  She had taken the same attitude when Tristan was born.  Tristan, on the other hand, was jealous.  Through his bewildered eyes, he seemed to be asking his mother what the hell she thought she was doing holding another baby.  He was her baby.

"Every time I see them, they get more and more beautiful," Loralei said.

"Maybe you and Frank need to have another," Kara suggested with a smile.

"No, I think two is my limit.  Besides, I have successfully evaded the twin thing twice.  I don't want to take any chances.  I don't know how you do it, Kara."

Kara smiled softly as she reached over to Loralei and smoothed Bryce's wild hair.  "I really couldn't manage if it weren't for Farron's help," she admitted candidly.  "We're looking for a part-time housekeeper now, but I refuse to hire a nanny.  I don't want an outsider raising our babies."

Loralei nodded.  "I can relate."

Angie declined the offer to go back downstairs with the other women.  When Kara and Loralei entered the kitchen, they beheld quite an amusing scene.  The brothers were busily getting dinner ready to be served.  It was weird watching them move around each other.  It was hard to tell where one man began and the other ended.  Eerily, at almost the same exact moment, they stopped and focused their eyes on their wives.

"I need to get a picture of this," Loralei said.  "Cute aprons!"

Donovan lifted his infernal eyebrow.  "I will not allow you to blackmail me.  The two of you should go out and sit down.  I think my brother and I can handle this."

Kara grinned and winked at Farron before making her exit from the kitchen.

Loralei glared at him.  Was she serious?  Messing around?  Goddamn he hated it when they fought.  "Yes, my Lord," she said sarcastically.  

Once the women were in the other room, Donovan turned to his twin.  "I told you the coast was clear and it is.  Just keep your eyes and ears open.  I'll keep track of the heavies for a few more weeks just to be ultra-cautious.  After that, I'll drop it and attribute my fears to panicky paranoia."

Farron nodded.  "I understand and I thank you for wanting to help like this.  Again, I think it is a waste of your time, but if anything ever happened to either my wife or children, I don't know what I would do.  Right now, my family…my whole family…is the only thing that matters to me.  I won't ever lose sight of that again."

"I know you won't, because you finally understand how it feels to love someone else more than yourself.  I've had my own times of arrogance and self-centeredness, but the instant I laid eyes on Rachel and Tristan, they and Loralei became my sole focus in life."

Farron smiled just the slightest.  "I see it that way now, in both of us.  However, my dear brother, your arrogance has never left you."

"In the popular vernacular of my wife…bite me," Donovan said.

The four of them shared a nice dinner that was interrupted occasionally by the squall of a child.  Despite Angie's presence, both sets of parents took turns soothing an angry, hungry, poopy, or wet child.  After Kara and Farron left, Donovan holed himself up in the kitchen to clean up the mess.  Actually, he was hiding from his wife.  He didn't want to argue with her for the rest of the night.  Her gaiety was forced at dinner and it hurt to see her like that.  He looked up when he saw the kitchen door opening.  She was carrying in a bowl that he had left on the table.  Perhaps he had done so on purpose simply to get her in the same room with him.  She left the bowl on the counter and intended to turn away and walk out.  However, before she could, he took hold of her hand and drew her back around.  Her body language radiated a clear message:  back the fuck off.  He wouldn't, because he loved her, and he wanted to end the coldness.

"You know I'm not going to let this go until we settle this," he told her.

She sighed.  "Frank, there's nothing to settle.  What's done is done.  Kara didn't ask any questions, so I didn't have to tell her any lies.  As usual, you got your way."

"Damn it, Loralei.  You're a mother.  I would think that if the situations were reversed, you wouldn't want to be upset because of something that could have happened.  If you have a better way to handle this, I'd like to hear it."

She pulled her hand out of his.  "Ouch.  You really are a bastard sometimes, Frank."  She leaned up against the counter and kept her eyes on his face.  "You had her best interests in mind and I can't argue with that.  Because I am a mother, I know what I'd feel like if this information was withheld from me."  The hand she had dropped came out again, and this time, she took it willingly into hers.  "I'm sorry for being such a bitch about this, but the other night, I saw you with Tristan," she admitted.  "It seemed as if you were crying.  If you were thinking about how you would feel if something happened to Tristan or Rachel, I would think you would want to say more than nothing."

"I worry," he told her.  "I do so because I was almost permanently separated from all of you.  I'm doing this so Farron won't have to feel that.  I'm excluding Kara because I don't want her to hurt.  It's complex and confusing, but that's my motivation."

"It's okay," she said.  "I understand."

He pulled her up against him.  "Do you," he asked.  "Or are you telling me what you think I want to hear?"

"I do," she said.  "You're still a bastard, but I love you."

He smiled.  "Me too."

"You're calling me a bastard," she asked comically.

"No," he said before he began nuzzling her throat.  "I have my doubts sometimes, though," he whispered against her flesh.

Uh.  Loralei, you are so easy!  His hand released hers and slid up her side, under her arm, and over to her breast.  The nipple hardened instantly and his thumb expertly stroked it until she thought she would go mad.  What made it worse was that he didn't touch the other nipple.  God, he was evil.  His lips met hers hungrily and his wicked hand moved away to unbutton her blouse.  He did nothing more than run the back of a finger between her breasts, and she completely caved in to him.  She wanted him and wanted him now.  Oh, but he wasn't finished playing.  His hand moved downward and a moment later, her jeans were opened.  He broke the kiss and attacked the side of her neck again as he worked her out of her blouse.  His delicate touch moved to her lower abdomen, his finger slipping inside her panties every now and again. 

"Stop doing this to me," she moaned.

He drew away just the slightest, but his touch didn't let up.  "Doing what," he asked innocently.  "Please stop interrupting me so I can get you out of these damn clothes."

"I can help you," she suggested.

"Nope.  Tonight, it's my show."

Without waiting for her to speak, he kissed her again and continued his delicate caress.  She dug her hands into his ass and crushed his body against hers.  It interrupted his stroking fingers, but for a moment, he didn't mind.  He drew away again and kept his eyes focused on hers as his hand slid down to her lower abdomen.  Instead of going inside this time, he began a maddening caress outside her jeans.  Oh good Lord, he couldn't do this to her.  She took hold of his wrist, stopping him.  He smiled at her and began pulling her denims down.  By that time, he didn't argue much when she started helping him get out of his clothes.  Within moments, they had a nice pile between them.  They'd never made love in the kitchen before, and it was freaking her out a little.  Up against the sink, he kissed her again, and she used the leverage it offered to help her wrap her legs around him.  He backed up with her and she vaguely wondered where he was taking her.  She received her answer when her ass hit the cold fiberglass surface of the island counter. 

"Let go," he said when he released her lips.

Her legs were wrapped around him tightly.  "Let go?  Frank?  Are you crazy?"

"Let go," he said again.

She did and watched as he stepped back.  "Slide up a bit."

"Baby, I'm all for experimentation, but this feels…strange.  What if we fall?"

"We won't," he said with a smile.  "Slide up."

She did as he instructed and she watched as he lifted his body onto the other end.  Coming up on his knees before her, he reached out and drew her to him.  He kissed her again, his hand tangling into her hair.  Against her, he was so very hard, only a tiny, tiny breath away.  Yet, he held back.  Supporting her, he lowered her down, his hips sliding neatly between her thighs.  They had been together so long, it seemed as if their bodies immediately knew what part went where when they made love.  Not holding back this time, he slid into her deeply.  He moved within her slowly, one hand planted firmly in the small of her back, supporting her, controlling her movements.  She had ways of sending him over before he was ready.  Her fingers dug into his buttocks again and he could hear her pleas, telling him to go go go.  Not tonight, baby.  Yet, he wouldn't be able to keep it at this pace for long.  As the sweat began popping out of his pores, he realized that they ran the risk of sliding off and breaking their necks.  He moved suddenly, startling her, and came up on his knees again, their bodies never losing their connection.  He dug his fingers into her hips, finally allowing her to do her thing.  She moved against him, meeting his thrusts.  The fan of her hair slapped up against the side of his face as she whipped forward and leaned back.  She cried out, biting her lip, and muttered an incoherent curse.  She wrapped her arms around him, holding onto him as much as the sweat would allow.  She moved harder and faster against him, and her movements were met with a low groan.  It wouldn't be long now.  She moved to get to her lips on his and he kissed her hard, almost brutally, while maintaining the lunatic thrusts.  He tried to pull away, because he knew what her next move would be, but she wouldn't let him.  She continued to kiss him, drawing his bottom lip between hers over and over again as if she were trying to devour it.  He groaned again, this time louder, and said something that may have been 'let go.'  She understood, but she wouldn't let go.  Her body made one last hard upward thrust against him, and he held her in place as his release ripped through him.  It wasn't often that he vocalized when he came, but tonight, he couldn't help it.  He didn't lower her body until the euphoria died down.  As soon as he did, he kissed her passionately, once again thrusting his hands into her hair.  When he broke the kiss a moment later, their entangled bodies slipped just the tiniest bit.

Donovan barely managed to steady them.  "Oh shit, that was close," he said, deadpanning.

"Uh, maybe we need to go to bed before it happens again?"

"I agree.  Oh, I also need to pay you back for biting me."

"Oh God, baby, I love how you pay me back."         

*  *  *

Farron and Kara entered the elevator on the first floor of their apartment building in relative silence.  It never ceased to amaze him how an activity as small as going to dinner at his brother's could completely wear him out.  The tension he felt between his brother and sister-in-law, as well as keeping such a large secret from Kara, had succeeded in developing into a horrendous pain in the neck – literally.  Of course, since the twins had come along, he had found himself tiring more easily at times.  All excess energy was spent on the children with little left for other activities; however, the added stress between Donovan and Loralei could be felt readily and he somehow felt responsible for it.  

He glanced up as the closing elevator doors opened suddenly as someone shoved their hand into the small space.  Speaking of other activities, he thought as he watched two curvaceous brunettes step through the doors.   He immediately felt Kara's body stiffen next to him as she shifted Brittany slightly in her arms.  He moved closer to her in response, as if to shield her from the inevitable. 

"Hello," the women greeted in unison.

Kara nodded and returned the greeting with politeness he knew she didn't feel.  He didn't think she had been living with him for three weeks before Trisha and Colleen let their presence be known.  The two women shared an apartment on the floor below theirs.  They had come knocking on their door late one evening, intent on inviting Farron down to their apartment for a little party they were having.  They had let it be known to Kara, through little innuendos, that he had shared his sexual favors with each of them a time or two.  Thankfully, being well aware of his checkered past, she had not let them get to her.  He wasn't stupid enough to think it didn't bother her, but it wasn't something she dwelled on.  Yet, each time she ran into them, she bristled with resentment. 

"Haven't seen you around much," Colleen commented, directing her statement toward Farron as she tossed her hair seductively.  She turned knowing eyes on her friend.  They had each had a turn or two with the luscious upstairs neighbor.  He had made it more than obvious it was nothing more than sex and they had been okay with that.  They had even had a little extra fun one night when they had a little ménage a trois with him.  That had been an experience they would never forget and even wanted to repeat.  Unfortunately, the little wifey had come along and spoiled all of that.

Farron shrugged uncaringly.  "We've been busy."

"So we see," Trisha acknowledged with a touch of sarcasm.  "And…we've heard."

Kara's brow furrowed into a frown of annoyance.  "Excuse me?"

"Oh, it's just that…well…this is a single's complex and the children have been… disruptive," she explained snobbishly.

An angry smile touched Farron's lips.  "As we informed the Tenant's Association, we shall be leaving by the end of the month."

"Oh, now, that is a shame," Colleen purred, touching Farron's arm.  "We will miss you, Farron."

Kara rolled her eyes and mumbled something under her breath that Farron swore sounded like, "Get bent, bitch."  He did his best to hide his amusement and was never so thankful to feel the elevator stop and see the doors opening.  He breathed a sigh of relief when Trisha and Colleen exited, waving and insisting he stop by for a little farewell party before he left.

"Could they be more obvious," Kara asked, repulsed.  "Jesus, if the twins and I hadn't been with you, I'm sure they would have been all over you…not that they weren't attempting it.  I don't think I've ever felt so invisible before."

Farron cupped her chin within his large hand and turned her face up to his.  He placed a brief kiss on her soft lips and said, "I wouldn't have noticed, querida.  You are all I see."  There had been a time in his life when all the signals Trisha and Colleen were sending him would have ended in a night of much enjoyed, but meaningless, sex.  Looking into Kara's beautiful blue eyes, he realized he had everything he needed right before him.  She satisfied every facet of his life.  Emotionally and physically, she surpassed every want and desire he had, and he loved her more with each passing day.

Kara smiled charmingly.  "And for that, Mr. Donovan, you shall be rewarded."

Farron raised a brow and grinned.  "Now, I do like the sound of that, Mrs. Donovan."

After entering their apartment, they headed straight for the nursery and began the happy chore of getting the twins settled in their crib for the evening.  Kara commented how glad she was that Angie had bathed them while they were at his brother's house because it was far too late to bother with it.  The twins were sleepy and ready for bed and that suited their parents just fine. 

As Kara busied herself with changing Brittany's diaper, Farron picked up the freshly changed Bryce and went to the rocker.  He leaned his head back against the chair and closed his eyes and began to rock his son to sleep.  Hearing a gentle humming, Kara turned to a sight that never failed to take her breath away.  Farron holding his son, lulling him to sleep with soothing tones.  Bryce was sleeping, one little thumb shoved snuggly into his mouth as he sucked on it furiously.  His other little fist was wrapped around a lock of Farron's hair.  It was odd how the twins would yank the hell out of her hair, but when it came to their father's, they just held it as though it were something precious. 

Normally Farron watched his children intently while he rocked them, never wanting to miss an expression on their little faces, but tonight he seemed a bit distracted and out of sorts.  She had noticed that at dinner, as well as the unusual current of animosity between Loralei and Frank.  She finished diapering a sleepy Brittany and kissed the top of her little head before gently laying her in the crib.  She went to the rocker and took Bryce's little fist in hers and began to untangle Farron's hair from his grip.

Farron opened his eyes and smiled.  "He's got a firm grasp, Mommy." 

"He sure does, Daddy," she replied with a laugh.  "There, you're loose," she said as she finally freed Farron's hair from Bryce's fist.  She lifted him from Farron's arms and took him to the crib, where he joined his sister.  "Sleep sweet, angels," she whispered, touching each of their cheeks before she moved away.

Farron stood slowly and stretched, groaning with each pull of his neck muscles.  "Shel, can you do me a favor and rub my neck?  It's really bothering me tonight." 

"Sure, baby," she responded easily as she waited for him while he stopped at the crib to say goodnight to the twins.  She chuckled softly as she followed him into the bedroom.    She watched him strip down, leaving a trail of clothing on the floor as he made his way to the bed.  Once there, completely naked, he flopped down on the bed and buried his face in his pillow.

Shaking her head, she shed her own clothing and pulled on a short negligee before joining him on the bed.  Reaching over to the nightstand, she retrieved a bottle of massage oil and poured a good amount onto the small of his back.  "Relax, baby," she urged, as she straddled his thighs, just below the curve of his buttocks. 

Farron released a contented sigh as he felt her delicate hands begin a firm massage from the small of his back in long strokes up to his shoulders.  She would pause at his shoulders and pay those muscles the extra attention they demanded in order to ease his discomfort.  As the pain in his neck subsided, a different pain altogether let itself be known; a delicious ache and one he was only too happy to deal with.

"Farron," Kara interrupted the silence with a soft whisper. 

"Um-hmm," he murmured.

"Is something wrong between Frank and Loralei?"

Farron's eyes opened in surprise.  The last thing he had expected at that moment was questions about his brother.  "Not that I'm aware," he replied elusively.

"Really?  Hmm…it just seemed as though there was a bit of tension there.  You know, like after an argument," she insisted as she continued working the oil into his muscles. 

Farron lifted his body slightly and rolled onto his back.  He steadied Kara, who had not been expecting his sudden moment and almost toppled off him.  "Honesty, Shel.  I don't know."  Inwardly he was fuming at himself.  It was just one little lie after another.  He was aware that Loralei knew Frank was doing a little investigating on his behalf.  He also knew that she was less than happy about the Donovan brothers keeping the information from Kara.  Frank had informed him of that while they had made dinner for their wives. 

Kara nodded as she settled easily over his hips.  She would just have to get nosy and ask Loralei.  In the meantime, she could easily detect the length of hardness that her womanhood had settled against.  Can't let this go to waste, she thought naughtily.  She felt Farron's hands move upward over her thighs and knew he was of the same frame of mind.

"Darling," she whispered sensually.

"Querida," he returned.

"Just exactly where do those two women live?"

Farron's eyes locked onto hers and read the wickedness in their depth.  "Their apartment is directly below ours, Shel."

She smiled mischievously.  "Good," she said as she leaned forward until her lips were a mere breath from his.  "I'm in the mood to make a lot of noise, lover."

* * *

The next morning, Loralei entered the kitchen and noticed that Donovan was in the process of feeding both children.  Naturally, Rachel wanted what Tristan had and vice versa.  However, her husband used the tried and true method of settling the fight.  He presented Rachel with her favorite:  half a mashed banana.  She had long ago given up trying to shampoo with it and now tore into it for all it was worth.  Tristan hated bananas so he went back to his own food.

"You truly have your hands full this morning," she said.  When the kids noticed her, they demanded to be hugged and kissed, which she went to with gusto.  "And Tristan is dressed.  You are a miracle worker."

"You were sleeping so deeply and I didn't want to wake you," he told her.  "I'm taking a sick day today.  Hope you don't mind having me underfoot."

She gazed at him lovingly.  "Don't mind at all.  I think it will be nice having you here all day."

Without thinking about it, he wiped away a dribble of juice from Tristan's chin.  "I could still quit and we can move.  I think Farron is okay now."

"Baby, you tried that once and couldn't do it.  I don't think you're ready to quit yet, if you'll ever be ready and that's okay.  Whenever you're truly ready, the kids and I will follow you to hell and back.  Farron was a secondary reason for your return.  You love it here and you love your job.  You don't like Shoemaker and I can't blame you.  Whenever you're ready, my love, we'll go wherever you go."

"I love you, LD.  I don't think I say that often enough."

"Nope, you don't," she said with a big smile on her face.  "I'm going to head for the shower.  Somebody made me get all hot and sticky last night."

"Yeah, that's me," he called after her.

Later, they took the kids outside and spent the afternoon playing with them.  Tristan had invented his own game.  Smack into Mommy, giggle happily, and then smack into Daddy.  Repeat process a thousand times.  Rachel, on the other hand, was quieter.  She sat in the grass and examined rocks here and there.  Bless her heart, Loralei thought, She's going to be a big nerd like her mommy.

--To be continued…