Chapter 22

 

 

Around 4:00pm Wednesday afternoon, Trevor finished getting dressed in a pair of khaki cargo pants and a pale blue golf shirt, which emphasized his beautiful hazel eyes.  He’d been looking forward to seeing Emily tonight since the fun fair and, quite frankly, was a little nervous.  Even though he could probably have any lass he wanted, he really liked Emily a lot and wanted to make a good impression.

 

He bounded down the stairs to find his mum and sister sitting at the kitchen table going over the details for an outdoor family party next month to meet Stephanie’s husband, Frank.

 

“Well, I guess mum gets to fuss a bit after all,” Trevor said as he looked at the many lists that Chelsea was pouring over.

 

“Well, it’s the least I can let her do,” Stephanie replied.  “If only to take her mind off the shock.”

 

“I wasn’t shocked,” Chelsea stated.

 

“No, you’re right.  Daddy was.”

 

“No, he wasn’t either.  We were just…..taken by surprise.  You’re our first child and, well, I’m sure he dreamed of giving you away.”

 

“Mum, if it means that much to you, I’ll talk to Frank and see if he wants to renew the vows in church here so I can wear a pretty dress and daddy can walk me down the aisle, how’s that?”

 

“That would be wonderful Steph,” Chelse said.

 

“Well, I’ll leave you to your girlie stuff,” Trevor said.  “I’m going to pick up Emily.  Um, I probably won’t be home till after 11:00 or so.”

 

“Don’t do anything I wouldn’t do, little brother,” Stephanie giggled.

 

“Steph, there’s probably nothing you wouldn’t do,” Trevor replied. 

 

Chelsea was too into her planning to overhear her children’s provocative talk.  Trevor noticed and shook his head.

 

“She’s gone!  Well, I’m outta here.”

 

                             ******************************************

 

Several minutes later, Trevor arrived at Emily’s house.  She answered the door in a pair of fitted black jeans and an off the shoulder crop peasant top.  Trevor didn’t know that a lass could look so fresh and innocent and so damn hot at the same time!

 

“Hey, come on in and meet my parents,” she said, greeting him at the door.

 

“The biggest thing a lad dreads,” Trevor replied as he came inside.  After meeting her parents, Emily grabbed her purse and was ready to leave when Tara came down the stairs.

 

“Can you two do something for me?  Well, Trevor actually?”

 

“What is it Tara?”

 

“I need to talk to Mark.  I need to apologize about the other night.  Do….do you think you can bring me to his house on your way out?”

 

Trevor smiled at her contrite face, knowing that Emily got through to her somehow.  “Sure luv.  Come on.”

 

Trevor pulled up in front of Mark’s house and they all got out.  After he rang the bell, Ty answered the door.

 

Ty looked at his nephew flanked by two very pretty girls and smirked.  “Well, someone certainly hit the jackpot,” he mused.

 

As usual, Trevor blushed.  “Uncle Ty, this is Emily. We’re on our way to the music festival for the night.  And this is her cousin Tara.  She’d um…like to speak to Mark.”

 

“Yes I…we ran into each other at the fun fair and I, well, I need to apologize to him for something,” Tara stammered. 

 

Ty surmised that this must be the girl who caused Mark’s little tirade the other night when he came home.  And, judging from her lovely face, long dark hair and incredible gray-green eyes, he was certain that Mark would have little trouble forgiving her.

 

“Sure lass, come on in.”

 

“Thank you.”

 

As Tara came inside the house, Ty looked at Trevor and Emily.  “You two have a good time.”

 

“Thanks Uncle Ty.”

 

After closing the front door, Ty escorted Tara into the kitchen where Grace was.  She looked at the pretty young girl and smiled at her.

 

“Tara this is my wife, Grace.  Grace, this is Tara.  She’s here to see Mark.”

 

“Oh, well, he’s down in his sanctuary.  Been there for hours,” Grace replied.

 

“Sanctuary?” Tara repeated.

 

“You’ll see,” Ty said, before studying her face a second.  A sense of familiarity came over him for just a moment before he pushed it aside and led her downstairs.

 

Ty came to the door of Mark’s ‘sanctuary’ and knocked.  But the blaring rock music that was permeating even the soundproof walls told Ty that Mark wouldn’t hear even if the house was on fire.  Ty rolled his eyes and opened the door.

 

Mark was lying on his stomach on the small couch bobbing his head to and fro to the music, engrossed in a drum magazine.

 

“Mark,” Ty half shouted.

 

Mark looked up at his father then immediately to Tara.  He threw the magazine down, jumped off the couch and lowered the volume on his CD player.

 

“What……..what are you doing here?  How….”

 

“Trevor picked up Emily for the music festival and I asked if he could bring me here.  I want to talk to you about the other night.”

 

Mark looked to his father who got the hint and exited the room, slowly closing the door behind him.

 

 

                                                Chapter 23

 

When the door to his ‘sanctuary’ closed, Mark looked at Tara who had a different look about her.  She no longer had that stubborn, bitchy way about her.  It was more a look of sincere regret and guilt.

 

Tara looked around a bit but couldn’t take her eyes off the exquisite Pearl drumkit in the middle of the room.  “You play the drums?”

 

“Since I was about 3,” Mark replied.  “So, what do you want to talk to me about?”

 

Tara nervously paced the small room as she wrung her hands together.  “I’m….I’m sorry for what I did.  It was wrong, very, very wrong.  You’re right when you said that I’ve been mean to you when you’ve been nothing but nice, if not patient.  I’m sorry for slapping you, even though I probably deserved what you said to me.  If I probably had pulled that little stunt with another lad, who knows what would’ve happened…..anyway, I’m sorry.”

 

Mark softened a bit at the genuine anxiety in her voice.  “I forgive you Tara.  I don’t know what it was that’s been bothering you, but I hope everything’s okay now.”

 

“Well, yes and no.  I mean, something was bothering , has been bothering me, and I took it out on you.  I shouldn’t have.  But, after a long talk with Emily the other night, I’m trying to put whats bothering me aside and…….”

 

Mark heard her cut off and looked to see what caught her attention.  Her eyes were fixed on his Crossfire poster behind his drum kit.  Mark went over and joined.

 

“See anyone familiar?”

 

“Yes,” she quietly said.

 

“I knew it!  I knew you recognized my dad.  Of course he was only 21 or 22 in this poster.  Makes quite an impressive frontman, don’t you think?  That bloke on the other guitar is Kevin Schon.  He lives in California now and he and my dad are partners in a record label and also produce.  The bass player is Mark Shepard and the drummer is….”

 

“Randy Spencer,” Tara whispered.

 

“Y…yeah, right.  Your parents must’ve been fans, huh?”

 

“You could say that,” she replied.

 

“Anyway, Mark and Randy are my namesakes.  My full name is Mark Randall Savage.  My dad wanted to honor them because they…..”

 

“Were killed in a car accident,” Tara finished.

 

“Oh, you do know about it.  Um, anyway, now….this poster here,” pointing to the Def Leppard one,” is of my grandfather’s band.  Both of them actually.  The lead singer, the one all in white is my mum’s dad, Joe Elliott.  And the bass player, the bloke in the yellow pants, is my fathers dad, Rick Savage.  He’s Trevor’s grandfather too.  My dad and his dad are brothers. And….are you listening to me?”

 

Tara hadn’t taken her eyes off the Crossfire poster.  She hadn’t expected this.  She felt like she couldn’t breath.  First seeing the poster, then the eerie coincidence of Mark playing the drums.  It was too  much of a reminder.  She thought she was ready, but she wasn’t.

 

“Mark, I’m sorry.  I…I have to go.  I just wanted to come and…..”

 

“Go?  You just got here.”

 

“That’s….that’s okay.  I….I have to get home.  I’ll walk so you don’t have to take me.”

 

Mark saw her eyes fill up with tears.  “Tara, what’s wrong?  Tell me.”

 

“I’m….I’m not ready, I……”

 

She took off out of the room and up the stairs, Mark following right behind her.  “Tara, wait!”

 

Tara opened the upstairs door that led into the kitchen and ran right into Grace.

 

“Oh, watch where you’re going luv,” Grace said, before noticing the tears in Tara’s eyes.  “Tara, what’s the matter?”

 

Tara couldn’t take it anymore and leaned against Grace and cried.  Grace looked at her son with admonishment.

 

“I didn’t do or say anything, I swear!”

 

Suddenly Ty came in the kitchen.  “What’s going on in here?  Why is Tara crying?”

 

“Dad, she won’t tell me.  I started showing her the Crossfire and Def Leppard posters and she suddenly started crying then ran out of the room.”

 

Grace held Tara out at arms length.  “Tara luv, please tell us whats wrong.”

 

Tara had no choice.  She already let her emotions gush forth in front of Mark and his parents.

 

“My full name is Tara Spencer.  Randy Spencer was my brother.”

 

 

 

 

                                                Chapter 24

 

Now it was Ty’s turn to fill with emotion.  “What?  Your brother?  That’s……that’s impossible.  When I met Randy he only had an older brother.  Randy was living with him and his wife at the time.  We used their basement to rehearse in.  And, even if he did have a younger sister, she’d be much older now than 17.  This doesn’t make sense.”

 

“I assure you, Mr. Savage, that Randy is my brother, though I never knew him.  I was born several years after he died.  It’s a long story.”

 

Ty walked over to Tara and looked at her face.  “You know, something familiar came over me when I looked at you, but I couldn’t place.  Now I know what it was.  It may have been years since I last saw Randy, but I remember that smile he had.  You have it, lass.”

 

“Then…then you believe me?”

 

“Yes, I do.  But I still want to hear this story.”

 

While Grace put on a pot of water for tea, Ty, Mark and Tara made themselves comfortable at the kitchen table as Tara began her story.

 

“My mum had my eldest brother when she was only 18.  She married my father right away and Randy was born two years later – 1999 I believe.  When Randy was 22, my parents had separated and eventually divorced.”

 

Ty’s past memories came flooding back to the time that Randy took off in a fit of anger during the recording of their first album.  He, Kevin and Mark eventually found him curled up on the ground behind a pub where he spilled his guts about his parents divorcing.

 

“Anyway,” Tara continued, “Randy died two years later.  His death caused my parents to reconcile.  My parents were also awarded the contents of Randy’s estate after he died – his home in Canterbury and the money he made with the band.  My father wasted no time in squandering it.  Three years later, my mum found out that she was pregnant with me – at 47 years old!  From what she told me, my dad wasn’t happy about it at all, especially at their age, and forced her to get rid of it.  When my mum refused, my dad up and left, taking most of what was left of the money they inherited from Randy.  We had no idea where he went and never heard from him.  My mum had me and did the best she could to raise me on her own, but it was very difficult.  We were basically poor.  We lived off the dole for many years and I remember how much it humiliated my mum.  Fortunately, my older brother and his wife asked my mum and I to come live with them, but it was still difficult.  Even though we didn’t have to worry about a rent or utilities, mum was able to get a job to pay just for our expenses, but it paid very little.  Two years ago she found out she had cancer and passed away 8 months after that.  I continued to live with my brother and his wife until my aunt Jean Prescott, my mum’s sister, asked me to come live here in Sheffield with her so I could be with my cousin Emily and at least have some kind of normal teenage life.  So, that’s how I wound up here.”

 

Grace had tears streaming down her face at this poor lass’ heartwrencing story.  Ty’s face was filled with anger for this girls heartless father and Mark just sat there with his head slightly bowed.  He kinda had a feeling as to why Tara was so hostile to him, but needed to know for sure.

 

“But Tara, why were you so mean to me when we met?”

 

Tara squeezed her eyes shut as if trying to block out how she had behaved.  “I never should’ve done that, but my emotions got the best of me.  When I ran into you in school that day and you told me your name, I instantly knew who you were from when you and your family lived in Canterbury.  Your father is well known so it was a big deal when you upped and moved to Sheffield.  I guess….I guess I was mad at you because you represented all I never had.  Hearing myself say that now, I know it sounds foolish and petty and totally childish, but I was so resentful.  Randy’s estate was enough to keep us comfortable for years, especially if the money was managed wisely.  Instead, my mum and I were one step away from the gutter.  My only regret is that she had to live those final years of her life like that.  She didn’t deserve that.  Not after all she did for me.”

 

Ty put his hand over Tara’s.  “No lass, she didn’t.  And I’m sorry for what you had to go through.  I so wish Randy was alive today.  Mark too.  You would’ve liked your brother.  As I said, you have his smile.”

 

“All I have are pictures of him, mostly from music magazines, but not many.  I’ll never get to know how wonderful he was.”

 

Ty stood up and motioned to Tara.  “Come with me lass.”

 

Tara got up and followed Ty into the family room where he went over to a built-in bookcase.  From a drawer, he retrieved several large photo albums, walked over to the sofa and sat down, placing the albums on the coffee table.

 

“Come sit next to me Tara,” Ty said.  “I’m gonna introduce you to your brother.”

 

                                     

                                                Chapter 25

 

Around 8:30pm that night, the first of three local bands took the stage at the music festival.  Up until then, Trevor and Emily had walked around, looked at some band memorabilia, purchased a couple of CD’s then got something to eat for dinner.  They used this time to talk and really get to know each other.  Since Emily knew that Tara would be confessing her situation to Mark today, she opted to enlighten Trevor about it.

 

“Wow, I can’t believe it” Trevor exclaimed. “I mean, of all people to run into, she runs into my cousin who takes after Randy by playing the drums.”

 

“Kinda like fate, don’t you think?” Emily asked.

 

“Probably.  Maybe once this is all out in the open, they’ll get on well with each other.”

 

“That would be great,” Emily replied.  “As you can tell, she hasn’t had much of a life, especially a social one.  I hope that her senior year here at Westfield will make up for all that she’s missed out on.”

 

Trevor warmed over Emily’s concern for her cousin.  “You really do care about her a lot don’t you?  You’re a good cousin, and a good friend.  Kinda reminds me of Mark and I.  We’ve been up each other’s arses since we were wee tots.  And once they moved from Canterbury to Sheffield when Mark was 5 we’ve been practically inseparable.  Sometimes I don’t even think of him as my cousin.  He’s more like my brother.”

 

“Yes, you and Mark definitely are a twosome,” Emily said with a grin.  “Not only are the two of you the most popular lads in school, not to mention wicked on the soccer field, the other lads seem to be left in the dust when the lasses look your way.”

 

Trevor blushed over her praise.  “Aw, stop it.  Mark plays the strutting ladies man more than I. Takes after his Grandpa Joe.  I’m more like my Grandpa Sav and my dad.  I never liked a lot of attention and, well,  I can be a bit shy sometimes.”

 

Emily glanced up at him with lucid, golden brown eyes.  “I rather like you like that.”

 

Trevors cheeks flushed pink, but he was rather enjoying it.  The more he talked with Emily and discovered how wonderful she was, he was getting more and more sucked in.  And this is just their first date!  Why he wasted all that time with Kristin when he could’ve gotten to know Emily sooner was beyond him?

 

After the last band finished up around 10:45pm, they decided to call it a night.  But not before Trevor looked over at Emily and saw how absolutely beautiful she looked with glow of the full moon above them.  Emily turned and saw him staring at her, then watched as his eyes trailed from hers down to her lips.  Trevor was just about to lean in for a kiss when he heard his name called out from behind him.

 

“Aye Trev!”

 

Trevor huffed and turned around to see Wesley walk over to him, his hand firmly clasped in Jessica Bishop’s.  Sean was right behind him with Emily’s friend Morgan.

 

“Can’t a bloke go anywhere in this town without running into you two?”

 

“Afraid not mate,” Sean said. 

 

As Jessica and Morgan went over to talk with Emily, Trevor found himself stuck with his friends.

 

“Trev, I can’t thank your sister enough for letting us hang with her at the fun fair,” Wesley said.  “Jessica practically had daggers in her eyes when she saw me with her.  Probably thought that if I’m good enough for a supermodel to hang out with then I must be something special.  And Sean here hooked up with  Morgan.  And from what I see, you and Emily look pretty cozy.”

 

“Yeah, well we would’ve been a little cozier if it weren’t for you.”

 

“Sorry mate,” Sean replied.  “But I’m sure you’ll have other opportunities.  So, um…leave your other half at home tonight?”

 

“As a matter of fact, we dropped Tara off at his house on our way here.  She wanted to apologize for what happened the other night.”

 

“Well, I hope those two kiss and make up so we can make it a happy couple quarter this summer, Wesley said.  “Sean and I are taking the girls to the lake this Saturday.  Weather’s supposed to be fab.   Do some swimming and sunning and some uh….bikini investigation!  Why don’t you guys come with us?”

 

The thought of Emily in a bikini was too much for Trevor to pass up.  “Perhaps we will.  Listen, I gotta get Emily home.  We’ll talk before the weekend.”

 

A half hour later, Trevor pulled his black Nissan Pathfinder up in front of Emily’s house.  He told her about going to the lake this weekend and she agreed.  They just sat there for a few more minutes, not wanting to leave each other’s company.  Trevor just continued to stare at her before he blushed and looked away.

 

“What?”

 

“Nothing?”

 

“No, tell me,” Emily urged.

 

“Well, I was just debating whether I should ask if I can kiss you or just go for it.”

 

Emily leaned in a little closer and tilted her face up to his.  “I say, go for it!”

 

Needing no more encouragement, Trevor bent down and placed his lips lightly on hers.  Soft and sweet at first, before he applied a little more pressure.  When Emily reached her hand up to cup the side of his face, he made a small sound in her mouth that caused her to sigh as well.  Their mouths slowly opened as their tongues cautiously began to touch each other.

 

Trevor slid his hand around her waist and pulled her as close as he could with the center console between them.  Their mouth’s slanted over each other more firmly as the kiss was become heated.  Trevor knew he had to stop before he wouldn’t be able to stop himself.

 

He reluctantly pulled away and looked down at Emily’s lovely face, her peaches and cream skin aglow from the kiss.  “I think you better go before I try something I may regret.”

 

Emily smiled with a blush before stroking his cheek with her finger.  “Hmm, if things go well with us down the line, who knows?  I may just let you try.”

 

That was the last thing Trevor needed to hear.  He was already horny out of his mind.  He didn’t need thoughts of what liberties Emily would allow him later on.

 

“Go inside before I try right now!”

 

Emily giggled softly then got out.  Trevor sat there as he watched her delicious little bottom move as she walked away and disappeared inside her house.

 

Yes, this was gonna be one fun summer, indeed!

  

 

                                                          Chapter 26

 

Earlier that evening, after spending an hour or so going through pictures, magazines, articles and miscellaneous other media stuff on Crossfire, Grace asked Tara if she’d like to stay for dinner.  Tara accepted and called her aunt to let her know she’d be staying.

 

For the first time in seventeen years she felt like she had some semblance of herself.  She actually felt as if she knew Randy after looking at all the pictures and reading all the interviews and album reviews of him and the band, not to mention Ty’s personal stories that were clean enough to repeat!

 

After dinner, Ty gave Tara a videotape of Crossfire of one of their live performances in which she and Mark watched together. 

 

“Hmm, your dad was quite a looker,” Tara said to Mark with a blush.

 

“Yeah, he was quite the ladies man,” Mark replied.  “But, from the stories I’ve been told, he loved my mum since he was my age.  And, if you really want to hear a sappy, romantic story, you should hear the one about Trev’s parents.  His mum and dad hooked up at 15 and were bonkers for each other until my Aunt Chelsea’s dad got transferred to the States.  She miraculously wound up back in Sheffield about 6 years later right about the same time Trev’s dad was home on break from university.  My uncle Scott ran smack into her – and their 6 year old daughter!”

 

Tara’s eyes widened.  “You…you mean Stephanie?  The one we met at the fun fair?   He never knew about her?”

 

“Yes, yes and no.  But, it was like fate that brought them back together.  My Uncle Scott was in his last year of university and finished up to come back here.  As soon as he finished his residency, he married my Aunt Chelsea.  My parents were married around the same time as well.  Trev and I were born only months apart.  My Uncle Scott convinced my dad to move back to Sheffield so we could grow up together and, so, here we are!”

 

“Wow, what a story,” Tara exclaimed.  “That is fate.”

 

“So is this, in a way.”

 

Tara looked at him.  “What…..what do you mean?”

 

“Think about it,” Mark answered.  “Your brother was the drummer of my dad’s band.  Not only am I partially named after him, but I play the drums like him as well.  Don’t you think that’s kind of eerie that we met up?”

 

Tara was warmed by his words.  It was a side him that she hadn’t yet seen.  Up till now, she thought him arrogant and full of himself, but that partially due to how she treated him.

 

“No, not eerie Mark.  Like you said, its fate.  So, how serious are you with the drums?  Gonna form a band like your dad?”

 

“No, I have no plans for that, but you never know.  I mean, my dad was in a band and so were both my grandfathers.”

 

“Oh, right, um……what was that funny name…..Deaf Leopard?”

 

“Right,” Mark replied.  “So, music’s kinda in my blood.  Who knows?”

 

“Are your grandfather’s still alive?”

 

“Oh yeah! And still bitching at each other like they have been since they met.”

 

“They sound like a hoot.  I’d love to meet them.”

 

“Oh, and they’d love to meet you!  They always appreciated a pretty face.”

 

Tara blushed at Mark’s compliment. “Thank you.”

 

Later on, Mark took Tara home.  When he pulled his silver Jeep in front of her house, she turned to him.

 

“Mark, I really had a nice time with you and your parents.  They’re so cool.  I guess I’ll wait up for Emily to come home to see how her date with Trevor was.”

 

As she went to open the door, Mark put a hand on her arm.  “Tara, wait.  Now that we’ve resolved all this, I’d like to start all over again.  I meant it that day in school that I wanted to get to know you and I do.  I’d like to take you out.  Cinema, dinner, maybe spend a nice hot day down by the lake.”

 

“I’d like that Mark.  I’m just sorry that we wasted all this time.  Again, I’m so sorry for how I acted.”

 

Mark reached up and stroked her cheek.  “Not a problem.”

 

Tara reached up and lightly grasped his wrist as she stared into his incredible green eyes.  She already knew what it felt like to kiss him, but that was under malicious circumstances.  She badly wanted to kiss him again.

 

As if Mark read her mind, he leaned forward as she met him halfway.  Their lips touched softly then firmly, before parting slightly.  Tara slid her tongue inside his mouth first which caused a deep groan from Mark.  Not wanting him to think she was too easy as she acted the night of the fun fair, she slowly broke the kiss then looked in his eyes.

 

“Goodnight, Mark.”

 

“Goodnight,” he replied as he watched her get out and go inside the house.

 

Yes, this was gonna be one fun summer indeed!

 

 

 

 

                                                Chapter 27

 

That following Saturday, all four young couples headed over to the lake on a very warm July afternoon.  It was one of the oldest swimming haunts in town complete with a dock and an old towering oak tree which boasted a swing which allowed you to swing from the dock into the water.  It was pure, simple teenage fun.

 

The girls had worked out who would bring what for lunch.  Tara and Emily made sandwiches while Jessica and Morgan brought munchies, pop, ice and sweets along with two big coolers to keep everything in.

 

No sooner than they stepped foot on the docks, all four lads pulled their t-shirts off and ran to the edge screaming like crazies as they all dove into the water.  A loud splash that all four bodies created scared a flock of birds quietly resting in the oak tree.

 

“C’mon mate, go grab the swing,” Mark said to Sean. 

 

Sean hopped back on the dock and unwrapped the swing from around a side branch.  It hung from a long, sturdy branch that jutted outwards from the tree right over the center part of the lake.

 

“Me first,” Sean said as he sat on the swing then took off into the middle of the lake.  He then hopped off and fell to the water with a loud splash.  He resurfaced with a whoop and a hollar.

 

One by one, each lad took a turn swinging from the dock to the water.  After they sufficiently got all their pent-up energy out, they all got out and went over to the girls for some food, sun and, hopefully, a little snogging.

 

The girls had spread everything out just in time for the lads to come over.  Wesley went over to Jessica and shook his wet hair in her face like a dog who just came out of the water.

 

“Blimey, Wes!” Jessica exclaimed.  “You’re getting me wet.”

 

Wesley grinned wickedly.  “Ooooh, am I now?”

 

Everyone chuckled as Jessica swatted him on the arm.  “I meant my clothes, you wanker.”

 

“Well, I assume you ladies have swim attire on under your clothes,” Sean said.  “How’s about showing us what you got!”

 

Trevor shoved Sean in the arm.  He didn’t want any lewd comments scaring off Emily.  After their date Wednesday night, they talked on the phone every night until seeing each other today.  Things were going well and he didn’t want anything to ruin it.  Emily saw Trevor do that and decided to speak up to let him know that he could be comfortable.

 

“Don’t worry lads,” Emily said.  “We’ll take our clothes off when the time’s right.  Gotta keep the anticipation up.”

 

“Mmm, yeah,” Morgan said.  “Also, if we take them off now, you lads may find yourselves having to go back into that cold water!”

 

Now it was the girls’ turn to chuckle as the lads just brushed them off and dove for the sandwiches.  Mark leaned over Tara to grab a roast beef and swiss, his wet, navy blue and white Hugo Boss swim trunks brushing up against her warm, smooth thigh in the process.

 

“Mmm, these look good luv,” Mark said of the sandwiches, even though his eyes had wandered to her breasts.

 

“Well, we knew you lads would be working up an appetite today,” Tara replied.

 

Mark raised an eyebrow.  “Oh?  Doing what?”

 

Tara gave him a look.  “Swimming, that’s what.”

 

“Sorry luv, just teasing.”

 

After they all ate, they decided to relax in the sun a bit as they digested before heading back in the water.  All four lads had stupid grins on their faces as the girls finally stood up and took off their shorts and tops, revealing young, tight bodies in bikinis.

 

“Aw, crikey,” Wesley groaned as he had to roll over on his stomach.

 

“Problem there, sport?” Jessica asked as she laid her body, clad in a pale yellow floral print bikini, next to Wes.

 

“Watch out Wes,” Trevor said.  “You’re gonna poke a hole in the deck!”

 

“Bugger off, Trev!”

 

Trevor snickered, but soon ate those words when he glanced up at Emily in a black bikini with a gold clasp in the front of the top and on each hip.  He did his best to hide his reaction as she laid down on the blanket next to him.  Morgan was next, revealing a leopard print bikini that had Mark commenting.

 

“Hmm, my Grandpa Joe would love to see you in that Morgan!”  But Mark too was suddenly silenced when he looked up at Tara in a jeweled, amethyst colored bikini which was striking against her glossy dark hair.  She sat next to him and grinned.

 

“You like?”

 

“You kidding?” Mark answered with eyes as big as saucers.  They had a hard time straying from the swell of her perfectly shaped breasts in her bikini top.

 

All four couples soaked up some sun for about an hour while they listened to a portable CD player.  Tara was the first to sit up and look out towards the lake.

 

She was a different person these last three days.  So many questions about her brother Randy had been answered, she had made friends and, for the first time that she could remember, she was having fun.  She felt like she fit. But, most of all, she found herself finding it hard not to fall for Mark.  Sure, it was way too soon, but he really turned out to be nothing as she perceived.  Yes, he had a bit of arrogant swagger to him, but what teenage lad didn’t?  And, Mark certainly had the means to back it up.

 

She continued to stare out into the lake, enjoying the peaceful tranquility of the afternoon, unaware she was being watched.

 

“Penny for your thoughts, luv?”

 

She turned and looked down at Mark who propped himself up on his elbows.  Her gaze wandered from his hard flat stomach, to his smooth muscled chest before finding his brilliant green eyes.

 

“I was just thinking how I never experienced a day like this.  Nor have I been this happy in a long time.”

 

Mark leaned into her and gave her a sly grin that almost made her melt all over the dock. 

 

“I know what’ll make you really happy, luv,” he said with a menacing grin.

 

Tara’s heart began to pound, not knowing what he meant.  “W..w..what?”

 

Mark’s grin turned into a full fledged smile as he hopped up, then pulled her up by her hand.

 

“Come with me.  You’re gonna love this.” 

 

They got to the end of the dock and Mark grabbed the swing.  Tara immediately began to back away.  “Uh, no Mark.  I don’t think so.”

 

“Why not?  Tara, you’ll love it.”

 

“I…..I just don’t want to.”

 

“But there’s nothing to be scared of, trust me,” Mark urged.

 

“Mark, I…..really, I can’t.”

 

“Can you swim?”

 

“Of course I can swim.  Its just……”

 

“What?”

 

Tara huffed with frustration.  “Okay.  You were right the other night at the fun fair about the big wheel.  I am afraid of heights.”

 

Mark sat on the swing and looked at Tara’s embarrassed face.  “That’s okay, luv.  I’m gonna swing with you.  There’s nothing to be afraid of. We’ll hold hands all the way down to the water, okay?  Trust me.  I won’t let anything happen to you.”

 

All of Tara’s life she had never felt safe or sure about anything, considering the dire circumstances she grew up with.  But now…..the protectiveness in Mark’s voice made her feel as if no harm could ever come to her.

 

“Well……maybe….”

 

Mark patted his lap.  “Sit right here.”

 

Tara walked over and snuggled her bottom on Mark’s lap.  Mark fidgeted a little uncomfortably.  “Um, Tara…..I think you better stay still or something unexpected will pop up.”

 

She rolled her eyes and blushed.  “Then I suggest you better get yourself in that cold water fast!”

 

With a huge smile, Mark swung them both off the dock as Tara held onto him for dear life.  As soon as they were over the lake, Mark took her hand.

 

“Jump off!”

 

Together they jumped off and landed in the lake below.  When Tara surfaced, her face was alight with laughter.

 

“Oh my God!  That was bloody fantastic!”

 

“Told ya,” Mark said as he swam over to her.  They both waded around each other for a few minutes before Mark turned her to him.  Her gorgeous gray-green eyes were even more expressive with her dark hair slicked back off her face.

 

“Why are you looking at me like that?”

 

“Like what?”

 

“Like you want to kiss me?”

 

“Because I do.”

 

“Then what are you waiting for?”

 

Mark grinned and leaned down to kiss her.  Tara rested her hands on his shoulders before they wandered down to feel the definition in his biceps.

 

As their legs kept them afloat, they wrapped their arms around each other and deepened their kiss.  They were so into each other that they didn’t hear Sean’s war cry followed by four loud splashes.

 

They broke the kiss to see Sean, Wesley, Morgan and Jessica jump in and break up their little snogging session.

 

As the six of them continued to splash one another, Trevor and Emily remained on the dock nibbling on Fritos.

 

“Wanna go in luv?”

 

“Not yet,” Emily said.  “I’d rather like having some alone time.”

 

“Me too,” Trevor said as he slowly leaned in to kiss her.

 

What they didn’t know was that they weren’t alone.  Up the slope, someone was bent over by the side of Trevor’s black Nissan Pathfinder.  They then straightened up, walked to their car and took off.

 

                                                Chapter 28

 

Waterlogged, tanned, well fed and kissed out, the four young couples packed up their stuff and headed back to their vehicles.  Trevor had picked up Mark and the girls while Sean picked up Wesley and their dates in his dad’s car.

 

When Trevor went to open the back hatch of his SUV, he looked at the right rear tire and groaned.

 

“Bloody friggin’ hell,” he said exasperated.

 

Mark, Sean and Wesley came over.  “Whats the matter?”

 

“The bleedin’ tire’s flat!  Dammit!  Must’ve ran over a piece of glass or something.”

 

Sean looked around.  “Well, there’s no glass around here.  Maybe you just have a slow leak.”

 

“Want us to hang and help?” Wesley asked.

 

“Nah, that’s okay,” Trevor said.  “You guys go on.”

 

“Sure mate,” Wesley said.  “Gonna go home and take nap so I’m fresh for my date tonight.  Gonna take Jessica to the cinema.”

 

“Didn’t you see enough of her today?” Mark asked.

 

“Even in that bloody bikini of hers, I haven’t seen all I want to see!” Wesley leered.

 

“Yeah, well Morgan’s gotta babysit tonight for a neighbor,” Sean said.  “She wants me to come over, but the parents don’t want any lads over the house.”

 

“So, just sneak over for a bit,” Trevor said, getting out the jack and spare tire.

 

“Well I would, but Morgan said that this lady has snoopy neighbors.  They’re probably gonna be on the lookout.  I guess I’m gonna stay put tonight.  Later mates.”

 

As Sean and Wesley took off with their dates, Trevor and Mark finished changing the tire.  Mark went to put the damaged tire in the back of the SUV before noticing the tear in it.

 

“Aye Trev, this doesn’t look like a puncture or anything.  Looks more like it was slashed with a knife or something.”

 

Trevor looked at the slice in the rubber.  “Huh, that’s weird.  Don’t know what could’ve caused that.”

 

“More like who instead of what,” Mark said.

 

“What do you mean?”

 

“I mean psycho-disillusional-bitch-from-hell Kristin, that’s who!”

 

“What?  No way, Mark.  She may be in denial, but she wouldn’t go out of her way like this to get back at me.  Plus, her and her family go away every year at this time.  They have a time share in the country.”

 

“Yeah, well I hope you’re right, cuz,” Mark said.  “Else you’ve got a real problem on your hands.”

 

Trevor thought about it for just a moment before shrugging it off.  As the four of them piled into the Pathfinder, Trevor took out his cell phone and called home, only to get the machine.  He punched in the code to see if there were any messages.

 

“Trev, its dad.  Forgot to leave you a note, but I just wanted to tell you that mum, Stephanie and I are going to grandma and grandpa’s for dinner.  Uncle Ty and Aunt Grace are going over as well and her and your mum are going to cook..  They’re bringing Joe and Abby too.  Stephanie’s gonna make her big announcement to them tonight.  Give a call if you’re gonna go out later, okay?  Bye.”

 

“Well Mark, seems both our parents are out for the night.  They all went to Grandpa Sav’s so Steph can break the happy news.”

 

Mark turned to Tara.  “You girls wanna go get dinner tonight since our mum’s aren’t home to cook for us?”

 

“What, no cooking skills Mark?” Tara asked with a smirk.

 

“Um, no,” Mark replied sheepishly before leering at her.  “My skills are elsewhere!”

 

Tara playfully pushed him away as Trevor looked at Emily.  “What do you say luv?  Wanna get Chinese or something?”

 

“Sounds good to me,” Emily replied.  “I had too good of a day to end it now.”

 

“Me too,” Trevor softly said as he took her hand and rubbed it with her thumb.

 

“Uh, if the two of you are done whispering sappy, sweet nothings, lets get rolling,” Mark joked from the back.

 

“Whats the rush, Mark?” Tara asked.

 

“Oh, nothing.  Just want to hurry up, get home, get showered and dressed so I can see you again.”

 

“Now who’s the one being sappy, cuz?” Trevor said, looking at Mark through the rearview mirror.

 

As Trevor started the car, and idea came over him.

 

“Aye, you girls want to start the evening off with a laugh?”

 

“What do you mean,” they both asked.

 

“How’d you both like to stop off and meet our grandfathers first?”

 

 

                                                Chapter 29

 

Around 6:00pm, Mark swung by Trevor’s and picked him up before heading to get the girls.  When Mark rang the doorbell, Tara was the first to answer it.  Mark took one look at her and his body went stir crazy.  She was dressed in black, low rise jeans and a pale green sleeveless sweater which was cut a bit low but held together by a cream colored satin ribbon.  Her glossy dark hair was pulled back in a low ponytail so that her exquisite gray-green eyes stood out even more due to the color of her top and her lightly tanned skin.

 

“Come on in,” Tara said, as she eyed Mark up and down in his Hilfiger jean and black, short sleeved buttoned Ekko shirt.

 

Meanwhile, Trevor looked up to see Emily come down the stairs and was overcome by the same feeling as Mark.  Her lowrise Mudd jeans and sleeveless lavendar top hugged her tight, curvy body to perfection.  Mark leaned into Trevor and whispered.

 

“Why are we taking these girls out tonight when both our houses are empty?  Are we nuts?”

 

“No, just trying our bloody damn best to be proper gentlemen,” Trevor whispered back before smiling back at Emily who approached him.

 

“Do I look alright?”

 

Trevor tried to keep his gaze away from her breasts in her parents house and, instead, focused on her shiny, honey colored hair and topaz colored eyes.  “I can’t keep my eyes off you, what does that tell you?”

 

Emily smirked and blushed as she appraised Trevor in his Gap jeans and white Polo shirt.  “I can say the same for you,” she softly said.

 

Trevor was beginning to agree with Mark about taking the girls out when their houses were empty.  But, it was way too early to be thinking about engaging in anything physical with Emily, even though he’d been thinking about it since he saw her in his Geometry class the first day of their junior year.

 

After a quick hello and goodbye to Emily’s parents, the four of them took off to the elder Savage household.  As they walked to the front door, Mark turned to the girls.

 

“Now, I’ve got to warn you lasses.  Our grandfathers are not your typical elderly 80-something’s.  Especially my grandpa Joe.  Lets just say that he’s not shy about saying what is actually on his mind and, most of the time, it isn’t too clean.”

 

“Sounds like he gives new meaning to the word dirty old man,” Tara replied.

 

“Luv, dirty old man is a compliment,” Trevor cut in.  “But, hopefully, they’ll behave.  Especially with our grandma’s there.”

 

They rang the doorbell and it was answered by Stephanie.  Trevor immediately chuckled at the sight of her in a demure looking shortsleeved maroon sundress.

 

“Guess dad read you the riot act about wearing something decent tonight?”

 

“Don’t know why,” Stephanie huffed, as she stepped outside to light a cigarette.  “Grandpa Sav and uncle Joe have seen more naked women in the 80’s than the entire male population of Sheffield will see in their entire lifetime!  But, I’m not gonna ruffle any feathers.  What are you doing here?”

 

“Taking the girls out for Chinese, but thought we’d stop by and introduce them to the grandpa’s.”

 

Stephanie leaned into Tara.  “Watch out for Mark’s grandpa Joe.  He’s a boob man!”

 

“Steph!” Mark exclaimed, a little embarrassed.

 

“Well, he is!  Don’t worry though.  He’ll just look.  He hasn’t been allowed to touch for a looooooooong time!”

 

“I swear Steph, maybe you should’ve been his granddaughter,” Mark jested.  “You’re just as brash as he is.  C’mon, lets go in and get this over with.”

 

Mark and Trevor escorted the girls inside and immediately saw 12 year old Abby whiz by before she stopped short upon seeing them.  She got a wicked look on her face then sprinted into the dining room.

 

“Oooooh, Mark and Trevor brought their girlfriends over,” she sang out.

 

Mark came up behind his little sister and pulled her hair.

“Ow!”

 

“Shut your trap, brat, else I’ll send you back where you came from.”

 

Abby put her hands on her hips and regarded her brother.  “Show off!”

 

Before Mark could respond, he was interrupted by one of his grandfathers.  “Well, well, well, what do we have here?”

 

Mark looked to see his grandpa Joe eyeing Tara and Emily with a big smile on his face.  It was equally matched by his grandpa Sav’s smile who was looking in the same direction.  Across the table from them, Ty and Scott smirked over the older men’s expressions upon seeing their grandson’s girlfriends.

 

“Um, grandpa’s, this is Tara Spencer,” Mark said as he walked Tara over to them.  “Tara, this is my grandpa Joe.  And that’s my grandpa Sav.”

 

Joe took Tara’s hand and kissed it.  “Well, I haven’t seen anything as young and sweet as you in about 60 years,” Joe mused.

 

“I heard that!” came a voice from the kitchen.

 

Mark laughed.  “Um, that was my grandma Abby who can still hear a pindrop a mile away.

 

Tara giggled.  “Well, its nice to meet you sir.  And you too, grandpa Sav.”

 

“Thank you lass,” Sav said, before looking at Emily.  “Trevor, I believe your lady is waiting to be introduced.

 

“This is Emily Prescott, grandpa,” Trevor said.

 

Emily went over and extended her hand to Trevor’s blue-eyed grandpa.  “Its nice to meet you, grandpa Sav.”

 

“The pleasure is mine, lass,” Sav replied.  “Fortunately, I’m not as annoyingly charming as he is.”  Sav punctuated that remark by pointing to Joe.

 

“Aye, how come I get called sir  while you get called grandpa?” Joe complained.

 

“Sit down and stop whining Joe,” Sav said.  “I guess I just seem more harmless.”

 

“More like Paige’ll bite your head off!   You’ve been whipped ever since this one was born,” Joe said, pointing to Ty.  “And when this one came along,” he pointed to Scott, “her nails were sunk so far in you that you couldn’t escape.”

 

“I heard that!” came Paige’s voice from the kitchen as well.

 

Sav smacked Joe in the arm.  “Will you shut up, you bloody geezer!”

 

“What?  Still afraid of your wife, mate?”

 

“I’m in my 80’s Joe.  I’ve got little left to fear but the sound of my arteries choking.  Besides, Paige wasn’t ever that bad and you know it.  At least she let me stay in the band.”

 

“What do you mean let?  You don’t let a woman tell you what to do!”

 

“I heard that!” came Abby’s voice from the kitchen again.

 

“Here we go,” Ty chuckled towards Scott before looking up at Tara.  “Lass, you’re gonna be sorry those two lads ever suggested coming over here.  Why don’t you get some reprieve by going in the kitchen and meeting the grandma’s.

 

Tara and Emily looked at each other and smiled before going into the kitchen.  Once they were out of earshot, Mark looked at Joe.  “So grandpa.  What do you think of Tara?”

 

“Well, she’s got a pair of knocker’s that’ll make me weep.”

 

Sav rolled his eyes. “You know, you disgust me even more now than you ever did!”  Sav then looked at his grandsons.  “They’re absolutely lovely, lads.  They look like keepers to me.”

 

Just then Stephanie came back inside from having her cigarette.  She looked around the dining room then back at her brother and cousin.  “What happened?  Did the grandpas scare them off already?”

 

“Don’t look at me, lass,” Sav said defensively.  “It was the geriatric snake here that was practically down their shirts.”

 

Joe looked at Sav with contempt.  “What in bleedin’ hell is keeping you alive all these years?”

 

“My unending desire to piss you off,” Sav replied with ease.  “So, Stephanie luv.  Now that you’re a married woman, is there any chance of you making me a great-grandpa before I croak?”

 

“Grandpa, please!  We’ve only been married for a month.  Not to mention that in October I’m heading to Antigua for a swimsuit shoot so there’s no way I can get pregnant now.”

 

“Crikey, lass,” Sav exclaimed.  “Don’t wait too long.  I’ve already got one foot in the grave.”

 

“If you’d like, I can push you the rest of the way in,” Joe offered.

 

“Maybe if Abby poisons your prune juice you can join me,” Sav shot back with a smirk.

 

“Okay you two stop it,” Scott said.  “I think the girls are coming back in.”

 

Just as he said that, Emily and Tara came back in the dining room.  “Well, I think we met just about everyone.”

 

“Well, actually, the last one you’ll get to meet is my Uncle J.T.,” Mark said.  “He’s my mum’s younger brother.  He and his wife live in Dublin.  He manages a string of hotels there.”

 

“Well, if you lads want, the girls are more than welcome to come to my wedding reception cookout next month,” Stephanie said. 

 

Emily and Tara’s face lit up slightly as they looked at their respective lads who waited for their response.

 

“Would you like to, Em?” Trevor asked.

 

“Sounds wonderful, thank you,” she replied.

 

Mark looked at Tara.  “You?”

 

“I’d love to.”

 

“Great,” Stephanie said.  “Wait till you lasses meet my husband Frank.  He’s gorgeous!”

 

“Alright, we’re out of here,” Mark said.  “Between Steph and grandpa Joe, these lasses are gonna be brainwashed.”

 

“It was nice meeting all of you,” Emily and Tara both said.

 

“Same here,” came a chorus of replies.

 

As soon as the front door closed behind the two young couples, Sav leaned into Joe.  “You’re wrong Joe.  “They both have impressive knockers.”

 

“We heard that!” came Abby and Paige’s voice from the kitchen.

 

 

                                                Chapter 30

 

One Month Later

 

Mid-August in Sheffield turned out to be nothing short of a heatwave.  But for Mark and Trevor it just meant they were that much closer to the end of summer and going back to school to face their senior year.  Even though the girls would be attending with them, it didn’t compare to the long, lazy days and warm nights they’ve been spending together.

 

Both lads were becoming smitten with their respective ladies more and more, yet neither of them made a move to a more intimate level.  Neither one wanted to scare them off or screw things up, but the more they were around them the harder it was to keep their hands off!

 

The day of the picnic to celebrate Stephanie and Frank’s wedding arrived and Scott and Chelsea were up with the birds to begin preparations for the immediate family to come over to meet Stephanie’s new husband.

 

As promised, Stephanie agreed to a small ceremony so she and Frank could say their vows in front of everyone.  The day before, the backyard was set up with a flower bedecked tent and chairs and tables.  By the morning of the celebration, the doorbell rang constantly to deliver food, ice, pastry and wedding cake.

 

Frank had arrived in Heathrow the night before, along with Stephanie’s longtime photographer friend, and went to meet them.  They opted to stay in London overnight and taking the tram into Sheffield early the next morning. 

 

“Yoo-hoo, we’re here,” Stephanie said upon entering her parents home.

 

Chelsea looked up from a plethora of chafing dishes to see her daughter arrive with another woman and an incredibly gorgeous man.  Frank.

 

“Mum, this beautiful creature is is Francesco Triviani.  You can call him Frank, though.”

 

Chelsea felt a blush creep over her cheeks at the sight of her tall, dark haired, dark eyed supermodel son-in-law.  “Its so wonderful to finally meet you, Frank.  I say that Stephanie here dropped quite a shocker on us, but she has told us so much about you that I feel like I know you.”

 

Frank took Chelsea’s hand and brought it up for a kiss.  “Ah, the pleasure is all mine,” Frank said with a sexy Italian accent.  “And, I must say myself, that Steffi has told me all about you as well.  I feel so at home.”

 

“Good, I want you to.  You’re family now.  Um, my husband is out in the yard doing some setting up.  Let me go get him.”

 

“Oh, no need mom,” Frank said comfortably.  “Allow me to go outside and meet my father-in-law.  You seem to have enough to do in here.  I come from a big, Napolitan family and we learn early not to be strangers or to be shy.”

 

“Well, okay.  He’s hard to miss.  He’ll be the one swearing at the tent pole that’s about to collapse.”

 

Frank let out a wonderful laugh before disappearing through the sliding door off the kitchen.  When he did, Chelsea turned to her daughter.

 

“Very charming indeed, Steffi!.  Must be his Italian blood.”

 

“He’s always like that,” Stephanie said.  “Sometimes I think he’s too polite, but it helps because it balances me with my quick temper.  He thinks its fetching, do you believe it!  Anyway, mum, this is Lucy Vaughn.  She’s been photographing me for about the last five years and she offered to come along and be the official picture taker for the day.

 

Chelsea turned to the late 30-ish woman and extended her hand.  “Nice to meet you, Lucy.”

 

“You too, Mrs. Savage,” Lucy replied.

 

“Please, call me Chelsea.”

 

“Thank you.  I promise to get some great shots and put a beautiful album together for you and your husband.”

 

They were interrupted when Stephanie looked at her watch.  “Crikey, I’ve only got two hours to get ready before the priest gets here.  Oh, mum, I have someone coming by to do my makeup and hair.  Just send them right upstairs.  Thank God all Frank has to do is put his suit on.  Men!  They’ve got it way too easy.”

 

“Steph, I want to get some shots of you getting ready, okay?”

 

“Sure, come on up.  Mum, have daddy come up and get me when we’re all set.  I don’t want anyone to see me till then.”

 

“Of course.  Go on, luv.”

 

Stephanie kissed her mother and headed for the stairs, followed by Lucy.  Just as they were about to go on up, Trevor came down, attired in black, dress trousers and a white collarless shirt with a black and gold button fastening the neck.

 

“Aye, you made it,” he said to his sister.

 

“Barely.  I’ve got two hours to make myself decent.  Frank’s out in the back meeting daddy.  Go say hi.”

 

“Sure, I’ll go meet him before I go to pick up Emily.”

 

“Oh, Lucy,” Stephanie said turning to Lucy, “this is my brother Trevor.  “Trev, this is my friend Lucy.  We’ve worked together on many shoots. She’ll be the photographer du jour.”

 

“Hello Lucy,” Trevor said, extending his hand.

 

As Lucy took his hand, her photographer’s eye took in the gorgeous young man in front of her.  “Nice to meet you Trevor.  One can easily see that you and your sister came from the same gene pool.”

 

Trevor gave Lucy a bashful glance with his dazzling hazel eyes before his shy smile gave way to an appealing dimple.  Lucy’s carefully trained eye noted every nuance of Trevor’s features and expressions.

 

“Thank you. Well, let me go meet this Italian Stallion husand of yours so I can go get Emily.  See you later.”

 

As Trevor took off, Lucy followed Stephanie up the stairs, hoping that she brought enough film with her today.

 

 

                                                Chapter 31

 

A little over two hours later, Stephanie walked across her parents meticulously manicured lawn on her father’s arm wearing an ankle length, crystal beaded slipdress that molded her model-thin figure.

 

As she and Frank reaffirmed their vows for her family, Lucy clicked off several pictures from different angles.  After the ceremony, Lucy basically tried to make herself as invisible as possible to enable her to take natural looking, casual shots of Stephanie and Frank interacting with her family.

 

With a cigarette in one hand and a bottle of Guinness in the other, a very undemure looking bride went up to Joe.

 

“So, uncle Joe, tell me what you think of Frank.”

 

Joe looked over at Frank who was charming just about everything in his path and frowned.  “I don’t like him.”

 

Stephanie gasped.  “Why not?”

 

“He’s too goodlooking.  Probably has washboard abs too.”

 

Stephanie wiggled her eyebrows.  “As a matter of fact, he does.  You can bounce a quarter off them and his bum!”

 

Joe laughed.  “Ha!  You really should’ve been my granddaughter, you know that?  I’m only kidding, luv.  He seems like a nice chap, even though he isn’t a Brit.”

 

“Ah, but Italians make better lovers,” Stephanie mused.

 

“Wanna bet?  Aye Sav, come here.”

 

Sav was slowly walking by with a tea in his hands as he heard Joe call out.  “What?”

 

“Your granddaughter here thinks that Italians make better lovers than Brits.”

 

Sav laughed as he brought his hand slowly up to take a sip of tea.  “Well, that’s just a myth, luv.  One that I think your uncle Joe and I proved wrong in he 80’s and most of the 90’s.”

 

“Oh that doesn’t mean anything,” Stephanie stated.  “Women didn’t want you because you were British.  They wanted you because you were rock stars.”

 

“Who cares, they still wanted us!” Joe said.

 

As Stephanie laughed with her grandfather and great uncle, Mark and Tara sat by a small table and savored a piece of wedding cake.

 

“Blimey, I’m gonna have to go for a  5 mile run tomorrow morning just to work this off,” Tara said.

 

Mark glanced at her sitting across from  him in an ankle length black chiffon sundress with white gardenias on it.  “You kidding luv?  There isn’t an ounce of fat on you.  And….I’ve seen you in a bikini, remember?”

 

Tara blushed as she bit her lip in question.  “I know what you’re thinking, Mark.”

 

“And that is……?”

 

“When you’re gonna get to see me without a bikini.”

 

Mark almost choked on a mouthful of buttercream frosting.  “W..w..what?”

 

“You heard me.”

 

“Have….have you been thinking about it?” Mark stammered.

 

“Perhaps,” Tara nonchalantly said.  “Have you?”

 

“Tara, I’m a seventeen year old lad.  I haven’t thought of much else.  But, I’m trying my best to be a gentleman because…….”

 

“Because why?”

 

“Because…..I really like you.  A lot.  I know we started off on the wrong foot, but then we patched things up.  We’ve been going together for a little over a month and I enjoy being with you.  I want to be with you.  In every way.  But, that decision is yours.  I don’t want to push you into anything you’re not ready for.”

 

“I appreciate that Mark, really I do.  But, the truth is…..”

 

“Yes….”

 

“I’m very close to ready.”

 

                                                *********************

 

Sitting on a bench under a large, towering oak tree, Trevor and Emily enjoyed their cake in the shade.  But Trevor had a hard time concentrating on eating with Emily sitting so close to him, clad in an above the knee, ice blue sundress with tiny silver stitchings.  Her smooth, tanned legs were crossed, causing the hem of her dress to hitch up to mid-thigh.  All Trevor wanted to do was touch her silky, exposed skin.

 

He rested the plate on his lap in a feeble attempt to hide what his randy thoughts were doing to his body.  “Having a good time, luv?”

 

Emily’s topaz eyes sparkled as she smiled at him.  “Very good.  I didn’t think your sister could look any more gorgeous than she already does.”

 

“And what about Frank?” Trevor asked with a bit of jealousy.

 

“Well, I have to admit, he is goodlooking.  He’s a model, after all.  But, I much prefer what’s right in front of me.”

 

From a safe, inconspicuous distance, Lucy focused her trusty Nikon camera on Trevor and snapped off a few pictures of him.  He looked good from every single angle and his quaint, boyish shyness and lovestruck look on his face whenever he looked at his girlfriend just begged to be photographed.  When she saw him lean into his girlfriend so she could whisper something in his ear, she waited until he leaned back and flashed a gorgeous smile that made his eyes come alive.  Her rapid shot Nikon clicked off several shots of that.  After snapping about 15 pictures of Trevor, she called it quits when she saw him and his girlfriend get up.  She popped the roll of film out and put it in a small cannister in her camera bag where it would wind up remaining for quite some time.

 

                                                ********************

 

Back under the oak tree, Trevor leaned down to Emily.  “Letsgo inside a bit and cool off in the airconditioning.”

 

“Okay.”

 

Trevor and Emily went inside the empty house as he led her into the family room.  “Wanna watch something on the telly, luv?”

 

Emily blushed a bit then glanced around before looking back at Trevor.  “Uh, actually, I’d um…….like to see your room.” 

 

 

                                                Chapter 32

 

Tara came inside to use the downstairs half bath just as Emily was coming out of it.

 

“Hey, what are you guys doing in here?”

 

“Oh, just cooling off,” Emily replied.    “By the way, stay down here a bit and lookout.  Trevor’s gonna take me upstairs to see his room.”

 

Tara’s eyes widened.  “Oh?  And what else?”

 

“Well, not much since his entire family is right outside.  We just want to be alone a bit.”

 

“No problem.  I was gonna hang inside a bit and cool off myself.  I just abandoned Mark as soon as Stephanie grabbed him to dance.”

 

“Too funny.  Well, okay we won’t be long – hopefully!”

 

With a wink, Emily left and went upstairs to meet Trevor in his room.

 

After using the bathroom, Tara came out and casually walked around the house a bit.  The house was reflective of a man who was a brilliant sports physician – large and expensively decorated, but had just a touch of hominess to make it comfortable.  Mark’s parents home was even more luxurious due to his father’s successful career as a rock star/record label mogul/producer. 

 

Never in her wildest dreams could she imagine growing up as priviliged as they did, but she was no longer bitter about it.  In fact, ever since she confessed who she was and learned more about her brother Randy’s past from Mark’s father, she felt more at ease.

 

Just then she heard the sliding door open and in came Mark’s grandpa Joe who was surprised to see her.

 

“Well, are you hiding in here?”

 

“Oh no,” Tara replied to the feisty old man.  “I just came in to use the loo and cool off a bit.”

 

“Me too,” Joe replied.  “Too blased hot out there.  Your poor boyfriend looks about to die from embarrassment.  Stephanie’s trying to get him to do some stupid dance.”

 

Tara looked out the slider window and saw Mark fumble through some moves with an exasperated look on his face, and giggled.  She then turned to see Joe hold his hand out to her.

 

“Come with me, lass.”

 

Tara took his frail, aged hand and allowed him to lead her into the family room.  She sat down while he went into a built-in drawer under the coffee table.

 

“I know Scott keeps these in here,” Joe said as he took out an old photo album.  “Wanna see how young and gorgeous I used to be?”

 

Tara perked up on the couch, suddenly engrossed by this appealing older man.  “Sure!”

 

“Thought so,” Joe said, sitting next to her and opening the photo album.  Just then, they were interrupted by the sound of another voice.

 

“Thought I heard someone in here,” Sav said as he walked in.

 

Joe frowned.  “Quit following me.”

 

“Check your ego, Joe, I’m not following you.  Its too bloody hot outside.  I came in and heard voices.  And just what are you doing in here alone with our grandson’s girlfriend?”

 

“Showing her what a hot piece of ass I used to be, that’s what!”

 

Tara giggled, thoroughly enjoying the banter between these two men.

 

“Joe, watch your language, will ya?  Tara luv, Joe may have been goodlooking enough to have women swoon after him, but once you get a look at what I used to look like, you won’t be able to form a coherent thought.”

 

“Oh puleeze,” Joe drawled out.  “You were never this conceited when you were pretty.”

 

“Let the lady be the judge, Joe,” Sav said as he flipped a page to a shot of the band from the 1992 Adrenalize promos.  They both watched Tara’s eyes widen.

 

“Well, who’s better looking?”

 

Tara’s mouth dropped open as she looked up at both of them.  “Who’s the buff blonde with the guitar?”

 

Joe and Sav looked at the picture then frowned.  “Phil,” they both said in unison.

 

“Wow, he’s hot,” Tara couldn’t help herself from saying.

 

“He’s older than we are, lass,” Joe quickly said.

 

“Still alive, too?” Tara asked.

 

“With the way he took care of himself, he’ll live to be 100,” Sav said.

 

Tara continued to peruse several other group pictures before she started to have some fun with them.  “So, which ones are you?”

 

Joe looked appalled.  “What?  You mean you can’t tell?  I’m only the tallest and best looking out of all of them!”

 

“And which one is grandpa Sav?”

 

“The girly looking one with all the hair,” Joe sneered.

 

Sav shot Joe an evil look as Tara whistled.  “Wow, you were a looker.  Both of you were.   And….hey, who’s that cutie with the curly hair?”

 

“That’s Rick Allen – our drummer,” Joe said.

 

“Hmmm, not bad.  He’s really……uh…..oh..my..God!  Does….does he have only one arm?”

 

“Yep,” Sav said.  “He lost it in a car accident when he was only 21.  He learned how to play a drumkit with foot pedals.”

 

Tara was absolutely amazed.  “That’s incredible!  That must be quite a story.”

 

“Oh we have plenty of stories that are clean enough to share,” Joe said.

 

“Oooooh, please tell me,” Tara begged.

 

                                      ******************************

 

Upstairs in Trevor’s bedroom, Emily glanced around at his belongings which were synonomous with a teenage lad.  Television, dvd player, CD player and a mountain of CD’s, and, on one wall, a lifesize poster of Simon Farrell, Manchester United’s goalie.

 

“I guess he’s your hero, eh?”

 

“You bet.  I’m so psyched I got to meet him.  I sure hope he recovers from his knee injury in time for the season to start.”

 

“He is a mega goalie,” Emily said.  “You’ve probably studied his moves.”

 

“Every single one of them,” Trevor said.  “I’d give anything to play in the pros like that guy.”

 

“I think you have a brilliant shot, Trev.  And being a senior, there’s gonna be a lot of scouts at the games this season.”

 

“I know.  I’m so nervous, but thrilled too.”

 

“You look a little nervous now,” Emily said.  “Why?”

 

Trevor glanced down at the floor and blushed a bit.  “Well, probably because I have a beautiful lass who I’ve been bonkers about for quite some time alone in my room, that’s why.”

 

Now it was Emily’s turn to blush.  “Don’t worry, I promise not to ravish you.”

 

“I’d rather you did,” Trevor blurted out too fast.  “Uh…I mean….I wouldn’t mind.  But, there’s really not much we can do with my entire family outside.”

 

Emily shyly walked over to him and snaked her arms up around his neck.  “Well, then lets do what we can,” before she pulled him down for a kiss.

 

 

                                                Chapter 33

 

A half hour later, Mark finally disengaged himself from his tipsy cousin Stephanie and went inside to find Tara.  When he happened into the family room, he halted at the sight before him.

 

There was Tara sitting on the floor with her legs tucked underneath her as she gave her full, starry-eyed attention to his two grandfathers, who were sitting side by side on the sofa telling her stories.

 

“……that Monsters of Rock concert was an incredible moment,” Joe was saying.  “It was like Rick’s homecoming.  The cheers from the crowd nearly blew me off the stage.”

 

“But nothing compared us for what was to come after that,” Sav interrupted. 

 

“What was it?” Tara asked.

 

Joe and Sav looked at each other and smiled before looking back at Tara and saying in unison.  “The Hysteria tour.”

 

Tara looked confused.  “Was that bad or good?”

 

“Depending on how you looked at it, lass,” Joe said.  “If ‘bad’ means ‘naughty’, then it was a good thing!”

 

Mark decided to interject.  “Uh, grandpas.  I have no idea what you’re about to tell my girlfriend, but it doesn’t sound like its something she should hear.”

 

Joe thought about it for a moment.  “You’re right lad.  More like something you should hear!”

 

Mark perked up.  “Glad to!  I’ve only heard rumors from dad.  I even almost broke down once and called Uncle Phil knowing he’d tell me everything.”

 

Tara looked disappointed.  “Well, isn’t there anything decent you can tell me about that tour?”

 

Joe and Sav looked at each other again and smiled before looking back at Tara.  “No!” they said in unison.

 

She frowned and got up from the floor.  “Well, thanks for sharing with me what you did.  It was fun hearing about your career.”

 

Just then Scott entered the family room.  “Whats going on in here?”

 

“Oh, just giving the lass a little trip down memory lane,” Sav said.

 

Scott folded his arms and narrowed his eyes.   “Dad…….”

 

“It was clean,” Joe quickly said.  “Which mean, there wasn’t much we could tell her!”

 

Scott shook his head and laughed before looking around.  “Um, have any of you seen Trevor?  The photographer wants some posed family pictures and I can’t find him or Emily.”

 

“Oh, they’re upstairs in his………….bedroom,” Tara offered before she realized what she said.  “Oooops.”

 

Sav laughed.  “Right under your own nose Scott!  Oh, don’t worry.  Whats the lad gonna do with his entire family right outside?”

 

Scott groaned and headed for the stairs.  “He’s seventeen, dad.  He’ll do whatever he can get away with.  And I don’t need history repeating itself.!”

 

                                                **************

 

While this was going on downstairs, up in Trevor’s bedroom, he and Emily were heatedly making out.  Emily had her hands in his hair pulling lightly while Trevor kept his safely on her waist before he couldn’t take it anymore.  He wanted to feel more of her.  Her body was pressed flush against his and he took it as a sign to dare a little further into uncharted territory.

 

He slowly let his hands slide down her waist to her gently curved hips.  He felt Emily sigh in his mouth when he did so and decided to go further.  He moved his hands around until he was cupping her firm little bum.  Emily then whimpered a bit, never breaking the kiss, and only pulled him closer, if it were possible.

 

Trevor groaned deeply in her mouth at how far he had gotten and gently squeezed her bottom and pulled her tighter against him.  He then slid one hand down until he came in contact with the hem of her dress and then the silky smoothness of her bare thigh.

 

“God, Emily,” he breathlessly whispered in her mouth as his fingertips lightly caressed her bare skin.

 

“Mmm, Trevor,” she whispered back.  “Feels good.”

 

Trevor then began to back up as Emily followed him, their lips and tongues never breaking stride.  When he felt the back of his knees hit the edge of  his bed, he sat down, taking Emily with  him.  When he instinctively laid back, Emily was flat on top of him.  The hand that was on her thigh trailed up until it was under her dress.  When it came in contact with a pair of tiny silk panties, he broke the kiss for a moment and began kissing her neck.

 

“Jesus God Em,” he panted.  “You’re driving me crazy!”

 

Trevor was beginning to lose control as he thrusted his pelvis upward to rub his rock hard erection against Emily’s hip.  Emily whimpered again upon feeling that and wiggled against him.  Trevor was gonna lose it in his trousers for certain if this didn’t stop, but it felt too good.  He couldn’t stop.  Until something made him stop.

 

“Trevor!”

 

The sound of his father’s voice calling up to him from the bottom of the stairs made him bolt upright, almost sending Emily sprawling to the floor.

 

“Fuck,” he mumbled under his breath as he ran to his slightly open bedroom door and opened it all the way to see his father’s stern face looking up at him.

 

“Y…yeah, dad?”

 

“What are you doing lad?”

 

“Um….just showing Emily my room, that’s all.”

 

Scott raised his eyebrow.  “With the door closed?”

 

“It….it was open.  Dad, I was just….”

 

“Nevermind.  Get yourself down here now.  The photographer wants to get some family pictures.”

 

“Alright,” Trevor said as he went back in his room to find Emily fixing her hair and lipgloss in his dresser mirror. 

 

“Are you in trouble?”

 

“No.  I just have to go outside for pictures.  Um…Emily, I’m sorry.  I didn’t mean for it to get that far.”

 

Emily went over to him.  “Its okay, Trev.  I’m just as much to blame too.  It just felt too good to stop.  I guess…….I guess…….”

 

“What?”

 

“I guess we’re getting closer to where we’re, you know…..not going to be able to stop.”

 

Trevor thought he was gonna bust.  “I…I…I guess,” he stammered. “Um, you go on down.  I’m just gonna use the bathroom.”

 

When Emily went downstairs, Trevor went inside the bathroom to splash very cold water on his face.  There was no way he could pose for pictures with a massive boner poking through his trousers.

 

“Dammit,” he muttered as he took deep breaths and pictured the hideous face of the girls gym teacher.  It didn’t take long before his aroused state had dissipated.

 

Trevor grinned.  “Works every time!”

 

 

                                                Chapter 34

 

 

A few weeks passed and with it came the reality of heading back to school.  It was a rainy day and Tara was over Mark’s to hang out for the day.  While Mark nodded off a bit in the downstairs family room, Tara wandered upstairs to the kitchen where Grace was getting everything ready for dinner later.

 

“Let me guess. My son fell asleep,” Grace asked.

 

Tara grinned.  “How’d you know?”

 

“Ever since he was a wee lad the rain always lulled him to sleep.  Even when he was a baby.  There were nights that I prayed it would rain because Mark was colicy in the beginning and had a hard time going to sleep.”

 

Tara enjoyed this time with Grace.  Because her own mother was close to 50 when she gave birth to her, she was eligible for social security by the time Tara was a teenager, with her health beginning to fail as well.  It was just nice to have a younger mum to talk to.

 

Tara happened upon a fashion magazine and went through it while she sat at the table, sighing as she flipped each page.  Grace saw what she was looking at.

 

“Gotta be doing some back-to-school shopping soon, lass,” she said.  “I hate shopping for Mark. He’s so fussy about the style and the brands.  I’m glad he’s stopped growing though.  The lad cost me a fortune to clothe him.”

 

Tara looked at all the stylish, youthful clothes on the pages of the magazine.  Even though her Aunt Jean had taken her shopping when she came to live with them, she knew she couldn’t afford much.  Fortunately, her and Emily were the same size so she could wear her outfits when she didn’t have enough of her own to choose from.

 

“These clothes are so mega,” Tara said as she looked at the pages.  “I love all these styles.  Emily’s got a lot of clothes like this which she lets me wear whenever I want.  I see about a dozen things I’d love to get.”

 

Grace listened to Tara with a heavy heart and read between the lines.  It was probably just as expensive to clothe two teenage girls as it was a seventeen year old lad and almost thirteen year old girl.  Grace thought that, even though it was generous of Emily’s mum to take Tara in, it was probably a bit of a financial strain. 

 

This was the first chance that Tara had at having a normal teenage life.  She deserved to have her final year in highschool to be her best and happiest.

 

After a while, Tara closed the magazine and ventured back downstairs just as Mark was about to come upstairs.

 

“Aye, I thought you left me,” he groggily said.

 

“No, I just went up to talk to your mum since you fell asleep.”

 

“Sorry about that,” Mark sheepishly said.  “Something about the rain makes me sleepy.”

 

“So your mum told me.  Said you’ve been like that since you were a baby.”

 

“Aw, crikey, she didn’t pull out any baby pictures, did she?”

 

Tara smiled.  “Hmm, no, but maybe I should’ve asked.  You must’ve been adorable.”

 

Mark pulled her down off the last step and wraped his arms around her waist.  He stared his dazzling green eyes into hers.

 

“And why do you say that?”

 

Tara wrapped her arms around his neck and met his stare.   “Because you’re absolutely mega-fine now, that’s why?”

 

“Think so?” Mark said with a twinkle.

 

“Oh, you know you are, so don’t be so humble,” Tara mused.  “You’ll probably be surrounded by girls once we got back to school that I’ll wind up getting lost in the crowd.”

 

“No need to worry about the other girls, luv.  Once they know you’re mine, ain’t nothing they can do to steer me away.”

 

Tara’s face warmed with a blush and a smile.  “Am I yours?”

 

“Mmm, hmm,” Mark murmured as he leaned down to kiss her.  It started sweet and soft then slowly became hot and heavy.  After a few moments, Tara pulled away and looked into Marks flushed face.

 

“You know, all this time I’ve been to your house, you’ve never played me anything on the drums.  I’d love to hear you play.”

 

Mark’s eyes were alight.  “Sure, luv.  Lets go to my sanctuary.”

 

As Mark led Tara to his ‘sanctuary’, she had a little more on her mind than hearing Mark play the drums.

 

 

                                      ****************************

 

Meanwhile, back upstairs, Tyler came in the kitchen through the garage door.

 

“Aye luv,” he said to Grace, giving her a kiss.  “Mmmm, what are you preparing here?”

 

“Well, I started a sauce early, so I think I’m gonna make lasagna tonight.”

 

Ty put his arms around his wife.  “How did I manage to stay so trim with your mega cooking?”

 

“Probably all the sex!”

 

Ty’s blue eyes twinkled as he leered at her.  “Probably.  How’s about a little workout before I stuff myself with lasagna?”

 

“Sorry loverboy,” Grace said.  “I dropped Abby off at her friend’s house earlier and she should be dropped off any time soon.  And…Mark is downstairs with Tara.”

 

“Doing what?”

 

“Well, Mark fell asleep.  The rain, you know.  Tara just went back downstairs a little while ago.  I guess she got bored listening to our son snore and came up here for a little company.  Which reminds me…….there’s something I’d like to talk to you about.”

 

                                                Chapter 35

 

Tara sat on the small couch inside Mark’s ‘sanctuary’ as she watched Mark sit behind his drum kit and select a song from his tape machine. 

 

“So, what are you in the mood to hear?” Mark asked.  “Rock, hard rock, acid rock, alternative rock?”

 

Tara smirked.  “How about country?”

 

Mark winced.  “How about…not on your life!

 

Tara laughed.  “Hmm, too many choices.  Let me think a bit.”

 

“I’ll wait.”

 

“Why don’t you wait next to me,” she said patting the space beside her.

 

Mark grinned and got up to go sit beside her.  When he did, he leaned back and put his arm around her.

 

“Somehow I get the feeling that you don’t want to hear me play the drums.”

 

“Well, I do, but…..not right now,” she said as she leaned in for a kiss.

 

Mark forgot all about the drums as well and kissed her back as he wrapped his arms around her.  One hand stroked her dark, silky hair as his other arm was firmly clasped around her narrow waist. 

 

As soon as their tongues met, the kissed turned hot, wet and out of control.  Mark was so out of his mind with the feel of her that he wasn’t aware that she was pushing him down until he was flat on his back and she was laying on one side of him. 

 

Tara ran her hand over his chest and slowly trailed it down to his chisled abdomen.  When she touched the hem of his t-shirt, she slipped her hand inside until it came in contact with hard, warm skin.

 

Mark gasped in her mouth at the feel of her hand on his bare stomach, so achingly close to where he really wanted her to touch him.  Since she was being so bold, he decided to be a little daring himself.  After all, Tara told him a couple of weeks ago that she was getting very close to being ‘ready’.  Knowing they wouldn’t get far with his mum right upstairs, Mark decided to get as far as he could.

 

He slid his hand from around her waist to the flat of her stomach.  He then inched ever so slowly upward,  waiting for any sign for Tara that he should stop.  When she didn’t, he went for it and very gingerly cupped her firm, round breast in his hand.

 

Tara whimpered a bit and arched her back slightly at the new sensation.  Mark immediately let go before she whispered into his mouth that it was alright.  He put his hand back where it was and continued to fondle her while her hand still ran all over his chest and stomach under his t-shirt.  When he felt her hand trail down to caress his skin right along the waist of his jeans, Mark thought he’d die.  Each time he thought she was going to go lower and finally touch him.  He couldn’t stand it any longer and decided to take a shot.

 

“Tara,” he hoarsly whispered in her mouth.  “Touch me, please.  I want to feel your hand on me.”

 

Tara was so overwhelmed by the feel of Mark’s hand on her breast and their lips and tongues devouring each other that her body had no control over her mind.  All she heard was Mark’s sexy plea coupled with the feel of him touching her.

 

She let her hand wander down farther until it felt the length of something very hard behind his fly.  Mark growled deep in her mouth.

 

“Mmm, yeah luv.  Yeah.  That’s it.  Stroke it with your hand.  God, you feel so good, Tara.”

 

Tara couldn’t believe the power she had over him at that moment, yet she felt weak from the raging desire coursing through her.  Her body was on fire and she knew not how to put it out.  All she knew was that it pooled heavily in the forbidden place between her legs.

 

Tara tried to get some relief by parting her legs and wrapping them around one of Mark’s legs.  She slowly rubbed herself against him as her hand continued to stroke his hard cock.

 

“Yeah!  Oh God, Tara, yeah!  Don’t stop.  Please don’t stop.  Faster, luv.  A little faster.”

 

Tara stroked him in time with rubbing herself against his leg.  She didn’t know how it happened, but Mark had wound up snaking his hand up her shirt and under her bra.  The feel of his hand on her bare breast made her head spin, but not as much as the exquisite pressure building up deep inside her as she rubbed herself against him faster.  Her hand moved just as quickly.

 

“That’s it luv!  That’s it!  Dammit Tara, yeah!  Don’t stop!  Please……don’t……don’t………ah…….ah, fuck!”

 

“Oh my God,” Tara wound up gasping herself as the pressure down below exploded.  Just as it did, she simultaneously felt Mark throb against her hand as he let out a satisfied cry of pleasure.

 

Mark?  Tara?  You kids in here?”

 

The sound of his father’s voice caused Mark to scramble up.  Tara quickly adjusted her top and smoothed her hair into place, trying hard to hide the incredible feeling that just overcame her.

 

“Uh….y..yeah, in here dad,” Mark replied, trying to ignore the sticky wetness in his jeans.

 

Tyler opened the slightly ajar door and looked at the two teenagers with very sheepish and flushed looks on their faces.  He instantly hoped that all they were doing was making out.

 

“Whats going on?”

 

“Oh, uh, Tara wanted to hear me play the drums.  She was just deciding on a song.”

 

Tyler didn’t know whether to believe him or not.  Considering they were fully dressed, nothing that heavy could’ve occurred.  Maybe.

 

“Okay, well, your mum is making lasagna for dinner.  Tara, you’re welcome to stay if you’d like.”

 

“Uh, oh, yes.  I’d love to.  Just let me call my aunt and ask her.”

 

Tara jumped off and headed out of the room and upstairs to call her aunt.  Mark then looked at his dad.

 

“Listen, I’ve got to run back out for a bit,” Tyler said.  “There’s……something I need to do.  I’ll be back in time for dinner.”

 

“Oh…okay,” Mark stammered.  “Why don’t I go upstairs and see if mum needs help.”  What Mark really wanted to do was run up to his room and change into a clean pair of Joe Boxers.

 

As Mark went upstairs, Tyler knew something was up.  Mark never offered to help with dinner.  They were definitely doing something down here and he only wondered how long it would be before it became something more.