This is a story that takes place in the same universe as my "What Happens in Vegas" series. You don't have to read that 12 part story to understand what's going on in this story though. This is how Kate and Mark got together, which eventually led to their marriage. Everyone in the story is over 18. This is a work of fiction, any resemblance or similarities to anyone living or dead is coincidental. Enjoy!
Late August 2005
Kate sat in the driver's seat of her sister Madison's beat up sedan with the air conditioner blasting in her face. Even with the cool air blowing on her, the strands of her red shoulder length hair stuck to the back of her neck irritatingly. She swiped at her upper lip as little beads of sweat appeared there.
The humidity of the sweltering summer day had hit her like a ton of bricks. After finishing her working internship in California that month she had headed back east. It was hot in California, but out near the desert it was a dry heat. Here at home, the heat was heavy, and moist. Even though she had been home for a week, that stifling humidity still surprised and annoyed her.
Despite the heat, she was excited to reconnect with her small group of friends she had left behind when she chose to attend a university in Southern California. Fred, Aaron, Mark, Kate and to a lesser extent, Madison had all been thick as thieves growing up. After a very rocky end to her college career, she was more than ready for the familiar comforts of home.
Her boyfriend, well ex-boyfriend, Ryder, of the last three years had broken up with her one month before they graduated, which was annoying because they shared a workspace for their internship at a small publishing house in California. An internship that lasted through mid-August.
The last handful of months working alongside him had been torture, especially when he started dating other women only a week after they broke up. She had to fight the urge to hex the motherfucker. Kate's hands tightened around the steering wheel, the knuckles turning white as she remembered him bringing the women around the office, like he was showing off.
Madison jabbered away in the passenger seat as she drove and silently seethed.
Madison had not stopped talking for what seemed like a week now. And as Kate drove towards Aaron's parents' home for an end of the summer pool party, Madison monologued on and on about all the things she had missed this summer.
While Kate appreciated that Mads was trying to get her all up to date on the guys, she couldn't help but let her mind wander. Her sister always had so much gossip to share that it could get mind numbing. With her starting cosmetology school in a few weeks Kate didn't expect her gossiping to slow in the least. Even as Kate's mind wandered, she picked up on enough to roughly follow Madison's reports.
Aaron was just as quiet and sweet as ever. It was difficult to believe that he would be starting law school in the fall. Fred was the same, walking around with all the swagger of a young guy just getting into finance. Mark had stayed closest to home, also getting into finance, although he and Fred never really delved into what that actually meant.
"They're very elusive," Madison said. "Like when they talk shop, I understand exactly zero of what they say." Kate scoffed a little.
"How does he look?" Kate asked.
"Who, Fred? The same. He's a fucking gym rat, I swear to god all he does is work out and pick up women," Madison said snapping her gum as she texted on her hot pink Razr phone.
"Not Fred, Mark. How does Mark look?" Kate asked. Madison snapped her phone closed and eyed her sister.
"Mmm, also very much the same. Pale," Madison said.
"Pale?" Kate laughed.
"Yeah, but I might be skewed because you look so fucking tan," Madison said. Kate barked out a laugh.
If she was being honest, she was not feeling her best. The breakup had left her feeling confused and raw. So, Madison's compliment felt like a jab. Kate sucked in a deep breath and let it out trying to accept the compliment and let go of her negativity. It didn't dissipate as her mind wandered back over the previous weeks, back to Ryder, wondering what the fuck had gone wrong.
They had been making after graduation plans together for over a year. She and Ryder would graduate, she would take a year to write a novel, he would help her publish it while he worked as a journalist. They would live in California.
They had even made plans to go back east for Christmas with her family. But Ryder apparently never wanted any of that. She had forced it all upon him, he'd claimed, even though she thought he had been just as enthusiastic about the planning as she had been. Had she missed some subtle signs and not realized she was forcing him? Her eyes stung and she gritted her teeth.
"Hey, Kate," Madison said. "You missed the exit for Aaron's!"
"Aw, fuck," Kate muttered, her eyes still stinging. "Fucking idiot."
"Hey," Madison turned to look at her sister. "You OK?" Kate forced a smile.
"I'm fine, it's fine," Kate said gruffly.
"Are you thinking about Ryder again?" Madison asked.
"Stop being so intuitive," Kate said. Madison rubbed a hand on her sister's shoulder.
"Fuck that guy. He's an idiot Kate." Madison paused and crossed her arms. "You need to get laid. How long has it been anyway?" she asked.
Kate huffed a bitter laugh. Ryder had been sexually withholding for the last several weeks of their relationship, which had thrown Kate for a loop, since he usually had a very high sex drive. She never had to ask twice for sex, but those last weeks he simply made himself totally unavailable. She had to admit that she hadn't been this horny since high school.
"It's been a while," Kate admitted. She pulled off at the next exit and took side streets to Aaron's parents' place. "But I'm just trying to enjoy this last bit of summer."
"Totally!" Madison gushed. "After the pool party this afternoon, we should go out. Hit the club scene! Maybe the guys want to come too, that could be so fun!"
"What makes you think we'll pick up any guys with Fred, Aaron and Mark with us?" Kate asked.
"Good point," Madison said. "But they'd probably fuck off if we asked them to." Kate shrugged.
"I guess. We can ask," Kate said. "But they might already have plans. I think they've been planning this get together for a while. Aaron rarely gets the whole place to himself." Madison shrugged.
"That's true. If I were his parents, I wouldn't vacation very often either. Their place is stunning," she said.
Kate pulled into the wrap driveway of the large mansion Aaron had grown up in. The two beat up looking cars she parked behind were a wild contrast to their surroundings.
"Looks like the gangs all here!" Kate said. With just a glimpse of Fred and Mark's cars, she felt her spirits lift immediately. If there was anyone who could cheer her up besides Madison, it was these three guys.
Aaron opened the front door and poked his head out. He turned back for a moment and Kate heard him yell to the others that she and Madison had arrived. He came out the front door, already in his swim trunks and flip flops, he held a beer in his hand.
"Kate! Madison!" Aaron shouted running out to meet them. The women were pulling their bags from the backseat.
"We brought Smirnoff Ice and wine coolers!" Madison said holding up the bag.
"Gross!" Fred shouted as he bounded down the steps to the women. He grabbed Madison and hauled her up in a huge hug.
"Fred! You're all wet!" Madison squealed. Aaron laughed and took the shopping bag Madison held before it went crashing to the ground.
"I was in the pool!" Fred said setting Madison down. Mark came down the steps last and Kate nearly dropped her armful of towels and bags when she saw him.
He was most definitely not pale, and he had clearly been going to the gym with Aaron and Fred. All three men were well toned, but Kate couldn't tear her eyes away from Mark.
His bronzed skin shone with the water beading on it, his black hair was pushed back, dark brown eyes sparkling. She surveyed the muscles of his chest, the definition of his abs, that delicious looking V of muscle pointing straight down to a generous looking outline in his wet swim trunks.
"Hey Kate," Mark said. She blushed trying to avert her eyes from the outline of his cock.
She held an overnight bag in her hands and had two towels pressed to her chest, while she clutched another shopping bag of groceries in her other hand.
"Hi Mark," she squeaked out. He grinned and she thought she would melt into a puddle.
What the fuck was happening here? She had always thought Mark was the cutest of her three friends, but she had never had this reaction before. There had never been this flush of warmth though her stomach settling deep between her legs. She pressed her thighs together trying to quell the moisture she could feel gathering in her sex.
"Want me to take some of that stuff for you?" he asked, arms outstretched.
"Oh, no!" she said too quickly. Although she had fumbled with all of the things since Mark had made his appearance, taking it away would reveal her peaked nipples pressing aggressively through her bikini top which would make zero sense in the heat of the day.
"I think I got it," she sputtered. Mark raised his eyebrows but shrugged.
"Well come in!" Aaron said. "Obviously, we started without you."
He waved his beer can, while the other two men grinned sheepishly. The women followed their three friends into the house. After dropping things in their respective bedrooms and the kitchen, Fred and Mark went back out to the pool with Madison in tow.
Aaron and Kate started to put the drinks, cases of beer, and food the women brought into the fridge.
"I brought frozen pizzas too," Kate said pulling them from a grocery bag.
"Oh good, I can do those!" Aaron said. He shoved them into the freezer. "We've got some other stuff in here too. I'm an expert at preheating an oven." Kate laughed as they unloaded stuff.
After a little bit Aaron leaned back against the counter and regarded Kate as she pulled one of the cold beers from the fridge.
"How are you doing Katie?" Aaron asked. His expression was sympathetic, and she knew Madison had been talking about what had happened.
"I take it you know the details?" Kate asked. Aaron lowered his eyes for a second and nodded.
"Madison might have mentioned something," Aaron said meeting her gaze once more.
"I'm..." Kate stared out the kitchen window to the pool where Fred, Mark and Madison shouted at each other playfully. "I'm OK. It's been like three months."
