Thanks so much for all your support. We should be done soon with this story......well, let's see how it goes!
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Marci took the outstretched hand and barely squeezed it. She felt really weird. "Marci, but you already know that." Marci stated, moving slightly to Drew's side. To his credit, he immediately put his arm around her shoulder, eyeing her with concern. Keri threw them a look and smiled thinly. She was beautiful alright; her facial expressions however didn't match that. Marci was sure she was just about to get a sneer from the other woman. Sure enough, after Drew placed a kiss on top of her head the striking brunette rolled her eyes and snickered. Marci almost laughed but held it in. Now was not the time. Besides, Keri didn't look like she had a sense of humour.
"Coming out for a smoke sweetie?" Drew asked her and she automatically nodded. She'd forgotten it was the other reason she was out there in the first place. Drew nodded curtly at Keri, pointed towards the house and led Marci in the other direction. They were stopped by Keri's voice.
"Marci, don't worry, I am not up to anything evil, I just want to sort out some stuff with my husband." She said managing rather well to sound rational and not some loony abandoned wife. Marci felt her skin prickle and she sent the other woman a narrowed glance. Smug bitch.
"Please, have a chance." She quipped cryptically.
She followed Drew's arms as he urged her away. If Keri thought she could throw loose insults and not have Marci's claws come out, she had another think coming. Threats and thinly veiled insults never sat well with her. A naturally defensive person, Marci didn't need anymore prodding!
"I'm so sorry about that baby. Have your cigarette; we'll talk as soon as I finish talking to her." Drew told her as he lit up a cigarette for her. Marci inhaled deeply, letting the nicotine calm her shock a little. Married? Who would have thought such a possessive man could be cheating on his wife. Marci wanted to die. She'd left Nathan for his older brother who turned out to be married. This whole situation was like a Mexican soap. She whimpered a little and realised she'd done it loud when Drew pulled her tighter into his arms.
"Drew, I can't believe you." she started but he stopped her with a nod of his head. Swallowing the retort that was on the tip of her tongue, she went back to the business of smoking. The motion was calming and she felt her tightness unwind a bit. There was nothing to be gained in flipping. As it was, things could hardly get more melodramatic.
When she was done, he led her back to the house and made sure to keep her away from her girlfriends. Marci made a mental note to talk to him about this shepherding business. He was controlling and while she didn't really mind his brand of control, it was something he needed to keep in check.
Back with the uncles, Marci was hoping they wouldn't start making wedding plans again. She wasn't sure she could handle a conversation about her love life. Looking out to the patio (yes, that patio again), she saw Drew, arms crossed defensively over his chest. He was looking down at
Keri while she said something using expansive hand gestures. Neither of them looked pleased. Marci closed her eyes momentarily and looked away.
Seeing Brian at the other end of the room, she excused herself from the uncles and made a beeline for him. He didn't see her approaching and he walked on outside. She followed him but stilled at the doors when she saw he had company. Not wanting to interrupt man talk, she was about to turn when Brian and the unknown man kissed. Shocked and slightly turned on, Marci turned back on her heel and watched as the two men made out passionately.
Marci had not seen that one coming! She'd been friends with the guy all her life and still somehow failed to see any signs thereof?! Somehow as if sensing her gaze, the two men broke apart and looked in her direction. She smiled guiltily and started to turn again in order to walk back into the house.
"Marci!" Brian's call stopped her in her tracks. She stood still while they both approached her. The other guy looked vaguely familiar though she couldn't quite place him. Sleepy guy? She wasn't entirely sure.
"This is Carl. I am sure you can fill in the rest." Brian told her not looking the least bit uncomfortable. She was glad about that because she was uncomfortable enough for all of them.
"Hey Carl." She said and kept quiet waiting for the boys to take up the conversation. She had no idea how one went about this.
"Brief version: Carl and I have been seeing each other for about six months. None of the blood knows about Carl or about me being otherwise inclined sexually." Brian announced making her laugh. Well, at least the ice had been broken. Carl had an arm around Brian's shoulder and Marci thought it was the cutest thing ever. Brian was so self-sufficient; she'd never imagined him "being handled". Carl definitely looked like he could handle him though.
"Ooooh, can I watch? You know I dig men kissing. Do that for me again, I could use the distraction." She cooed at them and they laughed. She was serious though but chose not to pursue it further. They made a gorgeous couple, she noted as she looked at them together. Carl was about the same height as Drew which made him a little taller than Brian. Dark smooth skin, eye lashes that most women would die for and that don't-give-damn stance that many found hard to even fake.
"Carl, this is Marci. Drew's girlfriend and I think future wife." Brian introduced and Marci snorted. Trying to look into the house and see if Drew was done with "his wife". She couldn't see them where she'd left them. Her mind filled with visions of Drew and Keri having sex in her car and she shuddered. Eeeewwwww! Though why she should be territorial about a man who was clearly not hers was not clear.
"Let me go get Drew, that Keri woman makes me want go shoot a deer or something." Marci said and Brian frowned.
"Keri's here?" he asked no one in particular.
"Who's Keri?" Carl asked. Marci looked at Brian, the accusation in her eyes very much palpable.
"Drew's wife. Well, sort of. Let's just say it's complicated." He told both her and Carl.
"Drew's is married to Keri. Marci is his girlfriend. And there's no blood splattered on the wall? Wow, you guys are more open minded than I gave you credit for." Carl chuckled. On another day it would be funny, not today.
"So are you two going to make out for me or do I have to get you all drugged up and drunk first?" she asked hoping for lighter subject matter. To her surprise, Brian and Carl each took an arm of hers and led her further into the garden, out of sight of the main house.
It started off as a light kiss. Their lips were barely touching and Marci found it incredibly erotic. Then the mouths opened and Marci was glad they were so engrossed in each other that they couldn't notice her staring to a point of rudeness. Carl groaned, deepening the kiss. He moved his tongue against Brian's slowly. Brian put his hands into Carl's shirt and Marci could see the hands alternately moving along the other man's back and chest.
Brian turned briefly and looked at Marci who was just about drooling. He blushed and Marci chuckled. She was surprised at how husky her chuckle sounded. As Carl groaned at the feel of Brian's hands on him, he moved his head and started to kiss the neck. He nipped the tender flesh there, kissing it and soothing it with his hot tongue.
Carl's wandering hands found the bulge in Brian's pants. Marci wasn't sure she was supposed to watch this much but she couldn't tear her gaze away. She could feel herself getting wet. Emitting a nervous sound in her throat, she signed to them that she was leaving and fled to reconstitute herself. She'd managed to forget for a few minutes that she had huge problems of her own to sort out. The quicker, the better.
Marci shuddered for the millionth time that night and made a beeline for Drew inside the house. She was curious as hell about her married lover. One last look at Carl and Brian made her smile however. It was always nice when two people who liked each other got together.
* * *
Marci got into the house and found Keri touching Drew's arm in a distinctly annoying and familiar manner. She wanted to throw sharp objects at the beautiful woman. That would be assault with a dangerous weapon; she told herself and went to the kitchen instead. She could still see Brian and Carl outside, holding hands and she tilted her head in affection.
Drew's mother spent a lot of time and money on her garden and it showed. While no one could ever accuse Marci of having green fingers, she could tell that the garden hadn't happened by accident. It was carefully planned and well tended to. She could smell the jasmines from outside and she inhaled deeply. Was she ever going to smell jasmines and not think of this household?
"Penny for them." A voice said behind her and she whirled around to face Drew. He had a slight rueful smile and she returned it with one of her own.
"I was wondering if I'd ever smell jasmine and not think of you and your family." She admitted.
"I hope not." He whispered and she looked at him curiously. She was dying to throw about twenty questions his way but held her tongue. This was his story; he was going to have to tell it at his own pace.
"Start at the part where you are married." She finally prodded when he wasn't taking charge of the conversation. He was trying to gauge her, she knew it.
"I am married. I married Keri in haste, I'm repenting all the more bitterly now." He quipped with a wry smile. Marci still couldn't bring her eyes to look at him straight in the eye. She wasn't sure he'd like what he saw in her eyes. She was deeply disappointed in him. She felt betrayed and worse, she felt like a stupid little girl being tossed around.
"I don't want to discuss this here Marci. I'm a little shy would you believe it? I don't want you to loose your temper with all these people around; I don't want the world privy to your disdain for me." Drew asked quietly as she fiddled with her empty glass.
She had turned and was still looking out of the window. Brian and Carl had settled back onto one of the short bench type seats in the garden. Brian had Carl's arm around him and he was laughing at something the other one had said. It was ironic that Brian's little hiccup seemed mellow compared to hers.
"What exactly is Keri doing here?" she asked turning around again to watch Drew who was propped on the island in the middle of the room.
"I am not too sure. She says she's here for a visit but nothing is ever that simple with her. I'll find out. I need to talk to you alone, in a quiet place. I want your undivided attention."
