Mad About Mar

Mark stood up to hug yet another great aunt at yet another family gathering. It had been two years since the last time he was here. From what was said; last years was very uneventful, mainly just the older crowd talking about the good old days. Nah, last year Mark went to Australia and backpacked the east coast. He was shocked to bump into his cousins in Sydney. Ben and Sam still looked the same, except for the matching wedding bands that his dad made him get up at 4 am to drive into town for. And the thanks he got for that was he couldn't give the Best Man's speech. One comment about his new wife's hot ass and the plug was pulled. The three of them had a lot of fun in Sydney for the four days their paths crossed. The hours were spent feeling the lay of the land and the nights were spend it dives and underground clubs or going back to the motel for some hot fun. Well, Mark assumed by the wall he shared with them that there was a lot of hot fun going on.

He however could not be bothered. Something that happened at that wedding two years ago changed him. Mark could no longer find the pleasure in a night in some nameless body's arms. His friends even went so far as to say Mark was developing a type. He always denied it, however he knew it was true. His last few attempts at a relationship went horrible. Physically they were all knockouts, and curiously, all dark brown hair and light blue eyes. They always got a rise out of him below the belt, but none of them made him feel anything extraordinary. None of the women challenged him or would shove him butt first into a swamp or pour beer down his back if he was being a jerk. At the last thoughts, Mark's mind drifted to where it always went...Amanda. That weekend two years ago was very unusual and surreal, but the time he spent with her was more meaningful then any of the food named bimbos he last spent any time with.

"Well if it isn't the ol' coyote looking for some scraps." A low voice called from behind.

Mark whipped around to see Ben grinning from ear to ear. "How's it going cuz." He gave Ben a masculine combo of hug and back pat. "Fire still going?"

"Take a look yourself!" Ben smiled at pointed behind him.

Mark turned to see a very pregnant Samantha hugging his mother. "You knocked her up?" The words tumbled out as Mark felt a hard slap to the back of his head.

"That's my wife you're talking about. But yeah, she is pregnant, twins." Ben admitted; smiling like only an expectant father can.

Mark took in the rest of Ben, his relaxed posture and confident smile, spoke of a man that was truly happy.

Good for him

. Mark thought to himself. He was still watching Sam when she began to move along the path with his mom. Behind her stood Amanda. If Sam was ever the Betty, Amanda was now the Veronica. In the last two years, she shed the last of her baby fat and grew another four inches. Her striking Celtic appearance and flawless complexion depicted a woman who had recently turned nineteen and step into her new skin. Sitting and talking with Amanda was one of the few times he could say he connected with someone. Family, friends, co-workers, didn't matter; he could not find many who actually got his sense of humour. Mark watched as Amanda scanned the crowd of bustling relatives. When her eyes finally locked with his, he was met with a look of suspicion. At that his lips turned up in a confident smile. "What is it that you think I am up to?" Mark hollered while he swaggered over.

A dark brow arched at the response. "When you're around it can't be good." She replied.

Mark came to a stop in front of her. He took in her stance. The look was a cross of defiance and relaxation. "You filled out well." He grinned.

Amanda shot him a murderous look. "Cut the bullshit. You're happy to see me and you actually want to give me a hug."

"I am happy to see you, wish I could see more of you." He winked. Mark picked up Amanda and swung her around, not stopping when he heard her squeal of surprise.

"You're a jackass. Just because Sam wanted to go pickin' from the family tree does not mean I have any intention of doing so." She warned.

"Then don't pick the fruit, just squeeze it for firmness." Mark grinned. He missed this banter. She was the only one who did not try and smile politely or just walk away. She gave as good as she got. She was right, she was nothing like Sam. Where Sam was always extroverted and athletic, Amanda was always introverted and graceful. Sam did sports while Amanda danced. They got along as sisters do, their differences in lifestyles help keep the aggression out.

"I should warn you. I think they plan to make you Godfather. I am going to be the Godmother. Something about Australia has made them talk about you differently." Amanda eyed him.

"Oooh Godfather, eh? Does that mean I will get to wear a pinstripe suit and boss everyone around?" Mark's eyes went to the swollen tummy attached to his cousin. The idea of being in charge of two orphaned babies sounded like a bad chick flick to him.

"Wow I think I just saw honest fear! Do kids frighten you? How do you know you're not a daddy already?" Amanda threw at him.

Mark was getting tired of the stud jokes and he could think of one way to make them end fast. Doing a quick glance, he could see the light blue, girl cut, board shorts were covering tie up bikini bottoms. Glance at her neck made clear the ties keeping her bikini top up. With no pockets to be concerned about, Mark knew what he was about do was very dangerous yet very safe.

Amanda's eyes grew wide. "Ooooh no!" She began to back up.

Mark threw Amanda over his shoulder before she had a chance to turn and run. He could feel her small fists thumping his back. Her curse words were muffled by the clothes near her face and the fact she was talking into his ass. Mark walked with purpose towards the dock. His 6'6 stature with a strong 230 build made him the focal point of any crowd. Draping the 5'10 Amanda over his shoulder made him that much more an attention grabber. "That will be enough of that!" He growls as he tosses her into the cool lake. Mark turned and bowed to the chorus of applause. Soon many of the younger cousins came rushing, wanting to get in on the horseplay. Mark tried explaining, but had to take turns tossing the pre-teens into the water and pretending to struggle with their light weight. He had to admit he was enjoying himself and even let them dunk him a few times. When he began to look around, he noticed that everyone was getting ready for dinner. Mark could feel the surprise on his face that he was spending all this time roughhousing with the boys instead of telling bawdy jokes or listening to one of his grandpa's long tales. Soon Mary, a mother of one of the boys came to the dock to retrieve her son. He was surprised by the kind smile in her eyes since she normally gave off an air of barely tolerating him. "Mary."

"You seem to be having fun with the boys. I think no one was as surprised as Amanda. She is still plotting her revenge you know." Mary smiled mischievously.

"Wouldn't be a family get together if Amanda wasn't plottin' revenge. Now does she succeed? Usually not. So I'm not really worried about it." Mark's cocky grin was firmly in place at the notion.

"I remember a few summers ago you walking back from the Sauna butt naked because of a little prank that you pulled." Mary replied pointedly.

Mark shook his head at the recollection. He had indeed pissed off Amanda. While she was changing into her swimsuit, he took her entire duffle and sealed it in a waterproof container and weighted it with an anchor and pitched it off the dock. Took her three hours to figure out where it was located and another hour to get it back. It was a long and frustrating scenario that Mark has prided himself on ever since. She however retaliated with stealing his clothes outside the sauna and leaving just a washcloth. Being a man of his stature, it covered less than a fig leaf. When he got back to camp there were a lot of hoots of laughter and flashes of cameras. Amanda was nowhere to be found. He didn't know if that was good, considering his state of undress. The next day he was out trying to decide if he'd be cutting some sort of window into that steam bath or a clothes rack on the inside somewhere. Mark didn't find out until the next day where Amanda hid his clothes since she took the 4-wheeler all the way back to her own cottage and left him to wear his father's pants, which would not be so bad if his father was not a good six inches shorter. Mark came out of his trip down memory lane by the feel of a soft hand on his shoulder. He was surprised to see Sam trying to get his attention.

"You better get some food before all the runts take the good stuff." She smiled.

"I haven't said congrats yet have I?" He asked, giving his cousin a warm hug.

Sam pulled back and looked up at Mark. "Really? That is what you are going with? No knock up jokes or weird disfiguration comments?" She eyed sceptically.

"If anything you and Ben will create ridiculously gorgeous kids. Hopefully you have girls so that I can watch Ben freak out trying to keep little teenage versions of me from hittin' on them." Mark smiled playfully.

"Oh yeah, if they are girls then I have no doubt we will be doing everything possible to make sure they stay virgins until they are 40." Sam laughed as they strolled towards the camp.

Amanda watched as her sister and Mark headed towards her. She smiled as she watched Sam lift her shirt a bit so he could feel the babies kick. His wide eyed expression made her laugh out loud.

"He's different this year, eh?" Amanda's mother whispered. Not noticing the sudden jolt she gave her daughter.

"I noticed he seems calmer, kind of at peace." Amanda agreed.

"I know that look. I was friends with your father long before we started dating, and it wasn't till he started looking the same way that anything happened between us." She paused thoughtfully. "Ben actually had the same attitude a few years ago. When he and Sam became...he and Sam." She chuckled.

"I don't think Mark settles down. He is like a sled dog, always ready to run." Amanda speculated. The conversation ended when Sam and Mark joined them at their picnic table. The perpetual jukebox in her head snapped over to "I want you (she's so heavy)" the cover from the soundtrack Across the Universe. The pull she felt in her chest made her choke on her bite of supper. After a coughing fit that was subdued by a few sips of water, Amanda raised her eyes to the curious looks from her family. When she met eyes with Mark, she felt that tug again. Newly 19 and without any boyfriends or lovers, Amanda could only assume she was feeling desire. If the look in Mark's eyes mirrored hers, then he was feeling some his way as well. She shook her head at the whole ridiculousness of the situation. Mark was tall, toned and more handsome then anyone had a right to be. He had a dusting of tattoos on his arms and back from places he had visited around the world. His versions of souvenirs made some of the older folks itch, but Amanda wanted to trace each with her fingertips. His eyes were a clear light grey, almost silver. Dropping down to his lips, they were firm and well sculpted masculine lips. Ones she was dying to try out. Amanda felt as though someone had slapped her in the face with the shock of that notion.

"Amanda...are you okay?" Mark asked, his brows knit with concern.

"I'm fine; the food is a little spicy is all." Amanda pasted on her best fake smile. She could not believe she was having fantasies about this man again. She had a childhood crush on her charismatic older cousin when she was not trying to kill him. He made the occasional rude comment that let her know he noticed, but he never went further than that. Until the summer Sam got married and she thought he was going to kiss her. Sam and Ben had run off to bed and a lot of the older ones and younger ones were all in bed. They had lain out on the pontoon boat and looked at the stars, staying close enough to the bonfire to keep away the mosquitoes. The conversation had turned into hours of talking about anything. As if by not looking at each other they weren't really telling their secrets. Like a confessional but with the balmy summer night and crickets to remind them. At a point he did turn as if he was contemplating another form of intimacy, however he stood up rather abruptly and helped her along with him. Amanda knew there were a million reasons why that was for the best, although she always wondered if those million things weren't in their way if he would have kissed her. The ambient music in the background grew with the people approaching the dirt dance floor. Amanda yelped at the harsh jab to her ribs by her mother. "What the hell?" She squeaked.

"Why don't you dance with Mark, you're the only one here who does not make it look like he is pleasured at the same time that he dances." She grinned.

"Mom that is just wrong. He is dancing with Nana right now." Amanda looked over to where Mark was currently in the center of the dance floor with her 94 year old great grandmother. Nana was around 5'7 in her youth, but has now shrunken to just under 5'. Amanda had to admit...it looked like she was trying to perform on her great grandson. "That is just really wrong. It's not my fault he is a giant and every woman is at buckle height for him." She repeated.

"What, are you saying that you, the dancer is not going to dance?" Her mother asked sceptically.

Amanda eyed her mother closely. "Are you trying to fix up Mark and I?" Her voice full of shock and mild disgust. Her only response was an arched eyebrow. "He is my cousin, I would prefer to fish outside my gene pool." She whispered harshly.

"Oh please he is your 3rd cousin at the most. Almost half the city is your third cousin if you consider how our family breeds like rabbits." She shot back.

"I definitely need to marry out of this family because I need OUT of this family." Amanda declared.

"I wouldn't be saying anything if you two were incompatible. The two of you have passion and fire and especially compatibility." Her mother replied.

"Why? Because I am the only girl in Ontario that is within his height bracket?" Amanda glanced over to where Nana was trying to see up into Mark's face. For the first time she too made the journey to look up to his face and found that gentle calm that her mother had mentioned earlier. She could hear the beginnings of one of her favourite tangos begin to emit from the speakers. Amanda glared accusingly at her mother. "That is just low."

Her mother did not bother to acknowledge the remark and signalled for Mark to come over. "This is Amanda's favourite number to do her Latin ballroom to. Sam said that you did some dancing while in Argentina last year. Why not see if you can out dance her?"

Mark's eyes darted over to Amanda who was shooting her mother an incredibly murderous glance. "Want to?" He asked, hitching his thumb towards the dance floor.

Letting out a breath of annoyance, Amanda followed Mark to the center of the dirt area. No one in the family did more than square dance or the bouncy shuffle that everyone learns in grade school, so to say the least, they were alone out there. Normally this is when Amanda would feel at her A game. The idea of dancing the war of the feet with her sexy older cousin while the family watched seemed more personal than if they were to strip naked and have wild monkey sex. Glancing over her shoulder, she could see Sam giving her a knowing glance, while Ben's eyebrow arched in curiosity. Tango was not exactly part of the usual playlist, so naturally it brought even those deep in conversation to check out the action. As the tempo kicked up, Amanda could feel the tension in Mark's arms as he pulled her in to close hold. When she looked up, the intensity in his eyes shocked her to the core. As their feet started to kick and tap at each other like warring soccer players, Amanda never took her eyes off Mark's. During the spirited gaucho kicks in which she had to kick her feet between his legs, she could feel him exhale slightly in relief when the hits landed properly on his thigh and not on his balls. The spins were quick and the embrace close, almost never straying more than a half foot from the other. When Amanda slid down his body, curled under his legs and slinked back up the other side, she could hear the stutter in Mark's breath. Pleased that she could rattle the family Casanova, her movements became slightly more sensual, a brush of hip here, a light graze of her breasts there. In honestly she was surprised how well he picked up the tango on his travels. The steps were all basic for Argentine Tango, but to the average person it was out of their reach without full training. His occasional murmured warnings of his next move or hand change was like her own personal serenade. They moved almost seamlessly through the number, even adding a semi-adventurous lift halfway through.

As the song grew to the strong climactic ending, Mark pulled Amanda close, hoisting her leg up high on his hip and bringing her core in direct contact with his groin. The surprised look in Amada's eyes likely mirrored his own. To save himself from dropping her, he dipped her low and to the left. Mark realized as the music ended how much of a stupid mistake that was. Her breasts were now at his eye level as she arched against his hand and she was still burning hot against his burgeoning hard on. The crowd burst into a round of applause and various hoots and whistles. Mark righted Amanda back on her feet and took a healthy step back. When he looked down to meet her gaze, he was surprised to see her flushed and a bit distressed. It was obvious that the way to this woman's heart was with dance, and if the way she quickly turned and left was any indication, she did not like what she was feeling.

Amanda stalked back towards the picnic table her mother sat at. The smug look on her mother's face made her, for the first time; want to tell her to fuck off. Not wanting to deal with her mother's delusional intentions, Amanda strode past to where her sister was placing a set of headphones on her swollen and exposed tummy. "What are you doing?"

"Giving the babies some in uterine entertainment." She smiled.

Amanda peered over to see what was playing on her iPod. "Funkytown?"

"I try to give them a diverse musical education." Sam explained with a laugh. "Now it's Ice Ice Baby."

"Don't blame me if they get revenge on your kidneys tonight." She glanced to where her mother was sitting a few tables over. "What is up with mom? Two years ago she was all freaked out when you started schtupping Ben and this year she is practically handing him to me on some weird ass silver platter."

Sam giggled at the mental image. "Naked on a silver platter with a big red bow around his junk." She hooted even louder. "Seriously, I saw that dance. You guys may have been in shorts and t-shirts, but that was some high quality dancing."

"Did you know he could dance like that?" Amanda whispered.

"Yeah, he told me he met a dancer on the flight down to Argentina. Her husband was supposed to partner her in a dance competition, but he was sick. He offered to help and she showed him the ropes." Sam explained.

"Wonder what he showed her." Amanda muttered.

"No, Amanda, it wasn't like that. He's not like that anymore." She gave her sister a pointed look that brooked on no argument.

"This whole thing is ridiculous. Whether you were helping Mom to match us up or not, I just want it all to stop." Amanda growled. She again moved down a few more tables, this time visiting with cousins who were conversing about their children's hockey playing prowess. Amanda settled deep into the padded chair at the table and let the conversation take over, glad to be away from her immediate at this time. As the sun dipped behind the tall deciduous trees the lake came alive with the mournful sounds of loons coupled with the occasional 'bloop' of a fish jumping for a water spider skimming by. Although the table had changed people a few times, the conversations still stayed far away from her or Mark. Feigning a stretch, Amanda glanced to her right and could see Sam, Ben and Mark sitting on the swing bench, deep in conversation. She dropped the pretence of a stretch and openly watched Mark. Amanda could see his posture change and stiffen; suddenly he looked up and straight at her. The gasp that left her mouth caused a silence at the table. Whipping back around to the table, she was not surprised to see all eyes on her. "Sorry, horsefly bit me."