A Continuation of "Tattoo"

by

Brenda
(rtbp@msn.com)

Maxwell paced along the side of the pool and talked to himself as he nervously awaited Fran's return. He smiled as he went over in his mind how suavely he had talked her into going for a swim. His heart leapt as he considered that at this very moment she was changing into that thong bikini, which would finally allow him to see this mysterious tattoo for himself. Of course, he knew he'd see more than just that tattoo, and he wasn't convinced that he could control his desire once he saw her. Absentmindedly, he reached for the glass of champagne he had just poured and downed it quickly. The profusion of bubbles tickled his throat and set his heart hammering and the blood pounding in his ears. Consequently, he didn't notice Fran standing off to his left at the edge of the pool, clad only in the devastating bikini she had bought for just this occasion.

'What had Val said when she saw the bikini? "... he could see your liver in that!"' She smiled at the thought. Regarding him intently, she realized that he had no idea she was there. 'I might as well tease him a little longer,' she thought to herself. 'As long as I'm in the water, he still won't get a good look at the tattoo, or anything else for that matter. It'll drive him nuts!' With that, she dove gracefully into the warm water, her long dark hair breaking the surface at the far end of the pool. She emerged slowly from the shallow water, her back to him, carefully ensuring that the water line was no lower than the waistband of her bikini. Pulling her hair back, she squeezed out the water and could feel it trickle down her back. 'Did he just gasp?' she wondered. Deciding to torment him a little longer, she turned to face him as she took one more step out of the pool. From this angle she knew the bikini she had on looked like any other bikini he had ever seen her in. She shot him a sultry look and could see the fever spark his eyes as he moved towards her.

He set down the champagne glass and pulled his polo shirt over his head as he slowly approached her. His eyes locked with hers. Feeling the heat rising dramatically in his groin, he desperately hoped that he could get into the pool before his growing desire for her was too obvious. She looked stunning in that bikini and his mind reeled at the thought that what he saw of it from the front was about all there was to see of it.

Now what? They both wondered, quite aware of their closeness. Finally, Fran ended the stalemate as she slowly turned her back to him. She could feel his heated stare on her backside as she slipped back into the pool.

Max could only stare at the beautiful image receding into the water. He was unable to stifle the groan that escaped from the depths of his throat. Hoping that she hadn't heard him, he quickly followed her into the pool. Seeing her graceful form slicing through the water, he lost what little control he had left. He dove under the surface and swam along the bottom until he could see her shadow overtake him on the return lap. Just as she passed over him he grabbed her waist and pulled her under the water's surface into a breathless kiss. His legs entwined with hers as they surfaced, both gasping for air.

"I... I'm sorry, Fran. I just couldn't help myself," he blurted out as his lungs filled with air again. Her eyes fluttered open as she recovered and found him gazing at her, his eyes ablaze. Shocked by the raw emotion she saw reflected there, she could only stare back at him, lost in her own emotions. "Fran?" she heard him ask. "Fran? Are you OK?" he asked urgently.

"Uh, yeah, I think so... no, I know so," as she drew his face to hers and kissed him passionately. The outside world slipped away as they wrapped themselves around one another in a fierce embrace. Finally, untangling themselves, they started to laugh at their heated exchange, both relieved and enlivened.

"So, what did you think of my tattoo?" she asked innocently.

"Well, I didn't really get a good look at it," Max replied sheepishly. Running his hand down her back, he added, "Maybe you'd be so kind as to let me have a closer look?"

She grinned as she laid back and floated into his arms, finally rolling over so she was cradled, facedown, and resting on his hands. Her skin tingled with electricity as he pulled one hand free, the other still floating her on the surface, and trailed his fingertips down her back, not stopping until they reached the tattoo. She could hear his breathing become more erratic as his hand lingered there. The shock waves flowing through her body were intensifying at an astounding rate.

"Well, ya like?" she asked in a breathless whisper as she lifted her face from the water. Not getting an immediate response, she sputtered, "Hey, I'm gonna drown if you hold me like this much longer.

"Oh, I'm sorry, Fran... I... I was just enjoying the view... I mean the detail," he stammered, his eyes still transfixed on the image below him. Coming to his senses he let her go as she tried to stifle her amusement at his choice of words. She arched back and dipped her head into the water so she could get the hair out of her face and felt his hands slide around her waist as she lifted her head.

'Is it me, or is the water starting to boil?' she wondered as another jolt of electricity coursed through her. She felt him draw her body to his and quivered as he started to lightly kiss her neck and down along her collarbone. Losing the remainder of her self-control, she leaned forward and released her pent up passion in a kiss that buckled his knees, and sent them spiraling underwater.

Finally coming up for air, they suddenly realized that they were no longer alone. Of all the people that could have interrupted them at that moment of indiscretion, they looked up to see Maggie and Brighton staring at them. Their faces registered a mixture of shock, amusement, and a touch of embarrassment. Then they looked at one another and grinned widely.

"Um, sorry Dad, Fran. We didn't mean to interrupt... we were just coming back from the club and were, well, shocked, when we saw you guys in the pool. Uh, we should go now... good night," Brighton added quickly. Before Max or Fran could reply, he grabbed Maggie's arm and they hurried off to their rooms.

"Wow, I don't know whether to be happy or embarrassed," Maggie wondered aloud as they walked down the hall. "I mean, we've all known for a while how Dad and Fran felt about each other, but I guess I didn't expect to catch them... like that. Do you think we should we tell Gracie?"

"She'd kill us if we didn't... then again, Dad will kill us if we do. He's probably so embarrassed that he won't even show his face tomorrow," Brighton added with a laugh. They sprinted down the hall to tell their sister.

"Oh God," Max groaned, recovering momentarily from his extreme embarrassment. "How am I going to face them tomorrow? What am I going to say to them?" the strain in his voice apparent.

Fran reached over and stroked her hand along his jaw, ending her caress with a tender, lingering kiss. "It was just a kiss, luckily. And, if this," waving her hand over the pool, "meant as much to you as it did to me, everything will be fine. They've known for some time now that there's more between us than just a professional relationship. In fact, they've been just as clever in steering us towards one another as Niles has. And I, for one, am not ashamed to be caught in your arms... in front of anyone," she finished quietly as she got out of the pool and grabbed a towel. His eyes followed her intently as she strode along the edge of the pool, the towel now wrapped provocatively around her waist. She held out her hand to him. "Coming?" Her stomach twisted in knots as she waited for his response.

"You... you go ahead, I'm going to swim a few laps and cool off a bit," he said quietly, not willing to look her in the eye. In his heart, he knew what she was thinking, and despite the fact that he knew it would hurt her; he had to think things through. By the time he looked up she was gone, as was the bottle of champagne and one glass. He started to swim and with each slow lap, more little voices joined in the chorus that reverberated through his head. They threatened to drown him in noise and he felt himself start to hyperventilate. As he reached out and grabbed onto the edge of the pool, only one voice remained, that of his heart. "Go now, before it's too late and you lose her forever." A strange calm came over him as he realized that he could deny his love for her no longer. Stepping out of the pool, he picked up the towel that hung over the chair, grabbed his polo shirt and the remaining champagne glass and headed for her room.

Fran didn't usually drink much, but her confusion had given way to anger and by the time she had rinsed off and gotten ready for bed, she had already finished half the bottle of bubbly. The glass sat, unused, on the dresser. She leaned against the headboard of the bed, the TV remote in one hand and the bottle of champagne in the other, her legs tucked up under her T-shirt. "I'm tired of this game," she conceded as she laid her head back against the wall and closed her eyes. She didn't hear the soft knock or the doorknob as it turned freely.

Max entered quietly, shocked at the vulnerable, distraught look on Fran's face. He noticed the half empty bottle about to slip out of her right hand and carefully removed it from her light grasp and set it on the nightstand beside her. Her hair was still damp, he caught the slight fragrance of her shampoo, and she had removed all of her make-up. "The face of an angel," he murmured. Not wanting to scare her, he gently took her hand and whispered her name in her ear, brushing the loose strands of hair out of her face with his other hand.

Fran slowly opened her eyes, not completely surprised that he was here with her... or was she dreaming again? She sat up with a start, dropping the remote from her other hand, and focused her eyes on his. "Why are you here? How'd you get in here?" she demanded in a soft tone.

"Sorry, I did knock. Your door was unlocked, not a good idea by the way, and I wanted to make sure you were all right. I thought a lot about what you said and came to the conclusion that I don't want to hide my feelings for you anymore. I don't want to lose you because I... I love you," he finally blurted out. "I'm sorry I've been such a coward regarding my feelings," he continued, his head hanging down so he wouldn't have to look her in the eye.

"Um, I'm a little buzzed... did you just admit that you loved me and that you're not going to hide it anymore?" she asked in an incredulous tone.

"Yes, Fran, I love you... I need you... and I want you," driving his point home with a long, deep kiss. Finally breaking away, he held a finger to her trembling lips and walked over to lock the door. He was back by her side in two strides and she reached up and grabbed the ends of the towel still hanging around his neck, pulling him onto her. One look in her dark eyes told him all he needed to know. There would be no more hiding, tonight, or any other night. His heart soared as he slid the T-shirt over her head. They were finally, and totally, entwined, body and soul... nothing would ever be the same again. He felt a wave of relief pass through him, which quickly turned into an overwhelming passion for the woman lying beneath him.

They couldn't seem to get enough of one another and they made love for hours. Finally, he collapsed alongside her, his chest heaving.

Never, in her wildest dreams, had she expected such raw and intense passion from this distant man she'd loved for so long. Every touch, every kiss, fanned the fire within her until she was engulfed in a raging inferno, her mind oblivious to all intruding thoughts. Eventually, she drifted back into reality and realized she was cold, the heat they had created now quickly evaporating from her skin. She opened her eyes as she felt him cover her with the sheet and pull her close to him.

"I love you," Max said simply as he studied her eyes.

"I love you, too." It felt so good to be wrapped up in his arms watching the first rays of the sun sneak into the room. She sat up abruptly, her head throbbing slightly from the champagne. "Max, it's morning, you should probably head back to your room before the kids notice you're missing. We wouldn't want to be bad role models ya know," she added with a sly smile.

"Yes, I suppose you're right," he said in a sleepy content voice, as he threw his legs over the side of the bed. He wandered into the bathroom and splashed some cold water on his face, smiling at himself in the mirror. Returning to the bed, he found his shorts, still damp from their swim, slipped them on and sat down next to Fran. He smiled and bent his head to give her a kiss. "Good morning, my love" he grinned as he stood up. "See you at breakfast?"

After a long hot shower, she dressed quickly and headed down to breakfast. For once, she was the first to arrive so she found a table out on the patio and ordered some orange juice. Maggie and Grace showed up a few minutes later, both grinning expectantly.

"What are you two grinning about?" Fran demanded jokingly, knowing they were going to fish for details. "Since Gracie's got the same smug look on her face as you do, I take it you squealed," directing her comment at Maggie.

"Sorry Fran, I couldn't help it, she was still awake when I got to the room and she dragged it out of me!" She leaned over to Fran and whispered, "I didn't go into detail, though."

"Didn't go into detail about what?" she heard her father ask as he came around the table and sat on the other side of Fran. He held up his hand, "On second thought, forget I asked... I don't want to know."

Breakfast went relatively smoothly, with no further mention of the pool incident. And, after a leisurely breakfast, they arranged to meet at the beach an hour later, and headed off to their rooms to change and get their gear.

Together, they spent a wonderful day laughing and playing on the beach. That afternoon, Maggie went for lunch with the sailboard instructor she had met earlier and Brighton took Gracie to the resort's arcade/gaming complex, leaving Max and Fran alone on the beach. Thrilled to have a few hours of quiet time together before they all met for dinner, the two of them wandered hand in hand along the surf. Neither of them spoke, they just enjoyed each other's company, their hearts finally at peace.

Suddenly, Max stopped, spinning Fran back to him in a tight embrace. He kissed her deeply, holding her with one arm, while his other hand fumbled in the beach bag draped behind her back. Grasping what he was searching for, he dropped the beach bag and drew back slightly.

Before she knew what was happening, he had dropped to one knee in the surf and propped open a small blue velvet-covered box. "Fran, I love you with all my heart, will you marry me?" he asked softly, gazing up into her dark eyes. Shocked, all she could manage was a slow nod. The waves lapped at their feet as he slipped the ring on her finger and drew her lips to his.

"So, do we tell them or do we let them figure it out for themselves?" she finally murmured. "It might be kind of fun to see how long it takes them to notice," holding up her shimmering hand to the setting sun. They started to laugh and turned back towards the resort.

Dinner buzzed with the day's activities, with Max and Fran quietly listening, the intense amusement showing on their faces. Dessert came and went and eventually the band started up, still, not one of the children noticed the shimmering object on Fran's left hand.

Max stood and held out his hand to Fran, "Dance with me." Guiding her onto the dance floor, he couldn't help but laugh. "I can't believe they still haven't noticed! Maybe it's too small," he added with a grin.

Grace watched them, noticing the way they seemed to float across the floor. Then, her eyes widened as she did a double take. "No way," she said just loud enough for the other two to hear.

"What?" Brighton asked.

"I could have sworn I saw something flash across Fran's left hand... look, there it is again!" They all spotted it this time as their father and Fran passed under the stage lights once again.

"I gotta get a closer look. We don't want to make a scene over nothing," Brighton said excitedly as he got up from the table and made his way across the dance floor. It took a couple of taps on the shoulder before Maxwell even noticed his son asking to cut in. Brighton spotted it immediately, the reflections of the stage lights danced across her left hand. He grinned broadly at her, then at his father and sisters seated at the table.

"It took you long enough," Fran said softly, the sparkle evident in her eyes. "Whad'ya think?" she added hopefully. All her worries dissolved as Brighton gave her a big hug. "Happy Mother's Day?" he said simply. She quickly wiped the tear that started to roll down her cheek as she and Brighton finished their dance. "You're a pretty good dancer, B. Ya must've gotten that from your father," she winked as they walked back to the table.

"See, I told you!" Gracie squealed as she jumped up to hug Fran. Before Fran knew it, she was enveloped in three sets of arms.

"Hey, what about me?" Max asked with a smug look on his face, his arms stretched out to hug his children.

"I get to tell Niles! He'll have Miss Babcock at his mercy and he'll owe me big!" Gracie laughed, spreading her infectious laughter to everyone else. "Life is good," she added, rubbing her hands together in anticipation.

"It is indeed," Max agreed as he locked onto Fran's eyes and gave her a lingering kiss. His spirit freed at the thought of spending the rest of his life with Fran by his side.

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