134 comments/ 167717 views/ 160 favorites Sometimes, Things Just Happen Ch. 01 By: ms_girl23 If she inhaled any more than she had to, Kate thought, she would expire from the toxic fumes. But if, on the other hand, she held her breath for any longer, she would die from lack of oxygen. It was a lose-lose situation. Ah, hell. Since when did she have any situation other than that? Kate inhaled. The shock of fifty different body odours, assorted animal stenches and various dog droppings immediately hit her in a gush of warm, stifling air. Kate sighed. Well, that was the subway for you. If you didn't end up getting run over, crushed into little bits by another colliding train, or mugged, that is, of course, if you weren't raped, maimed or killed by the numerous thugs who frequented the trains in the prior to that, you were likely to die anyway simply from lack of clean air. Someone kneed her in the back. This wasn't as odd an occurrence as one might have thought - this business of being kneed in the back. Well, not quite kneed, exactly, but it was damn close. The jerk must be a giant. Kate was, and had always been, a small girl. At least vertically, anyway. Petite was the glamorised form of the description, but she was simply little. Ah, if only her hips were as little as the rest of her... Kate swore as she lurched forward, smack into a large woman's chest, then turned around angrily prepared to snarl something insulting at the offender. Her eyes widened. Good god...he was huge! He towered over her, six feet and with a good few inches to spare. His hair was long, unkempt, hanging in dark scraggly tresses over his bristly, stubble covered face. His eyes were a vivid, brilliant green. And just then they were narrowed, looking over her assessingly. One dark, imperious brow was mockingly raised. Kate quickly rethought her priorities, and shut her jaw. She cleared her throat, and attempted a reasonable tone. She still wanted an apology – it was a matter of principle, after all, but perhaps she needn't be quite so forceful about it... Violence was not always the answer, after all. She cleared her throat again. "Excuse me," she began. "Excuse me, but I think you kneed me in the back, before." He didn't blink. "Did I? Sorry." He turned away. Kate's eyes widened. Well, of all the nerve. He was probably a junkie, or a dealer at least, she decided viciously. Or perhaps one of those rude barmen who'd got thrown out of his job. She detested rude barmen. They were always demanding to see her ID. In any case, he certainly dressed like one of them. His clothes were bedraggled and dirty, and his rucksack had wholes in several places– good lord, was that a snake? Dear god, it was a snake! And it was alive. In fact, it was crawling, out of the rucksack, right onto his arm. Did he know it was there? No, of course not, stupid question. Who on earth would carry a snake in their rucksack? What should she do? Scream? No, although she felt like it, that would just be stupid. Oh, no. He had only one side facing her, and that was the side with the snake on it. She swallowed, and reached out to tap him on the shoulder. His head swivelled. "Look, lady," he began impatiently. "I already apologised, alright? I'm sorry. What more do you want?" "Uh," Kate began. "What is it?" he snapped. "Come on, spit it out." "Er, there's a snake on your arm – no...where'd it go? Oh my god, there's a snake on my arm!" She panicked. There was no other word for it. In a matter of seconds she had created a whirlwind of chaos, women shrieking, people shouting, her flying around in terror, shaking her arm frantically and yelling, "Get it off, get it off!" The man, finally, took charge. "Hold still!" he roared, grabbing her arms and trapping her against the wall of the train car. She was breathing rapidly, her face pale with terror, and he was crowding her, leaning in too close. Quickly, efficiently, he plucked the snake off her arm – it had wound itself there tightly – and dropped it back into his rucksack. She didn't know how long he held her there, pinned against the wall, only that it was some time before she was finally released. He smelt good, she thought vaguely, her face somewhat buried in his neck. Clean, and male, with just the slightest hint of sweat. She'd always been a sucker for manly men, although Jake was probably an exception. But that was Jake. And this man was definitely manly. Manly...whoa, what on earth was she thinking about? The snake had most definitely addled her brain. It was not the fact that there was a hard, lean, oh my god, aroused male body pressed against her. No, it was definitely the snake. The one that was in his rucksack, not his pants. It had probably even bit her. Yes, and now the poison was making her delusional, making her hallucinate. Great -poison - so she was probably going to die now, too. Just her luck. A wonderful end to a wonderful day. Aroused - ha! The day a man was aroused by her she'd eat her...well, she find something to eat. She just didn't really want to eat any of her hats. The man finally lifted himself away from her. She'd stopped shaking, Kate realised. Must have been the realisation that she was going to die. They said imminent death did that to people. Made them fatalistically calm. She realised that her unlikely rescuer was speaking. "My god," he was muttering. "Rescuing hysterical midgets. What next?" Kate flushed red with indignation. "I am not a midget!" she said loudly. "I happen to be a little short, but that doesn't make me a midget. If anything, you're – you're a giant! Ha! A freakish giant, that's what you are! Midget, my foot." "Sorry, dear," said the large lady next to her. "But you are rather tiny." Kate muttered something incomprehensible and turned away. The rest of the trip was spent staring out the window at the same drab tunnel walls, taking in sporadic gulps of air. By the time Kate got back to her apartment on fifty third she was well and truly irritable. She'd discovered her wallet had disappeared, somehow, on the train and had come to the conclusion that the Snake-Man, as she'd taken to calling him, had filched on. Probably to blow on drugs, she thought bitterly. She'd had almost the entire contents of this week's pay in there, having intended to go shopping for new clothes and to replenish her now empty fridge and pantry. The food was to have lasted her for a month – she always did her food shopping on the first pay day of each month. To make matters worse, now she'd have to cancel all her credit cards, and somehow get a new driver's licence too. She groaned. And to think she'd been having romantic fantasies about him! She dumped her handbag on the table by the door, noticing grimly that it was open. There was a light flashing on her answering machine. She pressed the "play" button while she went into the kitchen to rummage for something to eat. She found a packet of dried noodles, opened them and munched while she listened to the messages. "Kate," came Jake's voice on the machine. "I have a favour to ask you..." Kate groaned. Jake was always asking favours. Perhaps this one would not be so bad, though. * * * Some days later Kate was rueing the day she'd ever met Jake. Being plump, she thought as she stood in front of the unflattering mirror, was a decided inconvenience when one was trying to buy a bathing suit. She sighed mournfully. It was even more of an inconvenience when one was trying to make a man fall in love with her. She knew, of course, that she ought to be grateful God had not decided to give her worse, but that was small consolation when the man she loved was in love with a supermodel. Besides, Kate had never been too good with the whole "be grateful for what you've got" attitude. With another sigh she took one last look at the pink concoction wrapped around her too-curvaceous body, then began taking it off with resignation. "Kate," Jake called from outside the dressing room. "Are you done yet?" She could just picture him glancing at his watch impatiently, trainers tapping against the floor of the swimsuit shop. She was luckly, Kate supposed, that Jake was her best friend. No one else she knew would have come swimsuit shopping with her...not that she knew many other people. But that was her problem. Men never seemed want to date her...it was just one long friendship after another... "Almost," Kate replied, quickly pulling on her clothes. "I'm coming." She pulled back the curtains, and sure enough, Jake was tapping his foot, running a hand impatiently through his short blonde curls. Suppressing the urge to roll her eyes, she headed towards the counter, aware Jake was following. "Did you find anything?" "No," she said, somewhat shortly. "I'll try again later." She heard Jake sigh behind her. "Kate, just buy something. It doesn't matter what it looks like - no one will care." "Thanks, Jake," Kate said wryly. "I feel so incredibly comforted now." Jake muttered something incoherent about women and their clothes. She ignored him. "Well that was a waste of a day," Jake remarked, sliding behind the wheel of his car. Kate made a face but didn't reply. "At this rate you'll have to swim naked." Suddenly furious, Kate rounded on him. "Its your fault, you doodlehead. I never wanted to go in the first place! If you hadn't dragged me into this mess!" A lie, she knew. She'd been rapt when Jake had asked her to come up and visit his brother with him, even though she knew he'd only been doing it to make Casey Laurens, aka, Miss I'm Such a Sex Kitten Won't You All Just Stare Stupidly At Me - jealous. Hell, she'd been glad that the "favour" hadn't included any plans to rob a bank...Jake was famous for his harebrained schemes. And any excuse to spend time with him was fine...except she hadn't realised that there was a beach and they'd be swimming... Which had meant swimsuits. Kate hadn't worn a swimsuit in...five years? Since she was sixteen, in fact, and Bobby Brown had callled her ugly. She'd grown up since then...but her body still felt the same. "You didn't have to agree to go," Jake pointed out. This too was a lie. He'd begged and pleaded with her for two days before she'd agreed, reluctantly, to come, posing as his girlfriend. If only it were true! Figuring it was time to change the subject before Jake ran into something - he was notorious for bad driving, Kate remarked casually, "You never told me what the occasion was for your brother's house party." "My niece's birthday," Jake replied. "Her third." "Oh! I shall have to get her a gift." "Don't worry about it," Jake said easily. "I've already got one for both of us." "I'll get one anyway," Kate decided. "What's her name?" "Anna," Jake said, smiling. "She's quite adorable." "What does your brother do?" "CEO of some company...the bastard's as rich as Croesus. Just returned from Arabia, I believe. Went to commune with the Arabians on some trade deal or other." He laughed. "Marcus, going bush...I can still barely believe it." "Oh, his wife stays home to look after Anna then?" She smiled wryly. "No," Jake said, simply. "He isn't married. Anna's illegitimate...product of a one night stand, I believe. Marcus simply found her on his doorstep one day. Her mother's long gone, now." "Oh," said Kate, subdued and feeling rather guilty for prying. "That's rather sad." Poor child, Kate thought. She must be so lonely without her mother. Jake nodded. "Shall we get pizza?" They drove the rest of the way in silence. * * * The doorbell rang. Kate dropped the shopping bag she'd been looking through on the floor of her bedroom and trudged back to the front door. Well, there went the last of her cash...she'd finally snapped today and yelled a round of insults at her boss, and promptly gotten fired, so there would not be any more forthcoming anytime soon. Her bank balance was rather unhealthy at the moment. Kate had not led a good career life. The trouble was, she simply did not get along with authority figures, though she'd never know why - or when it started. She'd been fine in school, but the moment that she had stepped into her first job interview...Well, suffice it to say that it had all gone downhill from there. She'd finally bought the infernal bathing suit and had just been about to treat herself to some choc-chip icecream while staring in desolation at her purchases. Whoever had interrupted her had better have a good reason for delaying her rendezvous with Ben and Jerry. Who on earth would be here at this god-forsaken hour anyway? Well, perhaps the hour was not exactly god-forsaken...it was just past seven...but who did she know that would come calling anyway? Unless it was Jake? The thought made her step quicken. She opened the door, and almost fell over. The Snake Man stood there, as dirty and dishevelled looking as ever. Yes, Kate decided, he was most definitely either homeless or a junkie. What on earth was he doing here? More to the point, how had he known where she lived? "You!" she almost growled, not at all pleased to see him. How on earth had he found out where she lived? The thought made her pause. "What are you doing here?" "I've brought your wallet," the Snake Man replied, somewhat coldly. "What?" "Your wallet. Perdita managed to filch it from you, I believe, on the train. I've brought it back." "Perdita?" "My snake." He reached into his rucksack, drew out the small python. "Perdita. Remember her?" Kate gave a little shriek, stumbled backwards. If there was one thing she hated, it was snakes. "Get it away from me!" "What? Oh, yes." He dropped Perdita gently back into his rucksack. "Perdita likes to take things," he explained. He held out the wallet. "Here." Kate reached out gingerly, then took it out of his hand without touching him. She eyed him suspiciously, and just resisted the urge to open the wallet and count the money inside. "Thank you," she said stiffly. "It was very honest of you. I realise you need not have done that." And it was killing her to say it. The Snake Man seemed to realise that. He nodded coolly. "My pleasure." She heisitated a moment, then opened the wallet and pulled out a hundred dollar note. "Um - take this. Buy yourself some clothes or something." She felt vaguely ridiculously, but did it all the same. Then she shut the door in his face. Honest or not, she wasn't going invite a junkie in...! * * * "We're here." Jake's voice startled Kate out of her reverie. She looked around her in bemusement. They were somewhere deep in the country, she knew. All around her there was almost no sign of civilisation...simply lush, rolling green hills...and flowers. Flowers, everywhere. A canopy of trees stood guard towards the west, behind the house, a curtain of foliage that shieded them from prying eyes. Distantly, she could hear the sound of crashing waves. The beach. Her stomach sank. Why, oh why, did they have to have a beach? "Its a private beach," Jake said consolingly, as if he had read her mind. She smiled thinly at him, then lugged her bags out. Jake had already pulled his out and was heading towards the enormous Victorian mansion standing in the distance. Struggling under the weight of her bags and rueing the paranoia that had made her pack three times as much as she usually would have, Kate hurried after him. "Uncle Jakey!" A small, energetic bundle dressed all in red came hurtling down the steps into Jake's arms, pigtails flying out wildly behind her. "Uncle Jakey, you came!" Kate paused uncertainly and watched, a smile tugging at her lips. "Of course I did, munchkin," Jake said with gruff affection. "I wouldn't have missed your birthday for the world." "Daddy came back too," the little girl confided. "He bought me lots of pwesents. But he says I can't open them 'til tonight. 'Cause I don't turn fwee until tomorrow." "Well, you're lucky he's letting you open them tonight, aren't you? I've got presents for you too." "Really Uncle Jakey? Can I see?" "Not yet, munchkin. There's someone I want you to meet." Kate stepped forward. "Anna, this is my friend Kate. Say hello." "Hello," Anna said gravely. "Hello, Anna," Kate said equally seriously. She held out her hand. Anna took it, tentatively. They shook. "Do you have a pwesent for me too?" Anna looked up at her hopefully. Kate laughed. "I do hope," said a husky, masculine voice, "That my vagabond of a daughter hasn't spent all this time soliciting gifts." "Daddy!" Anna exclaimed, turning and leaping into the man's arms. "Daddy, Uncle Jakey's here!" "I can see that, sweetie," her father said, smiling affectionately at her. He turned to face Kate. "Hello - " he started to say. "I'm - " "Good God!" Kate exclaimed in horror. "Jesus Christ!" He said at the same time. "Snake Man!" "The midget!" They both turned to Jake, bewildered. "Why is the Snake Man your brother?" Kate demanded. "What?" Jake said, amazed. "Snake Man? Midget? What?" "You can't be Jake's brother," Kate was saying incredulously. "That's just crazy." "I keep telling him that he's adopted," the Snake Man replied, a trace of humour in his eyes, "But he never listens." "This is serious!" Kate snapped. "You cannot be Marcus. You just can't. You're a junkie!" "Well..." said Marcus with a gesture of defeat. "Perhaps you ought to tell my mother she took home the wrong baby at the hospital, then." "Argh!" "I beg your pardon?" "Nothing!" Kate scrutinised him in disbelief. It was miraculous - she had almost not recognised him. Gone was the long, greasy hair, the dirt, the ripped clothes. The man that stood before her had dark hair, cut stylishly and expensively, she was certain. His brows were dark slashes emphasising the severe patrician features. He wore a suit, expensively cut. If she had not known better, never would she have ever pictured this man the way she had seen him...perhaps he was not a junkie after all... "Jake?" Marcus prompted. "Introduce us, if you please." "I rather got the impression that you two had met," Jake said dryly. "Kate, meet Marcus Eddington. My brother, even if he'll never admit it. Marcus, Kate Jones." "A pleasure, Miss Jones," Marcus said gravely. "Welcome to my home. You and Marcus have known eachother long?" "Oh, ages," Jake said airily. "But we've only been engaged for a month or so." Kate choked. "En - Engaged?" she managed to get out. "Yes, dear," Jake said with a meaningful smile. "Engaged. Last month, remember?" "I see," Marcus said, with a piercing look directed at her. His tone changed abruptly and Kate got the distinct impression of icicles. "Well, congratualations." "You must remember to get me a ring, darling," Kate said through gritted teeth. "You seem to have forgotten." "Ah, yes," said Jake, uneasily. "I will, of course." * * * "Engaged?!" Kate yelled. "Engaged?!" "Shh," Jake said anxiously. "Someone will hear." "Serves you right if they do! Engaged? What are you trying to do?" "Well," said Jake rather sheepishly. "I didn't think a mere girlfriend would be enough to make Casey jealous. I figured if she thought there was a real chance of losing me she would wake up." Kate didn't suppress the urge to roll her eyes this time. "Jake," she said with distaste, "You're an idiot." "I know," Jake said, sounding so unhappy that Kate had to relent. "But you'll do it, Katie, won't you? For me?" Kate sighed. "Only you, Jake," she muttered disgustedly. "Only you." * * * The room Kate was assigned to in the mansion happened to be, for some reason, on the other end of the house from Jake's. As she was leaving to go down to dinner she passed the door next to her room just as it opened and Marcus Eddington stepped out. They almost collided. "I do beg your pardon," said Marcus, somewhat coldly. Kate nodded abruptly. "Are you coming down to dinner?" "Yes. Shall we go down together?" Sometimes, Things Just Happen Ch. 01 "I suppose so." They walked in silence for a few moments, then Marcus spoke again. "Jake tells me you've recently lost your job," he said abruptly. Kate was startled, and not a little angry. "He had no right to tell you that. Its my business." "But its true?" Marcus pressed. "Yes," Kate affirmed curtly. "Not that its any of your business." "No," he agreed. "I suppose your financial state is rather unsteady at the moment?" Kate's eyes widened. "What are you suggesting?" "I suggest nothing," Marcus said calmly. "What you happen to read into it is, as you say, your own business." "What are you implying then?" "I do not imply," Marcus said insultingly. "Never would I do something so vague as that. No, my dear, you understand precisely what I say, but if you find yourself unable to comprehend I can always attempt a greater level of coherence. Is that your desire, perhaps?" "No," Kate said furiously. "It is not - " "Strange," Marcus interrupted her. "I had not thought you a coward." "Why you ill mannered, beastly -" He fixed a level gaze at her. "Call me any more names," he said very softly, "And you may find yourself punished for it." "Brute!" she hissed. They had reached the dining room, however, and so she was forced to put on a civil face. Casey Laurens, was a "family friend" and had been invited up, had arrived. She had never really understood just what her relationship to the brothers was, but had gleaned something from Jake's ramblings about his obsession with her, and her obsession with his brother. Kate said her greetings, took her place beside Jake and noticed with mild irritation that Casey had been placed between Marcus and Jake. It was odd, she thought to herself, that she didn't feel more jealous. Casey was doing her best to attract the attention of both men. "So, Kate," Casey remarked, startling Kate out of a deep reverie. "When is the date to be?" There was an edge to her voice, Kate noticed. Interesting. "We haven't set one yet," Kate said easily. "We have time, after all." Casey eyed Kate's figure, advising, "Better not leave it too late...before you know it you'll have lost ALL of your figure..." Kate's brows raised. "I can always get the dress adjusted," she murmured self deprecatingly. "I hardly think that will be necessary," Marcus remarked. "Besides, I'm certain Kate will look stunning." Kate's brows almost disappeared entirely. She turned wide eyes on him. "The designers can make anything look good these days," Casey said cattily. "And Jake can afford the best of them," Marcus said, looking directly at her. "Convenient, isn't it, Kate?" She should have known it was too good to be true, Kate thought ruefully. No way was a man who thought her a mercenary bitch about to change his opinion over dinner... * * * She couldn't sleep. The night was warm, and filled with the subtle noisiness of the night creatures crying out in the depths of the forest behind the house. She finally gave up the attempt at around two in the morning, putting on a robe, her shoes, and quietly leaving her room. The house was quiet. Something creaked. With a small shiver she crept outside, breathing in the warm air with a sigh of pleasure. The moon was out, lighting up a faint path lined with moonstones. Curiously, and rather foolhardily, Kate followed it, taking the time to enjoy the peacefulness and the fascinating scenery it led her to. Before she knew it, she found herself at the beach. She stood for a moment, staring in fascination at the waves gently lapping at the pure white shores of sand. The water seemed dark, mysterious, its glittering depths beckoning to her. As if mesmerised, she slid the robe off her shoulders, shedding the nightdress and shoes. She hesitated momentarily over her underwear, then almost defiantly, tossed those into the pile too. The water was cool...a startling contrast against her bare skin. Determinedly, she plowed on, until the waves were lapping at her thighs. She looked down at herself, and for once, did not blush. Slowly, she sank down to her knees, the water licking at her skin like the icy caress of an uncaring lover. She swam for a while, heedless of all the warnings she'd ever heard of the sea, lost in the sheer pleasure and freedom from the worries that plagued her by day. Here there was no one, only herself, and the sea. Her naked self. She giggled suddenly. Who would ever have thought that Kate Jones would ever go skinny dipping in the early hours of the morning? There was something about the sea tonight that had beckoned to her, lured her into its depth, unheedful of the dangers. Rather like love, Kate thought fancifully. Love held a lure that few could resist, even with full knowledge of the dangers it held. Something prickled at the back of her neck. She had the uncanny suspicion, quite suddenly, that she was being watched, and froze. The prickling stopped, but, unnerved now, Kate started her trek back to shore, the water sluicing from her body. She revelled in the sensation, defiantly. Here, under the cover of darkness, she could fantasise, pretend that she was beautiful, that the sea was her godlike lover, and the skies their bed. Her clothes were sandy and stuck to her wet body, but she could not bring herself to care. She slept that night, peacefully. * * * "We're going to the beach, Kate. Want to come?" Kate shook her head absently at Jake and concentrated on her breakfast, aware that her face was bright red. She looked up to find Marcus's eyes on her. "Can't you swim?" he asked, mockingly. "Of course I can." "An aversion to sand then, perhaps?" "No," Kate said shortly. She pressed the thoughts of last night's insanity to the back of her mind, aware that Jake was watching the exchange with interest. "I have a...headache. That's all." "Ah," said Marcus. Jake shrugged and left. After a moment, he spoke again. "It is rather odd that you do not try to spend more time with Jake. Is this how the two of you have always dealt together?" "Yes," Kate warily. "Why?" Marcus shrugged nonchalantly. "I was simply wondering. It occurred to me that a woman such as you, with your requirements for a mate, would not want to let one slip through her fingers." His lip curled. "Not afraid his attention might wander?" "Jake," Kate said coldly, "Is my fiance. He is, moreover, loyal. You would never be able to accuse him of being two-faced." "Of course," Marcus said easily, "I don't suppose you'd care if his attention did wander? As long as you were financially secure..." "Shut up," Kate said, her voice shaking with anger. "You know nothing about me. You have no right to judge." "I have a right," he retorted, his calm slipping a little now, "As long as Jake is my brother, and you are a gold-digger. I will not have him hurt, is that clear?" "As crystal," Kate replied, her voice cold. Carefully, she put down her coffee, and left, letting herself have only the brief satisfaction of slamming the door. * * * The property had stables. Kate had always loved horses, always loved the calm serenity of them. Still shaking with anger at Marcus's temerity, she went to see them. It was there that she fell in love. "Oh my," she breathed, at her first sight of him. "Oh, my." "He's glorious, isn't he?" Marcus's voice came from behind her. "He is a brute, though." He stood unnervingly close to her. Kate stepped towards the horse, partly to distance herself from the man behind her, but aware that the horse was watching her rather malevolently. "Surely not," she cooed at him. "You're too magnifient to be a brute, aren't you? Oh, yes you are..." She held her hand out for the horse to sniff, only to find her wrist encircled by a rather large male hand. His body was pressed up against her from behind. One hand rested seemingly casually on her hip. She stiffened. "He bites," Marcus murmured against her ear. She suppressed a shiver and thought wildly of something to say. "Can I ride him?" she blurted out. Come to think of it, she did actually want to. Marcus froze. She got the impression that he was staring incredulously at her. "Did I mention he bites?" Kate suppressed the urge to roll her eyes. "Yes. I don't see how that's relevant, though." "Lucifer," said Marcus mockingly, "Would eat a little thing like you for breakfast." She made a clucking sound with her tongue. "You just want him all to yourself," she accused. He released her at last and she stepped away from the heat of his body with relief, turning to face him. He inclined his head. "As you say. But you still may not ride him." He must have seen the calculating look in her eyes, for he added, "And if I catch you trying..." Kate's expression turned mutinous. She felt, ridiculously, like a child being scolded. "By the way," Marcus added as he turned to leave, "You have sand in your hair." Kate swore to herself. Never, she decided as she raced for the shower, was she ever going to do that again. Somehow, though, that night she found herself creeping down to the sea, once again. * * * "Kate," said Anna. "Will you play dolls with me?" Charmed, Kate could not resist, merely smiled and nodded, following the little girl to her room. "This is Emily," said Anna. "And this is Polly and Crystal. Shall we have a tea party?" "Why not?" said Kate. "That sounds lovely." Kate perched on Anna's small pink bed and watched while the child went to rummage in her toy trunk for the tea set. Something green and moving caught her eye and she frowned... Her eyes widened and she leapt to her feet, scooping Anna up and ignoring the child's shriek as she leapt onto the bed. "Shh, sweety," said Kate as soothingly as she could manage, considering she herself was terrified and shaking. "Its okay...the bad snakey won't hurt us...HELP!!!" Anna blinked. Marcus came running into the room. "What the –?" he began as he saw Kate standing on the far end of Anna's bed, holding Anna in her arms. His eyes lit on the snake and a look of understanding came into his eyes, and then, incredibly, he began to laugh. Kate was not at all pleased. She watched as Marcus caught his daughter's eye, and she too, began to laugh. "What," Kate demanded furiously, "Is so funny? There's a dangerous snake on the floor! Anna or I could have been bitten and DIED!" "Actually, Kate," said Marcus wryly as he stooped to pick up the snake from the ground, "Perdita's harmless. She's a python...and they don't bite." Kate's shoulders slumped with relief. "They just strangle." "Oh," said Kate without a twitch. "What a relief. Death by strangling is far preferable to death by poison or fang-induced mutilation..." "Fang-induced mutilation?" said Marcus with raised brows. "Never mind," said Kate. She set Anna down on the bed. "Who let her out anyway?" "She must have escaped,'' said Marcus. "She does that sometimes." "Regular Houdini you've got there, I see," Kate muttered unappreciatively. "Aren't you worried about a child in the house?" "Anna knows to get me if Perdita gets out," Marcus said off-handedly. "And Perdita wouldn't hurt her anyway." "Ha," Kate said derisively, and stalked out. Father and daughter exchanged a look...and burst into laughter again. * * * Despite Marcus's warnings, Kate could not resist, of course. The day after he'd warned her, she came down to the stables at dawn, armed with a carrot she'd filched from the kitchens. It took some persuading, for, as Kate found out, Lucifer was a very bad tempered horse, but in the end she managed to coax him out of his stall. It was then with the greatest joy that Kate found herself riding the most magnificent horse she'd ever seen. It was addictive, so the day after that she found herself sneaking down again. She'd barely mounted Lucifer, however, before a pair of hard hands clamped around her waist, lifting her down. She gave a little shriek, struggling, and found herself being deposited unceremoniously on the dewy ground. "What," said Marcus furiously, "Do you think you're doing?" Kate could only blink up at him, perplexed. "Get up," Marcus snarled. She got up. "Come here." She came, hesitatingly, towards him. "Closer," he ordered. She took another step. His hand clamped around her arm, turned her around so her back faced him. He slapped her buttocks. Kate gave a cry of outrage, spinning around to face him, her mouth open to give him a piece of her mind. She found her words, muffled, however, quite suddenly, with his mouth. His tongue slid with insulting arrogance into her mouth, licking under lips and stroking tantalisingly against her tongue briefly before withdrawing into his own mouth, her own tongue lured after it. He captured and sucked it. He bit at her mouth cruelly, soft, nipping bites that hurt and excited all at the same time, burying his mouth into hers, whilst his hands cupped and kneaded her bottom, fingers digging into the soft skin to bring her groin up against his. The sensation of her body against his erection dragged a groan from his throat. He ripped his mouth away from hers, gasping in a breath. "Oh, god, yes," he groaned, as Kate arching, trying to free herself, in the process rubbing herself against his swollen hardness. "Do it again, honey." When she froze, he clenched his fingers around her bottom and brought her hard up against him, rubbing himself against her, his eyes closed, his jaw clenched in unbearable pleasure. To her shame Kate found herself growing aroused by his evident excitement. Hot liquid seemed to pool between her thighs. He must have sensed this for she felt his hands parting her thighs, then sliding up to her waistband. Her eyes widened when she felt his hands slide inside her pants, over the naked skin of her bottom. His eyes locked with hers as, slowly, he slid them down past the curve of her bottom, between her thighs. He felt the wetness, and his eyes clouded, darkened with lust. He ground his groin against her harder. She found herself being borne to the ground, his body on top of her as his mouth found hers again. Common sense was crying out for her to struggle, to scream, to do anything to stop this madness, but her mouth was full of his tongue and some small, rebellious part of her was telling her to enjoy it while it lasted.It would not last. Nothing ever did. His tongue was plunging in and out of her mouth, his groin was grinding against hers, his hands stroking her breasts, and Kate was going mad. When he took her mouth away, she protested, reaching for him. "What about Jake?" Marcus murmured, his eyes scanning her face. "Who?" Kate mumbled, dazed. With a disgusted curl of his lip Marcus hauled himself off her, stood and looked down at her prone body contemptuously. "Get up," he said softly. Kate experienced an intense feeling of deja vu. The man did like to order people around, didn't he? "What is it?" she asked, warily. "My god," Marcus remarked musingly, "You're a hot little piece, aren't you?" Kate's eyes widened and she took a step back, involuntarily recoiling from his unconcealed contempt. "I - I don't understand." "Went up in flames the moment I touched you..." His voice was sneering. She understood at last. "Are you - are you calling me a whore?" He said nothing, merely looked at her with disgust in his face once more, and left. That night, when she went down to the bay again, she took her clothes off with admitted defiance, stepping with relief into the sea. A whore...the words screamed through her mind. She paused when the water reached her knees and stood for some time, simply staring out into the darkness beyond. She stayed like that for a long time, before she at last began to let the sea lull her into making love to it once more. * * * "Kate," said Jake at breakfast, "No more excuses. You are coming swimming with us today." "Er -" said Kate, absorbed in the newspaper. "What, after all," Jake continued blithely, "Was the point of buying a swimsuit if you aren't going to use it? No excuses. You are coming." "Er - " said Kate. "Please come, Kate," Anna pleaded. "Er -" said Kate, feeling her resolve weaken. There was only, after all, so much of a fight one could put up. "Yes, Katie," Casey chimed in. "Do come. I should love to see your swimsuit..." That did it. With a rebellious set to her face, Kate nodded, putting down the newspaper. "Just let me get my swimsuit." When it got down to it however, Kate found herself somewhat still too cowardly to do more than strip down to her t-shirt, and so her upper body remained covered. One look at Casey's glorious, tall, slender body and there was no way she was going to reveal her own. She chose, also, to stay on the beach and read rather go and frolick in the waves as Jake, Casey and Anna were doing. Thus she spent a peaceful hour, lying on her stomach, her head in a book. "You will burn," said Marcus, startling her. Kate blinked, looking up at him. "What are you doing here?" "It is my beach," he pointed out rather acidly. "And why else would one go to a beach?" "Oh, I don't know," Kate said sarcastically. "I thought perhaps you were coming to revel in my glorious company." She paused. "But I must be wrong, since you do not seem to be revelling at all." Marcus didn't answer. He was, Kate saw apprehensively, eyeing a bottle of sun-oil thoughtfully. Her eyes widened when he reached out and picked it up. "Shall I oil your back for you?" Before she could protest, he was astride her legs, and had flipped her t-shirt up. "Why are you not swimming?" "Didn't want to," Kate mumbled, momentarily distracted. "What are you doing? Get off me!" "Oiling your back," he replied, matter of factly. "Now be quiet." He warmed the oil in his hands, then set them to her back and Kate could barely restrain a moan. Whore, she reminded herself. He called you a whore, remember? No moaning! Slowly, sensuously, his hands slid from her shoulders to the middle of her back, smoothing the warm oil into her skin. He slid down to her sides, accidentally brushing the sides of her breasts. Kate gasped, and immediately went red, hoping against hope that he hadn't noticed. Her nipples were hardening, even while she crushed them against the ground. She resisted the urge to shift restlessly, ease the painful sensation in her breasts. His hands slid down to her legs. Warm oil slid through his fingers like honey as he moved from the bottom of her legs up to her thighs. Involuntarily, she tensed, then gasped as she felt him lift the material of her bikini bottoms away from the skin, his hand sliding inside. Her mouth opened, then closed again as his fingers found the centre of her. Stroked. She whimpered. His finger slid inside her. "Mmm," Marcus murmured. "Certainly no need for oil, here...you're dripping...Want me that bad, do you?" "Bastard," Kate hissed on a sob, as his fingers began to move, sliding in and out of her. "Get off me!" "Hush now, Katie," Marcus said softly, tauntingly. "Wouldn't want your fiance to come running up and find me with my hand between your legs now, would you? No...he'd break it off and then what would you do? You would have lost your goldmine..." "I shall scream," Kate said furiously. "I will scream rape." "Hardly that," his murmured, his voice soft, insinuous. "And you're so clearly enjoying it, my dear..." She could not deny that the insinuous thrusting of his finger was driving her mad. His thumb stroked teasingly at her clitoris, and to her horror she felt herself tensing, felt the hot honey flood between her legs. He slid his finger into her harder, rougher now. She bit back a moan. Two fingers...now three...stretching her unbearably. He groaned as she tightened around him...jabbed into her faster...and exulted as rippling around his hand, she came. Sometimes, Things Just Happen Ch. 01 He withdrew his hand from under her bikini, still wet with her honey, squeezed her buttocks once, then stood to walk towards where Jake and Casey were playing with Anna in the water. Kate watched, rage boiling in her veins, as he smilingly greeted his brother, trailing his fingers through the water, washing away all evidence of his depravity. The water that night was a balm to her overheated skin. * * * She tried to avoid him. It did not work. Marcus, it seemed, was now hellbent on tormenting her. And Jake was spending too much time with Casey to notice. At dinner he sat beside her, his hand on her thigh. She moved it away. He placed it back, then slowly, insinuously, began to slide his fingers between her thighs. Panicking, she thought wildly of an excuse to escape, and latched onto the first one she came up with. She was "getting a drink of water" from the kitchen when someone moved up behind her and she knew, instinctively, that it was Marcus. Suppressing a groan, she closed her eyes for a moment, tightly, and wondered what she had ever done to bring this upon herself. His hard body pressed against hers from behind, trapping her against the kitchen counter. She stiffened, expelling a resigned sigh. Calm, she told herself. Stay calm. "Let me pass, please," Kate said, not as firmly as she might have wanted to. "No," his voice whispered. He bit her ear. "Marcus..." Why, she thought to herself, was it always like this? She hated the way he made her feel, the way she wanted to simply melt, bonelessly against him. It was fifty years since the emancipation of women, she was a confirmed feminist...was she to be like this with every strutting male that came along? Not every strutting male, a little voice taunted in her head. Just this strutting male. Like a rooster, she retorted at the voice in her head. A damn rooster. His tongue flicked over her lobe, and he took it into his mouth, nibbling gently. "Don't!" "Why not?" he breathed. "You like it." "I don't!" "You do," he corrected. "You're wet. I can tell." "My god, have you no shame?" she exclaimed. "I'm your brother's fiance!" "Are you?" he went on nibbling. "I hadn't noticed. You certainly don't ACT like you are..." She made to move away, and this time he let her. She spun round to face him, her eyes dark with anger. "You are a hypocrite," she spat. "A hypocrite and a despot and a beast. I hate you." He merely raised one mocking brow, remarked, "And you are a whore." Then, smiling, dropped a kiss on her furious mouth, and went back to dinner. * * * "Jake," said Kate after dinner when they had a spare moment alone in the drawing room, "Jake, this has to stop." "What?" he was staring out the window rather dreamily. "What - oh, yes. Yes, I suppose it does." "Well," Kate said impatiently. "Why don't you stop it, then?" He turned to face her at last, and Kate noticed with interest there was a rather incandescent look on his face. "I will," he said with a smile. "Tomorrow." "Why tomorrow?" "Because," he said patiently, "Casey and I are announcing our engagement tomorrow." "Why tomorrow?" "We just want to have tonight," Jake explained, "To ourselves. To celebrate." "Oh," said Kate, inexplicably pleased for him, and realising with a sense of detachment that she could not seem to dredge up any jealousy, "That's wonderful, Jake! Did you propose?" "No," said Jake, his expression mischievous. "She did!" Kate laughed. "Oh, so it worked, did it?" "Yes," he said happily. "Yes, it did. Thank you so much Kate...I love you, I really do." He enfolded her in an embrace, kissing her cheek just as Marcus walked in. Kate flushed guiltily, pulling away for reasons even she could not understand. Marcus' expression was implacable. * * * It was quiet. The house was empty, she knew, but for Marcus, Anna and herself. Jake and Casey had snuck off somewhere earlier, without the knowledge of his brother, and she hoped that the other two occupants of the house were asleep. Carefully, stealthily, she put on her robe, as she always did now, picked up a towel, and crept out of the house. Having escaped without detection, she set down the now familiar path towards the beach. Once there, she stripped off her clothes with a sense of careless abandon, revelling in the freedom to do so unself-consciously, and stepped into the water. For half and hour or so she simply swam dreamily, lost in the freedom of the ocean, of the cool caress of the wet fingers against her skin. The night was warm, balmy, the water dark and dangerous, and she was heedy with the recklessness of it all. After she had simply drifter for a while she began to head towards the shore, looking around for the rock she had placed her things beside, and stopped dead. Marcus was sitting there. On her towel, spread out on the sand. Naked. And he was watching her, intently. When he saw that she had seen him, a smile curved his lips, one that did not quite reach his eyes. Kate's eyes darted back towards the sea, wondering whether she ought to make a swim for it. She was naked. She could not come back to shore like this. But there did not seem to be any choice. His eyes were following her every move, a curious half smile indicating that he knew exactly what she was thinking. They were gazing intently at her nakedness, lingering on her breasts, her hips, the soft wet triangle of hair at the juncture of her thighs. As she approached him, he stood, picked up her robe. She paused, hesitantly, a few feet away from him. He threw the robe into the bushes. Her eyes widened. "What – what are you doing?" There was a dark, hungry expression on his face as he approached her, and a hunted expression on hers as she backed away. His lip curled. "Running away, Katie?" "Leave me alone," Kate said hoarsely, beginning to panic. She stumbled, turned and ran. Behind her she heard him growl and then give chase. The chase did not last long. He swung her off her feet within moments, and Kate found herself being carried like a sack over his shoulder back to where he'd been sitting. "Let me go!" He ignored her. "I'll scream," she threatened. "I swear I will." "Go ahead," he invited. "No one will hear you but me. And screaming rather excites me, you know..." Kate shut up. He deposited her roughly on her back on the towel and moved to straddle her before she could escape. The tip of his erection - she had rather forgotten he was naked in her panic – brushed her stomach. "Oh my god," she muttered. Marcus grinned. "Why, thank you," he murmured. He stretched his body out so that he lay completely atop her and bent to kiss her mouth. She tried to move...he merely held her face between his hands. His tongue slid between her lips...licked...probed...plunged. His teeth bit at her mouth, cruel biting kisses that teased and tantalised and left her moaning, for more. His mouth left hers...trailed down her throat. He licked her neck...bit her, gently. "Delicious," he murmured against her skin. "God, how I've craved your taste..." My god, Kate thought semi-hysterically. I sound like apple pie! His knees nudged hers apart. She felt him slide up until his face was level with hers again and then his tongue was in her mouth, stabbing deep into the moist sweetness...sliding sinuously and tasting everything that he could reach. His lips enclosed hers...trapped her bottom lip in his mouth, suckled it. His hips rocked against hers, and she felt the blunt tip of him nudging at her entrance. Her eyes opened. He was still kissing her, his eyes staring into hers as his tongue slid in and out of her mouth...and as his cock slid into her body. She gasped...arched involuntarily up into him at the sensation of him filling her. "Wrap your legs around me," Marcus muttered, his voice guttural in his throat. Mindlessly, she complied. He began to move. He was sliding in and out of her with painstaking slowness, soft, gentle strokes that made her want to scream. Her hands came up to his shoulders, her fingers digging into his flesh. She whispered something incoherent but pleading into his neck, and he slowed. She almost shrieked from frustration. She needed...she needed... What did she need? "What do you need?" he was whispering it, and she could swear she could almost detect a note of tenderness beneath the harsh demand. "I..." "Say it, Kate. What do you want?" "Fuck me..." "Ask for it." "Fuck me...please..." "Whore," he muttered, and the word sent a spike of pain through her, quickly forgotten though, as he lifted her legs, pressing her knees against her chest and began hammering into her, his thrusts deep and hard and harsh. She bit her lip, tears of mingled pleasure and pain springing to her eyes, the sensations overwhelming, leaving her breathless. She gasped and clenched her nails against her palm, her whimpers getting louder as his thrusts became harder. His breathing was quickening, his breaths coming ragged...he closed his eyes, and she moaned, shuddering, her body tensing and tightening, pulsing around him. He let out a groan, his teeth sinking into her shoulder and she whimpered. The bite was turning into a kiss, though, and Kate, her body limp, closed her eyes, forgetting for the moment, everything but the feel of him still inside her, kissing her. * * * A sound startled them both. Kate's eyes opened. She blinked up at Jake's shocked face, groaned, and closed her eyes again. Marcus looked up, raised a brow, and lazily lifted himself off her body. He got to his feet slowly, not deigning to cover himself. She could see Jake cringing. "Kate," said Jake, looking somewhat bemused, "What is this?" Kate, having regained her senses, scrambled to cover herself. Oh dear, thought Kate. Oh dear.