The Memoirs

This was in no way acceptable.

No way. No how.

Not ONLY was this unacceptable, this was... UNACCEPTABLE!

His stuff had been moved. How uncool was that? All his stuff was in THERE. With... that... thing. Oh, and it pissed him off, because really, who would WANT to live with... It? Seriously? He had been perfectly fine at home, with his blanket, and his squeaking balls, and his bowls of food and water, but nooooo. Ms. Toni had to take him out of his comfort pooping zone, where he'd been since he was a BABY, and... MOVE HIM AROUND! How uncool could someone BE? Seriously!? Arg!

But. He couldn't grunt and growl too much. He wanted to, but Arnold was a casual, laid back kinda guy. And when Ms. Toni moved him to the big It's house, he hadn't expected for the Little It to take such a shining to him.

He was fun. Alright? Fine, people. Okay? The Little It was fun. There. He said it. GOD.

"DOG'IEEEE!" YAAAAAAAAAY! this was so FUN! YAY!!!!!!!!!

A loud, woofing huff. Christ. First, the indignity of being moved out of his comfort zone, and now Arnie was like a freaking thoroughbred stallion, carrying his charge around the damn house.

Graham just stopped in his tracks in the middle of the hall.

Arnold, the dog who growled every time Graham came near him, who threatened to bite off Graham's balls a few mornings ago for trying to steal a kiss from Toni at breakfast, Arnold, who hated his bloody guts...

Was letting Shaney ride him like a pony. Graham wasn't sure whether he should bellow for Toni or try and get his camera for pictures. He settled for the camera, sitting on the bookcase, and he quietly slipped into the den, putting the strap around his neck and cursing as he fumbled one handed, but finally got it lifted up, and he walked back out into the hallway, flash popping as he started taking pictures.

Alright. Yeah, he was a hunk, but the It was in no way taking pictures of him. He growled at him, glared, then reached back when Little It almost tumbled and took a nose dive. He was cute. And wet, and tasted... oooooo! Really good! Treat!

Shaney squesled, loudly, letting the pig horsey lick his hands! YAY!!!! He clapped when the big pretty let go, and squealed at his daddy.

Jesus. The Little It DID take a nose dive, and Arnie caught him by the shirt, setting him on the ground. Like Big like Little. Dweeb. He huffed, rolled his eyes, and plunked down, licking the little things head.

Graham was just laughing his ass off, watching Arnold licking Shaney's hair into a cow-lick, shiny with dog drool, and he was leaning against the wall, fighting to breathe. "Not such a mean little beastie after all, are ye, Arnie?"

Why was it that the Big People were constantly talking to him like he understood a damn word? Bunch of retards. He just sighed at him, greatly put upon, and nosed the Little It's hair and fingers. Alright. He wasn't hurt. Great. Laugh at me one more time, you Big Hairy Thing, and I'm gonna chomp off what god gave you.

Ass.

He got up, glared, and turned, walking into the darkened hallway. It was much needed time for a nap, and right here, where it was nice and cool, was his spot.

Plus, he could see Ms. Toni from here.

Graham just laughed again, and held his arm out to Shaney. "Come here, ye little beastie of a boy. We need t'get ye all cleaned up and tucked intae bed!"

"Daaa'yyy!" Shane squealed, beaming back at the fuzzy horsey and toddled up. Lollipop and fuzzy piece of paper he'd been eating, happily walking to his daddy! Cause YAY! Toneeeeeey was here, and Daddy, and it was happy!!!! His mama and daddy!!! He plunked over a tile with one tennis show and nearly hit the ground, but righted himself JUST in time, quickly toddling over.

Graham almost shot his hand out to catch the baby but he righted himself, and Graham was proud when Shaney made it over to him. "Come here, my little man!" He lifted his son up carefully, oofing as he did. "You're not m'little man fer much longer, are ye lad? Yer gettin' t'be big!"

"BEE!!!!!" A game, a game, THE BEE GAME! He squealed and clapped his hands, dropping the lollipop and wriggling in his daddy's arms. YAY!

Graham knelt down with Shaney in his arms and picked up the sticky sucker, dropping it in the trash can as he headed for the stairs. "Toni, darlin', want t'help give the little hellion here his bath? An ye might want t'comfort Arnie, as Shaney was treating him like his majesty's personal horsey!" He jiggled his baby boy in his elbow as he stood on the landing to the stairs, peeking around the corner to the little office.

"Sure, hun, give me... just a sec." She was steeped in files and paperwork, though most of it was in the 'already done' file. She was just reading over a particularly strange case of the meteor disease that had come in today. She wasn't allowed to really talk about her patients, or name names, so she just lifted her head and smiled. Pert little glasses sat on her nose, which came off so said nose could be rubbed, but her sigh turned into a smile when Shaney "UH!"ed at her and reached his fingers out. "Alright, a sec has come. Come on, King Shane." She rose up, setting the glasses on the stack of paperwork, and stepped around three moving boxes to get to him. "Baths are fun!"

"Eeeee!" YAY! The mama!!! YAY!!!

"That's right, little man, baths are fun!" A wink at Toni. "Especially when you're sharing them with your big person of choice." He leaned forward and kissed her cheek softly. "Ain't that right, Miss Toni?"

She wrinkled her nose at him and lifted a sticky baby from her mountain mans arms. "Blah blah, you don't get to get wet tonight, blah. Well, you got something else mister, cause we want daddy, don't we Shaney?" She asked the baby in her arms, tickling his belly and chin.

EEE! Not the tickle spots! Not the tickle spots!! He peed his diaper giggling, eyes dancing as he tried to stop her. "Eeeee!"

"Of course y'want Daddy." He grinned at her. "Wouldna' want anyone else after ye had this man." Fatherly experience caught the face Shaney made when he wet his diaper, and he reached over Toni's shoulder to ruffle his hair. "Lucky yer goin' up to th'bath, little one, or ye'd be needin' a diaper change." He held his good arm out. "Want me to take him since he's wet?"

"Been changin' diapers my whole life, sugar bear." Toni smiled at him, as she gathered Shaney close. "Got about fifteen cousins, who I used to baby-sit as a girl. I know how to change a pamper." Her lips twitched and her cheeks dimpled. Ever since she'd moved in, some four days ago, everything had been...different. They were sharing a bed, though they hadn't made love again. Everything felt oddly, strangely... normal. Like this was her niche. And even if she and Graham never got past this point, and always remained friends, she knew in her heart that moving in with him had been the right choice. If anything, to watch Shaney grow, because he was the most beautiful little boy she had ever seen. "Why... don't you go start the bath, while I go find the Shanester a change of clothes?"

"Aye, darlin'. They're all in his room, though God knows if they've been unpacked yet." He kissed her again, first her cheek and then on the mouth, then rubbed his mustache across her nose as he started clumping up the stairs, boots thudding on the wooden staircase. He whistled one of his Gran's old lullabies as he climbed the stairs, and started to sing it softly as he turned the water on to run in the tub.

"Cagaran, cagaran, cagaran gaolach, Cagaran foghainteach, fear de mo dhaoine; Goididh e gobhair dhomh, goididh e caoirich; Goididh e capull is mart o na raointean." He whistled the bridge again softly while the tub filled up, and then as he added baby bath, he sang another verse. "Cagaran laghach thu, cagaran caomh thu, Cagaran odhar, na cluinneam do chaoine; Goididh e gobhair is goididh e caoirich, Goididh e sithionn o fhireach an aonaibh."

Toni wished she could have done with Shane did when he heard his papa singing... immediately lay down on her shoulder and sigh. All Senatori men were blessed with song, she'd realized long ago, and she listened to his voice echo over the big house as she went upstairs.

Shane's room was a disgrace. Unpacked boxes, those still taped up, and nothing but his crib and the changing table set up. That would be her goal tomorrow, as she didn't have to go in to work, unless there was an emergency, until Monday. Getting his room squared away. She nuzzled him, delighted when he nuzzled back and gave an open mouthed drooly kiss, grinning at him. The closet opened with a light squeak and she stepped in...sighing. Everything helter skelter, put there on a temporary basis, and she plucked down soft, warm summer pajamas with Blues Clues on the front. "There we go. PJ's for the little man."

Another warm, soft nuzzle as she stepped out, walking down the short hall to where Graham was singing and the bath was running.

Graham had the water nice and warm and sudsy in the wide bathtub. He had set out a stack of towels, clean pampers and baby powder, little baby wipes and kiddie shampoo right alongside the bar of Ivory soap that he'd always used. Shaney's little bath toys were floating in the water, a Spongebob Squarepants and some kind of octopus thing that he'd found and Shaney loved. All that was missing? One naked Shaney.

He tried to stay 'wake. Honest! He tried, real hard, but ooooohhh soapy smells and he was a sleepy Shane! The big horsey was a great toy, and he sighed, and snugglied. His daddy was there, he could see him out of one cracked eye, and he smiled at him. Yay, daddy!

Toni chuckled, very softly and quietly, as she bent down beside Graham, and lay the baby out on the big fluffy towel Graham had laid on the floor. She quickly undressed him with hardly a jostle, pamper and all, which she taped shut and set to the side before lifting the baby up. She set him carefully in the water, in his little bath seat, and smiled at his overjoyed, exhausted expression. "He's about to pass out asleep, sugar. A fast bath might be best."

"Aye, Shaney and I are used to the fast kind of baths, aren't we, laddie?" Graham reached in with his good arm and lifted Shaney's head carefully, bracing it gently against his cast as he lathered the washrag up. "Y'want t'help me wi'his hair, darlin'?"

"There w'go, boyo." Toni said, gently, as she carefully situated him close to his papa... then seeing as how that wasn't going to work, as Graham was the size of a boat, she slid out of her socks, rolled up her jeans, and slipped into the bathtub behind him, crouched low. She wasn't sure how he felt yet about her stripping to the panties yet around Shane, so she dealt with wet cuffs as she carefully washed his hair. He was still awake enough to play with her, and she grinned down at him as she blew a bubble over his head, watching him squeal in delight.

Graham just raised an amused eyebrow as she climbed into the tub. "Darlin', if ye wanted t'wash yer jeans, ye didna ha'e t'do it in the tub w'Shaney." He grinned as he quickly scrubbed his son clean, teasing his tummy and little armpits as he washed, carefully wiping off the sticky from the sucker earlier and washing away the fuzz bits left from the lint snack.

"Can't get around you." She teased back, raising a brow. "Between your mountain man build and that killer cast, I figured I'd be safer in here with the little bucko." Another grin as Shaney squealed and giggled, and she carefully rinsed his hair clean without getting him wet in the least. "There we go! Allll squeaky clean for bed, Shaney."

"Spon bo scare pan!" Shaney squealed, sleepily, as he waved Sponge Bob around. Duuuuh. Sponge Bob time!

Graham rinsed his son off, wiping his face clean with the rinsed off washcloth and then beamed at him as he waved Spongebob around. "Aye, that's your little Spongy---whosis." He picked up the octopus sponge and plopped it on top of Shane's head. "There ye go, a pretty little hat for my laddie."

Oh man!! Now THAT was funny, and he burst into giggles, pushing the orange thing on his head. Yay, yay! A GAME!

Toni giggled, too, softly, as she rinsed the little baby butt off, his shoulders and back, and helped him stand to get the soap off his front. "What's that on your head, Shaney pants? huh? I don't see anything!"

EEEEEEE! He squealed and held his squid tightly under his hands. His squid, HIS!

Graham scooped up Spongebob with his free hand, and walked the little thing up his baby's arm. "Arrr! I'm Pirate Squarebottom!" He rubbed the edge of the spongy critter over Shaney's cheek, tickling him with it. "I'm going to shiver your timbers!"

"Graham, you're a dork." But Toni grinned and stoked the little squealing baby's back, gently, watching him play with shining eyes. He was adorable, truly so, and it gave her a warm rush of joy to know she would be having one just like him, for people she loved. She grinned and kissed his wet cheek, melting like a puddle when he cuddled close, and kissed his hair gently. "Come on, Shaney boy. You're a sleepy guy. Daddies gonna get you to bed, okey? I gotta... dry off." A snort.

"O'course Ima dork, m'darlin'." He leaned over and rubbed his hairy cheek against hers. "Come on, Shaney lad. Your Da's goin' to get you all dry and diapered, and then beddie bye for my darlin' boy."

"Be'ie bye!" Shane exclaimed, with a beam, cause he knew WHAT THAT MEANT! Yay!

Oh, wait.

"Noooooooooooooooo!" He cried, splashing the water and squeeling. "No nononono!"

Toni blinked once, twice, before bursting into peals of laughter. "Does he EVER know what that means!"

Graham did what he usually did when Shaney got a fit of the stubborns. He let the water drain out of the tub, turned the overhead light off, but left the sink light on, and started walking out of the room, and he tugged Toni with him. "Dinna worry, lassie. He'll nae let us get out o'the door before he's cryin' fer us again."

Toni blinked, dragging her towel with her to dry her feet, and then promptly elbowed him in the ribs when the baby burst into tears. "Graham!"

He oofed, but kept tugging her until they were in the hallway, out of the line of the door's sight. "An' we jus' wait."

NOOOOOOOOOOO! Dark! ALONE! Nooooooooooooooooooo! He sobbed, screaming on top of his lungs. ALONE! NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!

And Toni was beating him up in the hall. "You pig bastard!" She threw the lights on in the bathroom after stomping him one last time in the foot, and flew in, quickly crouching down to the sobbing little baby. "Hey, its okay! Your dad's a bastard! Yes he is, oh, come here baby boy, you're safe with Toni. That punk."

"Toni! Yer goin' t'spoil the little bratty lad!" He hopped on the foot she hadn't stomped on, and leaned against the door jamb. "He'll stop th'squallin' when he sees no one's goin' t'listen to his tantrum!"

"He's a BABY! You jerk!" She cried, gently tucking him in close, as wet as he was, to her t-shirt, wrapping the towel around his back and giving Graham another glare, and another stomp, before whisking Shaney to his room with his clothes in her hand.

"It works all th'other times ye werena here t'rescue!"

"Well thank God he's got me now!" She yelled back.

"Yer spoilin' him!" he bellowed back, limping--mostly for show--into Shaney's bedroom.

She had laid him out on the changing table, towel and all, and was mid way through getting his pamper on when he entered. She was soaked but she glared at him anyway, pitching her hip to the side as she got the little guy dressed. "You're such a man."

"Aye, but I know what works with the boyo." Glare at the squirming little boy on the table. "And you! Ye've got Miss Toni wrapped around your finger, aye!"

Big smile. No being left alone! YAY! He happily squirmed as the pretty Toneeeeey got his pajamies on, and all he needed now was his bottle, which he had suspiciously not been able to find as much lately instead of that horrible sippy cup thing, and his blankey. Mmmm. He was ssssssleeepy!

Toni glared at him again as she finished getting him all dressed, and lifted him up into her arms, to pass on to Graham. "of course he does. He's the baby. I'm going to go finish the bath I started with Shaney, okay?"

"Go ahead, darlin'." Graham squeezed into the bedroom and took Shaney in his arm as she handed him off. "I'll put him down for the night, and be in there m'self to shower... maybe take a peek at ye if I get there in time." He flashed his most charming grin at her then, and he just glowed inside at the thought of it.

She grinned, though a little shyly and crookedly. No sex, not even a mention of their first night, since it happened, and yeah, she'd felt weird and strange about it, but his words flushed warmly through her tummy regardless. She handed him off, gently, and stepped out of the room, heading back towards the shower.

Graham turned back to Shaney and boosted him up and over his shoulder. "C'mon, m'wee laddie. T'is the bedtime fer ye." He whistled the same lullaby as before, and settled his son comfortably in the crib. He handed the sippy cup over the railing, half full of apple juice, and pulled the blanky up. "There ye go, sweet laddie. Yer Da loves you verra much, ye know that?"

The crappy sippy cup.

Sigh.

He took it anyway, cause mmmm, juice, and mmmmm blankies, and mmmmm clean, and he just heaved a shaky sigh, as he grasped a big old handful of his daddies face hair and pulled close. Yay! Hugs are good!!! He gave a kissy, cause they always gave kissies, and yawned mid way.

Graham gave his son a huge kiss and a careful bear hug, not even bothering to yelp as his hair was yanked. He just gave his little boy kisses, all over his cheeks. "Y'know, me boyo, yer a lucky pup. Ye got to know your uncle Morgan before I'm goin' to hafta kill him." Little sigh. "He's m'brother, but I'm no gonna fergive him any time soon fer this."

Shane just stared at his daddy as he talked, watching him speak, and sighed. No clue what he was talking about, except unca Margan, and he fluttered his lashes, yawning again and giving more big kissies. He was sleepy. Time for sleep. Teddy bear and sleep.

Graham gave him one last big kiss and took the sippy cup, sitting it to the side as he pulled the big battered brown bear up. "Here you go, m'laddie." He turned the little mobile on over the bed, and it tinkled out a quiet melody. "I'll see you in the morning, Shaney lad." He turned out the bedroom light but left the mobile light on, and closed the door halfway behind him, so the hall light barely spilled into the baby's room. Tomorrow they'd unpack the nightlight, but for tonight, the mobile would be enough.

He sighed and stretched as he walked into the big master bedroom, rubbing the back of his neck with his good hand. Thank God and Christ above the cast would be comin' off in days.

The bath in the room was running, already. Toni had left the door open as it filled, and was currently nosing into the linen closet in the hall, looking for something to dry herself off with. She found a thick, white towel and tugged it down, setting it on her arm with her bar of soap. She was sticky and needed to rest, because tomorrow she'd be doing some serious unpacking.

She set the towel and the soap down on the bathroom sink, eyeing the water to make sure it didn't spill over, and walked back out, into the main room as Graham talked to his son in his room. The house was so enormous that Arnie had gotten his own room, and just like the last two nights, Toni woke his big butt up for a dead sleep and led him to his room. Full of his stuff, toys, stuffed animals, and his big fluffy blanket with pillow for him to sleep. She gave him a big kiss and a hug, gently getting him back down, and pet him until he fell asleep.

She was about to fall asleep, herself.

A windy, soft sigh that led her back towards the bathroom, with the only other sounds the twinkling of Shaney's mobile.

Graham came into the bedroom not long after that, and dropped his huge bulk down on almost the exact spot Arnie had occupied on the bed moments ago. A soft groan, and he left his elbow over his eyes for a long minute as he addressed the ceiling. "I'm goin' to have t'recarpet the hallway in a couple months, bloody floor's squeakin'."

"Mmm?" She asked softly, from the doorway of the bathroom, and came out in panties and her t-shirt. She flopped next to him, looking at the ceiling as well, and blinked. "Squeak?"

"The floorboards are squeakin' outsidea Shaney's room. Noticed it when I looked at th'place. Gonna have to pull up the carpetin', see what's causin' the squeak, mebbe replace a board or three, an' lay the carpet down agin. So if ye want t'be changin' it, now's the time to tell me."

"Its your home, Graham." She answered, and rubbed his side as she rolled back up. "I'll be in the bath, sugar."

His good hand caught her arm, between wrist and elbow. "Your home too, darlin'."

"I appreciate that." She answered, softly, and squeezed the hand she took, gently. "Bath. Sticky."

"Aye, so'm I." He let his arm fall back over his eyes. "Goin' t'take me a hot shower after you--give me enough time to get my bag strung up my arm." Grimace of distaste. "Why I couldna have a fiberglass cast I'll ne'er know."

Hmm. "Need some help? You can go in 'fore me, I don't mind. I can get us some coffee, maybe some of those cookies your mama brought over yesterday." Toni answered, quietly. Yeah, ever since her pregnancy had come out Rosalyn had been sweet as sugary gold to her, and it pissed her off, but hey! Free cakes and cookies involved, and she was most certainly not saying no to Irish porter cake or some of that apple tart she made. Mmm.

Graham raised his elbow and glared at her from underneath it. "Toni? Get in th'bath. I'm a grown man, capable of puttin' a bloody garbage bag over his arm," he said with a snort of laughter. "Get in the tub, an' I'll bring ye coffee an' a slice o' Mama's cake."

"Graham, get in the bath. I am a grown woman with a PHD in medicine, who is fully capable of putting a bloody garbage bag on your arm." She retorted, and climbed up out of his snagging arms with a smile. "Get in, seriously, its already hot. I'll get the bag and put on another load of laundry."

"Aye, it's already hot for you," he stressed. "Take yer bath first; yer the lady of the 'ouse, such that it is now, and yer also carryin' a baby. Get yer arse inta the tub, and no more arguing."

Pfft. She was already flouncing out the door.

She plunked down the stairs, feeling kind of naked without her jeans but she moved easily through the home she'd already walked through and was beginning to know. She searched for a moment in the kitchen... found the garbage bag she'd been looking for, and good to her word, put on another load of baby clothes and baby blankets. She put softener in it, because Graham was a dumb man and didn't know the words 'baby softener' if it bit him in the ass, and walked quietly upstairs, tidying as she went. This house needed some female touches, desperately.

"Bloody stubborn woman!" he bellowed down the stairs at her, and flung himself back down on the bed. He'd made three trips to Fordman's that day, just to look over the building, canvas the stock, and to watch the people coming in and out, listening to their questions and the half-assed answers the people working there gave. Wasn't their fault they were half-assed, they just didna know what they were doin'. He'd figured out, by the end of the day, that he was going to have to expand from just carpeting and floors to full home repair, and that was going to be a bitch. But he'd flipped through the phone book and found that the town already had competent plumbers, electricians and even a decent reupholstery place. Drywall and floors, aye. He could do that with his eyes closed, as he remembered his job as a sheet rocker many moons ago.

Before he'd thought more than five seconds, he was asleep and snoring, sprawled out on the bed.

Toni straightened one last rug in the hall, and stepped into the bedroom.

And sighed. Deeply. Just heaved a sigh, looked down at the bag, looked up at him, and screw the whole damn thing. She set the bag on the bed, shimmied the rest of the way out of her shirt, and set it, and her bra, on the oak trunk at the foot of the bed. She opened the closet and stepped in, carefully looking over her things before spotting her favorite, ratty pajamas. She pulled them down... looked at the worn cotton and barely visible Pooh bear on it, and set it back up on the shelf. Instead, she tugged down a long, sheathy deep purple slip piece, and set it, and matching panties, over her arm.

She was with an idiot, not an old man.

She shimmied out of her panties as well, setting them in the dirty laundry basket under one of her t-shirts, and stepped into the bathroom, where the bath, and all its warm salts, waited for her.

Graham didn't sleep long; the sound of quiet splashes as Toni got into the tub woke him up, and he grunted.

Almost brained himself with the cast when he lifted his hand to scratch his eyes, cursed loudly in staccato Gaelic, and hunted around the bed for the TV remote, flipping through the channels until he found soccer. "Aye, now that's a sport," he grumbled to himself. "Not like that sissy American version," he said, raising his voice. "Where ye have to strap on thir'y pounds o'gear because ye canna take one little tackle."

She wasn't listening. She had soft jazz playing warmly on her little antenna radio, candles lit with her favorite scent, and she was in a bath of scented, warm water full of bubbles. When she'd first scene this bathroom she'd nearly screamed, at the horror she'd found. But. It had only taken her fifteen minutes and a box of her things to make it livable. Roman wealth was her theme, and she had everything from the matching rugs to the towels, to the soap dispensers and soap dishes. She had little soaps, knick knacks, and had put up a shelf, a shower curtain, and various other little things. She'd scrubbed the floor and toilet till they gleamed, set the bathtub in bleach for a night, and here she was, with all the polished gold faucet she'd found under the grime, a creamy, big bathtub, and her favorite music.

She could hear Graham yelling about something sissy and gear, but didn't quite listen, as she shaved her legs.

He snorted when he didn't get a reply and scooted back up on the bed, unbuttoning the flannel shirt cuff and pushing it up over his bicep. There wasna any doubt in his mind that he'd done the right thing, because having Toni in th'house with him felt the most right as anythin' in his life ever had, and while she was hidden in the tub, he leaned over to the dresser on his side of the bed and opened the top drawer. Sitting in the very back corner was a little black velvet box, and he ran his fingers over the curved lid. Soon, wee little thing that ye are, ye'll make me one o'the happiest men on th'planet. He pulled the box out and cracked it open carefully, thumb pushing up the lid as he looked at the sparkling solitaire, crested with small sapphires on either side, then closed it, and tucked it back away in the dresser.

Then he looked at the cast on his arm. Ye canna come off soon enough, ye bastard thing!!! Deep sigh. "TONI!" he bellowed, top of lungs so he knew she heard. "D'YE WAN' COFFEE!!"

"Graham?" She answered back, quietly, rolling her eyes and grinding her teeth. "Your son is asleep. Hush your damn mouth." She finished her leg and slid it back under bubbles, rolling her eyes to heaven as she lay back. "I'll get some later, thanks." She lay her head back and put on her beauty mask, hot from being under the water, and set it over her eyes as she fought to keep her hair dry.

With a grunt, Graham pushed himself off the bed and poked his head around the corner of the bathroom door. "M'son is like a Senatori, and sleeps through everythin', includin' th'last tornado that blew through th'Vancouver neighborhood. Dunna think a bit'o bellowin' from his Da' is gonna wake 'im."

She looked up at him, peaking through the crack of her half opened door, and sighed. "I'll get some later, don't worry yourself. Why don't you go back to sleep?"

"Aye, I will soon enough." He sighed. "Would ye disown me if I told ye, I was goin' to pull out th'linen closet there and put in a shower stall?"

She grinned, then, and rose a brow. "Probably. You can take a shower, just like every other man, Graham." She sat up a little, and brought her beauty mask down, raising a brow. "Need any help?"

"No, darlin', I do believe I c'n still take a shower without help. Stay in your bath, m'darlin' lassie. Ye look too beautiful to disturb."

The whole point was TO disturb, you BIG IRISH ASS. "Thank you." A smile though, to hide the glare. She was not going to ask if he'd like to join her. No. That would have to come from him. And if he didn't want to, loss for him. She shifted and lay back in the bath and picked up her woman's Gillette, spraying some into her hand before soaping and sudsing leg number two.

Graham just leaned against the doorjamb. "Ye look like Branwen on her weddin' day," Graham said softly. "Too beautiful for the eyes o'any man but 'er 'husband to be."

She snorted, but the compliment pleased her, and she smiled. "Well thank you, very much. Though I doubt, highly, that I'm as beautiful as lady Branwen."

"Goddess," he corrected softly. "She was th'daughter of Llyr, god of the seas and m'father's patron saint invoked. She died of a broken heart after the death o'her brother Bran, and there were nearly wars fought over the treatment o'her."

"See, now you're just being dramatic." She answered, though her dimples winked as she began to shave the other leg, carefully. "I ain't no goddess, and I sure am never gonna die of no broken heart. Been there, done that, won't ever let it get that bad again."

Graham came the rest of the way into the bathroom, got on his knees with a bit of a wince, and put her leg on his shoulder and took the razor out of her hand. "Aye, you are a goddess, just as beautiful as any that have ever been. And I willna break your heart, I gie ye m'word."

She bit her lip, tightly, smiling now because she knew he believed what he said. And there was shaving cream all over his shirt now and she just sighed, smiling a little as she took the razor back. "I'd like to keep my legs and all six quarts of my blood, thank you so much." But she was smiling, broadly, as she tugged him down gently by all that spiked out hair for a soft, soft kiss. Come on, Graham. Invitation. Take it!

Graham gave her a soft kiss in return, and crawled a little closer to the tub. "You're goin' to have t'let aboot half that water out, darlin'."

He really wasnt an idiot after all. She grinned, then, and pulled the chain of the stopper she'd bought with her toe, biting her lip with dancing eyes. "Don't have to ask me twice, sugar bear."

Graham just gave a grin. "This body takes up a lotta space and I dunna feel like mopping." He pushed himself to his feet and started undressing, tugging off the shirt first, then the undershirt, then boots. He tossed the boots back out into the bedroom, but the rest of his clothes into the wicker basket that had been designated for dirty clothes. He straightened up again and pushed his jeans down, and his boxers with them, and kicked them off into the basket too, winced when they missed by about half a foot, and gave a little shrug and grin as he tucked the plastic bag over his arm cast and sunk into the water.

And then wrinkled his nose. "Yer goin' t'have me smell like a flower garden."

Oh. When he slid his jeans off, off those narrow, strong hips, her heart gave a kick, and she cuddled up close to the faucet until he had himself situated, and faced him with a smile. "Know now why you bought this house. This tub could fit three herds of elephants and a hippo in it, not to mention one mountain man."

"Aye, I had t'have m'space. The world isna built for us mountain men any longer." He snuggled down in the water, and then tugged one of her legs around his waist as his feet stretched out.

"I dunno. Their are some men out there who are still big and broad. Take Lionel for example." She smiled and wrapped her legs around his waist carefully, as she got down the soap and one of her army of poofy sponges.

"I could break the boyo in half w'my little finger."

She grinned. "That's what you think. Which would you prefer, strawberries, passion flowers, or kiwi?"

He grimaced. "There isna' one... I don't know... sawdust? Pine? Manly?"

Her lips twitched and curved, and she got down Caress, which didn't really have any smells in it, and presented it with wriggled brows.

"'Tis pink."

"But, no flowers, fruits, or female stuff." She declared, and squished some of it out onto the soapy sponge, before sliding a little closer, and beginning to scrub him, light. The sponge went over his neck and shoulders, down his arms, and she was careful to move as she did it, scrubbing gently but thoroughly. Down his strong chest to a flat tummy, half underwater, and didn't dare go further. She handed him the sponge instead and took down one for herself, which she filled with the same soap, and began to scrub herself, shoulders, throat, breasts and sides.

He put his own sponge to the side, took hers, and started rubbing it gently over her body. He wasn't as timid as she was; his hand dipped under the water to run over her hips, down the curve of her ass, over the freshly shaven legs. Her toes were resting against his chest and he gently nipped each one of them and ran the sponge over her feet with careful touches.

"Got a way with your hands, Mr. Senatori." She said, softly, and with the glow of the candles her only guide, ran her own sponge down under the water. Over his crotch, carefully washing him and trying not to think to much about what it was she washing, before down his thighs, over his knees, and back up, to stroke down over his back.

"Just ye wait until the cast comes off, and I c'n use both of 'em."

She grinned again, because such a comment… was not like Graham. "Oh really? I don't believe you." She washed carefully over his ass, down his legs again, and reached back, to gently scrub huge feet. "Mountain man of mine, you're a hunk, but you have got some ugly feet."

He wiggled big hairy toes. "Canna help it, darlin'. But ye know what they say? Big feet means a big..." He coughed. "Anyway. They've seen s'much hard work."

She smiled, again, and carefully slid her hand down back to his crotch. "I should say so." And back, to her own sponge, where she rubbed it between her breasts, cleaning herself even as she spoke. "A lot of hard work, I do agree. That's why my own are destroyed."

Graham blushed softly as her hand stroked over him, and he pressed her hand down against him. "They are no destroyed," he said softly, nudging her foot back up so he could nibble at her little toes.

"They are." She whispered, as he led her hand back down. She did as he asked her to do, gently stroking over the thick, solid length of him, heavy and hot over the skin of her hand, and she gently stroked with her thumb, over the tip, watching him for a long, long minute. "They really are."

"No," he whispered, shaking his head. His tongue lapped softly at her toes, nibbling and sucking each one. "They're just as beautiful as ye are." A little shudder passed through his body and his length twitched in her hand, getting harder and growing under the soft touch. "Yer hand's s'soft."

"Yes, it is." She whispered, quietly, because he was so beautiful when he was getting aroused, and she gently rubbed over the thick vein along the underside of his long length, gently stroking it before back up, to thumb the head. "You're very soft. Like velvet. Its so easy to touch you, Gr-Graham." His mouth over her toes had a long, shivering shudder roll through her, and she tugged away before it got too much too fast.

Instead of her toes, she came to his mouth, for a kiss.

Graham leaned forward, his good hand rising up to stroke her face, cup her cheek gently as he grasped her chin carefully, kissing her firmly and carefully. His tongue licked at his lower lip, and he nibbled very gently. "You're beautiful, Toni. An' I promise ye now... when I have both my hands again, I'll show ye just how much I think so."

She smiled, though the smile was a little sad and a little shy, and she rubbed his shoulder with her free hand softly as he kissed her. "I wish things hadn't been so hard for us." She answered, softly, and let go of his hardened dick. Soft, soft rub to the head, and she kissed him again, quietly, warmly. "I wish it had been easy. It ain't ever easy."

Graham gave a soft laugh into her cheek. "Darlin', if m'life were easy, I'd be thinkin' it was someone else's life and not m'own."

"I know." She rubbed his shoulder softly, though, and looked up at him. "I'm sorry, Graham. For all the heartache I've put you through."

He shook his head softly. "Won't deny ye've taken years off m'life." His hand straoked once over her pregnant stomach, barely starting to show. "And I won't deny I'm goin' t'break m'bruther in half. But I wouldna trade it, darlin', cause I can't thinka anythin' I'da give up if it meant havin' ye wi'me."

Oh, Christ. Her eyes filled with hot tears, and yeah, she was aroused, and so was he, but she couldn't help it because her sob slipped out and she bit her lip, chin trembling as the first of the tears fell. She hadn't cried in front of a man... hell, front of anybody, since she was twelve years old, and she let out another harsh sob, her throat tight with tears.

"Toni?" Graham straightened up from his slouch in the water and pulled her over to him, moving her around carefully in the tub, his strength coming in handy this time as he turned her around to nestle against his wide chest, and his casted arm provided the perfect cradle while his good arm stroked her hair. "Toni, darlin', are ye all right?"

She just bit her lip, all the harder, and wrapped her arms around his mid section and chest, holding him close to her and keeping the sobs in, though she shook with the effort. She just nodded, swallowing the hard lump, and bit her lip even tighter. He was so nice to her. He was just... he was so nice, and she… had been nothing but un ungrateful horny whore, and another keening sob broke through at that thought. "Mmm'sorry." She managed, between the hics and the swallows, trembling and holding him even tighter.

"Toni, yer no all right," he said firmly, and he pushed himself up, balancing on the edge of the tub. "Grab the towel," and when she didn't, he leaned over and caught it between his cast and her leg as he stood up, with Toni caught in his arms. "Ye've got t'tell me what's wrong." He shivered in the cool air and his erection sagged a little with the sudden cool as he carried her into the bedroom, and wrapped the huge, fluffy towel around her shoulders and then pulled her back against him on the bed. "Now tell me, darlin'."

She was a mess, sniffling and the tears were rolling and she was mortified, but she accepted his arms when he offered them to her, and hugged him close. "I... I feel like... like you... you care about me, and... I've b-been so horrib'l to you, and... and I haven't been a good person, a good friend or a go-good...whatever. I d-drove a rift b-between you and yo-y-your brother and I feel so bad because n-none of this would have happened. I-its my fault."

Graham hugged her tightly, and pulled her onto his chest, rocking gently. "Yer talkin' crazy, m'darlin'. Ye've been th'best thing thats e'er happen'd t'me. Ever'body that knows me says it, from Shayla right up on to Lindy. What's between Morgan an' me is just, between us, and it doesna have a thing to do with ye. Yer goin' to be fine, I believe that, and that's the end o'it."

"I-I made you and y-your brother stop talking." She sniffled, hard, and rubbed her eyes dry with the heel of her hand, sniffling again. "I'm sorry. I was just... thinking about how wonderful you are, and how horrible it would be if you left me, Graham."

"I'm no goin' to leave ye. Do I look like a bloody fool?--Dinna answer that."

She sniffled, harder, and rubbed her face. "You might. You're so delicate."

"DELICATE!?" he all but bellowed.

She all but fell off the bed, gasping, sitting up and turning to face him, before her face crumbled, and she bit her lip all the harder.

"I'm NO delicate!" he bellowed again, and scooted over, making more room for her on the bed as he waited for her to get back in beside him.

"Yes, you are! You are so delicate!" She cried back, climbing back up to sit beside him. "You are totally d-delicate!"

Graham thrust out arms and legs that were the size of tree trunks and shook them at her. "An' what are these things?" he demanded.

"You're huge, but that doesn't mean you are a soft, soft daisy inside that can be smushed!"

Toni was almost choking, though not on sobs, though her face was stills streaked and smeared. Now, she was trying her best not to laugh.

"M'hair is grayin' as we speak." He sighed. "Darlin', I dunna know who ye bin talkin' to, but there's no daisy insidea this man to smush."

She sniffled, and rubbed her nose on her arm, heaving a shaky sigh, with a little smile at the end. "Yes, you are. I'm sorry, sugar bear. I just was feelin' down, about myself. I'm done now. I'm sorry to have you see that."

He gave her a little shake. "Isna a reason for ye t'be down on yerself. Yer the most beautiful, mos' wonderful woman I ever known, and I love ye. Ye've got a life growin' inside of ye and a man who's insane over ye. Dinna be down on yerself."

She sniffled again, softly, and grasped his hands where they were on her arms, gently. "Graham...you not accepting that I'm having this baby, you being angry at Dominic, kills me. Do you understand? I put myself in the middle of it. I have their baby, the baby it took Lex months to combine their DNA so this child was truly theirs, inside me right now, growing. And I have you, you who I should have never betrayed, you who I love more than I love any other person on this earth, furious with him, though I know you're furious with me too. It kills me, Graham, because I hurt you, but at the same time, I'm unbelievably happy because I have a purpose in my life."

Graham rolled over onto his back and sighed. "Aye, I'm no verra happy aboot it, but I dinna have a choice, darlin'. I love ye too much; if I have to accept that yer doin' this for my lunkass of a bruther to have ye in my life, then I will. I'm furious at m'bruther for not callin' me. For no tellin' me what was goin' on, for no' even askin' how I might feel about it. Dunna know that I'll ever forgive him fer that. He coulda taken ye away from me, and he didna care."

Toni looked down at him, pain in her heart like a fist, and gently stroked his hair from his eyes sadly. "He made a mistake, Graham. He loves you."

"Aye, and I luv him. He's my bruther, and I'll mow down the first barstid that isna me who says a word aboot him. But as m'bruther, I have the right to kick his arse from here t'Blarney Castle n'back."

She lay down, softly, beside him, rubbing her runny nose on her bare arm, and sighed softly, as she took his hand in hers and tightened it. "He and Lionel want this baby so much. You know how that feels, Graham, you know what it is to want a child so badly you can taste it. He wasn't thinking with his head, baby."

He sighed. "Neither were you, darlin'." He rubbed his hand right over her chest, where he could feel her heart beatin'. "This is what ye were thinkin' with, and if I wasna so angry, I'd love ye even more fer it."

Her brows fell, and her eyes saddened again. "I'm sorry you're angry with me. I never wanted you to be. But...even if it had happened differently, Id still be their surrogate mother."

"I'm no angry with you!" He bellowed it, and then lowered his voice. "I'm no angry with you, darlin'. I'm angry wi' my brother, and that bastard ass he's married tae, but no wi'you. Mebbe isna fair, but I canna be angry at ye."

She jumped when he yelled, though she didn't get angry. He'd had it in his right to yell. "That's what I'm saying. Don't be angry at them, Graham, they didn't... it was my choice. I could have very well said no. I don't even think they'd even contemplated asking me. I kind of offered, sugar bear."

"Aye, ye did. And they didna tell ye no, did they? Did they tell ye t'talk to me? Bother to tell ye that I might have a problem wi'ye bein' pregnant, because of you tellin' me ye canna have babies? Bother to think that it mighta been a danger to ye as yer body dinna seem to like carryin' children? I dinna think so. Ye got a few quick warnin's an' they they were hustlin' you off!"

"Graham, god, dammit." Toni sat up again, and sighed, as she ran her fingers through her hair. "It wasn't… like that. They told me, Lionel and Dominic both told me, to tell you. But I didn't listen. At the time we weren't on the best of terms at all, I didn't even know if we'd last, and if I could give two men, two men who I have been inside of, who I have seen ripped apart and patched them together, two men with these... HUGE hearts of gold who just can not get a lucky break... if I could give them a baby, I wasn't going to say no. If no one else was up to it, I was. Me. Not them, me."

Graham just stubbornly shook his head. "No, darlin'. I'm no' goin' t'let ye take all this onto yerself. Doesna change the fact that neither of called me. Neither of them had the consideration t'let me know what was goin' on wi'ye."

She set her head in her hands. "You know what? All of you are the same. All of you Senatori men--...no. All MEN. All of you, ALL of you, are stubborn jackasses."

Graham leaned over and kissed the back of her neck. "Aye, we are."

Toni looked up, and glared. "A kiss is not getting you an orgasm, Senatori." but it was said with a little smile, and a sigh, a roll of her eyes, as she plunked back on the pillows.

"No?" he asked softly, nibbling over her shoulder and kissing up her throat and chin, dragging itchy stubble in his wake.

Crap. She heaved a soft sigh, and yeah, she should fight it cause she was pissed at him, but there was no use trying to make him see something he didn't want to see. Christ, she was such an easy hussy. She looked across at him, glaring, even as he kissed her. Not like she wasn't moving away. "I'm seriously considering no. Because you're a pig headed mule."

"Well, now we're down t'just, seriously considerin'." His voice held a lilt of amusement. "Better'n just a solid no." He kissed her mouth deeply, then started kissing his way down, scraping beard sensitizing her skin for his mouth as he planted little sucking kisses down her chest, and over a slightly swelling stomach.

Oh. Dammit! Her breath kind of shuddered out of her quietly, fingers stroking over his hair, and she was a sucker for lips, a beard that she had imagined for months, and those perfect little kisses. She stroked through all his spiky hair, their naked skin during in the cool air, and she sighed. She should be saying no. Seriously. But... dammit. "I should be saying no, you know. You're a total pig and I hate... oh... oh, Graham..." She arched a little, when his lips hit a little sensitive spot by her hip. "I should hate you.'

"You can tell me no," Graham murmured softly over her stomach. "I'll even stop."

"I know I can." Groan. "But I don't want to. Does that make me cheap?"

He stopped then, and looked up at her, seriously for a moment. "No, darlin', it doesna."

Amusement lit her eyes. "Are you just saying that because you want an orgasm?"

Serious shake of his head. "Aye, but it also happens t'be the truth." He licked over the swell of her thigh. "Let me, alrigh'? Dunna worry... about anythin' but yerself, darlin'."

Oh. Ohhhh. Oh boy. Her eyes widened, considerably. She hadn't even shaved. "Graham... sugar, I haven't... I mean, shaved, or... or... no one has, for... Graham." Okay, holy God, even as her nipples roughened and peaked and darkened, as her body rose with goosebumps of desire.

He shook his head. "Dunna care, darlin'. Yer just as beautiful t'me, just like this as ye are any other way." He pressed a kiss at the very crown of her groin. "Please, dunna tell me no."

Oh, God. She shivered, nodding softly, and swallowed, hard. "Don't... don't let me... I want you inside me. Okay?"

"All right', darlin'." He smiled at her, then, and then started pressing his kisses lower, his breath sliding over the tight curls that covered her mound, and his fingers slowly trekked down her body, teasing in their wake, as his tongue crept out from between his lips and started to tease her. Little probing licks that slid between her slick lips, and he murmured in soft pleasure as the taste of her flooded his mouth.

Toni shivered… then shuddered, as his mouth found her. He was quiet, easy in his movements, and she spread her thighs wider for him, just a little. He had a way with his mouth, and it felt like a hot fire had slicked down into her insides, stroking and teasing at her, fanning the flame into a fire. Keening, quiet noises spilled from her lips and she arched, the softest bit, begging as her hands found her breasts.

Graham smiled into her body as he kept his tongue teasing, licking deeper with each flick of his tongue, then his fingers sliding down to spread her gently open. His mustache found her clit easily and he scraped across it gently as his tongue pushed deep into her, stroking as his thumbs held her open and rubbed softly over the slick lips.

OhgodChristonHiscross. She let out a soft exhale of surprise when the pleasure laced up and surrounded her heart. Her thumbs scraped her nipples as she felt the teasing heat flooding through her. She hadn't had this done to her in years, and that he was doing it now just made her gasp and shiver. "Don't… mind... tattoo." She whispered, on a shuddering sigh, because she figured that even through the curls he'd see the dragon tattooed on one of her lips. "He… guards… the gates. Lucky man to--oh, God--get past... past him. Graham, please, do that again." She rose her hips as his tongue lanced into her, hot and wet, and she moaned now, loudly, as her hips worked up the smallest bit.

He paused softly as he pulled her just a little further open so he could get a good look, and his tongue went to the dragon, tracing the wing and the tail with his tongue as his thumb worked just a little inside of her, keeping her open and almost marking his place as he laved over the dragon despite the little curls, then moved back to her neglected clit, kissing it wetly and sucking it into his mouth as his thumb pushed deeper into her, stroking shallowly.

"Oh, God, Graham." Whimpered. "Please, yes, it feels...its so good, so good. So good." She was flushed with desire, the softest embarrassment at being given all this attention, and his finger, deep inside her. She didn't know yet about telling him her kink with her ass… didn't know if he'd be accepting of it, except... "You...you can touch, lower, if… if you want," She whispered, her hips arching because she was soaked through, her chest was on fire with arousal, and she pinched and kneaded her breasts without daring a look down at him.

His thumb stayed inside her, stroking, but his head rose, and he licked his lips as he did. "No, darlin'... it's if you want. Isna if I want, but if you want it."

"You...are you okay? Okay, with that?" She whispered it at the ceiling, as her hips moved against his thumb, where he was moving, constantly moving, and shuddered all over with ache as she did it because she wanted him to pound into her, deep into her to calm the ache and oh, God. "Touched… never... never had sex, there, just... just touched."

"Aye, darlin'," he said in the same soft, hungry voice. "May no' look like it, but this mountain man has a bit o'experience." His mouth went lower again, his tongue taking the place of his thumb as he thrust deep into her, the slick pad of his thumb pressing against the tight little rosebud of her anus. He pressed gently, but firmly, and the tight muscle finally opened enough to allow his thumb in.

Oh, dearest Jesus. She let out a sharp, but quiet, cry, and pushed down, because oh, dearest God. He pressed into her and it was just… and she wanted to rub herself fast and hard, wanted to so badly, to slip off the slippery edge or orgasm she was already ascending. Christ he was good with his mouth. "L… like it... f-for you?" She whispered, as she rocked down on his mouth and his finger, whimpering, loudly, almost a heavy sob of pleasure.

Graham didn't answer verbally, just sucked a little harder, taking sucking kisses from the soft walls of her insides as his tongue stroked over them, working his way up to suck her clit into his mouth. His thumb worked in a little deeper, then slid back out, dipping into her slit again briefly to slicken again before pushing in, teasing and licking.

No answer. Great. She didn't ask again as she pushed back, and she just couldn't take it anymore. Her fingers came down, slid past his face and over her clit, and gave it a hard rub, her legs tightening and linking around his back as she did it. Orgasm, orgasm was good, orgasm was what she wanted, what was SO damn CLOSE and she gave another sharp, heavy whimper, her body shaking as his mouth moved over her. He was so big, so big and delicious and she shuddered, pressing up against his sucks as she finally, finally, gave a wail.

Graham smiled at the wail, and drove his thumb deeper, until it was completely buried in her, and he moved back up, nudging her hand out of the way as he took her clit between his teeth and tugged carefully, suckling hard on it the whole time.

She supposed they looked incredibly lewd. Him, between her thighs, sucking and nibbling, with his thumb driving into her. She, with her hips up, feet locked around him, giving soft, mewling cries of pleasure.

The image of it was what not only had her falling off the edge, but flying off of it, into climax.

She came, hard, so hard, achingly raw orgasm that tore from her both a cry and more heat, more wet, and no man had ever been able to draw it from her but here she was, climaxing and sobbing her pleasure as she thrust upwards into each of his touches. He was so, so, so good at this and it was their first time even doing this and she shivered, hard, grasping the pillow behind her head as her free hand, still wet with her own secretions, rubbed frantically over her favorite, most sensitive nipple, dragging it tightly between her fingers as she came.

Graham lapped at the wetness that spilled from his lover's body. His tongue drove deep, licking and slurping with quiet noises as he swallowed everything he sucked out of her, his thumb still slowly stroking inside her. He licked quickly, tongue teasing more of her orgasm out, letting go of her clit in favor of sucking the rest of her opening.

Her back arched, head thrashing, as his mouth came down and sucked and she wailed into the pillow, tightly, pressing it against her face as her feet came down to press against the sheets, and drive up higher, offering her hips with shudders of absolute pleasure. He was....Christ, he was actually doing this, and she shuddered, harder, all over, because she'd wanted him to come too, come inside of her, but she supposed she might do something else, now that he'd given her this. "G-Gr..Graham, G..."

His finger slowed it's thrusting inside of her as he lapped at her, tongue sliding between the now swollen lips to lick her clean, lick away everything he could taste, and he slowly pulled his thumb out of her entirely as he kissed up her body, and then pulled her close to him.

Uuhhhnnnn. She shook, shivering hard as she wrapped her arms around him, tightly, and shuddered in pleasure. He was… very, very good, very, and she murmured her pleasure as she ached, arching with the shudders. Her sheath was thumping and lethargy pulled at her, calmed her, because oh. Oh. Yes. Shiver. "Oh, sugar bear." She whispered, and kissed him, deeply, gently, heavily, tasting herself and tasting him as she did so.

Graham returned the deep kiss, keeping it just as gentle, his tongue pressing deeply and licking inside her mouth, cataloguing the difference and the similarity in taste as he licked and kissed, murmuring soft words to her as he held her, cradling her against him.

Even as he did it Toni could feel the weight of his arousal against her wet thigh, and she shivered, trembling in his arms. Another heavy, warm kiss and she carefully, carefully had him roll over, then sit up, as she lay her back against the head board and tucked him into her chest and belly. "Come here, sugar bear."

Graham shook his head even as he wrapped his good arm around her. "No, darlin'. Didna do it fer any other reason than t'make ye feel good, an t'prove t'ye that ye're none o'th'things that ye were sayin' aboot yerself earlier," he said firmly.

"I know." She smiled, then, broadly, as she nuzzled his ear and with surprising strength, kept him nestled in close against her. "I feel good when I touch you, Graham. Never got to touch you, baby... will you show me?" She wrapped her fingers around his cock firmly and stroked up once, then back down, letting go only enough to stroke over his balls. "Show me how you like it. Let me see your beautiful skin flush… let me watch you come because I made you."

The answering shudder went straight through his body, and he caught her hand, kissing each of her fingers before pulling them back down to his cock, wrapping them around the hard length and then wrapping his own around them. "Li'this, love, slow at firs'." He closed his eyes and licked his lips, resting his head on her shoulder as he grunted softly. "Take yer thumb... ach, yes... rub over the head, aye."

"You have a beautiful cock." Toni whispered softly into his ear, as she slid her finger as he told her over the head, and took a moment to gently rub the slit, tickling along the ridge gently. "Very beautiful." He had her hand over hers and together, they began to jack him off. She could feel the heat of him through her hand and she shivered, softly, her free fingers coming up to tweak his nipples. "If you had your hand, would you be doing this?" She whispered, tweaking again and pinching, rolling it between her fingers.

Sharp intake of breath as her fingers pinched his nipples, and he moaned her name softly, mingled with other mangled words. "A-aye, darlin'... would be... jus' like that." His hand started moving a little faster, moving hers with it, letting her pick up on the faster rhythm.

She did, her fingers wrapped tightly around his thick length, and she slid her legs against his, rubbing against his backside softly as her mouth came to his ear. Sure, but sharp, little nips, licks and bites, tugging the earlobe lightly as she whispered, "Tell me your fantasies, Graham. Tell me what you fantasize when you're alone." Her fist quickened as his hand did, bringing it just a little faster as her thumb stroked over the tip on every move up. Her free fingers slid over his torso, his heaving belly, and back up to knead the opposite nipple, tweaking and scraping her nails across it.

"Havena..." Little pant, little grunt, and his hips thrust up into their fists as they stroked him together. "Havena had... in a while... no til... I met you." His hand tightened. "T--tighten. The grip, darlin'. Just a little. Dunna... be afraid."

"I'm not afraid, Graham." She squeezed him, to show him, and pressed her fingers tighter together as she stroked. His precome wasn't quite enough, not quite, and she let go, for only a moment, as she reached across the bed to their night stand. She had her Jergen's lotion there at all times, sitting right in the drawer, and she tugged it out, squeezing some onto her fingers. She heated it and slid her fingers back onto his cock, smiling into his neck. "You've known me for six months. Come on Graham...tell me." She whispered, squeezing and stroking.

When Toni's slick hand slid around him, Graham didn't bring his hand back up. He glared softly, as much as he could, as she demanded he talk and think. "Blood... isna in... the thinkin' head righ' now, darlin'," he choked out.

"Tell me." She whispered, softly, as her mouth, hot and wet, sucked over his throat and neck, and her free hands gently moved to stroke over his balls. She took them in hand, weighing them, rolling them through her fingers, pleased at the heat and their size, as she kissed and sucked over his bobbing throat. "Tell me what you thought of, doing this, stroking over yourself, in this bed."

"Y-you," he admitted quietly. "Spread open--ach, right there, the pressure--and waitin' fer me to take you, like ye deserve."

"Coulda taken me any time, Graham." She whispered, tenderly, as she squeezed right where he wanted and stroked, harder, faster, and she wasn't a champion cock stroker or anything but she'd touched a few in her day, and she did as he told, flicking her wrist as she went faster, harder, loving the sounds he was making. "You could have had me, Graham, because I lay spread open in my bed, working myself with my fingers, waiting and wanting so much."

She was going to kill him. He didn't know and didn't care if he said it out loud or not, or if it was just a long, incoherent groan. But he bucked up harder into her fist, imagining everything that he'd just heard, and he groaned again, hard and fast and grunting as his hips lifted.

Oh, Jesus. A shaking shudder slid across her blood, bringing it to a fine boil as he arched and thrust under her. So beautiful, all the tanned lines of his hard worked body, glistening with the sweat that they were both glistening, and the scent of arousal, sex, and need was heavy in the air. She stroked harder, faster, as she whispered, softly, "I waited for you, every night. Imaged you coming to my room, sliding into me and taking me. Waited for you, and now... now the wait is over. See, how I'm touching you? Feel me, Graham. Tight around you, thrusting hard. I'm right here, and you're so beautiful."

Graham's chest was heaving as he panted softly, and he half rolled over, sucking hard kisses from her neck and her throat, teeth biting carefully and leaving a mark on her mocha skin that would purple in the morning and in that second he didn't give a right fuck for any of it. Just her voice in his ear, and his hips were thrusting faster, his cock was gliding in her grasp, and the noises coming out of his throat were deep and guttural now, past moans and grunts into something else entirely. His cock was twitching, his orgasm so close.

"Want to be inside of me, Graham?" She whispered, softly, into his neck and throat, then his lips, tenderly, as she squeezed and thrust, squeezed and thrust. "Do you want to come inside of me, deep inside? Do you want to know I'm filled with your orgasm?" Another soft whisper, as she sucked a hard kiss from his jaw as he left his own mark on her, chest heaving as she rubbed her body against his.

That was it. That was all that he could take of her hot, dirty words in his ear and her breath over his skin. Guttural moan, that rolled from deep in his chest and ended up a loud cry of her name, and he came hard, hips and body shuddering as he shouted out her name.

His come was hot on her fingers. She hadn't felt a mans orgasm in a long time, and the heat that spilled onto her fingers was almost a shock as she stroked. She stilled, squeezing tightly and thrusting in short, tiny jerks to prolong his orgasm, and her lips, bruised and wet with kisses, brought his mouth to hers as she kissed him through his climax.

Graham shuddered the hard spurts out, his hand in a fist by his side as he pounded his thigh quietly, returning the kisses with harsh, open-mouthed intensity.

She kissed, heavily, deeply, sucking on his lower lip, biting it as she stroked over him, tightly, and she kissed him, heavily, deeply, once she was sure nothing else was coming out and he was beginning to soften. She let him go, carefully, gently, and wrapped her arms around his neck, continuing to kiss him deeply as she slid out from behind him and instead lay down by his side. "I love you, Graham."

"I love ye," was the first thing his poor, mangled brain could think to say, and his arm hooked over her waist and pulled her close. "I love ye, darlin'." He kissed her temples, her face, her cheeks, her hair as he situated her close. "I love ye wi'everythin' I am."

She smiled, softly, kissing him warmly as she gave another shudder, rubbing against his flaccid cock. "You are so, so hot." Giggle. The blankets came up to tuck around them and she yawned, softly, still shivering every once in a while in soft pleasure that delighted her. "I love you."

Husky chuckle. "Yer quite th'dish yerself, Doctor Braxton."

"Baloney." But she giggled, and cause she didn't want to get his come all over his back via her wet hands, she let go of him and reached over, onto the floor, for Graham's discarded house socks. She wiped her hands clean, rubbing the lotion and the sperm off in one wipe, and turned back around for hugs and kisses that… yeah. Just...yeah. "You never answered me."

"Didna answer ye about what, darlin'?" He yawned as he rolled over onto his back so he could tug her half on top of him, arms snuggling her in for hugs and stealing kisses between every word.

"This." She ran her fingers down his hip and across his ass, as he rolled. Ended up sprawled on top of him, but did she mind? Not at all. She crossed her arms and lay her chin on them, watching him, and smiling.

"This being?"

So. Thick. "Your ass, Graham." She ran her fingers over the side of his hip. "I love it… do you?"

So maybe he was a tad thickheaded. "I dunna... tis always been there, darlin'. Never give a thought b'fore. It's a nice arse."

Her lips twitched. "I knew you weren't all vanilla." Giggle. "I... have a slight… past history of... things."

"Vanilla?" he asked, with a quirked eyebrow. "And tell me about the history o'things, darlin'."

"I like..." Oh boy. "Kinky stuff."

"Define kinky, darlin', b'cause as long as it doesna involve fire and branding irons, I canna see as I'd be unhappy."

Her lips twitched, and curved. "I...dont really know. I like… candles. And... handcuffs, are my favorite." She was going to scare him away. "I have... a little French maid costume."

One eye cracked open. "Dunna qui'e think short black lace is m'thing, but I got no problem wi'ye wearin' it."

Her lips curved again. "That's about it. Aside from the vibrators."

The other eye cracked open. "Which we hope ye willnae be needin', thank ye verra much."

Grin. "Nope. I sincerely.." Stroke over a wet, spent cock. "Don't think so." Instead of chattering on she lay her head down on his chest, and sighed, quietly, warmly, snuggling in closer and deeper.

He was silent for a moment, hand stroking over her flank. "Although, now that I t'ink aboot it... I could think of a use er two fer one of those things."

"Hmm?" She asked, from his chest, where lethargy was becoming sleepiness. "What do you mean?"

"There's only th'one o'me, darlin', but I don't think I'd mind sharin' ye wi'one of your little toys."

A soft, very feline purr. "Vanilla? You? Pfft."

"Dunna where ye got th'idea that I'm vanilla, darlin'," he said softly. "I'm gentl'manly, no dead." He squeezed her waist tightly as he held her close.

"Cause you're Graham." She muttered, and rolled, just a little, so she could slide down his side and snuggle there, instead. Their ribs had rubbed together, and that was not a pleasant feeling. "I love you. Go to sleep."

"Yes, ma'am," he teased her softly. "Yer kinda cute when yer demandin'." He pulled the sheets further up over their bare bodies, and tucked them in around her. "Goodnight, my darlin' love."

"I'm so happy I'm not in a cold bed, alone, anymore."

He pulled her closer at that. "I'm happy too, darlin', and I'm even happier that the bed yer in is mine."

"I am too. So happy. Even if you need three hundred count pillow covers, and another blanket." Said on a grin, as she gazed up at him. "Thank you, Grammy."

"If ye e'er hope t'have that happen again, ye'll ne'er call me Grammy."

"Graham Cracker?" Giggle from under a blanket.

"Now ye sound like m'brother, and there's no a bigger turn off to a man's cock than t'think he's back i'bed wi'his brother."

"I'll have you know none of your brothers have as great tits as mine."

"Nay, but little Meggie's gettin' to have a nice rack on 'er skinny shoulders."

"Getting to?" Toni rolled her eyes. "She's thirty five." But because she was falling asleep, Toni turned and wriggled, so her back was to Graham's side, and awaited snuggles. "I'm going to sleep, sweetie. I'm so tired."

Graham obediently rolled over onto his side and snuggled into her back, his cast laying gently on her hip as his good arm slid under the pillows to cushion her head. "Goodnight, m'darlin'."

 

-fin-

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