Emily gave her a crooked smile of thanks and decided maybe Amy was right and no one really paid that much attention. Besides, they'd been in the water and pretty much covered up. She wrapped a towel tightly around herself and decided to forget about the whole thing.
"I thought you said you weren't interested," Alex teased Mark.
"I didn't mean for that to happen. Hell, I don't know what happened," Mark said, a little dazedly.
"I guess you would take exception to me setting her up then?" Alex added.
Mark just growled at him before walking away. Lucas and Alex smiled at each other. They both understood the pain their brother was going through. They'd fought their attraction to their wives, although looking back; they realized what idiots they had been. Those women were the best things that ever happened to them.
Everyone got changed from their wet clothes and most of the guests started heading out. Mark stoked the fire and the family sat together, telling stories until the early hours of the morning. Emily tried to excuse herself, to let the family have time together but Jessica and Amy had decided she was their new best friend and insisted she stay.
She didn't fight them too hard. She was having an amazing time herself and didn't want to go up to her room all alone.
"I need to get some sleep," Lucas finally said and then waggled his eyes at Amy. Emily could feel the slight blush returning to her face. She knew he really wanted to get his wife alone. Jessica and Alex soon followed them and suddenly Emily found herself alone with Mark.
The fire had died down to mainly embers and it was barely light enough to see his shadowed face. "I better get some sleep," she said and forced a yawn out. She knew she wasn't going to be able to sleep for a while, being so wound up.
Mark placed his hand on her arm when she tried to get up. She sat there, not knowing what to say.
"Emily I'm really sorry about what happened in the pool. Seriously, I don't usually grab women and make out with them in front of my whole family," he said while running his hand through his messed up hair.
Her hand was itching to smooth his hair back into place but she managed to tuck both hands under her thighs. "It's no problem. It's not like I wasn't a willing participant but I'm sorry too. Honestly I don't usually do that myself," she said, still a bit horrified with herself.
"Okay we're both sorry," he said and then smiled. The man should be registered as a lethal weapon so women could be forewarned.
"So we're friends right?" he asked her.
"Yes, of course," she replied, finally feeling the pressure in her chest start to ease.
"Good," he said. "Want to see something really cool?" he asked.
"Sure."
He grabbed her hand and started leading her towards the barn. She figured he would let go but he kept holding on and she didn't have the will power to pull away. She'd noticed his entire family were all touchy feely people, so she told herself not to read too much into the gesture.
"My favorite mare is about to give birth. There's nothing more miraculous and beautiful as that," he told her excitedly.
Emily found herself eager to see the new foal. They got to the barn and heard some pained noises. Emily looked up in concern, "is she okay?"
"She's fine. I've been checking on her the past couple of days and the vet has been looking over her. Everything is on schedule and the foal is in the right position. Giving birth still hurts though."
"Yes it does," she agreed emphatically.
"I guess you would know more than me," he said with a sheepish shrug.
Emily laughed and then quieted as they approached the stall with the laboring horse. She was beautiful, with a dark brown, shining coat and a bulging belly.
"How you doing girl?" Mark spoke softly to the mare.
She seemed to role her eyes at the clueless man, or that's what Emily liked to believe. She remembered when she was giving birth and the doctors had asked how she was doing. She'd wanted to punch them as hard as she could and then ask them the same thing. Guys didn't have a clue.
"You're a pretty girl," Emily softly said to her, while gently rubbing her nose. The mare neighed a bit at her as if to say 'at least you understand' and then went back to ignoring them both.
Emily had no idea how much time they spent there but when the sky started to lighten, the mare finally pushed the new foal out of her body, along with some help from Mark. She looked at him, sitting there on the floor, with the gangly baby in his lap and felt her heart pounding. He was covered in dirt and blood and still irresistible.
Once the whole ordeal was over, she realized how exhausted she was. The sun was coming over the hill and she figured she'd better try to get a few hours of sleep.