What Happens at a Pool Party Pt. 01

This is a story that takes place in the same universe as my "What Happens in Vegas" series. You don't have to read that 12 part story to understand what's going on in this story though. This is how Kate and Mark got together, which eventually led to their marriage. Everyone in the story is over 18. This is a work of fiction, any resemblance or similarities to anyone living or dead is coincidental. Enjoy!

Late August 2005

Kate sat in the driver's seat of her sister Madison's beat up sedan with the air conditioner blasting in her face. Even with the cool air blowing on her, the strands of her red shoulder length hair stuck to the back of her neck irritatingly. She swiped at her upper lip as little beads of sweat appeared there.

The humidity of the sweltering summer day had hit her like a ton of bricks. After finishing her working internship in California that month she had headed back east. It was hot in California, but out near the desert it was a dry heat. Here at home, the heat was heavy, and moist. Even though she had been home for a week, that stifling humidity still surprised and annoyed her.

Despite the heat, she was excited to reconnect with her small group of friends she had left behind when she chose to attend a university in Southern California. Fred, Aaron, Mark, Kate and to a lesser extent, Madison had all been thick as thieves growing up. After a very rocky end to her college career, she was more than ready for the familiar comforts of home.

Her boyfriend, well ex-boyfriend, Ryder, of the last three years had broken up with her one month before they graduated, which was annoying because they shared a workspace for their internship at a small publishing house in California. An internship that lasted through mid-August.

The last handful of months working alongside him had been torture, especially when he started dating other women only a week after they broke up. She had to fight the urge to hex the motherfucker. Kate's hands tightened around the steering wheel, the knuckles turning white as she remembered him bringing the women around the office, like he was showing off.

Madison jabbered away in the passenger seat as she drove and silently seethed.

Madison had not stopped talking for what seemed like a week now. And as Kate drove towards Aaron's parents' home for an end of the summer pool party, Madison monologued on and on about all the things she had missed this summer.

While Kate appreciated that Mads was trying to get her all up to date on the guys, she couldn't help but let her mind wander. Her sister always had so much gossip to share that it could get mind numbing. With her starting cosmetology school in a few weeks Kate didn't expect her gossiping to slow in the least. Even as Kate's mind wandered, she picked up on enough to roughly follow Madison's reports.

Aaron was just as quiet and sweet as ever. It was difficult to believe that he would be starting law school in the fall. Fred was the same, walking around with all the swagger of a young guy just getting into finance. Mark had stayed closest to home, also getting into finance, although he and Fred never really delved into what that actually meant.

"They're very elusive," Madison said. "Like when they talk shop, I understand exactly zero of what they say." Kate scoffed a little.

"How does he look?" Kate asked.

"Who, Fred? The same. He's a fucking gym rat, I swear to god all he does is work out and pick up women," Madison said snapping her gum as she texted on her hot pink Razr phone.

"Not Fred, Mark. How does Mark look?" Kate asked. Madison snapped her phone closed and eyed her sister.

"Mmm, also very much the same. Pale," Madison said.

"Pale?" Kate laughed.

"Yeah, but I might be skewed because you look so fucking tan," Madison said. Kate barked out a laugh.

If she was being honest, she was not feeling her best. The breakup had left her feeling confused and raw. So, Madison's compliment felt like a jab. Kate sucked in a deep breath and let it out trying to accept the compliment and let go of her negativity. It didn't dissipate as her mind wandered back over the previous weeks, back to Ryder, wondering what the fuck had gone wrong.

They had been making after graduation plans together for over a year. She and Ryder would graduate, she would take a year to write a novel, he would help her publish it while he worked as a journalist. They would live in California.

They had even made plans to go back east for Christmas with her family. But Ryder apparently never wanted any of that. She had forced it all upon him, he'd claimed, even though she thought he had been just as enthusiastic about the planning as she had been. Had she missed some subtle signs and not realized she was forcing him? Her eyes stung and she gritted her teeth.

"Hey, Kate," Madison said. "You missed the exit for Aaron's!"

"Aw, fuck," Kate muttered, her eyes still stinging. "Fucking idiot."

"Hey," Madison turned to look at her sister. "You OK?" Kate forced a smile.

"I'm fine, it's fine," Kate said gruffly.

"Are you thinking about Ryder again?" Madison asked.

"Stop being so intuitive," Kate said. Madison rubbed a hand on her sister's shoulder.

"Fuck that guy. He's an idiot Kate." Madison paused and crossed her arms. "You need to get laid. How long has it been anyway?" she asked.

Kate huffed a bitter laugh. Ryder had been sexually withholding for the last several weeks of their relationship, which had thrown Kate for a loop, since he usually had a very high sex drive. She never had to ask twice for sex, but those last weeks he simply made himself totally unavailable. She had to admit that she hadn't been this horny since high school.

"It's been a while," Kate admitted. She pulled off at the next exit and took side streets to Aaron's parents' place. "But I'm just trying to enjoy this last bit of summer."

"Totally!" Madison gushed. "After the pool party this afternoon, we should go out. Hit the club scene! Maybe the guys want to come too, that could be so fun!"

"What makes you think we'll pick up any guys with Fred, Aaron and Mark with us?" Kate asked.

"Good point," Madison said. "But they'd probably fuck off if we asked them to." Kate shrugged.

"I guess. We can ask," Kate said. "But they might already have plans. I think they've been planning this get together for a while. Aaron rarely gets the whole place to himself." Madison shrugged.

"That's true. If I were his parents, I wouldn't vacation very often either. Their place is stunning," she said.

Kate pulled into the wrap driveway of the large mansion Aaron had grown up in. The two beat up looking cars she parked behind were a wild contrast to their surroundings.

"Looks like the gangs all here!" Kate said. With just a glimpse of Fred and Mark's cars, she felt her spirits lift immediately. If there was anyone who could cheer her up besides Madison, it was these three guys.

Aaron opened the front door and poked his head out. He turned back for a moment and Kate heard him yell to the others that she and Madison had arrived. He came out the front door, already in his swim trunks and flip flops, he held a beer in his hand.

"Kate! Madison!" Aaron shouted running out to meet them. The women were pulling their bags from the backseat.

"We brought Smirnoff Ice and wine coolers!" Madison said holding up the bag.

"Gross!" Fred shouted as he bounded down the steps to the women. He grabbed Madison and hauled her up in a huge hug.

"Fred! You're all wet!" Madison squealed. Aaron laughed and took the shopping bag Madison held before it went crashing to the ground.

"I was in the pool!" Fred said setting Madison down. Mark came down the steps last and Kate nearly dropped her armful of towels and bags when she saw him.

He was most definitely not pale, and he had clearly been going to the gym with Aaron and Fred. All three men were well toned, but Kate couldn't tear her eyes away from Mark.

His bronzed skin shone with the water beading on it, his black hair was pushed back, dark brown eyes sparkling. She surveyed the muscles of his chest, the definition of his abs, that delicious looking V of muscle pointing straight down to a generous looking outline in his wet swim trunks.

"Hey Kate," Mark said. She blushed trying to avert her eyes from the outline of his cock.

She held an overnight bag in her hands and had two towels pressed to her chest, while she clutched another shopping bag of groceries in her other hand.

"Hi Mark," she squeaked out. He grinned and she thought she would melt into a puddle.

What the fuck was happening here? She had always thought Mark was the cutest of her three friends, but she had never had this reaction before. There had never been this flush of warmth though her stomach settling deep between her legs. She pressed her thighs together trying to quell the moisture she could feel gathering in her sex.

"Want me to take some of that stuff for you?" he asked, arms outstretched.

"Oh, no!" she said too quickly. Although she had fumbled with all of the things since Mark had made his appearance, taking it away would reveal her peaked nipples pressing aggressively through her bikini top which would make zero sense in the heat of the day.

"I think I got it," she sputtered. Mark raised his eyebrows but shrugged.

"Well come in!" Aaron said. "Obviously, we started without you."

He waved his beer can, while the other two men grinned sheepishly. The women followed their three friends into the house. After dropping things in their respective bedrooms and the kitchen, Fred and Mark went back out to the pool with Madison in tow.

Aaron and Kate started to put the drinks, cases of beer, and food the women brought into the fridge.

"I brought frozen pizzas too," Kate said pulling them from a grocery bag.

"Oh good, I can do those!" Aaron said. He shoved them into the freezer. "We've got some other stuff in here too. I'm an expert at preheating an oven." Kate laughed as they unloaded stuff.

After a little bit Aaron leaned back against the counter and regarded Kate as she pulled one of the cold beers from the fridge.

"How are you doing Katie?" Aaron asked. His expression was sympathetic, and she knew Madison had been talking about what had happened.

"I take it you know the details?" Kate asked. Aaron lowered his eyes for a second and nodded.

"Madison might have mentioned something," Aaron said meeting her gaze once more.

"I'm..." Kate stared out the kitchen window to the pool where Fred, Mark and Madison shouted at each other playfully. "I'm OK. It's been like three months."

"Yeah," Aaron said crossing his arms. "But it was, what a three-year relationship?" Kate sipped her beer and waved her hand.

"Give or take," she muttered. Her eyes stung again, and she wiped at them.

"It's alright to still be upset about it, Kate," Aaron said. Kate laughed roughly.

"I guess," Kate said. "I'm just... so fucking horny." Aaron raised his eyebrows. "I'm serious, Ryder wasn't very sexual with me in the last few months of our relationship. I can't remember the last time I got laid. I'm fucking desperate." Kate laughed again.

"Kate, that's really shitty. I'm so sorry," Aaron glanced down at the ground quickly. "I know a little bit about that kind of loneliness."

"Aaron you're rad! You're going to find someone for sure!" Kate said. She leaned against the counter next to him and rested her head on his shoulder.

All thoughts of going out later vanished. Kate knew she wouldn't want to leave tonight and mingle with strangers, desperately trying to find someone to hook up with. All she needed tonight was to be with four of her favorite people on the planet.

"What the fuck kind of name is Ryder anyway?" Aaron asked, taking Kate's beer and sipping it.

"I dunno," Kate said sighing. "Can we not talk about him anymore today? I just want to get drunk with my best friends."

"Sure Katie," Aaron kissed the top of her head and handed the beer back to her. "If you want to get drunk though I don't know why you brought wine coolers." Kate laughed.

"They're for Mads," she said. Aaron rolled his eyes.

"Of course they are," he said. He went to a cupboard and opened it. "If you want to get drunk babe, you'll need something a little stronger." He pulled a huge bottle of Vodka from the cupboard.

"Oh Aaron!" Kate said. "It's huge!" Aaron laughed.

"That's what she said!" Kate burst out laughing.

"That's a Fred joke for sure!" she said still laughing.

"Shots?" Aaron asked.

"Of course, my love!" Aaron poured them each a shot from the bottle. They toasted, drank and went outside to join their friends.

Mark watched Kate come out of the kitchen with Aaron. She held a huge bottle of Vodka by the neck and Aaron held two stacks of shot glasses.

Kate had seemed a little standoffish when she'd first arrived, and it had jarred Mark. Also jarring to him was how gorgeous she was. She had always been popular and good looking in high school. It wasn't as if he hadn't noticed how beautiful she was during her school breaks and what not. But something about her now just captured him. He knew about her breakup with that idiot, Ryder, thanks to Mads.

He had noticed the look on her face, or he thought he had, that slight sadness and tension. She was still upset, but it seemed some of the stress had melted away as she and Aaron came out of the house.

"Yeah! Shots!" Fred shouted.

He was already toasty, but it was hard to stop Fred once he got started. Especially considering the fact that his sister, Jennifer, had started dating the biggest douche bag in town at the start of the summer.

Fred's behavior was better than it had been in high school. He hadn't immediately gone to the guy's house and hospitalized him for example. But there was still a wild irresponsible streak Fred would have to start growing out of soon.

"We did one in the kitchen!" Kate admitted.

"You bitch! Now I have to catch up!" Madison whined. Kate laughed as she poured shots for everyone.

The afternoon wore on with the drinks flowing freely and the friends forgetting about their respective troubles and responsibilities for a while. At one point Kate and Aaron stumbled into the kitchen followed by Mark to get the oven preheated and pizzas made.

After Kate said she could handle the pizzas, Aaron grabbed a couple more wine coolers for Madison, two more beers for himself and Fred, and headed back outside.

The air conditioning in the house made goosebumps rise on both Kate and Mark's skin as they pulled the pizzas from the freezer and started opening the boxes.

"So how are you, Kate?" Mark asked. "We haven't really had a chance to chat at all."

"I'm doing OK," Kate said a little drunkenly. "I'm sure Madison filled you in on what's been going on with me." Mark blushed a bit.

"She did," he said. "I'm sorry about that guy. He sounds like a dick anyway."

"Yeah, he was," Kate said. "But he was a great lay." The words were out of her mouth before she could stop them, and her cheeks flushed bright red. "I mean..." Mark chuckled.

"It's fine, Kate. You guys were together for a long time. It's not like I thought you were a fucking nun or something." Mark smiled easily but was acutely aware of the stab of cold envy that sliced through him.

Kate laughed and leaned back against the counter. Her breasts strained in her bikini top, and Mark stared at them for a second admiringly. A wave of warmth crept down his stomach and nestled into his crotch. The oven beeped loudly, and he tore his eyes away, subtly adjusting the front of his trunks.

The pair worked together getting the pizzas in the oven and figuring out how to set the timers. After a few minutes the rest of their friends joined them inside.

At one point Fred's Blackberry buzzed and he whipped it up importantly answering the call.

"What the fuck?!" Fred shouted after a moment. "Are you fucking kidding me?"

Everyone stopped to listen as Fred continued his conversation. More outrage and expletives poured from him before he hung up and slammed his phone on the counter. He raked his hands down his face roughly. Everyone exchanged a glance.

"Everything OK Fred?" Mark asked cautiously.

"No! Everything is not OK. Jennifer is fucking pregnant," Fred spat. Aaron winced.

"Are you serious?" he asked.

"Yes, I'm fucking serious! It's fucking Russell's of course, that fucking asshole! She was just getting started in her career..." Fred trailed off looking devastated and angry which was usually a bad mix for him.

Everyone knew Fred had been itching for his sister to break up with her awful boyfriend and now she was knocked up. Their strict Catholic upbringing would likely dictate what happened next. Especially if their mother had anything to say about it. Madison put a hand to his shoulder.

"You want a shot, Fred?" she asked. He turned his blazing angry gaze to her and nodded.

"Fuck it! I'm not gonna think about it tonight," Fred declared opening another beer as Mads poured him a shot. There was a communal sigh of relief.

Mark knew he and Aaron would probably have to deal with the fallout of Fred's outrage later, but at least they could spare Kate and Mads from it. The group took another collective shot trying to dissipate the dark mood as Fred did his best to tamp down his anger.

Once they finished their dinner, they decided to bring the party inside. More shots were taken, although Kate, Mark and Aaron slowed down a bit not wanting to deal with a raging hangover.

Madison tried to keep up with Fred as he attempted to drink away his bad mood. She ended up passing out at the table as they played a drinking game. Fred carried her to her room and then quickly disappeared into one of the bathrooms for long enough that Aaron went to go check on him.

When he came wobbling back down the hall, he announced that it might be time to call it a night and went back to the bathroom Fred was holed up in with a roll of paper towels.

Mark and Kate shrugged knowing Fred didn't appreciate many people helping him out when he overindulged. They poured themselves big glasses of water and headed upstairs.

"Well, I guess I'll see you in the morning," Kate said. She sipped her water and Mark stared at her lips.

"Yeah, guess so," he said. "Um goodnight." He started to make his way to his bedroom for the evening.

"Oh! You're in there?" Kate asked.

"Yeah," Mark said, he hesitated. "Are you on the other side?"

"I am, looks like we're sharing the Jack and Jill bathroom," Kate said. Mark blushed a little. "Goodnight Mark."

"Goodnight Kate," Mark scuttled off to his bedroom alone.

~~~~

As soon as Mark's head hit the pillow, he was wide awake. His cock throbbed in his boxers and his head spun, probably mostly from the alcohol but also from his desire. All he wanted to do was go next door to where he knew Kate was, strip her naked, and plunge himself balls deep into her.

His cock twitched at the thought and his heart started to pound. Mark ground his teeth and rubbed his eyes roughly. He wanted release, he needed it.

Quickly, he pushed down his boxers and gripped his cock. It dripped in his hand, and he gasped as he ran his thumb over the tip smearing his juices around the purpling head.

"Ahhhh," he sighed out. His hand began to stroke slowly up and down his hard shaft. He moaned quietly as he closed his eyes, bucking his hips in time with his stroking.

He was already so hard, his cock dripping so much, he wasn't sure how long he would last. He angled his hips up allowing his other hand access to the underside of his balls. He slowly rubbed his taint pressing close to his asshole.

"Ohhh, fuck," he groaned quietly. He brought the hand rubbing along his taint to his cock collecting the slick precum that leaked from the tip incessantly. When his fingers were well covered, he brought his middle finger back to his asshole.