Chapter 24

Kelly had been snippy since she got here, bossing people around and criticising even as the two of them got stuck in.

Aunt Lorraine, bless her had been all of a fluster due to the none arrival of the caterer.

“The food is all being brought into the kitchen – even as we speak, but Charlene – who was going to put it all together well she has just called to say she can’t make it!”

Her eyes widened and her lips positively quivered, and Shelly reached out to hug her with a bright smile of reassurance. “That’s not a problem – we can sort it for you!”

“Oh, would you? Can you?”

Shelly looked quickly at Kelly who gave a little sigh and stepped forward. “Of course, we can Aunt Lorraine ... remember we both did our food hygiene, when we thought about starting up our own catering company.”

“Oh yes the two of you had quite a successful summer – and then you both went on to university.”

“Yes, it was hard work, but fun and helped to fund our courses.” Shelly laughed as she remembered.

She looked at Kelly with bright eyes, and Kelly’s mouth twitched. “It’ll be like old times,” she murmured.

Aunt Lorraine offered to help, but Shelly sent her off with a reassuring smile and the instruction to chill out for an hour before her guests started to arrive.

The two of them walked into the kitchen just as the loads of food were being brought in by the back door.

“Right, you are then,” Kelly said rolling up her sleeves in a business-like manner.

“I’ll get the oven on for the quiches and mini hot savouries, while you start sorting them out.

It was fortunate that along with the food came the little foil oven trays so they could just load up the oven and then set the timer.

“The cobs all need buttering along with the bread, for choice. So, what’s your choice buttering or filling?” Kelly looked at her and Shelly grabbed a knife.

“Buttering I think.”

The two of them set to work with a will, and the job in itself proved to be easy, if repetitive so Shelly could allow her thoughts to wonder, as she scooped and spread the butter.

She had been listening to the steady arrival of guests with one ear, and the hum of conversation increasing, and Kelly grumbling with the other. They had pretty much pulled the Buffett food together between the two of them, from the piles of food that had been delivered, but instead of being pleased, Kelly’s mood just seemed to increase in its sourness.

Finally, Shelly had had enough and she turned on her tall gorgeous cousin.

“What on earth is the matter with you today?”

Kelly looked at her in surprise and then sighed apologetically.

“Oh, nothing! I guess, I just fell out of bed on the wrong side this morning.”

“Ah I know that feeling, it happens to me sometimes,” Shelly sympathised as she heard the front door bell go again.

“Yes, but you have the delicious Dean to catch you and sooth your ... ruffled feathers.”

Shelly giggled suddenly, as she eyed her cousin speculatively.

“Ahh what’s the matter hun, you feeling lonesome ... or is it something a little more basic than that, are you feeling frustrated ... horny?”

If the truth be known, Kelly had woken that morning feeling like she wanted to cry. And now as she felt it bubbling up inside her again, she decided that rather than dissolving into tears, she would brazen it out, with outrage as she opened her eyes wide, and placed her hands on her hips in a dramatic pose. “Horney? Honey I’ve had to replace the batteries in my Rabbit four times this week alone! And I’m sure that it gives a nervous little twitch – every time I so much as glance at it these days!”

“Well, hello there!”

The two girls looked at each other in absolute horror – before turning to look at the grinning hunk loitering in the doorway.

“Can I get something for you?” Shelly asked stiltedly as she eyed the green eyed giant. “The hostess is in the lounge I believe, along with the bar if you need a drink.”

He seemed to have eyes only for her cousin though, and as Shelly eyed him, she realised that there was something familiar about him.

Then realisation dawned.

“You’re that guy from the bar!” she exclaimed accusingly.

“In the flesh,” he drawled keeping his gaze fixed on Kelly, who was trying desperately to shrink behind the large kitchen table.

“Chris, there you are,” Dean came striding in and his eyes brightened as he spotted Shelly. “And Shelly – you’ve met my brother I see.”

Shelly’s face lit up. “Oh, I say, what are the odds?” She couldn’t stop the laugh, and both men grinned back at her.

“All right then!” Kelly snapped as she fought the humiliation down and tried to ignore the hulking presence. “Since you both seem to be at a loose end right now, why don’t you make yourselves useful and carry some of these trays of food through to the dining room over there.”

Shelly took one look at her glassy eyed cousin and picked up a large plate and looked pointedly at Dean.

He was a smart guy and got the message immediately even though he could not keep the grin off his face, he picked up a tray and dutifully followed his lady love.

Kelly moved to do the same, but the other grinning hunk intercepted her, and cut off her exit.

“You know if you were to come home with me, you would never have any need for battery operated fulfilment – I could more than satisfy you and give that poor rabbit of yours a good rest.” he gave her such a charming smile and those green eyes of his sparked with mischief and desire.

Kelly could feel her sour mood dissolve as the burning began low in her stomach. This guy was lethal, she realised with a sense of alarm – one little smile and a hint of warm breath on her neck and already her ovaries were twitching in a manic ‘let’s make babies!’ manner.

She gave him a little dimpled smile as she reached up as if to straighten his non-existent tie. “Now I don’t know if it’s just your insecurities that make you feel threatened by a sex toy ... perhaps you feel you can’t compete – but other than that I really wouldn’t be so quick to rule out a little sex play in – or out of the bedroom – they can be so much fun!”

His eyes dilated and he jaw went slack for a moment, and Kelly patted his cheek.

“There, there,” she smiled soothingly before moving past him.

Shelly had a sense of Deja vu as she and Dean and Kelly, and Chris grouped together to make their own little foursome in amongst a house full of people.

Once the buffet was laid out and the people began to fill their plates, then the girls felt that – duty done, they could relax and let their hair down, and start to enjoy themselves.

It was a fun time, once Kelly relaxed, and Chris stopped gaping at her, the two of them began a cautious conversation that turned into a lively chat, and the two of them seemed to really hit it off, and the four of them laughed and made merry.

Aunt Lorrain saw them out a little later, with a warm hug for each of them.

“Thank you so much, girls for sorting the food. The woman who was supposed to do it called an hour before she was due to turn up, to say she wouldn’t make it.” she explained to Dean and Chris. “Thank heavens these two had already volunteered to come early and help out...” she smiled suddenly. “But I bet my retirement pension that they were not expecting even half of what they actually got into.”