OFM 01 - Orchard Falls

He shook his head as he rose from his lounge chair. It was getting a little nippy out. He went into the house to find the girls. They were in the living room drinking tea and talking. As he entered the room they became quiet.

"Should I leave?"

"No, no, come sit by me, sweetheart," Michelle said patting the couch next to her. Three days and we were calling each other by pet names. He sat next to her, she leaned in and kissed his cheek, then turned back to Sam.

"Go ahead, Sam."

"Well anyway, there I was sprawled out, naked as a jaybird, soaking up the rays of the warm Bahamas' sun, when I notice this young man is standing over me. The sun was directly behind his head so I couldn't see who or how old. He was holding an ice cold bottle of beer, condensation dripping off the glass on to his sun-browned skin, sending shivers up my spine. He bends down and hands me the bottle without a word and disappears. To this day I do not know why. It was the strangest dream I have ever had." Don almost choked at her last line.

"That was way cool. Mine went something like this. I was getting ready to go out when there was a knock on my door. As I started to open the door it was pushed in so fast that I was knocked backward. Three men came rushing in, they all had guns. They were all smiling at me, not a kind smile, but a crazy kind of smile." She stopped, as Don touched her arm, turning and looking at him. She had tears in her eyes and started to sob uncontrollably.

"You poor dear," said Sam as she placed a hand on her shoulder. Sam rose from the couch and bent down giving Michelle a kiss on the cheek. She kissed Don on the cheek. "I'm going to go and leave you two alone, I have some work to do anyway."

"No, don't go, Sam," Michelle squeaked.

"Yes, I must. You two have some things to work out and I would just be in the way."

"I know, but I need someone besides Don. We need someone else here to help us through our trauma. I know, I'm a doctor," Michelle told her, grabbing her hand and pulling her back to the couch. "Now sit down."

Sam plopped down on the couch. She reached for Michelle wrapping her in a hug. Michelle broke down into a fully fledged crying jag. Don sat there stunned. All last night and this afternoon Michelle had held it together and then a simple dream story from Sam had brought out all the bad stuff.

"Now, now there Chelle," Sam cooed to her in a sweet gentle voice he had never heard from her. She hugged Michelle gently rocking her back and forth.

"I was so scared," Michelle sobbed on Sam's shoulder. "I thought I was going to die or worse."

"I know dear."

"I was elated when Don showed up. I somehow knew everything would be alright." She went back to crying.

"Our Don has a way of making people feel that way," Sam whispered winking at Don.

Don knew Sam had feelings for him. He knew she probably loved him. He was just not sure what his feelings were for her. He reached for Michelle and she spun around facing him, tears streaming down her cheeks.

"Don, I want to thank you for saving me. I want to apologize, for what I don't know yet, but I feel I owe you something. Let me finish. I don't want to rush anything but I would like to stick around for a little while. I want to be your girl for a time, long, short, it will be up to you. I want you to know that I will be here for you whenever you need someone to...hell, I don't even know but I'll be here." She was rambling incoherently.

Don pulled her to him and hugged her. He placed his finger against her lips quieting her. The tears started to flow again. The sobs were a little more controlled. She was tired. She was emotionally drained. He picked her up and carried her to the bedroom, his not hers. He placed her on the bed and pulled the covers over her. She looked up at him and smiled as he sat on the edge of the bed.

"You are going to be alright, Michelle." It was a statement. He knew she would be okay now. She may have some nightmares about what happened for awhile but they would soon fade.

"I know. Thank you, darling." He kissed her lips, a gently kiss not rushed, not lingering.

"And I want to thank you."

"You're welcome. Now go talk to Sam, she's good for the soul. And don't be a smart ass."

"I will, but I want to make sure you're alright before I leave."

"I'll be fine. You go talk to Sam. Oh, one other thing..."

"What's that?"

"She has my permission and so does you." He was stunned. Michelle reached up and stroked his cheek. "Now go...talk...she needs you too."

"Uh...I don't know...if...I mean if I should. I will talk to her, but as far as anything else goes...I don't know."

"Don..."

"What?"

"Go talk to her."

"Okay." He kissed her again, harder this time and left the bedroom.

Chapter 15

Sam was still sitting on the couch when he returned. She smiled at him as he sat down next to her. She took his hand in hers.

"So why don't you tell me how you are feeling. How you felt last night at Michelle's."

"Sam!"

"What? Tell me. It will be good for you and for Michelle."

Don sat there staring at her. Her emerald eyes sparkling as he thought it over in his head. All the events of the last twenty-four hours flashed through his mind in the twinkling of her eyes.

"Sam, I really don't need to talk this through with anyone. I can handle it myself."

"Don, you know that's not true. No one is an island. You will have to talk these feeling out sometime. I'm offering my ear and innate wisdom as a woman of the world to you free of charge."

Don chuckled as he looked deep into her eyes. There was intelligence and caring there and as he suspected love. Shit!

"Okay, okay. How did I feel last night at Michelle's? When I saw her door had been kicked in my heart rose to my throat. I was scared to death that something had happened to her. That she was lying there hurt or worse. When I saw that it was the Morgan's I was even more scared for her. But I was determined to save her, even if I died in the process. I cared nothing for my life. Just hers," He told Sam. He had to stop as those feeling were raging within him again, anger, pain, fright, all vying for attention, all trying to mess his head up.

"Go on Don." Her gentle voice somehow soothed the beast.

"I knew what I had to do. I let my training take over. If I had thought it through before acting, I probably would have wound up shooting Michelle. So I didn't think, didn't think about anything, I just acted. When she ran into my arms I was so relieved that all the fright and anger were whisked away."

"And what about last night?"

"Last night..."

"Yes, tell me how you felt last night, here in your home."

"Last night...was...is...will...wonderful. It was wonderful and that's all you're going to get out of me."

"I suspected as much, that's all I could get out of Michelle too." Sam leaned in and kissed him on the cheek. "You know she said I could..."

"Yes, she told me." He took Sam's head in his hands and kissed her hard on the lips. She opened her mouth allowing his tongue to slip past her teeth. Her breathing was speeding up and her hand came up behind his head caressing him.

"That's all I can give you now Sam," he said as he pushed her face back from his. "My feelings for Michelle are just too strong. I don't want to do anything that may jeopardize our relationship. I'm not that kind of a man. I do hope you understand."

"Don, I love you, you know that. I will always love you. But I am also happy for you, that you have found someone, someone who may bring you back to life." She kissed him on the cheek then cuddled up into his arms. "Just hold me for a while if you will."

Don put his arms around her and she pressed her body into his even more. Sighing as his arms encircled her. They sat there a long time.

"Don," Sam broke the silence, "how do you feel about killing three people?"

His eyes were closed as she asked that question. What he saw was each bullet striking its intended target, over and over again. Deep down in the pit of his stomach, a sick feeling was starting to rise as he watched the sickening thud of the bullet striking each body. The bile started to fill his throat...he opened his eyes shaking his head.

"Sick to my stomach."

Sam was quiet as he held her staring off into space. His mind kept running that night over and over. The thought of what would have happened to Michelle if he had not arrived when he did, also replayed in his mind. He was glad he had been able to save her from what would have been a horrible experience, but it had been at the expense of another horrible experience.

"Don, you know she is grateful for saving her?"

"I know."

"You know I'm grateful that you saved her?"

"I know."

"Kiss me."

She turned her face up toward him. He leaned down and gently kissed her lips. She moaned deep in her throat.

"Thank you." As she said that a great weight was lifted from his shoulders and heart. His gut settled down and thoughts of the future filled his mind, a future with love, passion, and companionship, a future with Michelle by his side.

He felt a light touch on his head. He knew it was Michelle as he turned to look up at her. She was smiling down at him, them, as she stroked his hair.

"I'm hungry," she said softly so as not to startle Sam.

"Me too," Sam whispered.

"Ok, let's go into town and get something to eat."

Chapter 16

They were dressed and on their way in twenty minutes. There had been a long discussion on where they would go to eat. Sam suggested Antonio's but Michelle said she wasn't in the mood for Italian. He suggested Burt's Seafood Shack but Sam said she had enjoyed seafood last night. Michelle suggested they swing past the new steak place on Wilshire to see if it was open. It was so he pulled into the parking lot and parked close to the door.

Don helped Sam out of the back seat and then went around to help Michelle. He held the door open for the ladies. Charlie was standing at the podium waiting for the next customer to come in. His face broke into a smile when he saw Don. Yes, Don had eaten here often.

"Don, how nice to see you again and such beautiful companions you bring with you this evening." He shook Don's offered hand smiling at the ladies.

"Thank you, Charlie, good to see you too. Now can we have a quiet table, out of the way?"

"Of course my friend, follow me ." He led them through the restaurant to a table next to a fireplace. It was out of the way and slightly isolated from the other tables around them. Charlie held a chair for Sam as Don held a chair for Michelle. Don then took the seat between them facing away from the fireplace. "Would you like me to start a fire?"

"No thank you, Charlie."

"Drinks to being with?"

"I'll have my usual, club soda with a twist of lime."

"And I'll have a scotch on the rocks please," said Michelle.

"I will have martini please," Sam said.

"Right away my friends," Charlie said and was gone.

A waiter brought over three menus at Charlie's signal and waited by the bar for their drinks. They each opened a menu and started to look at the offerings. Although Don had been here many times, it was always later in the evening, he had never been here this early, so the menu was slightly different than for the late supper.

"I think I'm going to have the broiled filet...with mushrooms in butter sauce. Yes that's what I want," said Sam.

"Oh, that sounds good. I'll have that too," Michelle chimed in.

"Well, then that just leaves me. Mmmm, let's see. I'm going to have a filet with mashed potatoes and a house salad. We all set then?" The girls nodded their heads and he turned to signal the waiter but saw that he was already on his way over with their drinks.

"Are you ready to order or will you need a few more minutes, Mister Steel?" the waiter said putting their drinks down in front of us.

"We'll order now, Sean," Don told him.

"What would Miss Wilfinger like?"

"She will have the broiled filet with mushrooms in butter sauce."

"Very good choice Miss Wilfinger, how would you like it done?

"Medium rare, please," Michelle told him.

"Would you like a baked potato or a salad?"

"Salad," said Michelle.

"What kind of dressing?"

"Honey mustard, please."

"Miss Brown?"

"I will have the same as Michelle, please."

"And you Mister Steel?"

"I will have the filet, rare, with mushrooms, a house salad with the house dressing and the garlic mashed potatoes."

"Very well." Sean gathered up the menus and a left to place their order.

"So what shall we do after dinner?" Sam asked.

Michelle looked at him and then at Sam. She smiled and then frowned as her eye caught something past Sam. Turning he saw McAllister coming toward them. He closed his eyes and shook his head.

"Shit," he said softly to himself. McAllister wasn't a bad guy but he was a pompous ass who thought that the world revolved around him.

"Don, how are things going with you?"

"Just fine Logan, just fine." He pulled out the fourth chair without asking and sat.

"Good to hear. So did you hear that I sold that deal to DuPont, made a pretty penny on that one? And my daughter was hired at the hospital and is already saving them money."

"What?" Michelle croaked. McAllister looked at her like it was the first time he ever saw her.

"Ah, Doctor Wilfinger how nice to see you," he said in a condescending tone.

"So Logan what exactly did you do for DuPont that they are willing to pay you?" Sam winked at Michelle.

"Why we will be providing them with legal counsel for the next five years. They paid us a five million dollar retainer up front."

"I see. So they won't get billed for anything until the five million is used up, right?"

"Yes."

"So how quickly do you think you will go through that five million?"

"It will take a couple of years, I assume, judging by the past billing of their old firm."

"And what if I told you that their old firm was paid ten million upfront plus they were able to bill them after two years whether the ten million was used up or not. And I can also tell you that they burned through five million in the first year. How good do you think your deal is now?"

"What? Where did you get your information, Miss Brown?"

"Sorry Logan, I can't reveal my sources." Sam smiled at him as he fidgeted in his seat.

"I have to go...it was good to see you all," he said jumping up, not really meaning what he said and headed not back to his table but for the door.

Sam started laughing to herself while Michelle and Don just looked at her with quizzical looks on our faces.

Chapter 17

"Is what you said true?" Don asked Sam.

"Every word, so help me God." She held up her hand.

Michelle started to laugh even louder. She was sputtering and coughing almost choking on the sip of her drink she had just taken.

"It cost him a million dollars to straighten out the mess his daughter made." She giggled again as Sam and he joined in with laughter.

Sean appeared with their meals and the rest of the dinner was spent eating and laughing about McAllister. They did talk about inane things like the weather and how this person or that person was doing. All in all the meal was very pleasant and enjoyable. He had Michelle's smiling face on his right and Sam's pretty eyes on his left, what more could a man ask for. Michelle was rubbing his leg with her bare foot under the table as Sam talked to him allowing him to stare into her sensual green eyes. He was feeling much better about his future, much better indeed.

After dinner they went to the new mall that had been built on the outskirts of town, it had several big name stores and all those little quaint shops Sam enjoyed so much. Michelle was having a good time and appeared to have mostly recovered from last night. They all had a great time just walking and talking. There were some purchases made. Don sprung for some clothes for Michelle while she was staying at his house. He had Sam take her and purchase some new panties, bras and such. Then he bought her a winter coat as he hadn't seen one in her apartment.

All in all, they were loaded down with packages as they strolled back to the car. It had been fun and Don was feeling better about life as they drove home. He dropped Sam off at her place, she surprised him by not putting up a fuss and told him she could pick up her car in the morning. Then it was home for him. When we pulled into the garage and he opened the door for Michelle she jumped out and was in his arms before he knew what was happening.

"Thank you so much," she told him as she pressed her wonderful lips against his. The lovers stood there in each other's arms for the longest of time. When they final parted he was out of breath as was she.

"Let's get our packages in the house," he said heading for the trunk.

"Let's, I have some things that I want to show you," she giggled.

"This could be a very interesting night then."

"Yes, it will."

They carried the packages into the house and put them down in the living room. Michelle started going through them pulling out a small bag here and a large one there.

"I'm going to take a shower," she said as she headed upstairs.

"Me too, should we conserve water or is it too soon for that?"

Her eyes sparkled at his suggestion then cleared in an instant. "Too soon I think." She looked sad but was smiling shyly.

"That's fine, I don't want to rush you, sweetheart."

"And I thank you for that Don. I really do, you'll never know how much that means to me." She turned and was gone from sight.

Don went upstairs to the master bedroom and began to undress. He then went into the bathroom and showered. He was standing at his dresser pulling on a pair of briefs when out of the corner of his eye he saw a vision of loveliness. Michelle stood there, posed actually, in a royal blue outfit that showed off every curve, every swell of her beautiful body. Her hair was combed smooth and her makeup was perfect. She had on a matching bra and panty set with a matching garter belt and stockings.

She looked lovely, right down to the matching heels she wore. The briefs he wore could not hide his arousal at the vision of her posed in his bedroom doorway. He slowly walked toward her, her smile never wavered. He took her in his arms and kissed her gently on the lips. Her tongue poked tentatively through her lips to caress his. Her hand went to the back of his neck as he hugged her to him, his aroused stated pressing into her belly.

"Take me to bed sweetheart," she whispered against his lips as her soft hands caressed his head and face.

Don gently picked her up, carrying her to his bed. He lowered her to the softness of the mattress and climbing in next to her all the while gazing into her beautiful eyes. Lying next to her, he unsnapped her bra allowing him access to her lovely breasts. She gently bit her lower lip as he lowered his lips to her delicate nipples.

As he gently kissed her right nipple, a moan escaped her throat and she pushed her breast up against his face. Pulling the sensitive nub of flesh into his mouth he tenderly bit it between his teeth.

"Oh God," was all she said, as her hands gently caressed the back of his head pulling it tightly to her breast.

Don continued to gently bite and nibble on her delicious flesh as he pinched the other nipple between his thumb and forefinger. Michelle jumped when he squeezed her nipple a little harder but did not tell him to stop. Pulling his head from her tantalizing breast he looked down at her beautiful body.

"Just fantastic," he said, her beauty took his breath away. She smiled up at him and pulled him down on top of her. Their lips met in a heated kiss as he fumbled with getting her panties pushed down her wonderful hips. She pushed him away with a giggle and lifted her hips from the bed so he could slip them off her legs.