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A Shepherd in France Ch. 01

By: BurntRedstone



Author's Notes:

'A Shepherd in Paris - Part 1 and 2' is a continuation of 'The Shepherd of Ashburn Court – Parts 1 through 5'. Minimal effort is made in this tale to explain the backstory so please read the other stories first.

All characters engaging in sexual relationships or activities are 18 years old or older.

********

Chapter 1

Ben Shepherd shuffled a few feet closer to the entrance of the customs area in the airport in Paris. His neck was hurting from how it had been positioned when he slept on the flight over from the States. He tried rolling out the kink in the thick muscles. He grimaced in pain and rubbed at it. That was the problem with being muscular. Big muscles meant big muscle pain and Ben was a big man. 6' 3" and 260 pounds of hard muscle gifted from good genes and earned from a strenuous exercise regimen. He didn't look bad for a man in his forties.

He looked around at the seething mass of people trying to get through customs. Several large planes had landed and offloaded in quick succession which lead to this ugly bottleneck. Ahead of him in that mass were three women he was in love with and who had expressed their love for him. He never expected to find love in his life after his wife left him for another man. To find it with three women was so far beyond his expectation he still had trouble accepting the reality of it and accepting that he deserved it.

There was a voice inside him that whispered he wasn't worthy, it wouldn't last, and they would leave him like the others who claimed to love him had. He'd listened to that voice since he was a young child and it never went away. It was a daily struggle though recently it had been quieter than usual. He'd been surrounded by the love of these women and even his despised inner voice couldn't compete with that.

Before it could get a grip on him again he scanned the crowd ahead and saw Catherine McGovern and her daughters nearing the entrance, the four white blonde heads made them stand out as did their beauty. They were always the easiest to find due to their hair and their height. The mother was 5' 10" and matched by her oldest, Sophia who was 21. Her other two, Rachel at 20 and Meagan who was 19, were just an inch shorter.

He smiled as he thought of Catherine's amazing blue eyes which often held a mischievous spark. It usually appeared with a sexy grin and the most delightful wrinkles on the bridge of her slim nose. She was truly gorgeous and it still stunned him that she was in love with him. She was all lean muscle and svelte curves from her swimming and her daughters were equally fit though he thought they chose martial arts to stay that way. 

Each daughter had been blessed with their mother's looks, eye and hair coloring, and the resemblance was definitely strong but each was like a unique flavor of the same delicious dish. 

Sophia's eyes were slightly more almond shape, probably from her father's genes and her cheekbones were just a little higher giving her face more of a heart shape. She was the calmest and most composed of the three daughters.

The middle child Rachel had inherited a bit of her father's strong nose. Not enough to overpower her other features but enough to give her a distinct look from her sisters. Ben thought she was truly lovely and she certainly had her mother's boisterous energy.

Meagan was the doer. She was bold and decisive and the personification of cute from her wide blue eyes to her slightly upturned nose. She was also the one who helped drag Ben into Catherine's life.

A few passengers behind them was Tina Lee. Tina was Korean, petite at 5' even, slim and wore her luxurious, straight black hair to the middle of her back. She had a sweet face that showed its breathtaking beauty when she smiled. It always caught people off guard. She was currently living with Ben and had professed her love to him as well. Tina was special in that she was submissive. She'd had a very bad experience with her abusive late husband and Ben had reluctantly taken over as her Dom to the best of his abilities and she claimed he was exactly the kind of man she'd dreamed of finding. She'd worked her way into his heart even though she was only in her mid-twenties. Their age gap had given Ben quite a lot of trouble.

Behind Tina and closest to him in the throng was Gabriella Wallace with her two kids, Miriam, a pretty 16 year old girl, and her brother Daniel who was 13. Gabriella was an inverse mirror of Catherine's fairness and slim physique as she was raven haired and had generous curves. She was by no means fat, she just had curves! She also had brilliant green eyes that he could get lost in. But while Ben was enthralled by her beauty what drew him most was her wisdom and deep compassion. It was she who helped Ben get past his misconceptions of what love was and made him see he could be in love with more than one person and not inflict pain on the others. He loved her deeply and knew she felt the same for him. She was also the one who helped him accept Tina's love.

As Gabriella kept an eye on Miriam and Daniel she'd glance back occasionally to ensure he was still following. He snorted. Where else could he go? He was being led with all the other sheep into the large hall. He could see multiple queues leading to a series of customs desks. An officer was directing the incoming flow to random queues so he gave up hope of rejoining Catherine's or Gabriella's group. He caught her eye the next time she looked back and he gestured that he'd meet her at baggage claim. She nodded.

They slowly shuffled forward and as he expected their group began to get split up. Catherine and her daughters were directed to the queue on the far right. Tina, Gabriella and the kids went to the queue to the far left. When Ben arrived in front of the officer his neck spasmed and he grimaced as he rolled his shoulders. The agent stared wide eyed at Ben's facial scar which made an appearance. The officer pointed to the queue directly behind him and Ben stepped past the man. He didn't see the officer immediately call someone on his radio as he saw the queue he'd been directed into was shorter than the others. Ben smiled and felt a little better about his chances of getting through this area quickly. He looked to the left and right but he could no longer see the rest of his group.

Ben walked up behind a young couple who were arguing or rather the man was hissing angrily at the woman. She couldn't have been more than twenty five, maybe 5' 6" and her taller gangly boyfriend wasn't much older. They both wore an array of body jewellery with piercings in their nose, ears, eyebrows, lips, and tongues. The woman, whose bosom was... generous, wore a small halter top which exposed her trim arms, shoulders, most of her back and her flat stomach so her tattoos were in plain sight. While Ben would never consider getting a tattoo of his own he thought the woman's Japanese stylized art of a cherry tree in full bloom on her back was exquisitely done. Pink petals seemed to be blowing across her limbs. Several beautifully detailed, colorful koi swam in the cool waters depicted on her arms. Her auburn hair was braided into a single long braid running down her back past her ass. That was a lot of hair! Her legs were hidden behind a long flowing peasant skirt. She had worn leather sandals on her feet which had obviously seen some miles.

In contrast, her boyfriend's tattoos were rougher and seemed random. Nothing artistic about them. A fair number of them were just aggressively antagonistic slogans, like 'Fuck the Police' and images of weapons. He wore a mesh shirt which showed his underfed torso, a pair of ripped army pants, and scuffed army boots. 

He was currently poking the woman hard while growling quietly right in her face. She seemed to be crying and shaking her head like she was frightened. Ben saw she was trembling.

Fuck. 

Ben squirmed as he tried not to get involved though his instincts were screaming at him to do just that. He looked for Gabriella or Catherine but they were nowhere to be seen. 

Fuck. Fuck. Fuck.

The punk leaned in and hissed at the girl again loud enough this time that Ben heard his words. "Cunt, I fucking own you! You do as I fucking say or you're dead. You will NOT fuck this up for me! I will FUCKING cut you a new hole if you don't stop your fucking crying!" 

Then he slapped the girl's face.

Ben was being fast walked down a corridor by two police officers when he next became aware of his surroundings. His wrists were cuffed behind his back and a third officer was carrying his shoulder bag. They stopped before a door, opened it and pushed Ben inside. They pulled out a chair, undid the cuffs, and sat him in the chair. The cuffs went back on him but through a metal loop on the table's surface. One of the officers barked something at him in French but before Ben could respond they left.

Fuck.

Gabriella stood by the carousel and their luggage looking for Ben. She was getting worried as most of the passengers from their plane had already passed through customs and had left with their bags. Catherine walked back from the entrance to the customs area and her face showed she'd had no luck.

"I can't find him anywhere!" Catherine said to the group with worry in her voice. Sophia looked at her mother then shared a nervous look with Rachel.

Meagan, who had been assigned baggage watch duty caught the eyes of her sisters and pointed to the suitcases. Sophia nodded and pulled Rachel over with her to stand with the accumulation of bags. They knew of the three of them Meagan was the boldest and would push her way into places the others wouldn't think of entering.

Gabriella scanned the baggage claim area once more but Ben wasn't there. She had his suitcase so he hadn't been through the area yet. Meagan walked up to her.

"Give me a few minutes," she said and Gabriella nodded. Meagan headed off towards the doors to the customs area. Gabriella watched her slip through the doors as a passenger exited. She wished her luck but then the young lady made her own luck.

She looked over at Catherine and saw she was biting her lip. They were both nervous but Tina was beginning to look frantic. "Tina, don't worry. He's probably just caught up in some technicality. Meagan will find him.

Tina trembled but nodded as her eyes remained locked on the doors.

Meagan had surprisingly already made progress. She was sitting on a bench next to a young woman with lovely tattoos. As she'd passed the hall to the security offices she'd overheard an angry voice screaming something about killing the big bastard who sucker punched him and how he'd be back to 'cut the bitch'. That sounded like a promising lead so Meagan walked into the hall as the police dragged the screaming and thrashing man away out another door. She sat down next to the crying woman who looked up hopefully at her. Meagan saw she was handcuffed to the bench.

"Hi, my name is Meagan."

"Lucy."

"Did a large man come to your rescue against the angry guy?" she asked with a smile.

Lucy looked at Meagan with large teary eyes. "Yes! How did you know?"

"That was Ben. My mom's boyfriend. He does stuff like that. Did you see which way he went?" she asked.

"After he knocked Cecil out the police came and grabbed him. He didn't resist as they led him away. Is Ben simple minded?" Lucy asked.

"What? No! Why?" Megan snorted.

"He- he seemed kind of out of it when he grabbed Cecil after I was slapped. His face was blank and his eyes were a little scary when he held Cecil up on his tip toes by his ponytail. When Cecil tried to kick and hit him Ben punched him once in the face then dropped him in a pile on the floor. Then he looked at me with a friendly smile."

Meagan frowned with worry. She recalled her mom saying Ben had zoned out before when he beat up their new neighbor who had abuse his wife. She hoped he wasn't relapsing. If the police had him she had to get Gabriella and her mom on damage control as soon as possible.

"Are you going to be OK?" Meagan asked.

Lucy dropped her eyes down to her cuffed hands and worried a tissue into shreds. "I don't know. Cecil has my passport. And my money. He's going to lose his shit when he discovers I'm no longer carrying his drugs. He's going to kill me. I just want to go home!" she blurted then began to cry.

"The police have your passport by now. Just tell them how Cecil held you captive to be his drug mule. From what I've read that's more common than you think. That should get you free from him hopefully. Here's some cash to get you to our hotel, the Imperial Suites. When we get Ben free we'll meet you there and he'll hook you up with a flight home."

"Oh my god! Thank you!" Lucy gasped. She started crying again so Meagan just patted her on the shoulder.

"You be careful and we'll see you soon, ok?" she said and headed back out to the baggage area. She had information some nervous ladies needed to hear.

Chief Inspector Antoine Boucher stared through the glass at the large man handcuffed to the table and contemplated how good he was going to look in the news tonight having captured Kirion Rapava, terror of the night! The man's crime spree had come to an end! Women could walk the dark streets at night no longer fearing the blade of this monster.

If it was him. 

They hadn't proven that yet. There were no clear photos of Rapava nor any accurate eye witness descriptions. All they had was that he was large, muscular, had dark hair, and most importantly he had a scar crossing his face.

Boucher had watched the footage of the big man lashing out at the punk who slapped his girlfriend. He was certainly capable of violence. Boucher was a bear of a man but the man in the room intimidated him.

What planted the seed of doubt in Antoine's mind that the man they had in custody might not be Rapava was the gentle smile the brute had given the girl after he dropped the punk to the floor. Why had he protected the girl? That didn't fit the profile they had, at all. Rapava had never shown the slightest bit of compassion to any of his victims. All of whom were female. Or looked like a female in the case of that one unfortunate cross dresser.

The door opened quickly and Detective Chanel Babineaux pushed her way in with a fierce expression on her face. She drew up short when she saw Boucher.

"Chief Inspector! Is it true? We got Kirion Rapava?" She swung her face to look through the glass at the man inside. "Is it him?"

"Detective Babineaux, when did you get here?" Antoine asked. He took in the wrinkled suit and the short black hair in desperate need of a wash or even a brush. The woman's eyes were dark brown and bore right through your head when she focused on you. She had classic symmetrical facial features and a long limbed, slim build the ladies on the Parisian catwalks would kill for. Had she worn even the slightest amount of make-up or paid any attention to her looks she could have been breathtaking. But the Chief Inspector knew the detective despised all things 'girly'. Still rebelling from her mother's pressure to get her into fashion. He couldn't fault her for wanting to apply her keen mind to the 'more worthy' pursuit of being a detective in the police force.

"Just minutes ago. I was following a tip that Rapava was coming in on a flight today. I got here and was informed that he was already in custody!"

"It might be him. He matches the limited description we have. Our people are going over the documents he had with him. The passport was brand new. Could be fake but it's a really good forgery if it is. Our tech people are working on accessing the computer he had on him. He seemed to be travelling on his own." 

Babineaux stared at the man shackled to the table. "Who's doing the interrogation?"

"Felix."

"Ah. Good man," she conceded. She would have loved to have been the one to crack Rapava. She had a personal connection to this case though she kept that fact to herself. Chanel had been on this case for years. She knew all the details of each attack carried out by that monster. You couldn't bury yourself so deep in the details without it affecting you. Then he struck too close to home. Someone she'd known... intimately... had been killed and all signs pointed to Rapava.

She examined the man in the room and memorized his features. He was handsome if you ignored the thin white scar that ran from cheek to cheek crossing is nose. Big, dark, and brooding. She wasn't sure how long he'd been in there. 

"Have you seen the footage of him attacking the punk in the custom's queue?" Boucher asked.

Chanel looked at her boss. "He attacked someone?" she said in shock.

The man nodded and passed her a tablet. The door opened and the Chief Inspector was called outside.

Chanel queued the clip and watched it. She stopped it the moment he dropped the limp man to the ground. She saw the cold expression on his face as he struck the man. Quick as a whip and ruthless. It had to be Rapava. She put the tablet down and turned to the window again. 

She saw the door open in the room and the man looked at the three officers who entered. He was staring at them as they spoke but he shook his head. She turned on the speaker to hear what they were saying.

"-English. Sorry, I don't speak French," he said.

The officers closed the door and took positions. One moved forward and removed one of the cuffs and stood back.

"You will remove your clothes for a body search," the officer who released him said. The man scowled at him but looked at the others who had their hands on their weapons. He unbuttoned his shirt.

Chanel jumped when the door to the observation room opened and two female officers barged in. They stopped and stared at Babineaux but she just nodded. Rapava deserved the indignity so she was fine with him having an audience. She moved to the left side of the window furthest from the door which gave her a better view anyway. 

Three more female officers and two male officers came into the room to watch the unveiling. Their timing was perfect as the man was just taking off his shirt at that moment. He pulled it open and back over his shoulders. He was very muscular and several sighs and coos were heard from the watchers but that stopped when they noticed the scars. The room went quiet. 

Terrible violence had been inflicted upon this man. It was difficult to tell the age of some of the scars. Some looked recent. Some were large and others small so there may have been multiple attackers of different strengths. Regardless they were chilling to see. Perhaps most disturbing were the three old bullet hole scars on his lower torso.

"The pants. Remove them," the officer said, his voice betraying his unease. 

The man scowled again but undid his belt, button and zipper. He kicked off his shoes, pushed his pants down and stepped free of them. The watchers gasped and giggled as they saw the thick cock hanging down between his legs. He stood there with his hands at his side waiting while the officer inspected his clothing.

"Gil, would you like to spend some time with him in his cell?" Chanel overheard a teasing voice say.

"Like you wouldn't," was Gil's reply.

"They found his concealed weapon," giggled one of the ladies.

"Maybe you'd like to help conceal it once more?" chuckled another.

"You do realize this man is responsible for the brutal torture and murder of over a dozen women?" Babineaux said critically.

One of the women looked at her in surprise. "It's him then? Kirion Rapava? It's been proven?" 

Chanel looked away from the officers to stare back at the naked man behind the glass who was bending over the table. "Not yet. But we're getting closer."

The room winced as they watched the man's reaction to the cavity check. "You can put your clothes back on," the officer who did the inspection said when he was finished.


A Shepherd in France Ch. 01



The man dressed, all the while glaring at the three officers. His blush betrayed his humiliation and his facial scar stood out in stark contrast. Once he was shackled to the table again they left as did the watchers with Chanel. One of the ladies stopped and looked back at the detective. "I hope it isn't him. Sending such a beautiful man to prison for life would be such a waste," she said and ignored Chanel's glare as she left.

Minutes later she watched the door open on the interrogation room again. Detective Felix Mannus entered the room with a file in his hand. Mannus looked like he'd just stepped off a catwalk. Crisp, tailored suit, perfectly mussed hair, chiseled features, the man used his looks as a weapon against those he interrogated. He seemed to be able to get people to open up to him faster. People wanted to trust the pretty man. Babineaux snorted. She'd been told she could do the same thing but she found the idea distasteful.

Mannus sat and opened the file.

"Mr..." He looked at the file. "Shepherd it says here," he said in French.

"I'm sorry I don't speak French. Only English," the man said.

Felix looked at him. "I said the file reads that your documents indicate your name is Ben Shepherd." 

"That's right."

"Ben Shepherd. Benjamin?" the detective asked.

"No, just Ben."

"Why did you attack the man in the customs queue, Benjamin?"

"Ben. I- I don't remember attacking anyone." 

"Really? You don't remember? You are actually going to tell me that," Mannus said with a sigh. He pulled a tablet from under the file and queued up the clip. He turned it to the man and played it.

Chanel watched the expression on the man's face. She saw his jaw lock and his eyes go cold. Definitely a killer she thought. It's him! She was convinced.

"He hit the girl," the man said with a voice gone cold.

Mannus seemed to be looking carefully at the man across the table from him. "You struck the man very violently. He lost teeth," he said quietly.

"He hit the girl," was the only reply. Again, the smooth, calm voice sent a chill up Chanel's spine.

"Did you know this man or the woman he was with?" the detective asked.

"No," he said and began to blink. His eyes began to show confusion. "I need to let my friends know where I am. Tina especially."

"Your friends? You were traveling alone," Mannus said looking at the file.

"I was traveling with eight other people but we got separated at customs. Listen, Tina has... an anxiety disorder. She's probably in a bad state. I need to let her and the others know where I am."

Chanel frowned. This was a different ploy. Crafty bastard.

"Then perhaps you should answer my questions quickly so we can finish up here," Mannus said reasonably. The man frowned but nodded.

"What is the purpose of your visit to Paris?" he asked. 

"We're on vacation. Sightseeing," the man replied but looked towards the door.

"How long will you be here, Benjamin?" the detective continued.

"Ben. Two weeks but we'll only be in Paris for five days. We're visiting several places as we head south and will finish up in Cannes and fly home from Nice."

"Your passport is new."

"Yes, I got it renewed before the trip," the man replied.

"You filled the other one? You travel a lot? Amsterdam? London? Warsaw? Johannesburg? Frankfurt? Rome?" Mannus said and Chanel recognized the list of cities where Rapava had left his mark.

"No, I've never traveled before. My neighbor Gabriella who organized this trip asked me to renew my old passport even though it still had a little under a year left on it. I hadn't used the old one."

"So you are claiming you've never been to the cities I mentioned," Mannus pushed.

"That's right. Paris is the first place I've ever traveled to and I'm starting to wish I hadn't," the man grumbled.

"That's odd because we have people claiming to have seen you in those cities," the detective pushed again.

"Then they'd be wrong because I've never traveled outside of the United States before," the man insisted.

"Their description of you was very specific." The moment Mannus said it Babineaux wanted to scream.

The man froze. He looked at the detective. "Is that what all this is about? I look like someone you are looking for? Is there a photo of this person I'm supposed to be?"

Chanel cursed. Felix had fucked up. She knew Rapava was done talking. She stormed out of the observation room. She had to contact her snitch to see if she could get more information on Rapava's actual reason for coming to Paris. She had to get it before he weaseled his way free of this. They still had his attack on the punk in the custom's queue. So they could hold him on that. 

As she made her way through the halls she saw a cluster of officers and a medical team with a stretcher. There was a body under the sheet on it. 

"Who's this?" she asked.

"Just some stupid punk who thought he could smuggle heroin inside his body and get into a fight. He attacked these guys and they put him down. But one of the bags in his intestines must have ruptured. He died of an overdose pretty quickly after that," the medic said.

Chanel pulled the sheet down and cursed. It was the guy from the queue. Their reason for keeping Rapava. FUCK! She thought quickly. There was still the girlfriend. She'd still be in holding. Chanel set off to find her.

Gabriella, Catherine, and Tina sat in a conference room waiting on the Chief Inspector. Meagan had returned to them directly after speaking with a young woman who had witnessed the police taking Ben away. She'd filled them in on Ben's situation and everyone gave her hugs for her amazing detective work. The three women had immediately set off for the Security office and demanded to speak with whoever was in charge. 

Gabriella looked over at Tina and saw she was looking a little better. Now that they knew Ben was in a room nearby the uncertainty was greatly reduced. They were taking action. But they still had to extract Ben from this mess.

A large burly man in a dark grey suit entered the conference room and introduced himself in French as Chief Inspector Antoine Boucher and that he understood they had asked to speak with him. Gabriella greeted him in French and asked if they could speak in English for Tina's sake. He smiled and graciously agreed.

"So I am to understand you know something of the man we currently have in custody?" he began.

"Yes, his name is Ben Shepherd and he is a very good friend and neighbor of ours. We've been neighbors for years and this is his first time traveling outside of the States. Ben is traveling with our group but we got separated in that mess at customs," Gabriella explained.

"Then you are unaware that he was involved in a violent altercation with another passenger," Boucher asserted.

"We understand that Ben came to the assistance of a young woman named Lucy who was being physically assaulted," Gabriella said.

"Ben does that. He is a good man!" Tina blurted and Catherine took her hand with a smile.

The Chief Inspector's face showed his surprise that they were aware of the young woman.

"Ben can't turn a blind eye when a woman is being abused. Did the passenger attempt to attack Ben when he stopped him from hurting the woman?" Gabriella asked.

This explanation spoke to Antoine's niggling doubts but he wasn't ready to hand over their suspect on the word of these three women. They were not citizens of France.

Gabriella read his unease and spoke up again. "I'm here on vacation this time but I'm in Paris frequently for my business. I import Parisian fashion from designers here for distributors in the States. I have several business contacts here that will vouch for me," Gabriella suggested. Boucher looked pleased and nodded. She brought up the contact details on her phone. She showed them to him and he made a note on his tablet.

When he saw the third contact he froze. "Is this a direct line to Madame Clarisse Leferre?"

Gabriella's face held a warm smile. "Yes. Clarisse is a dear friend as well as a colleague and she is aware of Ben. I've shown her a picture of Ben as well. She can vouch for me and for how long I've known him.

She pulled up a photo she had on her phone of her and Ben in the park in the center court during a block party. She turned the phone to Boucher. It was an older picture taken in the summer and Gabriella was showing a little more cleavage than she normally felt comfortable displaying. She'd done it to catch Ben's eye and she recalled it had certainly worked.

"If you would be so kind to forward this image to my account we will add it to the file... as proof of your previous knowledge," Boucher said with a slight blush.

"Certainly," she replied as she entered the email address he showed her on the tablet. The picture was sent and she watched him smile as it appeared on his tablet. Men were such slaves to their penises, she thought, but kept her smile to herself.

He looked closer at Ben's face in the image and noticed no scar. "When was this image taken? He is missing some characteristics his face now has."

She looked at Catherine. "When was our last block party? The big one we had in the park."

Catherine frowned. "I believe that was four years ago." 

Gabriella nodded. "Ben now has a scar across his face."

Boucher perked up. "When did he get this scar?"

"Close to three months ago Ben was attacked by a man with a knife. He was stabbed in the chest multiple times and his face was slashed. He's healed very well but the scars remain," Gabriella replied.

Boucher felt disappointment settle upon him. Three months was too recent for this man to be Kirion Rapava. The first report of Rapava's scar was from five years earlier. Still he thought he'd try one last thing. He looked carefully at the ladies. "Does the name Kirion Rapava mean anything to you?"

Gabriella shook her head as did Catherine and Tina. He nodded.

"There remains the fact that your friend and neighbor used violence against a fellow passenger. A passenger that is in his rights to press charges. Please give me a moment to call your contacts and to confer with the assaulted man to see how he wishes to proceed."

Gabriella nodded and cast a worried look at Catherine and Tina. Once they were alone she addressed her fears. "The French judicial system is different than ours. Here you are guilty until proven innocent."

"We will not get to leave with Ben?" Tina whimpered.

"We will see. You may need to be brave Tina." Gabriella took her hand.

Chanel was in a rage. Felix was in the process of fucking up the most important interrogation of his career, the punk who could have pressed charges against their suspect to keep him in custody was dead, and the girl whose statement might have assisted them with at least delaying his departure was nowhere to be found. The detective was searching for the officer that released her.

She found him in the small kitchen pouring himself a cup of coffee.

"Jacob! What the fuck! Why did you release the witness to the attack!" she barked.

"Good morning to you, Chanel. You look lovely as usual," he replied with a weary tone.

"Answer my question!"

"There was no reason to hold her. The man she was with died. She claimed that he held her captive, took her passport and money, threatened to kill her, and tried to get her to carry drugs which she dumped back in the airport in Amsterdam. She said he would have killed her when he discovered she no longer had them. She was clean, her papers are good and he was dead so there was no reason to keep her," he finished with a huge yawn having just finished his extended overnight shift. The coffee was just to wake himself up enough so he could drive home.

"There is an ongoing investigation she is a witness in!" Chanel growled.

"Am I a mind reader? Maybe you should share information like that!" he growled back.

"Where the fuck is she now?" she asked.

"She said she'd be going to the Imperial Suites then she was flying home to the States," he offered then scowled as the detective spun and rushed from the room. "Fuck you too."

Boucher was all smiles when he entered the conference room again. His call with Madam Leferre and subsequent video call with her had been delightful. He normally delegated such calls to subordinates but to speak with such a celebrity of the fashion industry had been a perk he could not deny himself. And she had been as lovely and gracious as he'd expected. The fact that she had suggested they video conference so he could show her the pictures of his suspect for her to identify had been unexpected and very welcome. She had identified the man as Ben Shepherd and confirmed that Gabriella had been neighbors with him for years. When he showed her an image he'd taken of Ben this morning she sighed when she saw his scar and acknowledged Gabriella had mentioned the attack on him. 

He would have Gabriella's other contacts called by a junior officer but Boucher was convinced this wasn't the man they were after.

Gabriella, Catherine, and Tina all looked at him with anxious expressions.

"I have some good news for you. I have confirmed that your neighbor is not the man we are looking for. Also the man he assaulted has died," Antoine said with a smile.

All three women cried out in dismay as he realized what he'd just said.

"Oh! I'm so sorry! I did not mean to imply the man died from the assault! He was carrying drugs inside his body and got into a fight with the officers detaining him. In the struggle one of the balloons of drugs must have ruptured. He died of an instant overdose. Nothing to do with your friend. Again, my apologies for my careless words."

All three smiled weakly and Tina leaned forward. "Please may I see Ben now!" she pleaded.

"I will bring him to you. Please wait just a moment more," Antoine said and glanced at Gabriella who smiled and nodded. He left the office and stopped by the tech department. He looked in and saw two of his tech heads peering at the screen on the suspect's notebook computer. Both were eating as they worked. Antoine shuddered at their poor eating habits. "Have you had any success?" he asked.

"Chief Inspector! Sir, uh, no sir. The security is like something from a spy novel. We have tried to get past it but there seems to be at least three levels of security, including biometrics which only the subject can match. If we had permission to take the machine apart..." one of the techs said with a hopeful tone.

"No, we are releasing the man. Close it up, pack it all away in his briefcase and bring it to interrogation immediately," Boucher said ignoring their looks of disappointment. He turned and walked back to the interrogation room. He stepped into the observation room and looked through the glass. 

Ben was sitting as far back in his chair as the handcuffs would let him. He was glaring at the detective across the table but he wasn't saying a word. Antoine tapped on the glass. 

Detective Mannus glanced over his shoulder and Ben jerked his head towards the mirror as if he suddenly realized it hid another room with watchers. His face went red but Antoine couldn't tell if that was from rage or humiliation. Even though he knew the man wasn't Rapava he still felt intimidated by him. Must be that damned scar.

Mannus closed the file and left the room. Moments later he entered the observation room. 

"Chief Inspector."

"Detective Mannus. Your impressions?"

"He's big. He's menacing with that scar but I don't believe he's Kirion Rapava."

"Agreed. He was actually travelling with a group and I've spoken with some of them. They've provided confirmation that he is the man his passport indicates he is. I'm going to release him."

"What about the punk he assaulted?" Felix asked.

"He got into a fight with some officers and ruptured one of the balloons of drugs in his gut. He's dead. I don't need the headaches of trying to charge this man with no victim," Antoine said. "Get the officers to unshackle him please."

Felix nodded and left. Boucher took another look at the man inside the interrogation room. He sighed. If he had been Rapava there would have been reason to celebrate. Now that they knew it wasn't, and they knew Rapava may have slipped in, they would need to review all of the incoming passengers to see if any others matched the description they had. He saw the officers entering the room so he left to stand in the hall. The tech came by with Ben's shoulder bag and gave it to the Chief Inspector.

Moments later the officers led Ben out of the room.

"Mr. Shepherd, I'm Chief Inspector Antoine Boucher. My apologies for detaining you but we had to be certain you were not the very dangerous criminal we were informed had come to Paris. Your activities in the customs area helped set that impression."

Ben looked like he was struggling to control his emotions. Finally, he nodded.

"You have some ladies waiting for you in a conference room. One in particular seems very upset."

Ben's expression immediately changed to concern. "Tina? Is she alright? May I go to her?"

Antoine smiled and the last bit of doubt he had dissolved. This was not Kirion Rapava. "Yes, I will take you to her." He handed Ben his shoulder bag and nodded to the officers who walked away. Antoine gestured for Ben to walk with him. They got to the room and he allowed Ben to enter first.

"BEN!" Tina cried and leapt to her feet. She rushed around the table and crushed herself up against his chest. Ben held her trembling body tight and looked over to Gabriella and Catherine with love and gratitude. The other ladies came around the table as well and shook Antoine's hand and gave him a kiss on both cheeks. He looked very pleased indeed. He led them out of the conference room and once Ben pulled Tina from his chest they followed him into the hallway. They were led to the entrance of the Security offices and this time Tina leaned up to give Antoine a double cheek kiss. She also gave him a small bow then returned to cling to Ben's arm.

Boucher headed back to get the video analysis started and the others headed towards baggage claim.

Chapter 2

When the group reconnected by their bags there were hugs all around. When Ben learned it was Meagan who found him and led Gabriella, Catherine, and Tina to him Ben stepped forward and pulled her into a big hug. Sophia and Rachel looked on with envy as their younger sister smirked at them.

Next came the ordeal of getting them and their baggage to their hotel. This was solved by piling into a number of cabs, Tina went with Ben, and the convoy made its way to the hotel without losing anyone or any baggage. Soon most of them were standing in the lobby of the hotel surrounded by their bags. Catherine was outside paying the last taxi driver and Gabriella was speaking to the front desk clerk checking their party in. 

Meagan noticed Lucy at the far end of the lobby, beat up backpack at her feet, being questioned by a tall woman with short dark hair. Lucy was shaking her head and didn't look happy. Meagan reached over and tugged Ben's sleeve.

"Ben?"

He turned to her. "Yes?"

"The woman I spoke to who pointed out where you were? Her name is Lucy. She was pretty upset as the guy she was with basically kidnapped her. She just wanted to go home but he took her passport and money. I gave her cab fare and told her to meet us here. I kinda told her you would pay for her flight home," Meagan said looking embarrassed at her presumption.

"She's here?" Ben looked up and spotted the girl, in tears now, at the far end of the room. He immediately set out in her direction with Meagan and Tina in his wake. Sophia, Rachel, and Daniel remained with the bags while Miriam went to tell her mother where Ben was heading.

"Lucy?" he said and her head whipped up. The tall woman spun around with her hand moving to her sidearm. Ben saw fear and rage pass across her features in rapid succession then settle on incredulous anger.




A Shepherd in France Ch. 01



"How are you here? Why aren't you in custody?" the woman growled.

"Who the hell are you?" Ben growled back.

"Detective Babineaux. Answer my question!" she barked.

"I'm done answering quest-" Ben began loudly when Tina interrupted him.

"Chief Inspector Antoine Boucher said Ben was not the man the police were looking for. He set Ben free! If you want to question your boss feel free to speak with him. Until then you may leave us alone please!" Tina asserted.

Ben looked at Tina with a proud smile. Then he looked over at Lucy who was sniffling. "Are you Ok?" he asked.

"I just want to go home!" she begged looking at Ben pleadingly.

"Then let's make that happen," Ben said kindly, holding out his hand.

Lucy picked up her pack, slipped around the detective and seized Ben's hand like a lifeline.

Babineaux stepped right up to Ben and looked him in the eye. The woman was almost his height. "I don't know how you fooled Boucher and I don't know how you've convinced these women to defend you but I know who you really are Kirion and I will take you down. Know this!"

"Lady, you have the wrong guy and while you're wasting your time with me the real Kirion is out there... doing bad things," Ben growled.

Chanel spat in his face and quickly stepped back waiting for him to attack.

There was a tense moment then Ben held out a hand to Tina. She placed one of her ever present cleaning wipes in his hand and he used it to wipe the spit from his face.

When he was done he fixed a cold stare directly into the detective's eyes. "Your boss is going to receive a call from me now. You have moved from being merely annoying to assaulting me. It's clear you're becoming unstable. Unstable people who carry weapons are a risk to the public. Maybe you should go speak with him. Convince him otherwise." Ben's voice was calm but very cold. He was obviously restraining himself with great effort.

Chanel ground her teeth then her eyes caught sight of someone long dead. Her reason for going after Rapava so fiercely. Her face froze with a look of shock as the apparition moved towards her. Tall, fair skinned, white blond hair to her shoulders, fine features, lush lips, and those beautiful blue eyes that looked right into her soul. Babineaux came undone, took a step back then turned and fled before the ghost of her past could reach her.

Ben watched the detective push open the side door and rush outside. He looked back at Catherine who was approaching with Gabriella.

"Who was that?" Cat asked him.

"I was going to ask you that very question as she was looking at you like she knew you," Ben said. When Catherine shrugged he shook his head. "She said her name was Detective Babineaux. She was rather upset I'd been released. She still thinks I'm this Kirion guy."

"She spat in Ben's face to get him to attack her!" Tina blurted.

Gabriella and Catherine made angry sounds then they noticed the young woman hiding behind Ben holding his hand.

Ben became aware of her again as well. He gently pulled her forward. "This is Lucy. We're going to help her get home."

Gabriella and Catherine both smiled and introductions were made as they all walked back to the bags and the other travelers in their group.

"We're all checked in. We have the top floor to ourselves. All the rooms are ours. We can go up now. Then you can make the arrangements to get Lucy home."

"Is that ok with you?" Ben asked the young woman.

"Yes, that sounds very ok," she replied with a timid smile.

They took the elevators up to the top floor and Gabriella led Ben to his room. Catherine led the others to their rooms. Gabriella had arranged the largest suite for Ben as he was paying for the trip. Ben looked around the lushly appointed room in awe. He immediately kicked off his shoes at the door. The carpet in the living room looked like it was handmade and a work of art in itself.

"This is too much for me! Uh... where's the bed? Does the sofa fold out?" he asked as he took in the beautiful sitting area.

Gabriella rolled her eyes and grinned as she walked over to a set of sliding panels cleverly disguised as frosted windows and slid them apart. Behind them was a huge four poster bed on a raised platform. Ben's eyebrows went up in surprise. He walked in and there was a door beyond the bed that led to an amazing ensuite bathroom with a huge soaker tub and a large shower with jets like he'd installed in his own bathroom at home. He was impressed. The room was a little... ok, way over the top but the bed looked inviting.

First thing first though. He had to arrange to get Lucy home.

He walked back out to the sitting room and saw her staring at the bed with wide eyes.

"You've booked the entire top floor and they all look like this?" she gasped.

Ben looked at Gabriella who smiled. "Well, they're not quite as opulent as this room but they're all very nice."

There was a rapid knock on his door and Gabriella opened it. Daniel and Miriam rushed into Ben's room with excited grins on their faces. Their eyes popped as they took in how fancy Ben's room was. "Mom! Our rooms are awesome!" Daniel gushed. The kids grabbed her hands and tugged at her to follow them. With a happy smile back at Ben the mother let her kids pull her away.

Ben sat down on the couch and pulled his notebook out of his shoulder bag. He flipped it open and grimaced at the oily fingerprints on his keyboard. He pulled out a wipe from a packet in the bag and cleaned the keys. He hated other people using his computer. Not that it was likely they got beyond the login screen. One of his customers installed military grade encryption and login authorization on it for him. He entered his password, swiped his finger across the biometric reader, and looked into the camera for it to map his face. Then he was in. He logged into the hotel's WiFi after his firewall said it was safe to do so and pulled up a travel website to book a flight.

He motioned for Lucy to sit next to him. "Where's home, Lucy? How long have you been away?"

Lucy sat and stared at Ben then looked away. "Phoenix, Arizona. At least it was up until I was eighteen. That was when my step-dad told me to put out or get out. I told my mom and she blew up and called me all kinds of nasty names and said I was lying. I had my inheritance from my grandmother so I just bought a ticket to Amsterdam and left. I've been doing odd jobs, moving from place to place and living off the inheritance when I had to for the past five years. I haven't spoken with my mother since the day I left."

"Maybe you should give her a call before you show up on her doorstep," Ben suggested.

"Could I?" Lucy asked.

Ben flipped his phone on and handed it to the girl. He gave her the country codes to dial the States and she dialed her home. When it started to ring she stood up and walked to the window. Ben tried not to listen but the room was quiet and he heard her side of the call.

"Mama? It's Lucy... Yes... I'm sorry to call at this time in the morning... It has been a long time. I'm sorry I didn't call before... I'm sorry... Mama, I want to come home... No Mama I'm not in trouble. Can I come home?... Don't say that! Please! Don't say that-... Mama? Hello?"

Lucy pulled the phone back from her head and stared at it in shock and disbelief. Ben had actually heard the final angry yells of the woman on the line at the end. He picked up that the call hadn't gone well and her Mom had hung up on her. She wasn't going to receive a welcome home.

Ben stood up and walked over to the young woman. "Are you ok, Lucy?"

She handed the phone back and spoke with a voice gone hollow. "I won't be needing to make any more calls home because I no longer have one. Mama- that woman told me I'm no longer her daughter." Reality caught up with her and the tears started flowing. She'd always held the hope that one day she'd be able to mend that relationship and go back to her mother but the impossibility of that had just been made crystal clear. Ben opened his arms and she turned in to his chest as the flood gates opened. Lucy cried in huge sobs which shook her body. Ben just let her cry as he gently held her in his arms.

Gabriella opened Ben's door and peeked inside when she heard the girl crying. Ben gave her a sad look and she came into the room with Meagan in tow. They took a seat on the couch and waited quietly as the girl got it out of her system.

A few minutes later they heard her sobs begin to abate and soon she moved into the sniffle stage where Ben was able to pull back slightly.

"Feeling a little better?" he asked gently.

She nodded and glanced over at Gabriella and Meagan who both had sympathetic looks on their faces. 

"Lucy has suffered a little set back in her plans so I think she should just take a few days to breathe and consider other avenues," Ben said to the others then he looked to the young woman who was still clinging tightly to his shirt. "Lucy, you are welcome to stay with us while we're in Paris." He looked at Gabriella. "We're here for five days?" Ben guided her back to the couch and she finally let go of him as she sat. 

"Yes, we have five days in Paris then we set off south," Gabriella agreed. "We certainly have room if she doesn't mind sharing a room some nights. We have the floor, six rooms. Yours, mine which I'll share with Miriam, Catherine's which she's sharing with Sophia, Rachel and Meagan are in another, Tina has room with an extra bed and Daniel has his own room which he is thrilled about. As we have the whole floor and elevator access to our floor is controlled by our room keys, I'm comfortable about Daniel being on his own." She turned to Lucy. "You can bunk with Tina... or Tina can stay with Rachel and you can bunk with Meagan," she amended when she saw the rapport the two young women had. Meagan smiled at Gabriella and Lucy nodded.

"OK, it's settled. You're officially part of our party as of now. If you don't mind I'm going to take a hot bath then I'm going to take a nap. I'm bagged," Ben said feeling the weight of the ordeal he'd been through suddenly hit him like a sandbag.

"Just remember we have dinner reservations for the whole gang tonight at a very nice restaurant two blocks away. We're walking to and from the restaurant but attire is elegant," Gabriella reminded him.

They saw Lucy's face drop. Gabriella held up a hand before Ben could step in. "Lucy, Meagan will take you downstairs to the lovely little dress shop on the main floor and she will help you pick out a dress and some shoes. No arguments, you are our guest." Meagan jumped up and gave Ben a kiss on the cheek and Gabriella a hug. Lucy stood up and hugged Ben then Gabriella. She had tears in her eyes again but they were of happiness. She picked up her backpack then Meagan took her hand and they rushed from the room.

"Would you mind if Tina were to join you?" Gabriella asked.

"No, that would be fine," he said as he leaned forward and gave her a sensual kiss. Gabriella smiled and growled playfully as she patted his chest when he pulled back. "Easy Tiger! Our date night isn't until tomorrow! I'll get Tina." She left with a smile.

Ben walked around his room and checked out the gorgeous view from his balcony. He walked back in as Tina was coming into his room. She beamed a smile at him and rushed over to hug him but pulled back abruptly. 

"Your shirt is wet!" she said, wiping her cheek.

"Oh! I'm sorry Tina! That was from Lucy. She had a little meltdown when she discovered her mother wants nothing to do with her. She has no home to go back to."

Tina quickly started to unbutton his shirt. "You cannot wear this now," she said seriously but there was a twinkle in her eye.

"I'd like to soak in the bathtub then take a nap," he said as she pulled the shirt from his shoulders.

"I will get the tub started," Tina said as she rushed into the next room with his shirt. He smiled watching her eagerness.

He heard the tub begin to fill as he walked into his bedroom. He considered how many people had burst into his room and wondered how many of their key cards opened his door. He decided to close the sliding panels to the bedroom for some privacy in case someone else decided to visit.

He walked into the bathroom and Tina was naked and bent over the side of the tub testing the water temperature. Ben smiled at how quickly Tina had managed that and admired her perfect, round little ass. He undid his belt and the metal buckle jingled quietly. Hearing the sound she turned her head and smiled back at Ben. He dropped his pants and underwear and stepped out of them. He tugged his socks off last and stood naked behind Tina who was starting to squirm under his steamy look. Ben looked at the counter and saw she had unpacked his toiletry kit for him. His tube of lube was conveniently available. His smile turned into a grin as he realized Tina was on a mission.

He knelt down behind Tina and slid his hands up the sides of her legs slowly, his thumbs sliding up the inside of her thighs. Tina hissed with delight at the feel of his hands on her and Ben felt her trembling. Before his hands reached the top he leaned forward and ran the flat of his tongue over her pussy and pressed it firmly against her rosebud. Tina cried out and pressed back. Ben's hands reached her ass and he squeezed the cheeks firmly as she moaned and squirmed. He lapped at her pussy and she squeaked and gasped with each stroke. He moved his hands down a little and as he slid his thumbs into her wet pussy Tina groaned. 

Before she could prepare Ben began to fuck her ass with his tongue and Tina's legs buckled until she was resting on the lip of the tub. He pumped his thumbs into her dripping pussy as he forced his tongue into her ass.

"BEN! Oh god Ben! I need you inside me! Please!" Tina wailed.

He reached over to the counter with one hand and grabbed the lube. He squirted some over his hard cock then ran his hand over it to coat himself.

"Ben! Oh please!" Tina pleaded.

He glanced at the tub and it was getting a little too full. "Shut off the taps, Tina," he said and she reached over to shut them off. The moment they were off Ben got behind Tina and pressed his thick cock against her wet pussy lips. There was a moment of resistance, he was very large for Tina's size, then he was sliding in. He took it slow and steady to protect her. 

"Oh yes! Ben! So good!" Tina panted as his cock pressed into her depths. Then he reached bottom. He held still as he felt Tina gripping his cock tightly. He waited for her to relax then he slowly withdrew. Tina shook and moaned. He pulled out to the head then immediately pushed all the way back in again. The lube helped a great deal but Tina's pussy was still very tight for him. With each stroke she became less intelligible. Once he'd sped up to slap against her ass on each down stroke she was reduced to gibberish.

"Buh buh Bnnnnnnn, oooohhh Beh oh oh fuh! Mmmmm!" 

Ben's orgasm was racing up so he began to rub her asshole with his thumb. Tina squealed and surfaced long enough to make her needs known. "YES! My ass! Touch me there! Please! Ohhhhh!"

Her pleading triggered Ben's orgasm. He slammed his cock in deep and slid his thumb into her ass. Tina screamed out his name as her own release swept over her. She looked like she was going to fall forward into the tub as her muscles began to go slack so he quickly reached out and grabbed her long hair up by the back of her neck. The sensations of having both her pussy and ass completely filled and her hair pulled roughly sent Tina into overload. 

Suddenly her body went rigid and Ben felt her clamp down on his cock and thumb. He grunted from the rippling pressure and his body struggled to cum through her tight grip on his cock. He pulled his thumb free and grabbed under her torso to take the pressure off her hair. He got a rough handful of tit and Tina's wail went ultrasonic as she began to shake. He felt something warm splashing over his balls and he looked down. His legs were dripping and the towel they were kneeling on was soaked. His eyebrows rose. 

He pulled Tina up against his chest and her head rolled loosely on her shoulders. She was out. He lifted her off his cock and his last two streams fired against her pussy lips as his interrupted orgasm finally finished. He shook through the end of his release then very carefully he rose to his feet and carried Tina into the shower stall. He gently turned her limp body in his arms to have her face him with her head on his shoulder. Then he reached out and got the shower running at a nice warm temperature. He cleaned Tina and himself as best he could then he carried her out and dried her with the big fluffy towels.

Ben carried Tina out to the bed, pulled down the sheets, dropped a towel over the bed and carefully laid Tina down over the towel. He pulled the sheets up and looked down at her sweet sleeping face. He kissed her forehead then walked back into the bathroom and put the wet towels into the hamper. Then he climbed into the soaker tub.

He gave himself half an hour in the tub just soaking in the heat. Then he took a quick shower and dried himself off.

Climbing under the sheets next to the petite woman he set his alarm to give them time to clean up for dinner then closed his eyes. Just before he drifted off cuddled up to her he had the impression that he'd forgotten to do something. Then it was gone and so was he.

Chanel sat at a table under an umbrella in the sidewalk café across from the Imperial Suites hotel. Her hands trembled as she tried to collect herself. There had been so many sloppy moves in this case to date and then she went and made the biggest mistake of all. Direct confrontation with Kirion Rapava. How could she have been so stupid! Then to get all flustered and hallucinate seeing... her.

She sat stewing in the café waiting for the call from the Chief Inspector ordering her in to hand in her badge and gun. It was so colossally unfair. She had failed and Kirion was going to walk free... unless she could catch him in the act. She turned off her cell phone so she couldn't receive the call. She would watch Kirion like a hawk from the shadows and take him down when the moment was right.

Chapter 3

Lucy sat in a salon chair facing a mirror in a spa on the main floor of the hotel surrounded by beautiful blondes. Meagan was in the chair to her left having her hair shampooed while getting her nails done. To her right Meagan's mother Catherine was having the same treatment. Both were facing away from the mirrors but they could see her face. Lucy could see Meagan's sisters Sophia and Rachel in her mirror getting the same red polish applied to their nails while their hair was being dried. She knew in a back room Gabriella and Miriam were having a massage. They would be coming out for their hair and nails once that was done. Daniel was enjoying his room and its Internet access. Ben was taking a nap and Tina? She wasn't sure where she was.

She was feeling a little overwhelmed by the generosity they were showing her, a complete stranger. Catherine had seen her stunned expression up on their floor when they announced they were going to the spa and she was to join them. She'd explained that Ben had insisted to the group that during their visit in Paris they were not to stress about the cost. At the hotel everything would be charged to the rooms. Ben was covering their expenses on the trip. That was final.

She looked at herself in the mirror as the stylist examined her hair. She hadn't had it cut in years (saving her limited money) and it was extremely long. Too long. That said, she didn't want it all cut off. It was a beautiful chestnut color, slightly wavy, soft, and she preferred it long. The stylist had suggested a short bob but she asked for it to reach her mid back. Catherine had backed her up and the stylist finally agreed. She was beginning to work on it and Lucy was comforted to see the limited amount she was removing.




A Shepherd in France Ch. 01



"Where is Tina?" Lucy asked Meagan.

"Spending some quality time with Ben," Meagan said, wiggling her eyebrows suggestively.

Lucy looked over at Catherine who had a serene look on her face as the woman washing her hair gave her a scalp massage. She looked back at Meagan.

"I thought you said Ben was your mother's boyfriend?" she said directing her voice towards Meagan in an attempt to be discreet.

"He is. He's also Tina's and Gabriella's," Meagan nodded watching the woman paint her nails.

"Wow! I didn't get that impression from Ben at all!" Lucy said with surprise in her tone.

"What impression would that be?" Catherine asked curiously.

"Uh, that Ben was a player," she said timidly.

Catherine snorted then blushed at the rude noise. "Ben is a lot of things but a player he is not," she replied firmly.

"But he has three girlfriends?" Lucy pressed. "How does that work?"

"Quite well from what I've seen," Meagan responded and her mother smiled at her. Lucy gave her a frustrated look.

"It's quite simple really. We love Ben, heart and soul. He loves us the same way. We can't all be with him at the same time but we have full lives with our families and careers so we share his time between us. Tina lives with him but she's a special case. She's completely selfless in her love for Ben and he's really good for her. Her husband, who's no longer alive, was a special kind of bastard to her, taking her submissiveness as permission to abuse her mentally and physically," Catherine growled.

"Mom!" her daughters chastised her in unison for disclosing too much about Tina.

"Oh! I'm sorry. I shouldn't have over shared about Tina," Catherine said contritely.

"Ben's a Dom?" Lucy said quietly in shock, trembling slightly.

Catherine's face showed her discomfort at blabbing and her daughter's scowls didn't make her feel any better. "He is for her. She's so much happier these days. But I've said too much on that!"

Lucy tucked that information away for a later time. She needed to speak with Tina.

"Isn't there jealousy with Ben being with three women?" Lucy asked Catherine.

"Four!" Sophia said with a smile.

"Five!" Rachel corrected her sister with a grin.

Lucy's eyes were threatening to leave their sockets as she stared at Meagan's sisters. Her jaw dropped but nothing came out.

Meagan caught on to Lucy's misinterpretation first. "They wish!" she laughed and her sisters caught on and laughed as well though the two looked pensive.

"They meant Trish and Rochelle," Meagan answered. "They're also neighbors and good friends of Ben who have been in his bed."

"Ben has only expressed his love to four of us and Trish is only just coming around to admitting she feels the same way about him." Catherine had an impish look on her face as she looked at her daughters. "The actual count of women Ben has shared his bed with is nine."

"Nine!" her daughters and Lucy all yelped at once.

"Oh! Ten if you count his wife who walked out on him years ago," Catherine said after thinking about it.

Sophia leaned forward eagerly. "Mom! You've been keeping secrets from us! Dish! Who else has been with Ben? We only know about you three, Trish and Rochelle."

"You're giving Lucy the wrong impression of Ben," she chastised her eldest then she turned to Lucy who was wide eyed. "Ben is a physically affectionate man. It's completely unconscious with him. He's also a deeply compassionate man. When our neighbor Beth Wilson was going through severe depression he spent an evening with her making her feel loved and beautiful. He and Hannah have group therapy sessions with her and you know how good Ben's hugs feel. Beth's depression turned around and she'd doing really well these days. She's back at work and back to her usual bubbly happy self. Ben played a large role in her recovery."

"Rochelle was lonely and Ben spent an evening with her. She's smiling more these days too though she isn't sure if she can shake her issues with jealousy to be with Ben on a more regular basis. Ben cares for her. He was also with Trish's cousin Shelly but I understand that was Tina's doing." Catherine suddenly frowned and bit her lip. "Maybe I should stop there," she said looking uneasy.

"What? You can't stop there! There are two more! Who are they?" Rachel gasped.

Catherine looked at her daughters and saw identical looks of frustration and anticipation. She sighed. "The other two are special cases again. He only took them to bed to discipline them. Oh, that came out wrong," she winced.

Lucy licked her lips unconsciously. "Discipline?"

"They were exhibiting some very bad behavior jeopardizing their mother's livelihood and their future so Gabriella suggested he use their desire for him as a reward for changing their ways. He had to discipline the young ladies and from what I hear it worked very well. They are both on their best behaviour and are hoping for another session of rewards when Ben gets back."

"OH MY GOD! You're talking about the twins! Lisa and Lori McKellan!" Meagan shrieked.

Sophia and Rachel erupted in cries of surprise as their mother's expression gave her away.

"Twins? How old are they?" Lucy squeaked.

Catherine looked at her. "How old are you?"

"Twenty three."

"Your age then. Ben has trouble with being so much older than some of the people who want to share his life and his bed. Tina is a special case as I've said but even for her she had to promise Ben to keep her heart open for the possibility of finding someone to love who is closer in age. Ben is paying for her to go to University this fall and she may meet someone there. That's the idea at least."

She looked at her daughters who were still processing the idea of Ben having sex with the twins. They were only two years older than Sophia who had a little smile creeping across her lips as did Rachel. Meagan just looked incredulous.

"Don't get any ideas in your heads. Ben watched you all grow up and he had a really hard time disassociating those memories with the twins. He doesn't need any more mental anguish," Catherine growled at her two oldest daughters. They frowned with the unfairness of that.

"Ben watched the McKellan sisters grow up too! How did they get him past that?" Rachel insisted.

"That would be Trish's secret," Gabriella said as she and Miriam joined the others.

Catherine smiled at Gabriella who absolutely glowed with relaxation. Miriam was looking a little disappointed that she'd missed out on some juicy gossip.

Gabriella looked at Lucy's new hair length with a big smile. "Oh! Your hair is lovely!"

Lucy smiled at the woman and a tear came to her eye. "I don't know how to thank you all for taking me in."

"While how we met may not have been in the most pleasant circumstances we're glad you're with us now," Gabriella smiled. "I believe you and Meagan are going to be going next door when you are done here to look for a dress for tonight." She looked at Meagan. "Something pretty for underneath as well and don't forget to get shoes too!"

"We want to go too!" Sophia said and Rachel nodded.

"We're not stopping you," Catherine smiled.

They were all looking forward to the evening!

The group was to meet up in the hotel lobby thirty minutes before their dinner reservation. The plan was to walk to and from the restaurant as it was a beautiful night and the scenery made for an enjoyable walk.

Ben and Tina were first to arrive and Tina immediately found a seat to wait in. Even the nap they'd shared hadn't been enough to recharge her after the intensity of their 'activities'. She was wearing her beautiful black cocktail dress and it was all Ben could do to resist sweeping her up in his arms and taking her back up to his room. Tina made it clear though that she needed a day at least to recover from their fun in the bathroom. She smiled in contentment at his steamy gaze.

He was wearing his classic black suit with a crisp white dress shirt and a grey tie. Tina told him he looked very handsome and that was good enough for him. He thought he looked a bit too severe and with his new facial adornment he was worried the combination might be a little too intimidating. When his back was turned Tina tingled with delight at his new look.

Gabriella arrived with Miriam and Daniel next. The woman looked stunning in a green silk dress which did wonderful things with her lush curves. She'd had her nails done as well in a shade of greens so dark it almost looked black. 

Miriam was wearing a cream and tan cocktail dress and looked very lovely and mature for a sixteen year old. Ben mouthed a 'Wow!' at her and grinned. She returned Ben's smile with a shy smile of her own. Daniel looked very handsome and at ease in his dark grey suit and Ben gave him a serious nod which he returned with a smile.

Catherine stepped off the elevator with her two eldest daughters and heads turned. Each was wearing sleek and short red dresses of different designs and the color popped against their fair skin and white blond hair. Their legs also looked amazing! Seconds later Meagan stepped off another elevator, also in a crimson dress showing off her own lovely legs. The McGovern genes were very strong.

Ben was all smiles as he took in the lovely women. They were enjoying his appreciative looks. Another woman stepped from the elevator behind Meagan and Ben did a double take when he suddenly recognized the ravishing brunette.

"Lucy?" he said in shock.

Gone was the barely there halter and voluminous peasant skirt. In its place was a tight fitting pink cocktail dress which clung to her slim body like a second skin. The dress was off her shoulders, exposed her arms, and was low in the back so it showed off her tattoos and the color matched the cherry blossom petals. It also showed off a considerable amount of cleavage which Ben struggled to look away from much to her secret delight.

Her auburn hair gleamed in an elegant swept up arrangement on her head. Her feet were in sparkling silver pumps.

Ben smiled. "You look lovely! You all do!" He turned to Daniel. "We're going to have our job cut out for us tonight protecting these lovely ladies!" he grinned. Daniel rolled his eyes and the ladies chuckled.

They exited the hotel and made their way at a casual stroll to the restaurant. They drew quite a bit of attention on their way. One of those watchers kept them in sight the entire way. The restaurant wasn't too far of a walk and Gabriella had a large section of the rooftop patio reserved. The view was beautiful but Ben found his eyes returning to take in the beauty of the women seated around the table much to their delight.

Daniel had brought along his camera and took pictures of the group. Everyone posed for him and each of the ladies took a turn getting their picture with Ben. 

Meagan was first and boldly sat on Ben's lap when she looked at Daniel. The boy grinned at Ben's sudden uncomfortable look but waited for him to smile before he took the picture. From that point on all of the ladies wanted the same pose. Tina wiggled a little too much and Ben started to grow quickly. She grinned at him as she slipped off his lap. Sophia was the next in line and her eyes widened when she felt the ridge on his lap across her thighs. She smiled a little too broadly for the picture and Rachel got the next feel. Her grin in the picture was for Meagan who missed out this one time. Gabriella and Catherine did their own wiggling as they enjoyed the heat coming from his lap.

Then it was Lucy's turn. She hung back but the other ladies cheered to encourage her to take a turn. She walked up to Ben and looked at him timidly. He gave her a gentle smile and she slid onto his lap and froze. Her face registered her surprise and she leaned back slightly bracing herself against his shoulder. This put the pressure of his erection directly under her own delicate parts. She turned her face towards Daniel and smiled as a flush crept up onto her cheeks. Just as he took the picture she felt Ben throb and move under her. She bit her lip and her eyes closed slightly. Daniel laughed at the funny face she'd made but Meagan made him keep the shot when he went to delete it. He took another one which he thought was better but her face was still rather pink.

Lucy slipped from his lap and demurely smiled at Ben. She made her way over to the chair next to Tina and the two began a quiet conversation.

Wine arrived but Ben abstained. Tina decided to pass as her stomach was a little unsettled. After a moment's consideration Gabriella allowed her kids to taste the wine. Daniel turned his nose up but Miriam was so thrilled to be included she hid her distaste. Gabriella smiled and let her have a glass of her own but only one glass. Miriam was so happy she glowed.

The waiters were especially attentive to their table and they soon had their meals which were delicious. Gabriella had Ben try a little of each of the different dishes they had ordered. She explained the origin of the dish and word got back to the kitchen. The chef came up to speak with her. They spoke for a while entirely in French as he spoke no English at all. He was delighted with Gabriella and told her he would send her up a very fine bottle of wine, his favorite, free of charge. With a double cheek kiss he went back to the kitchen. 

Sure enough, within ten minutes a new, large bottle of wine appeared at the table and everyone who was drinking wine got a chance to try some of the new bottle, including Miriam. She found this one to be much more to her taste.

Dinner winded down and Ben paid the bill. On their way out they thanked the chef for the amazing meal and the man was very pleased. Ben was surprised by his double cheek kiss and the ladies all had a giggle at his expense. 

The night air was perfect for walking and they sauntered their way back to the hotel taking in the city lights at night and the Parisian ambiance. Miriam was floating back to the hotel on a wave of wine induced euphoria. Her mother had a gentle grip on her hand so she kept her tethered to the ground.

Catherine's daughters were charged up thinking of the night ahead. They planned to go clubbing but Catherine was tired from too much food and wine and begged off. Meagan turned to Ben.

"Ben, will you come to a dance club with us? Please!" she begged. Sophia took up the chant and Rachel joined in.

Ben looked at Tina who had her arm through his. "I'm going back to my room to sleep off this food. You go have fun! Take Lucy!" she insisted and something passed between the two women as Lucy dipped her head to Tina.

He looked at Lucy and she smiled shyly. He nodded. He turned back to Meagan and her sisters who were looking at him beseechingly. "Sure, why not." They cheered. Ben looked at Catherine.

"I'll feel better knowing you are with them," she said to him with a smile. He returned it. 

Once they got to the Hotel Tina took Ben's suit jacket and tie as he wouldn't need them at the club and it was a warm night. She opened a few buttons on his shirt as well. Ben started to blush as she undressed him and stopped her hands at the fourth button. She gave him an impish smile.

The ladies who were not going clubbing but instead were going to bed took turns getting kisses from Ben. Miriam got a chaste kiss on the lips though he'd been aiming for her cheek. She giggled and rushed over to the elevators. He smiled and shook his head at her mother who returned the smile and rolled her eyes at her daughter's behavior.

The concierge suggested a dance club and hailed them a cab. The McGovern sisters pushed Ben in the back seat first, then Sophia and Rachel followed. Meagan got in the front passenger seat and Rachel pulled Lucy in to sit across their laps. She ended up leaning back against Ben. With Sophia pressed tight against his right side and Lucy on his legs and chest his body began to respond. Lucy noticed and smiled up at him as she bit her lip.

The taxi took them through the Paris streets to travel along the Seine to a large building. Ben paid the fare then he exited the cab carrying Lucy in his arms. It was the easiest way to get out with the woman on his lap. He set her back on her feet and she adjusted her dress which had shifted during the drive. This did interesting things to her cleavage and Ben had trouble looking elsewhere. Rachel was enjoying the effect this had on Ben. 

The women looped arms with Ben in the center and the five walked side by side towards the club. They saw the line outside was rather long. A man with an earpiece and a tablet was walking down the line selecting people from it to enter the club. He glanced over at them then walked over to meet them. With a quick nervous look at Ben, he gestured for them to follow him to the doors. The large doormen sized up Ben and pulled the doors open for him.

The sisters grinned at each other and up at Ben then they walked into a wall of sound. Even in the entry hallway they could feel the driving beat of the music pulling at them. Meagan dragged the group with her out into the main dancefloor and they immediately gave themselves over to the music. The floor was full so they had to stay close together. This naturally led to a fair amount of body contact. 

Ben was taller than most of the people around him so he had a good view of the crowd. For just a second he thought he recognized a tall woman with short black hair standing at the edge of the dancefloor watching him but when he looked back she wasn't there. He shrugged and let the beat move his body. 

Lucy was in heaven. She hadn't been to a club since the early days of her arrival in Amsterdam. Back before she'd discovered how she was going to have to be so careful with her expenses. She swayed with the music and looked up at Ben's happy face. His eyes were closed as he moved to the beat and she took the opportunity to study his features. She thought he was a truly handsome man, maybe to the point of being a little too conventionally attractive but his scar added so much character to his face. His attractiveness drew her eyes but the scar roughly captured and held her attention. It was a raw element of danger that gave her a little thrill to look at it. His eyes opened and they were looking directly into each other's eyes and she felt a shock run through her body. She gasped and looked away shyly.

The sisters were loving the club and the music was so good. They stayed on the dancefloor for song after song. They must have been dancing for over an hour when Sophia started to look around to find a table but the club was so full. Ben caught her look and leaned in.

"What's wrong?" he yelled.

"I'm trying to find us a table," she yelled back. He nodded and began looking himself. He spotted a large booth near the edge of the dancefloor that seemed to only have a few people in it. Maybe they wouldn't mind sharing. He held up his finger to Sophia to let her know he'd be back and made his way over to the booth. When he got there he saw there was a very striking brunette woman sitting in the middle of the far couch with four attractive young men sitting with her. One on each side of her on the couch and one on each of the other two couches which were arranged around a central table. The men all had that uniform look of male models which was a little disconcerting. Ben gauged there would be enough room if at least one of either group was on the dancefloor.

The woman smiled at Ben and whispered something to the man on her left. He stood and the next man stood as well. They filed out of the booth as the woman indicated to Ben to have a seat next to her. Ben nodded to her then took the seat.

Surprisingly the noise was dampened by the curtains over the booth so they didn't have to yell to be heard.

"Hello, my name is Ben Shepherd. I sure hope you speak English because it's the only language I know," he said with a smile.




A Shepherd in France Ch. 01



She smiled back at him. "You are in luck then for I am fluent in many languages, English being just one. My name is Margaux De la Cruz." Her beautiful accent and her last name strengthened his impression of her Spanish origin.

They shook hands and Ben noted the absence of wedding rings though she wore a few rings on her other fingers and thumbs. Now that he was beside her Ben could tell that she was probably close to his age. She dressed very well and her jewellery didn't appeared to be costume so she may have been well off. Aside from her gorgeous mahogany hair that fell in waves past her shoulders, she had intense dark brown eyes framed by long lashes, a slim nose, sensual lips and unblemished caramel colored skin. Skin she was displaying a lot of in her silver halter style sheath dress. It clung to her curves and left little to the imagination. Ben just managed not to stare at her generous cleavage though she noted his interest with a slight upturn of the corners of her mouth.

"Are you visiting Paris?" she asked.

"Yes, it's my first vacation... anywhere, ever. So my friends invited me along," he said with a smile. "Would it be alright for us to share this table with you and... these men?" 

"Certainly!" she smiled at his awkwardness.

Ben stood and caught the eye of Sophia and waved her and the others over. He sat back down. Sophia was the first one to step from the crowd and when she saw who Ben was sitting next to she hesitated for just a second. Then she made her way into the booth and sat nearest to Ben's left. Rachel followed and Meagan squeezed onto the couch. Lucy perched herself on the arm of the couch until one of the young men received a look from Margaux and gave up his seat for her. 

"Carlos, get these ladies some drinks. Take Byron with you," Margaux commanded. Carlos leapt to his feet and took their orders. Byron was the sullen one who gave up his seat for Lucy. His back was to them at the edge of the dancefloor. When the men left Ben noticed the satisfied smile on Margaux's face. She definitely enjoyed having the young men under her control. 

"Such lovely young women you are with!" Margaux smiled at Ben using a tone which implied much. He felt the need to clear up that misconception.

"This is Sophia, Rachel, and Meagan. Daughters to Catherine... one of the women I'm with," Ben said politely with a direct look. "This is Lucy, a new friend we met just today."

Margaux gave Ben an appraising look. "Ah, I see. Forgive my misunderstanding. It has been my experience that there are many men who surround themselves with beautiful young women. My ex-husband said it made him feel young. I decided to see for myself if it was true. There are certainly some benefits to it."

Ben nodded and noted Sophia was listening carefully. Still, he felt compelled to answer. "I have been with women who are much younger than me but instead of making me feel younger I've always found myself wondering why these beautiful young women are wasting their time with someone so much older. They can do so much better than me," he said honestly.

This made Margaux and Sophia sit back a little and look at Ben. They both thought he was handsome but now they saw his lack of ego. For Sophia it just made her want him more.

Margaux wondered if Ben was making a dig at her. When she saw the young women with him she had assumed she'd met a kindred spirit. Someone enjoying what life had to offer with no strings attached. Now she wasn't sure where he stood.

The young man sitting to Margaux's right snorted at Ben's words as he agreed that the lovely ladies Ben arrived with deserved someone younger, like him. He immediately cursed at himself as he had to be careful not to show interest in any other women while he was with Margaux. He wasn't very quick witted however so he just tried to cover up his snort with a bad fake sneeze.

Margaux turned to look at him. "Anthony, you should go freshen up," she said and he immediately took her hint to be elsewhere for a bit. He got up and slipped past the others until he entered the busy dancefloor.

She turned back to Ben curious that he'd said he was with more than one woman and implied they weren't young playthings like she kept. She didn't understand this. Maybe they stayed with him for his money? 

"What do you do, Ben?" she asked.

"I'm a semi-retired mechanical engineer. You?" he returned the question.

"I'm a senior VP for an investment house here in Paris. I also spend time at our head office in Barcelona where I am originally from. I keep an apartment in both cities and have offices in both as well," she said watching his face. 

"I work out of an office in my basement," he said with a grin.

Sophia heard this and smiled as well. She knew Ben did very well for working out of his house. 

Carlos returned with their drinks and Margaux insisted on paying for them. Everyone sipped from their drinks and Sophia indicated that she'd like to dance again, her look hinting she'd like Ben to join her.

"I'd just like to speak with Ben for a short time longer. I'm sure these young men would love to join you on the dancefloor though." She looked at her men and they all stood up with smiles. Anthony returned and gestured for Lucy to join him. She cast a look back at Ben and he found himself nodding to her unspoken question. He caught himself as she left the booth. Why had he done that?

"You have excellent control over that one and you say you only met her today? Remarkable!" Margaux complimented him.

"I don't control her or any of them for that matter," he said uncomfortably.

"I distinctly saw her look to you for permission and she only moved when you gave it to her," Margaux explained.

Ben scowled. His scar surfaced distinctly. "That was unconscious on my part."

"So you've dealt with a submissive before?" the woman asked.

Ben's head whipped to look at her. "Lucy's a submissive?"

Margaux smiled in wonder. "Marvelous! You aren't even aware of acting as her Dom!"

Ben stood and looked out over the dancefloor but he couldn't see his friends. He sat back down and looked at Margaux's curious gaze. "How did you recognize it?"

"It's her body language. I see it a fair amount with the parties I attend. My Byron is a Sub. You needn't worry about the ladies being out there with them. They know the cost of being anything less than perfect gentlemen." She showed Ben a feral grin.

"So you 'keep' these young men as playthings?" Ben asked frankly.

"Yes. My previous experience with men my own age hasn't proven to be satisfactory. I suppose I'm too controlling. I'm very dominant so I frighten most men away. These young men are easier to control and give me the satisfaction I need."

"But what about love?" Ben asked, curious.

"Love? Can you seriously tell me these women 'love you' when they know you aren't theirs exclusively?" she scoffed.

Ben felt a little uncomfortable with her attitude and worried that he might be stepping into dangerous waters. Still, he felt compelled to answer. "Yes, I can. They don't need exclusivity. They not only say it but they've demonstrated this to me on multiple occasions. There's no jealousy, hurt feelings, or drama. We're all completely honest with each other. They have opened their hearts to me because they know I've opened mine to them and I would never hurt them."

Margaux sat back and stared at Ben. She was having trouble accepting his words.

Meagan returned to the table to set down her drink as she'd accidentally carried it out onto the floor. Margaux leaned forward to speak with her and caught her eye.

"Does your mother love this man?" she asked.

Meagan didn't even blink. "Yes, deeply."

"How many others claim that?" she pushed.

Meagan looked curiously at Ben seeing how agitated Margaux had become. She looked back at the woman. "Three. Gabriella, Tina, and Trish." She looked back at Ben with a wicked smile. "Mom told us about the twins!" As Ben groaned she giggled and slipped back onto the dancefloor wiggling her hips.

Margaux looked at Ben in confusion. How did he get four women to love him? Without a guarantee of exclusivity that was impossible!

Ben's heart sank when he saw she was upset. "Look I'm sorry if I said something to upset you. I didn't mean to pry or judge you in any way. I was just curious. Everyone has the right to find happiness in their own way. If what you have works for you then that's wonderful. For me, I'm a mess. I can't do casual affairs. I get emotionally involved too easily and end up getting hurt or worse, hurting the women. With Catherine, Gabriella, Tina, and Trish I can open my heart to all of them without fear of hurting any of them. They know I love them. They aren't afraid I'll hurt them so they aren't jealous of the others. It was Gabriella who showed me how it could work. And it did and still does."

Margaux looked at Ben and wished he'd never come to her table. Her conviction that what she had was enough for her was shattered. She remembered what it felt like to be in love but for her, love always carried an element of jealousy. These women had learned to love unconditionally and more they had someone safe to do that with. Someone that protected their love and loved them unconditionally back. That made her envious. Another negative emotion.

Suddenly Lucy burst from the crowd and rushed to Ben who stood up to meet her. She stepped behind him putting Ben between her and the crowd. He spun to look at her and saw she was trembling with her left arm across her bosom clinging to her dress.

"What's wrong? What happened?" Ben gasped but the young woman wouldn't look up at his face.

"Look at me," Ben said and she lifted her eyes to his.

"I'm sorry I ripped the dress you bought for me," she mumbled, her bottom lip trembling. He suddenly noticed it was split.

"How did this happen-"

"THE BITCH IS LYING!" 

Ben went still as he heard the growl behind him. He turned slowly and saw Anthony standing at the edge of the table looking belligerent.

"What did you do Anthony?" Margaux asked with a cold voice. Ben glared at the man who just became more aggressive as his nerves reacted to Ben's silent intimidation.

"Nothing. We were dancing and the little cock tease was rubbing against me getting me all fired up. I know the rules Ms. De la Cruz so I pushed her back. That's all," he explained.

Ben turned back to Lucy and leaned down to whisper to her. "Tell me what he did to you."

Lucy looked up at him and saw his eyes were fixed on hers. "The dancefloor is crowded so we did bump against each other. Then he- he grabbed my breast... and he squeezed it so hard! It hurt so much and he wouldn't let go. I tried to get away and the dress tore. I called him an asshole... and he hit me." Tears were dripping down her face. He reached up and brushed them away with his thumb. Ben pulled a handkerchief from his pocket and handed it to Lucy. 

"May I see the damage to the dress?" he asked calmly.

She gingerly pulled her hand back and the side seam under her right arm had been torn four inches down. Unfortunately this eliminated the support she had for keeping her right breast in her dress. The fabric pulled away and Ben saw the lovely half cup bra hidden under the dress. He also saw the bruises and scratches Anthony's fingernails had left on her breast. Ben put Lucy's hand back in place to hold the dress closed. She looked up and was startled to see his eyes had that strange distant look in them she'd seen in the Customs area of the airport. He turned back to Anthony.

"I TOLD you the BITCH LIES!" the man yelled.

"The bruises and scratches don't lie though, do they? They say you're an abusive little cowardly shit who gets his fun hurting women. That's what you are, aren't you. A weak little coward." Ben's voice was cold and flat. Lucy hadn't heard him sound like that before. She recalled what he'd done to Cecil and began to get nervous.

Sophia finally managed to get free from her dance partner who'd been trying to keep her from the table. "Ben, he hurt Lucy," she blurted.

"Yes, I know but thank you for confirming," Ben said and Sophia heard that oddness in his voice. His eyes seemed to be looking through Anthony.

"Fuck you!" Anthony bellowed and threw a punch at Ben's face only to find himself flying across the table where all their drink glasses were placed. He smashed through the glassware to fall between the couch and table on top of the shattered glass.

"Get your hands off me, ass wipe!" Meagan yelled as she reached the edge of the dancefloor and jammed her elbow in a quick strike against the eye of Byron who was trying to hold her back. He went down screaming and clutching his eye. The crowd parted and Rachel walked through breathing hard but smiling as Carlos rolled on the floor behind her holding his groin and crying.

"These bozos tried to keep us from coming back to the table after that asshole hurt Lucy!" Rachel yelled angrily.

The asshole in question lunged to his feet, staggered onto the table and swung a broken glass at Ben. There was a deep thud as Ben's fist struck his solar plexus and Anthony was flung back to land on the couch where he lay trying to breathe. 

Lucy cried out when she saw the red on Ben's shirt sleeve. Anthony's wild swing had cut the back of Ben's left forearm. It wasn't deep but it was bleeding. Meagan grabbed some napkins from the table and held them down on Ben's arm. At her touch Ben's eyes started blinking and he looked down at the carnage. 

"You OK big man?" Meagan asked.

"Uh, sure. Are we done with dancing?" Ben asked. He looked over to Margaux's men standing at the edge of the crowd tending to their injuries. They looked back with fear in their eyes.

Rachel pulled them out of the booth. "Yeah, we'd better book before the cops arrive."

Ben looked back at Margaux. "I'm sorry we broke your toys but I think they were bad anyway. I know YOU can do MUCH better." The girls encircled Ben and pushed him across the club and out the door before the bouncers arrived and just before a very agitated police detective made it to the scene. When they got there Margaux was already gone and three young men were beating up a fourth for 'ruining everything'.

Ben reached into his pocket and pulled out a paperclip. He bent it into a new shape and gestured Lucy to come over. She stood next to him and gasped as his fingers slipped inside the top of her dress to press gently against the side of her breast. She looked up at his face then held still as he forced the paperclip through the fabric carefully. Then he pushed the other end through the fabric on the other side of the rip. When he was finished Lucy no longer had to hold the dress closed. He looked her in the eyes. "We'll take this to the dress shop to get them to fix it. Not to worry." He leaned forward and kissed her forehead. She blinked in surprise and looked at Meagan who gave her a smile but there was worry in her expression too.

They grabbed a taxi at the taxi stand and rode back to the hotel in silence, each deep in thought. Sophia and Meagan were thinking about speaking with their mother and Gabriella about Ben's little phase out during the fight. They both independently sent texts. Rachel was reliving watching Ben put Anthony down with one punch and that gave her tingles in happy places. 

Lucy was back on Ben's lap and chest and was just enjoying the feel of him. She had major tingles happening herself and wanted desperately to touch herself. Or better, for Ben to touch her.

Ben was trying to put together the events of the night but there were gaps and that was worrying.

He paid and carried Lucy out again. She clung to his chest and pressed her face into his neck. He felt her body trembling so he carried her all the way to the elevators. He set her on her feet when they got in. Sophia moved to stand in front of Ben.

"Could I get a kiss goodnight here before we get to our floor?" she asked.

His eyebrows rose but he nodded. She leaned in and kissed him on the mouth. After the initial surprise he kissed her back. Her mouth was so soft and she smelled so good! She pulled back and Rachel stepped forward and planted her wonderful lips on his before he recuperated from Sophia's kiss. There was no tongue involved but it was a sweet kiss none-the-less. His head was spinning. Meagan was wide eyed looking at her sisters. Then she stepped forward and kissed his cheek which surprised her sisters. The boldest of them was afraid of a kiss?

Ben moved awkwardly when they stepped from the elevator. Gabriella, Catherine, and Tina were all in the hallway waiting. They were wearing their dressing gowns and pulled the arrivals to Ben's room. Everyone took a seat and Tina took Lucy aside to speak with her briefly.

First things first, Gabriella took Ben into his bathroom and they took off his shirt so she could wash and bandage the cut on his arm. She had him put on his dressing gown over his pants as his muscular chest was too much of a distraction. She led him back out to the living room and they took seats with everyone else. 

"Ben, Sophia and Meagan both noticed you phased out again tonight during the fight. Did you experience memory loss?" Gabriella got straight to the point.

Ben nodded.

"We are going to create a record of these lapses so you can play it back for your psychiatrist when you get home. You should describe in as much detail as you can the things you remember. Witnesses will give their statements too. Can we do this now while it's fresh in your mind?"

"OK," he replied.

Tina put her phone down and started the audio recorder application. Gabriella gave the time and date and Ben described their evening. Then Sophia said her part, Meagan, and finally Lucy. When they were done Tina saved the recording. Everyone took a deep breath. 

"Time for bed. We have a busy day tomorrow. Listen to Tina," Gabriella said cryptically and smiled. She gave Ben a soft kiss and left the room. Catherine kissed Ben and looked on with surprise when Sophia leaned in and got another kiss from Ben. She pulled her eldest along with her and began questioning her on their way out. She looked back in time to see Rachel take a kiss from Ben. The middle child scurried after her mother and pushed the shocked woman out of the room. 

Tina stood before Ben. "I would stay with you tonight but I am not feeling too well. We don't want you to be alone so I have asked Lucy to stay with you. Did you know she is a submissive like me? She also has had many bad experiences. She feels safe with you. I have spoken with Gabriella and Catherine so they understand and they agree. You need someone with you and tonight it will be Lucy. OK?" she explained and looked at him for his agreement. He was wide eyed but looked over at Lucy. Meagan was standing next to her with a stunned expression on her face.

"Meagan. Come here," Ben said and the young woman jumped. She moved to his side. He curled his finger and she leaned in. He turned her head and kissed her on the cheek. "Good night," he said with a smile. She grinned. Tina kissed him sweetly and left with Meagan.

Then it was just Ben and Lucy.

He took a deep breath. Once more he was about to step outside of his comfort zone. He'd learned how to deal with a Sub with Tina but he knew everyone was different and he couldn't expect Lucy to respond in the same ways Tina did. He was starting from scratch again.

"Come here Lucy," Ben said.

Lucy moved to stand in front of him with her hands clenched in front of her. Her knuckles were white.

"What are you afraid of?" he asked gently.

"I've had some bad boyfriends. They hurt me," she said trembling.

"You've spoken with Tina. She's told you I'm not like that, right?" he asked. She nodded.

"She also told me how you initially pushed her away because you were worried about the age difference."




A Shepherd in France Ch. 01



Ben nodded.

"I haven't worked out how I'm going to make a life for myself. My inheritance is almost gone. I pissed that away and the time I should have been using to develop some skills to build a life on. I can't go home. There is no home to go back to. I have nothing and I have nothing to offer. I feel like a burden for you and your friends. You came here to vacation and got saddled with me," she said in a whisper and tears started to fall down her cheeks.

Ben pulled her down onto his lap. She was trembling hard by this point.

"In my entire life I've never felt as safe as I do when I'm in your arms but I don't know how much time I'll have with you. Every time I've opened myself up to love I've been badly hurt because the moment they learn I'm a Sub they become cruel. But I think I'm more terrified to open up to you because I know you're not like that but I have no place in your future." She began to cry. She leapt to her feet. "I shouldn't do this to you. You don't deserve this!" 

She rushed to the door but no matter how hard she pulled she couldn't get it to open. She looked up through tear filled eyes and saw Ben had his hand on the door over her head. He suddenly scooped her up in his arms and carried her to his bedroom. He set her on her feet next to the bed and she tried to get away. He took her head between his big hands and made her look at him.

"Listen to me," he said sternly. "I don't abandon friends because they are 'inconvenient'. I knew what your situation was when we brought you into our little 'family'. I don't know what the future holds for any of us. I try to take it one day at a time but know this! I'm willing to ensure you have a future but you'll need to follow a plan I create for you as I did for Tina. You are young, like she is. You both have all this time in front of you. I know how Tina feels about me. She knows how I feel about her. But she had to promise me to keep her heart open to the possibility of love from someone her age. She agreed. That was the only way I was willing to take her back. If we were to spend time together you would have to be willing to make the same promise. I want you to speak with Tina before you say anything to me on that."

"Now, will you promise not to try running away again? It would totally ruin everyone's vacation if we spent the entire time tearing Paris apart looking for you," he rumbled. 

She trembled in his hands and he pulled her into a tight hug. She whimpered as she cuddled in.

"I would like to go to sleep now and I would love it if you would share my bed. Will you do this?" he asked.

She nodded. 

Ben unzipped her dress and held it as it slipped off her body. He let her step out of it then he folded it over the back of a chair. He removed the paperclip. He turned back to her and took in her sexy lingerie. He unpinned her hair and allowed it to pour down over her shoulders and back. "You look absolutely lovely!" he said with a smouldering smile.

She blushed and squirmed under his gaze.

Ben undid his robe, pulled it off and draped it over the same chair. Lucy gasped when she saw his scars. 

"Oh my god! What happened?" Lucy reached out to touch them.

Ben looked down and saw her hands hover over the scars of the stab wounds like she was afraid to touch them, like they might open if she did.

"They're from a bad man with a big knife and a lot of rage. I stopped him from killing his wife in front of his kids. I think Trish may have killed him or at least helped. To protect Tina and his wife and kids."

Lucy seemed to be counting them. Then she saw the three bullet scars. "What- what are these?" she whispered.

"Bullet hole scars," Ben said quietly.

She looked up with shock in her eyes.

"They're from a bad man with a gun and a lot of fear. I stopped him from abducting Miriam when she was very young. Then I killed him. To protect Gabriella and Miriam."

Lucy looked at the bandage on his arm. "This scar is from protecting me."

"Badges of honor. Every one," Ben said firmly.

She was biting her lip like she was going to cry again. He reached out and touched her lower lip and gently pulled it from her teeth. She sucked in her breath at the intimacy of his touch. He smiled and touched the small ring piercing her lower lip. She looked at him nervously, fearing his rejection.

"I've never kissed someone with a lip ring," he said with a smile. "Or a tongue piercing. Or an eyebrow ring for that matter." 

"Would- would you like to?" she asked in a voice that was barely a whisper. She was feeling faint as her heart pounded in her chest.

"Very much," he said as he dipped his face down to hers. His first kiss was light, a test to see how their mouths fit together. The cool metal in her lip was a new sensation for Ben but he didn't think it was particularly bad, just different. He loved the way Lucy caught her breath in a sudden gasp. Before she could recover he kissed her a little harder and sucked her lip between his. He ran his tongue over her plump lower lip and caressed her ring. 

Lucy moaned and whimpered as he gently tugged at the ring with his teeth. He released the ring then slid his tongue into her mouth and slipped it over hers. When he encountered her little barbell piercing he played the tip of his tongue over it. He felt her hands land gently on his chest and pull back. He took her hands in his and held them firmly against his chest so she could feel they were healed and it wouldn't hurt him. She moaned again as he sucked her tongue while she ran her fingers over the muscles of his chest and his scars. 

He pulled back from her lips and her hands went to his belt. She undid it and the button and zipper on his pants. She looked up at him for permission to push his pants down and he nodded. She slid her hands down over his hips and the pants dropped. His boxers went with them and Lucy gasped again.

"Oh god! You're big!" she said.

He gave her a questioning look. "Is that bad?"

She appeared to be about to hyperventilate so he hugged her to his chest and made shushing sounds.

"Lucy, I want you to know that I won't do anything you are uncomfortable with. If there is something you don't like to do we won't do it. My pleasure depends on my knowing you are happy. If you don't like something please tell me."

After a moment she mumbled something against his chest but it was too quiet and muffled to hear. He pulled back a little to hear her better. "What was that?"

She pressed her face harder against his chest and trembled.

"Lucy, please. You don't have to be scared to speak your mind. Please tell me."

It took a little more time before she finally peered up at him from his chest. "My ass," she whispered.

"Your ass? Oh, you don't like... anal?" 

She shuddered and clung to him tighter expecting him to reject her.

"That's ok Lucy. We won't do that. I won't touch you there. Can I squeeze your butt? It's a really pretty butt and I think it needs caresses and squeezes," he said with a smile and she giggled against his chest. He could tell her giggles were just her tension releasing. "So that's a yes to bum cheek squeezing?" More giggles and a definite nod. "Good! How about tonight we just sleep and we leave the rest for later. There's no need to rush. Like I said, we have time."

He walked into the bathroom and went to brush his teeth. Lucy realized she'd left her toiletries in her backpack. Ben noticed and opened a drawer. He pulled out a new toothbrush the hotel supplied and handed it to Lucy. They brushed their teeth together then they climbed into the large bed and shut off the lights. Lucy took off her bra and cuddled up against Ben. She felt his body relax. She felt good that she could do that for him. Tina had let her know that he needed this now. She felt his lips on her forehead and she sighed contentedly, her own body fully relaxing for the first time in years.

Detective Babineaux saw the last light on the top floor of the building across the street go out and cursed under her breath again. First she'd been careless and was almost spotted at the club. Then the fight had broken out and she might have been able to arrest Kirion for causing it but she hadn't been able to get through the crowd fast enough and he got away. The man he'd beaten was so badly bruised from his other assailants there was no point in using him as evidence of Kirion's violence.

She wanted to stay as he might sneak out but she was too exhausted to keep the surveillance going all night. She'd make a mistake that might prove fatal. She'd return early to watch him in the morning.

First things first though. She turned on her phone to see if the Chief Inspector had left her a message asking for her badge or to come in. She was surprised to see no voice mails. She checked her email and spotted a message stating there was evidence on the customs video of a man roughly matching the description of Kirion Rapava. She shook her head and shut her email down. Of course there was. She was standing across the street from his hotel. 

The fact that Kirion hadn't contacted her boss proved once more than it was him. Of course his threat to contact the Chief Inspector was empty. He avoided the police at all costs. Couldn't have the authorities looking too closely at him.

Chanel ached for sleep. With a final glance up at the top floor she headed for her apartment.

Ben woke up feeling refreshed and looked down at the woman drooling on his chest. He grinned. Lucy looked as relaxed as he'd ever seen her. Ben glanced at the clock and saw they needed to start their day as the others would soon come calling. He nuzzled Lucy's forehead, leading little kisses across her face and he felt her slowly surfacing.

Lucy pulled her face back from Ben's chest and felt the drool sticking to her. Her eyes flew open and she jerked back looking down at the mess she'd made. Her eyes shot up to Ben in worry but saw he was grinning at her.

"I'm going to make you wear a drool bib when you sleep with me," he teased and her face flushed red with embarrassment.

"I'm so sorry," she began to babble.

"I'm teasing. You're not the first to christen my chest with saliva," he grinned. "We need to get cleaned up as we'll likely have guests soon."

Her eyes shot to the living room then she pushed back the sheets and sat up. She stretched her arms above her head and yawned.

Ben was getting his first clear look at her tits and he was definitely impressed. They were larger than he expected for a girl with such a slim build. Small pink nipples with little gold rings were centered on full orbs of soft flesh. She wasn't quite as large as Gabriella but she had a smaller frame so they just looked larger. She saw Ben's admiring look and her face went red again. 

"You have beautiful breasts!" Ben said warmly.

"Thank you!" she whispered.

"I'm going to have a shower." He caught himself before he asked her if she'd like to join him as he remembered she was a Sub. It was time to start acting as her Dom. "You will join me. I will wash you and you will wash me." He saw he'd gotten it right when her nipples began to stiffen and a small smile showed at the corners of her lips. She dipped her eyes demurely and nodded. He got out of bed and pulled her to her feet. He kissed her, quickly and she gasped as his naked body pressed against her. He looked down. 

"Remove those," he said pointing to her pink lace panties.

She blushed again and pushed her panties down. They dropped to her feet and she stepped out of them. Lucy kept her hands in front of her untrimmed pubic hair. This was something that she'd let slide during her time with the bad boy friends. She was embarrassed by the wild growth considering Ben was well groomed in comparison.

"We'll spend a little time on that this morning as the plan is to go shopping today. Go use the toilet and let me know when you are done," Ben said in a commanding tone and Lucy spun in place and rushed into the washroom. Ben waited and soon there was the sound of a flush.

"I'm done."

Ben walked in and stepped into the shower. He held out his hand and she joined him in the large stall. He started the water and got it nice and hot but not scalding. Once the jets started he stepped in and wet his body and hair. He pulled Lucy against him and he ran his hands through her long hair. Her tits felt great squeezed against his chest. He began to respond and Lucy gasped as it began to press up against her. Ben grabbed the soap and washed Lucy's body with a firm but gentle touch. He watched her expression change from timid to completely relaxed. 

He washed down her body until he needed to kneel to move down her legs. He washed her pubic area but made sure he didn't get any soap in her. On her, yes, and she was squirming with the tingles he was sending through her body.

He got back to his feet and poured shampoo in his hands and ran it through her hair. He massaged her scalp as he rubbed the shampoo through every strand of her luxurious locks. He also shampooed her pubic hair though that was more just an excuse to drag his fingers through the patch of dark hair between her legs. He repeated the process with the conditioner.

He didn't really touch her in a sexual way but his handling of her body had her completely charged up and dripping wet. Lucy was panting with need.

"Please! I need you inside me! Please!" she whimpered. 

"I'm not sure if you're ready for me," he said.

She looked him in the eye and begged. He leaned down and kissed her hard. His tongue slid into her mouth to tangle with hers. He cupped her heavy breasts and gently tugged on the nipple rings until she was moaning constantly. He shut the shower's side jets off as he needed the lubricant he was adding to his cock to remain in place. 

He peeled open a packet of lube and rubbed it all over his stiff cock. He gasped when her small hand took a grip on him and stroked him a few times, smearing the lube over its head. Ben lifted her in his arms and positioned himself against her dripping pussy. 

"We're going to take this slow," he said firmly as he lowered her onto his cock. He was surprised how easily he was slipping into her depths. She was really wet and not as tight as Tina. When he was halfway in the tightness suddenly began. 

"Oh! Ohhhhhh! OH MY GOD! SO BIG!" Lucy groaned as Ben slowed her descent. He lifted her back up and she kissed him feverishly. He reversed direction again and went just a little deeper. 

"FFFFFUUUUUUUCCCKKKKK!" Lucy pulled back from Ben's mouth to groan as the thick head of his cock spread her walls open as it forced its way deeper into her body. 

Ben lifted her again then sunk more of his cock into her tight channel. She was shaking from the intensity of it and hooked her heels behind his ass to pull him deeper. "Oh Ben! Ben! Ben! Ben! Ben!" she chanted as he filled her completely. 

Once he reached bottom he moved one hand up to the hair on the back of her head and he took a firm grip. Her eyes flew open and she looked into his. She was looking for cruelty or sadistic intent. All she found was his hunger for her and she trembled with desire. He dipped his head and caressed her mouth with his. She tried to press her lips harder against his mouth but his grip let him set the pace. She whimpered with need. He sucked her lower lip between his lips and stroked it with his tongue. He moved to her upper lip and nibbled his way from one side to the other. She was almost squealing with desperation for him to kiss her deeper. He was waiting for her to relax her muscles around his cock, a signal that she'd accepted his girth. He captured her tongue and got a grip on the stud. He sucked on her tongue and felt himself slip just a little deeper. She was ready. He released her tongue then lifted her almost all the way off his cock. He slid himself all the way to the bottom in one stroke. Her clit slapped against his pelvis.

"FFFUUUUUUUU-" she gasped.

He did it again. And again, getting faster each time. He was lifting and dropping her, their bodies slapping together. Each time her clit hit Ben she squeaked and her pleasure built. It was already making her head swim. She felt completely under his control and he was making her feel so damn good. 

Ben changed the stroke to a short, deep but rapid pounding and Lucy's eyes rolled back as her jaw dropped in a silent scream as this brought her to her peak. She shook through her release.

He slammed it deep once more and pinned Lucy against the wall as he fired his cum up into her body in jet after jet. 

"Ohhhhhhhh Ben! I can feel that! Sooooo deep!" she mumbled as her head rested forward against his chest. She squeezed him once more with her heels on his ass but he was as deep as he was going to get.

"I- I'm not on the pill but it isn't my time so we're safe," she huffed once. "Bad time to say that I suppose."

Ben slowly pulled his shrinking cock from the young woman. He tried to let her innocent words roll off but he must have tensed up as she noticed.

"What's wrong?" she asked looking at his face in worry.

"Nothing. It's nothing." He set her gently on her feet and held her steady until her shaky legs could hold her up on their own. "You don't have to worry about me getting you pregnant." He pointed to the lowest bullet scar. "I had a rather unconventional vasectomy." He gave her a grin but it failed to convince. He turned away before he could see the pity in her eyes so he missed the compassion. 

Ben washed his hair and Lucy washed his body with the soap as he'd said she would. She helped him rinse off then they got out to dry off.

"I said we'd take care of your grooming and now we will. Do you have any preference as to how much hair we leave?" Ben asked.

Lucy looked up at him and shook her head in a small gesture. He smiled. She was leaving it up to him. She gave him a small smile back.

Ben asked Lucy to sit on the toilet with her legs as wide as she could comfortably keep them. He brought out his hair shears from his kit. He carefully trimmed off the excess pubic hair. He brought out his shaving cream and a fresh razor. 

"Do you trust me?" he asked.

She looked into his eyes and nodded with a smile.

He lathered her up and gently and carefully shaved her clean. She was biting her lip and trembling when he finished. Her labia were swollen with lust from his touches and he was hard as iron and she had a clear view of it. He cleaned her off and rubbed some bag balm over her skin to ensure it didn't become irritated. 

"Oh God! Your hands on my skin feel so good."

He lifted her up onto the counter with her pussy right at the edge. He pushed her legs open and took a close look to ensure he'd done a good job of shaving her. Then he looked her in the eye and ran his tongue across her pussy lips. She cried out with bliss and grabbed his head, keeping it over her pussy. He lapped at her a few more times and dipped his tongue inside her deeply a few times for good measure. Lucy was tossing her head back and forth crying out his name so he sucked her clit between his lips and ran his tongue over it roughly making her jolt with sensation. 

He stood up and lifted her in his arms. He carried her to the bed and laid her on it. He grabbed a lube packet and spread it on his hot skin then climbed onto the bed. He lifted her legs towards her chest and ran the length of his cock across her puffy lips spreading the lube across her opening. Then he pulled back and pushed the fat head inside. 

The way in was not as tight as the previous time and Ben soon found his cock bottoming out. Lucy's freshly shaved skin felt amazing against his and she was way more sensitive to his deep thrusts now.

"Oh god! Faster! Harder! Oh please!" she moaned.

Ben gave in to her demands and began to drive his cock into her at a brutal pace. He kept this up until he felt Lucy's body tense up. She threw her head back against the pillows and began to make unintelligible sounds as she crested again and again. Ben's orgasm struck fast and he exploded into her once more. He closed his eyes and rode out his pleasure as he felt Lucy rocking through her own. 




A Shepherd in France Ch. 01



When they both came down from their peaks Ben pulled himself out and they made their way back to the washroom to clean up. He suggested she use more bag balm to treat the shaved area again.

"We should get dressed and meet the others for breakfast," he said.

Lucy bit her lip and looked at him. "My clothes are in Meagan's room." 

He leaned down and kissed her lips tenderly and felt her melt against him. When he pulled back he handed her his bathrobe. "Bring it back when you are done."

She smiled at him and put the oversized gown on and cinched the belt tight. She picked up her underwear and dress and put her shoes on. She looked back at him and he smiled at her. She wore a special smile of her own as she slipped from his room.

Chapter 4

Rachel jolted up to a seated position from a sound sleep. Her mind cast around for the reason for waking her so abruptly. She saw it was morning. Beautiful sunlight was pouring through the sheer drapes. Tina's bed was empty.

Then she heard it. Someone was throwing up in the washroom. Tina obviously. She'd better make sure she was ok.

Rachel threw off her covers and slid out of her wonderfully comfy bed. She was definitely feeling spoiled so far on this trip. Luxury accommodations, spa treatments, delicious gourmet foods, dance clubs and best of all, all expenses paid.

As if that wasn't great enough, she got to kiss Ben! Twice!

God! He was a great kisser!

She'd replayed those kisses over and over in her head last night. Sure, she would have loved to have tasted his mouth and felt his tongue taste hers but these were good night kisses and slipping him the tongue would have been a mistake. She and Sophia had spent some time texting the twins to find out how they'd managed to overcome Ben's resistance and the short answer was patience. Take it slow and override his memories of their youth with new images of their current state. Sophia and she had launched a plan to get Ben to see them as potential bed mates. The good night kiss was just the first salvo in that battle.

She knocked gently on the bathroom door. "Tina, are you OK?"

There was a flush then she heard the sink. A few seconds later the door opened and Tina was there looking a little pale, which considering her normally light skin tone was a little shocking.

"Seriously, are you OK?" Rachel asked.

Tina nodded then went back to bed. Rachel followed her and felt her forehead once she was under the covers. She didn't feel warm but her mom would be a better judge. She pulled on her dressing gown and headed over to her mother's door. She knocked and a few seconds later her mother opened it. Of course she was already dressed and ready for the day. Sophia walked up behind her. She was also dressed. Morning people. Ugh.

"Good morning sweet pea," Catherine greeted her middle child.

"Morning mom. Can you come take a look at Tina? She was throwing up this morning," Rachel said.

"Morning sickness?" Sophia quipped.

Catherine scowled at her eldest. "Don't even joke! I told you Ben was sterile. He's still a little sensitive about that." She glanced to see if Ben was within earshot.

She followed Rachel back to her room and walked over to the side of Tina's bed. The woman's eyes were closed and she was breathing softly so she was asleep. Catherine gently felt her forehead and didn't detect a fever. She moved back to the room's entranceway and gestured for her daughters to follow.

"Did you see what Tina had for dinner last night?" she asked.

Sophia answered. "She had the same pasta dish I had and I feel fine!"

"She was feeling a little under the weather before dinner," Rachel offered.

"Was she throwing up during the night?" the mother asked.

Sophia snorted. "You're asking the wrong girl. Rachel would sleep through an earthquake!"

Rachel just stuck out her tongue at her sister but shrugged to her mom.

"Well... let's let her sleep for now. Go have your shower and get dressed. I'm going to go speak with Gabriella. Maybe we can get a doctor in."

Catherine and Sophia walked over to Gabriella's room and knocked. Moments later Miriam opened the door, all smiles. "Good morning!"

"Good morning, Miriam! Is Gabriella up?" Catherine asked with a grin.

"Very amusing, Cat," Gabriella said as she approached the door. She was also ready to head downstairs for breakfast.

"Tina's sick. Throwing up but no fever. We don't think it was from dinner last night as Sophia ate the same dish and Tina was not feeling well before dinner. I think we should call in a doctor," Cat said to bring her friend up to speed.

Gabriella immediately turned around and picked up the phone. She spoke to the front desk and asked for them to arrange a doctor to come in. She was assured they would send one up within the hour.

"Ok, a doctor will be coming soon. Less than an hour they said," Gabriella informed the group. She turned to her daughter. "I'm sure it's nothing so let's not mention this to Ben until the doctor confirms that, alright." Miriam nodded, pleased to be included in an adult situation for once.

There was a knock on the door. Cat opened it and saw Ben was standing there smiling.

"Ready for breakfast?" he asked.

"Not everyone yet. Why don't you head down and get your breakfast with those who are ready. Can you take Daniel down? I know he's famished."

"Sure! See you down there," Ben said. Miriam rushed to his side and grabbed his hand and Sophia put her arm through his other arm. Catherine eyed her daughter suspiciously as the door closed.

Catherine looked over at Gabriella and raised her eyebrow. "With Ben's memory loss events I'd rather not subject him to strong emotional impacts. No sense in worrying Ben just yet," Gabriella said with a frown. Her friend nodded.

She followed Catherine over to Tina's room. Their keys opened all of the rooms as did Ben's. She'd given Tina's room number for the doctor so they went inside. Rachel was just finishing up in the washroom. She walked out and looked over at her sleeping roommate.

"We've called for a doctor to check on her just in case. Can you check on Meagan and head down to breakfast with Ben and the rest? No mention of the doctor to Ben yet, OK?" Catherine said. The two mothers got comfortable for the wait.

Rachel nodded, left her room and she knocked on Meagan's door. Her sister opened it.

"Are you ready for breakfast?" Rachel asked.

"Lucy is just about done. I loaned her some clothes as everything she has needs a wash," Meagan replied.

"Hey, I wanted to ask you something. Why didn't you give Ben a kiss on the lips last night?" Rachel asked her sister.

"I- I just don't feel that way about Ben. I mean, I think he's gorgeous and I like to tease him and hear the stories about him but when I saw you two making plans for him I realized I didn't want that. I really like him but I don't want him that way. I don't want to change what we have. You know?" Meagan said, trying to explain her feelings.

"Yeah, I get it. I can respect that." 

Lucy came out of the washroom wearing Meagan's cute little red shorts and a dark blue top which was never meant to hide tits as large as Lucy's. Rachel snorted and smiled. 

"Well we're going shopping for clothes so Lucy can get a brand new wardrobe with shirts that fit her... generous bust," Meagan responded to her sister's snort while pouting enviously at Lucy. 

They both saw how gingerly the woman was walking then they saw the glow on her face. Simultaneously their eyes widened and they dropped their jaws. 

"YOU HAD SEX WITH BEN!" Rachel gasped. "Out with it! We want details!" The sisters gathered close.

"Tina's orders are to be discreet. So, sorry!" Lucy said with an impish smile.

The sisters groaned and Lucy shrugged but her smile stayed in place.

They left the room and passed the doctor stepping off the elevator as they headed down to the restaurant serving breakfast.

Gabriella answered the knock on the door and let the doctor in.

"Bonjour. Je suis docteur Paquin. Où est mon patient?" the slight, older gentleman asked. She led him over to the bed.

"This is Tina Lee. She doesn't speak French. She was feeling unwell yesterday and this morning she was throwing up," Gabriella said. She moved back as the doctor examined Tina. She heard Tina quietly answering the doctor's questions. After a few minutes of this he turned back to them. 

"Would it be possible for one of you to pick up an item for Tina in the pharmacy across the street?" he asked.

"Certainly, doctor. What is it?" Gabriella asked.

"A home pregnancy test. Any brand will do," he said with a smile.

Gabriella and Catherine rocked back and stared at the doctor, then Tina who had turned her face away from them.

"Did I say something wrong?" the man said, his smile falling from his face.

Gabriella was first to recover. "No, I'm sorry. I'll be right back." She nodded at Catherine to stay with Tina. 

Ben had finished his breakfast and was just enjoying the ambiance of the restaurant and the happy chatter of his group around him. Miriam was glowing with happiness and even Daniel was acting his age, meaning like a kid for once. It was good to see him laughing and teasing his sister.

Sophia was looking very pretty in a yellow sun dress and smiled at his appreciation. Rachel was wearing a sheer white blouse over a sky blue skirt and he caught the outline of her bra under the fabric before he turned away embarrassed at himself for looking. Meagan was more casually dressed with a red button down blouse over blue short shorts which showed off her legs. Again he pulled his eyes away only to settle them on Lucy's tits which were trying to escape from her shirt. She caught him staring and he blushed as she pulled her shoulders back slightly for his enjoyment. He could see the impression of the small nipple rings against the fabric and he began to respond. She had a coy smile on her face as Ben pushed back from the table. He turned to Sophia.

"It looks like I'll have time to pick up something before we go. I'll meet you back here in a minute." Ben nodded to the others and stood awkwardly due to his reaction to Lucy's display. Her grin went up a few notches. 

As he made his way out of the lobby he wondered what was taking Gabriella, Catherine and Tina. He'd check on them when he returned from the pharmacy. 

The sky was blue and the air was cool but he fully expected it to get much warmer. He'd dressed in light clothes as he expected to be carrying quite a few bags today. He made his way into the pharmacy and grabbed a basket. He headed straight for the aisle where the condoms were. He found the lube and dropped a few boxes of the individual packs as well as a jar of the stuff. Then he headed over to the aisle for shaving stuff. He needed to get Lucy a pack of fresh disposable razors, special shaving gel like his, and something to prevent skin irritation.

They had the special gels on the bottom shelf so he had to squat down. He heard the door chime then the distinct sound of Gabriella's voice as she spoke to the cashier by the door. He didn't quite catch what she said but the tone of her voice set off his nerves. He slowly walked to the front of the store as she rushed back into the aisles, grabbed something and rushed back to the cashier. Ben was just about to the front and saw what she placed on the counter. His mind blanked momentarily and when he returned she was gone. 

He paid for his items and took the bag in his hand as he rushed back to the hotel. He wasn't sure why he was rushing but there was an urgency he couldn't deny. He went straight to the elevators and up to their floor. He knocked on Gabriella's door and waited but she didn't answer. Then he knocked on Catherine's door but she didn't respond. He turned and stiffly walked over to Tina's door. There was a roaring in his ears as he heard voices inside. He stood there unmoving. Minutes passed then he used his key to open the door and step inside. He saw Gabriella and Catherine looking at him with surprise and worry on their faces.

There was a strange man in the room with his back to him. Ben took in a doctor's bag on the bed. The man turned and there was Tina looking dazed and pale holding a pregnancy test in her hand.

"Ce est le père?" At Ben's blank look he spoke again. "Are you the father?"

Ben was crashing into the elevator slapping at the ground floor button. There were shrill voices behind him but he couldn't make out what they were saying over the roaring in his head. There could have been crying but his confusion was keeping him from comprehending the sounds. The doors finally opened and Ben surged out of the elevator and raced through the lobby and out into the street. He didn't know why he was running. All he knew was that something horribly painful was behind him and he had to keep out in front of it.

Meagan saw Ben run through the lobby and glanced at Sophia. She held up her phone and set off after Ben in a sprint. She spotted him running down the street to the right in the direction of the Seine. She raced after him, keeping him in sight but not so close as he saw her. Then she spotted the woman in front of her who also seemed to be running after Ben.

She saw him stop at a corner and look in all directions. She and the woman both ducked for cover when his head turned in their direction. That confirmed for Meagan that the woman was chasing Ben. She looked out again and saw Ben turn left and she and the woman rushed forward. Meagan made sure the woman didn't see her as she turned the corner then ducked around the corner to see Ben far ahead and the woman picking up her pace to keep up. Meagan also ran faster and soon she saw Ben reach the walkway next to the lovely river. He seemed to be leaning over a trash receptacle... oh. He was being sick. Maybe he had what Tina had? She began to really worry.

Gabriella pushed out of the elevator with Catherine and saw Sophia standing in the lobby. 

"Did you see Ben?" she gasped.

"Yeah, he ran right through the lobby and outside." Before Gabriella could move to give chase Sophia put a hand on her arm. "You'll never catch him at this point. He was moving too fast." Gabriella looked like she was going to collapse so Sophia took her shoulders and looked in her eyes. "Don't worry, Meagan went after him and she has her cell. She's the only one of us who could keep up with him and she'll keep him in sight."

Gabriella looked up hopefully and hugged Sophia. The rest of the group exited the restaurant and Gabriella indicated they needed to go upstairs. "Come on. Everyone brush their teeth so we can be ready to go when Ben gets back," she said. They headed to the elevator.

Meagan watched Ben walk along the sidewalk next to the Seine. He looked from side to side occasionally like he was lost and she suddenly realized he was. She increased her pace until she was up to the woman following him. 

"Why are you following Ben?" she barked and the woman spun to look at her. 

"Who are you to ask me that?" the woman growled back.

"I'm Ben's friend, who watched you following him all the way from the hotel," Meagan growled back. 

"Oh, you are one of his bitches. Piss off little girl. I am working here," the woman sneered and looked away.

"If you are working the street I guess that makes you a whore," Meagan snapped.

The tall brunette spun to look at her with rage in her eyes. She slapped Meagan's cheek, hard enough to daze her and knock her onto her butt. 

"HEY!"

She spun to see her quarry running towards her so she turned and ran. It wasn't time to confront Kirion, yet.

Meagan sat on the sidewalk holding her cheek and rolling her jaw side to side as Ben arrived. He knelt down to see if she was ok just as her phone buzzed with an incoming text. She picked up the phone and saw it was from Sophia. She replied all was good.

"Are you ok?" Ben asked turning her face to see the bruise coming up on Meagan's cheek. He pulled out his phone and took a picture of the bruise. Then he noticed he had texts. From Gabriella. Why did he suddenly feel so nervous?

"Ben? Ben!" Meagan was calling his name.

"Huh? What?" he said. 

"Let's sit down on this bench and catch our breath for a bit ok?" she asked. He looked around and saw nothing familiar. 

"Where are we?" he asked.

"A couple of miles from the hotel," she responded as they sat. "Just close your eyes and breathe. Relax."

He immediately did as he was told and she blinked. He must be in a suggestible state. "Can you hear my voice clearly, Ben?"

"Yes."

"The sun feels good, doesn't it?"

"Yes, it does."

"We should just rest here for a bit and relax. Can we do that?"

"Sure."

Meagan began to text furiously.

Gabriella and Catherine were in Tina's room and she was crying inconsolably on her bed. The doctor was sitting on the end of her bed as Gabriella asked him to stay when Tina had said the baby was Ben's. She knew Ben was sterile so she needed the doctor to explain this to Tina so maybe they could get the truth from the woman. She and Catherine were stunned. While Ben had no reason to expect fidelity from any of them the last person they thought would find another partner was Tina. The doctor estimated she was likely six weeks along and from what Catherine had said, their flight over was the first time Ben had been able to have sex with anyone since his hospital stay.

"Tina, you need to tell us the truth. Ben is sterile. He hasn't had sex until this trip. It can't be his."

Tina rolled over angrily and glared at Gabriella. "I have not had sex with ANYONE but BEN!" 

"He was on medication for weeks after the stabbing. Barely conscious most of the time. He couldn't have had sex with you!" Catherine pushed.

Tina's face looked stricken and they thought she was going to confess the name of her other lover.

"I had sex with Ben when he was sleeping," she whispered, her face flushing with shame.

"What?" Gabriella was confused. How was that even possible? Catherine just sat looking at Tina with her jaw open.

"The drugs made him sleep but he would become so hard and I was so desperate to be with him. He had died. I was so scared I'd never be with him again. So I climbed on him and was careful not to press on his chest. But I had sex with him every day for weeks like this. Sometimes... twice a day." She looked down. "I feel bad for doing this while he was sleeping but I needed him so much! Needed to be with him." Her shame was plain to see on her face.

"But... but Ben is sterile. He said he had a low sperm count to start with and then he was shot and the doctor said the bullet cut his cords," Gabriella mumbled.

The doctor perked up. "Has he been tested?"

All of the ladies looked at him. "What?" Gabriella asked.

"Has he been to a fertility clinic to be tested? I believe your doctor was full of shit. You are all so excited about guns! Take your man to a fertility clinic to have him tested. Tell the clinic he has a low count so they check very carefully. The doctor probably did not check sufficiently. A low sperm count doesn't mean you can't get pregnant. It just means it can be exceptionally difficult to get pregnant. Taking steps as Ms. Lee did may have increased her odds just enough. Once the child is born a paternity test will prove who the father is." He smiled at the stunned women. "If that is everything I must be on my way. Good luck to you all." With that he gathered his bag and left.

The room was silent except for the occasional sniff from Tina. 

"Ben's going to be a father," Gabriella finally said. Tina's face burst into a smile as she heard her friend confirming her belief in her. Gabriella held open her arms and Tina was in them instantly. Catherine threw her arms around both her friends and they all cried tears of joy together. 




A Shepherd in France Ch. 02



Author's Notes: 

'A Shepherd in Paris - Part 1 and 2' is a continuation of 'The Shepherd of Ashburn Court - Parts 1 through 5'. Minimal effort is made in this tale to explain the backstory so please read the other stories first. 

All characters engaging in sexual relationships or activities are 18 years old or older. 

******** 

Chapter 9 

Ben stood next to the vehicle he'd be driving on the next part of their vacation and felt a shiver trickle down his spine. Words to describe it? Brown...ish? Oddly shaped? A metal box with too much glass. Wait! He had it! A fish tank on wheels. 

He never really pictured himself as a van person. Kidding aside, he liked the idea of ferrying kids to baseball games or even soccer but really saw himself doing that in a SUV. 

He turned to look at Gabriella who was looking far too pleased with her selection. She looked at Ben and saw his dismay. 

"Oh really Ben! It's just a car! A very practical car for the next section of our trip!" 

"I think you'd call this a van, not a car. At least I think it's a van," he finished in a mumble as he looked once more at the hideous thing. 

"It will hold most of the luggage plus four people while we drive to our destinations and once we're there we can all fit in it to do our day trips," she explained. When his expression didn't change she snorted and patted him on the arm. "Just wait! You'll fall in love with this car by the end of the trip." She walked back to the second vehicle they'd rented, a sporty little sedan, to speak with Catherine who would be driving that car with her daughters. 

Ben walked over to the van and looked for the door handle. He located a recessed spot and discovered it was the handle. He sat in the driver's seat, which was pretty comfortable he had to admit, and made himself familiar with the controls. He spotted a few small differences but they'd be easy to get used to. It had a manual transmission which he had no issue with once he figured out where they hid the reverse gear. 

As he waited for Gabriella to finish giving Catherine and Sophia directions to their first destination he sat back and wondered if Tina and Lucy were already on the plane. They'd almost been late as something had delayed Gabriella from joining them on the curb outside the hotel this morning. When he asked she just shook her head at him with a frustrated look so he let it go. 

Tina had been good when they parted at customs. He'd been worried that she would have a relapse of her anxiety but she kissed him sweetly, told him to enjoy himself, and told him to be careful. 

Lucy pressed her body against his and also gave him a sweet kiss. Then she walked with Tina into the security zone. 

Gabriella pulled him back to the present as she hopped into the front passenger seat. 

"OK, we're clear on our directions. We can keep in touch with our cell phones but if we get separated they know where we will meet up with them. Let's go!" She smiled a Ben. He looked back to the middle seat and saw big grins on the faces of Miriam and Daniel. 

Ben got them out of the rental lot and away from the airport. Soon they were on the A series highways and made their way around Paris to the A6 south as their final stop of the day would be Beaune. For the first little while Daniel kept tabs on Catherine's car but she proved that she could easily keep the fish tank, as Ben had dubbed their van, in her sights. 

As much as it pained him to admit it, the van drove really well. It was responsive and had power. It was a smooth and quiet ride. If only he didn't feel so much like a goldfish in it. He glanced over at Gabriella and she had a small satisfied smile on her lips. 

Her phone chirped and she glanced at it. "Sophia is asking us to stop at the next gas station for a bathroom break," she said. Ben nodded. 

Twenty minutes later he pulled off and guided the van into a mostly empty parking lot. He turned off the engine and got out to stretch. Three spots away was a very nice black SUV. He looked back at the fish tank with a frown then heard a bark of laughter. 

"Yo! What the fuck is that?" 

He looked over and saw a young man, maybe mid-twenties, dressed in the latest trendy casual wear with a big, expensive gold watch on his wrist. From the accent Ben pegged him as a New Yorker. He was standing, hands on hips next to the SUV staring back at the van with a huge grin on his face. He gestured to the others in the black vehicle to come out to take a look at the van. Three other similarly dressed men opened their doors and started to laugh. Loudly. 

They saw Ben standing next to it and the first one held up his hands in surrender. "Sorry Bro but that's one butt-ugly car!" His friends all laughed harder and Ben just frowned. He couldn't argue with them but felt an odd compulsion to defend the van. 

Gabriella walked around to his side and gave him a hug and pulled his face down to give him a kiss. That made him feel better. He smiled at her twinkling eyes and she walked away towards the building passing the SUV without so much as a glance in their direction. The men watched her pass and the laughter dimmed to chuckles. Miriam and Daniel raced by after her. 

Catherine had parked on the far side of the van and walked around the front to stand by Ben. She gave him a deep kiss which lingered just a little. She grinned at him and followed Gabriella. The laughter stopped as the men watched the tall, beautiful blond walk past. Ben smiled as he watched the sway of her hips. She was putting on a little show for him. 

He felt fingers gently turning his chin as Sophia leaned against him to give him a kiss. Short and sweet as was her smile and she followed her mother. 

The bros gaped as Sophia elegantly walked past in silence. 

Rachel stood before Ben looking at his lips hungrily. He smiled and leaned down to give her the sensual kiss she'd come to crave. She pulled back with eyes closed biting her lip and gave his chest a couple of gentle pats as tingles raced through her body. She turned and rushed after Sophia to catch up to her. 

Megan gave Ben a kiss on the cheek and ran after her sisters. 

The young men looked at Ben in silence as he leaned back against the van and gave it a happy little pat. 

They all took a second look then climbed back into their big black SUV. They left the parking lot quietly. 

A few minutes later Daniel raced back to Ben's side and handed him a bottle of cold water. He had one too. 

"Thanks!" Ben said. 

"So did Mom and the others put them in their place?" Daniel asked. 

Ben grinned figuring it had to be something like that. "Yes, she sank their Battle Ships." 

Daniel laughed and climbed back into the van. 

Ben leaned back against the van with his eyes closed and let the morning rays of the sun sink into his skin to warm his body. He felt someone leaning against him and opened his eyes. Happy green eyes looked up at him. Gabriella felt good against him. "Hey," he said. 

"Hey," she responded. 

"Ready to go?" 

"Get a room you two!" Catherine quipped as she walked by with her smiling daughters. 

Ben kissed Gabriella's forehead as she pushed up from his chest. She smiled and went to her side of the van. 

He got them back out onto the highway and they made their way towards the first stop on the journey, Fontenay Abbey which was near a town called Montbard. Daniel had his guide book out and read aloud that it was the oldest preserved Cistercian abbey in Europe. He gave them a history lesson on it. The drive was long so they made a stop in Auxerre for lunch and Daniel took some pictures of a huge church rising up above the roof tops of the surrounding village. He informed them it was named Abbey of Saint-Germain d'Auxerre. They still had a little more than an hour to drive to get to Fontenay Abbey so they had to skip going inside the huge building much to Daniel's disappointment. 

Once they pulled into the parking lot of Fontenay Abbey Daniel's enthusiasm was back. They took a guided tour and Daniel captured some amazing images. He took a series of portraits of Catherine and her daughters individually and as a group standing by one of the beautiful window wells. The ornate glass made a lovely backdrop and the soft light coming through lit them beautifully. The architecture was also delightful and he got many shots of the unique touches in the buildings as well. 

Their next stop was just half an hour away. The small village of Flavigny-sur-Ozerain was featured in the movie Chocolat and the McGovern sisters were adamant that they visit the place where one of their favorite Hollywood hunks once roamed. It was a very pretty old village and Ben enjoyed walking its streets but there wasn't much to see and the sisters had to squint to see its resemblance to the movie. Hollywood magic had done its work very well. Maybe too well. The ladies felt vaguely disappointed. 

Miriam found a store that sold anise flavored candies which were once made by the monks who lived there. They all tried one and Ben was surprised to find a tiny anise seed in the center. 

The day was getting away from them and they still had another hour to drive to get to the chateau they were staying in just outside of the small town of Beaune. They piled back into their vehicles and moved on. 

Their accommodations for the night was a fully refurbished chateau. They had four rooms on the top floor. Gabriella would share a room with Ben for the night and the others would double up though Miriam and Daniel had a room with two single beds.  

Once they got the bags loaded into the rooms they all got into the van and drove into Beaune to have dinner. They had reservations at a restaurant which used a beautifully converted wine cellar as its dining area. The atmosphere was lovely and the food was top notch. Ben and Daniel were the only ones who didn't partake of the wine and once dinner was over the group went for a little walk through the town. The road and sidewalks were smoothly polished stone so the rubber tires of passing cars squeaked and squealed. Daniel discovered he could make his running shoes squeak as well and teased his sister by making the noise around her. Gabriella finally had to intervene. 

They went back to the chateau and then their rooms after the ladies got their kisses from Ben. 

He and Gabriella retired to their lovely room and Ben dropped his weary bones back on the large bed. The driving took a lot out of him and it had been a long day. 

Gabriella took her dress off and climbed up Ben's body as he grinned at her. She undid the buttons on his shirt and pulled it open. She smiled hungrily as she looked down at his broad chest. Then she leaned down to kiss his nipples. He jumped and gave her a hot look. She pushed back and undid his belt and pants, tugging them down as he lifted his hips. While she backed off the bed to pull off his pants and underwear Ben took his shirt the rest of the way off. Gabriella stood at the end of the bed looking at his naked body. She reached back and undid her bra and slipped it off. Ben's eyes were immediately drawn to her full breasts. Her nipples were stiff and standing at attention. She slid her panties down slowly keeping her eyes on him and his cock began to stiffen and grow. Her smile widened at her effect on him. 

She crawled back onto the bed and slowly kissed her way up his legs. Each time she pressed her lips to his skin his cock surged. Ben was breathing heavy by the time she reached the top of this legs and he was fully erect. Gabriella marvelled at how big he was and how hard she'd made him. A thrill ran down her spine knowing this was for her. 

She reached forward and lifted his heavy balls in her hand and Ben moaned. She dipped her head and kissed them, feeling the heat of him, feeling them move in her hand. She ran the tip of her tongue over them and Ben sucked in his breath. She felt his cock jump in reaction becoming harder still. Her face was flushing with her need for him. She sucked one of his balls into her mouth and Ben moaned once more and she ran her tongue across it. She switched to the other ball and Ben's hips lifted slightly as he whispered her name. 

God, she wanted him so much right now. She could feel her wetness dripping down her inner thighs. Releasing his ball she ran her tongue up the underside of his cock and Ben gasped. She lifted his cock and pressed her lips to the thick head. She tasted his precum and felt the heat against her soft lips. Gabriella slipped her tongue out and ran it over the head. Ben's hands slid into her hair and she took him into her mouth as far as she could. 

"AAAAAAHHH! Fuck! Oh my god, Gabriella!" Ben gasped. 

She pumped him into her mouth a few more times running her tongue all over his hot skin. Ben was moaning her name over and over. 

Gabriella only had one more condom left as she hadn't had a chance to pick up more or replace the ones she'd 'borrowed' from Rachel. She rolled it over the head of Ben's cock and used both hands to roll it down over his shaft. 

She stretched her body over Ben's and looked up into his fevered eyes. "Fuck me, Ben! Fuck me hard!" His eyes instantly sharpened and he grinned fiercely. He rolled them over so he was on top and kissed her deeply. She sucked desperately at his tongue as she felt the pressure of his cock aligning with the entrance of her pussy. He pushed forward, sliding deep into her, making her cry out in pleasure. The sensations exploding through her body were intense and uncontrolled. He pulled back and thrust forward once more reaching her depths. Gabriella's eyes rolled back as her senses started to slip away from her. She clung to his back and Ben pulled back and rammed forward faster and faster, his pelvis slapping her clit again and again. Gabriella crested and squeezed her eyes shut, gasping as the wave of intense pleasure coursed through her nerves. Ben continued to drive himself into her. Her orgasm went on and on, growing in magnitude, and she lost muscle coordination. Ben finally reached his climax and drove himself deep one last time, grinding against her. Her body convulsed through one final enormous surge and she sank back to the mattress. 

Ben's mind was spinning from the intensity of his own release. He gently pulled himself out of Gabriella and she moaned in protest as spikes of pleasure shot through her trembling pussy. When he was clear he carefully moved her outstretched arm and dropped down on the bed next to her. 

They rested quietly, letting the glow slowly fade. 

"Oh my god Ben! What you do to me!" Gabriella finally managed to say breathily. 

"It's what you do to me as well!" he smiled. 

She rolled her head over to look at him and saw his smiling face. "I must have done something right in my life to be so blessed," she sighed happily. 

Ben rolled up on one elbow and looked down at her satiated expression. She looked truly lovely and he leaned down to gently kiss her full, plump lips. "I can't imagine how I ever deserved to be this happy." 

Her smile was brilliant and tears beaded up in her eyes. 

"Hey, no tears!" he gently scolded her with an exaggerated scowl. 

"I love you so much!" she whispered. 

The heartfelt confession knocked Ben off his emotional equilibrium and tears came to his eyes as well. 

"I can't express how much I love you. There just aren't words," he said, his voice rough with emotion. 

He kissed her and she kissed him in return until they were gasping. He saw she was exhausted so he pulled her against him and shut off the lights. He relaxed as he felt her soft breasts pressing against him. He was a lucky man and his inner voice could go fuck itself. 

Chapter 10 

The chateau served breakfast in a beautiful room on the main floor or you could have it outside at tables in the courtyard. Ben and Gabriella were the last ones to arrive from their group and found the others in a cluster of tables outside. Gabriella was moving a little gingerly this morning and Catherine struggled to keep the grin from her face. Ben quickly did the rounds then went inside to get some food for them both. 

Catherine moved to sit next to her friend and leaned in. "You're glowing extra bright this morning but moving a little slow!" 

Gabriella looked around embarrassed and shushed the blond. "We were a little too energetic and I'm just a little tender." 

"Worth it?" Cat asked. 

"GOD YES!" Gabriella gushed then went crimson as her outburst was much louder than intended. Sophia and Rachel looked over curiously and caught the meaning pretty quickly. Their grins were wide. 

Cat stood up as Ben had returned with a tray. She helped place the contents on the table and then leaned in and gave him a sensual kiss. A few other guests looked at them curiously. 

"Good morning!" he smiled as she took the tray from him. She smiled and walked back into the chateau. 

Gabriella and Ben had their breakfast and everyone went back to their rooms to brush their teeth and bring the suitcases back to the cars. They checked out and were on the road early. They had a two and a half hour drive to get to Annecy to visit the Gorges du Fier which was reported to be stunning. 

The drive was pleasant and Gabriella dozed as they drove. 

Ben woke her as they pulled into the parking lot. Catherine drove in a minute later and they gathered at the entrance. Gabriella was smiling as Daniel was so excited and Miriam picked up on his excitement. Ben and the rest had no clue what to expect. They paid the entrance fee and made their way out onto a walkway bolted to the wall of a deep gorge. Water had carved its way between the stones and the platform they were viewing it from was high above the river below. 

Daniel was in awe of the beautiful scenery and took shot after shot. He also got some pictures of the others cautiously making their way along the path. Miriam walked hand in hand with her mother as both were a little nervous of the height. Catherine, Rachel and Megan had no issues with the height but Sophia was in a bad way. She was not keen on heights and felt the platform bounced just a little too much. Ben held her hand and that seemed to calm her down. 

They saw evidence of just how high the water reached in the gorge and that was a little frightening. 

Daniel was gushing with excitement when they reached the end and asked if they could go through again. Sophia's face showed how little she thought of that idea. She thanked Ben for coming to her 'rescue' and kissed his cheek. 

Their next stop was Chamonix which was in the French Alps and was only a little more than an hour away. The scenery was amazing and made the trip feel much shorter. They parked and discussed what they would like to do. From the parking lot they could see a cable car going up the mountain. Gabriella spoke with the woman selling tickets for the cable car and discovered the temperature up on the Aiguille du Midi, a multi terraced building at close to 4,000 metres high was pretty chilly and she recommended they wear long pants and fleece which could be purchased in the village. 

They wandered into town and made their way into a few shops. Everyone got a fleece jacket or sweater and a nylon shell to keep the wind out. They carried their finds over to a restaurant and had lunch. 

Ben noticed Sophia was quieter than usual and kept glancing up at the mountain as the cable cars made their way up and down. 

"You don't have to do this if it makes you nervous," he said. 

"No! I want to do this! I want to!" she said firmly and forced a smile on her face. 

He looked at her seriously and she patted his hand. "Thank you Ben. I'll be fine." 

After lunch they walked back to the cable car station and bought tickets. The cable car in the station was full but they were first in line for the next which they were told would be in twenty minutes. Ben kept his eye on Sophia and she seemed to be relaxing so he felt better about that. 




A Shepherd in France Ch. 02



Once the next one arrived they were ushered into the large car and moved to the back of it by the windows. This would give them the best view of the valley as they climbed. Daniel got up by the glass to take photos. Ben noticed Sophia was looking at her feet and he asked her again if she was ok. She nodded without looking at him. He glanced over at Rachel and she looked concerned. 

Sophia squeaked when the car began to move but clamped down on her fear. 

The car began to move quicker and settled into a steady pace which would take them to the top in twenty minutes. The car swayed gently as they passed the support columns and Sophia squeaked each time. The valley dropped away below them and the view was spectacular! Daniel was excitedly describing the heights and Ben caught a shudder passing through Sophia's frame. 

Catherine leaned closer to her daughter and whispered something to her. Sophia shook her head tightly and continued to tremble with her eyes closed. Cat looked at Ben with a worried look. 

Ben stepped closer to Sophia and suddenly she was clinging to his chest. His jacket and fleece were open and her hands were inside both and digging into his back. He glanced at Catherine in surprise and she gave him a nod after a pause. He wrapped his arms around the young woman and held her tightly. 

Sophia's trembling began to slow and she tucked her face into his neck. Ben felt her breath on his skin and her soft lips pressed against him. Then he became conscious of her ever so slowly grinding against him. He cast Catherine another concerned look and she gave him a sympathetic smile and nod. She mouthed 'distract her' to him and he gently nodded. 

Catherine leaned in and whispered in Gabriella's ear. She looked over at Sophia in sympathy then nodded to her friend. She positioned herself at Ben's back between him and her kids who only had eyes for the view out the window anyway. Catherine, Rachel and Megan took positions facing outwards at Sophia's back. 

He was starting to get hard as she ground her pelvis against him. He felt her hot breath gusting out against his skin in little bursts as she began to pant quietly. 

"Shhh... slow down, make it last," he whispered to her as he moved his hands down to her hips and controlled her movements. 

Sophia made a noise somewhere between a moan and squeak when she felt his strong hands gripping her body. She listened to his advice and let him set the pace. That was hard to do as she was getting close to a release. 

The car went past another support pillar and made its bumping noises and swayed. Sophia clung tighter to Ben. 

"That was the last support pillar! From this point to the top we are completely supported by the connection at the top!" Daniel blurted excitedly to his mother. 

Ben felt Sophia lock up so he tilted his face down to whisper to her that they would be alright. Suddenly her mouth was on his kissing him desperately. Once more he slowed her down. They still had a ways to go. He gently and sensually caressed her lips with his and felt her body relaxing. Her kisses lost their desperate intensity and became slow but passionate. She ground against him harder and gasped into his mouth as she felt the bulge of his thick hard cock pressing against her mound. Ben's hands moved once more and gripped her ass. He controlled her motions, slowing them but keeping the pressure on. 

Ben paid close attention to her responses to keep her distracted as the car smoothly made its slow approach up to the terminus at the top. Each time she began to tense up he'd gently push her back to let the pressure wane. Then he'd begin again. Slowly. 

Sophia was going insane. She'd never felt like this before. Ben had taken her to the edge so many times only to back away that she couldn't take any more. The incredible build-up had been stretched out to almost fifteen minutes and she was beginning to shake with the need for release. Her kisses became desperate once more. Ben realized he couldn't make her wait any longer and a quick glance up confirmed he didn't need to. He kissed her deeply and ground her hard against him as he squeezed her ass in his big hands. Her orgasm was immediate and explosive and he was only partially successful in muffling her cries. She pulled back from his kiss and buried her face in his shoulder as her nerves erupted again and again when he rocked her body tightly against his. 

The car gently bumped against the terminus as it came to a stop. Ben slid his hands up to her back to continue to support her as her legs had turned to jelly. The other passengers slowly disembarked and he waited for her to get her equilibrium back. Once she nodded he carefully walked her off the car with Gabriella and her kids close behind. With the firm floor of the building under her feet Sophia felt less shaky. Ben kept his arm around her and walked her along with the group until they exited out onto an open terrace. They found themselves standing in a mist which suddenly cleared and there was the peak of Mont Blanc before them. Sophia whipped her head around and saw the retreating cloud they had been standing in moments before. 

"Oh my god! We're standing in the sky!" she gasped in awe. 

Ben smiled at her as she'd summed up his own impression. The view was incredible! They could see to the horizon and the mountain continued to rise up in front of them. They walked over to the railing and looked down at the glacier. Sophia didn't seem to be having any issues with the height. 

There was a distant crack and boom and the group looked at each other. 

"What was that?" Catherine asked. 

"The glacier," Daniel said. 

They all looked at him. 

"It's really big, it's moving slowly, and it's made of ice. Sometimes it cracks and makes those noises," he explained. 

They all looked back at the glacier. The idea that the enormous field of ice clinging to the side of the mountain was moving was a little unsettling. 

The group split up to explore the different levels and take in the views. 

Sophia looked up at Ben with a shy smile. "Thank you for distracting me from the cable car ride." 

He smiled tenderly at her. "You seem a little better with heights up here which is surprising." 

"We're standing in a building which is built into the mountain so we're on a solid base. We may be very high but it's like we're still standing on the ground. I don't feel it moving at all unlike the walkway over the gorge or the cable car." She shuddered and closed her eyes. 

When she reopened her eyes they were a little troubled. "How am I going to get back down?" 

"We don't have to think about that now. Let's just enjoy the view while we are here. Do you find the air a little thin?" Ben asked as he found himself taking deeper and deeper breaths. 

"Yes, it is," she smiled as she caught him distracting her again. They joined Catherine and her sisters on one of the upper terraces. Rachel was fidgeting and staring at her older sister so the two of them casually broke away to check out a different view. Megan went in a different direction leaving Ben with Catherine. 

"Thank you, Ben. I was really worried she was going to have a panic attack," Cat said to him quietly. 

"Has she always had a fear of falling?" he asked. 

"Since she was a little girl. She and Rachel were climbing the trees behind the house and she fell. The wind picked up and the tree started to sway and she lost her grip. She broke her arm and the fall scared her terribly. It's been years since we've been in a situations where she's been exposed to those feelings of uncontrolled movement. Except for flying but she takes tranquilizers to keep her calm. She doesn't have any on her. Are you ok with distracting her on the way back down if the need arises?" Catherine asked with a coy smile. 

"It's a little public to be doing that but if there's no other option," he shrugged with a frown. They moved off to find a better view. 

Rachel was so envious of Sophia. She didn't begrudge her the opportunity to get close to Ben like she had and understood the circumstances that led to it were less than optimal. She'd carried the guilt of Sophia's accident since she'd challenged her to a climbing race when they were just kids. While she hadn't pushed her sister out of the tree she still felt responsible for it and Sophia's subsequent fears. She hadn't even thought that the cable car ride might be frightening for her. When she heard Sophia having trouble breathing she drew her mother's attention to it immediately. Thank god Ben was there for her. He was the one thing solid enough to take her mind away from the fact that they were in a box dangling from a wire going up the side of a mountain. 

"Are you ok?" she asked her sister. 

Sophia nodded and looked down. "I feel better now that we are on the mountain itself." 

"Good! So?" 

Sophia looked at her and paused as she connected the dots in her scattered mind. "OH! It started off just as a panicked attempt to feel safe and being in his big arms is amazingly calming. But when we bumped past that last support, I lost it. I kissed him and started grinding on him in a panic trying to get my mind off the drop. He took control immediately and slowed it down, stretched it out. Oh my god! It was so intense! He kept me on the edge for the entire trip up to the summit! I thought I'd go out of my mind! Just when I couldn't take it any longer he took me forcefully and..." Sophia's eyes glazed over as she relived the moment. She lost her words for a bit then noticed Rachel's wide eyes. "It's never felt that good before. It went on and on and I was floating out of my body. I can't imagine how much better it must be to actually have sex with him!" 

"Oh my god!" Rachel gasped. 

"I wasn't too loud was I?" Sophia glanced around embarrassed but she hadn't paid any attention to the other passengers in the car so she couldn't recognize anyone. 

"Well, there were some sounds that leaked out but most people weren't paying attention what with the incredible scenery. Listen are you going to be ok going back down?" Rachel said. 

Sophia shook her head frantically and looked up at the mountain to distract herself. "I'm not thinking of that right now!" 

"I'm sorry. I shouldn't have mentioned it. Ben will be there for you, you know that, right?" Rachel asked. 

Sophia's expression relaxed and softened. She smiled dreamily at her sister and nodded. 

Rachel snorted. "Now I wish I'd fallen out of that stupid tree." 

Ben and Catherine found Gabriella and her kids on the highest terrace. "Have you guys gotten your fill of walking in the clouds?" he asked. 

Gabriella smiled and got nods from her kids. 

"What's our next stop again?" he asked. 

"Saint Pierre d'Albigny, a little mountainside village an hour's drive from here. We're staying at a B&B in a renovated chateau owned by my cousins, Stephanie and Alexis Murino and Alexis' wife Béatrice Renard. I attended their wedding six years ago and back then they were just talking about buying a place and setting up a business, catering to artists mostly. Stephanie is an amazing sculptor and Béatrice paints beautifully. Alexis is the business mind. I can't wait to see them again!" She grinned at her friends. 

"Let's go then!" Ben grinned. 

Daniel and Miriam led the way with Catherine right behind them keeping an eye out for her daughters. Ben felt a hand on his arm and saw Gabriella looking up at him. 

"Sophia's going to have trouble getting back on that cable car. Can you take care of her again?" she asked. 

"Maybe if I carried her she wouldn't feel the movement of the car and that might lessen her anxiety," he suggested. 

"It's worth a try but can you hold her up for twenty minutes?" she asked. 

"No, probably not. I'll suggest to her that I carry her on and we'll see how it goes," he admitted. 

The group gathered once more and Ben gave Sophia his suggestion and she nodded nervously. They got in line and she clung to his arm as they waited. As they approached the empty car Ben scooped her into his arms and carried her forward. The operator held up his hand to stop them and said something in French but Ben glared at the man causing the scar to stand out in stark relief. The operator had a sudden change of heart and let them pass. 

"This scar comes in handy sometimes," he whispered playfully to Sophia who grinned up at him. 

"When we get moving I'm going to set you on my feet, like how you teach someone how to move their feet when they dance. Not that you need any lessons on how to dance!" he corrected with an exaggerated expression and she grinned at him again. "We'll dance a slow number all the way, alright?" 

"That sounds wonderful!" she whispered to him. "Rachel, can you slip my shoes off?" she asked. 

Rachel's eyes widened then she took her shoes. 

The doors closed with a thump and Sophia tensed and squeaked when the car began to descend. When she nodded he moved her in his arms to set her down on his feet. She unzipped his jacket and fleece to slip her arms inside and around his back as she squeezed herself against him. She was trembling once more so he began to hum a tune as he swayed with her in his arms. She looked up and smiled when she recognized the tune. 'Only You' by the Platters. She snuggled into his arms and listened to him hum to her as they danced slowly. Catherine and Gabriella picked up the tune and began to hum along with him. Soon Megan and Rachel joined in and Gabriella's kids were grinning madly as Ben began to sing the words as the rest provided the musical accompaniment. Sophia was blushing madly and squeezed her face against his chest as Ben's singing became just a little more exaggerated. He wasn't half bad but he wasn't great either. As he reached the end of the song he glanced over at Gabriella and caught her attention. She stopped the others and Ben immediately segued into 'Teach Me Tonight'. Catherine and Gabriella began to laugh then they immediately started humming the tune for Ben. Megan and Rachel weren't familiar with this song so they could only grin and watch their sister dancing in Ben's arms. They saw the flush on Sophia's cheeks and they grinned harder. 

Ben segued in 'Unforgettable' making Gabriella and Catherine clap and grin as his deep voice was a fair approximation of Nat King Cole's, though he wasn't quite as smooth. 

When the car bumped to a stop at the ground terminus Sophia pulled back in surprise and saw they were down. She looked up at Ben with grateful tears in her eyes and kissed him. 

"Thank you Ben!" 

The other passengers were clapping and Rachel helped Sophia get her shoes on as Ben bowed to his fans. They left the cable car and terminus and made their way back to their cars. 

"I didn't know you were such a crooner Ben!" Gabriella teased. 

"I typically only sing in the shower but today I felt inspired by my muse," he grinned as he looked over at Sophia who blushed again but smiled back at him. 

Chapter 11 

The drive to Saint Pierre d'Albigny was beautiful and soon they were driving up the mountainside past lovely homes with breathtaking views of the valley below and the Alps beyond. 

Gabriella was reading off directions and Ben guided the fish tank nimbly through the narrow roads until they made a final left and rolled into a wide gravel parking lot. Ben noticed the sign for the chateau was resting on the ground under the signpost where it should have been hanging. Two other cars were in the lot and the building was huge. He grinned at Gabriella and shut off the car. They stepped outside and heard angry yelling. One of the voices was deep, guttural and Ben couldn't tell what he was saying but it sounded nasty. Two other voices were female and both were angry but there was an undercurrent of fear. 

"That sounds like Alexis and Béatrice. I don't recognize the male voice but he's making threats." Gabriella said looking at Ben. 

He took off at a run and went around the side of the house to the front where he saw a large heavyset man with a large walking stick advancing on two women holding gardening clippers. 

"HEY, FAT MAN! BACK OFF!" Ben yelled and the three froze. 

The man's sunken eyes narrowed as he took in Ben's size and the nasty scar crossing his face. He snorted and turned to hobble away, as quickly as he could. He leaned heavily on the stick and once he reached the bottom of the property he went through the gate but left it open. The two women turned to Ben cautiously. 

"Hi, I'm Ben Shepherd. Your Cousin Gabriella's neighbor?" he said with a smile. Their faces lit up with smiles and they relaxed. 

Just then Gabriella turned the corner of the building and came rushing over to hug her cousin and her wife. "Are you two alright?" she asked. "We heard the yelling when we got here." 

"It was that pig Arsene Dumond! He lives in the property down the hill and he is an evil man!" Béatrice snapped looking down the hill. She had a beautiful accent even though her words were sharp. Ben was entranced by how dark her skin was. She was almost ebony. She was maybe 5' 5" and if she topped 115 pounds he'd be amazed, she was so slim! She had a very expressive face, beautiful full lips and she wore her hair very short. He looked to Alexis as Gabriella did the introductions. Alexis had one of those faces that seemed to be meant for serene smiles. Long sandy blond hair currently tied back in a ponytail. Pale blue eyes and a light dusting of freckles across her slim nose. A wide mouth that seemed to have a quirk of a smile on it. She was at least three inches taller than her partner and had a stockier build with wider shoulders and hips. Her button down plaid shirt was having some trouble containing her heavy breasts. 

"Ben, this is my cousin Alexis Murino and her beautiful wife Béatrice Renard." 

"This is why Gabriella is my favorite of your cousins!" Béatrice gushed with a huge smile and hugged Gabriella. 

Ben leaned forward and pressed his cheek to Alexis's and Béatrice's as he shook their hands. 

Miriam and Daniel had been waiting by the entrance to the parking lot to flag down Catherine should she not notice the sign that was on the ground. Once Catherine was in the lot the kids came racing around the corner to see their aunt. 

"Auntie Alexis!" Miriam squealed as she ran up to her and was enveloped in a hug. Daniel got one too and pulled back to stare at Béatrice. "Gosh, you're pretty!" he blurted and his face went red as he realized he'd said it out loud. Chuckles went through the group and Béatrice turned to Alexis. 

"This is another reason why Gabriella is my favorite of your cousins!" she laughed and hugged Daniel much to his secret delight. She gave Miriam a hug as well and the young woman grinned widely. 

Catherine and her daughters made their way around the corner of the house and introductions were made, cheeks kissed, and hands were shook. 

Gabriella looked over to a lovely gazebo and noticed it was empty. She looked at Alexis. "Where is Stephanie? She's not in her favorite spot," she said with a smile which fell away when she saw a pained looked cross the faces of her cousin and her wife. 

"Stephanie is in her room. She rarely comes out any more and she's been like this for over a month. It's terrible! She's lost her interest in her art!" Alexis said and looked to Béatrice who nodded. "She won't tell us what happened but we think Arsene may have molested her when she was outside by herself." Gabriella cried out in shock and dismay. 

Ben's head snapped back and his eyes went cold. He started for the gate at the bottom of the property but stopped when Catherine and her daughters rushed forward and grabbed his arms. Catherine got in front of him and pulled his head down so he was looking in her eyes. 

"Ben, it's ok. Come back to us. We'll take care of it. You just come back," she said softly. Rachel and Sophia leaned their faces against his arms and they clung to him and Megan hugged his back. Ben's eyes softened and he looked at the women surrounding him. "What..." he said quietly. 




A Shepherd in France Ch. 02



Alexis and Béatrice were looking at Ben with nervous expressions again. 

Gabriella needed to put them at ease so she pulled them aside. "Ben had a rough time growing up and we don't really know the full extent of it yet. There must have been some abuse but it's locked deep in his mind. We shouldn't talk about that around him because he becomes extremely protective." 

"So, he's not a danger to us?" Alexis whispered. 

"God no! The man will walk through fire to protect a woman. His mind takes him someplace dark when he sees a woman being hurt or abused in any way. It's frightening and brutal what he's capable of but it's always in the defense of someone in danger. When he comes out of it he can't recall what happened. That's disturbing for him. He's seeing a doctor back home but he needs more treatment. We're recording the blackouts for his doctor. 

"Would he have killed Arsene just on our say so?" Béatrice gasped. 

"Killed him? No. Beaten him unconscious? Definitely. That's why we have to be careful what we say around him," Gabriella explained as she saw the appraising looked they were now giving the big man. 

He walked back to them with the ladies accompanying him. 

"Sorry about that," he mumbled looking at their hosts. 

"It's quite alright," Alexis said with a smile and looked over to Gabriella. 

"Can I go see Stephanie?" Gabriella asked. 

"Why don't we get you and your friends situated in your rooms then I'll take you to see her." She paused for a second with a thoughtful expression. "I think you should bring Ben with you when you see her. Tell her he frightened away Arsene. That might help her," Alexis suggested. 

Gabriella nodded and smiled at Ben. They went back to the vehicles and everyone grabbed their luggage. Ben was once more given the largest and most luxurious room on the top floor. The view from its windows was spectacular as it faced the valley below. The massive bed looked inviting and the private bath was nicely appointed. He immediately noted some beautiful sculptures of dancers. There was also a bright and colourful impressionistic painting of a dance studio on the wall. 

"The room is gorgeous and these pieces are lovely!" Ben enthused gesturing to the art. 

Béatrice beamed at him. "Thank you. It is one of my favourites as well. Stephanie did the sculptures and I did that painting about two years ago." 

Ben moved closer to the painting. "I'm no expert but I love this! I can almost hear the music they are dancing to!" Béatrice smiled broadly at Gabriella. 

They moved to the next room which had a more feminine feel to it. It had softer colors and lots of colourful throw pillows. This would be Catherine's room which she'd share with Sophia. Next was the flower room which Rachel and Megan would share. Gabriella and Miriam's room was furnished with French antiquities much like they saw in Versailles. The last and smallest room painted in oranges and yellows with rich, dark wood furniture went to Daniel and he was delighted. 

"Are we the only guests? Gabriella asked her cousin. 

Alexis looked a little embarrassed. "For now. We've been having trouble getting local tradesmen to come to the property to finish off the renovations. I think Arsene is frightening them off." 

"What exactly is his problem with you?" Ben asked. 

"We're gay. He's homophobic and has a particular hate for Lesbians," Béatrice growled. "He's also made a nuisance of himself to the owners of another chateau in town. Richard and Henry run a beautiful B&B not far from here and they've told us he's also shot holes in their sign." 

"Is that why your sign isn't up? Did Arsene shoot your last sign?" Ben exclaimed. 

"We can't prove it was him as he does it at night but we heard a loud boom and in the morning we saw our sign had a huge hole in the center. It happened the same way with Richard's sign." 

"Have you reported him to the police?" Gabriella asked. 

"The man in charge of this area is Arsene's cousin. He won't do anything to stop him. Arsene is a bully and has no friends in town but no one stands up to him," Alexis said. 

Ben was getting that grim look in his eyes again so Gabriella hugged his arm and that distracted him. "You know, Ben is a master at renovations. Maybe he could take a look at what's left to do?" Gabriella suggested and Ben's eyes lit up. 

"I wouldn't want to impose on you during your vacation!" Alexis protested. 

Gabriella and Catherine snorted in unison as they saw Ben's eager expression then started to laugh. "Ben is something of a reno junkie. It's something he loves to do," Catherine explained to their puzzled hosts. 

"Let's visit Stephanie first though," Gabriella insisted and Ben nodded. 

"If you don't mind I will just bring in Gabriella and then Ben if she is up to it," Alexis said. They nodded and followed the cousin down to the main floor and through a door with a 'Private' sign on it. At the end of the hall was a door and Alexis gently knocked. She announced herself and entered. Moments later she brought both Gabriella and Ben into the room. 

Stephanie sat in a chair by the window with her hands in her lap. She shared a lot of features with her older sister. She wasn't as stocky though and her chest was more modest than her sisters. She had long sandy blond hair worn loose and pale blue eyes which Ben immediately saw weren't tracking their movement in the room. He glanced at Alexis who nodded at him. Stephanie was blind. 

"Stephanie? It's Gabriella!" she said as she took her cousin's hands and held them up to her face. She released them and Stephanie ever so gently ran her fingertips over the contours of Gabriella's features. 

"Hello Gabriella. Beautiful as ever!" Stephanie said with a gentle but sad smile. 

"I'd like to introduce you to my good friend and neighbour Ben Shepherd," Gabriella said and gestured for Ben to step forward. 

"Hello," Ben said taking her delicate long fingered hands in his thick ones. 

"Hell- oh! You're big!" the woman said in surprise as she ran her fingers over his hands and up his arms. 

"Yes, he certainly is! He just scared Arsene into running away!" Alexis said. 

Stephanie's hands froze when her sister mentioned Arsene and Ben felt her panic. "I don't like that man. I'm going to have to do something about him," Ben growled deep in his chest. 

The blind woman's hands went immediately to his face and Ben held still while she mapped him in her mind. She gasped when she found the scar across his face and the small bandage on his chin. Her hands finished with his face and moved down his thick neck. Her brows furrowed and she concentrated hard as her mouth hung open as he grew in scale in her mind. 

"Ben, take your shirt off. Let her feel what you've experienced," Gabriella said gently. 

He looked at her questioningly then pulled off his shirt. Alexis gasped as she saw the scars over his chest. He reached for Stephanie's hands which were held out before her and guided them up to his shoulders as he knelt before her. 

"Big," the woman breathed as she felt how wide he was. When she moved her hands down over his pecs she encountered a large scar. She traced it with her fingers then moved on and found the next one. She found each with her gentle fingers. She was careful with his stitches on the few she encountered. 

When she felt the bullet hole scars she looked puzzled as their shape was different than the others. "Those are the oldest ones. Three bullets," he said gently. 

"I have to sculpt you!" Stephanie suddenly blurted, her face was flush and she was wearing a huge grin. 

Ben looked at her in surprise and looked over to Alexis who had tears in her eyes and was clutching her hands together by her mouth. She looked at Ben with profound gratitude. 

"Uh, I've never been a model before," he mumbled, embarrassed. He stood up. 

"Alexis! I need new clay! Lots of it! This will be the largest piece I've done. I need you to contact Richard and ask him to make me a wire armature based on male proportions but one hundred and twenty centimeters tall," Stephanie blurted excitedly 

"One hundred and twenty! That's not going to fit in our kiln!" Alexis cried. 

"It's not going into the kiln. I'll explain later! When can I start?" Stephanie asked. 

"Can we at least feed them dinner first?" Alexis chuckled, wiping tears from her eyes. 

"Yes, yes! Of course! Where are my manners! Ben, will you pose for me after dinner?" she asked. 

"OK, sure. I'd be honoured," he replied. 

She suddenly stood and stepped forward colliding with Ben who was looking at Gabriella in surprise at the time. He quickly caught Stephanie as she bounced back from his bare chest. Her hands went back to his skin and she smiled. "You are big!" 

"Yes," he smiled. 

"Excuse me," she said and Ben moved aside. She unerringly found the phone on her desk. "I'll call Richard myself. I need him to get started on it right away." 

"See you at dinner Stephanie!" Gabriella said. 

Stephanie immediately stopped and turned with open arms. Gabriella stepped into them and was given a firm hug. She whispered something in Gabriella's ear who chuckled and whispered back. Stephanie blushed and grinned for her cousin. Ben raised an eyebrow at the whispering as they left the room but she just shook her head at him with a mischievous smile. He tugged his shirt back on. 

Once they were out in the vestibule of the chateau Catherine and the rest of the group descended the stairs and everyone moved into a large sitting area. 

Alexis crushed herself against Ben's chest and gave him a firm hug. "Thank you so much for drawing her out of her shell! I haven't seen her this passionate about her work in years!" 

"I didn't do anything!" Ben asserted. 

"What didn't he do?" Béatrice asked as she came into the sitting room. 

Alexis spun to see her partner. "Stephanie is out of her shell! She's going to make a sculpture of Ben. One hundred and twenty centimetres tall!" 

"We need to get more clay!" Béatrice said excitedly with a brilliant smile. 

"I'll go out tomorrow to get it," Alexis said. 

"I was hoping to go into town" Béatrice said with a cute pout. 

"Why don't you both go?" Ben asked. 

They looked at him with a troubled look in their eyes. "We haven't done that since Stephanie was attacked." 

"So he knew you were both out of the house when he... did that?" Ben said struggling with his rage. 

Alexis nodded as she looked at Ben with wide eyes. "We have to drive past his house to get to town," Béatrice said. 

"You should both go to town tomorrow. I'll stay behind to greet any unwanted visitors," Ben finished with a growl. 

"We were planning on driving to Turin, Italy tomorrow," Gabriella said. 

"I'll sit this one out if you don't mind," he said and she nodded. "I can do some of those renovations you've hinted at." 

Alexis' eyes lit up again. "What can you do?" 

"Framing, insulating, plumbing, electrical, drywall, tile work, painting... pretty much anything but don't ask me to wall paper. I hate that," he grinned. 

Alexis' answering grin was wide. "Tomorrow morning we will do an inventory and we'll pick up whatever you need." 

"Sounds good!" he replied. 

"Speaking of good, our cook Marie would like to let you know we are having authentic Coq au Vin tonight with fresh baked bread," Béatrice informed them. "The vegetables are from our garden and the chicken was locally raised as well. Dessert is a wild berry medley and/or ice cream, also locally sourced." 

The group made appreciative sounds. 

"Dinner will be served in a little under an hour in the dining room which is just through that door," Béatrice said with a smile as she headed back to the kitchen. 

Alexis turned to Gabriella. "We just got some mountain bikes and there are good trails nearby. Helmets are included and have those little movie cameras attached so you can film your ride. You have to offer those little perks to keep the tourists happy. Richard has horses and offers horseback riding. We can see if there is availability if you like." 

"Actually I don't think we'll have time. I've packed our itinerary pretty full," Gabriella said. "We're only here for three nights and have two day trips, tomorrow to Turin and the day after to Lyon. Then we head for Cannes. We head out each day after breakfast and come back before dinner so we can spend the evenings with you. I'm imagining Ben will skip both day excursions since he has renovations to do," she said with a grin and he nodded. 

"Ah Gabriella! Always the planner! You never change!" Alexis smiled fondly at her cousin. "Did she tell you the story of her Day of the Week panties yet?" 

"Alexis! Don't you dare!" Gabriella shrieked. 

Ben and Catherine perked up but Alexis just laughed at her cousin's flustered expression. 

"We're going to look around the grounds," Rachel said with a grin and left with her sisters, Miriam and Daniel. 

"Since we have time maybe you could show me what needs to be done, renovations wise?" Ben asked. 

"Ah, we've lost him," Catherine quipped and Gabriella shared her grin. 

"Would it be ok for me to steal him away for a second?" Alexis asked looking at the two friends. They raised their hands in surrender and Ben grinned eagerly as he followed Alexis from the room. 

Stephanie entered from the opposite door using her white cane. "I heard voices so I followed them here." 

Gabriella and Catherine stood up. "Stephanie, I'd like you to meet my best friend Catherine." 

The two women shook hands then they all took seats. 

"So you are neighbors... with Ben as well?" Stephanie asked. 

"Yes. I live on Ben's north side and Gabriella lives on his south side. We've both known the man for years." 

Stephanie tilted her head and a confused expression came over her face. 

"What's wrong?" Gabriella asked. 

"I'm not sure if I should say. I don't want to cause conflict between you two," Stephanie said quietly. 

The two friends looked at each other in surprise. "Please tell me," Gabriella said. 

She hesitated then spoke. "When you spoke of Ben earlier I could hear the love in your voice. Catherine has the same love in hers when she speaks of him," she said with a worried tone. 

"Ah, that's all. It's true. I love Ben. So does Catherine. So does Tina and Trish," Gabriella said. "In fact, Tina lives with him, is having his child, and at our suggestion will be marrying him when we get back. Trish is another of our neighbors." 

"Don't forget Lucy. I seriously believe the girl is infatuated with him!" Catherine added in. 

"Yes, I think you're right," Gabriella nodded. 

Stephanie's confusion just increased. "...but Tina's the one who's having sex with him?" 

"No, we all are," Catherine said. 

"Ben's a special case. Despite the damage done in his childhood he has a tremendous capacity for love. We're in love with him and he's in love with us. We share his time and sometimes his bed. He's not promiscuous. He needs an emotional context for sex. He's... a very physical man," Gabriella explained. 

"Incredibly physical!" Catherine blurted. 

Stephanie smiled at her outburst. "So, no jealousy?" 

"No. There can't be. That's torture for Ben. A woman's emotional pain is something Ben can't endure, particularly when he's the cause. Besides, we know his love is genuine and he'd never hurt us so there's no need to be jealous." 

Stephanie looked thoughtful. 

"Did you arrange to get the armature made?" Gabriella changed the subject as she heard approaching footsteps. 

"Yes, I convinced Richard that I needed it for tomorrow morning. He'll deliver it then," Stephanie said as Alexis rushed into the living room to hug Gabriella. 

"What?" Gabriella said with a grin. 

"Ben said he's going to be able to complete the work in the next two days so we'll just need to do the painting and decorating afterwards," Alexis gushed. 

Ben followed her into the room and smiled at the grinning women. "Just a little plumbing, then some drywall with taping and mudding, and some tiling. No biggie." 

"Five rooms! He says he can finish five rooms in the two days!" Alexis exclaimed as Béatrice rushed in to find out what the fuss was about. She looked at Ben in surprise. 

"Well you still have to get me the supplies I listed so that's going to eat into the time. You've got some decent tools and there is stuff I can do tomorrow until you get back but I'll make real progress when you get back with the stuff. I'll need an assistant." 

"Me!" Alexis yelped. "I want to learn how to do this kind of work so I can do my own repairs." 

Ben grinned and nodded. Béatrice rushed over and gave him a big hug. He hugged her back with a smile. 

She turned to her partner. "We'll be able to paint next week then get the furniture in and have the rooms decorated and ready for the beginning of the following week! I can update our website to list the new rooms and post some photos. So much to do!" She was grinning. 

A short, plump woman wearing an apron over a flowered dress entered the sitting room and nodded to Béatrice. 

"Ah! Dinner is ready! Everyone, this is Marie who is a master in the kitchen!" Béatrice said with a flourish and Marie smiled with a deep blush. 

"Ben, could you look outside and see if the ladies are on their way back?" Catherine asked. He nodded and headed for the front door. Daniel was entering as he stepped outside. 

Dusk was approaching and he noticed the gazebo was lit up with tiny white lights. The ornate structure was very large and was obviously designed after the famous one in the Sound of Music. He wandered over and spotted Sophia dancing in its center with her sisters and Miriam sitting on the benches watching with rapt attention. 

He stopped at the open double doors to watch her graceful moves. He didn't want to break the magic of the moment but she noticed him standing there and paused her dance. 

"Have you come to dance with me?" she said with hope in her voice. 

"As delightful as that would be our dance will have to wait as our hosts have called us to dinner," Ben said. He held out his elbow and Sophia gracefully flowed over to him and took his arm. "Your dancing is exquisitely graceful!" he said. 

"Thank you kind sir. I will hold you to your promise of a dance," Sophia said, keeping the spirit of the scene alive. 

They elegantly walked back to the entrance of the main building with the others following with silly grins on their faces. When they got to the dining room they were shown to their chairs. Alexis was at the head of the table with Béatrice to her right and Stephanie to her left. Daniel looked very pleased to be seated next to Béatrice and Miriam sat next to him. Gabriella sat next to Stephanie and Ben sat between her and Catherine. Sophia was next to her mother and Rachel sat across from her. The end of the table opposite Alexis was for Marie who would join them once she and Alexis had delivered all of the food to the table. 

Miriam grinned with pleasure at being seated across from Ben and he shared her joy. He pretended to fire something across the table at her with his spoon and Gabriella took it from his hand and put it back on the table as he stuck his bottom lip out in a big pout. Miriam giggled and Daniel joined in. When Ben sneakily reached for the spoon again Gabriella rolled her eyes and took it and Ben pouted once more causing more giggles from across the table. 

Alexis and Béatrice watched the exchange with a twinkle in their eyes. 

Marie came out of the kitchen carrying a huge antique serving tureen and set it in the table near Alexis. She left and returned with several baskets of cut bread still hot from the oven. There was fresh butter on the table and a huge bowl of garden salad tossed in a vinaigrette dressing. 




A Shepherd in France Ch. 02



Alexis lifted the lid of the tureen and the amazing scent of the coq au vin reached the noses of the hungry guests. Everyone smiled and made appreciative comments. Marie smiled shyly. Alexis began ladling servings onto plates and handed them around the table. Soon everyone was reaching for bread and salad and a look of bliss came over their faces as the tender coq au vin melted over their tongues. 

Daniel buttered his bread but Ben used it to soak up the delicious sauces. He was assured that the alcohol was long evaporated in the coq au vin as it had been prepared the day before and slowly reheated over the afternoon to be prepared for dinner. 

Conversation centered on their time in Paris, the things they saw and what shopping they did. Béatrice asked about the beautiful rings she saw the two women wearing and Gabriella asked Daniel to get his camera to play the movie of the ring ceremony for them. Ben made to protest but was overruled by everyone else. Daniel dashed upstairs and returned quickly with his tablet which he'd loaded the movie files onto. He queued it up and handed it to Alexis. Béatrice got up and went to Alexis' side to watch with her. Stephanie listened in as did everyone else at the table. Ben ate quietly trying to avoid the admiring eyes watching him. 

When it finished playing Alexis and Béatrice were both in tears but were confused by his admission of love to three separate women. Especially since he asked one to marry him! 

Stephanie was smiling as tears ran down her cheeks. "That was one of the most beautiful things I have ever heard," she said softly and Gabriella leaned over and kissed her cheek. 

"Stephanie can explain it to you later," Gabriella said to Alexis as she looked questioningly at her cousin. 

"Show them the dance!" Sophia called to Daniel. He grinned and took back the tablet to queue the file. He handed it back and the women watched Sophia and Ben glide effortlessly around the beautiful ballroom in Versailles. 

"He does renovations and dances like this?" Alexis gasped incredulously. "Ben! You're staying with us in France!" 

Protests immediately erupted from the group and everyone ended up laughing. Ben blushed in embarrassment. 

They finished their meal and Marie brought out the dessert. 

Finally Ben pushed back well satisfied. He turned to the cook. "Marie that was an absolutely fabulous meal! You are indeed a master chef!" There was a round of applause and the woman grinned and blushed. 

Alexis and Béatrice helped Marie clean up and they shooed their guests out into the sitting room. 

"Ben, will you pose for me now?" Stephanie asked shyly. 

"Oh! Ok. Don't you need that armature thing and the clay?" he asked. 

"For when I begin to work on the actual sculpture yes but right now I need to determine the pose I want to do," she explained. 

"Alright. How do we do that?" he asked. 

"We'll need privacy. I suggest we use your room." 

Ben walked over to her side and placed her hand on his arm and led her to the stairs. They went up to the third floor and down the hall to his room. Once inside Ben dropped his hands to his side and looked at her helplessly. "I have no idea how this works." 

She smiled. "First off you should just relax. This isn't difficult at all. I just need to map you in my mind so I can form a complete image. Then we will select a pose that you can hold comfortably for when I begin the final mapping. When I have an accurate image in my mind I can do the work without your involvement... aside from the occasional remapping should I need to refresh it." 

"How do you do the mapping?" he asked curiously. 

"By touch like I did with your face, shoulders and chest earlier," she said. 

"Ah." 

"You should get undressed." 

"What?" he jolted. 

"I can't map you through your clothes," she said reasonably. 

"I have to be naked?" he asked uneasily. 

"I'm making art. This isn't porn," she said frankly. 

"Right. Uh, ok," Ben said and began to undress. It was a little unnerving as she was looking right at him. While he knew she couldn't see him that didn't detract from the odd sensation of getting naked in front of a woman he'd just met. He looked over at the beautiful figurines of the dancers she'd made and took strength from the example of her skill. Plus the faces of the dancers were minimal so it was going to be somewhat abstract. He was fine with that. 

Once he was undressed he stood before her with his hands clasped before him. Then he realized that was dumb so he dropped his hands. 

"Are you ready?" she asked. 

"Oh, sorry, yes," Ben froze as he realized he was somehow expecting her to know he was naked. 

"Relax. I have done this before. All you need to do is stand still," she said with a smile as she stepped forward with her hands outstretched. They landed on his chest so she moved them up. "I'm going to begin at the top and work my way down." 

Ben held still and watched the intense look of concentration on her face as she gently ran her slender fingers over his scalp, around his ears, and onto his face. He closed his eyes for this part as she spent more time on his face than he expected. She seemed particularly interested with mapping out the extent of his scar. 

When her fingertips reached his lips he opened his eyes and saw a wistfulness pass over her face so he playfully stuck his lips out in an exaggerated kissed. She smiled and moved on to discover the shape of his jaw. The intense concentration returned. 

Once more she read the surface of his chest and memorized each scar, its shape and location. She stepped around him and moved her hands to the top of his shoulders and ran them over the muscles of his back. 

"No scars here," she murmured. 

"I've always faced my attackers," he responded and her hands paused then moved on. 

She moved to his left side and ran her fingertips down his arm pausing at the scars and being careful of the stitches. She did his right arm then moved to kneel in front of him. She placed her fingers on his stomach and paused. 

"Relax," she said and he realized he had been tensing up so he closed his eyes and willed his muscles to unclench. 

He understood this was for art and wasn't supposed to be sexy but his body wasn't so cultured. It was only aware that a pretty woman was touching him very intimately. A specific part of him began to wake up. 

"I'd prefer to map this area while it's at rest," she said with a grin as she touched his thick cock. Her expression changed as she realized his size. 

"You're big!" she gasped. 

"You say that a lot," he joked, trying to deflect his embarrassment. 

She snorted and started to giggle. She covered her mouth with her hand to stifle the sound. "I suppose I do," she replied when she got control of herself. 

By this point Ben's cock was reaching full rigidity so she moved her hands down and discovered the contours of his balls. Ben gasped. 

"Sorry," she said and slid her hands over his thighs. 

When she slid them around to his ass and lightly mapped out the musculature there she was leaning in so he felt her breath on his cock. It throbbed in reaction and he bit his lip to keep from moaning. 

Her hands moved down his legs and she eventually played them over his feet. She sat back on her heels and he watched her forming the image in her mind. 

"Ok, I'm done so I'm going to go back to my room and work on the design. Tomorrow morning I will need to get you to do the pose I choose and I'll do my final mapping to ensure it matches the image I have. Then I can begin," she explained. 

"So I can get dressed now?" he asked. 

She smiled. "Yes, for now." 

He helped her stand and she made her way to his door. "Good night," she said. 

"Good night." 

She opened the door and stepped out. Ben realized he was standing in plain view of the doorway completely naked and Rachel was just coming out of her room with a sweater in her hand. Her eyes locked on his then dropped to his erection and widened in shock. Ben jumped forward and closed his door, cursing at himself for his carelessness. He pulled his clothes on and opened his door again but Rachel was gone. He went downstairs and followed the sound of voices until he found the group outside sitting in comfortable looking chairs positioned in a circle around a beautiful fire pit out on the lawn in front of the house. There was one open chair between Rachel and Sophia and both women were looking at him with knowing smiles. 

The darkness hid Ben's deep blush as he took his seat. The chairs were close enough to each other that the armrests touched so when Ben sat down he was surprised to feel hands taking a gentle hold of his. He looked at Sophia who had a coy smile on her lips then over to Rachel who was looking back at him while she ran the tip of her tongue across her lower lip. He felt a spark shoot from her hand through his arm directly to his cock which hadn't calmed down yet. She smiled as she felt his involuntary twitch. 

"How did the posing go?" Alexis said with a grin. 

"What? Oh, ok I guess. It wasn't what I was expecting," Ben mumbled. 

"But you rose to the challenge, right?" Rachel said with a sly grin. 

Sophia snorted and looked away. 

Ben blushed harder and was grateful for the firelight painting everything deep yellow and orange. 

"I understand you will be gracing our gazebo with another dance with Sophia," Béatrice said with a smile. 

Ben was grateful for the change of subject. "Yes, I'm looking forward to it. The gazebo is beautiful!" 

"We built it for Stephanie. Sound of Music was her favorite movie. She knows all the songs and she used to dance..." Alexis began enthusiastically but ended with a sad look. Ben looked at Gabriella. 

"Stephanie was an artist and a dancer when she was a child but by the time she reached her mid-teens she began to lose her sight. Retinitis Pigmentosa. She was completely blind by age twenty. She's thirty five now and seems very well adapted to her new life," she explained. 

The group was quiet and Sophia broke the sad reflection when she stood up and reached her hand out to Ben. He smiled and took it as he stood up. Gabriella whispered to Alexis who looked surprised then nodded and moved off into the house. Daniel raced into the house ahead of her. The rest followed Sophia and Ben to the gazebo and sat on the benches at the edges while the two moved to the center of the floor. 

Daniel ran up to the gazebo with his camera in his hand and began to record them. Rachel used her phone to queue up a music track, something classical. Sophia moved and he moved with her. She instantly smiled as she realized he was in perfect sync with her. The space for dancing in the gazebo wasn't close to the space they'd had at Versailles so they had to constrain their movements. Even so, it was still beautiful to see them step and spin to the music. 

Sophia had a natural grace and Ben moved with a smooth power that made the watching ladies smile and squirm. 

When the piece ended Ben bowed to Sophia and she curtseyed. 

The rest applauded as Alexis arrived with Stephanie on her arm. Alexis was all smiles having seen the last minute or so of the dance but Stephanie looked tense. Ben walked over to her and took her hand. 

"I understand the gazebo is yours. I think it's time you took it back. Will you dance with me?" he asked gently. 

A look of surprise played over her face then a smile stretched across her mouth. She nodded and he led her to the middle of the floor. She leaned in and whispered to him and he made an agreeable sound. He held her close and they began to move. The movements were bold and sinuous, flowing around the limited space they had. He controlled their position in the space and she their moves. Ben wasn't familiar with the dance Stephanie was performing but his body reacted to her movements automatically and naturally. He had the oddest sensation of being detached from his body, like he was standing back and watching somebody else moving him. 

Then he saw himself as an eleven year old dancing with a petite older woman who moved like smoke. Her motions were mesmerizing and her smile was a picture of bliss. They flowed together and swept around the room faster and faster as this was what she was meant for. Not to be the housewife of some crude machinist. She was meant for the stage! 

"Ben?" 

"BEN!" 

"Huh? What?" He blinked and saw he was leaning over Stephanie in a deep dip. She was breathing fast and her eyes were wide. He lifted her back to her feet and she clung to his chest as she panted. He was surrounded by the others and Daniel was still filming. 

They were standing on the grass on the front lawn, well outside of the gazebo. 

"How did we get here?" he asked quietly. 

Gabriella and Catherine shared a worried look. Stephanie leaned her forehead against Ben's chest and reached her arms around him to give him a big hug. He looked down and hugged her in return. 

When she pulled back her face was glowing! "That was WONDERFUL!" she cried. "I haven't danced like that in years! It was so freeing! It felt like we were flying! Oh Ben, I'm going to sculpt the hell out of you!" she giggled, drunk on adrenaline. 

Alexis and Béatrice looked at Gabriella and collected Stephanie from Ben. They walked her back to the house. 

"Who taught you to dance, Ben?" Gabriella asked gently. 

"Mrs. Cosburn." 

"BEN!" 

He looked up from his seated position on the grass at the frightened expressions of the women kneeling next to him. 

"What happened?" he moaned as he held his head. He had a thumping headache. 

"Does your head hurt?" Catherine asked. 

"Yeah, a lot." 

"I think that's enough excitement for tonight. Time for bed everyone," Gabriella said. She and Catherine helped Ben to his feet and held his arms as they led him back into the building and up to his floor. They took him into his room and closed the door. He brushed his teeth, took off this clothes and climbed into bed while they watched. He was still a bit dazed. Gabriella leaned over him and gave him a kiss then Catherine did the same. He closed his eyes and seemed to drift off. 

The two friends stepped out into the hall. Daniel was standing there. "I got the entire thing on film mom. Maybe his doctor should see it." 

"Good thinking! Can you send it to her somehow?" Gabriella asked. 

"Yeah, I can render a smaller version then upload it to my cloud account and send her a link," he said then grinned at his mother's blank look. "Yes, if you give me her email address." 

"You could have started with that," she scowled. "I'll send you her address." She looked at Catherine. "I think I'm going to give Hanna a call. She's probably still at her office. Let's go down to the living room to make the call." Catherine nodded and the others went to their rooms to prepare for bed. 

Alexis and Béatrice met them at the base of the stairs. "Is Ben ok?" Alexis asked with a worried expression. 

"He should be fine in the morning. He has some repressed memories which surfaced a few months back and they seemed to submerge again after he was stabbed. They seem to be leaking out again. We're going to call a friend of ours, another neighbor who is also the hospital administrator where Ben's doctor works," Gabriella said and they all walked into the living room. 

Gabriella dialed the number and listened for Hanna to pick up. 

"Hanna Cooper." 

"Hanna? It's Gabriella. Can I put you on speaker?" 

"Gabriella! Sure, wait! Aren't you still on vacation? Has there been some trouble?" Hanna blurted. 

Putting the phone on the coffee table Gabriella turned on the speaker phone. "Can you hear me clearly?" 

"Yes, now what's wrong? Is Ben ok?" Hanna insisted. 

Alexis and Béatrice smiled hearing the concern in her voice and Catherine nodded. 

"I have Catherine with me as well as my cousin Alexis and her wife Béatrice. Ben is fine but his repressed memories are beginning to resurface again," Gabriella explained. 

"Hello everyone! How did it happen this time?" Hanna asked. 

"He was dancing. He dances beautifully but he couldn't recall who taught him. Tonight he was dancing with my cousin Stephanie and his face went blank and he began to dance faster and faster and left the gazebo entirely to dance outside. We had to chase after them. When he surfaced from the trance he didn't know how he'd gotten outside and when I asked him again who taught him he said Mrs. Cosburn and dropped to the ground like a stone. Scared the hell out of us. He surfaced immediately with a bad headache so we brought him inside and put him to bed. He went out like a light. I'll get Daniel to send you and his doctor a link to the video he took of the event." 

"You got it on video? Excellent!" Hanna said. "Any chance you can bring him back early?" 

"I seriously doubt Ben would agree to that. We still have a week to go but he's going to stick close to the chateau for the next two days doing renovations and you know how therapeutic that is for him," Gabriella said and Alexis looked pleased. 

"Yes, that will do him a world of good," Hanna agreed and Alexis' smile just got bigger and Béatrice held her hand. 

"Please let Ben know that Trish picked up Tina and Lucy at the airport yesterday and all are good. We all met them at Ben's place last night. That's when she told us the news about their baby and getting engaged. The ring is stunning! Shocked the hell out of Trish! I've never seen her so stunned. Tina had a talk with her and afterwards there was a lot of happy tears. Rochelle also seemed a little upset but Tina set her straight as well. For a submissive she certainly can be a force to reckon with!" 

"She's protecting Ben's heart. No one is as fierce as Tina when it comes to protecting Ben," Gabriella said with a smile. 

"Listen, thanks for giving me a call. You know I was one of the people trying to get Ben to postpone the trip. I know he needs the distraction and relaxation but I'm still worried about his state of mind," Hanna said. 

"We're keeping a close eye on him Hanna. We'll keep you in the loop if there are any other changes," Gabriella said and everyone said their goodbyes. 

"I'm a little too wired to go to bed now," Catherine said. 

"How about a drink? I have a delightful red wine that serves well as a nightcap," Béatrice suggested. 

She got three smiles as her answer. 

Chapter 12 

Rachel was tossing in her bed. She was worried about Ben. As amazing as he looked naked, and erect, all she could think about was how the guy was being tormented by his childhood memories. His doctor had some ideas of what they were and maybe Hanna knew but they hadn't shared that with them so she felt powerless to help him. 

She needed to talk to someone. She looked over at Megan who was snoring softly. Maybe Sophia was up. Rachel slipped out of bed and left her room, closing the door silently behind her. She padded down the hall and stopped when she heard something. Someone just cried out in fear. She moved forward and realized it came from Ben's room. She opened the door and stepped inside. He was sitting up in bed wide eyed, gasping for breath and shaking. Her heart went out to him. 

"You ok, Ben?" she said gently. His head turned in her direction but he didn't say anything. She got closer to the bed and in the dim light saw his eyes were casting around like he was looking for the danger that awoke him. Then she noticed that he'd kicked his sheets down and he was naked again. Pulling her eyes away from that she moved closer and reached out to place her palm on his cheek. He immediately leaned against it and began to relax. Before she could move his arm swept out and pulled her onto the bed and tucked her up against the side of his body. 

Rachel gasped as the heat of his body pressed against her. God he felt good! She looked up and his eyes were closed. She felt his trembling stop as his body relaxed. 




A Shepherd in France Ch. 02



She tried to extricate herself but his arm just tightened when she moved away. She glanced down and saw she'd left the door open. Hopefully her mom and Gabriella would be back soon and would look in on him. Then they could help her get loose. 

She relaxed against him as she really had no other choice at the moment. He felt so good. She'd just rest her eyes until her mom found her. Sleep dragged her under quickly. 

An hour later Gabriella and Catherine came upstairs feeling a little tipsy. The wine had been very good indeed. Gabriella kissed Catherine's cheek then wobbled off to her room and went to bed. Catherine headed for her room and noticed Ben's door was open. They must have forgotten to close it properly. She quietly pulled it closed then went to bed. 

Rachel woke in the darkness with the most exquisite feeling of a tongue lovingly caressing her pussy lips. She couldn't feel her panties and her nightie was pushed up. The tongue dipped deeply into her and she slapped her hands over her mouth so she couldn't give her identity away. She didn't want Ben to stop what he was doing... ever. She writhed as he sent shocks of pleasure through her tender flesh. He thrust a thick finger inside her as he sucked on her clit and she trembled through a series of small orgasms. She was dripping with excitement and she heard him growl with need. She almost squeaked with excitement. He wanted to fuck! 

Ben moved up on the bed and kissed her deeply. His tongue was so demanding. 

Then she felt it. Thick, hot, and incredibly hard. His cock was pushing against her wet opening and her mouth opened in a silent scream as it forced its way inside her. He was SO FUCKING BIG! She'd had sex with a few boyfriends in the past but none had a cock like this. It stretched her wide and she almost fainted. It was on the borderline of pain but the tingling was so intense it blotted out all other sensations. 

He finally reached bottom and bumped his pelvis against her clit with an explosion of sparks. He held himself there getting accustomed to her tightness and heat, grinding against her with delicious pressure. Then he pulled back and slammed it home slapping her clit. This time she couldn't stop the squeak. She heard an answering growl of satisfaction as he pulled back and thrust forward again. Slap! Pull. Slap! 

Ben began to move faster and faster until he was pounding Rachel's pussy into the mattress. All she could do was hang on for dear life. Her orgasm started after the seventh impact and climbed higher and higher wiping her mind clear of everything outside of the sensation of his hard thick cock driving into her. He curled over her body and brought his mouth down beside her ear. He was growling constantly now and hammering away at her. 

His body stiffened and Rachel had a moment of clarity as she realized he wasn't wearing a condom. Just as he pulled back for his last thrust she pulled her hips up then arched her ass down causing his cock to ride up and over her clit between their bellies. Ben's orgasm struck and his cum sprayed up between them. He groaned and kissed her neck sending a huge arc of electricity between there and her pussy. He ground against her and she rocked through aftershocks each time he slid his cock against her clit. 

When their breathing returned to normal he kissed her tenderly. "Goodnight Catherine," he whispered and rolled over onto his back beside her. 

Rachel lay on the bed feeling lightning race up and down her nerves as her pussy recovered from the intense pounding it had just received. She listened to Ben's breathing as it settled into a steady rhythm indicating he was asleep again. 

It took her three attempts to be able to move to the edge of the bed. She gently slid off the bed onto her feet only to discover her legs were like jelly. She clung to the sheets until her legs returned to her. She couldn't see her panties anywhere and she had to hold her nightie up above her tits so it wouldn't touch the cum Ben splashed on her. 

Rachel tiptoed out of Ben's room and snuck back into hers. As she headed for the bathroom the end table light went on next to Megan's bed. She looked at her sister. 

"Why are you naked? What's that on your stomach?" Megan asked. Then her eyes went wide as Rachel's eyes held guilt in them. "What did you do?!?" 

"Let me get cleaned up first," Rachel mumbled and rushed into the washroom. She cleaned her stomach with a damp facecloth then dried herself. She dropped the nightie into place and walked back out to face her younger sister. 

"Spill it!" 

Rachel looked at her stern expression and sighed. She knew this was going to complicate things. 

Ben woke up feeling refreshed and stretched mightily on the bed. He felt an odd sensation on his stomach and looked down to see dried cum on his skin. He frowned then a hazy memory of his romp with Catherine came back to him. He looked over at the other side of the bed but she wasn't there which was a little odd. Maybe he slept in? Nope. The clock showed it was still early. 

Something was tangled around his foot. He brought it up and discovered it was a pair of panties. Very feminine. He put them on the end table and walked into the washroom to have his shower. Luckily the cum didn't get on the sheets. That spared him a little embarrassment. 

Catherine heard a knock on her door as she and Sophia were just waking up. "Who is it?" 

"Megan and Rachel." 

"Come in." 

The two daughters entered and Catherine saw a guilty look on Rachel's face and a grim look on Megan's. "What's wrong?" 

Megan just looked at Rachel with a raised eyebrow. She nodded and stepped forward. Carefully. Catherine knew that walk. Her eyes widened and her jaw dropped. Rachel held up her hand. 

"It wasn't intentional." 

"What the hell does that even mean?" Cat squeaked. 

"I was going to speak with Sophia last night and I heard Ben scream in his sleep. I went into his room to see if he was ok. He looked frightened and his eyes were wide open but I don't think he was awake. He was sitting up and trembling so I touched his cheek. He pulled me onto the bed against him and went back to sleep. I couldn't free myself from his grip but I'd left the door open so I hoped you or Gabriella would notice and come help me. I guess I fell asleep." Then she blushed crimson. 

"What happened?" Sophia asked. 

"I woke up in the middle of the night feeling a mouth on me... down there. It was so good I didn't want to stop him. I know I should have but... it was so good! I had these wonderful orgasms and was coming down from that when he was on me... and in me. He's so big and he was so... aggressive!" Rachel gushed. 

"You didn't have a condom!" Sophia gasped. 

"I know so I made him pull out before he came. Considering his count the chances of getting pregnant are pretty much nil," Rachel explained. She looked at her mother. "He thought I was you. Afterwards he kissed me and said 'goodnight Catherine' so he didn't know, but my panties are still in his room." 

Catherine looked at her guilty daughter with a conflicted expression. A small part of her wanted to screech 'MINE!' but she knew that wasn't the direction to go. She and Gabriella had already talked about this possibility. Still, Ben was a little fragile at the moment so springing this on him may not be the best thing. She needed to speak with Gabriella. 

"Ok, this is what we are going to do for now. For today we let Ben think it was me. We won't lie to him but we will play along with his assumption. I will speak with Gabriella and we will work out when to tell him. Rachel, if you had told him it was you and he went ahead there would be no trouble. But in his current state we have to be careful of the shocks we give him," she scolded her daughter gently. 

"I'm sorry mom!" Rachel looked miserable. 

"Come here sweet pea!" she said opening her arms. 

She hugged her daughter and wiped the tears from her eyes when she held her back. "A little sore?" 

"God, yes!" Rachel winced. 

"Worth it?" Sophia asked. 

"God, yes!" Rachel smiled. 

"Ok, everyone get showered and dressed. We have an early start and a two and a half hour drive to get to Turin. Let's get cracking!" Cat rallied her daughters. She looked at them fondly as they got moving. She pulled on her dressing gown, walked over to Ben's bedroom and knocked gently. She heard him call out to enter. She opened the door and stepped inside. 

"Good morning Ben!" She saw he'd already showered and dressed in shorts and a t-shirt. Ready to renovate! 

"Ah there you are! You left something behind," he said lifting the panties from the table. 

She walked up and plucked them from his fingers and kissed him as she tucked the panties into her dressing gown pocket. 

"We're all getting an early start today because we have a long drive. Why are you up so early?" she asked. 

"Eager to get started. There are only two days and I have a lot of rooms to finish. They did the top floor first and got much of the second done before the workers were too intimidated. They're just older local tradesmen and that asshole down there made some pretty bad threats to them if they help the evil lesbians. I don't understand tiny little minds like his." 

"Well, you keep an eye out for that asshole. He has a gun and I don't want any more bullet holes in you," she said as she rubbed herself against his chest and slipped her hand under his t-shirt to rub his bullet scars. 

He growled his approval of her hand on his skin but she pushed herself away. He grabbed her hand and pulled her back. His mouth was on hers and he kissed her deeply as she moaned and whimpered. Finally she pushed her face back from him. 

"Wait! I can't... I have to get moving! If we keep this up I'll hold up the group!" she gasped as she ground herself against his bulge. 

"Fine, but I want you in my bed again tonight!" he said with a growl and a hot look. 

"Yes!" she gasped and he released her. She staggered to the door and closed it behind her as she leaned against the door jamb, panting. Gabriella was standing in the hall looking at her with a wide smile. 

"Had a good night?" she asked the blond. 

"Actually, I need to talk to you about that. Follow me," Cat said and went into her room. Once Gabriella closed the door she explained what happened with Rachel. 

"I didn't even see his door was open, I was so tipsy," Gabriella said with a frown. 

"And I closed it. I should have looked in." Cat agreed. 

"You're right, let's hold off on filling him in. How is Rachel?" 

"Sore but dreamy eyed about her night just the same," Catherine smiled. 

"Weren't we exactly the same?" Gabriella asked with a smirk. 

Cat thought about that. "Yes, I guess we were." 

Sophia came out of the bathroom with her towel wrapped around herself. 

"When are you planning on making your move?" Catherine asked. 

Sophia was wide eyed as she looked at her mother. 

Gabriella just laughed. "I'll see you at breakfast." 

Cat grabbed some new underwear, dropping Rachel's off on her bed with a raised eyebrow at Sophia, then went in to take her shower. 

Gabriella met Alexis downstairs and gave her a hug and kiss. 

"Sleep well?" Alexis asked as Béatrice walked up to join them and got her own hug from Gabriella. 

"Yes, especially after that nightcap. Delicious but potent!" Gabriella smiled. 

"When are you going out to get the clay?" Stephanie said as she pushed through the private door into the hallway. 

Alexis rolled her eyes. "Now I remember what a nag you can be when your creativity is upon you!" 

"Nag?!?" Stephanie squeaked. "I'll have you know I am the soul of patience... when I'm not under the control of my muse," she finished in a haughty tone. 

The others chuckled. "Come on Artiste! Get some breakfast. Feed your body before you feed your soul," Alexis barked. 

Daniel was already at the table with Miriam eating their breakfast. The others grabbed a plate and filled them from the heating trays on the sideboard. They took their seats and dug in. Ben came in and said his good mornings to everyone. He then kissed Gabriella, Catherine and Miriam, on the cheek. 

He made his way to the sideboard but Marie intercepted him and directed him to sit. He raised his eyebrows but did as he was told. She went into the kitchen and returned with a large plate with steak and eggs on it. There was also some toasted baguette and little baby potatoes. Ben's grin was all the praise Marie needed but he kissed her hand before she could get away. She blushed and rushed back to the kitchen. 

"Hey! No stealing our chef!" Béatrice grinned. 

Ben breathed in the scent of his breakfast. "No promises!" 

"Due to the amount of work we'll have you doing over the next days the least we can do is give you enough food to charge your batteries," Alexis explained. 

"Much appreciated!" he grinned and started to eat. His look of bliss said it all. 

Sophia arrived and went directly to Ben who dabbed his mouth with his napkin then leaned back to give her a kiss. Megan arrived and Ben kissed her cheek and Rachel was last and moving slowly. Ben frowned as he saw her wince. 

"Are you ok Rachel?" he asked. 

"Yeah, just slept... funny. Pulled something." 

Sophia was at the sideboard with her back to the group but she snorted then apologized for the noise. 

Rachel was heading in her direction but veered over to Ben and got a kiss first. Then she walked over and swatted her sister's arm behind Ben's back. 

He ate for a bit then watched Rachel settle herself into her chair. "You know, if it's a pulled muscle I could massage it for you. Work out the kink." 

Sophia was trying desperately to keep from laughing and doing a poor job of it. Ben glanced her way with a confused look and she pointedly looked away. 

"No Ben. It's ok. I'll rest in the car and I'm sure it will go away. Thanks though," Rachel smiled. 

"OW!" Sophia yelped and reached for her shin. 

"Girls!" Catherine scolded and the two settled down to eat their breakfast. 

Once breakfast was done Gabriella and Catherine loaded their kids in the van and with a wave they set off for Turin. 

Alexis and Béatrice were right behind them. They were headed in the opposite direction and had the list of items Ben had written down for them. They were also driving a van but it was definitely more for cargo than passengers. Perfect for this trip. 

Marie passed them with a smile as she headed out to do the grocery shopping. Then it was just Ben and Stephanie. 

He walked back into the chateau with her. "When is that fellow Richard going to be here?" he asked. 

"He said sometime this morning. Hopefully soon." She looked nervous. "Would you mind keeping me company? I don't like being alone. Now." 

"Certainly." 

They walked back to her room and took seats. Ben looked around the room at the sculptures lining the shelves. Dozens of dancers in a row in various poses. Obviously her love of dance had fed her art. 

"Your sculptures are beautiful!" 

"Thank you." 

"Are they all dancers?" 

"Most. Occasionally I try my hand at other subjects but they lack the passion," she frowned. 

"But you're going to sculpt me?" he asked cautiously. 

Her smile came back. "There is no lack of passion in you! I felt it in your body as I mapped you. The scars you carry both outside and in. Your love for the women in your life. So much passion! I'm vibrating with the energy I picked up from you and I must pass that into the sculpture as soon as possible. That's why it needs to be so much larger than my previous work. I can't contain this in a tiny figure!" 

Ben smiled at her enthusiasm. 

There was a gentle chime and he looked up. "What was that?" 

"That's someone driving into our lane. It may be Richard or a potential new guest," she said. 

Ben walked out to the front door with her and stood next to her. He saw a distinguished looking man carefully extracting a four foot tall wire figure from the back of his SUV and turn towards them. He spotted Stephanie and smiled then he looked at Ben and his smile froze. He looked back at the wire armature and Ben saw something pass across his face. He closed the car door and walked towards them. 

"Good morning Stephanie! I have the armature you requested," he said, his voice was deep and hinted at his British origin. 

"Good morning Richard! Thank you so much for making it so quickly and on such short notice! May I introduce my cousin's good friend and neighbor Ben Shepherd? Ben, this is my good friend and fellow sculptor Richard Garrison. Richard is a master with bronze and will be working with me on this piece. He and his partner Henry Desjardins own the B&B a short distance from ours further up the mountain." 

Ben shook Richard's hand with a smile. His grip was firm and there was strength in his arm. The man had a close shaved beard and warm brown eyes. His neat brown hair was just starting to show some grey at the temples and Ben thought the man might be a little older than him. He looked fit and dressed impeccably which made Ben feel terribly underdressed in his shorts, t-shirt, and sandals. 

"A collaboration? You're not making a clay sculpture?" he asked Stephanie. 

"It starts with my clay sculpture but then we'll make a mold of that and Richard will make a bronze sculpture from that," she explained. 

"Are you a model?" Richard asked carefully. 

Ben snorted. "Sorry. No, I'm a semi-retired Mechanical Engineer." 

"Semi-retired?" the man repeated. 

"I like to keep my finger in the game so I do piece work now and then," he explained. 

"If you don't mind me saying so I can see why Stephanie was so enthusiastic to sculpt you," Richard said with a smile and Ben blushed. 

"Oh Richard! You have no idea!" Stephanie reached out and tapped at Ben's chest. "Ben, show him your chest." 

"No that's quite alright," Richard began and Ben looked at the woman in surprise. 

"Please Ben!" she begged. 

His blush heating up his face Ben tugged his t-shirt up and off. 

"Oh my lord!" Richard said as he took in the solid muscles... and the scars. "What- what happened to you? Are those stitches? Some of these are fresh?!?" His voice was starting to sound strained. 

"A few months back I was stabbed repeatedly by..." His head began to hurt. "...an abusive husband after I stopped him from killing his wife. The fresh ones were from a fight I got into while we were in Paris. Turned out to be a serial killer. Ca- The police shot him before he got me." Ben massaged his temple to get the thumping to settle. 

Richard was looking down at the three bullet scars. He pointed with wide eyes. 

"Oh, yeah. A pedophile shot me as he tried to abduct Gabriella's daughter. I killed him," Ben said with a grim look and his facial scar flared. 

Richard felt a chill run through him and suddenly he understood Stephanie's compulsion to begin. He reached out and took Stephanie's hand and she smiled broadly as she felt his hand trembling. She could tell he understood. 

There was a sudden sharp sound of glass breaking behind them in the chateau. Ben's eyes went cold. He pulled his phone from his pocket and started the video app. He handed it to Richard. 

"I thought he might do this. Please follow me and record this. Stephanie, please go back to your bedroom and lock the door. Call the police," Ben said with a cold voice and handed her his t-shirt. 

He turned and walked back through the house quietly, Richard at his back holding the phone out in front of him. 

Ben pushed into the hall leading up to the front door of the chateau. Standing in the vestibule was Arsene Dumond. He'd broken a pane of glass on the door and reached in to unlock it. 

The man focused his deep set eyes on Ben and glanced at Richard behind him. Seeing Ben topless with the homosexual following him led him to believe Ben was gay as well. Equally deserving of his wrath. He felt sickened by the abominations before him. 




A Shepherd in France Ch. 02



"Arsene Dumond! You are guilty of breaking and entering. Were you coming back to sexually assault Stephanie again?" Ben called out clearly. He smelled the reek of body odor and alcohol pouring off the man. 

Richard gasped behind him. Ben guessed that Alexis hadn't shared that particular detail with him. 

Suddenly Arsene swung his heavy walking stick at Ben's head. For all his fat the man had muscle underneath. Ben ducked but the stick got a glancing blow off the side of his head. 

But before Arsene could swing it again Ben leapt forward and plowed his fist into the man's bulbous nose. The impact took the heavy man right off his feet and he fell onto his back with a loud thump. Ben staggered and went down on one knee as reaction set in from the blow to his head. Arsene rolled over and scrambled out the door on hands and knees cutting himself on the broken glass in his haste. Blood was gushing from his flattened nose. He pushed himself up and hobbled away as quickly as he could. 

Ben watched him go. He pushed himself to his feet then turned to Richard. "Did you get that?" 

The man with the phone was wide eyed and shaking. He nodded and handed the phone back to Ben who saved the movie. He sent a copy to his online storage immediately. 

While he was working on the phone Richard stepped closer. "You're bleeding!" 

"What?" Ben asked. 

"Your scalp. It's bleeding!" he explained. 

"Badly?" 

Richard looked closer. He pulled his phone from his pocket and made a quick call. He spoke rapid French to someone and hung up. "Henry is on his way with his suture kit. He was a doctor before he retired. Let's get that cleaned up." 

"We have to let Stephanie know we're ok," Ben said. 

"Right. You go sit in the kitchen while I get Stephanie," Richard instructed and Ben did as he was told. There was a small table for three against one wall and he pulled out a chair and noticed he had blood dripping down his chest. Probably from his scalp wound. 

He heard an odd warbling sound and realized it was probably the police. Faster than he expected but that was a good thing. 

Richard stepped back into the kitchen with Stephanie holding his arm. 

"Ben?" she called out. 

"Here." 

She turned towards the sound of his voice and approached. 

"Careful, I'm kinda covered in blood," he warned. She stopped and gasped. 

"Arsene's?" she asked. 

"No, mine. He clocked me on the head with his walking stick and cut me. Scalp wounds tend to bleed a lot," he explained calmly. 

"Arsene's blood is all over your front hallway. Ben crushed the man's nose. I swear there was nothing left of it! I've never seen anyone get hit that hard!" Richard gushed. 

"POLICE!" shouted a voice from the back door. 

"In the kitchen to your left!" Stephanie called out. 

The door opened and two men in uniforms came in and took one look at Ben and started shouting at him in French. Richard started barking back at them and they stopped to look at the man. The kitchen door pushed open once more and another well-dressed man carrying a doctor's bag stepped in. 

"Ah! Henry, your patient is here!" Richard said pointing to Ben. Richard then spoke to the police in French and gave them his statement. 

Ben looked up at the man standing before him. He looked like a blond version of Richard. Maybe just a little older. "Hello." 

The man nodded and went into doctor mode. He moved to the sink and got some clean dishcloths. He filled a large bowl with water and brought it back to the kitchen table. He cleaned the wound and pursed his lips. 

"Monsieur, you will need four stitches. I do not have any pain killers," Henry said apologetically. 

"It's ok, go ahead," Ben said wearily. 

Henry nodded briskly and efficiently began to stitch the wound closed. Ben gritted his teeth as the needle passed through his flesh but Henry was quick and it was soon over. He patted Ben's shoulder with a smile to indicate he was done. 

"Thank you," Ben said. 

"The police would like your statement," Richard said. 

Instead Ben queued the video on his phone and played it for the police who watched wide eyed. When it was over one of the officers left to see the scene and returned with the walking stick in his hand. They spoke to Richard and Henry and the former looked over at Ben. 

"They would like to take your phone as evidence. I told them this was not possible. Will you send them the file?" he asked. 

"Of course. Just get the address and I'll send it," Ben said. 

Henry wrote it down on a notepad he found on the counter. The police said something about 'Dumond' then left. 

"They will now go to arrest Arsene. There is a clear case of break and entering as well as assault. The video is very convincing." Henry showed Ben the address and he emailed a link to the online version of the file to it. 

Ben sat back and rested his throbbing head against the wall. Henry finally got a good look at his chest. 

"You have been a soldier?" he asked Ben. 

Ben looked at him in surprise and chuckled. He shook his head no. He looked to Richard to explain and the man did in French. Henry's eyes widened in surprise. 

"He is a hero!" Henry said and Ben glared sharply at him then calmed himself. 

"I see you do not like to be called that," Henry said quietly. 

"My apologies but no," Ben replied. 

Henry looked at Richard with raised eyebrows. 

"He is the subject of your next piece?" he asked. Richard nodded quickly. "Good," he said and Richard smiled and gave him a kiss. They glanced nervously at Ben but he didn't react negatively so they relaxed. 

Stephanie made her way over to Ben and reached out to feel his face. She leaned down and kissed his forehead. "Thank you for protecting me against Arsene. He is a monster! We may finally be free of him!" 

"I hope so because he packs a mean wallop!" Ben said, wincing as he gingerly touched his scalp. 

"Do not touch your stitches!" Henry scolded. 

"Sorry Doc!" Ben said. Henry had the most surprised and genuinely pleased look on his face. Richard started to laugh with delight. 

Ben looked at him curiously. 

"Henry has waited his whole life for someone to call him that! Especially with an American accent!" the man chuckled and hugged his partner who blushed but still looked very satisfied. 

Marie returned with her groceries and said hello to the two men. Then she took in the doctor's bag and the bowl and blood stained towels. She finally saw Ben sitting shirtless at the table with the stitched gash on his scalp. She squeaked in surprise and began to speak in very rapid French. Henry responded and afterwards she rushed over and gave Ben a kiss on his forehead. He grinned and thanked her. 

"Where is my t-shirt?" he asked Stephanie. 

"It is in my room," she said with a blush. "I'm afraid I may have gotten it wet with my tears as I was crying a bit." 

"Oh, that's ok. I'll go upstairs and get a new t-shirt. I want to clean up that broken glass and maybe patch that door. You wouldn't happen to know of any good local glaziers would you?" he said to Richard and Henry. 

"I'll make a call," Richard said with a smile. 

"Thanks! Are you sticking around for a while?" 

"No, we have to get back to our business. New guests are arriving this afternoon. It was very nice to meet you!" Richard said. 

Ben shook his hand and Henry's. 

"Thanks again Doc!" Ben said with a smile and Henry's face blossomed into a wide grin. 

Richard rolled his eyes and ushered his partner outside. 

With a nod at Marie, Ben headed up stairs and got himself a new shirt then went back to ask Stephanie where they kept the brooms, dustpans, mops and buckets. 

He took some pictures of the damage before he began then he cleaned up the mess. The carpet would need to be washed as there was a significant amount of blood on it. 

He was outside in the gravel parking lot hosing down the carpet when a small pickup rolled into the lot. A tiny, old gentleman stepped out of the car and walked over to Ben and started to speak to him in French. Ben held up his hand and shook his head then walked over to the back door and called for Marie. She came and spoke to the man then looked at Ben. 

"He is here to fix the glass?" she said to Ben. 

"Ah! Could you show him the front door? That's where the damage is," Ben replied. 

She nodded and spoke to the man who smiled and waved at Ben. They walked away and Ben went back to the carpet. 

Moments later Alexis and Béatrice drove in the parking lot and brought their van close to the back door. They got out and walked over to Ben who shut off the hose. 

Béatrice looked down at the pink water and grinned at Ben. "That better not be my favorite wine you're washing out of our carpet." 

"No, that's blood." 

"WHAT!?!" both women yelped. 

"Arsene's blood," he clarified taking his phone out of his pocket. He queued the video and played it for them. 

They watched with shock as Ben confronted the big man and screamed when he hit Ben with his walking stick and again when Ben knocked him down. Once it was over they both tugged at his shoulders so he would bend down to show them where he'd been hit. They saw the four stitches and cried out again. 

"Wait! Who was shooting the video? Not Stephanie!" Alexis barked. 

"No, it was Richard. Stephanie was safe in her room calling the police. They've been here, saw the video and got the walking stick. Then they went to pick up Arsene," Ben explained. 

"Oh my god Ben! I never thought you'd get hurt! I never would have agreed to go out today otherwise!" Alexis said. 

"Hey! It's no big deal if it gets that creep out of your hair. Besides I've had bigger injuries than this little scratch. Let's see what you've brought me!" he said with a smile rubbing his hands together. 

"You're still planning on doing the renovations?" Alexis gasped. 

Ben blinked at her completely puzzled. "Why wouldn't I?" 

Alexis blinked back at him and looked at Béatrice incredulously. The two women grabbed Ben in a tight hug which he returned as best he could from inside their grip. When they were slow in releasing him he pretended to try to escape their arms. "Must... get... to... renovation... supplies..." he gasped. They giggled and released him. 

Alexis turned to go into the house. "I'm going to call the police to see if they have Arsene in custody. I'm going to insist they charge him with everything they can." 

Ben and Béatrice nodded and she opened the back of the van for him. He started gathering up the bags and began moving everything into the house and up to a room on the second floor he was using as his staging area. Soon he had the van empty except for four large rectangular boxes. 

"What's this?" he asked. 

"Stephanie's clay. Would you carry it in for her?" Béatrice asked. 

"Sure." 

They were surprisingly heavy so Ben could only carry two at a time. He knocked on Stephanie's door and she opened it. 

"Clay delivery for a Stephanie Murino?" he said in his best delivery person impression. 

She clapped her hands together in delight and stepped back. "Please place it on the floor by the desk." 

"There are two more to come," he continued in his silly voice as he set them down. He hustled outside and returned with the packages. "That's the last of them!" 

"Thank you so much!" she cheered. 

"What? No tip?" he sounded playfully outraged. 

She reached up and touched his face. Then she pulled it down and gave him a peck on the lips. 

"Wow! Wait 'til the boys back in the shop here about this delivery!" he gushed and she giggled. Stephanie immediately turned to her clay and began carefully opening one of the packages. 

Having been dismissed Ben left and went upstairs. He began organizing the purchases based on the rooms he was to complete. He saw he had everything he needed to get started and smiled at Béatrice who stood in the doorway watching him get organized. His stomach chose that moment to rumble loudly. She giggled and walked over to tug him to his feet and down into the kitchen. She pushed him into a chair and turned to the cook. 

"Marie, we have a hungry man who needs to be refueled," she said with a smile. 

Marie raised her finger and went to the fridge. She brought out a plate with a large kaiser bun filled with chicken, tomato, lettuce and mustard. There was a side salad with a vinaigrette dressing and pickles. He had a glass of lemonade to go with it. 

Ben thanked Marie and tucked into his meal. He made happy noises which made Marie smile as she turned back to preparing the evening meal. 

"So you have everything you need?" Béatrice asked and he nodded. "Do you still think you'll be able to finish all of the work by tomorrow night?" 

"Not a problem," he said between bites. 

Béatrice's face lit up with a smile and she giggled with glee which made Ben smile. She said something about a website and rushed off after kissing Ben's cheek. 

As soon as he was finished he swooped over to Marie and gave her a kiss on the cheek which made her squeak. He thanked her for the meal with a smile and she blushed furiously but she was smiling when he left to go upstairs. 

Stephanie was waiting for him by the Private door. When she heard him she called out to him. 

"Yes?" he answered. 

"It's time." 

He looked upstairs where the renovation work waited for him and sighed. He'd promised. 

"How long will the posing take?" 

"No more than fifteen to twenty minutes tops. I pose you. I map you in my mind. Then you are free. I may call on you for a few refreshers which would only take a minute." 

"Ok, let's go." 

Ben followed Stephanie back to her room. He entered and noticed her window blinds were drawn. She closed the door behind him. 

"Ok, please take off your clothes," she said. 

He grimaced and once more got naked in front of her. This time he knew what to do. "I'm ready," he said. 

"Do you see the two boxes on the desk? Place one on the floor before your left foot. I know the pose I am going to sculpt you in but I need to figure out how high your left foot should be," she explained. 

Ben moved the larger of the two boxes to the floor and put his left foot up on it. "Ok, my foot is on the higher one." 

"I'd like you to stand comfortably. Hands at your sides relaxed. Look straight out and raise your right hand like you are going to shake someone's hand in a relaxed way." 

"Done." 

She moved forward and quickly ran her fingertips over his body then stood back. "Your leg is too high." 

Ben switched the two boxes and put his foot on the shorter one. The position was more comfortable. He moved back into the pose. "Ready." 

Once more Stephanie ran her fingers down his body but this time she smiled. "Yes. This feels right. I'm going to do the mapping now. Relax into the pose and hold it. Keep your eyes open this time. I promise not to poke you in the eye." 

Ben took some deep breaths and allowed his muscles to relax. "Ready." 

Stephanie reached up and ran her fingers over his forehead and he watched her fingers moved closer to his eyes. True to her word, her fingers passed around his eyes but did not enter them. He was fascinated by her process so this time he didn't get stimulated and remained relaxed. She reached his neck and he saw her intense concentration. Her fingertips played over his shoulders and she moved to the side to map out his right arm then she did his left. She moved to his back and ran her hands over his shoulders and down his back to just above his ass. She moved back to his front and felt his chest and paid especially close attention to each scar which made him wonder at the level of detail she needed for this sculpture. 

He looked again at the shelf of dancers and took comfort in their grace and faceless anonymity. 

Stephanie reached his pelvis but again, he wasn't thinking sexually so he remained relaxed. Once more her expression intensified and she spent considerable time mapping this area. She moved around to his back once more and began at his ass. She ran her fingers down over his right leg to his heel. She then did his left leg and moved around to do the fronts and map his feet. She sat back on her heels and remained quiet for a couple of minutes while he watched. She nodded. 

"I'm ready. Please put the box back and dress. Close the door on your way out," she said, the intense look on her face never diminishing. 

For some reason Ben felt an urgency to leave. He put the box back, tugged on his shorts and carried his other clothes out with him as he closed the door. He finished dressing in the hall then rushed upstairs. 

He began the renovations with the largest room at the end of the hall and Alexis came to watch and help. He started with the plumbing and showed her how to install the sink and taps. While they worked he could see she wanted to ask something but seemed uncomfortable. 

"You know if you want to ask me something you should just come out and say it. I promise not to let my sensitive male pride be offended," he grinned to take the bite out of his words. 

"This morning at the breakfast table you kissed each of the women and aside from the two youngest those kisses were... intimate. From speaking with Gabriella I know she is more than just fond of you. But then Catherine behaves the same way and now Sophia and Rachel are kissing you like... lovers." She saw Ben was looking a little uncomfortable. "I'm sorry to pry." 

"No it's ok. I'm in love with both Gabriella and Catherine as well as Tina and Trish back home. I love them all with every fiber of my being. It's only been since we arrived in Paris that Sophia and Rachel started to insist on being kissed on the lips. I was used to kissing them on the cheek like Megan. She, thankfully, is keeping our relationship simple. I love all of Catherine's girls but I think Sophia and Rachel might be after something more... physical." 

"Would that be bad?" 

Ben frowned. "I used to see them as the little girls I watched grow up but I can't see them like that anymore. They're adults now capable of making those decisions for themselves. What I just can't understand is why they'd want to be intimate with someone so much older. They have so much potential and so much time ahead of them. They should be out there finding someone their own age. Someone with so much more to offer than me!" 

Alexis looked at Ben with surprise at his outburst. She hadn't realized he had such a low opinion of himself. "But Gabriella and Catherine and these other women love you. Doesn't that say you are worthy of love?" 

Ben looked away for a minute. "Yes. You're right... it should." He gave himself a shake. "We'd better pick up the pace or we may not be done in time for my departure." 

Alexis heard the request to change the subject quite clearly. She'd have to bring this up with Gabriella when they got back. 

They turned their attention to the task at hand and quickly completed the plumbing work. They tested the water tightness of the system and moved on to the next room. Within a couple of hours they stood in the last room feeling a sense of accomplishment. The plumbing in every washroom on the second floor was operational. Sinks, toilets, showers, and tubs all functional and dry where they needed to be dry. The drains all drained quickly indicating good airflow which was a relief to Ben as fixing that could be costly and time consuming. 

The electrical work had thankfully been completed and inspected and the wall insulation installed before Arsene scared off all the tradespeople. All Ben needed to do now was put up the drywall, tape it, mud it, install the ceramic tiles in each bathroom, and prep the walls for painting. Lastly some trim work to finish it off. So much for his sense of accomplishment. 

He pulled Alexis with him to show her the magic of installing drywall. One room had sheets and sheets of the stuff stacked against the wall. He showed her how to measure, mark, score, and break the sheets as required. She caught on pretty quickly and they worked well as a team. They powered through the work, room after room, until hours later they plopped down on the floor of the last room looking up at the last wall they did, exhausted but happy. 




A Shepherd in France Ch. 02



"Taping and mudding is easy. We can finish that quickly once we get into a rhythm. Once we catch our wind," Ben breathed. 

Alexis had a huge grin on her face. She leaned over and bumped shoulders with Ben who smiled back. 

"You do good work! I'd definitely hire you on my contracting team," he said. 

"If this is how fast you normally work I think I'll stick with my B&B," she gasped. 

He grinned then nodded. 

Once they'd finished the tape and mud stage they made their way downstairs. They left the windows open and propped all the doors open to assist with the drying process. A steady breeze blew through the second floor. 

"Tonight I want to get started on the ceramic tiles in the bathrooms. The ones we have are pretty simple to install. Nothing fussy and not too many complicated cuts required so we should be able to motor through them. Tomorrow we finish the tiling, we grout the ones we'll do tonight so you'll know how to do the remaining ones and apply the finishing trim work in all the rooms. I'll show you how to prep the walls for painting. 

They were standing at the bottom of the stairs when they heard the crunch of gravel as someone entered the parking lot. They walked outside and Ben saw it was the fish tank. He still thought it was butt ugly but it did get his loved ones from place to place safely. 

They piled out of the van with excited voices and Daniel was talking a mile a minute about the amazing time they had in Turin! Gabriella and Catherine started to laugh and Ben and Alexis just looked at them. 

"What?" Ben asked. 

"Can't you see yourselves? You're coated in dust or chalk or something. You look like ghosts!" Gabriella giggled. 

Ben and Alexis looked down at themselves and each other and smiled. This was dirt well deserved. 

"You go take a look at the second floor and tell me it wasn't worth it!" Alexis grinned. 

Béatrice came running out of the house. "Oh my god! I just saw what you've already done! I can't believe it!" Alexis beamed at her partner. 

Daniel was trying to show Ben some photos he'd taken but Gabriella told him he'd have to wait until dinner. She told the boy and Miriam to head inside and get cleaned up. 

Catherine walked up to Ben and saw he had dust all through his hair so she ran her hand through it to shake it loose. She knocked his stitches and Ben yanked his head back with a hiss. 

"What happened to your head?" Catherine yelped and Gabriella was right there instantly pulling at Ben to bend down. Sophia, Rachel, and Megan clustered around to see as well. 

He showed them his new stitches and the large gash they closed. 

"OHMIGOD, BEN! WHAT HAPPENED?" Gabriella yelled and the others cried out in dismay as well. 

Ben looked at Alexis. "Show them the video," she said. 

He pulled his phone out and played the video for them. More cries of dismay and afterwards he had several women clinging to him. 

"I'm OK! And now you're all dusty!" he exclaimed. 

"We don't care! You could have been killed!" Gabriella yelped. 

"He had a walking stick not a gun! Calm down, please!" Ben protested. "I have to get cleaned up for dinner!" 

Finally they released him and Alexis looked terribly guilty for his injury once more. He pulled her into a tight hug. "It wasn't your fault! He is a creep and a drunk and a very bad man. Now he's behind bars." 

Alexis looked a little distraught. "What is it?" Ben asked. 

"Arsene drove away before the police got to him. They couldn't find him. They'll keep a patrol car at his house and one here tonight but they think he's left the area," she explained. "He had a beat up old land rover so he may have driven off to his place in the woods. They are looking into it." 

"Damn. I should have gone after him!" Ben growled. 

Gabriella grabbed his arms. "NO! You just had your head struck with a club! It's a good thing you didn't go after him! We saw you fall in the video!" she argued. Ben sighed and nodded. "Go inside and get cleaned up," she said to him as she looked down at her clothes which were covered in dust. 

"I think we all need to get cleaned up," Catherine said looking at the mess on her as well. 

They all headed inside but stopped on their way to their room to admire the work done on the second floor. 

"We're tiling at least three of the bathrooms tonight after dinner," Ben insisted. Alexis looked at him with trepidation. "We can do it!" he grinned. 

Alex went downstairs to take a shower and everyone else went upstairs to get cleaned up. 

Ben had a few painful moments in the shower washing his hair but felt refreshed afterwards. He dressed a little nicer for dinner but would put his dirty clothes back on to do the tile work. 

Dinner was boeuf bourguignon and everyone was blown away by how the tender meat melted in their mouths. There was much clapping and cheering for the chef and once more fresh baguette was served with the meal. 

Stephanie didn't join them but once Ben indicated she'd begun work on the sculpture Alexis raised her hand. 

"We won't see her again until she's done. She'll work on it until she's exhausted. She'll sleep then when she awakes she'll start again. I'll make sure she has food and water in her room but she can't be interrupted. It's how she works. Your being immortalized, Ben." She smiled at him. 

Ben smiled then felt a hand land on his right leg and saw Gabriella was touching him. She looked over at him with an oddly anxious expression. 

A hand landed on his left leg and he saw the same anxious expression on Catherine's face. 

He put down his cutlery and took their hands in his and gave them a squeeze. He raised Gabriella's to his lips and gave it a tender kiss and did the same to Catherine's. Both were looking at him hungrily. Alexis and Béatrice were looking at them oddly. He released their hands and went back to eating his delicious meal. After a moment the two women did as well. 

"Can I show you my pictures now?" Daniel asked. 

"Let him eat, pest!" Miriam chastised her brother. 

"Mom said I could show him the pictures at dinner!" Daniel retorted. 

"It's fine Miriam, I'll see them now," Ben said and Daniel stuck his tongue out at his sister who just rolled her eyes. "And if I might say, that is an absolutely lovely outfit you are wearing this evening! Very chic! Be careful you don't make your friends at home too jealous!" Ben continued with a smile. 

Miriam bloomed under his praise and shook her head. "Karlene is the same size as me so we can share my new outfits. I always keep an eye out for what would look nice on her as well when I shop," she replied. 

Ben's smile widened as did her mother's. "Beauty AND a good heart! Your mother has reason to be proud!" That got a blush from the girl and the mother. 

It was Daniel's turn to roll his eyes as he showed up at Ben's elbow with his camera. Ben watched with rapt attention as Daniel took him through the shots he'd taken. Once more Ben was amazed by the attention to detail and the quality of the composition. Daniel had the eye. There were a few close misses but even Daniel spotted those and was quick to delete them. He praised the young man's work and suggested he set up a website to display them. He beamed at that idea as he went back to his seat. 

They finished up dinner and at Ben's goading Alexis joined in in attacking the tile work in the bathrooms. As promised Ben showed her exactly how to do it and soon they were operating like a well-oiled machine. They got through three of the five bathrooms before their cut off time of eleven pm. Alexis and Béatrice, who came to tell them it was time to stop, gave Ben a big hug and looks of glee. 

"Tomorrow I'll show you how to grout the tiles and you'll be able to finish that job on the last two yourself after we leave. You can take pride in the work you've done. You really have an aptitude for it and it's looking really professional!" Ben complimented Alexis who beamed. 

"I never could have done this without your help! Tomorrow you have to promise me you will take a little time to relax and have some fun!" Alexis insisted. 

"This IS fun!" he protested but she and Béatrice scowled at him. "Ok! I'll... go for a bike ride. If you have a bike that fits me!" he finally agreed with a smirk. 

"We do!" Béatrice clapped her hands. "An extra-large mountain bike! It's brand new. And you'll wear one of our helmets so we can watch the route you took afterwards. This will be an inaugural ride so you can help us by telling us afterwards if you think it's something the tourists will enjoy. I'm told there is a lovely single track trail down in the valley by the river!" 

Ben actually thought that sounded like fun so he nodded with a smile. Béatrice clapped her hands and gave him another hug. Then she noticed how dusty her clothes had gotten and looked down at herself with dismay. 

"Come on you! Let me get you out of those dusty clothes," Alexis said and bounced her eyebrows at her wife who glanced at Ben and grinned when she saw his smile. She took Alexis' hand and they rushed downstairs. 

Ben stretched and popped the knots he'd developed in his back as he worked on the tiles. He looked at the room in satisfaction then marched upstairs to his room and tugged off his dusty clothes. He'd wear them again tomorrow to finish. He climbed into the shower and soaked under the hot spray. He started when he felt hands running up his back and looked over his shoulder to see Catherine washing his back. 

"Did you forget you ordered me to be in your bed tonight?" she said looking up through her lashes. 

He turned to face her letting the hot water run down his back. She washed his chest and arms then down his stomach. When her hands reached his cock it was already standing at attention and she trembled at the hungry look he gave her. He dipped his head and took her mouth in a deep kiss. She gasped as his big hands slid down her back to cup her ass and pull her against him roughly. She was whimpering and moaning with need as he kneaded her flesh and rubbed his hard cock against her clit. 

"Oh fuck Ben! Take me!" she gasped. 

He suddenly lifted her against his body and she squealed. He held her in place as his other hand ran the thick head of his cock back and forth across the wet lips of her pussy. He lowered her until the head forced its way inside. 

"FFFFUUUUCCCKKK! OH GOD BEN YES!" she groaned as she felt him forcing her walls open. Her body was flooding with sparks and her legs wrapped around him to cling to his ass pulling him deeper. He had her pinned to the wall and drove his cock deeply into her willing pussy as he sucked on her tongue. When he moved a hand up to squeeze her modest breast and gently tug on her nipple she cried out with bliss as the sparks became lightning. 

He began to thrust his cock deeply into her, grinding against her clit at the top of every stroke. It was almost too much sensation for Catherine. "Geezus! Oh FUCK! Oh god! Ben! Yes!" she cried as their bodies slapped together. 

"I'M GONNA CUM! BEN! I'M GOING- OH FUCK! I'M CUMMING!" she wailed as her orgasm ripped through her body. Her nerves were exploding with the brutal intensity of her release. He sped up his thrusts and she bit down on his shoulder to stifle her screams. 

Ben gasped out as the shock of her bite triggered his orgasm and he rode it out clinging to Catherine's trembling body. 

She finally relaxed her mouth and rolled her head against his. "Oh my god Ben!" she breathed. "That was almost too intense!" 

"Am I bleeding?" he asked. 

She pulled her head back groggily. "What?" Then she looked down and saw the teeth marks on his shoulder. There actually was some blood as her teeth had cut him in several places. The imprint of the bite was very clear on his skin. "OH BEN! I'm so sorry! I bit you!" 

"Yes, you did," he said and lifted her up and off his softening cock. 

She whimpered as sparks shot through her and she kissed his shoulder in sympathy. He hissed a little. 

"That still smarts. Let's leave that shoulder alone for now ok?" he told her. 

"I'm sorry Ben! I didn't realize I was doing that!" she moaned. 

"It's ok. Throes of passion and all," he chuckled and she smiled shyly. 

"God, what you do to me Ben!" she groaned as he set her gently on her feet. 

They finished the shower and dried off. He climbed into bed and moments later Catherine slipped in next to him. She cuddled up against his side and he turned out the light. 

About five minutes later as he was just about to slip into sleep he heard his door open. 

"Ben?" 

He blinked. He heard the door close. 

"Ben? I can't sleep. I keep thinking about the attack today. It's really shaken me." 

He turned the light on and saw it was Gabriella in her nightie. 

Catherine stirred and looked up from her pillow. 

"Oh! Catherine! I'm so sorry! I'll leave," Gabriella said with a trembling voice. 

"NO!" Catherine called out. "This bed is huge. Take his other side. I understand completely how you're feeling right now as I felt the same way earlier. Get in here." She moved over a little so Ben could move to the center of the bed. 

"Are you sure?" Gabriella said timidly. 

"Come to bed Gabriella," Ben said firmly and she wasted no more time. She slipped under the covers and pressed her trembling body against him. He leaned over and kissed her tenderly and she melted against his body. He felt her relaxing. Catherine cuddled in on his other side. They sighed contentedly in unison then began to chuckle. Ben turned out the light. 

Chapter 13 

The giggles were the first sign of trouble. 

Ben blinked his eyes open and it was almost too dark to see anything. He paused, wondering what had awakened him. 

Then he felt it. Tongues on his cock. Tongues in the plural sense. 

"Wha-" he began then overlapping fingers from two hands pressed against his lips to quiet him. 

He felt it again. From base to head. Two tongues pressing against opposite sides of his cock sliding upwards. Leaving him slick and tingling madly. 

"Oh My God!" he gasped and the giggles returned. Dual giggles. 

Lips descended over the throbbing head of his cock and he gasped again. At the same time one of his balls was sucked into a warm mouth and a tongue was stroking all over it. The dual assault made his body spasm in pleasure and he groaned. 

Ben tried to turn on the light but realized his wrists were being held on both sides. While he could break free the message was clear. They wanted to be in control. 

He rested back and concentrated on not going mad from the overwhelming pleasure they were sending through his body. He moaned and squirmed as Gabriella's talented tongue slid sinuously around his balls and he felt her breath gust out on him as she smiled at his reaction. 

Catherine surged downwards taking his cock deeper than she ever had. The wind left Ben's lungs as his muscles contracted in response. She slowly pulled Ben's cock from her throat as he gasped for breath. She pumped her hands over his slick flesh and Ben heard a quiet 'He's ready.' 

Gabriella's mouth pulled back from his balls and there was movement on the bed as positions changed. He could still only see faint outlines. Arms pulled him further down the bed, though he had to help, and his pillow was tugged away. He felt a weight settle across his waist and wetness rubbing up and down his shaft which was trapped against his body. He moaned in pleasure then his cock was lifted and pressed against that wetness. He slipped inside its velvety slick heat and went deeper and deeper. He heard Gabriella moan. 

The mattress up by his head compressed as Ben found a pussy descending on his mouth. Before it settled he ran the flat of his tongue strongly across the surface, top to bottom. She cried out. This told him Catherine was facing Gabriella. 

Two pairs of hands rested on his torso as the two women began to ride him. Gabriella raised herself up slowly but drove him inside her quickly with a grind at the end. 

Catherine was rocking her hips as Ben's tongue explored her depths and stroked across her clit. Each stroke caused Cat to gasp and made her movements a little more frantic afterwards. 

The reality of what he was doing suddenly reared up and kicked him in the head. He was making love to two beautiful women he was deeply in love with AT THE SAME TIME! He smiled a big stupid grin and Catherine yelped at the sensation so he got his mind back in the game. 

Ben's hearing from between Catherine's thighs was limited but he occasionally caught Gabriella's moaning and Catherine's higher pitched whimpers. Both were quickly reaching their release. Gabriella was slamming down on his cock and Catherine's hips were undulating frantically. 

He reached his right hand down his body until he reached Gabriella's stomach. He slid his hand down until his thumb encountered her clit which he began to rub firmly in circles. He heard her cry out and her motions became more aggressive. 

Ben slid his left over Catherine's hip and down into the cleft of her ass. Her juices were coating Ben's face and had spread to her ass so he stroked his thumb over her rosebud. Ben felt her immediate reaction as her thighs clamped down on his head then spread wide as she groaned loudly. He faintly heard her words. 

"Oh GOD that's so good! Yes, Ben! Do it!" 

He pressed his thumb, now slick with her juices, against the trembling orifice and felt it slip inside. Catherine cried out so Ben sucked her clit into his mouth and thrashed it with his tongue making her body begin to quake. 

He rapidly stroked Gabriella's clit and felt her thrusting pause. He lifted his hips to pound up into her. 

Catherine's hands left his chest and he felt her leaning forward. He heard Gabriella squeal then moan as her movements became languid. Ben felt her trembling against his cock as she rode out a colossal orgasm. Catherine was crashing through her own release and ground her ass back against Ben's hand. 

God! He wished he could see what was happening! 

When Catherine woke in the darkness she could just make out Gabriella's head over Ben's wide chest. Her friend reached over and tapped her again. Catherine lifted her head and saw her friend gesture to move lower on the bed. They did and moved their heads closer together. 

"Cat, Ben's body feels so good and I'm so horny!" Gabriella whispered and Cat slapped a hand over her own mouth to stifle the burst of laughter that threatened to waken the sleeping man. 

"It's not funny! He really worried me with being attacked and now I want him so much!" her friend pouted. 

"Then let's have some fun!" Cat immediately said. 

Gabriella looked at her friend then grinned. Each took a side of the blanket and slipped it down Ben's body, careful not to tickle him. Soon his dormant cock was exposed, sleeping peacefully against his leg. 

"How do we do this?" Gabriella whispered. 

Cat reached over and held Ben's cock upright with her fingers on the head. "You lick that side and I will lick this side. That should make it happy. Once it's really happy you get to ride it!" 

Gabriella grinned again. 

Cat could already feel the flesh between her fingers begin to stir. She leaned forward as did Gabriella and they ran their tongues up the side of his heavy cock. Each stroke sent more life into it and Cat felt his pulse in the fattening head. 

Gabriella and Cat shared a look across Ben's body and Catherine was taken by how lovely and primal her friend looked. So damn sexy! 

They continued to stroke his cock with their tongues and Cat moved her hand to grip the base so they could give the head some serious tongue and lip loving. 

While both ladies were trying to kiss the head Cat moved Ben's cock away and her lips planted right on Gabriella's for a quick kiss. Electricity shot through Cat's body and her nipples became so stiff she was worried Gabriella might notice and stop their little playtime.