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The Shepherd of Ashburn Court Pt. 01

By: BurntRedstone



Author's Notes:

Part 1 lays the ground work for the rest of the story. Hopefully you will find it entertaining enough to capture your interest and desire to read the remaining parts. Currently there are 4 more with additional chapters planned.

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

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Chapter 1

Ben raked the leaves from the long front yard in front of his house. His property was at the top end, or east end, of Ashburn Court's broad loop. He took a breather and looked around his neighborhood. The court was shaped like a giant keyhole. At its western end was a long straight road lined with four large homes on each side. This lead to a huge circular loop with nine larger homes facing the common park with a small grove of trees at the edge facing the entry road. The park was perfect for the kids to play in and perfect for their parents to keep an eye on them. With only one way in and out of the street parents could also keep watch for suspicious vehicles entering the little community. 

The street was blessed with towering trees that lined both sides of the street and the entire housing development projected into a heavily forested nature reserve. A mistake in zoning grandfathered in a delightfully low property tax rate for the entire street. When the reserve was reassessed in seventy five years that tax break would likely vanish but for now it was a lovely bonus.

As well as being within a forest, each property had numerous mature trees standing tall and proud on their expansive yards. Combined with the small grove in the park which also shed its colorful canopy across the nearby lawns, Fall was a busy time of year. The city workers picked up the leaves in the circular park but that still left way too many leaves for the people in the pocket neighborhood to deal with. To remedy this their Homeowners Association arranged for a private service to vacuum up all the leaves from curbside. You just had to rake the leaves down to the curb.

Almost all of Ben's neighbors hired a yard service to do this raking for them as it was still a substantial task. Old man Walker, three houses clockwise along the circular court from Ben, raked his own... with Ben's help. Funny how he always appeared outside with his rake when Ben went out to raked his own lawn. 

Compared to most of his neighbors, Ben preferred to spend his money on only the essential necessities and didn't consider himself to be rich. He preferred to think of himself as very comfortable and very careful. He lived in one of the most affluent neighborhoods in town but he maintained a humble attitude.

He'd always been like that. What you saw wasn't what you got with Ben. He was built like a linebacker but in actuality he was a tech nerd to the core. His dad had been a big man so he got his large frame and muscles honestly. A tragedy early in his life short circuited the confidence and bravado that might have accompanied his physical attributes. Instead he became shy and quiet. He turned inwards and concentrated his considerable energies and curiosity on his studies. His high school gym teachers all tried to get him on their football teams and pushed him towards building his muscles. He liked how working out made him feel but his interests ended there much to the frustration of the coaches.

When he was only twenty two and a brilliant engineering University student he earned a tidy fortune with some breakthrough designs for safer and more efficient valves used in coolant systems for nuclear power plants. He sold his patent and made millions from that sale. Intelligent investments made those millions self-sustaining and he could have just lived off the interest but he had a life plan which included a wife and a big family so he went back to his drawing board and released a few additional designs including one for electrical insulators that also reduced current harmonics. Those patents earned him additional million to add to his investment pool. Having assured his future financially for himself and his future family he moved on to finding a home.

Ben had the good fortune to find the property at precisely the right time. The house for sale on the court was the last of the original houses, remaining as it had been built when the area was first developed. His realtor managed to get them in to see if before the owner officially put it on the market. 

It was a wide ranch style home with four bedroom, four baths, and a huge unfinished basement. From the outside it was the most modest house on the block. Over the years all of the neighboring homes on the street had been torn down and replaced with monstrously large mansions because the properties were large enough to support them and their Homeowner's Association allowed them to... as long as they didn't disturb the trees.

The property he was interested in had a fenced off public access path running along its southern edge for people to be able to walk into the nature reserve. This brought the property width down by 8'. There was still plenty of width had he wanted to build a monster home.

He immediately saw its potential as a home for his future family. The seller was pleased that Ben shared his distaste for the showy properties which had taken over the beautiful street. The elderly man hadn't been able to maintain the home and it had fallen into disrepair but Ben saw its good bones and knew he could breathe new life into it. That was what made the seller accept Ben's bid. Once out of earshot of the old man, the realtor had expressed that tearing it down was his best option. He disagreed and put his time, effort, and money into gutting the home and bringing it up to and beyond current code requirements. Then he'd renovated each and every room until the house became a beautiful home throughout. Simple, clean and classic design with an open and accessible style. The exterior has been given improvements as well but they were mostly structural, functional, and visually subtle. The house was a reflection of his own duality. 

Once he'd made his nest he moved on to the task that he found most difficult. The search for a mate to share it with. Ben wasn't what you'd call a player by any stretch of the imagination. He wasn't good with the ladies as he was so damn shy. He expected this part of his life plan to take a lot longer. Before he even started he called upon the assistance of his University roommate Nedin and his wife Pam to help him update his look. Nedin had also been in his Engineering course and had met Pam on a pub crawl during their last year. They got married shortly after graduation. Having very little positive experience with women himself, Ben saw the couple as his marriage and relationship experts. Luckily Pam was a great stylist so she was able to point out what he could do to make himself a more attractive 'package'. As for Nedin, he told Ben point blank that he still had no idea how he managed to convince a woman as beautiful and brilliant as Pam to be his wife. She just smiled and said 'That's how.'

Pam had a bit of a challenge on her hands. At 6' 3" and 265 pounds, Ben was a big man. Paul Bunyan, broad shouldered big. He wasn't fat, just well cushioned. He'd lost touch with going to the gym during his University days and had survived on pizza and beer a little too much. Pam sent him to a gym which specialized in toning up and weight loss and six months later he'd lost the soft layer of fat and hardened the muscles that had been hidden underneath it. 

Combined with his newly exposed muscles on his large frame, his long black hair and beard made him look more than a little intimidating. Pam asked if she had carte blanc to make any changes she thought were in his best interest and he said of course. Off went the beard and his hair was trimmed back to a far more conservative length. 

His wardrobe which until that time consisted of t-shirts and jeans were replaced with button down shirts with collars and flattering slacks. Soft leather shoes replaced his trusty work boots. 

Now Ben was ready to begin his hunt. The current avenues for finding a wife proved to be unappealing to him. He was still quiet and shy so he found the bar scene to be too intense. The women he met there were immediately drawn to his looks and style and more often than not he found himself being taken home for a night of wild sex but none of them really clicked emotionally. He hadn't had much experience with sex but he learned how to please women as they weren't afraid to tell the big man what they wanted. Some, quite frankly, frightened him. Especially the morning after.

He learned that he didn't truly know fear until he'd experienced online dating. While he'd researched carefully and presented himself and his goals as honestly as possible in his profile, he must have chosen the wrong dating sites as he found his level of honesty was unique. Once more most of the women who contacted him did so for his surface qualities and none of the women he eventually met were a good match for his life plan. Most showed no interest in starting a family unless you counted the woman whose husband showed up with her kids at the restaurant where Ben met her face to face. The experience almost made him destroy his computer.

Pam finally resorted to setting him up with a few of her coworkers from her studio but again the chemistry wasn't there. Two indicated they would gladly take him to bed again if he was interested. Word got out and a few other women at her office asked Pam to set them up with Ben and she began to feel like a pimp. She swore off matchmaking.

Finally he went back to his yearbook and tried to reconnect with some of the girls he'd been friendly with in high school. Most had gotten married or moved away but the girl he'd secretly had a crush on, Wendy Harrison, was living at home with her ill mother and worked as a checkout clerk at one of the big chain grocery stores. He asked her out on a few dates and discovered she was as sweet as she'd been back in high school. She'd put on a little weight but her smile was just as breathtaking as he remembered, her giggle was infectious, and her eyes twinkled when she was really happy. Over the course of the dates they had Ben learned that she'd seen her own dreams die when her mother had a stroke and needed her to move in as caretaker. She had also planned on having a large family. Ben had finally found his dream woman! On their fifth date he asked her to marry him. He promised to take care of her mother so she wouldn't be abandoning her. She'd leapt into his arms and said yes!

The wedding was small and he brought her to his home and got her mother settled in. Three months later her mother passed in her sleep. It hit Wendy pretty hard but Ben was there for her and they got through it. It was a tough time but Ben felt their love was stronger for it. Afterwards Wendy said she was ready to start their family so she went off her birth control pills and they began to try. Ben was so happy. Months passed, then a year, followed by a second and nothing. 

During that time they went out on double dates with Nedin and Pam until Pam discovered she was pregnant. Then Wendy found excuses why she couldn't make it. She went back to school to get a degree in business administration. Ben was delighted that she was finding something to make her happy as he was starting to see the twinkle in her eyes less and less. He surprised her with flowers and gifts and sometimes he'd book them a couple's weekend away and they would just relax in spas, eat good food, and drink wine. The sex was good. Really good. But no baby.

In desperation Ben and Wendy finally went to see a fertility doctor. Ben supplied his sample and Wendy underwent her own series of tests. A couple of weeks later they were sitting in the doctor's office when they were given the bad news. Ben's sperm count was low but Wendy was sterile. She was not going to be able to have children. Ever. Wendy was destroyed by the news. She fell into a deep depression and again, Ben was by her side, telling her he loved her and he considered himself blessed. Nothing he could say seemed to be able to break the self-torment she was putting herself through. 

Then one morning Ben found her up and dressed and ready for the day. He was delighted until he saw the bitter smile she gave him on her way to class. Something had broken and he wasn't sure if he'd be able to fix it.

She threw herself into her studies and their home life became just a little colder. When he'd hold her at night and whisper how much he loved her she'd murmur she loved him too but he felt the wall going up. She was holding something back. He had tried to get her to attend marriage counselling with him and offered to pay for psychiatric counselling if she wanted it but she'd fly into a rage when he suggested it so he'd given up on that avenue. They stumbled along this way for four years as there were periods when she was almost back to her old self then she'd slip away again. 

Then it was almost time for Wendy's graduation. Ben planned a celebration for her; a trip for two to Hawaii as it coincided with their seventh wedding anniversary. He hoped the dramatic change of scenery would bring her out of the shell she was erecting around her heart. 

After the ceremony he took her to a nice restaurant. He had the plane tickets in his pocket and a lovely diamond bracelet he'd noticed her looking at. She was preoccupied and glanced at the entrance a few times while they waited for their order. He decided he'd waited long enough and reached into his pocket when he saw Derek LaRue, a classmate of Wendy's, step into the entrance of the restaurant looking for someone. Ben froze and Wendy noticed. She turned and saw Derek then looked back at her husband. The bitter smile was back and Ben felt his heart crack in two. Wendy's frequent late night 'study sessions with her classmates' suddenly took on a sick new meaning. He looked desperately at his wife and knew it was over but he wasn't ready. She took off her wedding rings and left them on the table. She got up and walked out with Derek. She didn't look back.

Ben picked up the rings in shock then ran after her but they were already driving out of the parking lot. He never saw or heard from her again.

The next five years were a blur for Ben. He was never much of a drinker so it didn't take much to get him tipsy. He'd drink just enough to dull the pain every day. He sat on a folding chair in his driveway watching his neighbor's kids play until the sun set behind the park grove. At first he'd watch the road hoping to see Wendy drive back but in time that hope died and his heart died with it. Some of the wives in the neighborhood looked in on him from time to time and he was polite but the raw sorrow in his eyes was painful to see. They were assured he wasn't a danger to himself or the kids he watched and gradually they stopped coming to speak with him. When he lost this human contact he stopped shaving and let his hair grow out once more. He overheard some of the kids calling him Hagrid but he had no idea what that meant.

Ben was well into his funk when tragedy almost struck the peaceful little pocket neighborhood. He was down at the end of his driveway collecting his mail. He was just beginning to feel the gentle buzz from his scotch and it made him a little clumsy. He dropped a few of the letters. The wind picked up and blew them across the lawn. He walked after them to retrieve them and was leaning back against a tree when a van slipped into the court. He heard a high pitched scream and was charging out across the street before he registered why. He saw a man throwing a little girl into the back of the van and racing for the driver's door. Ben hit the opposite side of the door before the punk could get his left leg in and there was a sickening snap as the bones of driver's ankle shattered. He was still screaming when Ben dragged him from the van and began to slam the wailing man against the side of the van. By now other people were on the street running towards them.

Shrieking in pain the punk pulled a gun from his jacket pocket and put three bullets into him before Ben slapped the gun away. At the sound of the shots people dropped and stopped running towards the van. More than one was dialing 911 on their cell.

Ben looked down at the blood spreading across his shirt and looked into the terrified face of the creep he had pinned against the side of the van. He could hear the little girl screaming inside and Gabriella, the woman who lived in the house just south of his yanked open the van's back door and pulled her crying daughter out into her arms. Gabriella held the little girl tightly against her and looked into Ben's eyes. Something passed between them. Ben looked back at the face of the man who was now futilely beating against his arms. 

In front of everyone Ben screamed his rage into the man's face, lifted him by his neck and shook him like a rag doll. All of his grief and pain spilled over into his attack. He broke the man's neck and two police officers tackled him to the ground as they mistook him for the criminal. When his neighbors swarmed the police to straighten out the error Ben was already unconscious and slipping away. An ambulance arrived and rushed him to the hospital. It was a close call but they saved him. 

For four months he lay in a coma. Another eight in physiotherapy to bring his atrophied muscles back into condition. He threw himself into getting back into shape and spent hours flat on his back as his muscles trembled in pain. When he was finally allowed to leave the hospital Gabriella was there to drive him home. She had restocked his fridge and got him settled into his home once more. 

That was five years ago and he kept up the workouts. He'd shaved the beard once more and was back to his conservative haircut. He was healthy, fit, working once more (adding more and more to the nest egg with no purpose), but his life was stagnating and that showed no sign of changing. His heart remained closed and broken and his trust issues prevented him from trying again. He was a hero to the neighborhood kids and their parents. Everyone had a smile for him and a wave as they went on their way. 

The neighborhood husbands had tried to get him to join their little boys club and he'd attended a few times but he'd sworn off alcohol, didn't smoke cigars, didn't follow sports, and found the negative talk about 'nagging and needy wives' to be painful to listen to. He was certain that some of them cheated on their partners. He begged off the last few invitations and they finally got the hint. While they thought he was a little too much of a goody two shoes, they respected his privacy and didn't consider him a threat with their wives. What little Ben had offered in conversation made his opinion of cheaters clear enough. 

The wives had their own secret thoughts regarding the big man. On those hot summer days when Ben would be mowing his front lawn with his manual hand mower there always seemed to be a gathering of women who'd find that a good time to bring their kids out to play in the park. They did their best not to stare but that became much harder to do when he'd remove his shirt. The sun would glisten on the sweaty skin. The three bullet hole scars on his lower abdomen just seemed to add to his appeal. On those occasions when he noticed the silence from the gabbing women he'd look up and see the group staring at him. He'd wave self-consciously with a shy smile and they'd smile and return the wave in embarrassment and collect their kids.

As he leaned on his rake he smiled to himself as he thought of the funny looks the ladies gave him. He knew it was innocent as they were all married.

Ben finished up his yard and looked at the monstrous pile of leaves waiting for collection. He glanced around and saw that the trees were pretty much done for the season. Soon it would be snow shovelling weather. Something else he did all by himself... when he wasn't shoveling the snow for Old man Walker.


The Shepherd of Ashburn Court Pt. 01



Chapter 2

Ashraf Khaleel was a very successful businessman. He had the drive and charisma to succeed in the bloodthirsty environment of a Financial Market Investment house. He owed everything to his parents who'd immigrated to the US just before he was born. They wanted nothing but the best for their son and ensured he had the best education and lavished love, attention, and money on the boy as he grew to manhood. Had they lavished him with lessons in humility and compassion for the less fortunate maybe he would have had a more well-rounded personality instead of being the self centered prick he'd turned out to be. 

His dark, handsome looks, his intelligence, and his confidence were a potent mix and he typically got what he wanted. He was 5' 8" and slim but he kept his body in peak condition through a disciplined regimen of exercise. He'd even done a little modelling in University as a lark. A woman he'd been after asked him to pose for some magazine spreads. He'd enjoyed the attention and had taken his pleasure from her when the shoot was done but dropped her the next day as he realized that modeling didn't hold his interest.

He'd met and pursued Catherine McGovern in University as well. She was two inches taller than Ashraf, with straight white blond hair. She was also strong and svelte from being on the swim team. She would have been the perfect trophy wife except for her annoying tendency of opening her mouth and showing her intelligence. Luckily for Ashraf she had a blind spot for him and didn't realize just how self-focused he was until after the birth of their first child, a girl she named Sophie. He wanted a boy and let his disappointment show. After the second daughter, Rachel, and the third, Megan, he blamed his wife for not providing him with a son. He wouldn't listen to the 'scientific mumbo jumbo' that indicated it was the man's contribution that provided the deciding factor for male children.

They bought and moved their family into the mansion on the north side of Ben's property a few years after Ben bought his.

Daniel Wallace was also a very successful businessman. He also had drive and charisma and was doing exceptionally well as the CFO of a major Pharmaceutical corporation. He was less concerned about being physically beautiful than he was about being financially powerful. While he had two inches on Ashraf, his body was nowhere near as toned. He tried but his appetite for good food and wine had more impact than his workouts.

His wife Gabriella had been born into a very poor family and this may have influenced her a little too much when prioritizing financial security over other aspects of their relationship. When they'd met in University she'd been swept away by Daniel's charisma and financial prowess. Daniel was dazzled by her lustrous raven hair, her intense green eyes and her sexy curves. She was only an inch shorter than him and dancing with her was a dream as they fit together so well. 

Gabriella had provided her husband with a daughter, Miriam, the child Ben rescued, and a son, Daniel, Jr. They had agreed to call their son Jacob after her father but Daniel had somehow out maneuvered her at the hospital and registered his son under the name Daniel, Jr. She knew Daniel used the fact that he had a son to goad his drinking buddy, Ashraf. 

As the years in their marriage passed Daniel's passion for Gabriella was replaced with his passion for accumulating wealth. She'd tried to get him to join her for marriage counselling but he called that a blatant waste of money. Gabriella had a lucrative business of her own importing high end fashion accessories from Milan and Paris so she insisted she'd use her own money but he refused.

The Wallace's had moved into the mansion on the south side of Ben's on the other side of the public access pathway a year before he moved in.

During one of the neighborhood street parties organized by Gabriella and Catherine, their husbands got to talking and quickly realized they had similar drives for success and similar values when it came to how to achieve it. They were allies in a war against the lazy and stupid who didn't deserve to keep their money. They also had similar appetites for the pleasures of life. Fast sports cars, good wine, good food, cigars, high stakes poker, and fast women were out there for their enjoyment. If their wives had to be kept in the dark so they could enjoy the things that they deserved, so be it. Within a year of the two meeting they were organizing trips to Las Vegas for 'poker tournaments' or so they told their wives. In reality it was a four day immersion in the best, and worst, Las Vegas had to offer. Initially it was only the two men but as they got to know their neighbors they found others who shared their interests and who were looking for more out of their lives. The memberships for the gentleman's club grew and their annual treks to Sin City became grander.

They now had ten members in their club and Ashraf was particularly excited about this year's event. They'd reached critical mass. There were now enough members to take their party up a significant notch. He and Daniel had met with a 'facilitator' during their previous trip and they made arrangements for some of the most beautiful and young women either had ever laid eyes on to serve and service them during their poker tournament. The man assured them the ladies they'd have were guaranteed to be between the ages of 18 and 20 as his stable rotated the older ones out to ensure 'freshness'. There would be no restrictions on what they did with the ladies, short of damaging the merchandise of course. There would also be an extra special party on their final night of their trip. Each of them would make their own arrangement to fly to Las Vegas. They were all staying in the same hotel so they would meet there and contact the facilitator to get their party started.

Daniel expressed some concern that their group had too many members for their activities to remain secret. Ashraf was confident the men would keep their mouths closed. Especially after they got those mouths on the nubile young tarts in Vegas!

Catherine had been making her annual complaints about his willingness to head off on his trips with the boys but not to spend time with his own daughters. She had been after him to take them on a vacation for years but he'd managed to avoid it expressing the timing was bad due to business or the cost was prohibitive. This year his portion of the expenses for the Vegas trip was significantly higher and she found out. There had been a furious blowout and Ashraf told her they would talk about vacations when he returned. The climate in the house was positively glacial from that point on.

He parked his Benz at the airport and put his lovely but tedious wife out of his mind. This weekend wasn't about her. He smiled. It was about him being treated to everything he deserved.

Chapter 3

Ben heard the banging on his front door as he sat in the kitchen waiting for the kettle to boil. He glanced at the clock and saw it was just a little after 11p. He went to the door and looked out the peephole and saw the top of a girl's head. She appeared to be crying. He opened the door and suddenly found a young girl crushed against his chest. She was definitely crying in huge sobs.

"Miriam?" he said as he recognized the fifteen year old from the Wallace's house.

"HE'S DEAD!" she screamed and her cries got louder.

His first panicked thought was Daniel, Jr. He saw Gabriella drive off earlier in the evening so he knew Miriam was home alone with her 12 year old brother. "Who? Your brother? What happened?" he blurted, kneeling and holding the girl out by her shoulders. He looked into her face with concern.

"NO, DADDY!" she bawled and lunged forward to grab him around his neck. 

Totally confused he put an arm around the girl and lifted her against him as he grabbed his keys and stepped outside. He locked the door and hustled over to her house holding the sobbing girl to his chest. The front door was open so he went inside, closed the door, and kicked off his boots. 

"Where is Daniel, Jr?" he asked gently.

"He- he's sleep- ping up-upstairs." she hiccupped as she cried. 

"OK, let's make sure he'd OK then you can tell me what happened. Let's be quiet though, OK?" he said and she nodded. She directed him upstairs and over to a door. They cracked it open and saw the young man peacefully sleeping. When Miriam's tears threatened to start all over he closed the door and carried her back to the living room. He sat the young lady on the sofa and sat on a footstool facing her. 

"Can you tell me what happened?" he asked the sobbing girl gently.

"It was on TV. I- I watched the news. Plane crash-" the rest was lost in sobs.

The front door opened and Gabriella stepped inside. She saw Miriam crying on the couch and the big man sitting on the stool at her daughter's feet. 

"WHAT ARE YOU DOING IN MY HOUSE!" she bellowed in full mama bear mode.

"MAMA!" Miriam jumped up and ran to her mother who continued to stare at Ben with suspicion.

"There may have been an accident with Daniel. Miriam came over to my house just now crying. I think you'd better turn on the news." Ben said carefully.

"DADDY'S DEAD!" Miriam cried into her mother's chest. 

Gabriella's face went white and she stumbled. Ben was there and caught her arm, keeping her from falling. She nodded when she had stabilized. She walked towards the back of the house where the family room was. The TV was still playing and the story was splashed in lurid colors across the huge TV screen. A charter flight crashed shortly after takeoff in the Las Vegas desert. All twenty passengers and the pilot were killed. A series of pictures scrolled past and Gabriella and Ben both froze as they saw the faces of her husband and their neighbors on the screen along with a number of young women.

Gabriella's legs gave out and Ben guided her to the sofa. Miriam crushed herself against her mother and continued to sob.

"They're not supposed to report on this without notifying the families so maybe it's a mistake?" she whispered aloud. The phone rang and she screamed a little which set Miriam off. Gabriella didn't move to get the phone so Ben walked over and picked up the handset.

"Hello?"

"Hello, this is Sheriff Clarkson of the Los Vegas Police Department. Who am I speaking with?" 

"Ben Shepherd. I'm the neighbor of Daniel and Gabriella Wallace." he replied.

"May I speak with Mrs. Wallace please?" the man said curtly.

Ben looked over at Gabriella whose eyes had grown large and filled with tears. "I think you need to take this call." Ben said.

"No... no, no, no, NO!" she said and clung to her daughter and the two began to wail together.

Ben didn't know what to do so he took a few steps away and got back on the phone. "Uh, she's not going to be able to speak with you right now. Can you tell me if this call is in regards to the news report we're seeing on TV. They're showing Daniel's face on the screen and calling him a fatal victim of a plane crash. Seems irresponsible to report this BEFORE the families are contacted!"

He heard cursing on the other end of the line and the handset was muffled as the Sheriff started yelling at someone. He came back on.

"That was a terrible mistake on the part of the news channel. Listen I'm only supposed to speak with family members. Is there any chance you can get her on the phone? She needs to hear this from an official source. As awful as it is it helps in the long run." Clarkson said.

"Hang on." Ben said and went back to kneel in front of the crying woman.

"Gabriella. You need to take the call." Ben said gently. 

She opened her eyes and they immediately went back to the TV screen. Ben turned and grabbed the remote and shut it off. He turned back and handed the phone to the woman who held it in a shaky hand.

"H-Hello?"

"Mrs. Wallace?"

"Yes."

"This is Sheriff Clarkson of the Los Vegas Police Department. I'm very sorry to tell you that your husband, Daniel Wallace was involved in a fatal plane crash earlier this evening. His body has been identified amongst the victims. The FAA is investigating the cause of the crash. I'll contact you tomorrow to give you details on when we will be releasing his body. Again, I'm terribly sorry for your loss."

Gabriella handed the phone to Ben, pressed her lips to her daughter's head and rocked the young girl.

Ben walked back into the hall and listened to the handset.

"Hello? Mrs. Wallace?"

"This is Ben again. She's having a quiet moment with her daughter who was traumatized by hearing about her father's death from that fucking news program!" he growled quietly so the two women wouldn't overhear.

"Yes, that was a huge mistake and we will address that as soon as we can. I need to contact the other families-" the Sheriff began.

"Many of them are from this neighborhood! I saw the faces of at least nine people who live on my street."

"What?" There was the sound of shuffling paper and a pause. "Oh shit. Look, I'm going to call your local Sheriff and ask him if he can do something to protect the families from the media. Once they catch the scent of this story I have to warn you, it's going to be a circus and it's going to get really ugly for the wives."

"What's that mean?" Ben asked.

"I'm sorry, I can't say any more except if you are close friends with these families, stay close. They are going to need as much support as they can get. Thank you Mr. Shepherd."

The call ended and Ben walked back into the room to put the handset back. He had a really bad feeling. He also felt like he was intruding on a deeply personal moment for this family.

He knelt down at Gabriella's feet once more.

"Gabriella? Are you going to be ok?" She nodded shakily. "Alright. I'm going to head home now. If you need anything or just want to talk please don't hesitate to call, ok?" he said gently.

The woman nodded and reached out a hand. He gave it a squeeze then stood to leave. Miriam jumped up surprising her mother and flung her arms around him in a big hug. He gave her a little squeeze too and she returned to her mother.

Ben let himself out of the house and ensured the door was locked behind him. He walked back towards his house and spotted someone running from the Khaleel house towards him. He saw it was Catherine and she seemed to be crying. She suddenly noticed Ben standing on the sidewalk and gave out a little shriek.

"I'm sorry! I didn't mean to startle you!" he said.

"No, it's ok. I wasn't watching where I was going." she mumbled.

"Did you receive the call from Sheriff Clarkson?" he asked quietly.

She looked up at his face in surprise. Then she connected the dots seeing him on the sidewalk outside of Gabriella's house. "Is Gabriella OK?"

"Yes, she just got home. Miriam came over to my place when she saw a news report showing her father had died in a plane crash. Hell of a way for the girl to find out! She was really upset. I took her home then Gabriella arrived. We saw the story on TV then the Sheriff called. She took it pretty hard. You must have gotten the call earlier. How are you doing?" He saw the woman was shivering. She'd come outside without a jacket and the late October winds were biting. He tugged off his sweater and handed it to her. She pulled the thick knit sweater on gratefully and immediately felt warmer. 

"Thank you! I think I'm still in shock. I should go talk with Gabriella." she smiled weakly at him.

"Listen, if there is anything you need please let me know. Even if you just need someone to talk to. The Sheriff said the media is going to come after the families. It's going to get ugly. Well, like I said, if you need to talk I'm here." He nodded his head to her and made his way back to his house. She stared after him for a few seconds, relishing the warmth from his sweater then continued on to Gabriella's house.

Chapter 4

Sheriff Clarkson wasn't wrong about how the media behaved once the details got out. What started as a sympathetic tale of a small community hit with an enormous tragedy, the loss of nine husbands and fathers, soon became a sick and twisted morality play. Initially the victims of a tragic accident, the members of the suburban neighborhood Gentleman's Club were soon exposed for their 'sinful' activities. Graphic footage from a hidden camera was leaked to the press showing the men enjoying their carnal appetites in a VIP room at a nightclub the night before the crash with prostitutes. Some of those young ladies were victims of the same flight and it was discovered that at least three of them had been reported as abducted. It was discovered that the plane was operating as a Mile High Club service, a flying orgy for wealthy businessmen.

One member of the gentleman's club hadn't been on the flight. Larry Wilson, a psychologist with a fear of flying in small planes had backed out at the last minute when he saw the converted party jet. He watched it crash from the back seat of the waiting limo where one of the ladies had stayed behind with him to give him his own special party. The young woman lost her best friend that night. Having been abducted herself and forced to work as a prostitute by the men who ran the parties, she was sufficiently paranoid about her own limited life expectancy she used the chaos to slip away in the dark. She met and waved down the police on their way onto the airport's tarmac. She directed them to where her abductors were and offered to give testimony about them and the parties they threw in exchange for a ticket home. The police swooped in and captured the group with Larry. The story leaked.

The press camped out at end of the street where the local police had set up a gate to keep them out of the street. It had the unfortunate side effect of trapping the residents in their little pocket neighborhood. The first four houses in the block had to endure the noise and lights of the press encampment and none of them had lost someone. 

The kids from the affected families who were attending colleges and universities had to be escorted by the police into the neighborhood and endure running the gauntlet. The image of the three blond and beautiful Khaleel sisters huddled in the back of a police cruiser hit the news outlets and the internet aggregator websites and they became instant celebrities willing or not. 

When a group of daring paparazzo attempted to sneak through the nature reserve at night and climb the back fences to take pictures through the back windows of the Wallace's and Khaleel's houses they were confronted by a large man dressed all in black with a long black crowbar. None of the camera gear survived, not even cell phones, and the paparazzo reported that they had barely managed to get back over the fences into the woods alive. Three had broken ribs, two had broken wrists from trying to protect their cameras, and one had a dislocated elbow. All were badly bruised over every surface of their bodies. The man hadn't said a thing. Not even a grunt. He'd left the talking to the crow bar. 

The smashed cameras were found the next day in a pile in the middle of a trail in the woods. No memory cards were found.

The police had no evidence or clues to the identity of the man in black and made no significant effort to investigate.

Catherine was sitting in Gabriella's family room with her daughters. Gabriella had her kids on either side of her on the couch. Megan, the youngest of the Khaleel daughters was texting her friends when she excitedly told Gabriella to turn the TV on to channel 23. Gabriella looked at Catherine who nodded. There was a special report on TV about a violent attack on five camera men. There was footage of them in the hospital and graphic imagery of their bruising and casts. The men had admitted to being in the backyards of the houses at the east end of Ashburn Court backing onto the reserve. A mysterious black garbed attacker had savagely beaten the men and destroyed their cameras. A statement from the police indicated it was an ongoing investigation but they were hampered by the lack of physical evidence and were asking for witnesses. The descriptions received from the paparazzo were less than helpful. The talking heads on the show reappeared and started to question if the police were actually making any effort to find the violent offender. Was this a conspiracy? 




The Shepherd of Ashburn Court Pt. 01



Gabriella turned off the TV before she heard any more bile. The two mothers looked at each other and knew immediately who their protector was. Miriam sat quietly at her mother's side with a sweet smile on her face. The Khaleel girls looked questioningly at their mother who just smiled and settled more comfortably in the chair, snuggling deeper into the warm white knit sweater. Gabriella looked a little conflicted... and envious.

Chapter 5

The funeral home was very busy. The viewings for three of the men were being held in the available chambers. Across town other funeral homes were dealing with the other families. The viewings were for family and friends only. Daniel Wallace and Devon King were given open caskets but this was impossible for Ashraf Khaleel. This upset his parents but there was nothing that could be done. They spoke briefly with the girls then left, ignoring their son's wife completely. They'd never approved of their son's choice.

Catherine and her three daughters were sitting on chairs along one wall doing their best not to cry but Megan was having the hardest time of the young women. Her mother was holding her hand and greeting those who came in to express their condolences. There weren't too many people willing to run the gauntlet of press outside. 

She looked up when Ben walked into the room. He was such a big man and the sharp blue black suit he was wearing made him look even more massive. The black shirt and tie were very classy but it looked like he'd given his hair a little trim himself and had made a bit of a mess. He was staring at the casket and she could see his shoulders relax when he saw it was closed. He looked over at the family and she saw the compassion on his face when he saw Megan's tears. His eyes moved to hers and he smiled with a little nod. He approached them and shook each of their hands telling them he was sorry for their loss. Megan hadn't looked up yet. When he reached Catherine she had to ask.

"Mr. Shepherd, I can't help but notice you had a little mishap with some hair shears." She pitched her voice just loud enough to be heard by the immediate group. She also kept watch on Megan who was their household stylist. As she expected Megan's eyes snapped up to his head. She was surprised when her youngest snorted explosively at the sight of his butchered hair. Everyone smiled at her reaction including Ben.

"What? I thought I did a good job!" he said with a puzzled smile.

Megan lost it. Clutching her tissues over her mouth to stifle the laughter she leapt from the chair and rushed from the room. Her sisters went after her trying to hide their own smiles.

"Thank you." Catherine said quietly.

"For giving myself a terrible haircut? Pfft!" Ben scoffed.

"No, for protecting my family." she said seriously.

"That's what good neighbors do." he said gruffly with a small shrug. "How are you holding up?" Ben changed the subject.

She looked over at the casket and sighed. She wondered why she wasn't more emotional. Her tears tonight were really only in sympathy for her daughters for their having lost their father. While her girls were all grown up, the youngest being 18, the loss of a parent is never an easy thing to deal with. Even one as unaffectionate as Ashraf had been.

Rochelle King sounded absolutely devastated by losing Devon. She could hear the woman crying at the end of the hall. For herself she just felt a little sad. She'd come to the realization years ago that while Ashraf loved her he would never love her as much as he loved himself. The time of that epiphany had been a rough time in their relationship. She stayed in the marriage because of the girls but from then on it hadn't been the same between her and her husband. Now the play acting was done. She no longer had to pretend. Her girls were grown and she had her future in front of her.

"I'll be ok." she said with a smile which he returned. He patted her hand and stepped aside as the girls returned. Megan kept her eyes away from his ridiculous haircut. She suddenly reached out and snagged his jacket.

"Tomorrow, you come by the house around noon and I'll fix... that." She stifled another burst of giggles.

"Yes, maam." he replied seriously and she shooed him away still without looking at him.

With a final nod Ben moved down the hall and stepped into the next room. The sight of Daniel's body in the open casket right next to the door hit him like a tonne of bricks. Images of his dead parents lying in their caskets flashed across his mind and he felt his chest tightening. He looked away sharply and saw Gabriella looking at him with concern. He stumbled away from the casket and the next thing he knew he was sitting in a chair with his head in his hands.

"Breathe! Deep and slow." Gabriella's voice was starting to register over the roar in his ears and he felt her rubbing his back. Miriam was on her right and Daniel, Jr. was on her left.

"What happened to him, mom?" her son asked.

Catherine heard the huge thump and saw a picture rattle on the wall as if something had hit the other side. She rushed to investigate and saw her friend appearing to console Ben.

"What happened?" she asked.

Ben finally felt the roaring go quiet and leaned back in the chair. He kept his eyes averted from the casket and found himself looking into the curious face of the boy. He blushed with embarrassment.

"I'm sorry, I shouldn't be here making a scene." He struggled to stand but Gabriella had leverage and pushed him back into the chair. 

"Ben, you almost passed out. You are in no condition to leave. Just sit and rest for a bit." she chastised him.

"Why did you fall down Mr. Shepherd?" the boy asked.

Ben looked over at him again. "I was surprised by the casket being so close to the door. I didn't have time to prepare." He put his head in his hands again and took some deep breaths.

Catherine stood next to Gabriella and asked quietly once more, "What happened?"

"Ben stepped in the room and froze when he saw Daniel. He looked like he was going to pass out and stumbled across the room to land in that chair." she told her friend in a whisper.

Rochelle appeared in the doorway holding a tissue to her nose. Her eyes were red from crying and rimmed with tears but they held curiosity in them as well. "Is Mr. Shepherd alright?" she asked. 

Ben surged to his feet. He felt terribly ashamed for having disturbed these women in their time of mourning. His cheeks pinked with his embarrassment. Still a little light headed he closed his eyes and staggered once as hands automatically braced him. "Please, I don't mean to be a distraction. I'm truly sorry for your loss. I'll get out of your way." He opened his eyes and saw Gabriella and Catherine had their hands on his chest, Rochelle had his left arm and Daniel, Jr. his right.

He ducked his head and tried to move but they all just pushed and pulled him gently back into the chair. Rochelle immediately sat down to his left as she continued to hold his arm. She looked up at the other two women and smirked. 

"If he didn't mean to be a distraction maybe he shouldn't look so damn good!" she said. Gabriella and Catherine immediately blushed as similar thoughts remained unsaid in their own minds. Rochelle saw she wasn't alone in her appreciation and smiled. She dabbed the tears from her eyes and looked up at the big man. She was 5' 5" with abundant curves but seated next to Ben she looked absolutely miniature. "You're not running away until we know you aren't going to pass out on your drive home. Now, what's wrong?"

"Sorry, I'm just not good with open casket viewings. I shouldn't have come. Brings back too many memories... of my parents. ...I'm feeling better now, I should go." Ben said, uncomfortably aware of Rochelle's soft but heavy breasts resting on his left arm and his hand touching her thigh but he couldn't free himself.

Gabriella whispered something to Catherine who nodded and left. After she watched her friend leave she scooted her son over one chair and sat down on Ben's right. She took his right hand in hers and held it on her lap. He twitched visibly as his hand rested on her smooth legs. 

Catherine returned shortly with one of the funeral home directors who closed the lid on Daniel's casket. Rochelle pointed at her viewing hall and nodded. The man returned her nod then left to close Devon's casket as well.

"No, please you shouldn't have to do that!" Ben looked concerned at the two women holding his arms.

Catherine pulled a chair right in front of Ben, sat down in it blocking him in and looked into his eyes. "When did you lose your parents?" she asked gently.

Ben looked at Catherine in surprise. "Uh, I was five. Drunk driver."

"You saw them at the funeral home?" she continued.

"Yes, but... it didn't look like them. Shouldn't have been open casket. Shouldn't." Ben mumbled trying not to remember. 

"Who took care of you after they were gone?" Gabriella asked.

"Foster homes." Ben said.

Rochelle made a sympathetic sound and leaned in. Her impressive chest pressed more firmly on his arm. Gabriella just squeezed his right hand a little tighter against her silky legs. 

Ben was embarrassed to feel his body reacting to the wonderful softness of the two women. He needed to leave before he made a fool out of himself. He tried desperately to think of anything else to calm his growing stimulation.

Then Catherine put her hands on his knees. 

It was too much. His erection kicked into high gear at the feel of her strong hands. His pants were becoming distinctly uncomfortable and the evidence of his excitement was distinctly visible. He panicked.

"I'm so sorry, I should go." He pulled his arms back and stood up. 

Catherine suddenly leaned forward to block his escape but instead planted her face solidly against his groin and the large solid mass that was straining to get free. She bounced back and his face went beet red when he saw the look of surprise on hers. 

"Oh god! I didn't mean- I'm sorry." he said to Catherine who was holding her hands over her face. He rushed from the room and disappeared down the hall.

Catherine slid her hands down over her mouth to contain the laughter that was screaming to get out. Completely inappropriate, badly timed, but God-it-felt-good laughter!

Rochelle's eyes were almost popping out of her head. She looked at Gabriella. "Did you see the size of that thing?"

Gabriella smirked and watched Catherine choking on her supressed laughter. Tears were pouring from the woman's eyes and her face was getting red. People looking in the doorway saw a woman struggling with her grief. Gabriella should have taken pity on her friend but deep down there was always just a little bit of competitiveness between her and the blonde.

"I think Cat got the bird's eye view." she said staring her right in the eye. 

It was too much for Catherine whose laughter exploded past her hands. She jumped to her feet and rushed from the room colliding with her daughters at the door. They grabbed her and hustled her away as her face got redder and redder and the laughter continued to burst forth.

Rochelle looked at her neighbor and shook her head with a smirk. "If I didn't know you were best friends with that woman I'd say that was just a little mean."

Gabriella did her best to school her expression and look dignified but she couldn't quite eliminate the smile from the corners of her lips. She'd apologize to Cat tomorrow but tonight she'd enjoy her little victory.

Rochelle suddenly frowned. "We should probably check in on Mr. Shepherd tomorrow. Make sure he's ok and doesn't think we were offended or anything."

Gabriella's smile got the better of her as she looked at Rochelle who had a smile of her own.

Chapter 6

Ben was pushing a stack of big plates on the bench press. He was trying to clear his mind of the embarrassing mess he'd made of the viewing last night. He should have known better than to attend. Then to get a freaking erection in front of the grieving widows?!? What kind of a low life does that? Why did his body have to be so fucking reactive to women?!? What was he, a teenager?

Hitting Catherine in the face with it was so beyond reprehensible he didn't know what to do with himself. He obviously couldn't show his face to them again. He was seriously considering selling the house and moving so they wouldn't have to share the neighborhood with such a deviant.

He threw his self-disgust into the weights and pushed until he could barely get the weights back into the rack. He was breathing hard after his set and his arms and chest were pumped and maybe a little wobbly from overdoing it. He was punishing himself which was a damn stupid thing to do when working with such heavy weights.

He sat up and wiped the sweat from his face with his towel then froze when he heard the doorbell ring.

He jogged up the stairs and looked out the front door.

Megan Khaleel was standing on his porch with a cross look on her face. Crap! He'd messed up so badly with Catherine now her kids hated him. He couldn't really blame them. Better to take his deserved punishment. He opened the door.

"You missed your hair-" Megan barked until she saw he was only wearing short black shorts and runners. Then her jaw dropped as she took in his sweaty muscles. She tried to start again but the words weren't there. 

Ben was getting a chill by the door. "It's cold out. Please come in."

She stepped into the foyer and stared at his chest. "God, you've got bigger boobs than Mrs. King!" she blurted then slapped her hands over her mouth in embarrassment. 

He grimaced. He raised his index finger and went down the hall to his bedroom. He quickly kicked off his shoes and sweaty shorts and pulled on his long terry dressing robe. Now he was covered up so Megan wouldn't be embarrassed. He walked back towards the foyer.

Megan saw him approaching and was a little disappointed he'd thrown the robe over his rockin' body. Sure, he was an older guy but damn he looked GOOD for an older guy! A lot better than any of her past boyfriends ever did.

She heard a knock on the door behind her and saw Mrs. Wallace and Mrs. King huddled from the cold. She opened the door and they were a little surprised to see her there. They stepped inside just as Ben got back.

He saw the three women standing there and his heart fell. Catherine had obviously sent Megan as her representative and the three were going to tell him to his face what a dirtbag he was. Well, he deserved it. He steeled himself and looked at the gathered women.

Rochelle was first to speak. "Mr. Shepherd, did we wake you?"

Megan wanted the two women to share what she'd just seen. He'd obviously been body building but he seemed to be tongue tied. She answered for him.

"No, he was just working out. Have you seen these muscles?" she said stepping forward and yanked his robe open. 

Ben was completely caught off guard and was so surprised he didn't react for a few seconds.

Megan looked down and discovered his shorts were no longer there.

Rochelle looked like a deer caught in headlights. The image of his naked, sweaty body was burning into her mind for all time.

Gabriella soaked it all in and smiled like that cat who got the cream. Catherine may have briefly felt him through the fabric of his pants but she'd seen it fully exposed not four feet away. Even at rest it was magnificent.

Ben finally snatched the robe closed and more securely tightened the belt. His mouth was working but nothing was coming out.

Megan was also trying to speak but couldn't tear her eyes away from his now covered groin. He snapped his fingers in her line of sight and she jumped. "I'm so sorry Mr. Shepherd! I thought you had your shorts on underneath!"

"Yes well... even if I had you don't go yanking people's robes open. What if I did that to you?" he said then closed his eyes tightly, shook his head and blushed at the image in his mind. He WAS a dirty pervert! 

The three women caught the blush and smiled as images passed through their minds as well.

Ben seemed to get a hold of himself. "Look before you say anything I want to apologize for my behavior last night. It was totally inappropriate and I'm more than a little disgusted with myself. I fully deserve your contempt. I wish I could have told Catherine to her face-" Gabriella snorted then quickly suppressed it. "...how sorry I am for disturbing the viewing for all of you."

Rochelle glanced questioningly at Gabriella and they shared a look. While there was opportunity here for a little naughty blackmail neither of them felt Ben deserved it. He was a decent man who shouldn't be made to feel this way.

"What happened?" Megan asked. Ben's face went crimson and he tucked his robe a little tighter.

Gabriella spoke up to let Ben off the hook. "Ben, no one aside from you is upset by what happened last night. We came here today to make sure you were ok. Well, that's what Rochelle and I were here for. Why did you come over Megan?"

"Oh! Right! Mr. Shepherd was supposed to come to our place thirty minutes ago for a haircut. Mom made us all lunch too. I was sent to collect him." she said.

"Oh really?" Gabriella said.

Megan looked at her a little nervously. "She made a large pot of stew so I'm sure there would be enough for two more guests."

"That would be lovely. Ben, why don't you get dressed and we will accompany you to Cat's." Gabriella said. 

Ben looked a little confused but didn't argue. "Please have a seat in the living room. Just give me five minutes." Once they were seated he moved back down the hall. He closed his bedroom door and leaned his forehead against it for a few seconds then he stripped and jumped into the shower.

Back in the living room, Megan was looking at Gabriella. "Mrs. Wallace, what happened last night? Mom won't tell us what she was laughing about when we found her in your viewing room."

"Ben did something that embarrassed him and amused your mother. Let's leave it at that so we can spare Ben any additional hurt feelings, alright?" she suggested.

The three ladies waited and imagined what might be happening in Ben's shower.

True to his word he returned five minutes later freshly washed, dried (except his hair), and dressed in jeans, a white t-shirt, a black knit sweater and white socks. He slipped his boots and jacket on and followed the women outside. He locked up and followed them over to Catherine's. He looked a few doors down the block on the north side and noticed a black limo idling on the street at the base of the driveway outside of the Lee residence. 

James Lee, a 38 year old foreign market investor and recent member of Ashburn Court's Gentleman's Club, had been one of the fatalities from the plane crash, leaving his 24 year old wife Tina and their six month old baby Christopher alone. Ben saw a well-dressed older Asian woman standing in the driveway yelling at the young woman who was holding her baby and crying. The old woman gestured for her driver to get out of the car and continued to yell at the crying woman. Ben immediately turned towards the Lee home and ran over to see what was upsetting Tina.

He took off his jacket and placed it around the young woman's shoulders since she wasn't dressed for the weather and pulled it around the baby as well who was only wrapped in a blanket.

"Mrs. Lee, what's wrong? What's she saying?" he asked. He'd spoken to her before so he knew she spoke English.

"She wants to take Christopher away from me and take him back to Korea." she cried. "She says I was a bad wife for her son and an unfit mother for her grandchild." The young woman burst into tears.

Ben saw the driver walking up the drive towards them. He had something in his hand and when he flicked his wrist it snapped out into a baton. Fuck! Ben wasn't a fighter though he'd been in a few minor scraps during his University days on pub crawls. Now he was facing a guy with a club who looked like he knew how to use it. Ben whipped off his sweater and balled it around his left hand just as the man rushed at him swinging the club. He blocked the first few swings but the next three got through and Ben went down on his right knee in pain. Seeing victory the driver stepped in close to bash Ben's skull but got a solid punch to the groin from Ben's right fist instead. The hit lifted the man right off his feet.




The Shepherd of Ashburn Court Pt. 01



Ben staggered up and stomped on the man's hand as he weakly tried to wield the baton from the ground. Bones snapped and the driver screamed, dropping the weapon. Ben grabbed him by the collar and dragged him on his ass back to the car, keeping an eye on the old woman the entire way. He lifted and bounced the man against the side of the car as he opened the driver's door and pushed him back inside. He slammed the door then walked over to stand in front of the old woman. She sputtered a little but jumped when Ben scowled at her. "Leave." was all he said.

She hastily made her way to the back seat of the limo and the car drove away. He stood at the end of the driveway until the car turned the corner and disappeared. It was only then that Ben realized they no longer had their police barricade and the press had moved on to the next sensation.

He started to shiver and Gabriella who had caught up to him handed him the knit sweater he'd dropped. He pulled it on and hissed in pain as he moved his bruised ribs. Gabriella was instantly at his elbow guiding him back towards Catherine's. He stopped and saw that Rochelle was leading Tina after them. The young woman was looking at him like he was some kind of hero. He sighed and closed his eyes as the pain in his ribs began to make itself known.

Megan opened her front door and Gabriella walked through with her arm around the good side of Ben. She heard Cat's friendly voice. "Megan, what took you so long to get that man over here?" Catherine froze when she came around the corner. "What happened?" she yelped.

"Mrs. Lee's mother decided to do a little snatch and grab of her grandson." Ben muttered.

"She beat you up?" Catherine gasped.

Ben laughed and immediately regretted it as pain stabbed through his side. 

Gabriella scowled at Cat. "No, she brought a goon who had some kind of metal club. Ben beat him up but not before taking a few hits to the ribs."

Rochelle flicked her wrist and the baton she'd picked up snapped out to full length. Cat's eyes went wide. "Oh my god! Bring him into the kitchen!" The group followed her.

Catherine pulled out a chair from the table and they sat him down in it and carefully pulled off his sweater with much hissing. Then came the t-shirt. Three large red welts crossed his side and bruising was already spreading over the area. 

Rochelle leaned in and grimaced. "No good deed goes unpunished." she whispered.

Tina Lee saw the marks and burst into tears. "I'm so sorry Mr. Shepherd. It is all my fault! I should have let her take Christopher. She was right!"

Ben's head snapped up. "Stop! Stop right there! Don't you EVER say you're not worthy to keep your child! You did NOTHING wrong! Christopher is blessed to have you as his mother!" He looked around at the other women and gave them all a stern look. "None of you did anything to deserve what happened to you. It was just a stupid accident that took them. Why they were there in the first place is on THEM! Damn! I'll never understand why they did it but it was THEIR choice and is NO reflection on your worth! Each of you is a treasure!" His little outburst caused his ribs to throb so he closed his eyes and hissed in pain. He didn't see the looks in their eyes as they gazed at him.

Gabriella spoke softly. "Ben, maybe we should take you to the hospital."

He opened his eyes and looked at his injury. "No, I'm just bruised. I don't feel any grating so the bones aren't likely broken. I'll just soak in the tub before the muscles tighten up. Besides, we don't need any more publicity. The press has finally left us alone. Must be some other tragedy."

"You could use our hot tub." Cat offered. Gabriella shot her a look and got an innocent questioning look back.

"Thanks but I'll just use my own later. I heard something about a haircut and stew?" Ben looked around hopefully.

Megan burst into a smile and rushed out of the room to get her kit.

Everyone settled in around the table but they left Ben further out so Megan had room to give him the haircut. She put the cape over him and the other ladies sighed as they could no longer see his body. This made them giggle self-consciously. Tina looked at the others and smiled. She also thought Mr. Shepherd was a beautiful man but was trying not to be obvious. Rochelle patted her knee. She knew.

While he waited Ben looked at the group. He pondered Tina's situation. If they hadn't passed by when they did, she might had lost her child as well as her husband. He felt ashamed that he hadn't approached her earlier. The Lee's were the latest addition to the community but that didn't absolve his guilt at not paying better attention. Then he thought of the remaining wives who lost their husbands. Maybe they were hurting and could use a sympathetic ear. "Has anyone spoken to the other women affected by this?"

The ladies all looked at each other.

Gabriella pulled out her phone. "Cat, would you mind if I called them over?"

"No! That would be good!" she replied.

She dialed the first number. "Joanne? It's Gabriella. I'm over at Catherine's. We're just having a little informal get together and were wondering if you'd like to join us. Sure. No need to bring anything, just yourself. OK, see you soon." She looked up at Cat. "Joanne White is on her way. I'll call the others."

Gabriella managed to contact Trish Campbell, Hannah Cooper, and Daphne McKellan who all agreed to join them as well but Beth Wilson's son John said she couldn't come to the phone but he'd pass along the message. Sarah Miller didn't answer. Her SUV wasn't in its usual spot in the driveway so they assumed she'd gone to visit her parents with the kids.

Sophie and Rachel helped their mother gather more chairs for the big kitchen. 

Joanne arrived and looked at the group of women sitting around the table. She was surprised to see Ben sitting in the room getting a haircut. She took a seat next to Tina and admired the baby in her arms.

Trish, Daphne, and Hanna arrived next. Hannah had a scowl on her tear stained face and looked at the group with suspicion. Trish seemed to be following her lead though Daphne just looked lost. Hannah looked at Gabriella and Catherine and opened up with both barrels when she saw Ben sitting in the kitchen. Her face twisted into a pained grimace. 

"It's not bad enough your husbands seduced ours into their sick and depraved parties now you're after us with this eye candy!??!" she cried.

Suddenly there were voices screaming incriminations back and forth across the table. Ben was stunned by how vicious it got. He'd had enough.

"STOP!" he bellowed as he stood and all the women froze and Christopher began to cry. He winced then stared them in the eye. "Let me make one thing perfectly clear. I was invited to few BOY'S Club meetings and NO ONE was there against their will. There was NO coercion, NO seduction, and NONE of you had any involvement or knowledge of what when on there. They made that fact VERY clear to me. It was THEIR club, no wives allowed! Their attitudes towards the women they married, the women who should have been their partners in everything... it sickened me and I couldn't be part of it. I heard and saw it because I WAS THERE. It wasn't my place to interfere with your relationships but I could stay away from those men so I did. I'm sorry if what I've said hurts you but you need to be honest with yourselves if you want to heal from this. You have each other. God! You need to understand you were ALL victims and you need to rely on each other. I've known most of you for years and I know you are good people! Which makes what happened all the more bewildering to me. How they could have treated any of you this way..." Ben staggered and looked down. He tugged the cape off and the women gasped. Some saw his muscular chest and firm abs but others saw the massive bruise spreading on his left side. 

Hannah was already dialing 911. As a Hospital Administrator she recognized bad internal bleeding when she saw it. She got the ambulance on its way then looked to Gabriella. "What happened to him?"

"Tina's mother tried to abduct Christopher and brought a goon along to do it. Ben intervened and took a few hits on his side with a club before he took the man down. He said it wasn't more than bruising." she replied frantically.

Ben slumped back into the chair and struggled to remain conscious. The room spun and he slid off the chair before they could catch him.

"That's internal bleeding. It's filling his chest cavity." Hannah said.

"Ben! Try to stay awake!" Catherine yelled.

For Ben it felt like the room was receding from him. It got quieter... and darker... then nothing.



The Shepherd of Ashburn Court Pt. 02



Author's Notes:

In Part 2 Ben begins to connect with this neighbors in new and unexpected ways.

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

********

Chapter 7

Ben's first sensation was scent. Spice, warm, rich, he felt himself floating through it. 

Sound was next but it came in slowly and the tone was wrong at first, like it was coming through a tube that oscillated between short and long.

"...it's silly... shouldn't do... nurse... any minu... been over two mon... want- worth a try..."

The spice scent grew stronger and his sense of touch made a startling return. Warm, softness pressed against his lips. Instinct took over and he kissed back, weakly. He heard a squeal and the softness pulled away.

"It worked!... true... swear he moved... shit! Nurse is... let me..."

A new scent, melon, fresh, citrus and the feeling of soft hair brushing over his face. Then lips on his. So soft! He gently sucked the fuller lower one between his. He felt the purr and the pressure increased.

"What the HELL are you doing!" boomed a shrill voice.

His eyes opened a crack to see his face was within a cone of straight blond hair. Lips pulled back and a smile spread across them. "Welcome back sleepyhead!" they said. His eyes slipped up to smiling blue eyes.

Another face moved in close and his eyes tracked the movement. Raven hair pulled back in a ponytail. Full lips, also smiling, and beautiful green eyes full of joy and a few tears. "Welcome back Ben!"

"The two of you will leave right this minute or I will call security!" the shrill voice returned.

"Shut the hell up and go get his doctor! Ben is awake!" the blond said. Catherine. Her name was Catherine... or Cat. He looked over to the smiling and crying... Gabriella. He tried to say her name but his throat cracked and he coughed. She immediately held a cup of water near his chin and put a straw between his lips. He slowly sipped the water and felt it work its magic on his throat.

"Gabriella... Catherine... what happened?" his eyes rolled with fatigue. The effort to talk was hugely draining but he struggled to remain conscious.

"Shhh... rest Ben. You're all better now." Gabriella said. He looked closer and saw she was wearing his black knit sweater. His eyes rolled over to Catherine and she was wearing his white knit sweater. Blond in white and raven in black. He chuckled then coughed.

"What?" Cat asked.

"You two... look great... in my sweaters... will I... get them back?" he smiled as his eyes panned between them. Both women possessively crossed their arms over their chests and blushed. With a grin and a glance at each other they both shook their heads. He just smiled once more.

The doctor arrived and managed to shoo the two women out of the room. On their way out they told him they'd return. His last glance before the door closed saw the two women hugging each other.

The next day they arrived the moment visiting hours began. Between them they had Tina who at 5' looked like a child comparatively. She looked so nervous and tears were in her eyes.

"Hi Mrs. Lee! Why the tears?" Ben said quietly.

"Mr. Shepherd, I am so sorry for everything you have suffered at my expense!" she gushed, tears dripping down her cheeks. 

Ben motioned her closer so she moved right up against the bed. He reached up and brushed away her tears then dropped his arm to the bed. "Please don't cry. I never could deal with a pretty woman's tears." He looked past Tina to Gabriella and Catherine whose eyes were looking a little glassy as well. "That goes for you two as well!" he said gruffly and got smiles in return.

"How is Christopher?" he asked.

Tina's face burst into a broad smile. God! It was a dazzling transformation on the young woman.

"He is very well! Thanks to you! I'm glad I can finally thank you for saving us!" she reached out and held his left hand. 

"It's just what a good neighbor does." he said shaking his head.

"No, you are wrong. Neighbors ignore the danger. Good neighbors call 911. Heroes put their lives on the line to protect the weak!" she insisted.

"No, don't call me a hero. I don't deserve that!" Ben said crossly. 

"I may not say it again but I will always feel it in my heart for you Mr. Shepherd!" she gushed, then leaned over and kissed him square on the lips.

Ben froze as her pink tongue dipped playfully into his mouth. 

She pulled back and rushed from the room with the two ladies watching her retreat with dismay.

Ben touched his mouth and looked at the two friends with suspicion. "There seems to be a lot of that going around in this hospital room." They had the good grace to look a little embarrassed at first then both wore a naughty smile.

"The doctor told me I've been in a coma for a little over two months. Something about internal bleeding and dying four times." he said. 

Their faces went white. "Four times? I thought it was only once in the ambulance!" Catherine gasped.

They took up positions on either side of the bed as they had the previous day. Each took a hand. "We're really glad you came back to us Ben." Gabriella said. 

"How's Miriam and Daniel, Jr.?" he asked.

"We've agreed he's just called Daniel now. Miriam is desperate to visit. I told her that if you were feeling up to it and wouldn't mind she could come tomorrow." she said.

"I'd like that." He turned to Catherine. "And your girls?"

"Sophie and Rachel are furious with you!" she said.

"What? Why?" he asked, surprised.

"Megan has been lording over her jealous sisters the fact that she got to see ALL of you." she said with a wicked grin. He groaned. "Truth be told Gabriella's been doing the same to me."

"CAT!" Gabriella squeaked.

"Oh please! You and Rochelle described in excruciating yet exquisitely beautiful detail your vision of male perfection. All I have is that brief but wonderful moment of contact to recall." she pouted.

"Please you're embarrassing Ben!" Gabriella growled.

Catherine looked at the blushing man. "I'm sorry Ben. We're just so grateful you pulled through. I guess we're a bit giddy."

"So giddy you're back to molest patients in my hospital again?" said a sharp voice from the doorway.

Ben looked over to see Hannah Cooper standing there. The hospital administrator was dressed in a sharp, steel grey business suit that looked crisp and professional on her 5' 6" body. She was sturdily built but she carried herself with a lovely grace. Her sandy blond hair was pulled back in a tight bun exposing the pearl earrings and a single strand of pearls around her neck. Dressed for success, he thought. "I understand it was your immediate diagnosis and call to 911 that saved my life. Thank you." he said with a sincere smile.

It was Hannah's turn to blush. "Just my training kicking in."

"All the same, I'm glad you were there." he responded and she nodded.

She walked over to the side of the bed between Catherine and Ben causing the other woman to move back and release his hand. Ben caught the tension between the two women. He closed his eyes recalling the blow out in the kitchen before he collapsed. He recalled pleading for them to accept each other, rely on each other. He opened his eyes and looked into Hannah's. He saw her pain there. The betrayal still haunted her.

"I'm sorry to have been the one to say those awful things." he said as he tentatively took her hand in his.

"It was the truth and we shouldn't run from the truth." she said firmly.

Ben looked away from the pain in her eyes. His own pain at Wendy's leaving was never far from his heart. "You have to take care that you don't accept them as truths about yourself. Those truths aren't about us. And there are more important truths you need to take to heart instead. Like, you are a good person. You are a loving person. You deserve to be loved." he said, recounting a mantra he told himself during the dark times when his depression got to be too much. While he hadn't managed to get past his own fear of betrayal he was certainly an expert in recognizing it.

Gabriella was as perceptive as she was beautiful. She caught his slip when he said 'us'. "Those sound like words you know well, Ben." she said gently.

He glanced at her and a sad look flitted over his face. She squeezed his right hand and he felt Hannah squeezing his left.

He schooled his expression and looked back at Hannah. "It seems some of the other things I said that day didn't sink in." He looked at Catherine and saw her looking sadly at Hannah. So Hannah's pain was still blocking their communication. He looked back to her with compassion.

She dropped her eyes to his hand holding hers. "It's hard. I still have so much rage yet I still love him or who he was before the truth came out. I don't want to lose that. It's part of who I am."

Ben's heart was breaking all over again. He was seeing betrayal from the other side. Perhaps how people saw him. Tears welled up in his eyes and his voice went rough with emotion. "You- you aren't defined by your relationship to the man you thought you knew. Who you really are is this wonderful person right now, right here in front of us. A person who is capable of love and forgiveness." 

He sighed and rubbed the back of her hand with his thumb absentmindedly as he recalled what it felt like to be in love. She gasped slightly at the wonderful feelings his thumb was giving her. It had been a very long time since she'd experienced an intimate touch. It felt so good! She felt a wave of affection for Ben sweep through her. She dipped down to kiss his forehead in thanks. Out of the corner of his eye he caught the motion and tilted his head back to see what she was doing. At the last moment she unexpectedly diverted her course and their lips met.

Hannah felt a shock shoot through her body waking up long unused nerves as Ben's lips pressed against hers. His eyes flew wide open and she pulled back in surprise. His look echoed hers. She released his hand and walked out of the room and didn't stop walking until she locked her office door behind her. She walked slowly to her desk and sat in her chair. Hannah touched her lips and felt an aftershock ripple through her.

Back in Ben's room Catherine had reclaimed his left hand. Jealousy was sweeping through her body though she struggled to suppress it. She looked over at Gabriella and saw her feelings plainly mirrored on her friend's face. She looked down and saw Ben was luckily oblivious to their frowns. 

"What the hell is it about this hospital?" he muttered.

The following day, true to her word, Gabriella brought in Miriam who leapt up onto Ben's chest to give him a huge hug. Gabriella squawked at her to be careful but Ben just chuckled and gave the girl a big hug back. She kissed his cheek and slipped off the bed to stand with her mother beaming at him. He gave her a grin right back. 

"Mr. Shepherd, you have to promise me that you will be diligent in your physiotherapy so you can get better and come some soon." she said to Ben.

His eyebrows went up. "Of course Miriam! But only if you call be Ben." he smiled.

Her smile went up another 1000 watts. Gabriella smiled indulgently at her daughter. She looked at Ben. "Daniel would like to speak with you 'man to man' so he is waiting his turn in the hall." she explained. 

"Ah, ok." he said, puzzled. He recalled the serious expression the young boy had at the funeral home. Gabriella patted his hand and Miriam did the same. He snagged her fingertips as she left and she pulled them free with a grin and followed her mother outside.

Ben watched the 12 year old step into the room and look at him. The boy tugged the door closed and Ben's eyebrows rose. Daniel walked over to stand beside Ben's bed and gave him an evaluating look. His face was so serious it was all Ben could do to keep from smiling. He suppressed it as the young man wanted a man to man after all.

"Daniel." Ben said.

"Mr. Shepherd." the boy replied, barely hiding his pleasure at being addressed with his new, more mature name.

"Please, call me Ben."

"Thank you, Ben." Again that flicker of pride before the serious face returned.

"What's on your mind, Daniel?"

"What are your intentions towards my mother?"

Ben froze. The young man waited patiently.

"Uh, what do you mean?"

"I think the question was fairly clear." the boy said calmly.

Ben thought furiously. Did he do something, anything, at any time that might have led Daniel to believe he was in a relationship with Gabriella? He came up blank. "The question is clear but I'm at a loss to understand its context."

He'd finally caught the boy off guard. The confusion showed momentarily then cleared. "Please explain."

"Why do you believe I have a relationship with your mother outside of just being her friend and neighbor? Your father passed just a few nights... sorry, less than three months ago and I've been here sleeping for the last two and a bit."

The confused look returned. He seemed to be struggling with something.

"Speak to me Daniel." Ben said gently.

"Mom is acting like she has a boyfriend. My sister acts the same way about Johnny Newland. Johnny this and Johnny that. It's gross! The two of them constantly smiling dreamily, wearing their boyfriend's clothes day after day because it's from 'him', and last night I heard her singing. Miriam told me Mom hasn't sung in the house since I was a baby." the boy explained.

"Well maybe your mother met someone. I wouldn't know what she's been doing in the past couple of months. I've been stuck here. I'm glad she's met someone though. Everyone deserves to be happy, right?" he asked

Daniel nodded thoughtfully.

"What could have led you to believe it was me?" Ben asked, amused.

"It's your sweater Mom's wearing and she's visited every day you've been here."

Ben's expression froze again. "Oh."

"So, I ask you again, what are your intentions towards my moth-"

"DANIEL WALLACE!" Gabriella screeched from the opening door. She looked mortified, having picked up the conversation at her daily visits. Her face was deep red.

Daniel sighed then pointed to his eyes and Ben's to say he'd be watching. Ben just nodded, his face still showing his shock. 

Gabriella pushed her 'so grounded' son out the door looking back with an embarrassed expression. 

Ben leaned back in his bed and wondered when he could start his physio so he could leave this madhouse.

Physio wasn't as painful this time and it only took him a seven weeks before they were willing to release him from the hospital. 

While it took her some time to get over her initial faux pas Hannah eventually visited him again and they had a good talk. She was hurting from the betrayal and he had direct experience with that so he was a sympathetic ear. She returned a few nights a week after visiting hours to have Ben all to herself and her talks with him seemed to help her tremendously and Ben felt it begin to ease the pain he'd carried for too long as well.

Then it was release day. Hannah was first to arrive and looked sad.

"What's wrong? Changing your mind about releasing me?" he asked.

"I'm going to miss our nightly talks. You've been such a good listener!" Hannah said quietly.

"Silly woman, we live five doors apart. There's no need for you to suddenly become a stranger. We can continue our talks. You know I enjoy them too." Ben smiled.

"Yes, but here I have you all to myself. My hospital, my rules. You're a captive audience. When you're home Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dum are going to be all over you." she groused.

"Hannah! What did I say about holding this grudge against Gabriella and Catherine? They aren't to blame for the actions of their husbands and neither are you for yours. Please, this negativity is hurtful and it hurts you as well!"

She nodded and looked down with a guilty look on her face. "See? This is why I need you to stay here. My therapy isn't over yet. I'm bound to get less time when access to you isn't so restricted. Don't forget there's also Tina who thinks the sun rises with you." Ben grimaced, uncomfortable with her hero worship. Hannah smiled. "She's not wrong you know. You ARE a hero, at least in our eyes."

"Please don't-" he started with a frown and she held up her hands in surrender. She'd picked up in their talks how low of an opinion he had of himself. He found it hard to hear compliments like that. She had a hard time understanding how he'd gotten that way as they hadn't spoken of their childhoods yet.

"Will you set aside time for us to talk?" she asked with a hopeful look.

"Of course." Ben smiled.

His nurse arrived with his discharge papers and Hannah went through them with him. 

Gabriella showed up at the door. She'd won the coin toss to be his lift home. 

Ben looked meaningfully at Hannah who looked down again and nodded. She stood up and walked over to Gabriella.

"I'm sorry for lashing out at you and Catherine. I know you aren't to blame for anything that happened. I'm trying to get over these feelings and I ask for your forgiveness and patience." Hannah made it all the way through her apology without crying. She looked up into Gabriella's eyes and saw the woman was on the verge of tears. That's all it took. Hannah pulled her into a hug and the two shared tears until Hannah saw her staff looking in curiously at her. She got control over herself and put her administrator's face on. She nodded to Gabriella and Ben before she left. 

Gabriella was wiping her eyes and looked at Ben like he'd worked a miracle. He scowled at the praise in her eyes. 

"Hannah is a good person dealing with a bad situation. Everyone deals with hurt in their own ways. She's working it out and she'll make it." Ben said gruffly.

An orderly arrived with a wheelchair.

"I need a moment to get dressed. If I could get a little privacy?" Ben asked.

He put on the clothes Gabriella brought him. He was glad she had taken care of his place while he was in the hospital. She was such a good neighbor! He sat in the chair and let them know he was ready.

He was going home!

Chapter 8

Ashburn Court looked almost magical under the heavy blanket of white snow. The bright midday sun shone down from the cloudless blue sky causing the snow crystals to sparkle as they drove down the lane towards his house. As they came around the loop Ben saw his driveway was free of snow and looked over at Gabriella who glanced back.

"I added your drive to my contract while you were in the hospital." she said.

"Thank you. I'll reimburse you for the expense. You can take it off the contract now." he said.

"Isn't is too soon for you to be out lifting heavy snow? Don't try to fool me because I can just ask Hannah." she raised an eyebrow and gave him a knowing look.

He just scowled out the window as she smiled.

"I still want to reimburse the expense." he mumbled.

"The extra was minimal and besides, Daniel may have disappointed me in many ways but he did at least take care of his family's financial security." she said casually as she pulled into his driveway.

Ben looked distinctly uncomfortable then grimaced in shame at his knee jerk reaction to her dismissive comment about her husband. He of all people had judged her. Idiot.

"What's wrong?" she asked as she pulled up to the door and stopped the car. She sat back and looked at Ben.

"Nothing. I'm- I'm sorry. Thank you so much for taking care of my house and bringing me home. I really appreciate it." he said without looking at her.

"Ben? What's wrong? Did I say something to upset you?" she said with a worried look on her face.

He glanced over and saw her expression. "No. It's just me. I'm still a little thrown off by the time loss I guess. I'll get over it."

"Time loss?" her eyes were welling up just a little as she tried to think of what she'd said to disturb him.




The Shepherd of Ashburn Court Pt. 02



He saw the tears and his face dropped. "No, please don't." He growled at himself for making her upset. "It's nothing you did or said. It's all on me. I'm going to have to catch up. I'm missing a few more months out my life and everyone has moved forward but me." he tried to explain. 

She wiped her eyes. "You must think I'm a ditz. Constantly crying and carrying on." she sniffed.

"No! I think you're wonderful and kind and generous! Please don't mind me. I'll be fine. I'm sorry to cause you all this headache." he reached over and took her hand. She seemed to calm down once he'd done that. 

"You're no headache, Ben. Let's get you inside." she said with a small smile. 

They went to the front door and stepped into the foyer. Ben closed the door with a thump and heard a strange noise from down the hall like a high pitched squeak. He looked over at Gabriella but she didn't seem to have heard it so he dismissed it as his imagination. As they hung up their coats they both heard a noise from down the hall. They looked around the corner and Catherine burst out of the master bedroom door with a pile of bed sheets balled up in her arms. Her hair was disheveled and her clothes were badly wrinkled.

"You're home early!" she gasped with a smile. "I wanted to make sure you had fresh sheets on your bed for your first day home!" She seemed out of breath. "It's always nice to come home to fresh sheets."

"Yes, that's very nice of you. Thanks!" Ben said slowly. He wondered why she was wearing her shirt inside out and backwards. He absentmindedly tapped his own throat where her shirt's tag was showing. Gabriella caught the motion and suddenly realized what he was looking at. Her face froze and Catherine saw Ben's motion and Gabriella's expression. She reached up and felt the tag. 

"Oh HA! I was in such a rush this morning I didn't even look. Your machines are in this closet, right?" she blurted as she strode quickly to the laundry room.

"Yes." He stepped past as she threw the sheets in the washing machine. Gabriella followed him as he entered the master bedroom. He got three steps in and froze. There was a scent in the room. A familiar scent. Female excitement. He stepped further into the room walking towards the far side of the bed.

Gabriella was in the doorway and she smelled it as well. She stepped inside and Catherine rushed into the room to get something she'd just discovered she'd left behind. She saw Ben picking something off the floor from the far side of the bed. Something pink. Something wet and giving off that distinct scent. Gabriella looked at her in shock. "What did you do?" she whispered. 

"Did these fall off while you were removing my sheets?" Ben growled. They saw him stop and close his eyes. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean that. Please forgive my tone. These are yours I take it?"

Catherine nodded and stepped forward to take the panties from his fingers. He looked at the mattress and realized his pillow top mattress was upside down. His only had pillow on one side and wasn't meant to be flipped. He looked at Catherine and reached down to the edge of the mattress and lifted it up. He felt twinges of pain in his side and they must have shown on his face because both women tried to stop him but he stared them down until they stepped back.

He pulled the mattress up and towards him then let it fall. Near its middle was a sizable wet spot. Catherine's expression was grim. She peered up at him from under her bangs to see how mad he was.

"You had sex in my bed?" Ben asked quietly. He was trembling for some reason and his mind was racing, doing nonsensical math formulas with calendar dates. He had to shut it down before he went mad. He held up his hand before Catherine could speak. "No, again, I'm sorry. Don't answer that. Could I please have my home to myself for a while? I'd like to be alone if you don't mind. Thank you Gabriella for bringing me home. You can both leave the keys on the front table."

She nodded and gripped Cat's arm, tugging her out of the bedroom with her.

Ben listened until he heard the front door close. Then he left the room and went to the kitchen to get some cleaning products. Maybe he could salvage the mattress.

Gabriella was livid. She was doing her best to stay calm like Ben had but it took everything she had to keep from leaping across the seat to strangle her friend. She drove them both to her place. Cat had the good sense to remain quiet until they were inside.

Once they were in Gabriella's office they sat down on a couch and faced each other. She took several deep breaths with her eyes closed then looked at Catherine. The woman looked lost. She was looking down at her clenched hands in her lap and the tears just started to flow. Gabriella's fury vanished and her heart went out to her friend. She reached out and took her hands.

"What happened?" she asked gently.

Cat looked up, her lips trembling. Gabriella handed her a tissue. 

"I- I couldn't sleep last night. I was so keyed up knowing Ben was coming home today. I know that's silly but... Anyway, this morning I was up and I decided I would do something nice for him by changing the sheets on his bed. Like I said, it's nice to come home to clean sheets." She looked down and her tears ran freely down her cheeks. Gabriella leaned her head against Catherine's and rubbed her shoulders. When her friend seemed to get control again she leaned back. 

"I went over to his house first thing this morning. The sun was just coming up. I used the key you gave me and went into his bedroom to change the sheets. When I pulled back the quilt I smelled him. The warm comforting scent from his sweater but so much stronger. I couldn't help myself. I stretched out on the bed and just breathed it in. God! It felt so good to be there with him surrounding me. You weren't bringing him home until the afternoon so I knew I had time. I needed to feel closer to him so I... I took off my clothes until I was only in my panties and crawled under the covers. Feeling the sheets caressing my skin while smelling him was so good. I felt like I was cuddled up in his strong arms resting on his powerful chest. So safe and so wonderful. I must have dozed off. I had this amazing dream where he opened his bedroom door and I was still in his bed. He slowly took off his clothes and slipped under the sheets with me. He kissed me like he did in the hospital, God that was hot! Then he took me. He was so big! I felt like I was coming apart but it was so good!"

Catherine trembled at the memory. She looked up at Gabriella, embarrassed by the intimacy. She saw only understanding in her friend's eyes.

"I- I must have been touching myself in my sleep. It felt so real! I had one of the most powerful orgasms I've ever experienced in my life. When I woke up I was drenched and the bed was soaking wet from me. I was cleaning myself up a little in his bathroom when I heard the car doors close. I panicked. I pulled the sheets off but the mattress was drenched as well because he didn't have a cover. I flipped the mattress over and pulled my clothes on fast as I heard the two of you coming in."

Cat looked up at Gabrielle as her bottom lip started to tremble again. "I've ruined everything! Ben's home but he can't sleep in his bed and now he hates me!" She burst into tears and Gabriella took her into her arms and rubbed the blonde's back. 

"Ben doesn't hate you. He was a little off on the ride home. I said something that I think upset him... He tried to explain, saying something about everyone moving forward but him. The coma... Oh my god! I understand now!"

Catherine pulled back and looked hopefully at her friend.

"For us it's been almost four months since the accident. For Ben it's been just a month and a half and it might feel like less because of being stuck in that hospital room. We've had time to make progress in accepting our loss but to him it may seem like a sudden attitude change."

She tapped Cat on the knee. "I made a comment about how Daniel had disappointed me in so many ways... Ben got uncomfortable as for him it's like speaking ill of the recently deceased. Finding you had been in his bed doing... that, it was probably too jarring for him."

Cat suddenly looked cross. "How can he judge us? He doesn't know what our relationships with our husbands had become!"

She looked at her despondent friend. "And that's why he kept apologizing! He knows he shouldn't. I truly believe he's not trying to but you know how his own marriage ended. He'll come around. If we give him a little time and let him know what we've been through he'll get it."

Catherine suddenly stood up. "I have to apologize!"

Gabriella grabbed her hand. "Tomorrow is soon enough. Let him get his bearings."

"Have... have I lost him?" the blonde sank back to the couch clinging to her hand.

Gabriella was conflicted. She didn't want to hurt Cat. She truly was her best friend. But she also wanted Ben. She closed her eyes. "No. Give him time. We'll go speak with him tomorrow. You can apologize then." 

Chapter 9

The next morning Ben stood by his front window drinking an herbal tea to warm his insides as he watched the gentle fall of snowflakes. He'd done a limited version of his workout routine, showered, gotten dressed, and had his breakfast. 

It looked like he was going to have to get a new mattress. The cleaning job he'd tried the day before actually did more damage than good. Maybe he'd go to the shop today to order a replacement. He'd dragged in a queen mattress from one of the guest rooms but it looked odd on the California King platform.

Two doors over on the north side of the street he saw a man get out of his car and get something from his trunk. A few minutes later and covered in snow the man drove away leaving a Realty sign hammered into the hard ground. The Millers were moving from the neighborhood. Another neighbor he didn't know too well. He recalled that she wasn't home when they'd tried to reach her for that little get together. He wondered if Gabriella and Catherine had reached out to... Sarah, that was her name. Shit. He felt bad that he hadn't had a chance to say anything to her since the accident. He'd barely spoken to her before that either. He'd seen her around, waved, said their good morning and evenings, just basic neighbor stuff. He'd also seen her a few times while he was mowing his front lawn in the summer. She'd sometimes join the other ladies in the park with her boys. Now she was leaving.

He looked at the clock. It was a little past nine so Gabriella should be awake. He dialed her number and she picked up on the third ring.

"Good morning, Ben! Sleep well?" she asked. He could hear the smile in her voice. It always brought his mood up to talk with her.

"Good morning, Gabriella! I slept alright. Yourself?"

"Very well now that you're back. What's up?"

"I just noticed someone putting a for sale sign on the Miller's place. Have they left? I never got a chance to give her my condolences." he asked.

"I'm sorry Ben. Sarah moved out with her boys a month ago. The house is empty."

"Ah. Well. It's good she's taking steps to move forward. I hope she's happy." Ben said.

"Ben, you are such a sweet man!" Gabriella smiled.

"It was just such a shock to so many people right here in our neighborhood." he mumbled.

"I understand what you were trying to tell me in the car yesterday Ben. About being displaced in time. I get it. We've had time to adjust and you haven't." Gabriella said. "I hope you understand that we were all in different places in our relationships with our husbands when the accident happened. Some of us discovered some time ago that our husbands were that in name only. That was when we mourned."

"Gabriella, I am so sorry if I was critical of you in any way yesterday. It's not my place to judge you or Catherine or anyone. I'm the last person who should be doing that!" Ben expressed.

"Speaking of Catherine, she explained to me what happened yesterday at your place. Initially I was as shocked as you were but after hearing the explanation I can understand how it happened. She's mortified and worried that you hate her now." she said.

"Hate her? Of course, I don't hate her. I can't say I'm not disappointed that she thought I'd be OK with her having sex in my bed-" 

"Ben! She didn't have sex in your bed... well, not really. She was alone and asleep." Gabriella explained gently.

"What?" he said, confused.

"She went over to change the sheets like she said and fell asleep on your bed. Then... she had some nice dreams. That's all! She panicked when we arrived just after she woke up. She made a mistake, Ben. Can you forgive her?"

Ben was quiet for a moment. "I'd like to hear it from her if you don't mind."

"Of course! She's dying to apologize. I told her to give you a little space yesterday." she said gratefully.

Ben was quiet again. "You really are a good friend to Catherine." he said. 

It was Gabriella's turn to be quiet. "Yes. I- she's my best friend." she finally murmured.

"That's one of things I most admire about you, Gabriella. Your loyalty." Ben said honestly.

"Not the first attribute a woman desires to be complimented on, Ben, but a nice one." she smiled.

"Your beauty and grace are truly breathtaking but loyalty is a much more precious and rare virtue these days. Sorry if I've placed a higher value on that." he expressed.

Gabriella was silent again and Ben was worried he'd offended her somehow.

"Did I say something wrong?" he asked.

"No Ben, not at all." He heard the smile in her voice and breathed a sigh of relief.

"It's Saturday, isn't it? Do you think we might be able to get together with whoever is available and catch up with how people are doing?" he asked.

"Sure, let me make some phone calls and I'll call you back." she replied.

"Thanks!" he said and hung up.

Just before noon he was standing in front of Catherine's door feeling nervous. He wasn't sure why he felt that way as he hadn't done anything wrong. 

When Gabriella called him back she indicated that she'd managed to contact most of the women and they were all going to meet at Catherine's at 1PM for lunch. She asked him to arrive at noon so Catherine would have time to apologize. He thought an hour was a little excessive for a simple apology but he didn't argue with her.

The door opened and Ben looked down into worried blue eyes. Catherine's face was pink and on it's way to becoming red.

"Please come in. Let me take your coat." she said softly.

Ben slipped off his jacket and Catherine took it while he slipped off his boots. She led him into the living room and they sat on the couch. She was biting her lower lip nervously and glancing up at him from under her bangs. He waited for her to say something. He looked around expecting to see Gabriella but she hadn't arrived yet. They were alone?

"Is Megan home?" he asked.

"No, she's at her friends place." Catherine blurted out.

He nodded and looked expectantly at her. She closed her eyes and she seemed to be taking a deep breath as she leaned towards him a little. It calmed her down and she smiled. When she opened her eyes she looked up into Ben's. 

"I'm very sorry for what I did to your mattress. I understand Gabriella told you what happened?" she asked quietly.

"Yes. More importantly she told me what you weren't doing in my bed." he replied.

"Weren't doing?" she asked.

"You weren't... having sex with someone... in my bed. I thought you had brought a lover into my house and used my bed. That thought was... disturbing." It was Ben's turn to blush.

"Lover? I don't have a lover. I haven't had sex in almost a year. Which is why that dream was so incredible." she sighed, oblivious to the effect she was having on him.

Ben's face was threatening to ignite. He wasn't sure where to look. He was so close to her and everything about her looked so good.

"The most sensual thing I've experienced all year... maybe ever, was that kiss we shared in the hospital." she said, looking at him with a desperate need in her eyes. "I really enjoyed that kiss."

His eyes were immediately drawn to her sensual, plump lower lip. Even though he'd barely been conscious at the time he remember distinctly what it felt like, how it tasted, how much he'd wanted to continue kissing it. "Yes, uh, it was a really nice way to return to the land of the living."

She slid a little closer on the couch. "Could I... could I have one more?" Her blue eyes seemed to fill his vision and he found himself lowering his face to hers.

Then their lips met. Just a tentative touch, a caress of lip against lip. No breath was shared as both seemed to be holding theirs. The second contact was firmer. He sucked her bottom lip between his and lightly slid the tip of his tongue along its smooth surface. He felt her tremble and gasp then she was straddling his lap and he was sliding his tongue boldly into her mouth where she sucked it deeper into her. His hands went around her back, his left up near her shoulders holding her against his kiss, his right at the base of her spine pulling her groin in hard against his. She whimpered when she felt his hard member straining against the fabric of his pants and crushed against her heat.

Then the doorbell rang.

The sound was like a bucket of cold water for Ben. A hard slap of reality. He pulled back from the kiss and had to hold Catherine's shoulders back to get her to disengage as she clung and moaned. Her eyes opened dreamily and her need was still flaring in them. The doorbell rang again. Ben lifted her and set her back on the couch and stood up. His head was spinning.

"I'll get the door, you might want to check your lipstick." He stumbled away to get to the door before the bell rang again. He yanked it open and saw Gabriella standing there looking concerned. He pulled her inside.

"Here let me get your coat." he said reaching for it. She turned in his grip and reached up to his mouth. She wiped her finger across the light pink gloss that was smeared across his lower lip. Ben froze as his brain finally caught up with him. 

Gabriella looked so sad and a little lost. Then a determined look briefly crossed her features. She slipped her hand behind his neck and pulled his face down to hers. 

Ben was immersed in the warm spice of Gabriella's perfume and his head was floating away as her lush lips pressed against his. Her nimble tongue darted into his mouth and he captured it with his own and gently sucked on it. Gabriella groaned and crushed her soft body against his hard muscles. Ben's body immediately reacted to the intense sensations and he gasped.

"Ben? Gabriella?"

Once more Ben was yanked from heaven by reality and blinked in confusion. His lower lip slipped from Gabriella's mouth as he pulled back. Her perfume was still riding his senses and he looked around to see who had spoken. 

Standing next to him Gabriella was coming down from her own body rush. She turned and saw her friend who was just inside the opening to the hall. Cat was looking at the two of them with nervous expression.

Ben looked at the clock and saw only fifteen minutes had passed though it felt much longer.

His legs began to shake as he'd maybe overdone it a little when he worked out and he wasn't up to full strength yet. "Can I sit down please before I fall down?" he asked.

Catherine stepped forward and took his arm, guiding him back into the living room. She was about to seat him on the couch when Gabriella appeared at his other side and sat him in the middle with a women on either side.

They pressed up against him as they curled their legs up underneath themselves. Ben was starting to feel dizzy again.

"Gabriella, Catherine, please. I feel like I'm being buried in the most wonderful quicksand imaginable. I can't think straight with you both leaning against me like that." he said somewhat desperately.




The Shepherd of Ashburn Court Pt. 02



Both women looked at each other across Ben. At first their expressions were a little hurt and defensive but soon a twinkle appeared in their eyes and they smiled. 

Then the smiles turned mischievous. 

They leaned in over his body and nibbled on his earlobes as they pressed themselves over his chest and shoulders.

Ben groaned and struggled to get free to no avail. Gabriella leaned her face over his and gave him a deep aggressive kiss which he returned. As she pulled back and Ben tried to catch his breath Catherine swooped in and claimed a kiss of her own. Once they were done they looked down at Ben's lap and raised their eyebrows at the impressive ridge pressing against his pants.

Gabriella looked at the clock and saw they had 30 minutes as long as no one arrived early. Simultaneously the two women placed their hands over the bulge and Ben's breath whooshed out of him.

"Wait! Wait! Wait! Hang on!" he gasped breathily as he renewed his efforts to break loose.

The doorbell rang. Gabriella and Catherine both moaned in frustration and leaned back. Ben surged to his feet and turned away from them to rearrange his erection as it was getting pinched. He turned back to them. "I'll get the door." He staggered out of the room.

When he opened the door he was still riding the high of the two lady's kisses so he wasn't at his sharpest. Standing in the doorway was Hannah and Beth Wilson. Both were startled to see him and then both were looking far too low to see his face. He looked down as well and realized he was still quite visible against his pants. His face flushed and he moved back to allow Hannah to pulled Beth into the foyer. Hannah looked at Ben's face and shook her head. She took her coat off and then helped Beth takes hers off.

It was then that Ben's brain caught up to him and he really saw Beth. The last time he'd seen her was a month or two before the accident. She'd been a solid woman, maybe just a little overweight but happy and vibrant. The woman standing before him was almost a shadow of that other Beth. She'd lost too much weight. Her lively eyes were bruised and sad. Ben looked in shock at Hannah and she nodded. Her expression showed her concern.

"Beth?" he said

"Hi Ben." Beth replied weakly.

Ben couldn't help himself. He gathered the woman against him in a full body hug. "Oh Beth!"

She went still in his arms then her arms slowly encircled him and she rested her cheek against his chest and began to cry. He rocked her gently in his arms and she let it out. He made soothing noises and kissed the top of her head. Hannah reached up and carefully rubbed his mouth with her handkerchief to remove the mess of lipstick on his face. He thanked her silently and she just nodded at him.

Gabriella and Catherine arrived, having fixed their lipstick, and saw Ben holding a shrunken version of Beth. Their eyes went wide and they both looked questioningly at Hannah who just shook her head to indicate it wasn't the time. 

When Beth's tears slowed Ben put his arm over her shoulders and led her into the living room. He sat on the couch and sat her down next to him nestled up against his side. Hannah smiled from the doorway as she saw Beth's eyes straying to the front of Ben's pants which hadn't completely settled down yet. She looked up at Hannah and just a hint of that liveliness showed in her eyes. Hannah's smile burst into a full grin and Beth gave her a small smile back then rested her head against Ben.

The doorbell rang again and the others began to arrive. Soon the large living room was filled with conversation and energy. All of the women stopped by to speak with Beth and Ben. Beth was surprised to hear Ben had been in the hospital. Tina, who had brought her son, was only too happy to retell the story of Ben's heroic actions to protect her and Christopher and the price he'd paid. While Ben squirmed hearing her praise he was relieved to hear that the driver had been arrested and Tina's mother had fled the country back to Korea empty handed. She gave her son a kiss on his head and looked at Ben with gratitude.

As Catherine was hosting she stood up and got everyone's attention.

"Hello everyone. Thank you for coming. We thought it would be helpful to everyone if we could get together and share how we are all dealing with our new situations. Kind of a status update, so we can potentially help each other in any way we can. I know most of us are familiar with each other but I've found the following process is very good at opening up discussion. I will start."

Catherine took a deep breath and looked around the room making sure she had everyone's attention.

"Hello. My name is Catherine McGovern or 'Cat' for short. Yes, I've gone back to my maiden name. I'm the CEO of Kids-2-Kids, a non-profit organization helping underprivileged students get access to better educational support tools and tutoring for free. I have three daughters: Sophia, age 20, Rachel, age 19, and Megan, age 18. Sophia and Rachel are currently attending University and have also chosen to change their name to McGovern. Megan is completing High school this year and is struggling with the decision to retain her father's surname or not. I'm not pressuring her either way and have told her the decision is hers. At the time of the accident I was preparing to file for divorce. Our marriage was an empty, loveless shell and I could no longer remain in it. I wasn't aware of my husband's extra marital affairs. If I had I would have divorced him years ago."

She looked around again and saw some of the women were shocked by how much she'd divulged. "You do not need to say anything more than what you are comfortable sharing. The point of this exercise is to help us communicate with each other, to help us understand each other. And perhaps to help us help each other. Please know you are among friends here."

Gabriella took the floor next.

"My name is Gabriella Wallace. I have my own business importing fashion accessories for distributors. I have a daughter Megan who just turned 16 and a son Daniel who is 12. I was aware of Cat's marriage issues and knew of her brave decision to end her marriage. I was not as brave. While I wasn't aware Daniel was having these flings our marriage had become cold and loveless. I was no longer happy, hadn't been for years but I wasn't strong enough to believe I could set off on my own at my age. Now that the decision was made for me I'm looking at other ways to improve my life. Thank you."

Rochelle stood up next. She looked sad. "I'm Rochelle King. The first thing I want to say is that my man Devon was a serial cheater. He couldn't keep it in his pants if a pretty tail offered him a ride. I still loved him and each time I caught him he'd promise not to do it again and each time I would forgive him. And each time I'd lose a little more self-respect. I still love the man so I guess that says something about me. I'm now CEO of the restaurant chain and we're doing better than ever... probably because so much of our profits aren't going into payouts to the whores who fucked him. My daughter Sara, who is 20 is now our CFO, taking my old position and she is doing an awesome job. My son Jayden is 17 and I'm afraid he is going to be just like his father. I've seen it already. He's not as smooth as his father but that's just practice." She shook her head and sat down.

"Hanna Cooper. Hospital Administrator of Western Mercy. I wasn't aware that Andrew was cheating. He was a gynecologist and used to tell me that he looked into too many to consider finding another. I know. It was a tasteless joke. It was obviously also a lie. I discovered a lot of my marriage was built on lies. When I found out I didn't take it well and lashed out at others, Gabriella and Catherine mostly, and for that I am truly sorry."

She smiled at the two friends then continued. "I'm working through my anger and my fear of betrayal issues. I found a sympathetic ear in Ben while he was recently having a prolonged visit at our hospital. Having a captive audience was quite helpful. These talks really helped me. I hope to continue." Ben nodded and she smiled back at him as she sat down. 

"I am Tina Lee and this is my son Christopher and he is not yet one year old. I do not work and I think my husband's investments are not good. I received a letter from the bank today." She looked towards Ben. "It is something about our mortgage. I do not know what I am to do. I am hoping that someone here knows what I should do."

Ben raised his hand and saw Tina's hopeful look turn into a relieved smile. "I'll take a look at it after the meeting, alright?"

"Thank you, Mr. Shepherd!" she said.

"Ben." he replied.

Her smile lit up her face again. "Ben." she said and nodded to him.

The next woman in line stood up. Her strawberry blond hair was pulled back into a pony tail and she looked nervously around the room. "Hi. Daphne McKellen. My twin girls are 22 and are finishing up University this year. They are studying Early Childhood Care & Education and once they graduate we plan to open up a daycare in my home. I've arranged all the permits and I'll have contractors coming in to make the required upgrades to make it a legal daycare. We're only going to be allowing twenty children in the centre, ages 6 months to 6 years. With Scott gone and my girls away at University the house is too quiet. I'm looking forward to hearing the sound of children again." She smiled at Tina. "As for Scott, I knew he was a terrible flirt." Her face closed down. "No, the truth. He had affair once. It was a bad time for our marriage. Christmas parties at the bank headquarters were terrible. He'd get drunk and start acting like he owned the women who worked for him. Ten years ago I found out he was fucking a loans manager. I confronted him about it and he finally broke it off. We weren't the same after that but I never saw any evidence that he'd relapsed. He just got better at hiding it I suppose. Fuck him. I'm making a new, better life for myself now!" She smiled at the group and got applause. She sat down with a huge grin and tears in her eyes.

Next in line was a very slim woman, 5' 9", whose obsession with jogging had burned off most of her body fat. She was all toned muscle and sinews which made her obviously fake breasts so out proportioned. She did her best to hide them with a loose sweater. She had short red hair to mid neck and a friendly heart shaped face with large pale green eyes and a strong hawk nose. She smiled tremulously at the group. "I'm Trish Campbell. I live next door to Daphne and I was looking forward to the sound of children in the neighborhood as well but... I may not be able to stay in the neighborhood to hear it." She looked over at Hannah who gave her a supportive smile and nod. Trish returned the smile and collected herself. 

"John had addictions. Not drugs or alcohol but adrenaline and gambling. Motocross racing, hang gliding, white water kayaking, sky diving, and jet-ski racing. We led a very active life. He also gambled heavily. He did his best to hide it but when bills went unpaid because he'd blown his paycheque on poker with his buddies at work it came to light. He owned his own marketing company but that just went bankrupt because he was spending all of the money it made on his gambling addiction. He stopped paying into the life insurance policy so there was no money when he died in the accident. He had no pension and our mortgage is only half paid off. I have my own design company which I run out of my home office. I'm doing very well but not well enough to pay off all of John's debts. I've had a few frightening calls from someone named Angelo who John owes money to. I'm going to have to sell the house." Several voices were raised in concerned protest. "I have no other choice."

"I'll buy it." Ben said.

Trish looked over at him. "What?"

"I'll buy your house. You get it appraised and let me know how much it is. You can continue to live in it and pay rent at a rate less than your mortgage. You can use the money from the sale to pay off the debts."

Hannah leaned forward. "Ben, we talked about this." Trish looked at her friend in surprise.

Ben continued. "No, this isn't about that. This is a great investment for me! You know the properties on this street are! And we get to keep Trish as a neighbor. Her son Mason and your son Ryan are best friends so splitting them up would be a shame. They already lost their friends Bill and Kevin Miller when they moved out."

Trish was looking at Ben like a lifeline had just been thrown to her and when Ben saw that he winced. Hannah groaned as she saw the cycle starting again. Ben's need to help a damsel in distress overpowering his deep seated aversion to praise. She caught the puzzled eye of her friend Trish and mouthed 'Later' to her. Trish nodded and sat down.

The woman seated on the chair next to Ben's couch stood up. "My name is Joanne White. My husband Michael and I came to an arrangement years ago that he would have his affairs and I would have mine as long as we didn't allow any discord into our home. We had my daughter Lily twenty years ago and I'm proud to say she is a beautiful, intelligent, and well-adjusted young lady. I'm moving to Florida to look after my ailing parents and to spend the rest of my life with the wonderful and faithful man that has been waiting for me to leave Michael." She turned to Ben. "If you are interested I'm going to be putting my home on the market as well. My daughter has two more years of college and it would be wonderful if she could rent out her room in the house until she graduates."

"Joanne!" Hannah barked.

"No, that's fine. Yes, I'm interested." Ben said.

Trish looked upset and Ben caught the look. "That doesn't affect my offer to you in any way."

That statement caused all of the women to look at Ben curiously. Hannah was worried his white knight compulsion was driving him beyond his means. "Ben that's going to be a lot of money. You know what the current values are for these homes."

He just looked at her calmly. "Yes, I know what they're worth. It's not a problem."

Daphne was trying to figure Ben out. His home was the smallest, most modest on the street as his property was smaller probably because of the public lane to the nature reserve. He drove a domestic SUV and had none of the toys their husbands had shown off. She didn't even know what work he did or if he had a job at all. She couldn't help herself from asking the question on everyone's mind. "Just how rich are you Mr. Shepherd?"

Ben felt uncomfortable under their eyes and looked at Hannah. She had her eyebrow raised waiting for an answer too. Still, he wasn't about to give out the number.

"I live very comfortably and I'm very careful with my money. I can certainly afford to purchase a few homes from this neighborhood which are essentially investments that can be resold later for a profit. I will say that I won't need to go into any debt to do it. Is that good enough?" he said looking back at Daphne. She nodded while the concepts of 'purchasing a few million dollar homes' and 'no debt' floated in her mind. She looked at Hannah who was obviously also thinking along the same lines.

Beth sunk into the couch against Ben as everyone looked to her, the last woman to speak. The only victim whose husband didn't perish in the crash. She felt a tremendous guilt for that fact like somehow she hadn't suffered as much as them. But her physical condition obviously disproved that. She looked up at Ben and he smiled down at her. She struggled forward on the couch and he helped her up. Only once she was on her feet and looking back at him did he realize he was bracing her with his hand on her ass. He blushed and smiled guiltily at her. She smiled back with a little spark in her eyes. She wiggled her hips and his blush ramped up. Hannah watched this with tears in her eyes and a grin on her face.

"I'm Beth Wilson. My ex-husband wasn't on the plane and is now in jail." There was some confused noises from the group so she explained. "He was carrying his work satchel which was loaded with a large quantity of very powerful medications so he was arrested for trafficking." That seemed to settle the questions. She began again. "I don't know what went wrong in our marriage, what I could or should have done to prevent Larry from straying." There was a rumble of voices telling Beth she wasn't responsible for the actions of her husband. She looked over at Hannah who smiled at her friend. "Hannah has been a tremendous help for me. She's drawing me out of my depression. I was in so deep I couldn't even see the damage I was doing to my children. We're all getting better now. Talking with you all really does feel like it's helping." She turned to the host. "Thank you Catherine and Gabriella for making this happen!" She took her place next to Ben who gave her a hug which she snuggled into with a smile on her face.

There was a round of applause from the group. Cat looked at Gabriella and took her hand. They both stood up. "It should be known that while Gabriella made the calls and I'm hosting, the driving force behind this meeting is Ben. His concern for the well-being of his neighbors is above and beyond." She and Gabriella both started the applause for Ben who tried his best to smile but was actually squirming badly and looked like he might bolt. Hannah saw his unease and walked over to their hosts and asked loudly to 'help them with lunch in the kitchen'. Rochelle caught the tone and followed the three ladies out. As they left the others went back to the animated conversations they'd been having before the round table introductions. Hannah saw Ben begin to relax once more.

Once in the kitchen she spoke to her hosts and Rochelle. "Just to let you know, Ben is really uncomfortable with praise. I don't know how he got that way and I'm not going to divulge anything he's said to me in confidence during our talks but please be aware that Ben does what he does without expectation of reward and when he is rewarded it makes him upset. We almost made Ben leave just now. He's a genuine and good man but sometimes he acts a little too selflessly." Gabriella and Cat looked at each other in dismay. Rochelle looked thoughtful.

They opened the trays of sandwiches and salads catered from Rochelle's restaurant and carried them out to the sideboard in the dining room. The room was otherwise ready for the meal. Catherine went into the living room and invited her guests to the table. They filled their plates and took their seats.

Hannah saw Ben was being led to the head of the table so she gently suggested that as host Catherine should sit there and allow Ben to take the next seat on the side. Ben looked gratefully at Hannah and she smiled. Beth stuck close to Ben and took the seat on his other side. Hannah sat next to Beth and Trish took the next chair. Joanne sat at the end of the table with Daphne on her right then Tina, Rochelle and finally Gabriella sitting across from Ben.

Before they began Rochelle spoke up. "If everyone wouldn't mind I'd like to say a little prayer. I promise it won't be a sermon or preachy. I'd just like to give thanks." There were pleased smiles and nods so they all joined hands around the table.

"Thank you Lord for bringing us all here today before this bounty. Thank you for giving us the strength to share our stories with each other. Thank you for showing us we can be complete and worthy individuals standing on our own and for giving us the wisdom to know when it's ok to rely on the support of our friends. Thank you especially for these wonderful women (and Ben), for the love and compassion they have shown and the strength we all share from that. Amen."

The smiles were especially wide and Beth had tears in her eyes as she smiled at Rochelle.




The Shepherd of Ashburn Court Pt. 02



The food was wonderful and the conversation was lively and happy. When they'd eaten their fill and treated themselves to dessert they returned to the living room to continue their conversations.

Trish's cell rang and she looked at the caller ID. Her face froze and she looked at Ben. He walked over and she showed him it was Angelo. He took the phone and walked with her over to the foyer for privacy. "How much did John own them?" he asked her.

"$40,000" she said with a desperate expression.

Ben answered the call. "Trish Campbell's phone."

"Who the fuck is this?" Angelo barked.

"Ben Shepherd. A friend of the family. Is this Angelo?" he asked calmly.

"Put the bitch on the phone."

Ben took a breath. "I understand there was an outstanding debt with her husband. $40,000? I'm going to pay the debt."

"That was four months ago. Now it's $60,000." 

"$60,000? Fine. Digital account transfer or cash?" Ben asked. Trish's eyes widened and filled with tears but Ben just patted her shoulder and nodded.

"Digital? It's cash only, asshole!"

"Monday at 3PM? Millers Park, inside the north entrance? I'll be carrying a blue gym bag."

"Why Monday?" Angelo asked.

"As you want cash I'll have to go to the bank which is closed tomorrow." Ben answered calmly.

"Fine! Don't be late or it doubles!" Angelo growled.

"I'll be there." Ben said as the phone hung up.

"OK, this guy sounds like an idiot. Small time. Did John tell you about the people he owed money to or the people he was gambling with?"

"John just gambled with his work buddies and sometimes he'd play poker in the back room of a restaurant in town. I think that's where Angelo is from." Trish said.

"Which restaurant?" he asked.

"John took me there once. He thought it was pretty special but it's tired and the food was bad. It was called The Celestial." she said.

"OK, I know the restaurant and who runs it. I went to University with three of the brothers. Two of them got kicked out for running a crooked Poker game. We're not talking about the mob here. I'll take care of it." Ben said. 

"Ben, I don't have $60,000! I didn't have the $40,000!" Trish cried.

"It's ok, Trish. I said I'd take care of it. After Monday we won't have to worry about Angelo ever again. That's worth a little money." Ben smiled at her. She looked up at him in shock.

"Why are you doing this?" she asked.

Ben shrugged. "Because I can... and I'd like you to stay in the neighborhood."

Trish gave him a tight hug then they went back to the living room to enjoy the company of their friends. 

Beth patted his spot on the couch and he sat next to her once more. She seemed to draw strength and comfort just from leaning against him. 

Trish was occasionally casting admiring glances over at Ben and it was starting to trigger his nerves. Hannah noticed and had a little talk with her friend.

Catherine walked through the room with a tray of small butter tarts. Beth turned it down but Ben picked up two. He smiled at Beth as he bit into the soft pastry. The sugary liquid center was exquisite and he closed his eyes as he relished the flavor.

Suddenly he felt a finger stroking his lip. He opened his eyes and saw Beth lifting a little of the sweet syrup from his lip on her fingertip. She looked at it then put the finger in her mouth as she looked at him. It was so damn sexy he immediately felt his pulse divert to his pants. As her arm was resting on his leg she felt the surge under the fabric. She smiled at Ben and he swallowed. Neither realized that the room had grown silent as everyone watched. 

"Would you care for the other half?" he asked her, his voice deep and rough.

"Yes." she breathed and opened her mouth. He lifted the small pastry to her mouth and placed it on her tongue. Her lips closed on his fingers and he slowly pulled them free. He noticed some of the sticky sweetness was on his fingers so he put them in his own mouth to lick them clean. 

Cat's moan caught everyone by surprise. Ben and Beth suddenly realized they were being watched and blushed. They matched the red faces from the others in the room.

"Damn! Cat, quick! Get me one of those butter tarts so Ben can feed it to me next!" Rochelle joked.

Nervous giggles erupted as the ladies found other things to look at other than Ben.

He smiled self-consciously at Beth who leaned her head against his arm.

"Thank you Ben." she said quietly.

"For what?" he replied as quietly.

"For making me feel desirable again."

He gave her a hug and she felt his bulge press against her arm more firmly. "You never lost that." he whispered. She smiled as a tingle ran up her spine.

Daphne stood up. "Catherine, Gabriella and Ben, thank you for the lovely lunch and conversation... and entertainment." she said with a grin. "I have to head home as my daughters are coming home for a visit. I look forward to our next get together!" 

Hannah stood and indicated she had to leaving as well. Beth reluctantly pulled herself away from Ben and moved to join Hannah. Once the flow started all of the ladies started towards the door.

Ben collected the coats and helped the ladies put them on. After she got her coat on Hannah arranged with Ben to meet the following night after supper with Beth so they could continue their group sessions. He hugged Hanna and Beth crushed herself against his body in fully body hug. 

The rest of the ladies wanted hugs as they left after seeing what Beth got. Rochelle's hands went directly to his ass as she crushed her big boobs against him and growled playfully. That benefited the next hug recipient. Trish felt the hot ridge pressed against her when she squeezed him tight. Her breath rushed out past his ear and he felt her tremble and moan then she ducked out the door with a blush.

Ben asked Tina to wait until the end so he could walk her home and look over the papers she received from the bank. Gabriella and Catherine gave each other a sad look. Both had hoped to pick up where they'd left off before the guests had arrived.

Then it was just the four of them. Five counting Christopher. 

Catherine held Ben's coat and smiled up at him. "Could I get a kiss before you go?" she asked blinking her blue eyes up at him.

Ben looked sideways at Tina who smiled back at him. "Uh, sure." he said.

The blond stepped up right against his body and pressed her lips against his, sucking gently on his lower lip. He struggled to keep his hands from sliding down her back to her ass. She sensed his need and pressed against him harder, her tongue dipping into his mouth. He grabbed her shoulders and gently eased her away though his lips kept hers for as long as they could. He wobbled slightly with his eyes closed and she grinned at his obvious excitement. She stepped back and guided Gabriella into her place. When Ben's eyes opened he was looking into her beautiful green eyes. Her lips reached his and his breath was stolen away by the pure sensuality of her tongue sliding against his. Finally she pulled back and Ben was breathing hard. He reached out for his coat and clumsily tried to pull it on. The ladies had to help him finally and Tina guided him outside. 

When the cold air hit him he snapped back into focus and looked back at Catherine's front door. The ladies waved at him from the window and he weakly waved back. He realized the sun must have been setting as it was quite dark out as they walked to Tina's.

Tina led him to her house and let them in. The house was a little cooler than comfortable and the lights wouldn't come on. He looked at Tina. "Did you pay the electrical bill?" He looked into the drawer of the table by the front door and sure enough there was a flashlight. He pulled it out and turned it on. The light was bright so the batteries were fresh.

"James would not let me touch the home finances so I do not know how to do it." she replied. "But I did figure out his password to get into his computer." She led him into the den. "Not surprisingly it was his mother's name. He kept his passwords in a file on the PC. I found his pin number for his bank card and I used it to withdraw cash from the bank every day up to the limit of the card until there was no more money. This gave me enough money to feed Christopher and myself."

Ben looked at her and was amazed at her ingenuity. And shocked by the desperate state of her life. She looked at him anxiously and he saw she was trembling. Christopher began to fuss.

"Can you get me the papers you got from the bank? When did the power go out?' he asked. Tina turned to the filing cabinet and pulled the papers out. They were neatly filed and the cabinet was very organized.

"The power went off yesterday." she said sadly. 

"What were you going to do if we hadn't called the meeting?" he growled as he looked at the papers. When she didn't answer he looked at her and saw she was struggling not to cry and her whole body was trembling. His heart went out to the young woman. He pulled out the desk chair and sat down on it. He pulled her over beside him and had her sit on his knee. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to shout at you. I'm just a little frustrated. James left you in a bad way. You need help and you have to be ready and willing to ask. You have friends all around you, ready to help you out. All of his accounts are likely in his name only. You will have to get a lawyer to change that now that he's gone. Has the life insurance come through for you?"

Tina sniffed. "James made his mother the beneficiary. She has sent me nothing."

"Son of a bitch!" he growled.

"Yes, exactly." she smiled.

He looked at her in surprise and smiled back. She had spunk. Then he felt her shiver. The house did feel a little colder. "Well, you and Christopher can't stay here tonight. I'll call Gabriella or Catherine and I'm sure they can put you up in a spare room."

"Can't I stay with you?" she asked.

"Me?" he looked at her in surprise.

"Yes, we do not take too much room and we are very quiet. Christopher rarely cries as he is a sweet child." she smiled.

"I don't think it would be appropriate for you to stay in my home. Catherine has lots of spare bedrooms since her girls are at school." he explained. He saw her face fall. 

"I understand. We are a burden. We will go where you say." she said quietly.

"Damn." he thought and sighed. "Can you get me one of each of the bills you've recently received? Then go get your toiletries and a change of clothes for yourself and Christopher. And his food. You can stay with me tonight while I go over all of these bills. We'll make some calls in the morning and see if we can get your utilities back on. If we can't we'll make alternate living arrangements then. Sound like a plan?"

She beamed a huge smile at him and kissed his cheek. "Can you hold Christopher?" she asked.

"Certainly!" he said and gently took the boy in his arms. She smiled at him again and moved back to the cabinet. She quickly gathered the papers and left them in a stack on the desk. Then she went to the closet and pulled out a small suitcase. She rolled it out of the room with the flashlight. He turned on his cell phone flashlight app and used it to light the area around him. He heard Tina thump up the stairs. Minutes later she thumped back down and moved to the kitchen. A minute later she was back. He turned off his phone and handed Christopher back to Tina. He picked up the suitcase and followed her out of the house. After she locked up they walked back to his place and he let her in. She looked around and made pleased noises.

"Your home is beautiful!" she said with wonder.

He smiled at the young woman and led her down the hall to the first guest room. He flipped the light on saw the empty bed platform. Then he remembered that he'd pulled the mattress from the bed to replace the damaged one in the master bedroom. "Sorry, not this one." He moved further down the hall to the bedroom next to his. He flipped the lights on and saw the bed had no sheets. "I'll get you fresh sheets." 

"Do you not have a mattress cover?" she asked.

"No, I never needed one before." he replied thinking of his California King. His cell rang and he saw it was Catherine. Speak of the Devil. "Excuse me a minute."

He stepped into the hall to get some sheets and answer the phone.

"Hi Catherine! What's up?"

"Hi Ben! Gabriella and I were just cleaning up in the living room and we saw you and Tina out the front window walking past with a suitcase. Is everything ok?"

"Tina's power was shut off and I think some of the other utilities may be off or about to go off. Her house has no heat."

"Oh my god! She and Christopher are welcome to stay with me. I have plenty of room." Catherine offered.

"Yeah, I suggested that. She was pretty upset and embarrassed. I told her she could stay with me for the first night but tomorrow we'd make alternate plans. If you don't mind I'll suggest again that we take you up on your offer." he replied.

The line was silent for a bit and he thought it had disconnected then she was back. "OK, yeah, that would be fine. If you need anything please give me a call. Any time."

"Thanks Catherine! You are as generous as you are lovely." he said with a smile.

"Goodnight, Ben. Sweet dreams." she said, her tone a little wistful.

"Goodnight."

He got the sheets and went back into the guest bedroom. Tina was sitting on the edge of the bed feeding Christopher at her breast. Her other breast was exposed. The first thought that went through Ben's mind was that she had surprisingly large breasts for someone with such a small frame. Then he decided it was likely due to her breastfeeding. Then he realized that he standing watching her feeding her baby and it was such a lovely natural experience. He would have liked to have seen Wendy like this. Only when she smiled up at his wistful expression did he realize that maybe he shouldn't be there what with her other breast being exposed like that. He did an about face and went back out into the hall. "Sorry about that. I'll give you your privacy."

"I do not mind. Ben, the bed is lovely and soft but a little too soft for Christopher. I will need to get his bassinette."

"I can get that for you. Where is it?" Ben asked. He was grateful to have a mission to do while the baby was fed.

"It is in the master bedroom." she replied. "Here are my keys."

Ben entered the room and averted his eyes as he reached for the keys. When she didn't put them in his hand he had to look. Christopher was on her other breast now and the nipple of the first was red and swollen from his sucking. She had a small smile on her lips.

"Thank you for letting us stay tonight." she said and handed him the keys. 

He couldn't trust his voice so he just nodded then left the room.

It didn't take him more than seven minutes to retrieve the bassinette. When he returned with it Tina had already put the sheets on the bed and... she hadn't covered up her breasts yet.

"I am sorry. I must wait for my breasts to become less sensitive before I can put my shirt back on." She said to his pinking face.

"Quite understandable." he said looking anywhere but at her exposed chest. He put the baby's bed in her room and she lifted her son into it. He had the sweetest sleeper on and Ben couldn't help but gaze down on the sleeping boy with a smile. Tina stood beside him and rested her head on his arm as they watched him sleep. 

Then he became aware of her body again.

"Are you hungry?" Ben asked as he turned away. 

"No, not yet." she replied. 

"I'm going to the kitchen to start preparing something light, I'm not sure what yet. We can have dinner in an hour or so if you are ok with that. I'll look over your paperwork in the meantime." 

"Thank you." she said.

Ben looked into the kitchen cabinets and pulled out a large can of soup. He knew he had a loaf of fresh bread he could cut slices from to go with the soup. There was dinner. He had settled himself at the kitchen table and spread the papers out in front of him. He discovered that most were past due and some were about to go to collections. He saw the balances were all overdue and made notes of the phone numbers to call in the morning to settle the bills and get the services back online. Then he moved on to the bank papers. Tina was about to lose the house to the bank as the mortgage payments had not been paid in over four months. Ben realized that James skipped a payment before he went off to Las Vegas. Maybe he'd just forgotten. Ben would have to get on this first thing Monday morning.

Ben sighed and tallied up the total outstanding. There was no way Tina was going to be able to afford this. She certainly wasn't going to be able to afford to keep the home. He looked up and saw her standing in the kitchen doorway (fully dressed) with a sad look on her face. She was reading his.

"I'm going to lose my home." she said.

"As you don't have any income I don't see any alternative. If you can prove ownership you're best option is to sell the house which is far too large for just the two of you anyway. This will give you a nice bit of money to either get a smaller place or rent an apartment. You are young. You can go back to school and get a degree in something that interests you and you can put Christopher in Daphne's daycare while you study. Maybe you could rent a room from Trish's house which is right next to Daphne's daycare. You get to stay in the neighborhood." he saw the plan coming together in his mind as he explained her options.

Tina sat in the chair next to his and put her smaller hand over his. "Or I could stay with you."

Ben looked at Tina's dark brown eyes and saw the hope in them. "Tina, I'm terribly flattered but you're almost half my age. You deserve to find yourself a young man who will love you and Christopher and make a life of your own. You could BE my daughter had my wife and I been able to have children."

Tina looked around then dropped her eyes sadly. "I did not know you had a wife."

"She left me years ago. I'd rather not talk about it other than to say neither of us could make a baby and she found a man who could give her something I couldn't." he said with a pained frown.

"I am sorry. I cannot think of anything you do that wouldn't make a woman happy." she said.

"Tina, please. Let's talk about something else." his eyes remained haunted by his pain and Tina watched him sadly.

"May I tell you about James?" she asked softly.

Ben looked at her apprehensively. "What about James?"

"James was 14 years older than me. He did some investments for my parents when I was 18. He and my father were very similar and my father arranged that I would marry James. I could not defy my parents and James was handsome and good with money. I married him that year and we moved into this neighborhood. I thought he would want children right away but he put me on the pill immediately. I was a virgin when we were married and he was not good at sex so I did not enjoy it. Over time I discovered that I am a submissive. Do you know what that means, Ben?"

Ben was a little embarrassed but Tina's delivery of her story was so matter of fact it eased his concern about spying on the intimate details of her life. He found himself drawn into her tale, eager to hear more. Her question hit him from left field and he stuttered a little. "Uh, it means, uh, you give control of your well-being to your partner? You trust in them to take care of you?"

Tina beamed a huge smile at him. "You have a much nicer understanding than James did. For James it meant he could mistreat me, hit me, slap me, degrade me, and lose respect for me. He didn't want to have a child with a woman he didn't respect. I wanted a child desperately. I stopped taking my birth control. When I became pregnant he found out and beat me severely hoping I would miscarry but I saved my baby." She watched rage flare in Ben's eyes when she mentioned the beating and a thrill ran down her spine. "Once the baby was born he was beginning the process to be rid of me. He would leave me with nothing as I signed a form when we got married. I get nothing. I do not know if the lawyer is going to be able to change that and I have no money for a lawyer if I wanted one."




The Shepherd of Ashburn Court Pt. 02



Ben's look went bleak when she mentioned the prenup. "But the baby."

"Yes, by US Law he would have to pay for Christopher's care. But not if he snuck out of the country and went back to his mother in Korea. I believe he saw Las Vegas as his going away party." She looked down at her lap.

"He skipped the last mortgage payment intentionally." Ben said in realization.

Tina didn't look up but she nodded.

"Dirty son of a bitch!" he growled savagely and she looked at him with a small pleased smile.

"We're going to have to scramble to see if we can't salvage something financially from your marriage. I have a lawyer I'll call tomorrow to get the ball rolling." Ben said in a determined tone.

Tina gave him a little bow. "I cannot repay the kindness you continue to show me. Please know that I am your willing servant for as long as I live." She moved to the floor and knelt at his feet. 

Ben's eyebrows went all the way up and he nervously pulled back from the table. "Tina, please! I'm not expecting you to do that. I don't need a servant!" 

He saw the light go out of her eyes and her shoulders slumped. "It is all I have." she whispered despondently.

He wracked his mind trying to think of something to do to salvage this situation. He thought of the plan he'd suggested to her earlier. She needed a direction for her life. He wouldn't allow her to throw her potential away. He caught himself. He wouldn't allow her? He was already thinking of her in the way she wanted him to but that wasn't him, was it? He couldn't do that, could he?

He took another look at the young girl. Maybe he could just help get her back on track if she thought he was taking the role seriously. He squashed his visible nervousness and sat up straight.

"Tina, stand up." he said firmly.

Her eyes snapped to his when she heard his tone. She scrambled to her feet and looked down.

"Are you telling me... your life is mine to direct?" he asked calmly.

Again her eyes flicked to his and a spark of hope was there. She looked down and nodded quickly.

"You will follow my directions? You won't question my decisions? You will be mine to command?" his voice rumbled playfully.

She nodded energetically while keeping her eyes downwards.

"Then I will NOT allow you to waste your potential. I will define a life plan for you and you will follow it. I will take care of your expenses and you will do as I say. Is this understood?" he continued to rumble.

While she still hadn't looked at him the girl was practically vibrating with excitement. Ben started to have serious doubts about what he was getting into but it was the happiest he'd seen her and he was too far in now. He thought he'd better distract her so she didn't see his shaking hands.

"There is a can of soup on the counter. The pots are under the counter by the fridge. Get one and warm up the soup. You'll find a stirring spoon in the second drawer by the stove. The bread is in the wooden box on the counter. Get a knife from the top drawer next to the stove and cut off some thick slices of bread to accompany the soup." he instructed.

She looked up at him and her eyes were bright with joy. He raised his brows. "Go." he said quietly and she rushed off to get dinner started. He allowed himself a smile at her happiness then he turned back to the bank papers. He was no lawyer but even he could see there was no reference to Tina in any of the documents. James was a real piece of work. 

Tina made herself familiar with the kitchen by opening each of the drawers and cabinets one at a time for a quick glance. Then she inspected the appliances. She got the soup warming and the bread sliced and onto plates. She set the plates on the table away from the papers. 

Ben enjoyed hearing the domestic noises she was making as he worked. It made him recall happier days with Wendy. His smile became a little sad. Then Tina surprised him with a kiss on the cheek.

He looked at her and she froze. Suddenly she looked nervous, like she was expecting to be punished. "Why did you kiss me?" he asked.

"You looked sad. Did I do wrong?" she said and she was back to looking down and trembling while clenching her hands together before her lap.

"Come here." he said. She quickly got closer. He reached out and took her chin in his left hand. He could see her nostrils flare as she breathed deep and quick. He turned her face away from him and she tensed up, her eye lids fluttering slightly. He leaned in and kissed her cheek in return. She squeaked in surprise. 

"Thank you from rescuing me from my sadness. However, next time you will ask before you kiss me. I wouldn't want you to start making a habit of that. It could become difficult around others. Don't burn the soup." he said and she scooted back to the stove with a smile on her flushed face. 

He casually thought about the idea of watching a movie after supper and wondered if she'd be interested too. He had no idea what kind of movies she was into. The vast gap of his knowledge about the young woman and what he was taking on loomed before him. 

He worried about her reaction to his kiss discipline. She'd obviously been abused by her husband to behave that way. He'd have to work on deprogramming that response. 

Soon the soup was ready and Ben put away the paperwork. Tina served him then made herself a bowl. They ate together at the table in silent companionship. When they were done Tina jumped up and took the dishes to the sink and rinsed them, then put them in the dishwasher. She then washed and dried the pot and put it away. He was surprised how quick and efficient her movements were and she had a little smile on her face the whole time. The warmth of the soup and the events of the day suddenly caught up to Ben and he yawned hugely.

"Sorry, my eyelids are starting to droop. I think I'm going to take a quick shower then head off to bed." he said. "Thank you for dinner." Tina smiled and nodded deeply. "If you need anything please let me know. Also I'm typically up pretty early and do my work out downstairs. The house is pretty good at blocking noise so I shouldn't disturb you or Christopher but let me know if I do."

With a final good night he went back to his bedroom and shut the door. He picked out a pair of pajama bottoms and laid them out on the bed. He got undressed and dropped his dirty clothes in the hamper in the bathroom. He started the shower and stepped into his big custom designed stall. He lifted the lever and jets of hot water hit him from all sides. He felt his tension melting away so he closed his eyes.

They shot back open when he felt small hands rubbing soap against his back. "TINA!" he shouted.

He looked over his shoulder and saw her standing naked in his shower. The jets bounced off his body to hit her from all sides as well so she was quite drenched. She was looking at her feet with her hands clenched before her, silent.

"What the HELL do you think you are doing?" he barked.

Tina dropped to her knees and pressed her face to her hands on the floor of the shower. Ben turned the jets off and turned around. She couldn't see him crouched as she was anyway. He looked down at her and saw she was trembling violently. He knelt down on one knee and reached for her shoulders to lift her up. She flinched away strongly when he touched her and made a mewling noise of fear. Ben felt a surge of rage for James and wished he could have had a few minutes alone with the man before he'd boarded that plane. He touched her gently and got a careful grip on her upper arms. He lifted her to her knees and saw her lip was bleeding a little where she'd bitten it. Maybe when she dropped to the floor so suddenly.

God he felt like jerk. How was he supposed to treat a submissive in a situation like this? He wasn't going to hurt her though it seemed he'd already unintentionally done that. Firm but compassionate? Christ, he was out of his element. 

He put a finger under her chin and lifted her face. "Look at me." he said.

Her eyes flicked up to his. Her lips were trembling. "Did I give you permission to join me in the shower?"

She gave a quick shake of her head. He kept her face up so he could see her expression. "Then why did you come in?"

She suddenly got a confused look in her eye and started to cry. Ben turned and shut off the water. Then he stood and lifted Tina to her feet. He guided her out of the shower and pulled a big towel off a shelf. He wrapped the young woman in it and squeezed the water from her long black hair. Then he rubbed her body from the top down with the thick towel safety between his big hands and her tiny body. He wasn't very gently as he was still pretty upset. Her eyes closed in pleasure at the feel of his powerful hands on her body. Her tears dried. The towel and his hands passed over her breasts and her nipples hardened with the sensation. She was breathing hard. He spun her around and rubbed down her back and reached her ass. He stopped for just a second to admire the smooth roundness of her bottom then brutally drove all thoughts out of his head except for getting her dry. He roughly rubbed the towel over her ass and the top of her legs. He reached in quickly to dry the crack of her ass before beginning to rub her legs down. He worked quickly and firmly to get all of the water droplets off her skin. He spun her around again to dry the fronts of her legs. 

In his rush to complete her legs he saw he'd missed between her upper thighs so he rubbed up between her legs. The towel snagged under her foot as he was sliding his hand upwards and it dropped away. His fingers continued up to slapped up directly against her soft, wet opening. Her thighs clamped together in reaction, pinning his fingers in place as her breath rushed out. She squirmed forward and grabbed his shoulders, her head dipping down beside his. Her breath came out in gusts against his ear and Ben felt her opening spasm as if it was sucking at his fingertips. She was rocking through a strong orgasm. He tried to pull his fingers free but this just rubbed directly against her clit setting her off once more. She cried out as her pleasure crested powerfully. Her knees gave and she fell against him finally freeing his fingers. They were liberally coated with her wetness. 

Without thinking he put his fingers in his mouth to clean them so he could lift her shaking body. She saw him sucking her juices off his fingers and she moaned as a new shudder went through her small frame. He realized what he'd done but it was too late so he rubbed the rest on the towel and scooped the woman into his arms. She felt weightless. He carried her into the bedroom and placed her on the bed. He went back to get himself a towel and dried himself off. 

He came back out with the towel wrapped around him and looked down at the petite woman stretched across his bed, her damp hair spread out behind her head like a halo. She was so damn beautiful, vulnerable, and available. But she was also so damn young and frail. Her face was flushed and her nipples were standing at attention as she gently rubbed and tugged at them. She stared at Ben with her eyes only partially open. She was obviously still coming down from the series of orgasms she'd experienced. He sat on the edge of the bed and touched her cheek with his fingers as he ran his thumb over her bottom lip. God, she was lovely. Her eyes opened as she waited for him to do something.

"You expected I'd want you to wash my back because that's what you did for James?" he asked.

She nodded. Then she sucked his thumb into her mouth. The sensation went directly to his groin and he thickened quickly. He didn't realize she could see up his towel. Her eyes grew as she did.

"Before you make any assumptions you should ask me if that's what I want. Ok?" he asked.

She nodded unable to tear her eyes away from his hardening member. She began to tremble once more.

"What's wrong?" he asked.

"You're so big! It won't fit inside me!" she gulped in fear.

He suddenly realized she'd fully expected him to fuck her. She been waiting for him to rip off his towel and force himself on her. He was struck with the thought that she believed she was his for the taking! His body betrayed him as he felt himself stiffen until he was hard as an iron bar. This towel was seriously tenting. She was right though, there was no way he'd fit and he'd very likely hurt her if he tried. He felt like a creep for thinking it. He sighed.

"Don't worry, I won't do that to you." he said. She looked relieved then conflicted. "Come on, you should go to your own bed so I can go to sleep."

"Please don't send me away. I haven't slept well since James died."

Ben looked down at her pleading eyes and frowned. "Maybe you should have told me all this before I said you could stay the night." he growled at her. Her eyes immediately dropped and she looked unhappy and nervous. What had he gotten himself into?

He stood up and dropped the towel as she'd seen him already. Still, she watched with rapt attention. 

He tugged on the pajama bottoms and looked at Tina. "What are you wearing to bed? Don't say nothing." he said sternly. She just looked at him with her big sad brown eyes. He sighed and pulled a white t-shirt from his dresser and tossed it to her. She tugged the shirt over her head and it was ridiculously big. She looked down at herself and giggled. He smiled. 

She got up to check on Christopher. Ben followed her out and carried the bassinette back into his bedroom and set it up against the wall near Tina's side of the bed. He crossed to his side and climbed under the covers. Tina kissed Christopher's head then crawled under the sheets. Ben shut off the lights and breathed out a heavy sigh. His life had just gotten a hell of a lot more complicated. He felt the light pressure of Tina's hand coming to rest on his arm. He looked over and saw a little light reflecting off of her open eyes. She was looking at him. He reached out and pulled her against his side where she snuggled in. He kissed the top of her head and heard her sigh contentedly. Funny, he found this exceptionally relaxing too. Within minutes he was out. 

He was on the island of Hawaii in his beautiful ocean side suite. He was resting in bed with his beautiful wife Wendy and they were so happy. She smiled at him and her eyes twinkled as they did when she was truly happy. She gave him a mischievous smile and slipped under the sheets. He felt her kissing her way down towards his cock which stiffened in anticipation. Her tongue ran around the ridge of its head then lapped across it. She kissed its tip then ran her tongue up and down the shaft making it wet with her saliva. She licked back up to the top and opened her mouth to slowly slide the head inside. She was having trouble getting more than that into her small mouth. Her tiny hands slid up and down the length of him but she was struggling to get more inside her. He reached down and guided her mouth over his head and pressed until the a few more inches slid into her mouth. Feeling her tap on his leg he pulled her head up and she gasped for air. Then he felt her drive her head back down onto his stiff cock. He guided her back up and she'd thrust back down. She sped up as her mouth got used to the large intrusion. 

Ben felt his orgasm building and he gripped her head a little tighter and drove his cock into her mouth five more times and pulled up until only the head was locked behind her lips. As he exploded into her mouth his eyes snapped open and he was in his bed at home feeling a colossal orgasm rock through his body. His mind whited out but resurfaced a short time later. He fumbled for the light switch. He pulled the sheet back and Tina looked up at him from above his spent penis. Her face was red and sweaty and her eyes were full of tears from choking on his thickness. She seemed a little shaky. A little come had leaked out onto her chin. She reached down with a fingertip and pushed the drop into her mouth all the while holding his eyes with hers.

Ben swung his legs out of bed and saw his pajamas were pulled down to his thighs. He pulled them back up and went into the bathroom. He cleaned himself off then got a cool, damp face cloth and returned to the bed. He wiped the sweat from Tina's face and refreshed her face. Then he patted it dry with the towel on the bed. She smiled at him cautiously. He leaned in and kissed her deeply and aggressively. She whimpered into his mouth. Ben threw back the sheet, stacked the pillows at the head of the bed and pulled Tina up to lie back against them. He pushed her thighs back exposing her wet pussy. She moaned and squirmed in embarrassment as he looked down at the engorged pink outer lips and how they glistened. He kissed his way down the inside of Tina's right thigh and she gasped and writhed as he got closer. Then he began at the top of the other thigh. Tina was dripping when he finally ran his tongue flat over her lips and around the hood of her clit. Tina was crying out silently and then he sucked her clit into his mouth. Her legs began to shake violently as a mighty orgasm tore through her senses. Ben began to fuck her with his tongue and she made the cutest mewling sounds as she peaked again and again. She gripped his hair and held him against her.

He fastened his mouth over her gushing opening and thrashed her with his tongue until her eyes rolled back in her head and she went limp. He used the facecloth to wipe his face clean and to clean her nether region and dropped it into the bathroom hamper. He climbed back into bed, flipped off the light and tucked Tina up against his body. Once more he was asleep in minutes.

Chapter 10

When Ben woke he heard noises coming from the kitchen. He looked over at the clock and realized he'd slept in. The first time in years he'd done that. He thought back to the events of the evening before and in the cold light of day the reality of it slapped his face hard. Christ! She was young enough to be his daughter! Guilt came crashing down and he rubbed his face in his hands wondering how the hell he was going to fix this. Her submissiveness combined with the abuse her asshole husband put her through made her particularly vulnerable and he'd just gone and made things worse for her. He was such an ASS!

A weight landed on the bed and he pulled his hands back to see Tina in his oversized t-shirt smiling up at him. Her smile disappeared when she saw the look in his eye. She began to back out of the bed and he quickly reached down and gripped her upper arms and pulled her up onto his chest. He hugged her and kissed the top of her head. He felt her relax against him. 

Ben wanted to apologize for his actions the previous night but he knew she'd just take it as a rejection. He had to get her started on this life plan. Move forward. Begin her new life. He pushed her up onto her elbows on his chest so he could look at her face. She smiled tentatively as she tried to read his expression.

"Last night was a special treat. I wasn't expecting us to do that. It was beautiful but it was a special treat. Understand?" he said firmly, praying she wouldn't see it as a rejection.

She nodded.

Ben continued. "I don't like keeping secrets. They feel like lies to me. So I'm not going to ask you to keep what we did a secret. I will ask you to be discreet as there are people who will not be happy to know we shared a bed and did... wonderful things in it." Her face blushed and she smiled a 1000 watt smile as she squirmed in his grip but he wouldn't let her slip away. "I'm going to be brutally honest with you and I expect you to be the same with me. It's the only way I can live. Can you do that?" 

She nodded looking in his eyes with maybe a little apprehension.

"We're not boyfriend and girlfriend. We're not going to get married. You have too much life ahead of you to be saddled with someone so far into his own. You will find someone far more worthy of you and you two will make a long and wonderful life for yourselves." Ben said. She closed her eyes and started to shake her head. He took a firm grip on her chin and her eyes popped open. 




The Shepherd of Ashburn Court Pt. 02



"Did you not tell me your life was mine to direct? Did you lie to me last night? Are you questioning my decisions?" he asked coldly though inside he was cringing.

Her eyes snapped to his as she recalled his commands the evening before. She shook her head quickly and looked at him desperately, frightened she'd lost him. Time to reassure her.

Ben quickly rolled over and suddenly she was pinned to the bed under his heavy body. Her eyes were went wide with surprise and just a little fear as she felt his heat between her legs.

He was on his elbows so he wasn't totally crushing her. He took her pretty face between his hands and kissed her tenderly. She moaned into his mouth. He smiled and pulled away and walked over to the drawer to get his workout shorts. He tugged off his pajamas and pulled on the tight spandex.

"I'm going to go downstairs to workout. Then I'm going to take my shower. You can join me to wash my back if you'd like." he said and she smiled.

He was feeling really well rested this morning so his exercise routine zipped by and he felt his muscles responding as they used to when he was a younger man. When he got back upstairs she was waiting for him by the master bath, naked. He admired the view then tugged off his shorts and dropped them in the laundry bin. He stepped into the shower and got the water nice and hot. The jets felt good and the experience was just that much better with Tina's hands massaging his muscles and washing his sweat away. When she pressed herself against his back and reached around to 'wash' his penis he thought about stopping her but he just relaxed and allowed her to continue. Emboldened, she stroked him with both hands, gradually increasing her speed until his orgasm shook his body and gently flashed through his mind. He had his hands braced on the wall before him and she was pressed up against his back, kissing his twitching muscles. 

Once he'd recovered he turned and picked her up in his arms, his left around her back and his right supporting her ass. Her legs went around his hips.

He kissed her sweet lips and sucked on her pink tongue as it slipped into his mouth. Her breath came out in a rush when his right hand slid over the sensitive flesh of her pussy lips. Her hips began to grind as he rubbed her with a circular movement of his fingers, sliding over the hood of her clit with every revolution. Tina whimpered as her body responded in surges. When he slid his finger inside, she hissed and clung to him. Her pussy clamped down on his finger and he felt the inner walls tremble as he pumped his finger in and out. He went back to the circular motions and her cries were sharper and her body jolted harder. Her pussy was gushing now so he slid two fingers into her and her head went back in a silent scream. He held her tight as she shook and trembled against him. Once she was calm again he stood under the jets and rinsed them both clean.

He shut off the water and set Tina back on her feet. When he was sure she could stand on her own they left the shower and Tina stood waiting for him to dry her with a smile on her lips. He grinned and rolled his eyes before taking the fluffy towel to her body. Ben caught her standing on the towel when he went to dry her legs so he managed to avoid a repeat of the previous night's event though she pouted cutely. 

Once she left to go put on some clothes he dried himself off and got dressed. He walked into the kitchen and Tina was already making him breakfast. He picked up the stack of bills and started making calls. He discovered the utility payment services centers were closed until Monday he pushed the stack to the side and tried calling the bank but again struck out. He went into his office and brought his tablet out to the kitchen. He pulled up the website of the local university and pulled up the courses they offered. 

Tina brought him his breakfast and he looked at her expectantly. "Where's your plate?"

"I ate earlier as did Christopher." she explained.

He tucked in and enjoyed his meal. "It always tastes better when someone else makes it!" he thought.

Ben smiled as he watched her buzz around the kitchen cleaning up. Soon you couldn't tell she'd used it at all. She was so meticulous and organized!

"Tina, please sit here and take a look at the courses offered by the university. Let me know what you might be interested in." Ben said.

She took a seat next to him and ran through the list. She selected one and clicked its link. "This one." she said firmly.

"Bachelor of Science in Accounting. You think you'd like this?" he asked.

"That was what I was going to take before my parents married me to James." she said sadly.

"Time to take your life back? Alright!" he smiled and received a huge smile in return. The she looked down. 

"May I kiss your cheek?" she asked quietly.

Ben recalled his instructions from the night before. "Yes you may."

Tina leapt from her chair and kissed his offered cheek. She collected his dishes and got them into the dishwasher.

"I'm not going to be able to get your home's services back online today because the payment departments are all closed. We'd better go over and drain the water in the pipes in case the house drops below zero. We don't want the pipes bursting. We also need that prenup document. The lawyer is going to need it." 

Tina went to bundle up Christopher and once they were ready they went over to her house and she pointed out where the shut off valve was. Then he opened a tap in the basement laundry room and they opened the taps on each level to drain the pipes. That done Ben held Christopher while she went back to the look for the prenup. She returned with a worried look.

"The document isn't in the filing cabinet. I think his lawyer has it." she said quietly.

"Then I'll need the name and number of the lawyer so mine can get in touch with him." Ben replied.

He sent her off to fill a suitcase with clothes for herself and Christopher. "Don't forget something to wear when you sleep!" he called out. 

"James never let me wear clothes to bed so I don't have anything. Can I keep your shirt?" she asked.

Ben ground his teeth once more thinking of James and took a deep breath. "Yeah, sure." he replied.

When she got back he asked her if there were any personal items she wanted to get in case the bank sent someone to seal the house before they could resolve the ownership issue. She raced back upstairs and returned thumping down the stairs with another suitcase.

They stepped out the front door and almost bumped into Trish. 

"Good morning, Ben! Tina." she said. 

"Good morning, Trish! What brings you around?" Ben asked.

"I saw you and Tina going into the house and I wanted to speak to you about your offer last night. Were you serious?" she asked. 

"Can we talk about this inside? It's pretty cold out here for Christopher and Tina's house still has no power." Ben said.

"No power? Oh my god! How about we go back to my place then." she gasped.

They followed the woman back to her house and went into her living room. Ben and Tina stepped over the toys, books, and clothes strewn about.

"Sorry about the mess! Mason is an energetic whirlwind of destruction. He's over with Ryan at Hannah's now. Kids!" she chuckled.

Ben noticed the desperate look in Tina's eye as her need for order was cataloging all of the items and where they should go. He might have to intervene.

"So about that offer?" Trish asked nervously.

"I'm interested. If you get an assessment done I'll take-" Ben started and Trish handed him a docket. He raised his eyebrows and looked down at the folder.

"I told you I was on the verge of losing the house so I had my cousin Shelly, who's a realtor, write me up an assessment with comparable properties."

Ben opened the docket and read through the papers. He noted that some of the comparable houses probably shouldn't have been included. "Can I take a look at the house to see how close it is to these comparable properties?"

"Sure!" she smiled.

"Tina, please wait here." he said firmly and the young woman nodded absently. Trish looked at him oddly then led him into the next room. They saw the main floor and Ben made a few notes in his cell's notes app. Trish started to get a little nervous at his keen perception of the houses features and shortfalls. They went through the basement and he noted the furnace, the water heater, and opened up the electrical panel. More notes. He checked for water damage from foundation leaks (none) then announced he'd like to see the second floor. Trish led him upstairs and he made quick assessments of the sizes of each of the rooms and checked the water pressure in the shower. The final room Trish took him into was the master bedroom. 

"I haven't had a man in here since John." she giggled nervously. His mind was deep into calculations and estimates for renovations so he completely missed her comment but her nervous tone brought him back to the moment. He looked at her and her smile trembled a little.

He thought about the times he'd seen John and Trish heading out with a trailer full of toys like dirt bikes and jet skis. They always seemed to having so much fun. The stupid ass had thrown it all away for a quick thrill and left her all alone. "It's a damn shame." he said quietly to himself looking her in the eye. She heard him and blushed. She timidly stepped forward and looked up at him. Looking down he finally noticed that sometime during the tour the top three buttons on her tight sweater had somehow opened showing a rather large amount of her impressively augmented breasts. That was a lot of cleavage on display.

"So, you've had the tour. Is there anything else I could show you?" she breathed looking up into his eyes hopefully. One more step and her breasts were pressing against his chest.

He blinked and felt her hand slide gently up the fly of his pants. He froze in surprise.

"John and I had a really active sex life but there hasn't been anyone since the accident. That's a long time to go without! I need it!" Ben felt his zipper drop and a hand slide into his pants. He took a step back and she followed until his heels hit the bench at the end of the bed. He tumbled back and she followed him down, all the while sliding her hand along his shaft. It felt so good he hardened quickly and she squealed with delight. She tugged it out the fly of his pants as she slid down his body and held it against her face. 

"Oh god! What an amazing cock!" she gushed as she pressed it against her cheek.

"Trish!" Ben yelped but she reached up to place a finger against his lips. Then his cock was sliding into her mouth. She managed to get a third of it in with the first attempt. The sensation was too much for Ben and he flopped back on the bed. She swooped down again and managed to get a little more than half in. Still no gag. She pulled back.

"Oh god that feels so great in my mouth!" she groaned.

"Trish! Stop!" he said desperately.

"NO!" she yelled in dismay sliding her mouth over his cock and swallowed it down right to the base. Ben felt when it encountered the back of her throat and began to bend. When it pushed past that point the sensation of her throat squeezing his shaft took his breath away and he couldn't talk. Trish couldn't breathe as his cock became harder and swelled to jam in her throat. He looked down and saw her eyes were fluttering. He grabbed her head and pulled her off. When she was free she gasped in a huge breath and began to cough. Her eyes watered but she reached out and grabbed his rigid member as he tried to stuff it back in his pants.

"NO please! God, please don't put it away! I need it! It's been so long! Fuck me!" she begged. She yanked her yoga pants and panties down with one hand while clinging to his cock with the other hand. She knee walked over his legs with her pants tangled around her ankles.

She rubbed her wet pussy along his length then slid the fat head into the mouth of her pussy. 

Ben tried to pry her legs up but she slammed down on his cock, burying it in her right down to its base. Her eyes bulged as the head bumped into her cervix. Trish began to bounce on his cock shallowly at first then with long fast strokes. She was moaning loudly and squeezing her nipples. She grabbed Ben's hands and pressed them against her breasts. He instinctively squeezed and she threw her head back as she continued to ride his cock as hard as she could. 

He pinched her nipples hard to shock her back to her senses and let him up but she just screamed and drove downwards one last time as her orgasm obliterated all rational thought. She squeezed his hands tighter as she collapsed towards his chest. Ben was hard as concrete but he was nowhere near his own orgasm. Being used as a sex toy really wasn't his thing and that kept his mind out of the game. He lifted Trish's hips up until he slipped free. He felt her tremble as he laid her down next to him. She had her arm thrown over her eyes as she floated down from her orgasm. He slid to the end of the bed and walked carefully to the bedroom door with his wet cock sticking out of his zipper. He wasn't going to put it away like this. 

The door was partially open already and when he opened it Tina was standing in the hall with a worried look on her face. She looked down at his dripping erection and held up a finger to get him to wait. She rushed off and within seconds was back with a damp facecloth. She cleaned him carefully until she was sure she'd washed all of Trish's juices from him. Tina dabbed a few spots on his fly as well. Then she tried to push his erection back into his zipper but he was too hard. Ben waved her off and undid his pants. He tucked himself in sideways and closed his pants with a grimace. She nodded and went back downstairs.

"Ben?" Trish said softly.

He turned around. 

"I'm sorry." she said with tears in her eyes as she sat on the edge of the bed.

"It's OK." he said.

"No, it's not. You didn't come. You weren't interested. You told me to stop and I couldn't. God I feel so cheap." Her face twisted up into self-loathing.

He sat down next to her and put his arm around her. "Hey! Give yourself a break. You went from an active sex life to celibacy. Naturally your first step back into the game was a little rushed. It wasn't like I wasn't interested. I just wasn't moving at the same speed as you. Didn't you see how hard you made me?"

She looked up at his face with a small smile. "God you were SO hard!" She looked down. "You still ARE!" she exclaimed wide eyed. She reached for it and he slapped her hand playfully. She pulled her hand back in shock then grinned at his smile. 

"You've had your fun!" he admonished her, still smiling. "We still have a lot to talk about concerning your house. Maybe we should take care of THAT business first."

She nodded and made to move off the bed but he hadn't let go. She looked up at him again questioningly.

"So, are you ok?" he asked gently.

She smiled and nodded.

"And it was good for you?" he smiled.

She rolled her eyes. "It was heavenly!"

He leaned in and gave her a kiss on the lips. Not too quick and not too lingering.

Then he released her and they both left the bedroom and walked to the head of the stairs. He stopped her there and looked her in the eye. "When you get downstairs you may see a difference. Please don't say anything. Tina has a compulsion. She doesn't mean anything by it. OK?"

Trish's eyebrows went up but she nodded. 

As Ben expected the living room was tidy. All of the toys had been put away and the clothes were likely in the laundry room hamper. Books were on the shelves and even the furniture was rearranged more efficiently. Trish looked around stunned. Ben looked at her. "If she could have found your vacuum she would have done that too."

"Do you think I could hire her to come in once a week? If she can do this in just thirty minutes imaging what she could do in a day!" Trish gushed.

"That's something I'd actually like to speak to you about. I think Tina is going to lose her house. James did some nasty financial sabotage and it's going to be problematic to get the payments sorted out. I'm sending her back to school. University actually, and she's going to need a place to live. I was wondering if she and Christopher might stay with you and Mason. You see what she can do so I don't think it will be a hardship."

Trish was staring at Ben again. "You're sending her school? You're arranging her living arrangements? You tell her to stay put while we did the tour? What exactly is going on here between you two?" 

Ben blushed. "That asshole she married left her in a really bad spot. She asked me to help her. This is how I'm doing it. She's fully agreed."

"Right." she looked at him suspiciously.

"As her place it without power could she stay here tonight? It could be a test run." Ben said to move the conversation along.

"Sure! By tomorrow the house will be spotless!" Trish said. 

They arrived in the kitchen and Tina froze. She was reorganizing the cupboards and many items were on the counters. A look of guilt was plastered on her face.

"It's OK Tina. Keep going." Trish said with a smile. Tina returned it tenfold. Trish turned to Ben. "God that smile! She's gorgeous when she does that!" 

He just smiled and nodded.

"Where did she stay last night?" she asked quietly.

Ben did his best to look nonchalant but his voice caught "My place."

Trish's eyebrows rose. "Was anything of YOURS disturbed by her visit?"

Ben completely missed the double entendre and pictured how his place looked before and after. "No, actually. Everything was left exactly where it originally was. I think."

Trish gave him a frustrated look.

"What?" he asked.

"Never mind." she grumped.

"Let's leave her be and go talk about this house." Ben said and led the way back to the living room.

They sat on the couch and Ben brought out the assessment papers Trish gave him. "Three of the comparables aren't really comparable and are probably there to boost the implied value of this home. That's noise so I'm ignoring them." Trish looked a little upset. "Hang on. It's not all bad news. The home is in excellent shape and the services are all adequate for a house this size. I didn't see any structure issues, cracks, water damage, or potential for heat loss, that kind of thing, so I think there shouldn't be any big surprises. In my opinion, the price on the assessment of 1.5 million is a little too high. You can certainly put it on the market at that price and hope someone will pay it. It's up to you. For me I'd be willing to pay 1.1 million. I'd want to renovate a few features in the home. You have too many small bedrooms upstairs and that really reduces the impact of the master. I'd like to take the smallest bedroom next to the master and expand the master ensuite into it and build a walk in closet. The room will look twice as big if we pull out the existing closets and give that space back to the room. The kitchen will pop with new stone countertops and French doors leading out to your deck and a new wider bay window over the kitchen sink will bring in more light. That renovation will have to wait for warmer weather. The basement could definitely use a revitalization. I have ideas for that as well. You should come see what I've done with my place. I did all the work there myself and it didn't take that long."

"So, you'll pay me 1.1 million dollars for my home, renovate it, and then let me rent it out? How much is the rent going to be?" Trish asked.

"How much is your current mortgage payment?" he asked.

"Around $3400 a month" she said.

"Geez! That's high!" Ben said, surprised.

"That's why I have to leave. On top of the debts John left me with." Trish frowned.

"I was going to set the rent to $1200 a month. Is that feasible for you?" She nodded. "If you brought in an additional renter maybe you could split that in some percentage. Joanne's daughter needs a room while she's attending University. She probably wouldn't mind living here instead of by herself in her existing house." Ben explained.




The Shepherd of Ashburn Court Pt. 02



"You're really going to buy Joanne's home too?" she asked.

"Yes! It's a good investment and when I sell it I'll definitely make a profit." 

She looked at him with a worried expression. 

"We will make a written contract indicating that we've agreed that you and Mason will live in the house for a specified number of years at a specified rent. Will this ease your fears about me selling the house out from under you? Would that make you feel more comfortable?" he asked.

She smiled timidly. "Yes."

"Let's go see my place so you can get an impression of what the final state of the home could look like." Ben suggested. "We need to get Christopher's bassinette and Tina's suitcases anyway."

Tina walked back into the living room with Christopher in her arms and a happy, satisfied look on her face. 

Ben and Trish smiled at her.

They made their way to Ben's and Ben told Trish to have a look around while he spoke with Tina.

They heard her exclamations down the hall as she saw the master bath and walk in closet.

Ben sat down in the living room with the young woman. "Tina, starting tonight you are going to live with Trish. You know she needs help keeping her place organized. There may also be another tenant if Joanne's daughter Lily decides to take a room there. She is a sweet young woman and I think you two would get along."

Tina was looking down again. Ben reached over and lifted her chin with his finger. Her eyes were brimming with tears.

"What are these tears for?" he asked calmly, though inside he was dying.

"I- I was hoping I could live... with you." Tina said in a whisper.

"You know that isn't part of the life plan I am setting out for you. I've explained that already. I'm not cutting you out of my life but you will follow my directions if you want to remain in it. Is this understood?" he said firmly and calmly. Inside, he squirmed in torture.

"Yes." she said sadly.

Ben listened and looked over towards the stairs to the lower level. That's where he'd seen Trish heading. He turned back to Tina. "We'll plan another visit this week, alright?"

Her eyes brightened. "Overnight?"

He realized that she had to feel like she was earning it. "If you follow my instructions, yes."

The young woman was back to vibrating with excitement. "May I kiss you?"

One more glance to see Trish was nowhere to be seen. "Yes."

Then she was pressed hard against his body, her lips crushed against his, and her tongue exploring his mouth aggressively. He'd been expecting a kiss on the cheek so this caught him completely by surprise and he wasn't sure where this was coming from. 

Then he remembered her standing in the hall outside Trish's bedroom. Watching?

He put his hands on her body and she instantly began to moan and tremble. He slid his hands down and squeezed her cute little ass. She squealed into his mouth loudly and the noise startled him so he reached up and gently pushed her back. She clung to him until he growled. She instantly let go and sat back quietly with a smile on her face. The smile froze and her eyes darted up behind Ben. 

He closed his eyes and sighed as he realized she was probably looking at Trish. He heard footsteps as she walked from the dining room entrance into the living room and sat in a chair opposite him.

"Do you want to explain what I just witnessed?" Trish said.

Ben opened his eyes and looked directly into hers. "No." he said.

"No?" she asked.

"No."

She looked flustered. "Ben, she's half your age!"

Ben looked at the young woman. "Tina, am I your boyfriend?"

"No."

"Did I tell you I was going to marry you?"

"No." she said wistfully.

"Did I directly tell you or imply in any way that I wanted sexual favours from you?" he asked firmly.

"No." Again with the wistfulness.

"Will I keep my promise to pay your way through University?" he asked.

"Yes!"

"Did I tell you that you will meet someone your own age who will make a new wonderful life with you?" 

"Yes." she said sadly.

Ben looked Trish right in the eye. "While it's none of your business I'm being polite. Keep in mind that I don't tolerate gossip or small mindedness. Tina has tremendous potential. I'm going to make sure she doesn't waste it." He looked back at Tina. "Now, why did you kiss me like that?"

Tina's eyes got big and she looked nervously between Ben and Trish.

"Brutal honesty." Ben reminded her.

"I saw you and Trish on her bed. The way she rode you. So hard and fast. It was so hot! I wished it was me riding you!" Tina blurted.

Ben was watching Trish's face so he saw her embarrassment bloom across her face. He was glad he was able to remind the woman that she wasn't faultless in the chaos his life was becoming. 

Trish looked at Tina. "Then you two haven't..."

"No." Tina said sadly. "He's so big and I'm so small! One day I would like to try though. What he can do with his mouth and hands is incredible!"

"Tina!" Ben growled, embarrassed. "Remember what I said about being discrete."

"Sorry Ben. I shouldn't have pried into your personal life." Trish said contritely.

"Trish, I understand curiosity. That's fine. What I have a problem with his being judged before the facts are known. And sometimes those facts aren't for public knowledge." He was looking at Tina when he said the last part and she had the good grace to look sorry. "I know it's not easy but I've always tried to follow the policy of, if you don't know, don't judge."

Trish nodded as did Tina.

"So we can put all that behind us and move forward?" he asked.

"Yes." the women replied.

"What did you think of my house? Would you like to see some of these renovations in your place?" he asked Trish.

"I can have a master bath and walk-in like yours?" she asked incredulously. 

"No." Her face dropped. "It would be a little bigger than mine because your house's floor plan is larger." he said. 

Trish giggled in glee and clapped her hands.

"I take it that's a yes? You still want to sell your place to me?" Ben smiled.

"Yes!" she squealed. 

Tina grinned and clapped her hands too. Christopher started to laugh at all the happy noises.

Trish made plans to join Ben Monday morning with her cousin to sell her house to him. Shelly had promised her cousin to only take half her usual commission. Ben had to go to the bank anyway to get the money out for the gambling debt. Before she left Trish went up on her toes and gave Ben a deep slow kiss and asked if that was more his speed. He could only nod as his head was spinning. Trish carried the bassinette and the small suitcase with her. Tina left with her and got a playful spank on her butt as she went out the door. She squealed and smiled back at Ben with real fire in her eyes.

Ben looked at the number on the realty sign on the lawn of the Miller's home. He dialed it and spoke to the realtor. He asked what the house was going for but was told it had already sold for 1.25 million to a young family from Texas. Ben had missed his chance with the house.

That thought made him a little anxious about Joanne's home. He thought he might just pop in and see if she was ready to move on the sale. He yanked on his coat and made his way over to her place.

Joanne greeted him with a smile and invited him in. Lily was in the living room knitting... something large and deep blue and she greeted him as well. When they were all situated Joanne asked the reason for his visit.

"I was wondering if you'd care to continue our discussion about your house." Ben said glancing at Lily. 

Joanne caught the glance and smiled. "It's OK Ben, Lily is quite aware of my plans. Yes, I am still interested. Are you going to purchase Trish's place as well?"

"Yes, I was just over there a short while ago. She already had an assessment done. I did an inspection and told her what I'd be willing to spend and told her about the renovations I'm planning to do to the house. I showed her my home so she could see what the renovations will be and she's in. We'll do the sale tomorrow. Tina and Christopher are going to be moving in with her as Tina's likely going to lose her home. James did some nasty stuff with their finances. I don't think I'm going to be able to straighten that out. The bank will likely take the property back. If I can I'll try to buy it too but just to renovate and resell."

Joanne was staring at Ben. "Are you going to buy the Miller's home too?"

"I called but it was already sold to a 'young family from Texas'." Ben replied.

"And you were worried I'd sell mine to someone else too?" she said with a raised eyebrow.

"I'd like to buy it but if you think you can get a better price putting it on the market that's your call." Ben said honestly.

"Well there was the caveat of having Lily live in the home for the next two years." Joanne said.

Ben looked over at her daughter. "Would you consider renting a room from Trish? Then you wouldn't have to live alone and could share food expenses. Tina and Christopher will also be living there and Tina keeps a home really neat and clean so that's a big help."

"That would be preferable to living alone!" Lily said.

"Ben... that just eliminated the primary reason I had for selling it exclusively to you! You aren't much of a negotiator." Joanne said. 

"I'm not going to try to trick or blackmail you into selling it to me. I don't work that way. I thought Lily would be better served by living with Trish so I let her know she had the option. This frees you from your constraint and lets you pursue other options. I'd be willing to do my own assessment and leave you with what I'm willing to pay for it. Then you can take that number with you when you speak with a realtor." Ben said frankly.

"OK, yes, please do the assessment. Let me know what you'd pay." Joanne said. Ben nodded and began his inspection.

Once he'd left the room Lily glared at her mother "How can you treat Mr. Shepherd like that? That wasn't very nice!" she complained.

"He offered!" Joanne hissed.

"After he generously freed you from finding me a place to live!" Lily admonished.

"He offered." she said weakly.

Lily just scowled at her mother and went back to knitting.

Ten minutes later Ben returned and went over his findings. Again, the house was in pretty good shape but the furnace and water heater were in need of replacing and electrical panel was full. It would need replacing if Ben were to do any renovations. He explained his finding and described the showers he'd install and intended to install in Trish's place. Lily's eyes lit up then she heard what she'd get to use living there.

"So, I'd be willing to spend 1.15 million on your home." Ben said.

"That's your final offer?" Joanne asked.

"MOM!" Lily cried incredulously.

Ben smiled at the young woman. "No it's fine. Yes Joanne, that's my final offer. If you believe you can get more please go ahead. The Miller's home sold for 1.25 million so you might find someone willing to go at least that high, but their place has that big pool in the backyard with all that landscaping. You'll also be on the hook for paying the realtor commission. Let me know when you can."

With that Ben said his goodbyes and went home.

He was looking at the bank paperwork for Tina and thinking of all the calls he'd have to make. 

Ben called his lawyer and left a message with James' lawyer's details and asked for a call back to discuss a way to salvage Tina Lee's legal rights to her home and any funds her husband had before the bank took it away.

He thought about the bank and the money he'd need to withdraw tomorrow for the gambling debt. He was a little concerned the Selleni brothers might try to keep extorting money from them. While he didn't really want to involve their older and smarter brother, Ben needed his advice on how to deal with his brothers. He'd shared classes with Dominic and had kept him from being included in the expulsions when the Selleni's poker ring was busted. Ben knew Dominic had nothing to do with his brother's dirty little game and had gone to the Dean to clear Dominic's name. Angelo and Michael were kicked out and never went back to school. They opened the restaurant instead and it seemed they reopened their crooked game as well.

Ben looked up Dominic's number and called him up.

"Selleni residence."

"Hi, may I speak with Dominic Selleni?" Ben asked.

"Speaking. Who's this?"

"It's Ben Shepherd."

"Ben? How ya doing man! God! It's been years!" the man boomed in the phone. Ben smiled. Dominic always had been a little larger than life.

"I'm doing very well. Keeping myself busy. How about you?" Ben admitted.

"Fantastic! My third grandchild will be arriving any day now!" Dominic said proudly.

"Congratulations! That's wonderful!" Ben said.

"Hey! I heard through the grape vine that you found yourself a woman. God we thought you'd never speak to a girl much less marry one! Hahahahaha!" The laughter thundered from the phone.

"Yeah, I married one but it... didn't work out." Ben said a little stiffly.

"Oh, I'm so sorry." He heard the sincere regret in the man's voice.

"That's life. I'm really glad your life is treating you so well! You really deserve it!" Ben said trying to change the conversation. He was getting more and more uncomfortable about bringing the issue with man's brothers up but there was that potential threat to Trish.

"Thanks man!" Dominic said.

"Listen, do you keep in touch with Angelo and Michael? Do they still run the Celestial?" Ben asked.

Dominic's tone became worried. "Yeah, they do. I try to keep my distance from those bozos. Why?"

"I think they've started up that poker game of theirs again."

"WHAT? Those fucking losers! They didn't get you, did they? Wait a minute, stupid question, of course not." Dominic rumbled.

"The husband of a friend of mine was into them for $40K. He died months ago and the widow is getting threats. I told them I'd pay the debt and it went up to $60K. I just want to make sure if I pay Angelo that's the last I'll hear from them. I'm supposed to pay them tomorrow."

"Don't you pay them one fucking cent! Promise me you won't!" Dominic pleaded.

"Dominic, I don't want to get you involved. I just wanted your advice. You know them better than me. The widow doesn't need the grief. I'm willing to pay to make them go away as long as stay away."

"Oh, I'm not going to get involved. Not at all. I'm taking my wife and kids out for a very public dinner tonight. But don't you pay a cent to those low life scum. Promise me! I'm sorry to call them my brothers. Listen I got to make some calls. You have a great night! Don't be a stranger! Come visit and I'll let you bounce a grandkid on your knee! Does wonders for your soul!" 

"Thanks Dominic!" Ben said a little shaken.

"You take care now! Bye!" The man hung up and Ben wondered what he had just started. He hoped he didn't cause trouble for Dominic.

Ben recalled that Hannah and Beth would be coming over tonight after dinner to have an informal group therapy session. He thought maybe they could sit in his living room or for a more intimate setting there was the media room in the basement. The chairs and couches were a little more comfortable and the lighting more soothing downstairs. He'd play it by ear based on how Beth felt. 

Ben looked around and realized that until recently very few people had ever been in his house. Yet within the past few days four of neighbors had visited. He wondered why none of them ever visited before. Was it him?

There was one call he could make today. He looked up the number and called the shop where he'd bought his California King pillow top mattress and ordered a new one with a mattress protector. Having learned his lesson he also ordered some protectors for the other mattresses in the house. The salesman said that they had only one of the extra-large mattresses in stock and could get it to him before the dinner hour if he paid the extra $100 for rush delivery. He gave them his credit card number and they said it would arrive before 6PM and they'd dispose of the old one no charge.

That taken care of he moved the queen mattress from his room back to the first guest room and replaced the sheets. He made himself busy baking some cookies for Beth and Hannah (but mostly for Beth who needed to put some mass back on her bones). Once the cookies were in the oven he grabbed his tablet and checked out his favorite Engineering forums and Trade Papers. He saw a few projects he might be interested in tackling and book marked them. That done he wrote up the rental agreement for Trish. He'd get her to sign it to tomorrow. He spent the rest of the afternoon baking and reading and before he knew it the truck arrived with his new mattress.

His bed was back to normal and had fresh sheets for tonight's sleep. He wondered how he'd sleep considering how well he'd slept with Tina at his side. He'd see.

He made himself dinner and was cleaning up when the doorbell rang. He wiped his hands and let Hannah and Beth in. He took their coats and gave them both hugs.

"Do I smell... peanut butter cookies?" Beth smiled.

"Yes, I made them especially for you! You like them right?" Ben asked.

"I LOVE peanut butter cookies! How did you know?" she asked.

"I was out for a walk one day when you and the kids were getting back from school and I overheard you mentioning it to Jane when she gave you some she baked at school." he said

Beth stared at Ben. "That- that was... what, three years ago!"

"Seemed like an important thing to remember." Ben smiled at her. 

Beth looked at Hannah with tears in her eyes and a frustrated look on her face. "Jesus, Larry couldn't remember the color of my hair and Ben remembers what kind of cookie I like from a single comment he overheard years ago."

"It just proves Larry wasn't the yardstick to measure good men by. Men who deserve your attention. Ben, where shall we sit?" Hannah said. 

"I was thinking it might be nice to sit down in the media room. It's cozy and more conducive to conversation." Ben suggested. 

"Lead the way! You have a beautiful home by the way!" Hannah said looking into the living room.

"Would you two like a tour? Trish was over earlier today looking at the renovations I did on mine to see what I will do on her house after I buy it. She quite liked it." he said.

"That would be very nice, yes!" Hannah said.

Ben showed them the living room, through to the dining room and the updated kitchen which was a big hit. They couldn't really see the deck well but liked his French doors which led out to it. They made appreciative noises in the guest bedrooms and when he led them into the master bedroom Beth was stunned by the size of the bed. She looked at him and back to the bed.

"Ben, I know you're a big man but do you really need a bed that large?" she exclaimed.

He shrugged and frowned. "Wendy needed her space on the bed and I just got used to having a bed this size."

"Looks like it could sleep three with room to spare!" Beth gushed then the three of them looked at each other suddenly aware of the implication. Beth giggled nervously. 

"Through here is the master bath." Ben said to change the topic to safer grounds.

They entered and Hannah took one look at the oversized shower stall with surround jets. She looked at Beth. "Looks like the shower could fit three as well." she said with a grin and Beth's giggles just got worse. 

Ben led them out and down the hall to the stairs to the basement. They did the tour downstairs and ended up on the couches Ben had arranged in a circle in the media room. Each of them had a couch facing the other two. There was a plate of cookies sitting on the table in the center. Ben picked one up and handed it to Beth. When she just opened her mouth Ben picked up her hand and put it in her palm with a grin.




The Shepherd of Ashburn Court Pt. 03



Author's Notes:

In Part 3 as the relationships become far more physical Ben begins to have a crisis of the heart.

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

********

Chapter 11

Ben was sitting in the office of Shelly Spencer, Master Realtor. Master mouth would have been a more accurate title as the woman never shut up. When she wasn't talking she was giggling nervously. She didn't look much like Trish so there wasn't really a family resemblance aside from her height and her fake boobs. Trish whispered to Ben that Shelly had gotten hers the month after Trish had shown up at a family Christmas gathering with her new boobs. Trish was a red head while Shelly was blond. Big blond hair in gentle waves to mid back, soft blue eyes, very plump lips which may have been cosmetically enhanced, elegantly attired, tasteful jewelry but too much volume in her voice.

Ben was already getting a headache from the woman's constant need to fill any silence with noise from her face. Trish picked up on Ben's discomfort and tried to play interference by distracting Shelly when she could. Shelly rushed off to get some paperwork his lawyer was faxing to her so Trish leaned over to Ben.

"I'm so sorry Ben! I forgot how Shelly gets around men she's trying to impress. I haven't seen in her some time."

"I'd be more impressed if there was less coming out of her mouth. Maybe she needs to chew gum, bite down on a pencil, or find something else to do with her mouth other than talking." he grumbled. He knew it was more her nervousness that was grating on him than her talking but he wasn't sure what to say about that. He looked at Trish. "Maybe you could just ask her to calm down. The sale is a done deal, she's going to get her commission. I think she's a nice person, she just needs to relax." He noticed Trish had a mischievous look on her face. "What?"

"You just made me think of something Shelly would LOVE to do with her mouth." she said slyly.

"I'm really starting to worry that people have this impression of me as some kind of... damn, is there a term for promiscuous male?"

"Male?" Trish said with a smile.

"You're a million laughs." he growled.

"Sorry Ben, you're gorgeous, sexy and people assume you'll be great in bed- I mean from the one experience I had, which I will admit was way too rushed, it's true!" Trish said rubbing her thighs together as she recalled the event. "People want to believe in the possibility that you'll share all this with them." She gestured at his body.

"That's nice of you to say but I'm not looking to 'bang anything that moves'. I'm not even currently looking for a girlfriend." he replied quietly as he heard Shelly returning.

"Sorry about the wait. Ben, your lawyer faxed over the paperwork so you'll just need to sign in the appropriate places. He was remarkably quick on the title search as well! Once you've signed we can walk over to the bank to transfer the funds. Then I get my cheque!" Shelly began to giggle once more. Ben's smile looked just a little strained. 

Trish knew what to say to stop Shelly from giggling.

"Ben, did I tell you Shelly and I once dated the same guy and we didn't know he was two timing us?"

"TRISH! You can't tell Ben that story!" Shelly shrieked.

"We'd both started college and he'd just graduated. He was older, more mature and worldly, a real smooth operator. I was in love and Shelly was too. We just didn't know it was the same guy."

"Trish! Please!" Shelly started to blush and her expression was moving from nervousness to panic. Ben started to feel bad for her and looked over at Trish but she was lost in her reverie.

"I would have done anything for this guy, I was that infatuated with him. Hell, I DID do things with him I haven't done with anyone else, not even John." Trish blushed and squirmed as she squeezed her thighs together hard. "God, he was hot! Then one day he said he wanted to try a threesome, add another woman to the mix. I was a little threatened but he made me feel special and loved, so I agreed. The night arrived and the lights in his place were off. He said this was to add to the mystery. We weren't allowed to speak and we had those stupid feathered ball masks on, covering the top half of our faces only. I was nervous as hell so we had a drink then another. Then we started. I have to admit it was pretty damn hot. What she could do with her mouth! It was the first time I'd seen anyone take a cock all the way down her throat. I'd never been able to do that for him. I should have been jealous but I was just amazed. She was incredible. And the best part was she loved it. You could see it in her eyes, her movements, the way she breathed, her moans, I was mesmerised. It was breathtaking!"

"Trish. Please. Don't." Shelly was whimpering, pleading, and her face and chest were red with embarrassment.

"And it wasn't just that she loved it, it was all the more special because she loved him. It was a pure connection between two souls! I had tears in my eyes! After his orgasm I leaned down and kissed her to share but the moment our lips touched I knew. It was my cousin. And he knew. The bastard knew. His smug, cruel expression made me ill but what hurt most... wasn't that he'd broken my heart. No, it was that he'd broken the heart of a woman who had expressed such pure passion and love. He hurt my cousin and I could never forgive him for that. I loved her far more than I loved him." 

Shelly's face was the picture of surprise. She was crying but the tears were no longer of embarrassment. They were of love. Shelly grabbed her cousin in a hug and the two women cried together. 

Ben was awestruck. Obviously this was the first time Shelly had heard Trish's confession of love. What seemed to begin as an embarrassing and potentially cruel tale had turned into something truly special. He wondered why Trish had chosen this moment to open up to her. He felt honored to have been included. Tears were running down his face. Trish looked over and smiled at her neighbor.

"Oh Ben, you're such a sweet man. You know you're the reason I was finally able to tell Shelly how I truly feel." 

"What? Me?" Ben exclaimed.

"Brutal honesty." she said. "You said it to Tina and she told me what that meant last night. How you can't live any other way. I thought about when in my life I had been less honest than I should have been. There was one truly defining moment where I should have been truthful. I immediately thought of my beautiful, loving cousin and how I'd left her there that night and never let her know that I didn't hate her for taking that worthless man from me. I left because I was so consumed with rage for that selfish bastard that I couldn't trust myself to speak. I was afraid of the violence I wanted to do to him." She looked at her cousin. "I only wish I'd had the strength to speak my mind that night and drag you away with me."

Shelly was still holding her cousin and love was written all over her face. Trish leaned her forehead against Shelly's. "I love you, cousin!" Shelly's smile glowed across her entire face and tears of joy continued to fall.

It took a while but they finally got control of themselves and dabbed the tears from their eyes. 

"Shall we go to the bank now?" Ben asked.

"Yes, let's." Shelly said. She was so much calmer and Ben could finally see the grace she'd hidden behind her nerves.

When they got outside, Trish hooked her arm through Ben's and Shelly looked up at Ben hopefully. He put out his other arm and she put hers through it. They walked like that all the way to the bank.

Ben spoke with the manager and the man authorized the transfer from his account to Trish's. He also arranged the cheque for Shelly. Trish paid off the remaining balance on her mortgage and was still left with over $675,000. She rushed across the bank and leapt into Ben's arms with a whoop of joy. Customers turned to look and smiles were on a lot of faces. 

"Feeling a little more comfortable now?" Ben asked putting her back on her feet with a smile.

"Yes, my future looks a lot more promising! And a critical mistake in my past has been repaired!" She took Shelly's hand in hers. "And I owe both to you Ben."

"I can't really take credit for you and Shelly. That was your bravery and your love for your cousin." Ben said.

"You were right, he is a sweet man!" Shelly said looking at Ben who squirmed under their admiring eyes.

They walked back to Shelly's office arm in arm again only their grip on Ben was a little tighter now. Back at the parking lot Ben said his goodbyes as he had to head home. Trish insisted on giving Ben a big kiss. She pressed her body against him and her tongue explored his mouth. This had the intended effect and Ben swelled quickly in his tight pants. 

What Ben couldn't see was Trish reaching out for her cousin's hand. As Trish's tongue tangled with his he felt a tentative touch on his bulge between their bodies. Then the hand was pressing hard and sliding up and up until it was gripping the head. He heard Shelly gasp and his eyes opened. She was standing right next to them hiding her actions and it was her hand rubbing and squeezing his cock through his pants with Trish guiding her wrist. He pulled back from the kiss and took a step away which made them pull their hands back. He was trembling with reaction. His body wanted more but his mind was confused. 

"Trish, we'll talk later. Shelly, it was really nice meeting you." he said, his voice deep and rough. Ben turned and walked awkwardly to his truck and quickly pulled out of the lot. He saw them standing together watching him drive away. It was difficult driving with his erection trying to escape from his pants. Once more his body betrayed him. He'd just finished telling Trish he didn't want to be promiscuous and she was encouraging her cousin to grab his cock! 

Finally he just forced himself to put the event out of his mind and concentrate on his next project, saving Tina's financial resources. He got home and immediately called his lawyer. The man said that the prenup was solid. He'd spoken with James' lawyer and there was no wiggle room. All assets were exclusively in James' name and there was more bad news. James had made a lot of bad investments and hadn't properly insulated his personal assets. His estate was being sued and the bank had already moved to seize the funds in his account, the house, and the car. There would be no money.

The good news was that James had done such an excellent job of isolating Tina that she was protected from the outstanding debts. Any assets she had were protected and she couldn't be named in the lawsuits. She could walk away.

Ben was glad he'd told her to get her personal items from the house as to try now would just get her in trouble. He thanked his lawyer and hung up.

Late in the afternoon his doorbell rang. Gabriella and Catherine were on his step wearing identical looks of shame. He let them in, took their coats and led them into the living room. After they turned down an offer for something to drink Gabriella leaned forward and looked him right in the eye.

"Ben, we just wanted you to know how sorry we are for accusing you of being an arsonist. When you protected us from the paparazzo we were stunned by how far you were willing to go to protect your friends." she said earnestly. "We were just worried that you might be caught this time as they were likely to take what happened to the Celestial far more seriously."

Ben nodded and sighed. "I'm sorry about how I reacted last night. I can see how you might have made that leap to the idea I was responsible. Let me assure you I wasn't. I spent the evening talking with Hannah and Beth from 7PM until midnight. When I told Trish I'd take care of it I meant by paying the debt. I don't think that will be necessary now." Ben stopped there as he didn't want to implicate his University buddy Dominic whose calls had obviously been very effective.

"I saw a locksmith park in Tina's driveway this morning. Is she changing the locks?" Cat asked.

"No, they were likely sent by the bank. They've seized all of James' assets as his estate is under a few lawsuits for his bad investments. Luckily Tina is protected from those but all she has now is the stuff she took out yesterday in some suitcases." he said sadly.

"No Ben, she also has us as her friends. Where is she going to live?" Gabriella asked.

"She and Christopher are going to live with Trish. I just bought Trish's house today. " Ben said.

The women looked at each other. "That's great!" Catherine said. "What is she going to do for work? She'll need daycare for Christopher."

"Yeah, I figured she could get Christopher enrolled in Daphne's day care when it opens. She's going to go to University for a Bachelor of Science in Accounting. It was what she had planned on doing before her parents married her off to that asshole James."

Again the women shared a concerned look. "Ben, how can she afford to do this? You said all she has are the suitcases with her. Unless they were filled with money, she's not going to be able to afford to pay for daycare much less University." Gabriella said gently.

"I'm paying for it." was all he said.

"Why?" Cat asked.

Ben frowned looking down at his big hands. He looked up at the two women who were leaning towards him with concern plain on their faces. He came to a decision. "May I show you something?" he asked quietly. They nodded. He got up and walked out of the room gesturing for them to follow. He walked downstairs and the two women stayed close. He stopped at a closed door and looked back. They saw he was struggling with something. 

"This is my inner sanctum if you will. This is where I spent the years after I resurfaced from losing Wendy. After Gabriella brought me home from the hospital. I haven't shown anyone this room. 

Cat and Gabriella were both very curious and just a little apprehensive.

Ben punched in a code on a panel they couldn't see and the lock clicked open. He pushed into the dark room and the lights came on automatically. The room was enormous and Gabriella realized it had to extend out under the backyard. There was some kind of machine shop at the far end of the room and dominating the foreground was a huge drafting table surrounded by smaller tables with papers and tools stacked upon them. Neatly organized clutter.

Along one wall was a series of lit display cases. Inside were objects of different sizes and shapes. Nothing was recognizable but thankfully nothing looked in the least sinister. Gabriella and Catherine both took a deep breath and they grinned because they realized they'd both been holding their breath.

Ben walked over to the first display case. Inside was a small silver valve.

"Before I left University I designed and patented this valve. Far more efficient and safe for use in nuclear power installations. I sold the patent for 4 million dollars and invested it well. I could have lived off that but for my master life plan I wanted a home, a wife, and a big family." Ben moved over to the next display. "This was a new type of insulator which greatly reduces electric current harmonics. I sold the patent for 10 million. I invested that too." 

He turned back to the two women. "I had my nest egg. I needed the home, wife and family." He gestured to the house. "I got one out of three. Wendy was sterile and I was pretty close to being sterile myself. No kids. She didn't take it well. I reminded her that she would never have kids. She left me for someone who could make her happy." He winced and turned away, tears coming to his eyes. Catherine reached out but Gabriella caught her hand as she knew Ben still needed to get through his story. "You know the next five years of my story. Drunk and good for nothing much else. I'd lost all purpose. My master life plan disappeared like the smoke it was made of. Nothing proves how stupid making plans can be like a smack in the face by life. Then the day of the pedophile. A child on MY street! One of MY neighbor's children being abducted. I couldn't let that happen. When I had his neck in my hands I looked at you and Miriam and I thought of the grief and pain he was going to cause you both when he went to trial and I couldn't let that happen. I was so angry. Then he was dead. I killed him. It wasn't an accident. It was murder. At that moment I realized how low I was willing to go. What kind of person I really was. It didn't matter what happened to me after that. For all my careful planning I hadn't amounted to anything in the long run but if I could protect just this one child it somehow it felt like maybe, just maybe it made up for everything."

Ben looked at Gabriella with tears in his eyes. "I had three bullets in me and that wasn't enough to end me. As a cosmic joke one of them deflected off a bone and finished the job of neutering me. A bullet vasectomy. Take that for the ironic twist it is. A monster who destroys children's lives ensuring his killer can't bring any children of his own into the world." Ben shook his head and started to move a little further down the wall of display cases. Gabriella and Catherine followed with tears of their own in their eyes. 

"When I got home I just went into automatic pilot. I fell into a routine of working out and spending time in this room. I'd find an issue someone reported on the Engineering forums and I'd come up with a solution. I'd patent the design and license it out to some manufacturing plant to provide the actual physical products. Sometimes I'd just sell the patent and invest the money. Lately I've done a few just for fun. Once I solved a Mexican Electrical Power Station technician's issue and I emailed him the solution anonymously saying it was his to do with as he chose. He made a fortune and it benefited his home town immensely. Spreading the wealth."

The women looked at the display cases and realized there were maybe fifty of so little devices each representing a small fortune if what Ben was telling them was accurate. They believed him.

"Money, I have. What I lack is purpose. My parent's died when I was young so I wasn't born to take care of them. I have no brothers, sister, or even cousins to love and support. I can't produce children of my own to carry on the family name. I'm a genetic dead end and my family tree ends with me. Obviously I'm not here to make a wife happy. What do I have? I can engineer and invent solutions and generate money but money is useless without a purpose too." Ben's tears were flowing freely but he didn't appear to be aware of them.

"Tina is young. Young enough to be my daughter had I been so fortunate. But her life was given a bad start. I can help her get her life back on track. It's only money. I don't care about that. It's far more important to me that she not waste that brilliant mind of hers. She needs to get her life back and I can help her so I will. That gives my life just a little purpose."

"I love this neighborhood. I don't socialize with everyone but there are people in it who are like parts of the family I never had. I want to protect that. If I can keep a member of that family close by using some of my money to buy her house and provide her with a place to live in it, I'm going to do it. It makes me feel like I have a purpose. Like maybe, just maybe I'm worth something."

The women couldn't take any more so they rushed to his side and grabbed Ben in a fierce hug. The three stood there in his office crying and holding each other. Finally he pulled away and led them from the room. He locked it up tight and led them back to the living room.

"Like I told Tina, I don't like secrets. So I'm not going to ask you to keep what I've told you a secret but I'd really appreciate it if you could use discretion in who you share it with and avoid talking about it if you can. Hannah is the only other one I've shared with and she's only heard some of it. You two are... special to me." Ben said looking down at his clenched hands in his lap.




The Shepherd of Ashburn Court Pt. 03



"Ben, you are special to us as well." Gabriella said and placed her hand on top of his. Catherine placed hers on top as well.

The doorbell rang breaking the moment. Ben got up and went to the door. Standing outside was Trish who was looking nervous. He let her in.

Trish missed the extra coats hanging on the hooks and immediately went into her apology when the door closed. Ben tried to get her attention but she missed that too

"Ben, I'm so sorry if I've upset you. I just wanted to show you how much it meant to me your bailing me out of my financial crisis. When I kissed you and you got so hard like that I just had to show Shelly because I love her so much and she could really make you feel good with her amazing mouth and like I said she really loves it-"

"TRISH! I have company!" Ben finally yelled to stop her. 

Her mouth was open and her wide eyes darted to the entrance of the living room where Gabriella and Catherine appeared. They stood glaring at Trish with their arms crossed.

"oh god." she peeped, her face shading to match her hair.

"Please! In the living room, now!" Ben growled.

Trish kicked off her boots and Ben hung up her coat.

Gabriella and Catherine tried to sit next to Ben on the couch but he didn't want this to look like he was ganging up on Trish. She made a mistake. He just wanted to clear the air. Trish took the chair facing the couch. He let Gabriella and Catherine take the couch then he shifted over to the ottoman between them and Trish. 

"I'm flattered by the attention. I really am. I'm finding... I definitely have a weakness for beautiful women and you all qualify as that. My body seems to have a mind of its own. It acts like a freaking teenager! But I need to make something clear. I'm not looking for a girlfriend right now. I'm not much of a catch at the moment- Please... let me finish." he said when all three started to protest.

"There has been an unprecedented increase in kissing in recent days. I went years without the touch of lips on mine and now the three of you... and Tina to be completely honest, seem to have made it your mission to reacquaint me with what I've been missing. You know, based on physical evidence, that I enjoy these moments but afterwards I'm left confused and worried I've led you on. It tears me up inside. I'm not promiscuous. I'm not a player. I'm having difficulty with the emotional context of all of this. With Tina, I've been bluntly honest in making it very clear that while I can help give her life structure and direction in the short term she understands that she and I will not be a couple. She deserves someone her own age. I've kissed Beth too but she knows we're playing and it's therapeutic, a way to bring her back to that fun vivacious woman she used to be."

Ben looked deeply into the caring eyes of the three women in front of him. "But you three, you leave my heart is tied in knots. It's far too easy to see myself falling in love again. I can't. Not right now. I'm not worthy of any of you as I am. I'm terrified of hurting you. It would be Wendy all over again."

He put his hands over his face and shuddered.

The three women looked at each other with worried eyes. They didn't want to hurt Ben or each other. Trish was first to speak.

'Ben, please don't worry about me. I'm not hurt. I'm flattered that you could see yourself falling in love with me but please know I'm not looking for love right now either. I apologize for not making that clear before. For not understanding or even acknowledging your confusion. My heart is still stinging over John. I'm doing my best to just look out for myself for the next little while. You were right. I went from a very active sex life to complete celibacy and it shocked me. An important part of my life was missing and I tried to fill it with you. If you like you can think of what you did with me as what you did with Beth. Purely physical therapy to heal the soul. I loved it and I think you need it as well. It's fun and it's a close therapeutic connection to someone. That doesn't make you a player, a bad attitude does. I'll be there for you if you just want to have some no strings attached therapy. So will my cousin. Play your cards right we may even re-enact that story I told you. Anyway, I have to go. Think about it." Trish patted his leg and let herself out.

Ben watched Trish go with reddened eyes, his embarrassment plain to see. He looked back at Gabriella and Catherine. "So, I didn't understand the signals she was sending at all. I probably read your intentions wrong as well. GOD! I'm such an idiot! I'm so sorry for embarrassing you like that."

Gabriella and Cat saw the Catch 22. It they admitted they wanted his love, he'd be torn about hurting one of them. If they denied their need, he'd be crippled with embarrassment.

Gabriella thought the best option was to delay the conversation. "Ben, it's been a very emotional day. I think we should take some time to think. See how things look in the light of a new day. You sleep well. Thank you for opening up to us today. It was truly special." She stood and pulled Catherine along with her. 

Ben just watched them go, confused and emotionally exhausted.

When they got outside Catherine turned to her friend. "Are we doing the right thing?"

"Right now I don't think there is a right thing." she replied.

Chapter 12

Over the next few days Ben pushed himself into his old routine. Get up, work out, breakfast, check the trade blogs, work in his office, eat, and go to bed. The new element was Beth's visit Tuesday night and she picked up right away that he'd had some kind of emotional setback. She didn't press but she promised herself she'd speak to the others to find out what happened. It pulled her out of herself to worry about Ben and that in itself was therapy for her.

While Tina wasn't happy she picked up on Ben's mental state and didn't push when he asked for a postponement of her visit to the following week.

Daphne came to visit him Friday afternoon to speak with him about renovations. She'd received the guidelines and requirements for building a daycare to handle twenty children and the team she'd hired to do the renovations were suddenly indicating they'd need a lot more money. She was feeling a little frustrated and cheated and had lost faith in them. She wanted Ben's opinion on the work required. She laid out the plans on his kitchen table and he made notes. After an hour of review Ben brought out a large sheet of paper and his pencils and rulers. He quickly sketched out her floor plan and showed how he would redesign it to meet the guidelines and make better use of her space. It wasn't a lot different than her original idea but there were a few brilliant adjustments Daphne immediately seized upon. The visibility was much improved so they could see the children from almost any area. The expanded washroom facilities were safer and child friendly. It was a better plan. 

"Ben, this is wonderful! My next problem is how am I going to get this done? I don't trust the team I hired." she said, concerned.

"Fire them." Ben said. "I'll call a friend of mine and get the name of a dependable contractor team. I have an interest in this. I'd like to enroll Tina's Christopher in your daycare as she's going to be attending University this fall. She might even take some summer courses. Give me a minute."

Ben dialed a number on his cell. "Dominic! This is Ben!... I'm good. Listen, I was wondering if you could give me the name and number of a team of dependable contractors for renovating a home into a daycare. There is a bonus involved if the work can be completed by the end of April beginning of May. Yeah, I got it! Thanks! Give that new grandchild of yours a hug for me... Thanks and take care!"

Daphne was sputtering with anger. "Ben! I can't pay a bonus!"

"Oh, sorry! I should have asked if you wouldn't mind me picking up some of these costs. I get carried away when I get in involved in reno projects. I have some connections to get high end fixtures that will wear far longer than the standard stuff contractors use. I'd love to be part of helping you bring this to completion. I understand if you want to do it on your own."

She was somewhat mollified by his apology. "What percentage of the business are you asking for in return?"

He looked at her in surprise. "Zero. I'm not doing this for the money. I just want to help if you'll let me."

It was Daphne's turn to look surprised. "Zero? Do you want Christopher enrolled for free?"

"No. Yes, I'd like him enrolled but I'll pay his way." Ben said.

"You're paying?" Daphne's eyebrows crawled skyward.

"Yes, Tina received nothing from the life insurance and all assets James had are going to pay off the lawsuits. She has nothing. I'm helping her get her life back. Nothing more than I would have done for a daughter had I been lucky enough to have one. I'm just paying for her room and board, her education, and daycare." Ben replied with a smile. "So, can I help you build your daycare?"

Daphne just nodded and smiled.

"As I'll have to renovate the main floor washroom I could throw in a renovation of your upstairs bathrooms as well. Come see what I've done with my master bathroom before you say anything." Ben grinned.

Daphne took one look as the shower and the soaker tub and gasped.

"Can you imagine soaking away all your tension after a busy day with the kiddies? You think your daughters might appreciate that too?" Ben whispered in her ear with a smile.

"You are a master of temptation Ben! Yes, we'd love this in our home but again I have to ask, how much is this going to cost?" Daphne moaned.

"Nothing. I'm buying the fixtures from my guy and I get an even better deal the more I buy. The stuff for Trish's place is already on order. I was planning on renovating Tina's home if I could get it but that no longer looks likely. I think Joanne is going to list hers which I will bid on but I may not get it. I do this work myself with all the required permits and inspections. You can see how mine turned out. If you like you can join Trish and I when we head over to the store I use and choose the tiles for your new bathrooms too."

"Yes, I'd like that. Can the girls come too? They have better design taste than I do." she asked as they went back to the kitchen to get the paperwork. 

Ben rolled up the drawings he made for Daphne. "Sure. Are they available tonight?"

"Tonight is perfect as they're coming home from University. Can I get a picture of your bathroom to show them?" she asked.

"Sure. Help yourself."

Daphne met him back at the front door and Ben helped her on with her coat. "We'll meet at Trish's place at 7 tonight. OK?"

"Perfect!" Daphne said. She stopped and took his hand in hers. "Thank you Ben. Truly."

"What? I'm doing this for me too! I can't wait to hear the sound of happy children in the park again." he smiled. He didn't tell her that the work helped occupy his mind and he desperately needed that at the moment.

She shook her head with a grin and headed home.

Later that evening Ben was parked at the end of Trish's driveway. Trish climbed in the front seat. "May I kiss your cheek." she said in an almost perfect imitation of Tina's soft voice. He stared at her in shock then nodded weakly. He turned his face and she gave him a chaste kiss on the cheek. 

"I told Tina what I'd done and she seriously put me in my place. That young woman is a tiger! Don't be fooled. She is VERY protective of you! She told me I had to ask permission from now on and to respect your boundaries." Trish smiled. "If you choose to expand those boundaries please know I am available." She buckled in and looked at him. "Are we waiting for something?"

"Sorry, I'm still a little dazed. Yes, we're waiting for Daphne and her daughters. I'm going to be helping them renovate their daycare and their bathrooms. They're coming along to choose their tile patterns as well. You're bathrooms are first. I'll probably get the daycare contractors to help me with theirs. I'll just act as foreman on their jobs."

Trish was looking out her window and spotted the women coming. "Speak of the Devils- woah, have you seen Lisa and Lori lately?"

The rear door of Ben's truck opened and Daphne climbed in. Her daughters slid in next to her. Ben turned in his seat and froze when he saw the two young ladies pushing back the fur rimmed hoods of their parkas. The two were identical in every aspect. Long flowing red hair, pale blue eyes, long aquiline noses complete with a fine gold ring through their right nostril, lush red lips, and a dimple on their chins. He caught the flash of gold earrings and studs running up the ridge of an ear and assumed both would have the same complement of jewelry. They looked nothing like the tweens he'd first met when he moved in. He'd witnessed them growing up but it had been quite some time since he'd last seen them so the difference was shocking. They were absolutely identical but somehow he'd always been able to tell Lori from Lisa and thankfully that hadn't changed. 

"Good evening Lisa, Lori, Daphne." He said looking each in the eye as he said their names and the two young women smiled broadly. Their braces were long gone and their brilliant straight white teeth gleamed in the identical smiles they gave him. They were always impressed with his ability to identify them no matter how hard they tried to be identical. Only their mother shared this ability and even she sometimes missed. Ben never did. 

"Good evening Mr. Shepherd." the twin's voices said in perfect unison. It was a little unnerving and Daphne frowned.

"You know I don't like it when you two do that!" Daphne complained and they giggled.

Ben grinned and got them on their way.

The tile shop was expansive and the variety they sold was daunting. The selection ran from ceramic and porcelain, to glass of all shapes and colors, and natural stone. Trish saw what she wanted immediately so Ben was able to write down the product ID's for her order. Then Ben brought out his tablet and mocked up some designs as the twins reviewed the materials. Once they saw the pictures their mother had taken of his shower they were much more excited about the process and selected some very attractive glass tile to use as an accent for large natural stone tiles. Ben agreed that it would look and work really well in the space they had.

Then they began to work on concepts for the daycare. They chose a simple white tile for the washrooms and Ben suggested some pretty and cheerful glass accent tiles. He used his tablet to show them the touchless taps and soap dispensers so the kids could keep their hands clean and germ free. The finish was going to look clean and modern and should help give the daycare a very sophisticated look yet it was very friendly and accessible to kids. Ben swore the fixtures were far sturdier than anything they would get from a regular contractor grade supplier.

Once Ben had written down all of the part numbers for he started an order and indicated that he would provide the quantities once he had done formal measurements. They indicated they would hold the order open for him.

On the drive home the twins were very animated about their vision for daycare and Ben discovered that it had always been their dream to run a daycare and they were a little dazzled that it was actually coming true. He caught Daphne's eye in the mirror and the two shared a smile. 

Trish was in a world of her own as she envisioned her new shower stall with the body jets and the deep soaker tub. When they pulled into her drive she forgot she wasn't alone in the car with Ben. "May I kiss your cheek?" she asked. Ben froze as the back seat went silent. 

"Uh, yes." Ben said, embarrassed.

Trish leapt up and planted one right on his cheek and partially on his mouth as he hadn't had time to turn. She grinned and slid out of the car with a quick bye to the ladies in the back seat. She skipped up her driveway to her house and Ben drove up to the next driveway for the rest of his passengers to exit. Daphne got out and closed her door. While their mother was walking around the back of the truck Lori and Lisa looked at each other with grins on their face. "May I kiss your cheek?" they said in unison from the backseat.

Ben rolled his eyes at their teasing. "Sure." he said, hoping it would be over quick.

Lori leaned over the seat until her face was right in front of his. Her right hand was braced on and squeezed his right leg and her left hand was on the back of his neck. Suddenly her lips were crushed against his and the tip of her tongue caressed across his lips. She slipped back to the backseat and slid out of the car before he'd had time to react. He started to turn to look back when Lisa was suddenly leaning over the seat. Because of his shift her right hand landed right on his hardening cock and her tongue swept across his as his mouth opened in reaction to her firm squeeze. Then she too was out of the car and the two ladies were running up the drive giggling in excitement. 

Daphne watched her daughters scamper away and looked in the passenger door window. She saw Ben's upset expression. She pulled open the door. "Ben, what did they do?"

"Too much." he said gruffly.

Daphne noted the bulge and his unease. "I'm so sorry, Ben."

"I'm not used to be pawed and I'm certainly not used to being kissed like that from kids I've watched grow up. I feel... a little ill actually. If you'll excuse me I want to go home." he said. 

"Oh Ben. God, I'm sorry. They've had a crush on you for years. That's no excuse though. I'll talk with them. Are you still going to help with the Daycare?" she asked hopefully.

"Yes, of course. But talk to your girls. That can't happen again!" Ben growled.

Daphne nodded and closed the door. Ben drove away quickly and she marched up her driveway. She had two naughty girls to discipline.

Ben rushed inside and went directly into his master bath. He stuffed his clothes into the hamper and stepped into the shower. He got the water as hot as he could stand it and gave himself a good scrub. It didn't help so he shut it down before he scraped himself raw. The image of those two beauties remained in his mind and the feeling of their soft lips on his and Lisa's hand gripping his... God dammit! This was Trish's fault! If she hadn't been so careless. Ben didn't know what to do with himself. First thing he need to do was tell Trish she had to be more careful. He threw on a robe, grabbed the phone and dialed Trish. 

"Hello?" she answered.

"You've got to be more careful about how to treat me around others!" Ben blurted out.

"Ben? Is this you?" she asked.

"Who else do you kiss in front of impressionable young women?" he growled.

"Ahhhh, did they want a little taste of their own?" she teased.

"Dammit Trish! I've watched these kids grow up since they were just teenagers! I can't begin to tell you how it feels to have them suddenly kissing and groping you. It was horribly disturbing!" Ben yelled.

"But they got you hard didn't they!" Trish pushed.

"That's what I'm trying to tell you! It's so freaking wrong and it could have been prevented if you'd... hello?" Ben realized the phone line was dead. "She hung up?" he said looking at the receiver incredulously. He must have stood there trembling for thirty seconds glaring at the receiver, getting more and more angry. 

Suddenly his doorbell rang. He dropped the phone on the desk and walked to the front door. He saw Trish standing outside without her jacket. He yanked open the door and pulled her inside, maybe a little too roughly. 

"Are you nuts? It's freezing out there!" he growled, his anger still hot.

She took a good look at his robe.

"So after the girls tugged on your cock did you come home to stroke yourself off in the shower?" she goaded him.




The Shepherd of Ashburn Court Pt. 03



"What? NO! That's sick!" he yelled.

"Are you kidding? They're both in their twenties, adults and obviously hot for you! You probably could have had both of them at the same time. Two nubile, wanton hotties crawling all over you. You would have loved that!" Trish licked her lips suggestively and pulled at her nipple roughly. She glanced down and saw his robe was starting to tent. She grinned.

"I'm not a creep! These girls are just kids to me!" Ben growled.

"So you say you'd prefer a grown woman? I'd say they are fully grown, wouldn't you? I think you'd leap at the chance to fuck those two. They're gorgeous, willing, and probably have loads of energy. They'd keep you going all night long. Speaking of long-" 

This is where her plan got dangerous. She reached into his robe and gripped his thick hard cock in her hand. God it was like iron! She had him fully primed. Her knees got a little weak as she recalled the last time this had been inside her. 

She smiled up at him "Mmm, are you this hard from the thought of those two sweet young redheads or maybe you do prefer an older redhead?" She stroked him up and down aggressively and felt his entire body trembling with a combination of lust and rage. She knew she was pushing his buttons but he needed it.

"Why don't you call them? Invite them over to relieve the pressure in this monster. You know they want it... I know I do." she said and suddenly she was over his shoulder and heading down the hall to his bedroom. She had no time to prepare as he tossed her onto the bed. He tore off his robe and she struggled to tug down her slacks. He reached for her legs and pulled her socks and pants off in one quick yank. He reached up and pulled her panties off. God, he was so bold. Trish felt herself responding to his intense need with her own. She yanked off her sweater, her large breasts almost jiggling free of her bra.

She got a little scared as his big cock was still dry. She was definitely becoming wet but if he fucked her now she was in for a lot of pain. Ben grabbed her thighs and forced them back against her chest. She tried to tell him to wait then his mouth was between her legs and her mind whited out. The intensity was too much. His tongue was plunging deeply into her then twisting and twirling around her sensitive clit. She couldn't catch her breath and the shocks of pleasure when his tongue lashed her kept her from recovering. The pleasure just kept building. 

He sat up and rubbed his hot flesh along her wet labia grinding against her clit. She gasped as he put the head against her opening and pushed just the head inside. Her whole body jolted with the intrusion and she moaned loudly. He slowly pulled the head back then pushed forward hard and she screamed. From surprise not pain, she was so wet he slid in easily but he was so thick. Her pleasure spiked hard and her legs shook. As her body spasmed he thrust once more and buried himself to the hilt, his pelvis slamming into her clit. That was enough to push her over the top. It caught her completely by surprise. She'd never come this fast before. She called out his name over and over as waves of bliss rolled over her. She gasped from being so completely full. Her eyes rolled back and her orgasm carried her away. He pulled back and she clawed at him to keep him inside then he pounded forward and ground against her clit. She was shaking uncontrollably as he began to pull out to the head then slam down. She cried out his name again and he picked up the pace until he was hammering her like a machine. Each down stroke ended with their bodies slamming together. She tried to hang on to him but her muscles lost coordination and she just flopped on the bed in reaction to the impact from each thrust. 

Ben stopped and pulled out completely and she cried out in despair. He flipped her over onto her face then yanked her hips up off the bed. She felt the fat head of his cock pressing once more against her wet opening. Before she could push back he rammed forward until he was fully sheathed in her hot, wet pussy. He held her there, his big, strong hands squeezing her trembling ass. He slid his hands to her hips and pushed her away only to slam her back against his hips. Trish felt completely in his control and moaned with the sensation of being repeatedly impaled on his hard cock. He picked up the pace again and his balls were slapping against her clit. The spikes of pleasure made her climb ever closer to her biggest orgasm of the night. She felt his muscles tightening and his thrusts got harder and faster. She was crying in ecstasy as his balls slapped her clit again and again. Shocks rolled over her body and burst from her with every impact. She screamed and slammed back against his frantic thrusts, trying to prolong the incredible pleasure. 

Then Ben slammed forward one last time and held her tight against his pelvis as his orgasm exploded inside her. Trish collapsed on the bed with her ass in the air suspended on his surging cock. The heat spreading inside her was incredible. Shivers rushed over her skin and she squeezed her nipples hard to extend her own pleasure.

Trish had never felt so completely taken in her life. Her husband John enjoyed aggressive sex but he'd always held something back. Ben hadn't. Trish smiled, completely worn out but satisfied to her very core. She looked over her shoulder at Ben. His eyes were closed and he was enjoying the sensation of her orgasm rippling against his cock. Slowly his eyes opened and he looked down at Trish. The calm and serenity she expected to see weren't there. Instead his eyes held a smouldering fire.

It was then that she noticed Ben was still rock hard. Her smile faltered a little and the look in her eyes became a little frantic. She was spent and her ass was still tight against him with his heat stuffed deep inside her trembling pussy.

"Should I fuck you one more time Trish? Are you up for one more?" he growled, his voice deep and rough. His left hand was hooked over her hip keeping them tightly connected. His right hand was resting on her ass, his thumb sliding up and down between her ass cheeks rubbing over her tingling rosebud.

She nervously shook her head. She was worried he was going to start slamming into her bruised flesh again, maybe even take her ass. A tiny part of her wanted him to do it. To fuck her until she lost consciousness, regardless of the physical toll it would take on her. She felt his cock swell and jump within her trembling pussy. She moaned then gasped as he suddenly pulled himself completely out of her. The sensation of emptiness felt like a deep ache and she groaned. He gave her one quick and stinging spank on the ass which made her squeal then he flopped down on his back next to her as her hips dropped to the bed.

"What the hell were you trying to do to me?" he growled.

She lay there panting, tingling, aching, exhausted, and satiated. She turned her head to see the side of his face. He was still angry. Really angry. It hadn't worked and now she had to deal with what she's done. Shit.

"Ben, you needed the release. You were obviously stimulated by the attention you received earlier but your guilt wouldn't let you get what you needed. I told you I'd be here to help you, no strings attached. I'm sorry I pushed your buttons so hard but I couldn't think of any other way to get you to let me help you release that tension. And I LOVE sex!" She looked down at his cock which was still hard and bobbing with his pulse. "How can you still be hard?" she whined.

Ben scowled at Trish. He knew she meant well but... well, he did actually feel better. He wasn't thinking of the twins anymore. His mind had settled down and he had some peace now. He DID prefer women his own age or closer to it. Truthfully, he thought the twins were absolutely gorgeous- he pulled his mind back from that abyss. 

He still wasn't a fan of casual sex. It felt empty and that seemed to aggravate an emptiness he was already dealing with. And he still had a damn erection. He looked over at the trembling woman panting on the bed next to him and sighed. She was done so cold shower it is. He rolled out of bed onto his feet and walked into the bathroom. 

A few minutes later he was out and slightly blue from the chilly water but no longer erect. Trish was struggling to put her panties on with wobbly muscles wincing as she tried. He took pity on her and slipped them on her then her slacks and socks.

"I'm sorry Ben. I thought I could help." Trish said.

"You did. My mind was tormenting me about the twins and you did help me with that at least. No matter how old they are now or what they look like today, in my mind they are still those little 13 year old girls with matching pigtails and braces. Any relationship beyond friendship is out of the question." Ben sighed.

Trish smiled at him from her prone position. She didn't say anything but she knew with a little constant and consistent attention the twins would eventually displace those old images in his head with updated representations. Then they'd see how well Ben's resolve held.

"Now you have to go home so I can change the sheets and go to bed." he said gently.

Trish bit her lip and looked worried. "What?" he asked.

"I'm too sore to walk." she said apologetically.

"Oh god, Trish I am so sorry! I didn't mean to hurt you!" Ben gasped.

"No, it's ok! I knew what I was getting into when I riled you up. I understood what the consequences might be. It's just been a long time since I was fucked quite so... aggressively. Ah, who am I kidding, John was never that good and you were soooo fucking goooood!" she smiled lustfully at him then gave him a plaintive look. "Could- could I stay with you tonight?"

"Just to sleep." he said firmly.

Trish looked at Ben like he'd grown horns. "Ben, I won't be having sex for a week! Well, maybe three days."

He chuckled and noticed she was looking up at him a little desperately. "What?"

"Can you get me to the bathroom? I really have to pee!" she whined plaintively.

He sighed, scooped her up and carried her into the bathroom. She needed help standing to take her pants down then sitting. Only then did he get to leave the room. He quickly changed into his pajama bottoms then changed the sheets all the while trying not to hear the moaning and whining noises she was making in the other room.

When she was done he helped her stand and lean against this sink. He found her a new toothbrush and they brushed their teeth together. Ben took a little comfort in that little shared activity then he carried her to bed.

"I'm sure I'll be fine in the morning." Trish said hopefully. She pulled off her bra and Ben helped her off with her slacks and socks.

"Wait! What about Mason?" he asked suddenly. 

"I asked Tina to watch him tonight before I ran over here." Trish admitted.

Ben slipped under the sheets and shut off the lights. Trish snuggled up against his side and he sighed. Moments later they were asleep.

Chapter 13

Ben was up at the crack of dawn sporting some impressive morning wood but he knew Trish was in no shape to appreciate it. Instead he slipped out of bed, grabbed his workout shorts, and stood before the toilet willing his erection away. He relieved himself and went downstairs to work out. Once again he felt good and his routine went by quickly. When he got back upstairs he saw Trish was beginning to stir so he took his shower. Once he stepped back in the bedroom he saw she had tossed back the sheets and was lying there in only her panties. She watched him sleepily as he got dressed.

"Ben you really have to let my cousin show you what she can do with her mouth. That beast of yours will thank you forever!" she pleaded.

"Trish, you know I'm not comfortable with casual sex. Especially sex with a complete stranger!" Ben insisted.

"She's not a stranger! She's my beautiful, loving cousin. She told me after you left that she hasn't done what she did that night with anyone else. She dropped the bastard the same night I did. It would be so incredible if we could reunite by re-enacting that night but with someone who wasn't a totally cruel manipulative asshole!" Trish growled.

"Oh, and I fit that role do I?" Ben said with a smirk.

"You fit the role perfectly!" she pleaded.

"Let me think on it, please. I've only just begun to get used to the idea of having sex again. You know how it messes up my head. I'm sorry I misread your intentions again." he said contritely.

"Ben! Please! I'm the one who apologizes for not being clear!" she exclaimed. She looked at her clothes and realized her sweater was crusty with dried cum. "Ugh! I can't wear that!"

Ben pulled open his sweater drawer and realized he only had one left. He pulled out the red knit sweater and handed it to Trish. The trifecta was complete. White, Black, & Red sweaters for the Blonde, Brunette, and Redhead in his life. Trish picked up on the significance as well and her grin told him he wasn't getting the sweater back any time soon. 

She was able to get out of bed herself and walked down to the kitchen with Ben. She moved just a little gingerly and Ben winced each time she did. Finally she swatted him arm and told him to stop it, she was fine.

Ben made her breakfast and they enjoyed the meal with conversation about the reno he was about to do on her place. When he told her he planned to begin that week she squealed with excitement.

When they were done he walked her to the door and she slipped her boots on. She leaned into him and gave him a sweet kiss. "Think about my request about my cousin, OK?"

Ben blushed. "Right, yes I will." He pulled open his door and stopped in surprise as the twins were standing on his step shivering.

Trish stepped back and Ben pulled the two girls inside the warmth of the foyer.

"How long were you two out there?" Ben asked.

The looked at each other with looks of shame on their faces. "Maybe twenty minutes." Lori said.

"Why didn't you ring the doorbell?" he gasped.

"A little embarrassed maybe?" Trish suggested and the two ladies looked at her then nodded reluctantly.

"Did your mother send you over here to apologize?" Trish asked.

More nods.

"Do you understand what you did was wrong?" Ben asked.

They looked at him with lost looks and shook their heads. Their eyes were a little glassy.

Ben sighed. "You know I watched you two grow up. The first time I saw you was when you were just thirteen. Heading off to school, all pigtails and braces. You two looked so sweet! That image is my strongest recollection and how I think of you." They began to protest but he held his hands up. "I know, I know, you're both grown women now and incredibly beautiful! If this was our first meeting I might feel differently but it's not. I can't separate my memories of your childhood from you and that means we can only be friends. Friends don't kiss like you kissed me last night. Friends don't touch like I was touched last night. That can't happen again. Is that understood?" Heads nodded reluctantly and tears flowed silently down cheeks. He reached out and brushed the tears from their cheeks. They pressed their faces against his palms and looked up into his eyes imploringly. 

"Please don't cry." he pleaded, his heart twisting.

Trish saw his anguish and moved forward to put her arms around the shoulders of the two young women. "Ben, they'll get over it. Just give them time. Come on girls, help your Aunt Trish home and she'll tell you the story of how she took one for the team."

Ben's face burned and the two ladies immediately caught on to what she meant. They hustled their 'Aunt' out the door and away. He could only watch them walk Trish down his driveway and beyond. He hoped she showed some restraint but he knew better. He turned away to try to regain some semblance of sanity in his life.

The following week he got his permits to work on Trish's master suite. She moved to the spare bedroom in the basement with Mason during the renovations. As the small basement shower was to be the only shower in the house for the next two weeks Tina was only too pleased to bring Christopher and stay with Ben during the interval. All furniture in the master suite and the small bedroom Ben was removing was moved into the garage. Then the demo began in earnest and went smoothly. Up came the carpets. Down came the doors and walls of the existing closets in the master bedroom. Out went the existing washroom fixtures for the master bath and the shared bathroom. The new master bathroom and walk-in walls went up and the new shared bathroom took over the remaining space from the small bedroom. The new fixtures and plumbing went in and passed inspection. The new electrical including new lighting and the in-floor heaters went in and passed inspection. Drywall, paint, tiling, new carpet, finish and a copious amount of closet organizers were added to the walk-in and ALL of the bedroom closets. 

Ben had worked like a man possessed and managed to finish on time. Two weeks to completely rebuild the master suite and shared bathroom and update all closets in the upstairs bedrooms. 

Trish was over the moon with her new master suite. She tried to convince Ben to christen it with her but he settled with a dinner out to celebrate.

On the night everything went back into place, aside from the furniture in the now missing bedroom, Daphne and her daughters came over to see the updates. Ben relaxed on a chair in the living room until a gushing Trish led her chattering neighbors back downstairs. Daphne was so excited about the work done and her daughters were almost giggling. Ben caught them staring at him excitedly when they thought he wasn't looking.

"What?" he finally asked frustrated.

They both glanced at Trish and he recalled the little story she'd told the girls. He wondered how much embellishment had been involved.

"Is it true you pounded Trish into the mattress until she couldn't walk then wanted more?" Lori asked with a look of awe on her face.

Ben scowled at Trish while Daphne's face went beet red.

Dammit. "Yes."

The twins squealed and clung to each other as they stared at him. 

"How was that supposed to help?" Ben growled at Trish who grinned at him.

"A legend is born!" she giggled.

Daphne scowled at her daughters who did their best to calm themselves. Ben did his best to ignore the admiring glances they stole.

Tina had somehow managed to convince him to let her stay just one more night though her bedroom was ready for occupation. She was busy making dinner for him at his place and Trish was watching Christopher for the night. He was pooped from working so hard on this project but he felt really good about how it turned out. Now he'd have a delicious meal, a hot shower complete with a Tina massage, and a good night's sleep and by tomorrow his batteries would be recharged for his next project, Daphne's place. The floor plan was the same... shit! No bedroom in the basement and the contractors were arriving tomorrow to start work. The main floor and the basement were not going to be livable for two to three weeks.

Daphne caught Ben's look of dismay. "What's wrong, Ben?

"Can we take another look at your place, now?" he asked.

"Sure. Come on girls. Thank you for the tour Trish!" Daphne said.

Before Ben could leave Trish crushed herself against his chest and dragged his mouth down to hers for a deep kiss. "God! You so deserve a hot night of sex for this!" she whispered in his ear. As he pulled back she gave him a smouldering look. 

"Funny how that's always your reward." he growled, half from lust and half from frustration with this oversexed woman.

"Collect soon!" she hissed playfully as he followed the ladies out the door. Daphne had to push her daughters ahead of her as they held back to catch a glimpse of Ben's... excitement.




The Shepherd of Ashburn Court Pt. 03



Once they reached Daphne's house, Ben went upstairs and did a quick count of the rooms and tried to work out the logistics of where people would be while the work was being done. He'd made a bonehead move in terms of timing. He should have done Daphne's place first as the Daycare was two weeks out. Now he was stuck doing both at once which was truly the most efficient way or making them wait three weeks and potentially mucking with the work the contractors did. He'd have to find them alternate quarters.

Daphne was trying to read his expression. "What is it?" 

"I should have done your bathrooms before Trish's. Then you'd be done now and could use your upstairs while the contractor work on the main and lower floors. I'm such a dolt! The best I can do is find you alternate accommodations while the work is done. There is a spare bedroom in Trish's basement but it's really cluttered at the moment with the extra furniture I pulled back out the garage. Let me call Gabriella."

Ben dialed the number but no one answered. He tried Catherine and she picked up on the third ring. 

"Hello?"

"Hi Catherine, it's Ben."

"Hi Ben, how are you doing?"

"I'm good! Just finished the initial renovations at Trish's place and now I'm doing Daphne's. Listen, would you happen to know where Gabriella is?" he asked.

"She's in Milan! Lucky girl! Then she's heading over to Paris. She'll be back in two weeks. I'm watching Miriam and Daniel for her and my girls all got home so we're having a party! You're welcome to join us if you'd like." Cat offered hopefully.

"Ah, ok. Thanks for the offer but I'm a little too pooped to party. Thanks though! Talk to you later!" Ben hung up. So Gabriella's place was out and Catherine had a full house. Damn. He looked at Daphne's curious look and the barely suppressed anticipation on the twin's faces. He sighed.

"I guess you could stay at my place." Daphne got a worried look on her face which Ben mirrored. The twins simply vibrated with glee. "There are four bedrooms on the main floor so you'd each have your own. The shared bathroom, well, you've basically seen it at Trish's place. Would that be ok?" he said, exclusively looking at Daphne. 

"Couldn't we just hold off on renovating the upstairs until the contractors leave?" she asked and the girls whined at their mother.

"I thought of that but the risk of having to redo some of the daycare work makes that not such a good plan. The best time to do both is actually at the same time. The work should go faster as I can get them to help me with some of the work upstairs as well." Ben admitted. The twins smiled and clapped their hands lightly. Ben looked at their eager grins with apprehension.

"If it won't be too much of an inconvenience." Daphne said watching her daughters who put on their most innocent faces.

Ben sighed as he couldn't think of a better solution. "May I suggest you pack your suitcases as if you were going on a two week vacation? You're not going to want to walk through this place too much during the renovation. Bring everything you need as we're probably going to have to seal all of the dressers and closets to keep the dust out. The closets in my guest rooms are empty with plenty of hangers and the dressers are empty as well so you don't have to live out of your suitcases. If you want to soak in my hot tub bring your bathing suits. They're MANDATORY." he said looking at the twins whose eyes lit up when they heard 'hot tub'.

"Just come over when you are ready and walk in, the front door will be unlocked. I'll have keys for you as well. Oh, damn! Tina was making me dinner." 

"Not to worry Ben! We had dinner before our tour. We'll see you in probably 90 minutes or so." the mother said watching her daughters like a hawk.

"OK, see you soon."

Ben hustled home. He'd have to convince Tina to head back to Trish's tonight. That wasn't going to go over well as he'd been pretty strict with her during her visit and had drastically limited their intimate time. He wanted to wean her off the physicality of their relationship so she would be more willing to meet someone her own age. Now he was going to tell her she had to leave and not come back for at least two weeks. God. He wasn't looking forward to this.

He got in the front door and the scent of her cooking made him moan in anticipation. He paused to take a deep breath in the foyer and almost started to drool spontaneously. He tugged off his coat and work boots and washed his hands in the bathroom before hustling into the kitchen. Tina turned to face him and he froze. Her long silken black hair was pulled back behind her right ear, held in place by an elegant flower hair pin. Her make-up was subtle but accentuated her high cheekbones, slender nose and pink lips. Her eyes, well, he got a little lost in them and that left him breathless. She was wearing a silk dress which hugged her slim body but promised wonders within. He was stunned and she smiled, enjoying his look of wonder. She blushed under his admiring gaze and something in his chest stuck. He realized he was still holding his breath so he took a deep one. 

There was no way he could do it. He couldn't send her away when she'd gone to this much trouble. He raised a finger to indicate he'd be right back. Then he ran for the bedroom. He tore off his clothes and jumped in the shower. He scrubbed himself clean in record time and shaved to ensure his face was smooth. He put on his black dress slacks and a dark blue dress shirt, black tie and socks. He grabbed his phone and called Daphne. He asked her to wait until he dropped off the keys. He didn't explain why but she was ok. He made one more call then he was done.

All of this only took fifteen minutes and he walked back to the dining room. When she saw him enter her face lit up and he was dazzled by her smile again. She gestured for him to sit so he did. She brought out his dinner. Roast pork with roasted baby potatoes, crisp green beans, golden and flakey dinner rolls with butter. She had the same but smaller portions. Ben leaped to his feet and held her chair for her. Then he sat and gazed into her eyes. "Thank you for this amazing meal!" he said. "You look radiant tonight!"

Tina blushed once more. There was something about her tonight. Some energy or attitude. He was quite frankly bewitched! 

She gestured he should eat so he took a bite of the pork and it melted in his mouth. He closed his eyes in bliss and enjoyed the flavors. He smiled at her as they ate their meal in happy silence. Once he was done his last bite she rose and cleared the plates. In moments they were in the dishwasher and she was bringing a slice of blueberry pie with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. He stared at her in surprise. He didn't recall mentioning his favorite dessert but he must have at some point. She had a single scoop of the ice cream. 

Once again when he'd had his last bite she cleared away the plates and the kitchen was clean.

"Would you care to take a shower or get changed into something more comfortable?" Tina asked.

"Actually, does that lovely dress come with shoes?" he asked, noting she was barefoot.

She nodded. 

"Are these shoes you could go dancing in?" he smiled.

Tina's eyes lit up and she nodded quickly. 

"That's good because we're going to dance the night away and we won't be back until morning. I've reserved us the penthouse suite at the Magellan downtown where we will rest our tired feet after a night of dancing. Sound good to you?" he asked hopefully.

"YES!" Tina laughed and clapped delightedly.

"Then off we go!" he smiled. 

He made a brief stop to drop off the keys to Daphne with a few instructions like 'keep the twins off of my bed'. The two ladies in question were scoping out his hot threads and casting disturbingly lustful looks at him.

Then he was driving down to the Magellan. It was the most expensive and exclusive hotel in town and it had an amazing nightclub and bar with dancing. After checking in Ben led Tina into the club and eyes turned in their direction. He felt exceptionally proud to have this lovely young woman on his arm. She was absolutely sparkling tonight and he got them a table near the dance floor. 

They enjoyed some champagne then moved out to join the dancers. At first they were a little amused by their difference in height. A 6' 3" man dancing with a 5' woman (5' 3" in heels) drew some looks but Ben didn't care and Tina was having so much fun. For the faster numbers their height difference meant less. They spent very little time at their table as each tune was another opportunity to touch each other and move together.

It was almost midnight and Tina's feet were getting sore so she asked Ben if they could go up to their room. He took her hand and walked her to the elevators. Once inside Ben leaned over and gently kissed her lips. He was amazed at how smooth the elevator was. Then he remembered to use the key card to make the elevator move. Tina giggled at his mistake.

When they stepped into the suite Tina gasped and clung to Ben's hand. She drew him along behind her as she inspected each room, taking in the luxurious fabrics, beautiful art, and extravagant furniture. Ben finally scooped the young woman off her feet and carried her to the French doors leading into the bedroom. He laid her gently down on the bed and stood next to the bed gazing down upon her.

"My god, you're lovely!" he said.

Her smile took his breath away and he had to kiss her. He leaned over her and pressed his lips to hers. Her tongue gently slipped into his mouth and he sucked on the tip. She moaned and writhed in pleasure.

Tina pushed gently against his chest and he pulled back. She slid off the bed onto her feet and asked him to unzip her dress. His fingers felt clumsy on the fine zipper but he finally managed to slide it down to the base of her spine. He slid his hands inside the dress over her shoulders and the silk slipped down into her hands. She stepped out of the dress and carefully draped it over the back of a chair. He soaked in her beauty as she turned back to face him. All she was wearing was a sexy pink and white lace bra and matching panties. She stepped up to him and untied his tie. Then she started undoing the buttons of his shirt. Her hands moved quickly and efficiently and soon she was sliding her hands over his shoulders pushing his shirt off. He snagged it as it dropped and laid it across the chair with her dress. 

Tina's hands made quick work of his belt and undid his pants. She slid her hands over his hips and tugged his pants down as she dropped down with them. He carefully stepped out of the legs and Tina folded them and carefully put them over the chair. They stood facing each other in their underwear, smiles on their faces.

She reached out and slipped her hands over his hips again but under his briefs. As she sank down to her knees she tugged the fabric down until his heavy cock swung out towards her. She lifted her hands to caress his hot skin. Tina stroked him and tipped him up to meet her descending lips. She kissed the end and he moaned in pleasure. She ran her tongue over the tip and thrilled to feel it jump in her hands. Opening her mouth she slid the head between her lips gently sucking on it.

Ben gently touched Tina's silky hair and ran it through his fingers. She was slowly bobbing on the end of his cock taking more and more of him into her mouth but at such a gradual pace he was going insane. He looked down and saw the twinkle in her eye. She was teasing him! He growled playfully at her and she plunged down on his cock. She still only managed a third but his breath gusted out with the sudden sensation. She sucked on him aggressively and tried to make his cock as wet as possible. Her hands were busy stroking his length, spreading the slickness down the shaft.

Suddenly she pulled back and pushed him back onto the bed. She pushed him to the center of the bed and yanked down her panties. He could see her wetness running down the insides of her thighs. She was really excited. He moved to taste her but she pushed him down onto his back and climbed onto him. Her pussy rubbed along his length, adding to the wetness. 

Ben's eye widened when he realized what she was attempting to do. He began to speak but she put her fingers over his mouth and looked at him fiercely. She was determined! He reached up and released her bra and gently pulled it away from her body while she concentrated on him.

Tina rubbed herself along his hot cock until she reached the head. Then she lifted it up slightly and placed the fat head against her opening. Already it felt like an impossible task. She began to tremble.

Ben slid his hands down her back to grip her ass. Tina hissed with pleasure at his rough grip on her and before she was aware of what was happening Ben had slowly driven her hips downwards plunging the head into her pussy. He stopped immediately to allow her time to adjust and felt her pussy begin to contract forcing him out. His hands returned to her ass cheeks and he squeezed and kneaded her muscles as she moaned and gasped with how good that felt. 

She realized he'd distracted her again and was halfway in. She felt like she might split apart from the massive intruder she was impaled on but the sensation was more fullness than pain. She was really doing it! She was riding Ben! As if to prove this Ben began to lift and drop her on his cock. She felt out of control. She tried to regain it by lifting herself up and down but her muscle control was rapidly diminishing. All she could contribute was a thrust at the end of each drop which forced more of Ben's heat deeper inside of her. She felt an uncomfortable sensation on the last thrust and Ben immediately lifted her almost all the way off his cock. He slid it back inside with one smooth motion, stopping short of that uncomfortable impact. Then off and back on. Slowly Ben increased the pace until Tina was almost bouncing against him. She couldn't see. She couldn't hear or smell. The only sense that continued to function was touch and the only thing Tina felt was Ben's strong hands holding and squeezing her ass and his steel rod of a cock driving into her. Ben grabbed a handful of her hair and pulled it back so he could see her face. She trembled and whimpered and her actions became frantic with the extra stimulation of his grip on her. 

At the top of a stroke he grabbed her head between his hands and kissed her roughly, his tongue sliding into her mouth, demanding hers in return. She was whimpering and moaning continuously now, trying to get him to push his cock back into her. Her need rocketed and her skin felt incredibly sensitive.

When Ben finished his kiss he slammed his cock deep and she screamed silently as her orgasm crashed through her body. He held her tightly against him as he made quick short strokes with a tight grip on her hair. This seemed to be stretching her orgasm or maybe she was just having a string of them one after another.

Tina felt his body tightening up then he groaned as hot jets surged inside her causing her to begin to thrash through an almost painfully intense orgasm. Her voice returned and she cried Ben's name in a long drawn out wail to accompany the sensations. 

Once the surges finished Ben returned to long strokes. She waited for him to soften but he didn't. This is what Trish had told her about! She was still coming down from her last crest when Ben rolled over, pinning her under his body. The sensations changed entirely. Now there was a direct pressure upon her clit as their bodies met and parted. Ben added a clever little twist to his hips at the end of every down stroke which strummed her clit. He pushed up on his elbow but that just put more pressure on where they connected. 

Tina thrashed under his body as his thrusts sped up. Her pleasure was climbing in little spikes now as their bodies slapped together. Her eyes were tightly closed and her mouth was open making little squeaks each time they came together. The slaps on her clit sent shots of pleasure through her in little teasing bite sized portions. She needed more. She needed release and this teasing was driving her mad. Her hands clawed at his hips desperately trying get him grind against her. She needed that to reach the peak of her next orgasm. Her body picked up on his muscles beginning to clench and she screamed in joy as he slammed down a final time and ground against her in little circles, firing jet after jet into her hot, squeezing pussy. She was crying with the power of her release and her arms went around him holding him in place as her release shook her body. 

Tina felt gentle kisses on her forehead and stretched up to capture Ben's lips as they remained connected. He rolled them back onto his back and his hand returned to her ass and hair.

He squeezed her ass roughly, his finger tip sliding across her little rosebud, and tingles shot through her making her gasp. Ben's other hand was tangled in her hair and he used the grip to bring her mouth to his where he caressed her lips with his. God! She loved how he took his pleasure from her.

Finally he let her slump to his chest where she lay gasping, completely spent. She felt him gradually softening inside her and she relished the sensation. All she could do was lay there. Her muscles had nothing left. 

Before she could get a chill Ben lifted her in his arms and carried her to the bathroom. She suddenly had a massive need to go pee and he picked up on her tension. He set her down on the toilet seat and gave her some privacy. When she was done he entered the room again and lifted her against his body. He stepped into the large shower and they rinsed their bodies clean in the hot steamy water. 

Then it was the towel ritual and she smiled dreamily as she realized this was one of her most favorite intimate moments with Ben. The feeling of the strength in his hands, the rough rubbing of the towel all over her body, how she gave in to his complete control of her body. She sat on the toilet seat wrapped in the warm towel while he dried himself with his own. Then he carried her back to bed and laid her down. He took the towels and dropped them in the bathroom. Finally he slid under the sheets with her and pulled her up against his body. Sleeping fully naked was a new and delightful sensation.

The night had been perfect. Sleep took them quickly.

The wake-up call Ben had arranged with the front desk was gentle but effective. He realized Tina was still curled up against him and kissed the top of her head. He ordered breakfast for them and quickly took his shower. The robes were ridiculously small on him so he just got dressed. 

Ben woke Tina with gentle kisses over her face and shoulders. She needed to be gently scooted into the bathroom to get ready. He soon heard the shower running and little yelps and coos as Tina washed her overly sensitive parts.

Breakfast arrived and Ben set it up on the table by the window.

Tina left the bathroom wrapped in a robe. He held her chair out for her and they sat eating breakfast together.

After a short time Tina looked at Ben a little sadly. He raised an eyebrow.

"You've ruined me." she said quietly.

Ben's face froze with a look of alarm and his eyes glanced down.

Tina frowned. "No! Not that! Though I am very sore this morning!" she smiled weakly.

Ben felt relieved. "What did you mean then?"

"Last night was perfect! It was everything I dreamed it would be but now I'll compare everything and everyone to that moment. How could anyone compare against perfection?" she whispered as a tear ran down her cheek.

Ben realized he'd been a complete ass. He'd been trying to get her used to the idea of finding a mate of her own but he'd been so swept up by her beauty and grace last night he didn't think through what his actions might mean to her. He reached out and wiped the tear away, his heart breaking all over again only this time he was the one doing the breaking. 




The Shepherd of Ashburn Court Pt. 03



She pulled away from his hand biting her lower lip as tears flowed.

"I'm sorry." he said lamely.

She got up and grabbed her clothes and rushed into the bathroom.

Appetite gone he waited for her to exit. 

Minutes later the door opened and she stepped out looking every bit as lovely as she had the evening before, even without the make-up. The only thing marring her beauty was the soul wrenching sadness in her eyes. They left the room and left the hotel. The drive home was quiet and she slipped from the car without a word when he got back to Trish's.

He parked in his garage and sat behind the wheel cursing himself. Tina wasn't his but he was falling for her hard! He had to get that fact through his stupid, thick head. He supposed it was fortunate that he wasn't going to be able to have her over for the next few weeks. It would give them both time to get some perspective. He was still a colossal ass!

He entered the house and walked down the hall towards the kitchen. He heard the sound of chairs sliding back and the patter of bare feet on tile and the twins came racing around the corner with huge grins on their faces. Ben observed the barely their baby doll nighties and matching panties and somewhere in the back of his mind it registered as outrageously sexy.

They slid to a halt when they caught his sad expression and the tears on his cheeks. He walked by and went into his bedroom to change into his workout clothes.

He walked into the basement and began his routine. The movements were slower and the weights felt heavier. He was straining and panting heavily by the end. He sat up on the bench at the end, his muscles pumped, twitching, and sweaty as he recovered from one of the hardest sessions he could remember.

He noticed the twins sitting on the stairs watching him, their eyes big and a little glassy. He walked past them on his way upstairs and felt their eyes on him the entire way. He wanted to turn and yell at them to stay away, that he was poison! Instead he just went and had his shower. He had a daycare to renovate.

Chapter 14

Ben threw himself into the work. The team Dominic sent his way was excellent. They brought a lot of experience to the job and were deeply impressed with the renovations he'd done himself. He showed them the plans and designs he'd put together with Daphne and her daughters and they had some suggestions which would make the work go a lot smoother. They definitely agreed that doing the upstairs bathrooms while they had the walls open on the main and lower levels was the best time to do it.

Once they had their plan worked out they got to it. Ben set a brutal pace for himself and returned home every night physically exhausted. He'd have his shower, eat with Daphne and the twins then say his good nights and slip away to the welcome of his bed.

Daphne quickly picked up that all was not well with Ben's state of mind and her daughters described how he looked when he got home that first morning. She went to speak with Hannah who had a therapy group with Ben. Hannah in turn spoke with Trish who confessed that Tina was also depressed but wouldn't talk to her about it. Hannah approached Ben but he put her off saying he was too busy.

Hannah and Beth were worried about the big man but until he agreed to speak with them they couldn't do anything. 

Trish went to speak with Catherine who immediately tried to run to Ben's side but Trish stopped her. Trish convinced Catherine to wait until Gabriella returned then they'd make a three pronged attack on Ben. 

Work progressed quickly on Daphne's home. The upstairs washrooms were done in a little under a week mostly from Ben's own efforts. The crew working on the daycare were breezing through their steps and found having Ben on hand to make decisions and lend a hand on occasion made their job so much easier. He even arranged catering for lunches and they complained happily that they were gaining weight on this project. 

Daphne and her daughters visited the worksite at the end of the first week and were amazed at the progress. They were also excited by the improvements to their personal living space upstairs. Ben had surprised them with new configurable closet organizers. The twins leapt up to give Ben hugs of appreciation and he endured it with a smile until he discovered his body reacting to the sensations of their softness crushed against him. Then he got embarrassed and pushed them away gently. He left cursing at himself causing Lori and Lisa to cast worried glances at their mother.

Ben pushed himself harder in the second week now that he could concentrate on helping on the daycare exclusively. He ensured all of the materials were on hand when they were needed even if it meant driving to the suppliers to pick up the fixtures, drywall, paint or whatever was needed.

They were actually finished in just a little over two weeks and the inspections passed with flying colors. The workers were sorry to see the project complete but they took a lot of pride on having created such an amazing daycare. They'd impressed themselves and that was rare. Ben hired a team of professional cleaners to ensure the construction dust was gone and the new material odors were eliminated. Only then did he usher his houseguests back to their home.

Daphne walked around the new home with tears in her eyes. Her daughters were running from room to room exclaiming in wonder each time they found another thoughtful improvement or surprising efficiency. Lori swore the craft supply room was larger on the inside than the outside. Lisa was giggling with glee at the activity room and how child friendly everything was. The playful glass tiles in the washrooms were a hit! 

Ben looked exhausted, smiling but exhausted. Daphne moved to give him a hug but he quickly said his goodbyes and went home. The twins watched him go with tears in their eyes. They were so worried. Daphne immediately called a meeting with Hannah, Beth, Catherine, Gabriella (who had just got home earlier that day), Rochelle, Trish and Tina. She asked them all to come to her place to talk about Ben.

It took about twenty minutes to get all the parties together in their playroom which was the best space to get the adults all together. The neighbors were amazed and impressed by the daycare.

Daphne stood up and got everyone's attention. "Thank you for coming on such short notice. I've called you together to discuss our friend Ben Shepherd. Something is definitely wrong with Ben. On the first day of the daycare project he came home early in the morning with tears in his eyes. Lori and Lisa saw him arrive and he wouldn't talk to them. He drove himself so hard to complete the daycare. He gets all uptight if you try to hug him. I understand that first day he was returning from a date with you Tina. Won't you please tell us what happened?"

Tina looked around with tears in her eyes. She felt trapped by their stares and she became a little angry. Ben wasn't the only one hurting!

Trish knew that look. "Tina, I know you came home in tears that morning too. It will help you to talk, it really will. No one here is going to judge you. We're just concerned. I know you have or had a special relationship with Ben. Something happened that night. Did he hurt you?"

Tina looked at Trish in shock. She shook her head.

"Please Tina! Let your friends help you." Catherine said gently.

Tina looked at the concerned faces. "You will not understand my relationship with Ben. You will judge us as Trish did. Even now she does not understand."

Gabriella leaned forward. "We want to understand. You're hurting. Ben's hurting. We want more than anything to make things better. We were there when Ben saved you and Christopher. I have some idea of what you feel for him. You can clear that up for us. Make us understand."

Tina looked at Gabriella and knew that of anyone here she was the one most likely to understand. After all Ben had saved Miriam too. She nodded then looked at the others, daring them to be critical.

"When Ben saved Christopher from being stolen from me then protected us when we lost everything there was nothing I could give him in equal to debt I owed him. The only thing of value I have is myself. I pledged myself to Ben the night of the Catherine's lunch party. I told him that I was his servant for as long as I lived. There was nothing I would refuse him. But Ben said no. I realized I was not worthy to be his. Why would he take me when he had the love of others who had so much more to offer." Tina looked at Gabriella and Catherine who looked shocked and embarrassed.

"I was lost... then Ben accepted my offer and told me his terms. He would provide for me as long as I followed the life plan he set out for me. I was not to question his commands. I was happy as this is what I wanted most in life!"

She looked in the eyes of the women with her and saw some confusion but no criticism. This gave her the strength to say the next part.

"I am a submissive. It is who I am. I am comfortable and happy with how I am as long as my dominant partner is compassionate and not cruel. James was very cruel and mean. He hurt me often and had no respect for me. He tried to kill Christopher when he was in my womb by beating me." The women gasped. "Ben is strong, very masculine and strong willed but his heart is filled with compassion and good. There is absolutely no cruelty in the man. He believes in me! The first person in my life who ever has! I have never met anyone like him." Tina said wistfully.

"Tina, Ben is such a sweet man. It seems odd that he would take on the role of a dominant master for you." Gabriella said, careful of Tina's feeling.

The young woman smiled at Gabriella. "I know! Even though it is not his nature, he knows I need him to be my dom so, for me, he is. He is a very excellent dom. He can be very strict. There is no question that his commands are to be followed. Yet I know he would never do anything to harm me." Tina started to cry. Trish handed her a tissue and rubbed her shoulders as the other women shared sympathetic looks and waited for Tina to regain her composure and continue her story. A few discretely rubbed their thighs together and fidgeted on their chairs.

"Trish knows that Ben's first commands to me were that he would set a life plan for me. A plan that would send me to University to take the course I wanted before I was married off to James. A plan that includes daycare for Christopher and room and board at Trish's house. I asked to stay with him but it is his belief that he is not what I need in my life. He wants me to go to University and meet someone my own age. Meeting someone is difficult enough when you are not a submissive but to find someone who is my age and treats me as well as Ben does..." She shook her head in dismay. "When I stayed with him during the renovation of Trish's house he was very strict and wouldn't allow me to have intimate time with him until the last night. So I made him his favorite meal and was prepared to do anything to convince him to accept me. That was also the night I was going to make love to him properly and completely."

"Oh my god! That was the night we moved in!" Daphne gasped.

"Yes, Ben would not have allowed our intimate time with others in the house. Instead he surprised me by taking me out dancing. We danced for hours and it was magical! When I could dance no more he took me up to the penthouse suite of the hotel. I was so frightened about making love to him, he's so big! But he was so very gentle until I no longer needed or wanted him to be. The things he did to me, how he took me- No, I promised him I would be discreet." she said as a blush traveled up her face.

The twins moaned in frustration and the sentiment was mirrored on more than one of the faces in the room.

"The next morning he woke me with gentle, loving kisses. I realized while I showered that the previous night had been perfect. Not just a nice memory but a defining moment in my life which all others would be measured against. None could compare. I was ruined for everyone else. He is my perfect mate and he will never let us be together because he doesn't want me." She began to cry again but this time her silent sobs shook her small body.

Hannah got up and knelt at Tina's feet. She took the young woman's hands in hers. "Tina, listen to me. You've read Ben's responses wrong. I believe he very much wants you but he doesn't believe he deserves you. Considering how he's behaved these past two weeks, he'd punishing himself. He clings to the difference in your ages as justification for pushing you away but something in Ben's past hurt him very much and he is definitely mixed up when it comes to love and relationships." Tina looked at Hannah in surprise... and hope. 

Hannah looked at the others in the room. "Has he spoken to any of you about his childhood?"

Rochelle's eyes lit up. "The funeral home! He told us his parents died when he was very young!"

Catherine picked up the story next. "He was five when his parents were killed by a drunk driver. He grew up in a foster home."

"Multiple foster homes." Rochelle corrected.

"Damn. That's likely the beginning. Do you know why he was moved around between the homes? That's not usually a good sign." Hannah asked. Rochelle and Catherine shook their heads.

"His wife left him because she was sterile but Ben blames himself." Gabriella offered. Hannah nodded as she'd spoken to Ben about this but in the group therapy sessions so she didn't feel she could speak about it.

Catherine looked at her friend recalling the day Ben opened up to them. "He said he can't have children because of the damage done when he was shot. He said he has no family other than us. He said- he couldn't please his wife. He said he had no purpose." Tears filled her eyes and Gabriella's too. They both began to cry.

The other women looked at the two in shock. Hannah's mouth hung open as dots began to connect for her. It was pretty obvious that Gabriella and Catherine were both in love with Ben as was Tina. Ben had trouble with relationships and mentally couldn't bear seeing a woman in pain hence his coming to their rescue constantly. Faced with multiple partners, in his mind he'd be unable to help one without hurting the others. Catch 22. She was amazed that he'd coped this long.

"Gabriella and Catherine, are you IN LOVE with Ben?" Hannah asked bluntly.

The personal question surprised the two women who looked at each other then nodded.

"Does it hurt you that others are in love Ben as well?" she continued. She knew Tina was selfless in her love and didn't need to be asked. She gave the young woman's hands a squeeze to show her she understood and received a grateful smile in return.

Once more Gabriella and Catherine looked at each other then at Tina. There was a moment of soul searching then they smiled and shook their heads.

Hannah smiled grimly. "Ben is in no condition to enter into a relationship at this time. He has some serious issues to resolve and some terrible misconceptions about love to unlearn. His early childhood tragedy and his years in the foster care program probably had a lot if not everything to do with his difficulty in accepting love. We are going to have to be careful with Ben in the next while. This means we treat him with love but respect his personal space. No more unsolicited sexual contact." She looked directly at Trish who nodded. "I'll speak with him in the morning. I'm going to insist he begin psychological counselling. If he refuses that I'm going to insist that we re-establish our own group therapy sessions but increase the frequency to multiple times a week. He cannot continue down this self-destructive path. We won't let him."

The women all smiled at Hannah, pleased something was going to done for Ben.



The Shepherd of Ashburn Court Pt. 04



Author's Notes:

In Part 4 Ben gets a little help from his friends... and more than a little loving.

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

********

Chapter 15

Ben sat in his living room with tears slowly rolling down his cheeks. Hannah sat on the ottoman in front of him. When she'd arrived first thing in the morning he'd been a little surprised. He'd let her in and taken her coat. As he turned back her open palm caught him on the cheek. It wasn't a particularly hard slap but it rang his head as he'd been completely unprepared. Once he regained stability she stepped forward and hugged him fiercely, calling him her hero. His whole body locked up until she stepped back.

"Ben, which of those two things hurt the most?" Hannah said with compassion in her eyes.

The question was so odd he froze and actually thought about it. The slap had been a surprise but the hug and praise had a far more uncomfortable impact on his body.

He stared at Hannah. "The hug."

"You see how backwards that is, right?" she asked hopefully.

He nodded and she led him into the living room to sit on the couch. She pulled up the ottoman directly in front of him. He had tears in his eyes as she sat before her friend.

"Ben, I spoke with a large and concerned group of your friends last night. We can all see you're hurting. The source of the pain isn't quite clear but I think I can make a few educated guesses. Much of your past is still unknown to us but from what we've pieced together, we see that you don't believe you are worthy of being loved. You did an amazing job of bringing Beth back to her vivacious self by showing her what a fun, wonderful, and loving person she is. You helped me by reminding me I was a loving person who had so much to offer and deserved to be loved. Yet you continue to fail to take that same message into your own heart. I don't know what experiences you had in your life that made that you believe you shouldn't or couldn't have love but that belief is wrong. Everyone deserves love. You deserve love and there are people who DO love you. You just have to be willing to accept it." She squeezed his hands and looked in his eyes to emphasize the point.

"We want you to speak to someone with training in dealing with these kinds of self-esteem issues. We see your value, now it's your turn. Will you do that?" Hannah asked gently.

Ben nodded, not trusting himself to speak.

"I will make arrangements today and I will bring you the appointment information; the place, time, and name of the councillor you will speak with. Alright?"

He nodded again.

"We want you to be happy Ben. You deserve to be happy. We will check in with you every now and then and see how you are doing. To remind you that you have friends that love you." she said to him as she watched his tears slide down his cheeks. She was worried about the man. She didn't feel she could leave him alone. It was too soon to subject him to Tina but she knew Gabriella was taking some time off. 

"Ben, I'm going to call someone to sit with you today. I think you need the company." Hannah said firmly and he didn't argue which made her even more convinced she was correct. She dialed the number and Gabriella picked up on first ring.

"Hi, could you sit with our friend today?" Hannah asked.

"I'll be right over." 

Hannah put away her phone and patted Ben's knee.

"I'm sorry." Ben said, his voice deep and gravelly.

"Ben you have nothing to be sorry for. Whatever got you to where you are now, please know you are surrounded by people who love you and want to help. The only way that could have happened was because you are worthy of it. You reap what you sow." Hannah replied.

The doorbell rang and Hannah got up and answered it.

Gabriella stepped inside with a look of concern on her face.

Hannah leaned in close and spoke quietly "Ben has agreed to see a councillor but he's pretty shaky this morning. He needs someone to keep an eye on him. See if you can get him to talk. I have to go to the hospital as I have a board of directors meeting at ten."

Gabriella nodded and slipped her coat and boots off. She had on the black knit sweater and black yoga pants. The sweater was long on her and reached just below her bottom. She wore it for comfort when she was at home.

Hannah poked her head around the corner and looked in on Ben who was still on the couch. "I'm heading off to work now Ben. I'll see you later with the details I promised. Gabriella is going to spend some time with you, ok?"

Ben nodded and gave her a small smile.

With that and a look at Gabriella Hannah headed out.

Gabriella locked up and walked into the living room.

"Hi Ben!" she said and saw Ben straighten up his posture on the couch.

"Hello Gabriella, how was your trip?" he asked.

She smiled at him and saw his eyes light up just a little. Her heart made a little zing sensation when she saw that. "It was lovely! Have you ever been to Europe?"

"No, I've never travelled anywhere." he said, thinking about the trip to Hawaii he'd planned for Wendy.

"I highly recommend you plan a trip somewhere and someplace in Europe should be one of your first destinations. France, Spain, Germany, Italy and England are all excellent first trip candidates. Travelling broadens your perspective and gives you a real insight into different ways of living and the people who live there." she sighed. "You can take a group tour or travel with someone who has experience in the place you choose and can act as guide."

"I'd like that." Ben said. "Maybe I will."

She smiled at him and he smiled a little back at her.

"So I hear you've agreed to speak to someone." Gabriella said gently.

"Yes." he said nervously.

"I think that is a brave and smart move, Ben. It will help a lot!" she said, smiling.

"I've never talked to anyone about my past. I- I feel uncomfortable about telling... a stranger... personal things about me." Ben fidgeted.

"The councillor keeps anything you say to them in strictest confidence. You can say anything to them. It should feel easier to open up to them." she explained.

"The only time I've felt comfortable talking about me was with you and Catherine... and... I don't know why." He said looking down at his hands with a confused look on his face.

Gabriella looked at him. He really didn't see that they loved him or even could. That hurt her a little and it must have shown on her face as Ben noticed. 

"What's wrong?" he asked.

"Nothing Ben, it's fine." she said and forced a smile onto her face. She hoped that after his counselling he'd be more receptive to their love.

"This is why I'm going to see this councillor. I can't seem to stop hurting people I care about!" he growled at himself.

"No Ben, you're going to see the councillor to find out why you feel you're not worthy of being loved. To find out what events in your past led you to that conclusion. Those of us who do love you... who are IN LOVE with you... feel pain when we see you hurting because of your misconceptions. But you shouldn't worry about our pain because healing yourself will eliminate ours."

"In love?" he whispered.

"Yes, you silly man! You have a few women who are in love with you and they accept the fact that others are in love with you too. Something else you need to understand is that love CAN work that way." Gabriella smiled and shook her head. "I wasn't supposed to be here as your councillor, just a friend. What else would you like to talk about?"

He'd only had bad experiences with people who said that they loved him, Wendy being only the most recent. These experiences went back... a long way. He looked at Gabriella's open and friendly expression. He wished she WAS his councillor but then he'd feel bad about burdening her with his baggage. Maybe he should do some ground work to prepare for his sessions with the councillor.

"What is love?" he asked her.

Gabriella snorted gently in surprise. 

"I mean, what does love mean to you? I've been 'in love' a few times in my life and it's never worked out for me so maybe if I could hear what love means to others I could see what I've done wrong." he amended quickly.

"Why do you think you're the one who did something wrong?" she asked. "You weren't alone in these relationships, were you?"

Ben blinked at her and she smiled.

"When I met Daniel in University I was smitten. He was young and dashing and so in charge of his future. I came from a very poor family and I found his confidence with money and finance to be very attractive. He also said the right things to me and made me feel important. I was completely dazzled. He played the courting game very well. That doesn't mean I was faultless the eventual state of our marriage. I put Daniel up on a pedestal. My expectations of him didn't match reality. When I discovered that I tried to work with him to recapture what made me fall in love with him but some of that never existed outside of my mind and his passions had moved on from me to money. He had no desire to change anything as he had what he wanted. Instead of leaving Daniel who genuinely loved his children I gave up on finding happiness for myself so my children would have a stable home."

"I'm sorry." Ben said.

"My point in all that was that the two young people we were when we met in University weren't honest with each other. We let our expectations and desires cloud our decisions. During courting, people always present their best attributes and hide the negative. Human nature I suppose. But we should have taken more time to get to know the real people we were before making the decision to get married. I don't regret having my two wonderful children. There are other things I do regret but now I get to start over."

"Find happiness." he said

"Yes Ben. I'm going to find happiness!" she smiled at him.

"OK, so maybe I'm not solely to blame in the failures of my relationships. But maybe my expectations are interfering with my ability to sustain a healthy relationship."

"List them." Gabriella said.

"What?" he asked.

"You've just said you have expectations. What are they? If you can itemize them then maybe you can see if any truly are holding you back."

"Fidelity." he immediately said.

"You are particularly sensitive to that one based on how your marriage ended?" she asked.

"Yes. Discovering she'd been having an affair for potentially years hurt me more than I thought possible."

"So maybe honesty is more of a critical item for you. If she had come to you before she had the affair and told you why she felt the need to have one, maybe you might not have been as hurt as you were?" Gabriella asked.

Ben thought about that for a bit. "I think it would have still hurt a great deal but... yes, I think if she'd been honest the pain would have been far less."

"What else?" she asked.

"Communication." he said.

"I think we just described that. Open communication but it needs to be truthful." Gabriella said. "Next."

"Uh. Loyal, friendly, kind, caring..." he struggled to name other expectations he had.

"These aren't really outrageous expectations. Where are the 'must be a nobel prize willing scientist, run a humanitarian aid station, and bench press 300 pounds' requirements? How about must be able to cook, do book keeping, and laundry." she smiled.

Ben smiled. "Reasonably intelligent, genuinely compassionate, and fit will do. The rest I can do myself."

"So it sounds like your current expectations may not be as big a factor as you thought. What were your expectations when you got married? You said were planning on having a big family. When that turned out to be not in the cards, how did you react in your relationship? You still had a chance at being fertile with someone at that time, just not your wife. What did you do?" Gabriella pushed.

"I told her it wasn't important. And it wasn't." he murmured.

"You adapted your expectations to protect what you had, right?" Gabriella clarified.

"Yes." 

"So maybe your past expectations weren't so rigid and difficult to live with either." She said looking him in the eye. "What about sex? Did you want it more often than her or less often? Were you incompatible with how you wanted to have sex?"

"The only time she complained was after she discovered she couldn't have babies. She wanted to cut back significantly. Then near the end of our marriage she wanted sex much less often. She even cut back on the cuddling before sleeping."

"Near the end she was likely trying to distance herself from you. Limiting the intimacy in preparation for the separation." Gabriella suggested. "But before that, generally, you two were compatible?"

Ben frowned. "Uh, I've mentioned that my body acts like a teenager. My libido has always been a little... over active. Wendy was sometimes annoyed by that. Not angry, really, just annoyed."

Gabriella smirked. "More than one woman could endure?"

Ben smiled then caught the nuance of Gabriella's question. Her frowned again.

"What?" she asked, seeing his quick mood swing.

"I'm not that kind of man." he rumbled.

"What kind of man?" she asked.

"I don't- I'm not promiscuous! I'm not unfaithful!" he growled.

"Have you made promises of fidelity to any of the women you've been with recently? I understand you've specifically told one the exact opposite yet she still wants to be with you. Another promised you no strings attached relationship. Neither calls you unfaithful. Neither has anything but praise for what a good person you are. Why do you think that is?" Gabriella asked gently.

Ben scowled and thought hard. Obviously she was talking about Tina and Trish. 

Gabriella pressed on. "You did mention in your expectations that fidelity is the most important one. May I suggest that may have a lot to do with the type of relationship you were in? A traditional marriage is a contract with terms specifically defining the promise of fidelity. That's a traditional marriage. There are open marriages that don't have that clause and allow the spouses to seek emotional and physical enjoyment with other partners."

"That's unrealistic!" he growled.

"Really? We've talked about expectations. Let's talk about beliefs. Do you believe the heart can only love one person at a time? Do you believe the traditional marriage is the only successful kind of relationship between adults?"

Ben thought about his complicated feelings for Gabriella, Catherine, Tina, and Trish. She saw it on his face so he couldn't deny it. "No, people can love more than one person. But that leads to heartache when one partner feels unfulfilled!"

"That could definitely happen if there was no communication. No relationship will last in a vacuum. People just aren't built to function that way. We need to be constantly in touch with each other to see if we can do something to ease the other's way in life or if they can ease ours. That's what make a rich relationship! Were you unwilling to communicate your feelings and needs with your wife?"

"No." he mumbled.

"So communication shouldn't be an issue for you." she smiled.

"You can't marry more than one person!" Ben argued.

"Back to the question of marriage then. Is that the only viable outcome of a relationship for you?" Gabriella asked.

"Well, traditionally. You meet someone. You date. You fall in love. You get married. You start a family. You grow old together." Ben said.

"What about friends?" she asked. "How do you see that relationship working?"

"Friends you nurture for life." Ben replied.

"That's a really nice way of putting it. I think I like your idea of friendship more than that model of a traditional marriage. The idea of the nurturing never ending but being an integral part of the relationship sounds lovely!" she smiled. "Can I ask you how you define friendships? What are the benefits and limits? Can you love a friend, romantically, physically?"

Ben thought about friends. He thought about how he had been interacting with his neighbors, his friends. About how he was emotionally connected to them and cared about their well-being. How he HAD used sex to help them feel better. The light came on behind his eyes and Gabriella's smile grew wider as she saw him understanding.

"Yes, you're already there. It's working and no one is hurt. Everyone wants you to feel as happy as you make us feel but the only one stopping that from happening is you." Gabriella said gently.

"I hurt Tina." Ben said through gritted teeth.

"And how did that happen?" she asked.

Ben looked at Gabriella sharply. 

"Tina told us the whole story of your evening of dancing, minus the intimate details, so we are aware of the circumstances but I'd like to hear your opinion of what went wrong." she added.

"I led her on. We had a wonderful evening and in the morning she told me how sad I'd made her. How I'd ruined her!" Ben said in anguish.

"Tina believes you don't want her. Is that true?" Gabriella said bluntly.

Ben rocked back. "Don't want her?!? Of course I want her! She's beautiful, smart, loving, but SHE'S NOT FOR ME!" he barked.

"Who says?" she asked sternly.

Ben's mouth opened but nothing came out at first. Then he recalled something. "Ah... I do... and Trish! Trish agrees with me! Tina is almost half my age! It's unfair to her!"

"I think if you spoke with Trish now that she's had time to understand Tina better she'd give you a different answer but let's leave that alone for a minute. Instead let's take a look at the word you just used. Unfair. I think you'd agree with me that finding a compatible mate is difficult. Someone you can love. Someone that loves you back. The push and pull of personalities, wants, needs, and desires can make that very difficult. Tina is a special case. She's a submissive. Her needs are very specific and the risks for her is much greater. How much more difficult do you think her submissiveness makes it for her to find a compatible mate. She's had a very bad experience in her marriage. In you she's found someone who is willing to give her what she needs without fear of abuse. Then you pushed her away because you believe she needs to find someone else." Ben began to protest but Gabriella held up her hand so she could continue. "Do you understand she doesn't need to be the ONLY person in your life? She just wants to be part of yours. You're right, she's young. She's going to be going to University. She will meet people. Maybe she will meet someone closer to her age that can fulfil that special need she has. Wouldn't that be easier for her if she had a support system in place until it happened?"

"But- but she said I ruined her for everyone else. How would I make that better by allowing it to continue?" he argued

"First true loves are always the best. That doesn't mean life doesn't move you along. Sure you always compare new relationships to the first and Ben you are pretty tough to beat, but life goes on. Tina is YOUNG! Everything is a little more immediate and dramatic for the young. Don't be trapped by her current angst." she said with an understanding smile.

"So... are you telling me I should let her live with me and be my lover?" Ben said, confused.

Gabriella still felt a little uncomfortable with the idea but realized that was exactly what she had to be ok with it for everyone's sake including hers.

"Look, you set out a life plan for Tina. It's hugely generous of you and truly demonstrates you care about her future. I'm not saying you change the plan significantly. Just let her into your life on the condition that she keeps her heart and mind open to possibility of love in the future from someone she may meet. You in turn will have to be aware that what you two have may not be permanent. Kind of like friends with benefits. Someday she may meet 'the one' and you two will just remain friends. Special friends."




The Shepherd of Ashburn Court Pt. 04



"Friends with benefits? I've never thought of myself in those terms before. I've always considered myself the marriage type. Old fashioned." Ben said and looked inwards. He was surprised to discover that he truly felt a lot better. He still had trouble accepting the fact that they loved him but the fear of hurting them by returning the emotions was greatly reduced. It was like a weight had been lifted from his heart. 

He looked at Gabriella in wonder. "How could Daniel have been so blind to not see how incredible you are and how damn lucky he was to have you?"

She looked at Ben in surprise and blushed deeply. He reached out and took her hands in his. He brought them up to his lips and gently kissed her knuckles. She gasped softly. 

"Gabriella, I feel so much better, I can't begin to describe how grateful I am to have you in my life. You..." Ben was at a loss for words as his heart filled with love for the beautiful woman sitting next to him on the couch. A tear rolled down his cheek.

Tears began to well up in her eyes as she saw what she mistook for simple admiration in his. Then his lips were on hers and she squeaked in surprise. He pulled back slightly thinking he'd made a mistake but she immediately pressed forward and kissed him urgently. She slipped her hand behind his head into his hair so she could kiss him deeper and he gently slid his fingers into her raven locks to return the kiss. He sucked hungrily at her tongue and she moaned into his mouth. 

She loved the feeling of his hands on her. So powerful yet gentle. One of his hands left her hair and travelled down to the small of her back and he pulled her body closer to his. When her breasts were pressing against his broad chest she whimpered with the delicious sensations going through her body. 

Suddenly Ben scooped her up in his arms and carried her down the hall to his bedroom. He knee walked across his bed with her in his arms and laid her down gently before him. He leaned down over her and captured her mouth in slow sensuous kiss, tasting her full lips and gently sucking them between his. 

He leaned back and pulled his shirt up and over his head. She gasped when she saw his bare chest, thick with muscles, his hard stomach, and the three scars. She reached out and for the first time touched the remnants of his bullet wounds. His eyes flared with passion at her touch on his bare skin and he lifted her up to her knees on the bed so he could pull her sweater over her head. Soon there was just the thinnest of lace between the heat of his skin and her full breasts. She put her arms around him and pulled their bodies together. She ran her hands up his powerful back as he tilted his head down to kiss her once more. Their tongues explored and caressed each other and their breathing became heavy with need.

He released the clasp on her bra and slid his hands down her back and under the waistband of the yoga pants and panties. Gabriella cried out when his hands gripped the flesh of her ass. He pressed her strongly against the bulge rising in his pants. She gasped and grabbed his ass to pull him tighter against her.

When he pulled back Gabriella moved her hands immediately to the buckle of his belt and undid it. She popped the button on his pants and pulled the zipper down with shaking hands. Ben caught her hands and pulled them gently away. She looked up into his eyes with a worried expression. He just smiled at her and kissed her hands again. He released them and slid down his own pants and pulled them free. 

Then he was kneeling on the bed in front of her completely naked.

Gabriella's breath caught when she finally saw Ben fully erect. She thought it was beautiful!

Ben reached forward and slid her bra straps down her shoulders and followed the dropping fabric with his hands until he had the soft flesh of her breasts resting in his palms. He gently squeezed her hard nipples and shocks went through her nerves.

Gabriella pushed her yoga pants and panties down and lost her balance while trying to pull them from under her knees on the bed. She fell forward against Ben's chest and he caught her. She yanked the clinging fabric off while her face remained pressed against his skin. The clean masculine smell of his skin was making her head spin. 

Ben lifted her once more and laid her out against the pillows. He moved his lips to her breasts and kissed and sucked them, alternating between them, until she thought she'd go mad. She pressed his head against her breast so he would take more into his mouth and he did. The sensations were going directly to the heat between her legs. 

Ben began to kiss his way down her belly and beyond. She became nervous. Daniel had never kissed her where Ben was headed and she had no idea what to expect. She found herself holding her breath. As he kissed her inner thighs and slowly made his way closer she began to gasp. When Ben's hot breath finally blew across her sensitive flesh she arched up and his tongue made contact. It was incredible! Her hands immediately went to the back of his head and ran through his hair. Ben's tongue stroked across the outer folds and she arched again as she gasped. When it reached and circled the hooded flesh of her clit she cried out her pleasure. He gently sucked the stiffening bud between his lips and she pulled his head tight against her and writhed as the bliss flowed over her. Her orgasm was quick, intense and completely took her by surprise. She'd never had such an intense orgasm before.

Ben felt her body cresting through an orgasm so he moved his kisses up her trembling stomach and brushed his lips across the sensitive skin on the undersides of her breasts. Gabriella's nipples begged to he kissed so he sucked them into his mouth and she arched her back once more and cried out in pleasure.

"God! Ben, I need you inside me! Please!" she gasped as he moved further up her body. He kissed her neck and the underside of her chin. Then her lips were on his kissing him deeply, her tongue insistent.

Gabriella sucked in her breath as the hot head of his cock stroked across her wet opening. Ben moved it across her a few more times slowly pressing forward lubricating himself with her excitement. Finally she felt him positioned at her opening. He gradually increased the pressure and the thick head pressed its way inside. It was so good but such a tease! Ben slipped back out then slowly pressed inside again. Gabriella was going mad! She wanted all of him but he was being so careful because he caught her wincing as he stretched her wider than she'd ever been. Her body reacted by sending more lubricant to ease his way.

Three more strokes and Ben pulled out to the tip again. She whined with need and he slid deep in one stroke. Her legs shot out and she screamed in surprise. Her eyes were wide and she was panting as she gazed up at him. He held still to let her get used to the sensation.

"Oh my god Ben you're so deep! You're filling me up!" she said looking up at his face which was showing his bliss. His expression turned embarrassed then concerned. "What is it?" she asked.

"I'm only half way in." he said quietly.

Her body immediately clamped down on him in fear. Half?!? She couldn't imagine more. This was a deep as Daniel ever got and his wasn't as thick! She'd never felt so complete. It was perfect! How could there be more?

Ben kissed her and her mind filled with stars. To feel the bliss of his lips on hers and his heat deep between her legs was too much! He began to move, sliding out to the head then back to where he was before. She felt herself relaxing and he was able to slide just a little deeper. He had to go slow as it was all virgin territory from this point and was definitely not used to the pressure. With the slow strokes the teasing sensation was back and her legs curled up around his ass so she could pull in. This seemed to make it easier for him to go deeper. Soon his strokes were long and deep and Gabriella could feel the rapid build-up of an enormous orgasm. She clutched at him and made little yelping noises as their bodies got closer together. Finally Ben made one hard thrust as she squeezed him tight with her legs and he reached bottom.

She cried out in ecstasy as his pelvis slammed into her overly sensitive clit and she began to rock through a world shattering orgasm. Ben was only able to do five more deep strokes, bumping her up to higher plateaus of heaven before his orgasm exploded through his body and he gushed into her depths. She had a moment of panic before she recalled that he couldn't make babies. Then the pleasure over took her and she just held onto him as tightly as she could as her nerves flashed and tingled over her entire body. 

When the explosions died down she pulled his face to hers for a kiss and he caressed her lips with his.

"Oh that was so good!" she smiled up at him when he pulled back. She marvelled at the how deep he was inside her and the heat coming from his cock. Then she noticed that he wasn't getting soft. If anything he felt harder. She looked at his face in surprise and saw the hunger in his eyes. He began to thrust into her in long, slow strokes. Her breath caught in her throat as he began to move faster and faster. At the bottom of each stroke he gently twisted his hips which gave her the most delicious sensation on her over charged clit. She was stunned to feel the beginnings of another orgasm building, her third one!

Ben suddenly surprised her by lifting her legs and bracing them around his powerful arms. This raised her ass off the bed and allowed him to thrust harder and deeper. Their bodies slapped together and it was too much for Gabriella. She could no longer think coherently. All she could do was make whimpering sounds as her body rushed towards another explosion. Ben's orgasm struck first and he rocked himself against her jetting one more deep inside. This pushed her over the top. She screamed silently and passed out.

When Gabriella came to she was lying on Ben's chest and his cock was slowly slipping from her body. His hands were gently kneading her back muscles searching out and relaxing any knots he found. She discovered she'd drooled a little on his chest and wiped her face in embarrassment.

"Welcome back." he said with a smile in his voice. She tilted her head to look at him and he was looking at her fondly. She smiled at him then stretched languidly across his large body. He grabbed a tissue and wiped up the drool. She blushed again.

"So, is this what you meant by 'friends with benefits'?" he asked.

She looked up into his eyes. She felt her entire body tingling and heard the roar of her blood in her ears. "Maybe just a little more than friends with benefits." she whispered and pressed her face against his chest in fear of his reaction to what she'd just said.

"I was hoping you felt the same way." he whispered back.

She looked up again and saw the love in his eyes. He pulled her up on his body and kissed her deeply.

Afterwards she rested on him luxuriating in the feel of his skin on hers. She'd never felt this good before. Of course she was also aching a little from his enthusiastic treatment of her sensitive parts. But it was a good ache.

Now that she had a rational moment to think about what they'd done she started to worry. Hannah had quite specifically told them that Ben wasn't ready for a relationship and there was to be 'no more unsolicited sexual contact'. Well, Ben started it so it couldn't be called unsolicited. Still she was worried that she might have done him some harm emotionally.

She must have been frowning as she felt his fingers smoothing out the crease between her eyes. 

"This is a no frown zone." Ben teased. "Any thoughts that may cause them must be banished."

She looked up at him and smiled. "Sorry."

"Maybe we should get cleaned up." he suggested. "I've been told my shower can fit three."

"Are you suggesting I shower with you?" she said with a raised eyebrow.

"Not if you feel that would be too intimate." he smiled.

She chuckled and slid off of him. Ben led the way into the bathroom and she couldn't tear her eyes away from his naked body to notice the shower.

"Hello! Amazing bathroom reno here!" Ben scowled playfully at Gabriella while he gestured at the room when he caught her staring. He shook his head and stepped in to get the water going. She followed.

Gabriella gasped in surprise when Ben activated the side jets and wonderfully hot water shot inwards from all sides.

"You've never been in a shower with surround jets before?" he asked.

"No, it's wonderful! Of course, I've never been in the shower with a man before either." she smiled up at him. 

She dipped her head under the stream from the ceiling mounted rainshower head. Ben ran his fingers through her long black hair making sure the water got to every strand. She purred at the feeling of his strong hands in her hair. She stepped back from the downpour and he tilted her head up as he brought his lips down to hers. A thrill shot through her body as his tongue caressed her bottom lip and she moaned into his mouth.

He reached out and poured some shampoo into his hands and worked it into her hair. His fingers massaged her scalp as the bubbles spread through her hair. Ben gently worked shampoo all the way to the ends of her hair and once he was sure he got it all he pulled her back under the dropping spray. Once more he massaged her scalp thoroughly rinsing her hair. He repeated the process taking a kiss between each stage. Gabriella's nipples were stiff with need so he bent down and took one into his mouth and ran the tip of his tongue over the sensitive bud. She gasped and pulled his head tighter against her breast. He treated the other nipple to the same and Gabriella's knees started to tremble.

Ben poured some body wash into his hands and rubbed it over Gabriella's arms, then her back and chest. He was careful not to over stimulate her nipples and worked his way down her body. He gently cleaned between her legs and she gasped as one then two fingers stroked inside her. He kept up the internal massage as he kissed his way down her stomach. When his mouth reached her lower lips she cried out and pulled his head tightly against her as she crested through a gentle yet powerful release. Ben braced her body against his as her muscles shook and trembled. He pulled her under the shower to rinse the suds away then gently sat her on the bench to recuperate while he quickly washed his hair and body.

He helped her to her feet and they stepped out to get fluffy towels to dry themselves off. He finished first as she was still languidly coming down from her last orgasm so he moved to help her. She loved the feel of his strong hands rubbing her body through the towel. He used the towel to squeeze most of the water from her hair then sat her on a stool in front of the mirror and pulled out a hair dryer and brush.

"Wendy used to let me dry her hair for her. May I?" Ben asked.

She smiled and nodded. He got to work. She got to admire his naked body in the mirror as he worked. While she had a towel wrapped around herself Ben was totally unselfconscious about being naked with her as he concentrated on her hair and she loved it.

He did a passable job at styling her drying hair and she grinned at his happy smile as he finished up. Not exactly as she would have done it but she didn't look bad!

When Ben shut off the hair dryer they heard the doorbell. They looked at each other but it was Gabriella that wore a guilty look. 

Ben saw the look and wondered what it meant. "What's with that look? Did you invite someone over?" he asked.

"No! I don't know who that is." she said but the look remained. He raised his eyebrow and waited for her to explain.

The doorbell rang again. She jumped up and rushed into the bedroom to pull on her clothes. Ben walked out and pulled on his robe. He left the bedroom to go answer the door as Gabriella struggled to get her panties from insider the leg of her yoga pants.

The doorbell rang once more and Ben opened it to see Catherine looking up at him with a worried expression. He stood back and she stepped in quickly. 

"What's wrong? What happened?" he asked 

"What? Nothing's wrong, you just didn't answer your door for a long time." Cat said quietly, the look still on her face.

"Sorry, I was in the shower." Ben answered as he hung up her coat. "To what do I owe the honor of your midday visit?" He knew she worked downtown so seeing her at, he looked at the clock, 12:30pm was out of the norm.

"I spoke with Hannah this morning and she said you were feeling a little blue. I heard Gabriella had come to see you-" she froze as her friend came down the hallway from Ben's room. Cat took in the slight tenderness in her movements, the guilty look, and the new hairstyle. Her mouth dropped open.

Ben looked from Catherine to Gabriella and saw the guilty look was back full force.

"Could someone please tell me what is going on with you two?" he asked.

Cat's eyes began to well up with tears and she looked back at Ben. He saw her stricken expression and his heart clenched in his chest. This was what he was afraid of.

"NO!" Gabriella yelled angrily and the other's froze. "Stop right there! NO ONE gets to feel bad until we clear the air!" she said staring at her friend.

"I think it's pretty clear-" Cat began.

"Then you'd be wrong!" Gabriella stressed and stepped up and took her friend's arms in hers so she could look directly into her eyes. "Ben knows we love him, both of us AND Tina. He still needs to work with his councillor to resolve his issues with accepting that he's worthy of love but one thing he DOES NOT have to worry about is hurting us by our loving him. I don't need to ask Ben for an exclusive relationship. I know his heart is capable of so much love I'm not threatened by his loving another. He cares deeply for Tina and she needs him so much! I think that's beautiful! I know you love him as much as I do. I would never try to keep you two apart. I love you too much to be that mean!"

Catherine pulled her friend into a hug and they cried on each other's shoulders. Ben watched them with tears in his own eyes but the pain he'd felt was gone. This actually felt like medicine for his soul. The words Gabriella had spoken earlier were being demonstrated right before his eyes and his heart felt lighter for it. She'd surprised and impressed him once more. He was still confused by her guilty look and wanted an answer.

When the two friends got control of themselves he led them into the living room and they sat on the couch with Catherine in the middle.

"Why did you look so guilty when Catherine showed up?" Ben asked.

Gabriella smiled at Cat. "Well, I broke the spirit of the agreement we all made last night when the women got together to talk about what we could do to help you. Hannah told us 'no more unsolicited sexual contact'. You kissed me first so it wasn't unsolicited but the point was to give you some breathing room, some time to heal emotionally."

"Gabriella, your talk with me this morning was more healing than anything I've ever experienced. What you and Catherine did just now has proven your words. The pressure I've felt on my heart has been lifted. Yes, I'm still anxious about why such beautiful and wonderful women are showing interest in me. I'm worried that love will disappear suddenly like a soap bubble. It's happened so many times in my past. But you've helped me so much, I can't begin to describe it!"

"I wish I'd been here!" Cat said longingly.

Ben turned her face towards him with a finger on her chin and kissed her. She moaned loudly as he sucked her lower lip between his and ran his tongue across the plump flesh before slipping into her mouth. Catherine immediately climbed onto his lap and Gabriella grinned at the surprised look on Ben's face before it was hidden beneath Cat's white blond hair as she pushed him back on the couch. 




The Shepherd of Ashburn Court Pt. 04



Gabriella stood up and looked back at her friends with a smile. Ben managed to push Catherine up so he could see past her hair. 

"You're leaving?" he asked, surprised. Catherine looked over with a feverish look in her eyes.

"Yes Ben, I'm going to head home. Unlike you I don't have a body that thinks it's a teenager and I think you should spend a little quality time with Cat. Maybe you both could come over for dinner tonight? 6PM? The kids would love to see you both again." she said.

Ben smiled and Cat pushed off of him to run over to her friend. She threw her arms around her and squeezed her tight.

"I love you so much Gabriella!" Catherine gushed.

"I love you too, Cat. See if you can't wear him out a little." she grinned.

Gabriella slipped on her coat and boots and headed home. Catherine locked up behind her then rushed back into the living room with a delighted grin on her face. She stopped short when she saw Ben was no longer on there. 

Suddenly hands grabbed her from behind and lifted her in the air. She squealed in excitement and thrashed but it was no use against Ben's strength. She went over his shoulder to hang down his back and he hustled down the hallway to his bedroom. He came to a halt just inside.

"Dammit! Well, this is embarrassing!" he growled.

"What? What's wrong?" Catherine asked unable to see what he saw.

"This has never happened to me before. I can do this." he said.

Keeping a firm grip with one arm around her legs, Ben pulled up the first corner of the sheets on the bed. He walked around the bed pulling up the rest of the sheets. He tossed them in the corner then got new sheets from the linen closet all the while balancing the giggling blond on his shoulder. Finally, he settled with just opening a single flat sheet across the mattress and put Catherine down on the center of the bed. She grinned up at him as he smiled down at her. He yanked off his robe and had a moment of deja vu when he realized he'd been in this exact position with Gabriella just... what, an hour ago? The moment threw off his concentration and Cat noticed his confusion. Not wanting him to stop she rolled to her knees and pulled off her top in one quick sweep. A sexy white lace bra held her smallish breasts which immediately caught Ben's eye. He smiled in delight and noticed a tremble in her tight stomach muscles. He knew she was a swimmer and she obviously kept herself in excellent condition. 

She yanked off her pants and as Ben tossed his robe onto the floor he felt Catherine's hands on his stiffening cock. 

Cat wasted no time in feeling the heat and weight of the beast she'd bumped her face into. She felt his pulse jump inside and it hardened in her grip.

Ben slid his hand into the hair on the back of her head and pulled her to him in a fierce kiss. His other hand popped the clasp on her bra as he tasted her mouth deeply. Cat's nipples immediately stiffened in anticipation of this touch. He pulled the bra away and she pressed her bare breasts against his chest. She moaned into his mouth then squealed as his hands slid down to squeeze her ass.

She pushed him down on his back on the bed and straddled his legs. She looked down at him hungrily, admiring the view. The three bullet scars caught her attention and she dipped down to kiss them. 

Ben's breath rushed out with the sensation of her lips so close to his groin so he was completely unprepared for the sensation of her mouth sliding over the thick head of his cock. She ran her tongue in circles around the head and popped her lips over the sensitive edges. The sensation caused him to curl up into a seated position but she put a hand on his chest and pushed him back down, keeping his cock firmly in her mouth. She bobbed up and down, managing to get almost half of him into her mouth.

Once she had gotten him good and wet she knee walked up his legs until she was resting her wet pussy on his hard shaft. She rocked her hips along its length and made it slick with her wetness. When he thought he'd go out of his mind she lifted him vertical and squatted over him rubbing the thick head across her opening. He was moaning in need and she wore a seductive grin as she settled herself down over him squeezing the head inside her. She raised herself off then dropped herself down, driving a third of his length into her. She stopped and got used to his thickness prying her open. 

When she was ready she lifted herself again and began to slowly pump him in and out of her. Once she was easily taking that much of him she dropped her weight on him again and felt him surge deeper still. Not yet to the root of his cock but almost. She squirmed on him feeling completely full.

Ben looked up at the beautiful blond riding him. He couldn't believe he was making love to her. Ben felt her legs tremble with the effort to keep her poised above him. Then she moved again and his mind was filling with the blissful sensations of her hot flesh gripping him. 

She managed a few more shaky bounces before her legs gave out. His cock rammed all the way to the bottom of her pussy and she cried out in bliss. 

Catherine was almost delirious. He was so thick and reached so far inside her she almost couldn't tell where he ended and she began, her pussy was gripping him so tightly. It was so much better than her dream! She leaned down over his chest and planted a kiss on his lips as she smiled at him. She began to roll her hips, gently sliding him in and out no more than an inch. The tease was excruciating so Ben grabbed her hips and began to move his own pelvis in time with hers to make longer strokes. 

She cried out as his hard flesh pistoned into her and her clit ground against his hard muscles. Her orgasm was rushing up on her when his hands began to slam her down on his body. This added pressure pushed her over the top and she was suddenly screaming out as ecstasy shot through her body. He moved his hands to her ass and squeezed her tight as he buried himself once more to her depth. His orgasm was fast and intense. He took her lovely face between his hands and kissed her deeply and he gushed into her hot center. Catherine moaned as she felt his hot spend fill her.

She lay upon his chest trying to catch her breath. She still felt stuffed with cock, a sensation she'd never felt before and wanted to feel forever. Once she'd recovered from her orgasm she waited for him to begin to soften but it didn't happen. She pushed up on her arms and looked at him.

"Again?" she asked then giggled as he rolled over pinning her under him.

She felt a spike of pleasure as his pelvis pressed against hers. She pulled her knees up and out and felt him begin to move in little circles. She moaned and thrashed under him with her eyes closed in bliss as their wet bodies slid against each other. The circling picked up in speed and began to include pulling out and thrusting back in deep at the bottom of each circle. The direct contact was driving her mad and her breath gusted out with each thrust. 

Ben felt his second orgasm rushing up fast. Catherine's muscles were starting to tighten and tremble heralding her own imminent release. He picked up the pace once more until he was moving in a blur and Catherine was yelling out his name. She clung to him as hard as she could then her body went totally stiff as she gushed against his cock. Her eyes flew open and her jaw dropped as the intensity took her completely by surprise. He slammed all the way to the bottom one last time and jetted his load deep into her body.

The two breathed hoarsely as they recovered. Ben pulled back and Catherine whimpered at the sudden emptiness left behind. When he was finally out he rolled over onto his back to take his weight off of her.

"Oh god Ben! That was better than I dreamed it could be!" she panted.

"It seems like a dream to me as well. I'm having a hard time believing today is real. It's like I'm going to suddenly wake up and I'll be alone again." he said quietly, his voice dazed. 

Catherine rolled over onto her side and propped her head up on her hand. She looked at Ben's troubled expression then leaned over him to give him a gentle kiss. 

"Ben, it's real. Gabriella and I love you very much. So does Tina. We'd like to share your life with you if you'll have us." she said with a hopeful smile.

Tears came to Ben's eyes and he pulled her on top of him in a fierce hug. "I want that very much!" he whispered into her ear as if afraid saying it out loud would ruin his chances at happiness.

The phone rang.

Catherine got one more passionate kiss from him before she'd let him roll over to the side of the bed to get the handset.

"Hello?" 

"Ben? It's Hannah. I just wanted to see how you were doing."

"Hi Hannah. I'm- I'm actually doing much better thanks. Gabriella and I had a really good talk this morning and she really helped me come to terms with some things that have been tormenting me."

"Really? That's excellent! You're... still going to see the councillor though, right?" she asked, concerned that he was looking for an excuse to avoid it.

"Yes. I can see that I have some work to do to deal with these issues. Gabriella also insisted it was necessary. I have to tell you I am feeling much b-ETTER!" he gasped as Cat ran her tongue up the length of his resting cock.

"Are you ok?" Hannah asked, concerned.

"Yeah- ohhh... yeah, I'm good." Ben tried to push Catherine's head away from his groin as she continued to tease him with the tip of her tongue. She giggled then slapped her hand over her mouth and sat up with wide eyes.

"BEN, IS CATHERINE HAVING SEX WITH YOU?" Hannah yelled. Cat heard her and looked worried.

"...yes." Ben said blushing, cursing his obsession for honesty.

"THAT BITCH! I told her last night you were hands off until you got help! When she told me she was going to check in on you I should have known!" she ranted.

"Hannah! It's ok! That was something Gabriella and I talked about this morning. She was wonderful!"

"OH MY GOD! GABRIELLA HAD SEX WITH YOU TOO!" she shrieked into the phone.

"That's not what I meant...but, yes. But it's ok!" he tried to calm her.

"No Ben, it is definitely NOT ok! I will speak with you tonight. I have the details for the councillor. I'll bring them over at 6 tonight." Hannah insisted, sounding very upset.

"We'll be over at Gabriella's for dinner tonight at that time." Ben said.

There was silence at the other end of the phone as Hannah struggled to throttle her rage. "Then I will see you there then. Goodbye." And she hung up.

"Hannah? Oh, that's not good." Ben said, putting the handset back on its base.

"I'm so sorry Ben. I just can't stop myself sometimes." Catherine said sadly.

"You can definitely be an imp!" he smiled and she returned it. "We'll talk with her tonight. At Gabriella's." he said meaningfully.

Her worried look returned.

For dinner Gabriella made a large lasagna with fresh garlic bread. Gelato for dessert if anyone had room. 

Everything was ready and her guests would be arriving shortly. Ben had called to warn her that Hannah found out about their... physical activities and was very upset with her and Cat.

She sighed. She knew Hannah was just concerned with Ben's well-being but when she'd left Ben he was looking happier and more at peace than she'd seen him in weeks. Hannah was just going to have to be convinced that what they had done was helpful, not harmful.

The doorbell rang at ten minutes to the hour and she went to answer it. She saw Hannah's stern face through the window. She had hoped Ben and Catherine would be here first but... she opened the door.

"Gabriella." 

"Hannah, come in please. Let me get your coat."

Miriam and Daniel showed up to see if it was Ben.

"Oh! Hello Mrs. Cooper!" Miriam said happily.

"Hello Miriam, Daniel!" the woman smiled.

"Could you two wait here for Ben and Cat and bring them to my office when they get here?" Gabriella asked her children.

"Yes mom." her daughter answered.

She gestured for Hannah to follow her to her office at the back of the house and closed the door behind them. The two women took seats across from each other. 

Hannah seemed to be trying to get control over her emotions. Gabriella gave her the time she needed and sat quietly.

"How... I... what were you thinking?" Hannah ground out before she clamped down again. Gabriella saw the pain and anger in her face.

"While it may not seem like it from where you are right now, please know I would never do anything to hurt Ben." she began.

Hannah gasped and her eyes went wide as she stared at Gabriella. "Are you kidding me? The man has intimacy issues and you and Catherine HAD SEX WITH HIM!" she yelled.

"Ben is afraid to love because he's terrified of hurting the ones he loves. He's afraid of driving them away. I told Ben this morning that he is loved. I love him. Catherine loves him. Tina loves him. I know he loves us back but he couldn't cope with the fear of hurting one of us by showing love to any of us. His concept of love didn't include the possibility that being loved by more than one partner could work. His experience with betrayal left him convinced that love from more than one person leads to heartbreak. We're not insisting on exclusive relationships as that would just hurt him. Catherine is my best friend. I love her. She loves Ben as much as I do. I wouldn't keep them a part! Tina needs Ben and he's so good for her. That's wonderful! Speak to Ben before you pass judgement on us. He is much happier than I've ever seen him."

"But why did you have sex with him!" Hannah asked.

"Ben is a very... physical person. Do you recall when you first brought Beth over to Catherine's? Remember how he was all over her? Comforting her with hugs and rubbing against her? For all that he has trouble mentally and emotionally accepting love he is the opposite physically in giving it. I had no intentions of having sex with Ben when I went to his place. Then he kissed me. Yes, I kissed him back and when he picked me up and carried me to his bedroom, my intentions were moot."

There was a gentle knock on the door. 

"Come in!" Gabriella called.

Cat poked her head around the door with a worried look. Ben reached over her and pushed the door open with a look of annoyance.

"She said come in, not look in." he said.

"Hi! Sorry we're late." Catherine said with a blush.

Hannah closed her eyes and struggled to control her anger.

Ben slipped into the room and knelt down in front of Hannah's chair. When she opened her eyes she yelped in surprise since he was right up next to her. He took her hands in his and looked into her eyes. "Please don't be angry with Gabriella and Catherine. They really helped me a great deal today. I can't begin to tell you how much Gabriella's talk helped me this morning. She really eased my fears and made me re-examine some of my damaged views on love, relationships, and my place in the lives of people I care for. Gabriella and Catherine, their love for me may be saving my sanity. I won't break my promise about speaking to the councillor. I know I'm not 'cured' by any stretch of the imagination but at least one of my fears has been greatly reduced." He kissed her knuckles and she gasped gently. Her eyes darted to Gabriella as she recalled her words about his 'physicality'.

"I know you are worried about me and I truly appreciate that. You are an amazing friend and I consider myself lucky to have you in my corner. I'm also concerned about you. We've talked about how unhealthy it is to hold onto anger and now that you know there is no value in anger for this I want you to release it like we practiced." he said looking her directly in the eye.

She smiled and leaned forward to pull him into a big hug.

"That's not how we did it but I suppose hugs also work really well." he said, squeezing his friend warmly.

"Are you ready to eat?" Gabriella asked.

"YES! I'm STARVING!" Ben said. He stood up and kept his arms around Hannah so she left the ground and hung against his broad chest. She yelped as her breasts were squeezed against him. She put her hands on his shoulders to push him away but his grip was too strong.

"Ben! Put me down! NOW!" she shrieked. 

Miriam and Daniel were standing in the doorway grinning at Ben. He winked at them. 

"Oh! I didn't see you there Hannah. Down you go." He said as he gently set her back on her feet.

She straightened her blouse and jacket then had to turn her back to them as she tugged her bra back into place. She turned back to look at his grinning face with a scowl but she couldn't maintain the look. She gave him a playful swat. "Bad man! Bad BIG man!" she growled as she tried to ignore the tingles and the flush running up her neck.

The kids came in and grabbed Ben's hands to drag him out to the dining room. They sat him at the head of the table then took chairs on either side of him. Gabriella and Catherine went into the kitchen. Miriam indicated that Hannah should sit next to her. The two friends brought the food out to the table and Gabriella served it onto the plates, Ben getting a very generous amount much to his delight. 

Miriam and Daniel dug in and were surprised when Ben mimicked their enthusiasm. More giggling ensued.

Ben's face showed his enjoyment and his food quickly disappeared.

Daniel watched in awe as Ben finished off the enormous portion. "Wow! You must have been playing hard today to work up THAT kind of appetite!" he blurted.

Hannah was sipping her water at that moment and it spurted right back into her glass. Her face went red and she began coughing as the water had gone straight through her nose. She held her napkin to her face and tried to catch her breath. Gabriella looked at Hannah with an embarrassed expression.

Catherine had a big mischievous grin on her face as she watched the blush grow redder on Ben's frozen face. "Did you have fun today, Ben?" she asked.

Ben gave her an exasperated look. "Yes, I did very much."

Miriam had missed the not quite so subtle nuances of the conversation and looked at Ben in delight. "What did you do today?"

Ben was trapped. He couldn't tell her he'd made love to her mother and her mother's best friend but he couldn't lie either. Hannah came to his rescue. 

"I'm sorry for interrupting Miriam. Ben, before I forget, could you get my purse by the front door?" she asked.

Ben gratefully left the table and Gabriella asked her kids to start tidying the kitchen. Once they'd left the room Gabriella swatted her friend's arm.

"OW! Why-"

"Don't put Ben on the spot in front of the kids like that?" she said quietly but firmly.

"I was just teasing!" Cat sulked.

"Yes, but Ben can't or at least won't lie."

"Oh! Right! Sorry, I forgot." Cat said 

"Forgot what?" Ben asked as he returned to the dining room with the purse.

"Sorry I teased you Ben." Catherine apologized contritely.

"Not in front of the kids, please." was all he said.

"Don't do what in front of us?" Miriam asked Ben when she returned. 

"Never mind Miriam." Gabriella said firmly. The young woman scowled at her mother. She'd obviously been left out of something adult and therefor interesting to a 16 year old. The fact that it was about Ben just made it all the more interesting.

Ben gave Hannah her purse and she dug out the appointment card. She handed it to Ben. "Tomorrow morning is the initial consultation. Dr. Rao is brilliant but this is a very personal interaction and you have to feel comfortable. If you don't click with him I have others I will introduce you to. OK?"

"Thank you, Hannah." Ben said and kissed her forehead.

She looked over at Gabriella once more to acknowledge she was right about how physical Ben was.

"Dessert anyone? We have Gelato!" Gabriella said with a smile.




The Shepherd of Ashburn Court Pt. 04



Once the meal was done the kids cleared the dishes and cleaned up. Hannah had to pick up her son from Trish's place so she thanked Gabriella and Catherine and Ben gave her a big hug which sent the flush up her neck once more. She headed home before she did something silly... like kiss him.

They settled into the living room and played it cool, the women taking the chairs and Ben on the couch. Miriam and Daniel finished up so they raced into the living room and plopped down on the couch on either side of Ben. Daniel looked up at Ben and did the eye pointing gesture again and his mother got upset but Ben just smiled.

Ben put his arms up along the back of the couch and the kids tucked themselves in against him. He looked down in surprise and Gabriella beamed. Catherine grinned as well.

"Ben told me this morning that he's never traveled anywhere." Gabriella opened with.

Miriam spun to look up at Ben in shock. "Never?"

He grinned down at her look. "No, I've never been anywhere but here."

"Mom! We have to bring him with us to France!" the young girl gasped.

Gabriella hadn't expected that but now that the idea was out there she saw the appeal. Especially after the events of the morning. 

Catherine looked at her curiously so she answered. "After I returned from my last trip to Europe I promised the kids I'd take them to France for two weeks this summer. I've taken them to the big theme parks in Florida and we flew out west and did a driving tour ending up at the Grand Canyon. The kids are a joy to travel with. I've never taken them to Europe so I thought France would be the nicest place to start. We'll start in Paris then drive south, stopping in little boutique hotels and bed & breakfasts and end our trip in Nice." 

Miriam was still looking up at Ben in excitement. "You could come with us!"

"But this is a family trip. I wouldn't want to intrude." he argued.

"Cat, would you be available to join us too?" Gabriella asked.

Catherine's smile was threatening to split her face in two. "I'd love to go to France, especially Paris!" She leapt out of her chair and jumped on Gabriella's lap to give her a big hug. 

Ben smiled over at the two ladies squealing like teenagers. He looked down at Miriam who was just shaking her head in embarrassment. "If Catherine is going I guess it's OK for me to join you too." he said. Then it was Miriam squealing and jumping up to hug him. 

He looked down at Daniel. "That is, if it's ok with you Daniel."

The boy pretended to consider it carefully then nodded. "I think that would be fine." he said.

"Thank you." Ben said.

Daniel nodded.

Gabriella looked at her kids with pride. 

Catherine crawled off of her friends lap. "Oh, damn. I promised my girls I'd go on a trip with them this summer. France would have been incredible but there's no way." she said sadly.

"Bring them. I'll pay for the trip. First class all the way." Ben said. Gabriella and Catherine stared at Ben blankly.

"I was going to use my points for the flight and car rental." Gabriella mumbled.

"You said this morning I should travel and find someone experienced with the location to guide me. Well, if you'll have me I'd love to go with you all to France. But I insist on paying." Ben said. "Shouldn't we book now to ensure we all get seats and places to stay?"

Catherine and Gabriella jumped on Ben and much squealing and playful kissing ensued. Daniel was the recipient of many of those kisses and finally managed to crawl out from under the pile and stomp off to his room. Ben caught the smile the boy was struggling to hide. 

"Cat, call your daughters and make sure they are available." Gabriella said and Cat immediately dialed her house first as Megan was home. Gabriella grabbed Ben's hand and dragged him to her office. Miriam followed holding Ben's other hand. 

Catherine waited in the living room and told her youngest to come over immediately. She hung up and dialed her oldest, Sophia, as she walked to the front door. Moments later Megan came in breathing hard from the run took off her coat and boots. Her face was filled with curiosity.

Sophia picked up. "Hi Mom! What's up?"

"Is Rachel with you?" Cat asked.

"Yes, she's right here. What's going on?" the daughter asked curiously.

"Put the phone on speaker. I've got Megan with me here." She put her phone on speaker and heard Sophia's speaker activating. "Do you remember our plan to go away together this summer?" Catherine asked.

"Yes?" all three of her daughters said anxiously, fearing their mother was going to cancel.

"How would you feel about going to France?" Cat said with a grin. She grinned at the phone as Sophia and Rachel screamed in glee. Megan jumped up to cling to her mother as she squealed as well.

"Wait! Wait! We can't afford France!" Sophia exclaimed.

"Ben is paying for the trip!" Catherine told her excitedly. "First class!"

"Mr. Shepherd? Why is he paying for our trip?" Megan asked.

"Because Ben has never travelled anywhere before and he'd like company on his first trip. He's bringing us and Gabriella and her kids. We're working out the logistics but it sounds like we will be starting in Paris then travelling south to explore and finishing off in Nice."

"Mom, that's eight people! How can he afford that?" Sophia asked.

"Sweetie, don't worry about that. Ben does very well in his business." she deflected.

"No way! He's built like a Sex God and he's rich? I'm SO gonna marry that man!" Rachel said.

Catherine snorted as she saw Ben standing in the doorway. He'd come looking for her to help them in the office.

"Uh, he's in the room now and he heard that right?" Rachel said weakly.

"Good evening, Rachel." Ben said.

"Good evening Mr. Shepherd." Rachel and Sophia said in reply.

"Please call me Ben. Catherine, we need your help working out the number of rooms we'll need to book, starting with the hotel in Paris." he said.

"Oh my god this is happening!" Sophia's voice blurted from the phone, her excitement clear.

"I hope you don't mind me tagging along on your family vacation." Ben said seriously.

The girls spoke all at once to assure him they were more than fine with his being there. Catherine just grinned at him. Megan rushed up and hugged him fiercely and Catherine joined her. "Sophia and Rachel, make hugging sounds! We're giving Ben a group hug!" the mother called out to her daughters.

"God, I wish I was there." Rachel moaned.

"Yeah, why is it that Megan gets all the glory?" Sophia complained.

"Born under a lucky star I guess!" the youngest gloated to her sisters.

Ben peeled himself away and tugged Catherine down to Gabriella's office. She promised her daughters to email them the details once they were set.

The group spent the next three and a half hours roughing out an itinerary. Most of the calls to the smaller hotels and B&B's would have to happen when their reservation desks and booking people were open for business. Gabriella promised to get started on that in the morning. Ben would help her in the afternoon after speaking with the councillor. 

It was just past midnight when they decided to call it a night. Everyone was tired yet excited. Catherine, Megan, and Ben got their coats on and gave Miriam a hug good night. She headed off to bed. Once the coast was clear Ben gave Gabriella a kiss good night and she slipped her tongue into his mouth and kissed him passionately. He returned it and when their lips parted you could have heard a pin drop. Miriam had snuck back down the stairs and had witnessed the most beautiful kiss she'd ever seen. She was so happy for her mother who deserved happiness and she loved Ben dearly. She smiled at them when they turned to spot her on the stairs then raced back up to her room.

Gabriella looked up at Ben to make sure he wasn't worried about Miriam. He just looked a little embarrassed so that was ok.

They turned back to Catherine and Megan. Cat had a loving smile on her face but Megan's eyes were wide with surprise. More embarrassment for Ben.

"I want my kiss goodnight here inside where it's warm." Catherine said to Ben. She squeezed herself against him and used her hands to hold his face and block his view of Megan. When her lips caressed his Ben's attention locked onto her and she was able to truly enjoy his attentions. God! He was an amazing kisser! Tingles shot through her body and she had to pull back or she'd tear off their clothes and take him right there in Gabriella's foyer. As she turned from Ben she saw her daughter's shocked expression had doubled.

Ben was trembling. "OK, new rule! No more kisses like that before we go our separate ways." He said hoarsely.

"Sorry Ben." Cat said sincerely.

"Can- can I hug him?" Megan asked her mother.

"I think you'd better keep it to just a hug." she said quietly.

Megan stepped forward quickly and pressed her body hard against Ben and hugged him tight. Sure enough, the evidence of his excitement pressed against her and she gasped silently before he gently pushed her back. 

"Sophie and Rachel are gonna scream!" she whispered to her mother as they left amidst shared giggles.

Gabriella grabbed Ben's arm as he turned to leave. He looked back at her. She pointed to the lights which were on at Trish's place. He looked back in surprise at her. She smiled and nodded. He gave her one more loving kiss as he touched her cheek.

Ben made his way over to Trish's place and noticed a car in the driveway that looked familiar but he couldn't place where he'd seen it. He walked up to the door and knocked. He didn't want to use the doorbell in case he woke the kids.

The inner door opened and he was looking down at Tina. Her eyes lit up then she squashed the emotion and looked down. She opened the door and he stepped inside. 

"Good evening, Mr. Shepherd." Tina said quietly.

"Tina..." he began but realized he didn't know what to say. Brutal honesty. "I want you to come home with me. I want you and Christopher to live in my house. I want you in my life. But all of these things are dependent on you agreeing to one very important thing."

She looked up at him in shock. Her mouth worked but no sound came out.

"I'm amending my previous conditions. Before, I told you that you had to find a mate who was closer to your age. Now, all I am asking is that you keep your heart open for the possibility of love. You are very young. You may meet someone who is more compatible, someone you connect with deeply, someone you can truly love. You must be open to that. I can't be the reason you miss the opportunity for true love. Can you do that? Please?"

Tears were streaming down her cheeks and a beautiful smile was on her lovely face. Not able to trust her voice she nodded quickly. He bent down, pulled her into his arms and kissed her deeply. She kissed him back as she cried and laughed at the same time. He heard crying from further down the hall and looked over Tina's shoulder as she clung to his chest.

Trish and her cousin were standing in the doorway to the living room watching them. The two were clinging to each other and crying.

"What?" he asked setting Tina back on her feet.

Trish and Shelly rushed forward and hugged Ben after Tina hustled upstairs to get her things.

"You are such a good man Ben! Tina needs you so much and you are so good for her. What changed your mind?" Trish asked.

Ben considered Gabriella's words from earlier in the day about Trish's opinion changing and saw she was right about that too. "Gabriella talked with me and set my mind at ease over a number of misconceptions I had regarding love and relationships. She sent me over here to open up to Tina about how I truly feel."

"I want to meet Gabriella! She sounds like a truly wise and beautiful soul!" Shelly sighed.

Ben's body was reminding him that he had two beautiful women pressing their large firm breasts into his chest. Trish noticed immediately as the ridge was climbing up the leg she was pressed against. His heat and thickness was pressing directly against her pussy through her yoga pants.

"Oh God Ben! That feels so fucking good!" she moaned as she ground against him. Shelly looked at her cousin in surprise.

Tina came down the stairs with her suitcases. Truthfully she hadn't really unpacked as she'd prayed Ben would take her back.

She saw Ben's flushed expression and Trish rubbing against him. Shelly was also squeezed tightly against him. She smiled, put her suitcases down and walked up to the three. 

Trish noticed Tina and pulled away from Ben. Damn her horniness! Ben was here for Tina not her! Shelly stepped back as well. Tina pulled Ben's coat off and knelt to help him remove his boots. Then she put her hand in Ben's larger one and pulled him into the living room. She could feel him trembling with need as she glanced over to ensure the blinds were closed. Trish and Shelly followed her in and she gestured for them to move the coffee table away from the couch. She led Ben to stand in front of the couch.

Tina looked up at Ben. "May I please remove your pants?" she asked quietly.

Ben looked at her then the other women who stood frozen in the room.

"Please." she repeated, looking up at him with her head tilted.

He nodded faintly and she efficiently undid his belt, button and zipper and slid his pants down. He stepped out of them.

"May I please remove your underwear?" she asked.

Ben was starting to recover from his over stimulation and was becoming nervous about being naked in front of the women. Tina stepped close and looked up sweetly at his face.

"Please."

He shivered and gave her another nod. She slid back down his legs sliding the garment down with her. His heavy cock swung free and touched her cheek. She gasped and shivered with delight at the feel of him. She heard Shelly moan as she finally got to see Ben's cock. Tina smiled. She'd heard Trish's story of Shelly's skills. She wanted Ben to experience them. She was his to command but he was hers to pleasure.

Tina put her hands on Ben's chest and gently pushed him to sit on the couch. She moved his knees apart then looked over at Shelly. The blonde's eyes were locked onto his cock and her breathing was fast. Tina gestured for her to approach. Trish gave her cousin a little push and she finally began to move closer. 

When Shelly was close enough Tina reached out and took her hand. She pulled the woman closer and made her kneel between Ben's legs. He was looking between Tina and Shelly confused at how this little woman was controlling the much taller blonde. He didn't realize how desperately Shelly wanted exactly what Tina was freeing her to do.

"Ben is a very special man. Please make him feel good." Tina said quietly to Shelly and gently pushed her head towards his stiff cock. 

Shelly's eyes closed in bliss as his hot flesh pressed against her cheek. It had been so long since she'd done this. Not since her trust had been so horribly betrayed. She'd never met a man she'd felt comfortable expressing her passion with until Ben. Her cousin's obvious trust in him dissolved her last fears. 

She rubbed her face against him and moved her hands to grip the root and cup his balls. She gasped as a surge of pleasure went through her body. She'd missed this so much! She felt the weight of his balls and dipped her head down to run her tongue over their surface. Shelly sucked one into her mouth and moaned in pleasure. 

Ben held his hand out for Tina and she sat next to him on the couch, her feet tucked up under her. He pulled her in close and kissed her tenderly as he gasped at the sensations Shelly was sending through his body.

Trish approached the couch from Ben's other side and he held his hand out to her as well. She sat next to him with her legs tucked like Tina's. Her eyes were on her cousin though.

Shelly started to kiss his cock starting at the base. She pressed her full lips against his hot skin and sensually moved her kisses from side to side as she made her way up. She made little cooing sounds as she felt his pulse pounding in the hard flesh. When she reached the head she smiled in great satisfaction to see a large droplet of precum beading there. She dipped the tip of her tongue into the liquid and rubbed it in circles across the fat head of his cock as she ever so slowly lowered her head over him. Another shock went through her body as her lips reached the soft skin of the head and began to stretch over its thickness. Her moaning increased.

Ben writhed as he felt her working her lush lips over the sensitive glans. He fought the urge to reached down to her head and push his cock deeper into her hot, wet mouth. 

Trish reached behind herself and dragged Ben's arm off the back of the sofa and slid it down her back and inside the waistband of yoga pants. Ben automatically slid his hand down between her legs and rubbed in circles over her pussy and clit. She gasped and jolted with pleasure as she watched Shelly.

Ben's cock slowly disappeared into Shelly's working mouth. She slathered her spit over his skin with her tongue and began to work her way down the shaft. Occasionally she'd slide back up to the head and kiss the tip with her full lips. Then she'd slide back down to the depth she'd reached before and push a little further. She made little needful sounds when she'd reach a new depth and pull back, as if she was fighting with herself to go deeper.

Her descents were becoming faster though the ascents continued to be slow to the point where Ben was losing his mind. 

He slipped two fingers deep into Trish's wet pussy and ran his slick thumb back and forth across her anus with each pump. Every time his thumb caressed the opening Trish hissed her breath through her teeth in anticipation. Her body was trembling and her breathing was ragged.

Ben looked into Tina's eyes and he saw her love for him shining back. He was mirroring that love so she leaned in and kissed him tenderly once more.

Shelly had a firm grip around the root of Ben's cock which held him back from the orgasm he felt building to monstrous levels. She used the nails on her other hand to gently scrape the surface of this tightening balls and Ben yelped from the suddenly intense sensation. Then Shelly dropped her mouth over his cock all the way to the base, pushing the head deep into her throat. 

Ben gasped and his body went rigid. His hand clenched on Trish's ass and the tip of his thumb squeezed past the tight ring into her hot rear passage. Trish's eyes rolled back and she leaned back against his hand feeling his thumb sliding deeper into her ass until it was all the way in. She wiggled her hips to get just a little more in.

Shelly squeezed him tight with her throat then pulled all the way off. She looked at Ben with raw lust in her eyes and then looked back at his cock with hunger. She plunged down once more and Ben's entire body jolted. She began to make long deep strokes from the head to the root. She looked at her cousin who looked back with lust in her own eyes as Ben thrust up into both her ass and pussy. She was very close to her orgasm.

Ben whispered into Tina's ear. Her grin was wide and mischievous. She nodded to Ben then carefully got off the couch and circled behind Shelly. She stopped and rested a hand on the back of Shelly's head. The woman immediately began to whimper and her hand left Ben's balls to start touching herself. Tina went back to Ben and whispered in his ear. He glanced at her and she nodded. Ben moved his free hand to the back of Shelly's head and he took a grip on the hair there. He didn't try to control her movements but Shelly immediately began to whimper loudly and moan as she increased her speed, almost brutally slamming his cock into her throat. Tina rushed around behind Trish to follow Ben's instructions. She reached around Trish and pinched her nipples tightly and tugged on them. Trish's head went back in a silent scream as she convulsed on Ben's hand.




The Shepherd of Ashburn Court Pt. 04



Shelly loosened her grip on the base of Ben's cock and he suddenly felt that enormous orgasm crashing through his senses. He'd spent the morning making love to Gabriella and the afternoon with Catherine so he really didn't expect to have much left but it appeared he was wrong. The first burst went down her throat but she quickly pulled out so just the fat head rested on her tongue. Shot after shot filled her mouth. He moaned as Shelly's eyes rolled back in ecstasy. Tina moved behind her and squeezed her nipples and pulled them, just not as hard as she'd done for Trish. Shelly squealed through her orgasm with Ben's cock acting as a gag.

Ben gently disengaged his hand from Trish's body and felt her convulse in aftershocks. He loosened his grip on Shelly's hair and gently ran his fingers through it to smooth the knots out. She looked up at him lovingly then carefully pulled her mouth off of his cock. She pushed herself to her feet then knelt on the edge of the couch in front of her cousin. 

Trish was resting back on her feet but her head was drooping down. Shelly reached out and tilted her chin up. Trish's eyes opened in question then Shelly's mouth was against hers in a deep kiss. Trish squealed in surprise then moaned and leaned into the kiss. Ben watched with wide eyes as the two women shared his essence between them. He realized Shelly was completing the threesome from Trish's story. Both women were clutching each other and when the kiss was over they hugged tightly with tears in their eyes.

"I love you Trish." Shelly whispered to her cousin.

"I love you Shelly, forever!" Trish whispered back and rested her head against the blonde's shoulder.

Tina had slipped away and quickly returned with a warm, damp face cloth. She immediately began cleaning Ben's spent cock. When she squeezed out a final dollop of sperm she smiled wickedly up at Ben and licked it off. He gasped and raised an eyebrow at her. Once his cock was clean she moved to clean the hand he'd pleasured Trish with then helped him put his clothes back on.

Everyone climbed to their feet and hugged. 

Trish looked at Tina. "Thank you for sharing Ben with us! And Ben, thank you for letting us complete that beautiful act of love that was stolen from us so many years ago."

Ben kissed Trish and Shelly and tasted something odd, then realized it was him. They smiled at him as they realized what he'd just done.

"Oh my god, he's just the sexiest man ever!" Shelly gushed.

He glanced at a clock and saw it was a little past 1AM. "No, just a tired one." he smiled. "Good night to you both! Tina do you want to come home tonight or in the morning? What about Christopher?"

"Tonight please. Can you carry him in his bassinette? I will just put some blankets on him for the short distance to your place." she replied.

He nodded and went upstairs to carry him down. Trish and Shelly saw them off with another round of kisses. Ben brought Tina and Christopher home and got them settled into his home and his room. Tina and Ben brushed their teeth together enjoying the simple domestic bliss.

As he turned the light off with Tina tucked up against his body he sighed with happiness. Tina responded with one of her own and he fell asleep quickly with a smile on his face.

Chapter 16

Ben met with Dr. Rao and while he seemed very nice Ben found himself uncomfortable discussing anything personal with the man. Once the session was over the secretary sent Ben to speak with Hannah. 

"So how was your session with Dr. Rao?" she asked

"Well, he's nice..." Ben started.

"There's a 'but' in there isn't there." she said. "It's ok Ben, speak freely."

"He didn't put me at ease. I felt awkward speaking with him." he said.

"Sure. Ok. Let me see. Do you think you might be more at ease speaking with a woman because I can get you in to see Dr. Granger tomorrow morning at the same time?" she asked.

"Well, I have no trouble speaking with you and Gabriella. So maybe, yeah." he agreed.

Hannah made a request for the appointment for the following morning and received a confirmation in moments. "OK, you are set. What are your plans for the rest of the day? Are you up for a session with Beth and I tonight?"

Ben had been thinking about how he'd bolted from Daphne's house the last night he'd been there. He felt bad about that. "I think I'll stop by Daphne's on the way back to see how they are doing. I left in a bad way when I was last there. I am definitely up for another session tonight. What time?"

"We could come over at 7:30?"

Ben remembered something. "Are you aware that I've brought Tina and Christopher back to my place to live with me while she's attending University?"

"Oh! Uh, no I wasn't aware of that. Don't you think that's a bit premature?" she said cautiously.

"Actually, it feels right. My anxiety over how I had been treating Tina is gone. I'm even becoming more comfortable with fulfilling her need for a dominant partner though quite frankly I think that's more due to her being a very mature and responsible young woman. There is thankfully very little drama with Tina."

"With her living with you where are we going to have our sessions?" Hannah asked.

"In my media room like last time. We'll just close the door for privacy. It's soundproof." he smiled.

"Excellent! See you at 7:30 then." Hannah smiled. Ben headed out and Hannah made a quick call to Daphne to let her know he was heading over and to keep her daughters in check.

Ben stopped by the florist and picked up a beautiful flower arrangement for Daphne and her daughters to wish them luck with their new venture.

Daphne opened the door and beamed a broad smile at him as she ushered him inside. He hung up his jacket, kicked off his boots and followed her back into the playroom which had quickly become their favorite room.

"I was told that this is a congratulations and good luck arrangement." Ben said handing the flowers to Daphne.

"Oh Ben! You didn't need to do that! They're lovely! Thank you! Let me put them in the kitchen for now. Girls! Ben is here!" Daphne called out. When Ben gave her a nervous look she patted his arm. "They just wanted to say thank you personally for the incredible job you did on the daycare. They promised me no hanky panky."

Daphne left to go into the kitchen and Ben sat on a big red couch in the playroom. He smiled as he looked around at how much natural light filled the room. It really had turned out so well! He couldn't wait to hear the excited voices and laughter of kids in the neighborhood again.

Speaking of excited voices, he heard Lisa and Lori rushing from the back of the house. They slid into the room in their socks with wide grins on their faces. Both had their hair up in pigtails. They wore white blouses with rolled up sleeves and grey plaid skirts which only reached mid-thigh. They walked over to the couch holding hands as they had back in the days when he'd seen them walking to school. Ben realized the clothes they wore matched their old school uniforms but they never looked like THIS. He froze as they stood before him. He could faintly see their crimson push-up bras through their tight white tops. He had no trouble seeing the resulting cleavage.

"We want to thank you Ben for the amazing job you did on the daycare! The workmanship is second to none, the attention to detail is incredible and there is no question we have the best facilities of any daycare in the county if not the state. Thank you so much!" Lisa said earnestly. 

"Thank you Ben!" Lori joined in.

Ben began to relax when they didn't jump on him or try to kiss him. Instead they behaved in a friendly and polite way. He still couldn't get over the similarity in their outfits to their old school uniforms, aside from the overly abundant cleavage and their long smooth legs.

They sat on the couch on either side of him but they didn't crowd in, rub against him, or touch him in any way. They just smiled. Again, Ben began to relax.

Daphne came back out into the playroom and froze when she saw her daughters sitting on the couch with Ben. They hadn't been dressed like that when she'd told them this morning to behave when Ben arrived. And pigtails? Still, Ben didn't seem too nervous, just a little confused. Like she was.

"Have you begun advertising?" Ben asked as he got used to the ladies sitting next to him on the couch.

"Yes, actually the girls took care of that." Daphne said with a big smile. Lori jumped up and skipped over to the kitchen counter and brought back some of the printed material. She returned to her spot on the couch and handed the papers over to Ben with a bright smile. "Trish did all of our design work and it looks incredible. It really set us above the others and there has huge response! We are actually preparing to begin the interview process next week. There will be a Spring/Summer program and a Fall/Winter program. We're actually approved to have 25 kids in the daycare based on the new design. One spot is reserved for Tina's Christopher so we are interviewing for 24 more." Daphne smiled.

"We also have Jacob and Emma Brown's two daughters coming to work for us. They currently work in one of the city run daycares which is all the way on the opposite side of the city. They're just across the street and three doors over so their new commute is less than a minute's walk. Natalie is 20 and Victoria is 19 so we'll have sufficient adult supervision. They got a very good reference from their former employer and are fully certified."

Ben looked at the twins again. "Uh, is there going to be a uniform for the staff?" he asked curiously.

The twins giggled and swatted him playfully. "No silly! We were just excited about the new beginning and remembering our own school days. It made us feel a little nostalgic." Lisa grinned, her bosom straining to break free from the tight white fabric. 

"Nostalgic." Ben repeated quietly as he took in Lori's matching efforts to burst from her own garment. He began to sweat.

He didn't catch the little spark of victory in Lori's eye that she shared with her sister. They sat demurely on the couch and crossed their legs. Ben's eyes widened when he saw their lovely, long limbs on display. When he glanced at their faces the twins seemed to be completely unaware of their effect on him so he sighed a quiet breath of relief.

Daphne missed this as she was digging through the paperwork she had to find an application form for Ben. 

"You will need to fill these out and get them back to us. We need to have a file for each child we sign up." Daphne said handing a set of forms to Ben.

He folded them and with a final nervous glance at the twins he stood up. "I guess I'll be going. I told Tina I would take her shopping this afternoon at the mall. She barely has any clothes since the ass- sorry, her husband wouldn't buy her any."

The twins suddenly looked at him in shock. "The mall?" Lisa gasped. "You can't buy her good clothes at the mall!" Lori exclaimed.

Daphne and Ben looked at the two young women in surprise.

"You wait right here, we'll be right back!" Lisa said and took her sister's hand as they rushed from the room.

"I swear they get stranger every day!" Daphne said shaking her head with a smile. "I seriously don't know where they got it into their heads to dress up in school uniforms."

"I suppose it was a lot simpler when they were just kids in school." Ben agreed. Daphne stood up to put away the printed brochures. He pictured the twins so many years ago walking hand in hand down the sidewalk on their way to school. The smile slipped from his face as he realized his mind was picturing them as they looked today. He struggled to bring back that original memory but his mind wanted nothing to do with that. Finally in frustration he just gave his head a shake trying to drive the corrupting images from his head.

"What's wrong?" Daphne asked as she returned.

"What? Oh, it's nothing. I really should get goi-" he started then froze as the twins returned. 

They were wearing matching outfits again but this time it was skin tight white leggings with equally tight black turtleneck sweaters. Each was carrying a leopard pattern clutch purse. Their luxurious red hair was free of the ponytails and hung loose around their shoulders. They collected Ben on their way to the front door.

"Ben, you can't take Tina to the mall. We'll show you where you can dress her as she deserves to be seen." Lisa insisted.

"The woman is petite perfection. You won't find anything to flatter that in a mall." Lori stated emphatically.

"Were you bringing Christopher along?" Lisa asked.

"Of course." Ben replied.

"Mom, could you watch over Christopher while we take them to the proper places to get clothes?" Lori asked.

"If it's ok with Tina, I'd love to." Daphne said. She'd played with the sweet natured little boy when they were staying with Trish and he was a joy to take care of.

Ben couldn't argue as he knew next to nothing about fashion. The twins pulled on their coats and Ben grabbed his on the way out the door. They hopped into the back seat of his truck and he drove to his place. They followed him in and waited in the foyer as he kicked off his boots and went looking for Tina. 

"Hi Ben!" Tina smiled as she pushed the roasting pan into the oven. She'd prepared another wonderful meal for him. "Dinner is at 6."

Ben glanced at the clock. "That gives us just a little over five hours to take you on a shopping trip. I have two fashion experts with me who informed me I was taking you to the wrong place for clothes." he said with a grin as he took in her puzzled smile. 

She pulled off the oversized apron she'd borrowed from him (something else he was going to have to buy for her) and followed him out to the foyer after bundling up Christopher and grabbing his diaper bag. Ben explained that Daphne would be watching over her son that afternoon. 

"You remember Lisa and Lori McKellan?" Ben introduced them.

"Hello!" Tina beamed at the twins.

"Hi!" they replied. "Ready for a shopping extravaganza?" Lisa gushed. "This is going to be SO much fun!" Lori enthused.

Tina was all smiles as Ben helped her on with her jacket. They all piled into his SUV, dropped off the boy with a delighted Daphne, and headed off. Lori directed them downtown, away from the land of malls. As Ben drove the twins grilled Tina on what kinds of clothes she thought she needed and where she was going to be wearing them. 

Soon Lori had guided them to a parking lot just outside of one of the older sections of the city. It was a densely packed neighborhood of coffee shops, trendy restaurants, and most importantly clothing boutiques. Lisa and Lori immediately guided Tina into a shop specializing in petite sizes. Ben followed them in. Lisa took Ben's arm, led him to a chair near the back, hung up his jacket on a hook, and sat him down to wait. The twins hung up their jackets and Tina's as well as the shop was quite warm.

The woman who owned the shop came forward to speak with them. Lori introduced Tina and explained they needed clothes for her for the spring and summer when she would be attending some courses in the University. Also some outfits for casual wear and evening wear. The shop owner cast a critical eye over Tina and directed her to the change area where Ben was already sitting. He smiled at her excited expression. She was practically trembling!

With several outfits dangling from her fingers, the woman put them into a change room and indicated to Tina which should be tried on together.

Lisa and Lori sat in chairs on either side of Ben. Each placed a hand on his arm. A few minutes later Tina stepped slowly out of the change room wearing a soft yet classic white blouse and black skirt. Ben's eyes widened and he smiled in appreciation. This was a new look for Tina. It was simple and subtle but gave her such a sophisticated look. He was sure that when she wore this outfit she would be taken seriously. He knew he had to buy it for her. 

"Sold!" he said with a grin. 

Tina's smile was a little shaky and he gestured her over to his side. "What's wrong?"

She turned her wrist over and he saw the intricate detail that was just in the sleeve alone- $300 for a blouse!?! The tag on the skirt said $500! He had a momentary attack of sticker shock but then he took a more critical look at the workmanship. Both items were exquisitely made and of the highest quality. He noticed that the owner was watching him carefully. He turned his eyes to her and nodded. The clothing was worth the price. She nodded back with a pleased smile.

"Sold." he said firmly looking Tina directly in the eye.

"Oh Ben, it is too-" she began.

"Are you questioning me?" he said in a quiet rumble. "Do you think I would dress you in less than the best?"

Tina was back to trembling but this time it was her emotions overflowing.

"No tears. Go try the next outfit. Go." he commanded. Tina spun and dashed for the change room with a huge smile on her face. The shop keeper gave him an approving look as she moved back to the cashier's desk.

Lisa and Lori watched the exchange and looked at Ben with new eyes. From their own observation they knew he was gorgeous and his body was incredible. From what Trish had told them they understood he was a tiger in bed. But seeing him show his dominant side put him over the top. The twins were so used to controlling their eager dates they'd never been exposed to this before. They liked it. They wanted it. 

Ben noticed the girls were beginning to dig their red lacquered claws into his arms. He wasn't going to sit still if they started pawing him again. His brain was still in Tina mode and he was not pleased with how they were acting.

"Stop that. Put your hands in your laps and sit quietly." he growled.

Immediately they pulled back and watched him. 

Tina stepped out of the change room in a beautiful sun dress. She saw Ben's eyes light up in delight and felt a zing of pleasure shoot through her body. Then she saw the two sisters sitting on either side of him squeezing their thighs together with a strange look on their faces as they watched her man. She immediately recognized the look and understood its source. She wasn't sure what Ben said to them but she trusted Ben implicitly and knew they deserved it. She smiled at him and walked closer.

Ben was dazzled by how beautiful Tina looked in the flowing dress. It clung to her in the right places yet flowed around her. God, he was starting to react to her. His look smouldered as a deep rumble began in his chest. 

Tina heard him and saw the fire in his eyes. She felt a tingling warmth spreading through her loins. A blush rushed across her face. 

The twins also heard it and moaned quietly as they squirmed to appease their own tingling.

"Sold. Next." Ben smiled up at Tina with promise in his eyes. She scurried back to the change room, her smile beginning to ache from being so wide.

She came out three more times, two more outfits for university and one more casual dress. All of them looked amazing on Tina and Ben decided to get them all.

The shop keeper arrived with one final item. A simple black party dress. More of a sleeveless shimmering skin. Ben was struggling to discreetly adjust his erection when he saw the new dress. Tina came out of the dressing room carrying all of the clothes. Her mind was reeling with the cost of the clothes she was carrying but Ben had spoken. The woman took the clothes from Tina and looked at Ben.

"We'll take them all. I'd like to see the black dress on her." he said and the woman smiled and nodded to him. She handed the party dress to Tina whose eyes went wide. She looked at Ben and he gestured to the change room. She fast stepped back into the room as the woman took their purchases to the cash.





The Shepherd of Ashburn Court Pt. 04



Ben stood and quickly adjusted himself in his pants, completely forgetting the twins were sitting quietly next to him. Their moans as they watched him brought their presence back to his mind. His cock was still straining against the fabric of his pants but at least the pinching was gone. He looked to the two ladies and saw they were biting their lips and staring at the large ridge in his pants. "Dammit!" he thought. He sat back down uncomfortably between them and leaned back as much as he could to relieve the pressure. Unfortunately this just put him on display for the twins and he saw them squirming. He had the sudden thought of how their roles were now reversed from this morning when they were dressed in those outrageous school uniforms. Unfortunately that image didn't help and he felt himself surge to his full length. The twins moaned when they caught the motion in his pants.

He forgot completely about the twins as soon as Tina stepped out of the change room. The shimmering black dress clung to her like a second skin. A single strap went around the back of her neck and ran down her chest to cover her breasts while exposing her cleavage. Her back was half exposed and the dress ended at mid-thigh. The gentle swell of her breasts and her ass were accentuated, perhaps even a little exaggerated and he desperately wanted to run his hands all over her body. He leaned forward in his chair and beckoned her closer. She glided up to him. 

Exerting tremendous will power he reached out and placed his hands upon her hips and felt the heat of her skin through the smooth, soft fabric. This was definitely a summer dress as it would allow her to shed heat as they danced. He pulled his hands back and looked up into her eyes which were half lidded with lust as she trembled from the sensation of his hands on her. 

"We'll be taking this dress as well. Go get changed." he said roughly.

She spun and rushed back to the change room.

Ben lasted thirty seconds before he surged to his feet. He needed to move. He walked over to the door of the change room. "Tina, hand me the dress once you've taken it off and I'll take it up to the cash." he said. 

The door opened and she stood before him in her bra and panties only. Her nipples were showing clearly against the fabric. She looked down and saw his excitement was showing as well. She licked her lips and looked back up at him.

Ben took the dress from her. "Get dressed." he said, his voice rough with need.

Once the door closed he turned back to Lisa and Lori. "Get the coats and meet me at the cash please." he said, his voice still deep and rough.

He headed over to the cash and missed seeing the girls leap from the chairs to get to his jacket first. Lori snatched it up and pulled it tight against her nose as she breathed in deeply. She sighed and held it out to her sister with a smile. Lisa pulled it in for a deep breath and sighed as well. They heard a gentle throat clearing and looked over to see Tina watching them with a raised eyebrow. Embarrassed they handed Ben's jacket to her and her own as well.

Lisa leaned forward to speak quietly. "We are so jealous of you Tina! We had no idea Ben was so..."

"...dominant! Assertive! HOT!" Lori blurted as Lisa struggled to put a word on it. She nodded and grinned at her sister's explosion.

"Ben is full of surprises. I believe he sometimes discovers more in himself than he thought he was capable of." Tina smiled gently. "I think tonight he is going to surprise me greatly. Maybe all night long." she teased and the twins whined in frustration.

They walked up to the cashier's desk and the woman was handing Ben the bag and a business card. There was a hand written name and number of the back. Tina sighed and smiled. There was a display case by the desk and something caught her eye. She looked into the case and admired a simple black choker necklace with a single blood red stone in a black setting. There were matching earrings.

She felt Ben's breath on her neck as he peered into the case over her shoulder. "That would look spectacular with that black dress we just got, wouldn't it?" he said. Her eyes immediately went to the price tag. She gasped.

"May we look at this, please?" Ben said to the woman behind the desk. She came around with a key and opened the case to put the necklace and earrings on the glass surface with a mirror. Tina couldn't move so Ben lifted the choker and fastened it around her throat. She trembled at the feel of his hands on her and her eyes closed. The woman was watching her responses with fascination.

Tina felt Ben holding the earrings next to her ears and felt his warm breath on her ear. "Open your eyes Tina. Look at how beautiful you look." he whispered.

She looked into the mirror and the woman looking back was a stranger. It took her a second to realize that beauty was her. She gasped and tears sprung to her eyes.

"I take it that means you like it." Ben smiled.

She couldn't trust her voice so she just nodded. As her body was vibrating so rapidly her nod was almost frantic.

Ben looked at the woman and told her to ring them up. He placed the earrings back on the display with the choker. The woman locked the case and took their purchases away to wrap them.

"Please may I kiss you? Please?" Tina whispered to Ben fiercely.

Ben looked at Tina and saw her desperate need. He also saw the twins eyeing him with similar expressions. The shop owner was unfortunately close enough to have heard as well so she looked at him to see what he'd do.

"A small one, only." Ben agreed though the audience made him uncomfortable. He leaned down to bring his mouth to hers. She captured his lower lip between hers and he caressed her upper lip with his tongue before pulling away. She made a little squeak of need then looked down as a large tremble went through her body.

Ben turned back to the women who had gone still as she watched the kiss. Flustered, the woman completed packaging the necklace and earrings and rang the sale through for him. Her neck was flushed and she unconsciously unbuttoned the top button of her blouse in an effort to cool her neck. He thanked her and put the purchase in the bag with the clothes and turned back to Tina. He put on his jacket and helped her put hers on as the twins yanked theirs on. Once they were outside Ben turned to the twins. "Where to now?" 

"Could we get a coffee and a snack? There is a really nice little bakery on the next street over and next to it two door down is another great petite's shop. Three doors beyond that is a great place to get casual, sexy and fun clothes." Lisa suggested.

Ben's stomach rumbled as he'd missed lunch. He smiled at Lisa. "I like that plan."

Tina looked up at Ben in surprise. "More clothes?"

"The items you have are lovely but not enough to call a wardrobe." Lori said.

Ben leaned over and whispered in Lisa's ear. She smiled and patted Ben on the arm. "Yes, I know just the place! That will be our last stop."

Tina looked at Ben curiously but Ben gave nothing away.

They made their way to the bakery which was as small and lovely as Lisa said. They placed their orders at the counter, Ben paid, and they grabbed the booth in the back corner with a small circular table and wraparound bench. Ben slid in first and went around to the back wall to give the other's room. Tina directed Lisa to slide in after him and Lori to slide in the other side. Then she slid in last which put her opposite Ben. There wasn't a lot of room under the table for three sets of long legs even with Tina's shorter ones leaving some space so it was unavoidable that knees and or thighs touched. Ben found himself between the two sisters again and looked curiously at Tina but it was her turn to hide her intentions.

Lisa explained to Tina what outfits they should look for in the next store which made Tina smile. Ben tuned himself out of their conversation and began to relax until he felt someone rubbing the insides of his thigh gently. He immediately looked at the twins but they both seemed to be paying attention to what Tina was saying. Their drinks and snacks arrived and the touching ended as everyone turned to their food.

Ben tried to ignore the feel of the twin's legs on his but his body was acting like a jerk as usual and his pants were become tight again. Then he felt someone stroking his hardening cock through his pants and he once more shot a look to the twins but they both had their hands on the table. He looked over at Tina in surprise. It was then he noticed that she had slid down on the bench so she could reach across under the table to get her bare foot on his crotch. She gave him a mischievous smile which he returned. Two could play this game. He gripped her ankle and started to rake his nails gently across the bottom of her foot. 

Tina's eyes went wide and she squirmed as the tickling made her body jerk. Lisa and Lori immediately knew something was up. They looked at Tina's grimacing and then down at Ben's lap where they saw him holding her ankle and tickling her foot.

"Help me!" Tina gasped to them then she clapped a hand over her mouth to keep her shrieks inside. The twins immediately joined in the tickle fight... against Ben. They started running their nails along the insides of both of his thighs and it was Ben's turn to squirm. Their legs prevented him from closing his and he didn't want to let go of Tina as she had moved her other foot into play, stroking him unmercifully until he had to finally stop tickling and grab her other ankle. The damage was done though. He was hard as rock and his pants were pinching once more. 

What Ben wasn't aware of was that Tina had managed to tug his zipper down to the bottom with her toes. Tina struggled to get her legs free and he clung tenaciously. He shifted position on the bench to relieve the pinch and suddenly he felt much better. No pressure at all. 

The grinning twins looked over the edge of the table to see if Ben had released Tina's legs yet and froze when they saw his thick cock extending well outside his open zipper. They looked at each other then back at Tina who nodded to them. 

While Ben was occupied with looking at Tina. Lisa and Lori each reached a hand out and took a solid grip on Ben's cock, Lisa's hand above Lori's. They gasped at its hardness and heat. Ben gasped at the sudden sensation of their grip on him and lost his grip on Tina's legs. Tina used the opportunity to grip the base of his cock with her feet. She pumped him a few times. Lori pick up the motion and Lisa followed. By the third pump they were moving in unison.

Ben grabbed the wrists of the twins and pulled their hands away from him. "Tina! Stop. Now." he growled. She immediately pulled her legs back and slipped her socks and boots back on. Ben released the twins and they sat back waiting for him to yell at them. He struggled to get his erection back into his pants but he was pinned beneath the table and couldn't adjust his pants. He felt totally helpless and the ridiculous nature of the struggle made him snort. 

Lisa, Lori, and Tina hadn't been expecting THAT reaction from Ben. He started to laugh and slumped back against the booth. His tight pants were preventing him from going soft so he just covered himself with his paper napkin. The ladies all picked up his laugh with giggles of their own.

"What are you going to do now Ben? You seem to be caught between a table and hard place." Lisa said.

He tried to scowl at the beauty but his heart just wasn't in it. He shook his head.

"We could take care of that for you." Lori suggested. "It doesn't seem to be going away on its own. Just sayin'." She licked her lips eagerly.

"I'm not having sex in public." Ben said firmly. "I need to stand up so I can stuff myself back into my pants. Lisa, please slide out of the booth and block the view."

Lisa slid out and stood beside the booth facing him. He had expected her to look the other way but it was a little late now to be shy. He carefully slid out of the booth and stood up. He dropped the napkin and the twins gasped as they finally got a clear look at him. He scowled and popped the button on his pants and tucked himself away. Once he was wedged back in his pants uncomfortably he excused himself to use the washroom as that sometimes settled these... distractions.

Once he was gone Lisa and Lori pounced on Tina.

"OH MY GOD! That was incredible! How did you free the beast?" Lisa gushed.

"I just got his zipper down. It did the rest. I guess it doesn't like to be confined." Tina grinned.

"I know where I'd like to confine it!" Lisa replied with a hot look.

"Are you going to be in trouble?" Lori asked a little worried.

Tina thought about his reaction. He was actually having fun and was able to laugh afterwards so she thought it might be alright. Still, she would take preventative measures and apologize as soon as they were outside. She shook her head and Lori looked relieved.

Ben returned and asked if they were ready to move on. They left the restaurant and Tina slipped up beside Ben and tugged his hand gently. He bent down so she could whisper to him.

"I am very sorry if I embarrassed you but it was nice to play with you and I liked hearing you laugh." she said sweetly.

Ben took her face between her hands and kissed her softly. Her eyes went a little dreamy. "I'm ok but let's try to avoid the public indecency charges in the future, alright?" He carried her parcel in his right hand and held her hand in his left as they went to the next shop. Once more the twins spoke with the shop keeper only this time they greeted him with kisses on the cheek and hugs. They introduced him as Alois and a fashion genius. Once Tina was presented without her coat, Alois looked her over and sent her to the back with the twins and Ben. Lori plunked Ben down on a couch and sat next to him with Lisa on the other side. It was a bit of the tight fit but they tried not to lean on him so he tried to relax. Lisa got up and tugged Ben over a little on the couch so he had more room. He smiled his thanks. She then pulled a small stool over in front of the couch and she sat on that at his feet and leaned back against the couch with her arm casually resting over his legs as she watched Alois return with an armload of clothes. The man held them up against Tina and the twins helped fine tune his selection based on how they thought she'd wear them.

Tina went into the change room with six outfits and they left the shop with five of them. Ben had been nervous about Lisa's casual touching but aside from using his legs as an armrest she behaved and he finally relaxed. He was feeling much more comfortable around them... even though they'd both grabbed his cock earlier. He missed seeing Lori giving her sister a high five as they left the shop.

The second to last stop was a large three story shop with lots of casual clothing. Here the twins were in their element. They moved from rack to rack with Tina in tow and showed her options. Tina would try some on and if they all agreed she looked good the item went into the shop's bag. When Tina came out of the change room with the Yoga pants Ben leaned down to whisper in Lori's ear.

"Get one in every color!" he said. Lori snorted and Tina grinned at Ben's awestruck look.

Ben was loaded down with bags as they left the store and they had one final stop of the day. Lisa led them two streets over to a lingerie shop. Tina looked at Ben in surprise.

"You should have something nice to wear to bed at night instead of my old t-shirt." he responded. "And you need a dressing gown!"

She gave him a brilliant smile.

They went inside and Lisa spoke with the manager. She took one look at the haul Ben was carrying and nodded. She led them into a private seating area behind the regular change rooms. Ben set all the bags down and had a seat. Tina showed the sales woman the clothes she just purchased including the tight black party dress and asked for underwear that would go with these items. The sales woman smiled at Ben as she left and a few minutes later returned with a selection of beautiful bra and panty sets. Tina approved the selection and looked over at Ben. He nodded and the sales woman took the items to the cashier's desk. 

Lisa and Lori came into the back room with an armful of nighties. The three women looked through the items and Tina selected a lovely black satin nightie and walked back into the center change room. Lisa and Lori stepped into the change rooms on each side of Tina's. This surprised Ben and he felt a little apprehensive.

Three minutes later Ben heard a gentle tapping then all three door opened and the women walked out wearing... very little.

Lisa and Lori were wearing matching white baby doll nighties and Tina contrasted beautifully in her black satin. The two red heads stood 5' 10"which made Tina's 5' height in the middle seem all the more petite. It wasn't until the three women got much closer that Ben noticed what the twin's nighties were missing. He could clearly see their stiff pink nipples and their panties were missing material to cover, well, anything.

"It's only fair Ben." Lori said. 

"We got to see your goodies, so you get to see ours." Lisa giggled nervously.

Both had trimmed their red nether hair into small triangles just above their exposed lower lips which were shining with more than a little wetness. 

Ben tore his eyes away and looked at Tina who stood demurely between the two amazons. She looked shyly at Ben and his eyes assured her of everything she needed to know. She blushed and a warm tingle shot through her body. "You look exquisite." he said. 

"This comes in emerald green and royal blue as well." She said, sliding her hands across the smooth fabric on her stomach.

"You should have one of each and don't forget to get a dressing gown." Ben said. He crooked his finger and she leaned down so he could give her a kiss. She rushed back to the change room.

"Now, what to do with you two?" he growled.

They bit their lips and shifted nervously. They'd hoped he would drag them to the floor and ravage them. To do to them what he'd done to Trish. After seeing the size of his cock and feeling its hardness that's pretty much all they could think of. God, just thinking about it made them wetter than they currently were, now that they were standing here boldly exposing themselves to Ben's fierce gaze.

"I assume you were hoping I'd be overcome with lust, seduced by your "goodies" and have my way with you. Perhaps re-enact that little story Trish told you about our night together." They moaned in unison as the idea made them tingle madly. They were actually getting pretty close and he hadn't touched them yet. He growled and they trembled, their knees going weak.

He saw them getting a little wobbly and he didn't want them falling. "Get on your knees." he said. They immediately dropped to their knees before him. They kept their eyes down so they didn't see him look up to see Tina exit from the change room. 

She saw Ben's stern and exasperated expression and the two ladies on their knees, heads down. They were trembling. She smiled at Ben and pantomimed him spanking them. He nodded at first then shook his head quickly with a scowl indicating he couldn't do that. Tina had a better idea. She gestured that he should spank their pussies. His eyebrows rose and he shook his head again but she put her hands together beseechingly and begged him silently to do it. He looked askance at her but then saw the women were shaking and he could smell their excitement. He looked at Tina one last time to ask her to reconsider but she continued to beg for her friends. He turned back to the ladies and sighed.

"I guess a spanking is in order." he growled and they moaned.

He leaned forward and brought his palms under their wetness. They barely had time to gasp when he slapped them gently over the surface of their wet pussies. They lurched forward and grabbed his powerful arms and he slapped them again, his fingertip dipping quickly between their wet lips.




The Shepherd of Ashburn Court Pt. 04



He kept up the rhythmic slapping, over stimulating their clits and dipping his fingers further into them with each slap. They were far closer to their release than they thought. The twins cried out as sudden orgasms shot through them and they clung to Ben as the pleasure took their minds soaring. Ben switched to rubbing their abused flesh in slow circles and he felt their bodies tense up and heard gasps as they peaked once more. Before they could come down from their second plateau he slid two fingers deep inside each of them and firmly rubbed across their G-spots. The two women cried out and shook hard, gritting their teeth with the intensity. When they stopped jolting he slid his hands free and they gasped and clung limply to him as they leaned against his chest and rested their heads on his shoulders breathing heavily. 

"I guess I'd better buy you these nighties since you've gone and made them all wet." he growled. He felt them nod weakly. 

Tina walked up behind them when they began to show signs of recovery. The sound appeared to startle them and the two women pushed against his chest to get back onto their knees then up to their unsteady feet. Tina braced them until they made their way back to their change rooms. 

Ben looked down at his hands which were well coated with the juices of two women. As tempted as he was to taste them he exerted his will to deny himself that pleasure. Instead Tina helped him get the door open on the small washroom to the side of the room and turned the taps on. Ben washed his hands and Tina dried them. Ben kissed her on the forehead as she did and she tilted her face up for one on the lips. 

"Thank you for rewarding my friends and making them feel good." Tina said softly. Ben smiled and nodded.

They went back out to get the packages. Lisa and Lori came out of the change rooms with a soft glow about their faces which still looked a little flushed. They looked at Ben hungrily which made him sigh as he'd hoped they would have gotten that out of their systems. 

The twins scooped Tina up between them and hustled her out into the store proper with the items they were getting. Ben made sure Tina picked up the green and blue nightie and a lovely dressing gown then paid for all of the items. The sales woman couldn't keep her eyes off of Ben as she picked up the scent of the two ladies on him. His face burned with embarrassment so he was pleased when they finally got back outside in the cooler air. 

It was close to five o'clock so they had to head back but the twins gasped and pulled Tina into one more shop. Ben sighed and followed them inside the shoe store. Lisa and Lori fell in love with some tall, soft leather boots (expensive) and Tina found six pairs of shoes in different styles to match the outfits she now had (very expensive) and three purses. Ben paid for everything as the ladies giggled and clung to him. "Shoes are like catnip for women." he thought to himself with a smile.

They were finally on their way home with all of the bags loaded into the back. Tina had a lovely smile on her face from a successful day of shopping and the anticipation of being in Ben's arms that night. The twins relaxed in the back seat recalling Ben's hands on them. He felt their eyes on him all the way home. 

He pulled into their driveway and the twins reached into the back and got their purchases.

"May we give you a kiss Ben?" Lisa asked nervously. He looked at Tina and she nodded before she slipped from the truck to go get her son.

Sometime during the day he'd lost his image of the twins as they had been so long ago. He assumed it was largely due to their clever and probably intentional school uniform play from the morning. When he looked at them now all he could see was their current adult beauty. He felt like he'd lost something precious and sighed quietly. "Alright." he said.

Lisa was first to lean over the front seat. She took it slower this time and caressed his lips with hers. He found himself kissing her back and she melted against him until he pulled back. Lori looked at her sister's beatific expression with wide eyes as she sat back to make room for her. Lori leaned over the seat and nervously pressed her lips to Ben's. When he gently sucked at her lower lip she moaned and pressed more firmly, sliding her tongue against his until once more Ben pulled back. 

"Thank you for helping Tina today. I really appreciate it! Have a good night!" he said and the twins dreamily slid out of the truck. They cast looks back at Ben as they walked to the door. They met Tina on the steps and both gave her big kisses on the cheek. Tina was a little flustered when she got back into the truck. Ben grinned at her and drove them to his place. He carried all of Tina's loot inside and put it in the guest bedroom where she had her clothes. 

Tina got Christopher situated in his playpen and checked on dinner while Ben jumped into the shower. He didn't want to have the scent of excited woman on him when Hannah and Beth came over tonight.

He and Tina enjoyed sharing a meal and each other's company. He was listening to her describe how many outfits she could put together with the items they got when the doorbell rang. Ben looked at the clock and noticed it was almost 7. Tina shooed him from the kitchen to answer the door.

Beth and Hannah stood smiling on his step and he ushered them in.

Beth sniffed the air. "No fresh baked cookies today?"

Ben smiled. "Not today. We were out shopping for clothes for Tina all afternoon. Lisa and Lori McKellan showed us where to find some very nice shops.

Hannah raised her eyebrows. "You survived an afternoon with the twins? That IS showing remarkable progress Ben!" she grinned.

He grinned back then looked thoughtful. Examining his feelings he came to a realization. "Actually it does feel like progress. There were moments where they were really pushing my boundaries but I think Gabriella's talk the other day and Tina's presence is really helping. Speaking of the lovely lady." Ben said as Tina arrived with a sweet smile for him and a very sleepy Christopher on her hip.

"Hello Hannah! Hello Beth! Christopher had a very busy day at Daphne's so he's off to bed." Tina said to their guests. The ladies greeted her with a smile and fawned over the small child.

"We're heading down to the media room for our session. The door will be closed so if you need me you'll need to knock as I won't be able to hear if you call." Ben reminded her.

She nodded and waved goodnight.

Ben led the way to the media room and they took up their spots. There was a tray of sweets on the table and Ben smiled at the women. "I don't know when she had time to do it but this is courtesy of Tina." 

They made themselves comfortable and the session picked up with Beth.

The sweets gradually ran out and they reached a good place to stop for the night at 10:30. 

Beth was smiling and gave her friends a big hug as they stood up to leave the room. "I just want you two to know that I am so grateful for you both being here to share your time with me. I feel so much better these days and it really feels like there's not only a light at the end of the tunnel but I'm close to exiting the tunnel for good. Thank you!"

Hannah wiped a tear from her eye and smiled at Beth. "These talks do wonders for me Beth too. I'm grateful for both of you as well."

Ben just pulled them in for another hug and kissed them both on the tops of their heads. Beth grinned at Hannah who rolled her eyes with a smile. He was such a physically affectionate man!

Ben saw them out the door and locked up. He walked down to the bedroom and saw Tina leaning back on some pillows looking at a tablet. She had the sheets pulled up to her neck. He took off his shirt and pants and stood naked at the end of the bed with a smile on his face.

"So which nightie are you wearing tonight?" he asked with a playful growl.

Tina put the tablet on the side table then swept the sheets away from her body with a smile. She wasn't wearing anything at all! Ben's smile burst into a huge grin. He curled his finger to get her to come to him. Tina crawled towards him across the bed on her hands and knees. She looked up at him then leaned forward and ran her tongue along the top of his slowly thickening cock. He sucked in his breath and while his eyes closed she dipped forward again and stuffed as much of him in her mouth as she could before he hardened fully. She worked at getting more of him deeper into her throat. He heard her breathing heavily through her nose and felt her swallowing against the head of his cock. He moaned and she finally had to pull him partially out of her mouth to allow herself to breathe.

He surged to full hardness and took her head between his hands and pumped the first three inches in and out of her mouth. He pulled out after a few strokes and she tried to pull him back into her mouth but he just grabbed her under the arms and lifted her up against his chest to kiss her deeply. She whimpered as his thick cock rested between her legs. She could feel the heat of him against her wet opening and her pussy tingled maddeningly.

Ben held her tight against his chest and began to pump his hips forward and back, dragging her along the top of his cock, lubricating it well with her juices. 

Tina was moaning non-stop from the delicious teasing Ben was doing to her. He moved his hands down to her ass and squeezed the perfect orbs in his hands. She squealed as he slid his fingers deep between her cheeks until his fingers picked up the wetness to be found there. He stroked across her rosebud and she squealed once more as her body trembled. Ben lifted Tina off of his chest and laid her back on the bed. She held out her arms to him and he crawled over her body. When the head of his cock met the lips of her pussy she reached down and slid it up and down until it was slick with her juices. She positioned him and looked into his eyes. She saw the fire burning there and he slowly pressed forward. Tina gasped as the thick head forced its way inside. 

Ben paused just inside while she got used to the pressure. The heat and tightness of her was a heavenly torture as the rest of his cock waited to feel that bliss. He began to make tiny and gentle thrusts in and out to tease Tina's dripping pussy. Tina moaned as the tingles increased to almost unbearable levels. She clawed at his ass so he pressed a little firmer. 

"Slow, Tina." he said calmly.

She made a big push and immediately slipped half of his length inside. 

Tina squealed and shook as her arms and legs jolted from the sudden invasion. Her legs went around his hips and trembled as she felt him slip a little deeper once more.

Ben realized she was going much too fast and tried to halt his descent into her depth. He knew she needed to take it slow but her body kept jolting, squeezing, and pulling at him. She became frantic and couldn't seem to hold still. He dipped his face down and kissed her face which had a feverish expression. Her eyes were closed in concentration and she was panting through her teeth. He was concerned he was hurting her and tried to pull back when she slammed her heels against his ass while pushing her pelvis up hard. He hit bottom and Tina flinched from the impact then went absolutely still.

"Tina! Slow down!" he growled. 

Her eyes flew open and she looked up at him nervously.

"This isn't a race! You have to give yourself time to adjust or you're just going to hurt yourself! Now hold still and just relax." he exclaimed.

She nodded up at him with tears in her eyes and a frown on her lips.

Damn. "Are those tears of pain or sadness?" he asked gently.

"May- Maybe a little of both." she whimpered. 

Ben sighed and he very slowly pulled himself out of the woman. She began to protest but his scowl immediately silenced her. Once he was out she jolted once more as the sensation of being so empty began to feel like a muscle cramp. She made pained expressions as her body protested. Ben watched her with a look of dismay.

"This is why we have to take it VERY slow." he said gently.

Tina looked at Ben nervously again then looked at his stiff cock. She tried to move down to take him in her mouth once more but another cramp caused her to jolt. After it passed she tried again but Ben stopped her. 

"What are you doing?" he said.

"I cannot leave you like that!" she moaned.

"Tina, you need to relax your muscles. I imagine you've just given yourself a bad cramp and it's going to take some time to settle down. Don't worry about my erection. It will go away. We're done for the night." Ben explained.

"But I want to give you pleasure. We teased you all day!" she moaned.

"I'm fine Tina. I don't have to have it every day. I went years without. I'll survive. You need to recover and listen to me next time when I tell you to take it slow." he said. "It worked last time didn't it?"

Tina began to cry.

"Hey, what's with the tears?" I'm not angry with you!" he said surprised.

"I cannot give you what you need because I am too small! I- I will call Gabriella or Catherine!" she tried to move over to get the phone but Ben grabbed her and held her down on the bed. He put his hand on her cheek and forced her to look him in the eye.

"Let me make one thing very clear. When I say I'm fine and I don't need to have sex, I mean it. I don't need you to try to find me someone else I can stick my cock in. I'm a little offended that you think I'm motivated exclusively by my sex drive. Would I have liked to have had sex with you tonight? Yes but mistakes were made and now that isn't possible. That's ok. We learn from the mistake and move on. The next thing I'd like to do tonight is to go to sleep with a lovely petite woman snuggled in beside me. I don't want any middle of the night surprises either. Just a good night's sleep. Understood?" 

She nodded sadly and he gave her a kiss. "Let's go to sleep."

He got under the sheets and shut off the light. Tina tucked herself up against him and he sighed contentedly. A few minutes later he was still awake as he felt her fidgeting. He wondered if she was fretting about failing to please him. He'd made his position as clear as he could. He wondered what he was supposed to do in this kind of situation with a submissive. Should he have punished her in some way? He thought that was ridiculous as she was already in pain from the cramp.

"Tina, what's wrong." he said quietly.

"Nothing." she whispered.

"No. The truth." he growled.

She was quiet for a few seconds. "I'm horny."

Ben snorted.

"It's not funny. I'm too sore but I'm still horny."

"Then that is your punishment for not listening to me. If you go to sleep now and are up to it in the morning I'll take care of that itch. For now though, tough. Go to sleep." he said with a grin. He could almost see her pout in the dark room.

Ben was asleep in minutes. For Tina it took a little longer.

Chapter 17

Ben's appointment with Dr. Granger was far more successful than his previous session and he let her know that. Hannah was right, he did have an easier time opening up to women than men. He was optimistic about his future sessions and she arranged to see him twice a week initially.

After he checked in with Hannah and gave her a big hug that left her breathless he headed home and stopped to check in with Gabriella to see how the vacation booking was going. He had suggested that she keep the itinerary she had originally planned but if finding places to take a party of eight meant she had to upgrade significantly she should go ahead as he was covering it.

She greeted him with a smile and he gave her a huge hug as well.

"Ben! Put me down!" she squealed. "You're in a good mood! I take it your session with the new doctor went well?"

"Yes, she's much easier to talk with than Dr. Rao was." her grinned setting her back down. God, he loved the feel of her against him so he kept his arms around her.

Gabriella smiled as she noticed Ben was hesitant to let her go. She tilted her head up and he kissed her sweetly, sending tingles all the way down to her toes.

Finally he let her step back. "How goes the vacation planning?" he asked with a smile. She led him into her office and they sat on her couch.

"Really well! The flights to and from are booked, flying into Paris and flying out of Nice. We're set for accommodations in Paris. I've booked a couple of chateaus on our way south so we can use those as bases to explore the surrounding regions. We also visit the French Alps and do a day trip to Chamonix. The last place we stay is a gorgeous resort hotel next to St. Paul de Vence. It's a beautiful walled town on a hilltop close to the coast and just west of Nice. It has fabulous little shops, excellent dining, and we can relax at our hotel by the pool. We'll be there for a few days so we can drive into Nice and explorer there as well."

She grabbed Ben in a big hug and grinned up at him. "I've been to France many times but I have to say I'm more excited about this trip than I've ever been on any of my previous visits. I can't wait!"

He smiled down at her. "Well you're going to have to wait until July. We still have to get through the next three months before we go but I'm really excited about it too. Are everyone's passports up-to-date?" She sat back and ticked them off her fingers.

"We're ready. I got the kids new passports earlier this year and mine is new. I believe Cat's got her daughters updated just last year. How is yours?" she asked.

"I think I've got another year on it." he replied.

"Maybe you should renew it so all of our passports are similarly recent." she suggested and he nodded.

"So... are we going to be able to arrange some alone time on this trip?" he asked.

"Yeah, that may be a little tricky since there will be eight of us. I did my best to get as many rooms as I could in each place we stay to give us more options for who gets to share a room with who. The wildcard is Daniel. At 13 he's too young to have a room of his own and he's the only other male in our group. He'll be uncomfortable staying with anyone other than his sister, me, and probably you."

"I certainly don't mind sharing a room with the boy. He's a great kid, if a little serious." Ben acknowledged with a smile.

"That would be great! I think he needs to see he can relax a little. He's been taking the role of 'man of the house' to heart a little too much and he's missing out on just being a goofy kid!" 

"When we're in Paris you and I will get one evening by ourselves to go on a date. You and Cat also have a date evening. The other evenings we are all together unless other arrangements are made at the time." she said with a smile and a twinkle in her eye.

"Paris at night could be very romantic!" he smiled back.

"I'm counting on it!" she grinned. "I'm planning on us having another date night as the end of trip. Cat as well. We should have time for it. On a different topic, how is it going with Tina?"

"I took her shopping yesterday with the McKellen twins. Tina had almost no clothes and now she's set for the summer and the fall." Ben remarked.

"You went shopping with the twins?" Gabriella said with hesitation. "How on earth did that get arranged?"

"When I visited Daphne to apologize for my abrupt departure after finishing her daycare the twins offered to show me where to get Tina good clothes, not at the mall. Of course they showed up in tight school uniforms and pigtails. I suspect they did that on purpose to undermine my cherished memories of their childhood. Where they got the idea to do that... DAMMIT! It was Trish! She's working with the twins!" he blurted as he finally recognized her deviousness at work.

Gabriella chuckled at Ben's frustrated expression. "The woman LOVES sex and believes it's the best therapy." she said with a smile which defused some of Ben's ire. "So... did it work?" she asked quietly.




The Shepherd of Ashburn Court Pt. 05



Author's Notes:

In Part 5 Ben deals with the twins, meets the new neighbors from Texas, and a moment in Ben's past catches up to him in a rather disturbing way.

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

********

Chapter 21

Ben sat comfortably in his living room reviewing online engineering forums on his tablet while he waited for Catherine to pick him up for their date. He'd wrapped a tensor bandage around his calf and with it he found he didn't need to use the cane. He'd take the bandage off as soon as they left the dinner but he didn't want to be carrying the cane on the date. Catherine might want to dance and he didn't want her to feel like she couldn't ask.

He glanced across the room at Tina who was using a tablet as well as she curled up on the sofa. He wasn't sure what she was doing on it but he felt her glancing over it at him from time to time. She put it on the surface of the couch while she spun around to adjust the pillows behind her. He looked over and saw a couple of chat windows open with names above them, LisaM & LoriM.

So Tina was in communication with her friends, likely trying to do damage control from their poor drunken decision making. He looked away before she turned back.

Ben shook his head and sighed to himself. He thought back on the near catastrophe the morning had almost turned into.

When he discovered the twins and Tina naked in his bed with Rochelle and himself, he'd been furious. He'd given Tina a heads up that Rochelle was staying the night and he'd closed his bedroom door. That should have been enough to give them privacy. Instead it was an invasion and Rochelle was going to be in for an unpleasant surprise.

He managed to slip out of the bed and pull the sheet up over Rochelle before he carefully woke her. She smiled and gave him a very nice kiss before he could let her know about their company who luckily remained asleep. He got Rochelle out of the bed and situated in the guest washroom in the hall so she could get dressed without waking the others. The woman was grateful to Ben for giving her the discrete escape. She gave him another kiss which tingled both of them to their toes then she slipped out the door for home.

Ben went back to his room and got his workout clothes and changed in the washroom. He did his routine in the gym then got cleaned up and dressed in the guest bathroom. Then he went to the kitchen to make himself breakfast. He made coffee for his guests.

He was just finishing up his morning meal when Tina stumbled into the kitchen with her dressing gown on. She had her head in her hands as she was obviously nursing a bad hangover. She tried to smile at him but her look was confused.

"Good morning Ben." she whispered. "How did I end up in your bed?"

Ben held up his hand to stop her questions. "Let's hold off on that until your guests are awake."

Tina pulled her hands from her face and her eyes went fully open. She spun in place and ran for the bedroom. Her equilibrium wasn't up to the demands of that action so she careened off the door jamb and bounced off the walls on the way. Ben knew when she got there as she began to yell in Korean in her dismay. The twins yelled back in pain because of her loud voice and the noise settled into mutual moans of pain from their hangovers.

Ben poured three cups of coffee and put three bottles of water next to them on the kitchen table. He heard the zombies shambling their way towards him so he waited. A very contrite Tina entered first. She made her way to Ben and knelt at his feet. She pressed her forehead to the floor in shame. Ben reached down and lifted her to her feet and sat her in front of a mug.

The twins watched and shuddered in relief when Ben picked Tina up. They assumed this indicated he wasn't expecting the same from them. When they looked at him their smiles were met by an angry scowl. Nervously they made their way to the other mugs. The three drank their coffee and sipped at their water in silence. Tina finally felt human enough to begin to apologize but Ben immediately stopped her with a gesture. He hadn't taken his eyes off of the twins who were becoming very nervous.

He waited for them to apologize but they showed no sign of remorse at all for their behavior. Tina was an innocent in this, he was sure. Certainly she had been in his bed and he would talk with her about this but the twins obviously had far more experience with clubbing than she did. Yet they appeared oblivious to the reason for his ire.

The two ladies were wearing their party clothes from the previous night so Ben was treated to expanses of glitter covered skin. He sighed as he realized he was going to have to throw out his sheets. There was no way he was going to infect his washing machine, and subsequently every piece of fabric he ran through them, with the Herpes of the Craft World. God, he hated glitter!

Their nervousness was reaching a critical point where they were trading glances with each other and Tina to determine what to do next. Ben had had enough.

"Lisa. Lori. It's clear to me that you have no idea why I'm upset. The fact that you don't understand is unsettling in itself. It's time you headed home. You're not welcome back until you fully grasp what you did wrong and what you should have done. Out. Now!"

The ladies jerked to their feet like he'd hit them with a cattle prod and scurried to the front door, Ben at their heels. They yanked on their jackets, slipped on their shoes and were out the door in seconds. Ben turned back to the kitchen and saw Tina standing in the doorway with a sad look on her face.

"I'm so sorry, Ben." she cried.

Ben opened his arms and she was against his chest in a blink. She cried and he stroked her hair until he smelled the scent of smoke coming from her. He held her back and she blinked up at him in alarm.

"Sorry, you need a shower. You smell of cigarettes. Do the twins smoke?"

"No, but we stood close to the smoking deck at the club as there were some young men Lisa and Lori were dancing with who smoked."

"Another strike against their good judgement." Ben grumbled and considered what to do next. He was very concerned about the twin's inability to grasp personal responsibility. They'd be taking care of children for Pete's sake! He got a grim look on his face.

"Please go wash that stink out of your hair." he said gently to Tina and she scurried away.

Ben picked up the phone in the kitchen and called Daphne.

"Hello Daphne? It's Ben."

"Hi Ben!" she said with a smile in her voice.

"I just sent your daughters home."

"They are just coming in... oh, they look very unhappy. What did they do this time?" she said with genuine concern.

"They're there? Good. Listen, I'm having concerns about their watching over Christopher."

"What?!? Oh my god! What did they do?" she shrieked.

"No, it wasn't what they did. That was just something stupid and potentially very embarrassing which I was luckily able to avoid. The problem is they don't seem to be able to understand they need to take ownership of their mistakes. Twice they've done something irresponsible and afterwards they had no clue that they did anything wrong so they made no efforts at all to apologize. Their actions have consequences. They have to understand that. I get that they're young but they're going to be watching over children, Christopher included. I'm not comfortable knowing they have trouble accepting personal responsibility." There was silence at the other end of the phone so Ben continued. "I'm sorry if I've offended you. I just have to put Christopher's safety first."

"Thank you for expressing your concerns Ben. I'll keep the position for Christopher open in case you change your mind. I'll also have a talk with the girls this morning and get to the bottom of this." Daphne made an uncomfortable sound in her throat. "I'm so sorry, Ben."

"Me too, Daphne. Me too. Good bye." He hung up.

He turned and saw Tina standing in the doorway with a nervous look in her eye. Her hair was still damp from the shower. He gestured her to come in and she immediately rushed in to sit on his knee. He'd intended for her to sit on the chair next to him so they could talk but she looked like she needed the physical contact. She looked in his eyes for confirmation that they were still good. He took her beautiful face between his hands and tenderly kissed her. He felt her tension melt away as she leaned into his kiss. He pulled back and she swayed a little until her eyes reopened. They smiled at one another.

"What will we do for daycare for Christopher?" she asked.

"If Daphne can't work out a way to get her daughters to understand then we find another daycare. This will not affect your going to University. I promise you that." Ben said firmly.

They'd spent the rest of the day mostly in silence. Ben didn't need Tina to explain herself and her actions from the previous night. She knew what she did was wrong and she owned up to it. It was done. They moved on. He let her know that his decision to bar the twins from his home shouldn't impact her remaining friends with them. She was certainly free to have any friends that she wanted. He just hoped she would be a better influence on them and keep them from influencing her like they had. He expected better judgement from her in the future. She agreed.

So now he sat waiting for Catherine while Tina worked on her friends. Ben hoped Daphne was getting serious about them as well.

There was a honk from the driveway so Ben got up and walked to the front door. Tina followed and gave him a kiss as he stepped outside.

Catherine popped the trunk and he put his overnight bag inside then got into the passenger side. She leaned over and he gave her a kiss. "Ready for some fun?" she said with a twinkle in her eye.

"Ready and raring to go!" he smiled back.

It didn't take long to drive downtown to the hotel. They parked and checked in. After dropping the bags off in the room, they resisted the urge to 'try out the bed' and made their way down to the banquet room. The charity dinner was to begin at 8PM and Catherine's assistants had done most of the preparation work. She just needed to check in with them by 7:30 to ensure there weren't any surprises. They poked their heads in the banquet hall and were stunned to see how beautifully decorated it was. Elegant, opulent, and classic, the décor spoke of wealth and success. Ben and Catherine shared impressed looks and made their way to the small office next to the banquet room. Ben saw three ladies leaning over a desk reviewing some kind of checklist. They looked up with bright smiles as Catherine swept into the room. She immediately gave them all big hugs and congratulated them on the fabulous job they'd done on making the room look stunning. They turned to Ben and Catherine made the introductions.

The tall very slim blonde hiding behind her oversized glasses was Ingrid. Catherine explained that logistics was her specialty. Her yellow blond tresses fell a little past her shoulders and she wore a pretty pale green dress with matching shoes. When Ben shook her hand she was blushing and trembling so he immediately recognized her shyness. He'd been the same way through high school. He gave her hand a sympathetic squeeze before he moved to the next introduction.

Darcy was just a little taller than Tina. Catherine said she was in charge of the finances for the dinner and tracking the donations as well. The woman wore her brown hair very short and she carried a little too much weight on her small frame. Her eyes positively gleamed as she ran them over Ben's body. She boldly asked Ben to save a few dances for her and Ingrid blushed at her audacity to say such a thing in front of their boss. Darcy just laughed at Ingrid's expression and straightened her low cut strapless blue dress to more favorably present 'the girls' for Ben's enjoyment. Ben blushed too which surprised Ingrid.

Ashanti was a lovely woman in her mid-thirties with skin the color of dark chocolate. She accentuated her skin with a gorgeous ivory colored dress which seemed to sweep around her slim body. She was apparently the designer of the group and had been primarily responsible for the look of the event. She rolled her eyes at Darcy's antics. Both Darcy and Ashanti wore wedding bands though Ingrid did not.

After Catherine thanked them again Ashanti pulled her aside to whisper something in her ear. The smile dimmed on Catherine's face but she patted her assistant's hand. She and Ben returned to the reception area in the hall outside of the banquet room.

She looked at Ben's questioning glance and smiled. "It's fine. Ashanti was just telling me about a last minute guest. An old nemesis of mine come to gloat over how her charity collected more in pledges than mine. The woman is tiresome. The charities are not a competition but she always finds a way to spoil the mood. Not this time! I don't care what she made. We had a very good year and with tonight's turn out we surpassed last year's pledges. Oh! Pardon me Ben, I have to go speak with that couple. I'll introduce you to them later, I just need have a private word with them."

Ben nodded and watched her move quickly and gracefully across the room to catch the eye of an older, white haired couple. Left to himself he looked around and saw the three assistants coming into the hall. He wanted to have a quick word with them so he caught their eye.

Catherine was glowing with happiness. Dinner had been delicious and well received by everyone she spoke with. She'd circulated during dinner to see how everyone was doing and once the meal was over she introduced Ben to a number of her favorite patrons. She'd even managed to avoid her nemesis. The dancing began shortly afterwards and Ben had practically swept her off her feet on the dancefloor. She was having a marvelous time. Their last dance was a slow number and Ben felt so good pressed up against her. Especially when he started to react to her.

As they returned to their table their path was suddenly blocked by a tall raven haired woman in an elegant black and white striped cocktail dress. Her smile was as fake as her breasts which appeared to be attempting to escape by floating up out of her dress.

Cat sighed and resigned herself to listening to the pompous airbag's gloating. It didn't really matter as nothing was going to spoil this night for her.

"Catherine, darling! So good to finally catch you as you scurry around your little fundraiser." the woman said with a light but condescending tone.

She saw Ben's hackles go up and placed a hand on the big man's arm. He immediately relaxed.

"Hello Jacqueline. So glad you could come."

"Oh I wouldn't miss it for the world, dear! And who is this fine fellow escorting you tonight? He's new! I don't believe I've ever met him at any of your previous parties or mine for that matter." The woman was devouring Ben with her eyes and he found it more than a little disturbing. Wait... did she just suggest he was a male escort?

"Ben Shepherd, this is Jacqueline Forrester. She heads up the Heaven's Heralds Foundation. Their fund raising sponsors the building of Christian churches and schools in villages in Africa. Ben is my neighbor and very good friend." Catherine said with a smile.

Jacqueline had been unabashedly enjoying the view of Ben's physique and her eyes widened with excitement when she caught the outline of his prominent bulge. She looked back up to Ben's eyes and her smile trembled a little as Catherine's words finally sunk in. "Your... neighbor?"

"Right next door. For years." he said, his tone making it clear he wasn't pleased with her assumption.

Jacqueline's face flushed and her mouth worked as she tried to think of a way out of her gaff. It was Catherine who came to her rescue.

"I understand congratulations are in order. You're charity is poised to be nominated as top fundraiser again this year. That will be ten years in a row! Very impressive!" she said with a genuine smile.

Jacqueline seized the lifeline and gushed her thanks to the woman.

Ashanti arrived at Catherine's elbow and whispered something in her ear.

"I'm sorry, I have to go speak with Darcy. If you will excuse me for a minute." She squeezed Ben's hand then slipped away.

Ben was left facing the woman whose face had returned to a look of embarrassment. The music started again and though he didn't recognize the piece Ben thought he had a way out of the awkwardness. "Would you care to dance?"

Jacqueline smiled and Ben led her to the floor. Just as they arrived the music's beat slowed and they realized it was going to be a slow number. Once more the woman's face flushed. Ben just took her hand, pulled her in and they moved with the others.

The dancefloor was full so they had to stay fairly close. This led to unintentional brushes against each other's body. Jacqueline's large breasts pressed against Ben's chest and occasionally her leg would bump into Ben's straining erection. More people joined the dancefloor and Ben found himself holding Jacqueline up against his body to avoid bumping into the other dancers. The woman was beginning to look a little glassy eyed and her breathing was getting heavier though she tried to maintain her poise.

Ben was getting worried that Jacqueline might pass out so he made to lead them from the dancefloor but the woman pulled him back with an almost frantic shake of her head and a quick smile to show she was fine. She began to grind against his erection subtly as they danced. Her face was flushed and her breathing was rough.

Then the music stopped and the lights brightened slightly. Ben pulled away and Jacqueline made an unconscious whining sound. A spot light lit up the stage and Catherine's assistants were standing together.

Darcy had the microphone. "Excuse me everyone, excuse me? We just have one brief announcement then everyone can get back to the dancing. We have the final results of this year's fund raising. Due to tonight's excellent turnout and a last minute anonymous donation of $300,000 we have surpassed last year's record. We've also catapulted into first place amongst all local charities! Thank you so much!"

There was a huge surge of applause and the crowd parted as Catherine walked up to Ben with tears in her eyes. Ben picked her up in his arms and hugged her tight. She burst into tears and laughter and kissed him. She knew who the anonymous donor was.

Jacqueline was stunned. The delicious tingle of her imminent orgasm suddenly vanished and her face lost all expression. She watched the woman she had come to crush steal away her victory. She struggled to control her emotions. She desperately wanted to scream and attack the blonde in the big man's arms but instead she forced a gracious if trembling smile on her face and joined the applause.

Ben gently set Catherine back on her feet and they turned to face the people around them. She shook the hands of many of her guests until she was facing Jacqueline.

"I guess congratulations are actually owed to you tonight Catherine." Jacqueline ground out through her teeth and fake smile.

"Thank you so much Jacqueline! Sorry for breaking your winning streak but there's no shame in being number 2." she replied with a giggle. Ben was behind her and wrapped his arms around her to give her another huge hug and Catherine's eyes lit up as she felt his stiffness pressed against her ass. She gasped and smiled at Jacqueline. "I guess I should thank you for keeping Ben all charged up for me. I'm going to enjoy that, all night long." she said with a wicked grin as she pressed back against him.

It was too much for Jacqueline whose smile finally cracked. She nodded, spun and stiffly marched away.




The Shepherd of Ashburn Court Pt. 05



Catherine spun around in Ben's arms and kissed him deeply. "Ben, you are the absolute best!"

The band started playing one of their favorites so Ben pulled her out onto the dancefloor.

Three songs later Ben was sitting one out at their table. His calf had begun to ache so he let Catherine know that fast numbers were out for the rest of the night for him. She found some other dance partners and he was pleased to see her happily dancing the evening away.

Ingrid was passing by and Ben reached out to snag her hand. He'd seen her watching people dance but she never joined in. She jumped when she felt someone touch her. She looked down and saw Ben smiling up at her. She blushed and sat in the chair Ben pulled out for her.

"How are you enjoying the party?" he asked her.

"It's fine." she said with a shy smile.

"I was wondering if you would dance with me on the next slow number. I'm afraid I've strained my calf a little too much with the fast dancing so I'm down to slow dancing only."

Ingrid's eyes were wide and her face flushed. "I- I- I don't think that's such a good idea. I don't dance."

"Everyone can dance a slow dance. I'd really like it if you would share one with me. Please?" he looked into her eyes and she nodded.

"What happened to your calf?" she asked to change the topic.

"I was stabbed."

"STABBED?" she exclaimed.

"Yeah, a neighbor of mine dated a man who didn't like being told he wasn't worthy of another date. He got rough with her and I stopped him. He managed to stab me in the calf before I incapacitated him."

"Are you always this heroic?" she asked.

Ben winced. "No, I used to be crippled with shyness. I'm actually still pretty shy but I'm learning to speak up when it's important."

The next song began and Ben recognized a nice long slow number. He stood up and held out his hand for Ingrid's. She timidly placed hers in his and he led her to the dancefloor. He caught Catherine's eye and she gave him a big grin when she saw who he was with.

Once more the dancefloor was full so he pulled Ingrid up against his body and they began to move with the slow steady beat. He felt the woman trembling in his arms.

"Ingrid, it's alright. You're doing beautifully! You can relax." Ben said gently.

"I'm so nervous!" she gasped.

"Why? I'm not a scary man, am I?" he asked

"God no! You're beautiful-" she blurted then realized what she said and tried to escape in her mortification. Ben wasn't letting her go and kept her pinned to his chest.

"That was a very nice compliment. Thank you. I think you are beautiful as well." he smiled.

She looked up and blinked at him. "You think I'm beautiful?"

"Ingrid, a man would have to be blind to not see that. You've had several admirers watching you all night. The bass player in the band, the bartender, the man wearing the blue pinstripe jacket sitting at the table next to mine. All of these men watch you every time you pass by. Avoid the man with the pinstripes as I believe he's married but the other two are potential dating material."

She wore a look of shock as she tried not to turn her head to look at the men he was talking about.

"Next time you pass them by, if you like what you see give them a smile and see where it takes you. If you don't care for their look just keep walking. Trust me there are people who think you're hot! You just have to be open to the possibility of new relationship. Maybe it will work or maybe it won't. You have SO much to offer you should ensure they are worthy of it."

By this point their rubbing and touches were working their magic on Ben and he was beginning to press against Ingrid in intimate ways. She suddenly realized what the wonderful pressure was coming from.

"Oh my god!" she gasped.

"I'm so sorry! When we're dancing this close I can't help it." he blushed. "Maybe we should sit down."

"NO! I mean I- I've never felt that before. I don't mind. It- it's kind of flattering! But won't Catherine get upset?"

"Over this? No, she knows my body well enough to know I was bound to get excited dancing with you." Ben smiled.

"So... you and Catherine are... lovers?" Ingrid couldn't believe she'd had the nerve to speak with Ben like this. He just made her feel so comfortable, like she could say anything without fear of being ridiculed. She wasn't aware that she'd fallen into an easy pattern of dancing with Ben, their bodies pressed firmly together, slowly moving across the floor

Ben nodded. "She's a very special woman! I'm honored she's part of my life."

Ingrid began to feel a little flushed and the tingling in her body was intensifying. She was afraid to say anything about it as she didn't want it to stop. They continued to dance and Ingrid rested her cheek on Ben's shoulder. She remembered seeing couples on the dancefloor in high school. How were they holding each other? Oh right. She moved her arms around Ben's back and after a little pause he did the same to her. His hands felt so good on her body. They swayed to the music and Ingrid's body ground against Ben's. God, she was in heaven! If only she'd had the nerve to dance with the boys way back then. She'd missed out on so much pleasure.

Suddenly her body went stiff and Ben continued to sway to keep up the illusion they were dancing for the people around them. He felt her gasping into his collar as she'd turned her face inwards to hide the look on her face as a sweet release swept through her.

After she returned to her senses her mind slowly cleared until she realized what she'd just done. Her face went red and she tried to push away but Ben knew she'd have this reaction so he was prepared. He held her close and whispered in her ear that it was fine, she was beautiful, and he was very happy she was able to feel so comfortable in his arms. The song was ending so he led her from the dancefloor and sat with her at his table. When she was finally able to look at him he smiled gently.

"You were remembering your high school dances weren't you?" She nodded hesitantly. "I remember mine too. I didn't dance very much as I was always too shy. I'd watch the others and wish I had the nerve to ask a girl to dance. I had no idea they were just as nervous. We don't have to feel like that anymore. If you want to dance with someone ask them. If you'd like to get to know someone, speak with them. You're an amazing woman! Men are going to want to spend time with you. Just be careful you don't collect too many. Start with one." She grinned at that. She was looking at him with genuine affection and he leaned over and kissed her forehead.

"That's my signal to sweep in and collect my boyfriend before he's completely smitten." Catherine said as she stepped up to the table between the two. Ben looked up with a loving smile. Ingrid looked up with a guilty expression and Catherine chuckled. "Not to worry Ingrid, I know Ben's a physically affectionate man but I also know he loves me and that's all I really need to know." Ingrid's face showed her relief.

Catherine looked at Ben. "The party is winding down and I'd like to make a quick exit before I get roped into helping clean up." she grinned, knowing full well that they'd hired a crew for that task.

"Oh! Sure." Ben said. He turned to Ingrid. "Thank you for the dance! It really was lovely to meet you. Enjoy the rest of the party!"

She nodded and blushed looking at him.

Catherine pulled him up and led him through the dancers to the exit. As they walked through the lobby she occasionally stopped to say a few words to a departing guest. The general consensus was the party was a roaring success. As they passed the bar in the lobby Catherine stopped and stared at the figure slumped at the bar. The distinct black and white striped cocktail dress was a dead give-away. She looked at Ben in concern and they immediately went inside.

Catherine approached from her right side while Ben went left.

"Jacqueline? Are you alright?" she said gently.

The woman lifted her head from her arm on the bar and looked unsteadily towards the sound of the voice calling her name. Unfocused eyes swung around trying to see who was bothering her in her misery. When they finally locked on Catherine they went wide with exaggerated anger.

"YOU! You BITCH! You ruined EVERYTHING!" Jacqueline roared drunkenly.

"What?" Catherine pulled back from the blast of rum breath and spittle.

"Greg fired me! ME!" the woman squealed and tears burst forth.

Ben looked questioningly at Catherine. "Greg Masters. Head of the Ministry of Heaven's Voice." She explained.

"Yes, Greg Masters, bitch!" Jacqueline growled dragging a bar napkin across her eyes to dry the tears. "I told him you sabotaged our tenth consecutive win and he fired me!"

"Why?" Catherine asked.

"He had millions of dollars of sponsorship deals locked into our winning that tenth annual award. Now he has to pay them all back and there's no money! He called me an incompetent cunt!" More tears followed the confession.

Ben started the recorder app on his phone.

"Where is the money the Heaven's Herald Foundation raised Jacqueline?" Catherine said gently.

"It's invested." she mumbled.

"In what?"

"A casino! Okay? Greg is building a casino in Las Vegas." Jacqueline growled. She suddenly got this desperate look on her face like she had to justify herself.

"We used the foundations money and most of the sponsorship money to purchase the land and pay for construction costs. The remaining sponsorship money would have covered the minimal needs of the charity until the casino was built and income started flowing in from that. No one sees how many churches and schools we build! They're in fucking Africa! This year we were only planning on building one of each. Now we can't afford to do even that! We would have generated far more income from the casino than we would have squeezing those fossils for donations."

"If Greg fired you, his chief fundraiser, how is he going to pay the foundation and sponsors back?"

"I DON'T KNOW! YOU RUINED EVERYTHING!" Jacqueline raged and made to grab Catherine but Ben caught her wrists from behind and crossed them over her chest as he pinned her back against his body.

"Wha-" Jacqueline gasped as she looked down at the big arms encircling her. She looked up and saw Ben's stern face. "Oh god it's you! Why? Why couldn't you have been an escort? I would have hired you immediately and taken you home and done things to you that would curl your hair. I felt you. I know you have a huge cock. I would have taken that monster in my ass. This bitch could never do that for you!"

Jacqueline tried to hump her ass back against Ben's groin as he held her tight against her body. She almost fell off of her stool when Ben tried to angle his body away from her. To catch her he had to jerk forward to squeeze her to his body. The woman moaned loudly as she felt his hardening cock slam against her ass.

"Oh Catherine, please let me take him in my ass. I need it so bad. Greg only fucks me once a week and now he won't do it anymore.

"Greg's married to Helen." Catherine gasped, stunned by this additional confession.

"Yes, shhhh, don't tell her I'm getting some of her husband's wiener. Oh god, it's so small compared to this one. I could live without Greg's if I could have this one in my ass on a regular basis. Even once a week. Please!"

Ben's face was bright red but his erection was loving the attention from Jacqueline's ass.

Catherine was all grins at Ben's embarrassment but took pity on him and reached for his phone to turn off the recording as he couldn't reach it. She saved the file, mailed a copy to herself and one to Helen then walked a few steps away to make a call.

Jacqueline started to pull at her arms but Ben discovered she wasn't trying to escape. She was dragging Ben's knuckles over her stiff nipples. He held her tighter to stop that and she moaned in raw pleasure as his cock ground between her butt cheeks and his hands flattened her tits.

Catherine returned and saw Ben's discomfort and Jacqueline's agitated state. Sighing she looked around and saw they were alone in the bar. She reached between the woman's legs and rubbed quickly and firmly over the woman's clit through wet panties. She put her other hand over the woman's mouth as she was moaning too loudly. Seconds later, between the heat and pressure of Ben's cock wedged between her ass cheeks, his crushing grip on her tits, and Catherine's aggressive rubbing the woman screamed into Cat's palm and passed out.

Catherine went to wash her hands and was by Ben's side again when the police arrived.

Three hours later Ben and Catherine left the precinct where Jacqueline was recuperating in her cell. The police brought Greg Masters in as well. They found him in his driveway stuffing his suitcase in the trunk of his car. He was carrying his passport, fifty thousand in cash, and an e-ticket for a one way flight to Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Officers from the fraud division had taken a copy of Ben's recording and statements from both of them. Catherine sent messages to several of her very wealthy and influential patrons who were also patrons of Jacqueline's charity to let them know what had happened.

By the time they got back to the hotel it was almost 4AM and they were both exhausted. They promised each other that first thing when they woke up they'd make up for lost time. They stripped naked and slipped under the sheets. Catherine tucked herself back against Ben so they were spooning.

"Uh Catherine, that's not such a good idea." Ben said sleepily.

"Mmmm." she murmured, half asleep already.

Ben's cock wasted no time in waking up and snuggling up between Catherine's legs. She lifted her top leg and his cock swung up to slap against her pussy.

"OH!" she jumped and dropped her leg to capture him in place. "Oh Ben, that's nice!" she said, feeling the heat of him trapped between her thighs and pressing against her pussy. Her hips began to twitch unconsciously, rubbing against the top of his shaft. Ben pumped his hips forward and back, sliding himself between her thighs and strongly rubbing across her now wet pussy. "Oh Ben, that feels so good!" she moaned. She moved her hands down and rubbed the head of his cock when it emerged from between her thighs. Ben gasped. He pulled back once more and she positioned him to enter her. As Ben pushed forward he slid smoothly into her wetness and Catherine sighed with contentment.

Ben put his hands on her hips and set up a nice slow long stroke which soon had Catherine crooning her pleasure. He felt his release quickly approaching so he slid his top hand up her side and around to her breast. He cupped the flesh in his palm and gently tugged on her nipple.

Catherine gasped and pushed down harder on his cock signalling it was time for him to increase his speed. Soon he was slamming into her, her ass making wet slapping sounds on his pelvis. The pounding sensation on her ass made Catherine think of Jacqueline's confession of her dark desire to have Ben large cock deep in her ass. This thought triggered her orgasm and her pussy clamped down on Ben's cock. His orgasm quickly followed and he drove in deep one last time and held himself there. They rode out their orgasms together.

Ben kissed her shoulder and made to roll away but Catherine's hand stopped him. He moved back sliding deep once more and Catherine moaned through an aftershock.

They fell asleep spooning with Ben's cock stiff and deep inside her.

Chapter 22

Ben walked in his front door a little after lunch time. When they'd woken up at 11AM Catherine immediately climbed on him and rode him through three orgasms for her and two for him. They left the hotel feeling well satisfied if a little worn out. They hadn't used any of their precious time for eating so Ben was famished.

Tina rushed to the front door and Ben gave her a big hug and a kiss. She smiled up at him then took his overnight bag from him and put it in his bedroom. When he walked into the kitchen to make himself something to eat Tina came rushing back into the room and directed him to the kitchen table. He grinned at her eagerness. He asked for a sandwich and she immediately moved to make him one.

While she prepared him lunch the phone rang and he got up to get it. He had to direct Tina back to the counter as she leapt to get to the phone first.

"Hello?"

"Hello, Mr. Shepherd. This is Lisa McKellan."

"Hi Lisa." Tina looked over curiously

"Lori and I were wondering if it would be alright for us to come speak with you today."

"I'm just sitting down to lunch so how about 1PM?" he said.

"Thank you. That would be great! See you then." She hung up.

"Do you have any idea what Lisa and Lori will be coming over to say? I hope there is an apology in there somewhere. If they think they can seduce their way out of this mess then nothing's improved. Did you talk to them about what they'd done wrong? Did they seem to get it?"

"I did tell them I was very disappointed in myself for letting them convince me that it would be a good thing to get in bed with you and Mrs. King. I told them I wanted to stay friends with them but they were never to do such things again. I do not know what they want to speak about today. I hope they have learned to be better." Tina said nervously as she brought Ben his lunch.

He kissed her forehead and tucked into his lunch.

One o'clock found him sitting in the living room reviewing the online engineering forums to see if any of the requests he'd flagged had been answered. He saw two had been so he cleared them from his list. Three others remained outstanding and one had an update from the frustrated author pleading for assistance. He updated the item with a note indicating he was on it.

The doorbell rang and Tina answered it. Soon the twins were being ushered into the living room and they took a seat on the couch facing Ben.

"Good afternoon ladies." Ben said.

"Good afternoon, Mr. Shepherd." they replied. They looked at each other and it seemed that Lisa was voted to speak for them both.

"We just wanted to let you know that we are very sorry for getting into bed with you and Mrs. King." Lisa said contritely.

Ben waited but there didn't seem to be anything more. He sighed inwardly. "Why?" Ben asked.

Lisa blinked and glanced quickly at Lori. "Why?" she asked him.

"Why are you sorry?" he said calmly.

Lisa was starting to look very nervous. "Because we weren't invited to get in your bed." Lori blurted.

Ben looked at the two young women and wondered how they'd grown up to be such lovely and pleasant women without a better grasp of how their actions might be seen by others and how they'd need to take responsibility for those actions.

Lisa was looking very nervous now. Bordering on panic. That triggered Ben's curiosity.

"What did your mother say to you?" he asked.

Then the panic definitely kicked in.

"Never mind. Is your mother home?" Ben asked and Lisa nodded. "Stay here. I'll be right back." he growled and they nodded meekly.

Ben slipped his coat and boots on and walked over to Daphne's house. She answered the door and ushered him in. They sat on the couch in the playroom.

"Your girls came over to apologize but they still don't seem to grasp their part in this. What did you tell them?" Ben asked.

Daphne looked like she'd had a bad night's sleep and was still a little shaken up. She looked up at Ben with pleading eyes. "I'm so sorry Ben. Scott was the disciplinarian in the house. I was never good at it so I wasn't allowed to punish the girls. That was Scott's job but once they got old enough they knew they had their father wrapped around their little finger, most of the time. There was only one thing I had left that I could use to control them. It's their dream to run a daycare. I told them that you were my silent partner and that you told me they couldn't work here until they understood the ramifications of their actions."




The Shepherd of Ashburn Court Pt. 05



"Dammit Daphne! You know how I feel about lying! I can't be part of this!" Ban growled.

Daphne clung to Ben's arm desperately. "It isn't a lie! It isn't! You're not a financial silent partner. You're a moral silent partner. You're absolutely right. Until they can grasp why what they did was wrong and their responsibility for it they can't work here. I didn't know what else to do! I'm not equipped to discipline them and they're adults now. They've needed a strong hand in their upbringing and I can see now that they didn't have it. Please help me!" she begged with tears in her eyes.

Ben rocked back. "I- I've never been a parent! I'm no expert when it comes to disciplining!" he muttered uncomfortably.

"You have done an amazing job with Tina! They need the same firm hand. You know they listen to you!" Daphne pleaded.

"Only because they want to have sex with me!" he shouted.

She seemed to collapse in on herself and began to cry. Ben reached his own breaking point. He pulled her up against his chest and she gasped then clung to him as she cried. Ben rocked her gently and eventually her tears stopped and she just cuddled against him.

"I'm so sorry Ben." she mumbled against his chest.

He hushed her and thought about what he was going to do. He really wanted to speak with Gabriella but her flight wasn't getting in until 10PM. In the meantime, he needed to help Daphne. He sighed.

"Ok, I'll play the moral silent partner. I agree the daycare was the best leverage you have for controlling them. I seriously believe you did the right thing telling them they were out. Now that I know what they were after and why I can work with this. However, I can't promise they will cooperate. You're right, they aren't kids any longer. You say they need a firm hand. I can do that but understand one thing. We have to be unified in our efforts. You can't cave in when they come whining to get their way and you know they will."

Daphne looked at Ben with a worried expression.

"If it makes it easier for you, you can tell them it's my decision. If they were my daughters this is exactly what I would be telling them." he growled and Daphne sighed with relief.

"Ben if they were your daughters they wouldn't be like this." Daphne replied.

He took Daphne's chin between his fingers and looked her in the eye. "Tell me you are going to support me in this. If you aren't going to do your part I might as well walk away." he said sternly.

"Yes Ben, I will support you. Thank you!" she said timidly.

"Don't thank me until it works. I have to go back to my place and set the girls straight on where they stand. They may just tell me to go to hell but that will be their choice." Ben thought for a minute. "I want you to write up an ad looking for two daycare staff to replace them. Do it now so it will be ready when they get home. Leave it on the counter here so they'll see it. They need to know how seriously they are jeopardizing their future with their behavior."

Daphne's eyes were wide with surprise but she nodded.

Ben left and went back to his house. The twins were still on the couch when he walked back into the living room. They sat up straight and looked at him hopefully when he dropped himself into the chair across from them. That hopeful look faded quickly when they saw Ben's annoyed look.

"So you thought you could just drop by and say a few apologies and your mother would hear that I was satisfied and you'd get to work in the wonderful new daycare we built? Sorry, that's not going to happen. As of this moment neither of you has proven you won't be a bad influence on the children of the daycare." Ben said firmly.

"That's not fair! We worked so hard for this!" Lisa yelled.

"You want it so you should have it? Is that what you're saying?" Ben asked.

"Yes! No, I mean we deserve it" Lisa blurted.

"Would you smoke in front of these kids? Curse? Take drugs?" Ben said.

"Of course not!" Lori barked.

"Why not?" he immediately asked.

"Because they have young impressionable minds and they shouldn't be exposed to those things!" Lisa explained.

"What about stealing? Lying? Bullying? Sharing hurtful gossip? Would you do those things in front of the kids?" Ben asked.

"No, for the same reason!" Lisa growled.

"Yet you'll do things that hurt and embarrass people and not grasp you've done anything wrong or owe them an apology. How are you going to protect their impressionable minds against your selfish thoughtless actions?" He saw the twins take a moment to process that.

"We- wouldn't do that around them." Lisa stumbled.

"Do what?" he pressed.

"Thoughtless stuff!" Lisa mumbled.

Ben sat back, waiting for them to think it through. Lori was almost in tears. She was looking at her sister and hearing, maybe for the first time, how weak the case was in their defense. She looked at him and he saw comprehension in her eyes at last. He nodded to her.

Lisa looked like she was just getting angrier until Lori took her hand and pulled her to her feet. Lisa took one look at her sister's tear filled eyes and froze in confusion. With a final look back at Ben Lori pulled her sister from the room and they made their way home.

Ben hoped Lori could help Lisa make that cognitive leap. Now, if Daphne had done her part and written the ad for the ladies to see the severity of their situation it may just be enough of a catalyst to drive home the point. Ben doubted it would cure them from years of getting away with whatever bad behavior they desired but it would plant a seed at least. Vigilance would be required to ensure they didn't slip back to their old ways. Daphne said they needed a firm hand. He could do that.

He felt a gentle touch between his eyes and looked up to see Tina using her fingertip to smooth away the crinkled skin there caused by his frown.

"You looked too serious." Tina said with a sweet smile as she stood beside his chair.

Ben scooped her into his arms and pulled her over the arm of the chair to lie across his lap.

"What should I do to you to make me happier?" he growled playfully.

"Anything! Anything you want!" she gasped, loving the feel of his arms around her body.

Just then Christopher woke from his nap and began to call out for his mom. It was Tina's turn to frown and Ben kissed away the little wrinkles it made between her eyes. "Motherhood cares not for the needs of the woman." Ben teased. "I will make it up to you later. Can you arrange babysitting for a night next week?"

She nodded quickly with a big grin on her face then dashed off to see to her son.

Ben looked at the clock and saw there were hours left in the afternoon he could use to work on that engineering project. He planned on picking up Gabriella at the airport but he'd promised her to pick up Miriam and Daniel first. He took out his cell and sent a quick text to both to get them to send him the addresses of their friend's houses. Then he headed down to his workshop.

Three hours later Ben looked up from his drafting table. His head was filled with the work and it took him a moment to realize someone was knocking on the door to his workshop. He got up and answered. Tina was standing there with Christopher on her hip.

"Dinner is ready. I knocked but you did not answer. It made me worried." she said with a sad look.

"I'm sorry Tina. I'll leave the door open when I'm in here in the future. Old habits." He gave her a kiss on the lips and Christopher a kiss on the forehead and followed them upstairs after locking his workshop.

The boy was a delight through dinner but by the end he was yawning and nodding so Tina took him to his crib. The moment she was out of the room Ben quickly gathered up all of the dishes and put them in the dishwasher. He tidied the kitchen and washed and dried the casserole dish after putting the leftovers in the fridge. When Tina returned Ben was standing with his back to the counter with a big smile. Tina looked around and walked past Ben to wipe down the counters.

"Damn it! I knew I missed something!" he grinned.

She arch a brow at him and gave him a small smile. She went back to cleaning and Ben admired her pert ass cheeks in the tight yoga pants. That was something he was very grateful the twins introduced Tina to.

When she reached the island Ben slipped up behind her and pinned her to the counter with the hard ridge in his pants. She gasped and went still. "I have an hour before I have to head out to pick up Gabriella's kids then her from the airport. Since we both seem to have some free time I thought it might be nice to give you a little preview of our next date night. He slid his hands up from her waist under her shirt, around her torso and cupped her breasts.

Tina sighed and wiggled ass against Ben's cock. He rubbed his stiffness up and down the crack of her ass and she began to breathe heavily. Ben felt her nipples stiffen under his fingers. He gave them a gentle squeeze and tug and Tina moaned and bent forward over the island following the pull of his hands.

Ben moved his hands back down and pulled her yoga pants down in one tug. Tina sucked in her breath then moaned as she felt his breath on her ass cheeks. He slipped the pants completely off then slid her panties down her legs following them with kisses.

Tina squirmed and tried to thrust back but Ben held her against the island with one hand while the other pulled the panties past her feet. He stood and lifted her until her stomach was lying on the island and her ass was perched on the edge. This lifted her feet from the ground so she was trapped over the edge of the island and completely at his mercy. A deep shiver went through her body as his left hand rested on her lower back pinning her to the surface.

She yelped when she felt his teeth on her ass. Not painful but surprising and she felt herself beginning to get very wet. She jolted again as Ben ran his finger through the wetness on her pussy lips. His touch sent sparks through her body and she moaned loudly. He moved the wet finger up her crack to rub circles around the sensitive spot between her pussy and her anus. She laid her forehead against the cool stone of the island's top and began to pant in anticipation as his fingertip brushed closer and closer to her ass. Soon his finger would rub her tingling rosebud! She wanted that so much!

When Ben's tongue pressed against it instead her surprise was so great she cried out in Korean and her legs attempted to lift up but Ben had her trapped in her current position. He kept up the lapping, flicking, and probes with his tongue until Tina thought she'd go mad. Ben slipped two fingers into her drenched pussy and began to pump them in and out slowly, stroking her clit at the bottom of every thrust. His fingers began to make wet sucking noises and Tina stopped making coherent words aside from his name.

When he pulled them out and stopped licking Tina cried out for him to keep going as she was getting so close. She couldn't see what he was doing so when the heat from the head of his cock slid into her wet pussy she squealed and jolted against the hard surface once more.

Ben had wiped his slippery fingers all over his cock so he was well lubricated from her juices. Still, he took it slow and used short strokes to gradually force his thick cock deeper into her pussy while rubbing his thumb over her slick anus.

Tina was becoming frantic. She wanted to push back against him but she could only lay there while Ben held her down against the surface of the island and took his pleasure from her. His control over her body was complete and she loved it! When she thought she couldn't take any more Ben slammed his cock all the way in and pushed his slick thumb into her ass at the same time. Tina opened her mouth in a silent scream and began to shake uncontrollably as an intense orgasm rocked her body and overloaded her senses. Ben slapped his pelvis against her ass with quick little strokes while his thumb mirrored the motions in her ass. Finally he slipped his thumb from her and began to pump his cock with long fast strokes to reach his own orgasm. Tina wailed as peak after peak surged through her.

When Ben's cock erupted inside her she collapsed against the cool surface of the island and felt her body shudder through its aftershocks. Ben's thick cock filled her up completely as he pressed himself tight against her ass. God she loved the feel of him stretching her pussy and she loved being completely under his control! She purred with satisfaction.

When he lifted her from the surface of the island she realized he wasn't done. He held her pinned to his chest and carried her down the hall to his bedroom. He pulled her shirt off and socks off all while holding her against him with one arm and his cock buried deep in her pussy. His movements were starting a new cycle of tingles down below. He tugged his shirt off over his head as his pants, underwear, and sock were back on the kitchen floor.

Ben stepped into the shower and got the water going nice and hot. He stepped in with Tina and lifted her up and off of his cock. She gasped and shook and when she recovered she was being lifted into his arms facing him. The head of Ben's cock found its way back to her wet opening and he slid it all the way in to the base in one stroke causing her to cry out. His hands gripped her ass cheeks tightly and she sighed at the feel of his hands on her again.

He lifted her up until just the head was inside. Tina's lips were captured by Ben's mouth as he hungrily kissed her. Her mind spun from the raw sensuality. His tongue dipped into her mouth and caressed hers. She immediately began to suck on his tongue feverishly as Ben began to make short shallow strokes on the top half of his cock. He moved his right hand to the middle of her ass and slid his left up to the back of her head and into her hair. He took a good grip on her long black locks and gently pulled her back from the kiss.

Then he began to lift and drop her on his hard cock.

Tina curled her legs around his body and braced her heels over his ass. She could feel the strength there as he pounded into her. Her clit was slapping into Ben on each down stroke bringing her to another orgasm quickly. She felt Ben's muscles begin to tighten signalling his imminent release.

Then he was exploding within her and he slipped a finger into her ass as he lifted her up for another stroke. Tina's teeth clenched and she bared them as her body vibrated from another titan orgasm ripping through her.

Ben felt Tina shake in his grip, her pussy gripping his cock tightly before her muscles went limp.

He slid her up his body and his spent cock popped free of her gushing pussy.

Ben rested her head on his shoulder and turned her back to the main spray while his right hand cleaned her as best he could. He stepped out of the shower and grabbed a couple of the big towels and wrapped Tina's resting body in one. He placed the other one out on the bed and laid the woman out on it. Then he hustled back to the shower and quickly washed up.

After he dried off he tossed his towel on the floor next to the bed to dry off the floor where he dripped and saw Tina was still resting. He quickly brushed his teeth and got dressed. Looking at the clock he saw he still had a few minutes so he breathed a sigh of relief.

"That was a 'little preview'? I do not think I will survive the date." Tina said sleepily from the bed.

"Yeah, sorry, I got carried away a little but you bring that out in me." Ben apologized. He leaned over and gently kissed her lips. "I have to go pick up the kids now. Then I'm off to the airport to pick up Gabriella. I'll probably be back late tonight."

"Or not until the morning." Tina said sweetly. "Go!"

He kissed her again and headed out.

Once he was in his truck he punched in the location for Miriam's friend's house. It was the closer of the two and only took twenty minutes to reach the house. He sent a quick text to Daniel saying he was on his way and punched in the address of his friends place. Then he walked up to the door and rang the doorbell.

Seconds later the door opened and Ben was looking down into the wide eyes of a pretty young woman with beautiful chocolate brown skin.

Ben smiled. "Hi, I'm Ben. You must be Karleen. Is Miriam ready to go?"

Karlene didn't say a word. She just stood there gaping.

"Karlene! Where are your manners, let the man in." a woman's voice said from the living room. Karlene came out of her daze at the sound of her mother's voice and stepped back. Ben smiled and followed her inside.

When the mother stepped around the corner into the foyer she froze as she took in the big man standing in her hallway.

"Hello, I'm Ben. Miriam's neighbor." he said.

The woman visibly gathered herself and stepped forward with a broad smile and shook his hand. "I'm Michelle. Her neighbor?"

"Yes. I've lived next door to the Wallace's for years."

"I'll be right down Ben!" Miriam's voice called out from somewhere upstairs.

"Would you like to sit down while you wait?" Michelle asked.

"Sure." Ben said and slipped off his boots. They sat in the living room, Ben in a chair and Michelle beside her daughter on the sofa. The young woman still hadn't said anything but also hadn't taken her eyes off Ben for a second. "Is your daughter always this quiet?" he asked.

Michelle laughed and Karlene looked flustered.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to tease." Ben apologized to the young woman.

"It's OK. Miriam described you but she didn't say you were so..." the girl suddenly stopped as she realized she was talking herself into a corner.

"Tall?" Ben offered.

"Yes!" Karlene gushed in relief.

"I've heard that a few times." he smiled.

"So what do you do Ben?" Michelle asked.

"I'm a semi-retired Mechanical Engineer."

"Semi-retired?" her brows rose.

"I like to solve puzzles so I keep an ear to the ground for interesting projects and create solutions for them. I'm an independent so I work whatever hours I deem are required." Ben said and stopped when he caught himself staring at the two women on the couch. It was uncanny how closely they looked alike. "I'm sorry for staring but I don't think I've ever seen such a close resemblance between and mother and daughter in my life! You could be twin sisters!"

Both woman brightened significantly with Ben's comment. Karlene for being compared with a more mature woman and Michelle for being seen as someone so young. Ben thought they looked even more similar when they smiled and his appreciation must have shown on his face as their smiles just got bigger. Then he realized that what he'd said sounded a lot like flirting and he blushed.

Miriam came to Ben's rescue as she arrived in the doorway with her overnight bag. "All ready to go!" she said and saw her friend and friend's mom beaming at Ben who had a fierce blush on his face. She sighed and turned to the mother. "Thank you so much for letting me stay over Mrs. Bennett."

Ben stood up and the two ladies did as well.

"You are more than welcome to stay over anytime Miriam. And feel free to bring your charming neighbor along next time as well." she smiled at the big man.

Miriam just smiled and pulled Ben's arm to lead him back to the front door. He slipped his boots on while Miriam gave her friend a hug. Whispers and giggles ensued. Then she was ready and they left waving.

Once they were on their way to Daniel's friend's place Miriam turned to Ben. "Thanks for picking us up. Later than I expected."

"I thought your mother would appreciate it if we all met her at the airport." Ben said.

"Oh! I thought you were dropping us off at home first." she said, surprised.

"I could but don't you think she'd like to see more smiling faces?" Ben smiled. She returned it.

Miriam waited in the car while Ben went to the door to pick up Daniel. This time the door was answered by a woman, Rick's mom he assumed. He saw her eyes widen then narrow as she looked at him.




The Shepherd of Ashburn Court Pt. 05



"Hi, I'm Ben. Daniel's neighbor. I'm picking him up for his mom." he said.

The woman was likely in her forties and super buff. Obviously she'd put in a lot of hours on hardening her muscles and losing body fat. There wasn't an ounce of it on her and she was displaying quite a bit of that toned body wearing her spandex workout clothes. Her short brunette hair hung down and curled in at her neck. She had piercing but lovely pale blue eyes and a strong nose, definitely the most prominent features on her face.

"Ah yes, he mentioned that you'd be by. Please come in. I'm Gwen." the woman said. Ben stepped inside and immediately felt the heat. The furnace must have been cranked up so she could walk around the house dressed semi-naked like that. He slipped his jacket off of his shoulders and held it in one hand.

She passed her eyes hesitantly over his chest muscles filling his shirt so well then turned her head and yelled down the hall. "Boys! Pack up your stuff Daniel, Jr! It's time to go, honey."

"We call him Daniel now." Ben said.

"What?" Gwen asked.

"We don't say Jr. anymore. Just Daniel." Ben corrected her gently.

"His name when he was born was Daniel, Jr. Why isn't that good enough now?" she pushed.

"Since the passing of his father, his and his mother's wishes are to call him Daniel. So that is what we do. It's about respect." Ben explained quietly. He was becoming a little annoyed with her belligerence.

"His father now there's a piece of work!" she growled.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa! Let's start over. Hi, my name is Ben. I am here to pick up my neighbor's son Daniel. Not to be disrespectful. Not to speak ill of the dead. Just a friendly little visit while he collects his stuff." Ben said exasperatedly.

"Sorry, I've been a little on edge this weekend. Daniel told me all about your... situation and I gotta tell you I'm not impressed." she began with the apology but ended with aggression again.

"My situation?" Ben asked, puzzled.

"You're dating his mom. And your other neighbor. And you have a live in slave." she said jabbing him in the chest with a finger as her face flushed with anger.

"WHOA! Hold on there! I DO NOT HAVE A SLAVE!" Ben growled back. Daniel showed up with his friend Rick with at that moment. Both were wide eyed. Ben turned to Daniel. "Did you call Tina a slave?" he asked incredulously.

"No, I said you live with a submissive." Daniel replied calmly.

"Oh. Ok, thank you. Please go sit in the car. I'll be right out." Ben said and heard Gwen choke on her anger.

"Rick, go to your room!" she said and he left. The moment he was gone she was back in Ben's face. "What kind of example are you setting for those kids? Isn't it bad enough that they lost their scumbag father? Now you have to treat their mother like a whore?"

Ben was rocked back by the venom in her anger. His own anger swelled but he realized a shouting match would help no one and he really didn't have time. He took a deep cleansing breath and released his tension on the exhale.

"Gabriella is NOT a whore. She is a strong, intelligent, independent, and loving woman who loves me. I cherish her with all of my heart. I show her utmost respect because she deserves it. The woman I live with is a submissive. It wasn't Daniel's place to disclose her nature as that was disrespectful to Tina. She also deserves and gets my love and respect. Don't mistake submissiveness to slavery. She has complete freedom to do as she pleases and love who she pleases and has chosen to grace my life for now. She also has a brilliant mind and a loving heart. I'm not about to waste my time trying to enlighten your closed mind. I can see you already have hate and pain in your heart. I doubt very much I was the cause that put it there but I'm very sorry you have to bear it. Good night!" He turned to leave and made it as far as the front door.

Ben's genuine words and calm tone hit Gwen harder than his fists could have. She'd been prepared if he got physically violent. It was why she'd been working out before he arrived. Daniel had mentioned Ben relationships shortly after he'd arrived on the Friday afternoon and she'd had all weekend to build her anger. The picture she'd formed of him in her mind and the words she planned on using to confront him had raced through her head for days. She'd been expecting to confront a misogynistic bastard like her ex had been. When Ben showed up looking like her fantasies come true it had thrown her off her game a little. She rallied and had just begun her attack when he derailed her again with his sincere words. When he got to the part of being sorry about the pain in her heart it was too much for her and she collapsed to the floor and began to cry as he walked away.

Ben wanted to just leave the house but the tears of a woman had always been his Achilles heel. He turned around and walked back to the woman and knelt down beside her.

"Please don't cry. I'm sorry if I've hurt your feelings." he said and her tears just got worse. Not knowing what else to do he did what he always did. He gathered the woman up against his chest and held her while she cried.

God, she'd missed this! To be held in the strong arms of a man who genuinely cared. She let it all out and clung to him like a life line. Five minutes later there was a gentle tap on the outer door. Ben and Gwen looked over to see Miriam looking at them curiously. Gwen rubbed her eyes and apologized as she gathered herself. Ben stood up and easily pulled Gwen to her feet. She marvelled at his strength then saw the tear stains on the shoulder of his shirt.

"Oh! I'm so sorry about your shirt! Let me get you a replacement." she hustled away and returned in seconds with a red flannel work shirt. "It should fit. My ex was a big man too."

Ben undid the buttons on his shirt and took it off. He wiped his shoulder with it and thanked the dazzled woman as he took the red shirt from her nerveless fingers and put it on. It fit well though he couldn't button the few top buttons.

"Let me wash that for you." she said plucking his tear stained shirt from his fingers. "Listen, sorry about the things I said. You're right, there is a lot of pain and hate in my heart. Put there by the man whose shirt you're now wearing. But he's out of my life and you aren't him so you didn't deserve the anger. I don't understand your relationships with these women but I shouldn't have judged you."

"It's ok. Sorry, I have to go now as I'm picking up Gabriella from the airport. Are you going to be alright?" he asked.

She smiled putting a hand on the hard muscles of his arm and relaxed. "Yes, thank you. I'll get this back to you this week, ok?"

"Sure. No rush." Ben smiled and left.

As they pulled out of the driveway Miriam saw the woman standing in the front window clinging to Ben's shirt close enough to get his scent. She recalled her mother behavior with Ben's sweater and she gave Ben a quick worried look which he thankfully didn't see.

They got to the arrivals area ten minutes after Gabriella's plane arrived but she still had to go through customs.

"Daniel?" Ben said to get his attention.

"Yes, Ben."

"Why were you discussing my relationships with Rick's mother?"

"She asked who was picking me up so I told her that you were going to do it. She asked me who you were and I said that you were my mother's boyfriend. And my neighbors boyfriend. And you lived with Tina who is a submissive." the boy said in a matter of fact tone.

"I see. May I request that you refrain from mentioning Tina's submissive nature in future conversations? It wasn't respectful to her to mention it to someone she doesn't know. People form incorrect opinions of Tina before they get to know her if you apply a label that most people don't understand."

"Oh! I'm sorry! That makes sense. Thank you, Ben!"

"While we are discussing social etiquette, perhaps it will be easier for people if you conclude your description of who I am by just mentioning my relationship with your mother. I'm certainly not ashamed of any of the relationships I'm in but once again misunderstandings can be easily avoided if you restrict your descriptions to those which you are directly related to, in this case your mother. It's much more polite as well because describing relationships you are not related to can be construed as gossip." Ben saw the young man absorb this and nod.

"Again, this makes sense to me. Thank you, Ben!"

"No, thank you, Daniel."

The boy smiled back at him and Ben couldn't help think of the two cartoon gophers Mac and Tosh whose conversations were ever so polite. He was getting used to speaking with Daniel this way.

Miriam suddenly started to jump up and down and Daniel joined in. There was Gabriella walking through the doors towards them with her small suitcase and garment bag. Her face lit up with joy to see her children with Ben and she rushed forward to gather them into her arms after Ben snagged the bags from her.

"Oh Ben, this is a wonderful surprise! Thank you so much!" she gushed.

"I thought you might like to see their smiling faces tonight." he smiled.

"Yes, I did! Now let's get them home as they have school tomorrow." she said and got groans from the two.

The drive home was filled with the kids telling their Mom about their weekend. Just before they got to their neighborhood Miriam mentioned Mrs. Bennett's invitation and spotting Mrs. Adams crying on Ben.

Ben understood she was protecting her mother so he wasn't offended. Before Gabriella could chastise Miriam for telling on Ben he spoke up.

"I mentioned to Mrs. Bennett how closely she resembled her daughter. Have you seen those two side by side? It's uncanny. I didn't realize that would be construed as flirting. As for Mrs. Adams, she was informed about our unique relationship by Daniel. I guess she had a bad experience with her ex-husband and said some angry things when I got there. She's carrying some bad emotional damage so I explained why she was wrong and that I was sorry for her pain and she began to cry. I didn't know what else to do so I hugged her."

"She has his shirt." Miriam added. Gabriella looked over the seat at her daughter and saw the girl mimicking the woman smelling it. Ben couldn't see this as Miriam was seated behind him.

"She cried all over mine and it was soaked. Luckily her ex was almost the same size as me and she had a spare shirt." Ben explained, oblivious to the looks passing between mother and daughter. Gabriella finally just smiled at Miriam who was satisfied that all was still well between her mother and Ben so she smiled back at her mother.

Ben drove into Gabriella's driveway. Gabriella asked Ben to come inside so she could fill him in on the business trip. Once inside she directed her kids to brush their teeth then get to bed immediately afterwards. She gave them kisses. Miriam stopped in front of Ben and he bent down so she could kiss his cheek. He kissed her cheek back and she blushed. Not to be outdone by his sister Daniel stopped for a handshake from Ben then the kids raced upstairs. Gabriella watched them go with a loving smile. They walked into the living room and she grabbed him in a tight hug.

"Ben! You are such a genius! Arriving on the personal jet was perfect! I got the contract! I put on my big movie star shades and stepped off the plane in my sharpest business dress with a bored look on my face and they were practically kissing my feet. I looked like money so they definitely wanted to do business with me. I played it professional and cool like I was flying in for a number of business meetings and just squeezed them in. My commission on the sales of their items is 5% better than I was getting from the previous supplier! My distribution chain was thrilled by the replacement products when I contacted them from the jet. Oh yes, they were VERY impressed when they saw I was video conferencing them from a private jet. They agreed to expand the territory for the products from just the west coast to include their east coast stores as well! I was able to amend the contract and get the signed contracts while I flew back!" She leapt in his arms and they laughed.

"That's amazing news! I knew you could save your business deal and it sounds like you made it even better!" Ben gushed.

"All because of you!"

"No! Be fair! All I did was put you on a plane. You did everything else. The deal would NOT have happened unless you were driving it forward. You took the opportunity and made it pay off!" Ben insisted.

Gabriella just looked up in his earnest face in adoration. She put her hand on the back of his neck and pulled him down for a kiss. He captured her lush lips with his and her tongue slipped into his mouth. He gently sucked on the tip of her tongue and pulled her body tight against his. She moaned and pushed him back to catch her breath.

"Can you stay tonight?" she asked.

Ben thought of Tina's earlier comment and smiled. "Yes."

Gabriella took his hand and led him upstairs. The kid's bedrooms were at the opposite end of the hallway so they had some privacy. Their doors were closed and their lights were off so Ben followed Gabriella into the master bedroom. She closed and locked the door behind herself. Ben raised an eyebrow and she grinned wickedly at him.

"We didn't get to finish our date on Friday." she said seductively.

"Yes, it was rather rudely interrupted." he agreed with a smile.

Gabriella prowled up to stand before Ben. She reached up and began to undo the buttons on his shirt. "Ben I want to do something special for you. The last time we made love you kissed me down there and I'd never experienced that before. It was incredible! This time I'd like to return the favor but I have to warn you. I've never done it before. You'll have to tell me if I'm doing anything wrong and let me know what you like. Would that be ok?" She looked up in his eyes as she leaned forward to kiss his nipples as she pushed his shirt off of his shoulders.

All Ben could do was nod.

He let the shirt fall to the floor as the tip of her tongue teased his nipples. She took one between her lips as her hands worked on his belt. His breath was hissing between his teeth as she moved to his other nipple and gently bit it, bringing a groan from him. Gabriella kissed her way down his hard stomach as she slid his pants, underwear, and socks down his legs. He stepped out of his clothes as she knelt before him and she tossed them aside.

Gabriella looked at Ben's hard cock and trembled nervously. She had no idea where to start. She looked up at him questioningly.

"Take it in your hands." he said.

She took a grip down near the base and gently cupped his balls in her hand. She marvelled at the heat of his cock and the weight of his sack. She gently rolled his balls between her fingers feeling their shape and texture. Curiously she ran her tongue across the surface and felt movement within. A little thrill zinged up her spine as she sucked one of his balls into her mouth.

"Be careful of your teeth. Sharp teeth and men's parts are not friends." Ben gasped as he watched her roll his testicle around on her tongue. Gabriella's beautiful green eyes twinkled with joy as she realized she really enjoyed this. She loved feeling his cock jump in her hand in response to her tonguing him. She switched to the other one and felt his cock become even harder in her hand. It was so sexy she moaned causing Ben to moan as the vibrations felt wonderful.

Ben's eyes closed as she worked on his balls. No one besides Shelly had spent this much time on that area. While Shelly was incredibly talented he put Gabriella at the top of this class.

Gabriella released his testicle and saw it was covered with her spit. She ran the flat of her tongue across both balls licking up towards his shaft. She moved her hand upwards as her tongue licked its way up the hot underside of his cock. Ben's breath was coming out in gasps and she took that to mean he was enjoying what she did. She turned her head sideways and kissed the bulging ridge running along the underside of his cock. She slid her lips up and down, rubbing the ridge against the flat smooth surface of her teeth. Nothing sharp there except the intake of Ben's breath as her lips caressed his cock.

She took a grip at the base again as she kissed and licked her way upwards to the thick mushroom cap on top of his cock. She was fascinated by its appearance, its softness and firmness, and its taste. She teased the ridge of the head with the tip of her tongue and felt his cock twitch again in her hands. Ben was moaning almost continuously now, running his hands though her thick, soft hair but not trying to direct her actions in any way. She loved the control she had over him and how much pleasure she was giving him. Her pussy was drenched and it took everything she had to keep her hands away from herself.

Finally she positioned her mouth over the head of his cock. It would be a tight fit but she thought she could do it. Her mouth began to water in anticipation.

"Remember, teeth." he said between pants.

Gabriella pressed her lips to the tip of his cock and was surprised to feel a wet sticky substance beaded at the opening. She smeared it across her lips then slowly slid them over the head taking the cap into her mouth. She moaned with the head resting on her tongue and Ben reacted to the vibrations with a shiver that ran through his body. She didn't know what to do with her tongue so she just ran it back and forth across his skin on the underside of the head. Ben gasped once more.

She began to slide her lips over the head and down the shaft a little more with each stroke. She was able to get almost half of his cock into her mouth. Ben was breathing very hard by this point. She looked up at him with his cock deep in her mouth and he groaned at how sexy that looked.

Ben reached down and took her hand which was gripping the bottom of his shaft and he directed her to begin pumping the bottom half of his shaft as she sucked the top half. She caught on immediately and got into a pattern. The spit running down the shaft made her hand slide more easily over his flesh and he began to make an involuntary pumping motion with his hips to get more of his cock into her mouth. She tried to go further down his shaft but her gag reflex kicked in. She tried again and gripped his cock where her lips would reach before the gagging began. She pulled completely off and looked at where her fingers ringed his shaft. She was amazed to see that she was past the halfway point, not much but some.

Gabriella looked up at him with a fierce joy in her eyes and saw the feverish look in his. He was close and that sent a definite thrill through her. She immediately slid her lips over his cock and began to make fast strokes from the head down to where her hand rested. She pumped her mouth over him faster and faster.

"Gabriella, oh my god! Gabriella, you're going to make me come!" Ben moaned deeply with his hands tangled in her hair. She felt tremors running through his legs so she increased her pace.

"Oh god! I'm coming!" Ben groaned and the first shot fired as she pulled up to the head of his cock. She froze as she hadn't considered what to do when he actually came. Jet after jet splashed into her mouth and coated her tongue as she squealed.

Gabriella kept her mouth over the throbbing head of his cock and she used her hands to pump the last few surges from him until he calmed. She pulled the head of his cock out between her closed lips carefully and got one last drop from it. She looked up at him and wondered what she should do with the large load she had in her mouth.

"You can go into the ensuite to spit that out if you like." he suggested pointing to the bathroom then watched her swallow a few times. Her face made some odd expressions as he watched her with surprise.




The Shepherd of Ashburn Court Pt. 05



"A little saltier than I was expecting but I think I could get used to that." she smiled at Ben.

Ben lifted her to her feet and undressed her quickly. As the clothes fell his lips found and kissed the exposed skin. He paid special attention to her stiff nipples and returned the favor until she was moaning and pulling at his hair. He moved downwards.

As he slid her sodden panties down he pressed his mouth to her pussy and she grabbed the back of his head pushing his mouth against her more firmly.

Ben stood up and carried Gabriella to the bed. He laid her on her back then pushed her legs up so he could get his mouth on her pussy more easily. He ran the flat of his tongue over her lips and each time he stroked across her stiff nub of flesh her legs jolted. He dipped his tongue deeply into her, fucking her with his tongue and she began to whimper.

"Ben, please! God I need you inside me! Please!" she moaned.

Keeping her legs braced back Ben moved up until his stiff cock was positioned at the opening of her wet pussy. He slid himself across her lips dragging himself across her clit. Gabriella dropped her head back on the mattress as shocks went through her body and she moaned deeply.

"Please, please, please, put it innnnn!" she begged.

Ben's cock was well lubricated so he lined himself up and pushed forward. The head popped in and Gabriella squeaked which turned into a deep groan as he pushed deeper and deeper into her. As he almost reached bottom she began to shake.

"Fuck, oh, oh, oh, so big! Sooooo deep!" she whispered with her eyes closed in concentration.

Ben couldn't recall hearing Gabriella swear before and it made him grin.

He pulled out to the head and pushed in again all the way to the base. Gabriella's breath gusted out.

"Ooo! Oh god, so good!" she cried.

Ben hooked her legs behind his arms and began to pound into her in long fast strokes. The impact at the end of each stroke made her squeal as her clit was slapped.

"Yes! Ben! That's good! Like that! Oh, oh, oh god!" Gabriella was becoming quite vocal and Ben loved it! He increased his pace until he was slamming into her like a machine.

"Yeeeeesssssssss! Oh my god! I'm gonna- I'm COMING!" Gabriella suddenly yelled as a huge orgasm swelled over her unexpectedly. "Ahhh god! Coming!" she squealed as her body went into convulsions. Ben's rhythm was broken by her jerking and her clamping down on his cock was all he needed to push him over top. He drove himself deep one last time and rode out his second orgasm with Gabriella grinding against him to prolong her pleasure. He felt her shake and jolt through a few mini orgasms after her major one. He rested atop the woman braced on his elbows after letting her legs back down.

"Oh Ben, that... that was wonderful!" Gabriella sighed. Ben saw her eyes begin to close and she made a mighty yawn.

He chuckled. "I'm glad you didn't do that during."

Her yawn broke into giggles and she playfully swatted his arm. Ben could see she was really exhausted. The jet lag from her whirlwind weekend had finally caught up to her. He pulled his softening cock from her and her eyes went wide as she trembled and smiled. "I'm just going to close my eyes for a bit." she murmured and was out.

Ben padded over to the ensuite and cleaned himself off. He made a damp facecloth with warm water then went back to the bed. Gabriella was still out so he gently cleaned her and pulled the blanket up. He considered going home but she'd asked him to stay so he slipped under the sheets and tucked her up against him.

Gabriella's sleeping face was so beautiful and peaceful he gently kissed her temple and closed his eyes. Sleep took him quickly.

The next morning Ben awoke to beautiful green eyes looking into his. Gabriella had a sweet smile on her lips.

"Good morning." she said.

"Good morning beautiful!" he replied.

"Will you stay for breakfast?" she asked.

"Sure."

She gave him a quick kiss then slipped out of bed. He headed over to the ensuite to freshen up a little and Ben got dressed. She came out in a big fluffy housecoat and he scooped her up in a hug. Once she was back on her feet they headed down to the kitchen. The kids weren't up yet.

Gabriella made a pot of coffee and Ben sat at the kitchen table watching her move around preparing breakfast for her kids and themselves.

"How went your evening with Rochelle?" she asked out of the blue.

"She was still having trouble with the emotional intimacy so I told her to just have fun. She seemed really relieved once I said that." He paused thinking how it almost ended very badly. Gabriella caught his frown.

"But..." she prompted.

"No, the evening was really nice and she slept over but when I woke the next morning at my back was Tina, Lisa, and Lori in that order, all naked." Gabriella gasped in concern for Rochelle. "They'd been out clubbing and got drunk and thought it would be a good idea to get into bed with Rochelle and I. Don't worry, I managed to get Rochelle out of the bed and house without waking the others. She's fine." Gabriella breathed a sigh of relief.

"Tina was immediately apologetic for her mistake but, again, the twins had no clue as to why I was upset. I kicked them out and told them they weren't welcome until they understood. I called Daphne and told her what they'd done and told her I didn't want Christopher in their daycare because of their issue with accepting personal responsibility. This is where the issue goes sideways. Daphne doesn't have the skills to discipline her kids so as a last resort punishment she told the twins I was her silent partner and I didn't want them working at the daycare until they shaped up."

Gabriella gasped again. She knew Ben wouldn't participate in a lie.

"The twins called me yesterday and came over to apologize. They still didn't have a clue. I went to speak with Daphne which was when she dropped that bomb on me. She broke down when I told her I couldn't be part of that and she begged me to help her with her kids."

Gabriella looked concerned as she knew how Ben had a weakness for the damsel in distress.

"So now I'm her moral silent partner. I spoke with the twins again and tried to get them to understand that their behavior isn't something the impressionable kids in the daycare should be exposed to." he said with a sigh.

"Did they get it then?" she asked putting breakfast on the plates.

"These are young adults who got away with this bad behavior for years so I don't expect them to change overnight but I think Lori got it. I'm hoping she'll be able to teach her twin." he replied.

"So the daycare won't be opening?" she asked.

"No, it will. I asked Daphne to create an ad for two replacement daycare certified workers. If she followed through the twins should see that and realize how serious the issue is and hopefully that will drive the point home. They desperately want to work in this daycare. If they don't turn their behavior around we place the ad and they don't get to work there. That would be a terrible shame for Daphne who I think was primarily doing this for them and to be with them. She recognizes that the made mistakes with the twins. Of course, Daphne might just cave in under the pressure of their whining. If that happens I walk away from the whole mess."

"What mess?" Miriam asked as she entered the kitchen.

"Good morning sweetie!" Gabriella greeted her daughter. "Can you go wake up your brother?"

The young girl frowned. "OK, but I want to know about the mess when I get back." She looked at Ben and he smiled and nodded. She smiled back and scooted back upstairs.

Gabriella stepped over to Ben's side to whisper. "Are the twin's still trying to... be with you?" She glanced at the doorway.

"Yes."

"Have you considered using that as a reward?" she asked

He looked at her earnest face in surprise. "Uh, no. I hadn't considered that. I was hoping to avoid adding that complication to an already messy situation."

"What mess, Ben?" Daniel asked as he preceded his sister into the kitchen. Miriam rolled her eyes.

"We are having some philosophical / behavioral issues with getting the new daycare open. If they don't follow a policy I feel is safest for the children I will walk away from participating in any way." Ben explained.

"Seems reasonable to me." Daniel agreed and sat down to eat.

Miriam had an unsatisfied look on her face then glared at her little brothers for sucking all the juicy adult stuff out of the answer. She looked plaintively at Ben who just smiled and shrugged.

They enjoyed their breakfast together then the kids got ready and were off to school.

"I think Miriam won't settle for the kid answers for much longer." Ben said to Gabriella who nodded and sighed. "I have some work to do so I have to go as well." he said.

"You found another project?" she asked.

"Yup and it's tickling my brain so I have to go scratch it!" he smiled.

"Thank you again Ben for everything!" Gabriella hugged him tight.

"Thank you for a wonderful date and breakfast!" he grinned.

With a lingering kiss Ben stepped outside and drove his truck over to his driveway. When he got inside he heard Christopher's excited chattering in the living room. He went in saw Tina playing with the boy on the carpet.

"Dada!" Christopher squealed reaching for Ben.

Tina's face showed shock then nervous embarrassment.

Ben sunk down to his knees and picked up the happy boy who squealed with excitement.

Ben looked at Tina who was trying not to look him in the eye.

"You've been teaching Christopher to call me that?" his voice trembled as he was conflicted. Half of him was horrified that she might be attempting to manipulate him while the other half wanted very much to be called Daddy. "Look at me, Tina."

Tina brought her eyes up to his and she had tears in hers. "Christopher will not know his true father and for that I am very happy for his father was a very bad man. But to know no father is a terrible thing for a young boy. A boy learns what it is to be a man from his father. I can think of no other man who could set a better example than you. I have not taught him to call you that. I have called you that when he is in my arms so that he will grow up knowing he is loved by both a mother and a father."

Ben looked into her eyes and saw the truth there. He nodded accepting her answer. "When he is old enough you will tell him the truth but for now Dada is fine." Ben pretended to bite the boy's nose and Christopher giggled.

Tina had tears pooling in her eyes as she gazed at Ben with love swelling her heart.

The three played in the living room for an hour then Ben felt the familiar pull of an unsolved puzzle tugging at him. He gave Christopher a kiss on the forehead then Tina was in his arms planting a very passionate kiss on him that left his head spinning. He smiled at her then went down to his workshop. As promised he left the door open and got back to work.

The next few days were pretty uneventful and he didn't hear back from Daphne or the twins. He put that in the back of his mind. The challenge had been issued and if it was going to work it would work.

Tina arranged for Trish to watch Christopher for them on Friday night so Ben turned his attention back to his work.

The engineering puzzle really got his juices flowing and he tackled it with everything he had. Tina had to drag him out of his workshop to eat and to sleep.

Finally he had his eureka moment and quickly modeled a prototype on his computer and ran it through a slew of virtual stress tests. It passed these so he contacted his custom milling shop and sent them the specs file for making a physical prototype. They said they'd have it ready for him on the following Wednesday.

Feeling confident of the design, Ben submitted his documentation to the Patent Office. He'd done it so frequently he had a script prepared to collect and submit the appropriate forms automatically. They Patent Office clerks knew him well.

He sent a quick note to the requester stating he had a solution in the physical prototyping stage and asked if they had a test bed. Moments later he received an excited response indicating they had one at their factory in Austin, Texas and would love to see the prototype ASAP. They sent him their corporate info now that they had reached the stage where they were no longer working through the anonymous forum. Ben saw the company was STURN Enterprises headquartered in Austin, Texas. Ben knew they dealt with oil as that was what one of the fluids the prototype was designed to deal with. He sent a reply that he would fly down with the prototype the following week once he confirmed the milling of the piece was successful. The immediate response indicated that they would send the corporate jet to pick him up and return him home. Once he'd indicated he was on the task they'd done their research on him. They'd looked up his forum ID on the engineering boards and found case after case where he'd provided successful solutions. They were thrilled he'd taken their task as their usual avenues wanted exorbitant advances just to look into the issue.

Ben wasn't surprised. You say 'oil company' you think 'money'. The point of the engineering forum was to strip away everything but the pure engineering puzzle. Someone anonymous posts a request for a solution, providing all of the known technical specs. If you had a solution and could provide one THEN you made arrangements to meet face to face or to just send them the digital file for the solution. Ben always made his own prototypes. These filled the cases lining the wall beside him. The new one was going to be rather large. He looked over at the wall and spotted an empty spot in one case that might fit.

Ben leaned back and enjoyed that lovely feeling of anticipation he got when he reached this phase of a project.

He made sure he had a backup of his work, locked up the workshop, and headed upstairs. Tina was in the living room on her tablet while Christopher played with his activity centre in the playpen. Ben realized his back was stiff from sitting in his chair for too long. He decided to soak in the hot tub.

Tina looked up from her tablet. "Ben, are you done working on your project today? If so, Lori would like to speak with you when you have a moment."

Ben turned back and felt his lower back muscles tweak. He grimaced and rubbed at the spot. "Uh, ok but tell her to bring a swimsuit because I'm heading for the hot tub. My back is hurting." He'd gotten into the habit of preparing the hot tub when he did these projects as he typically spent too many hours curled over either his drafting table or his keyboard.

Tina's eyes brightened and she tapped out a chat message on the table while Ben walked to his bedroom and put on his swimsuit. He headed outside onto the deck with his robe on over his trunks. The evening was clear and while the day had been unseasonably warm the air was now pretty cool. He lifted the lid on the hot tub and found the water temperature was perfect. He hung up his robe on the warming rack he'd built next to the tub and climbed into the steamy bubbling water. He instantly started feeling better. A few minutes later he heard a noise and opened his eyes to see Lori standing and shivering next to the tub in her robe.

"Don't just stand there! Put your robe on the rack and get in the hot water!" he scolded the young woman.

She pulled off the robe and Ben got a look at the tiny bikini she was almost not wearing. His eyes widened and he looked away as she climbed into the tub.

"I'm decent once more." she said with a smile once she was under the water.

Ben looked back at her and she had tied her long red hair up in a bun on the back of her head to keep it out of the water. This just accentuated her long slim neck. She gave him a brilliant smile when she noticed he was staring. He cleared his throat and looked away. "So you wished to speak with me?"

Lori's face took on a serious expression and she cast her eyes down at the bubbling water as she collected her thought. "Yes, I've done a lot of thinking about what you said and I thought about the times we've upset you and how we acted. It seemed so odd to us that there could have been a negative outcome to those events but I realized that was because we were only seeing it from our own perspective. Seeing things from the eyes of another isn't something we've had a lot of experience with. Understanding there was an issue has been a little easier for me as I've typically deferred to Lisa so I subconsciously already see from her perspective but it so closely matches mine the difference is almost meaningless. So I replaced Lisa with you and tried to consider your perspective on our touching you inappropriately and climbing into your bed uninvited then Rochelle's view on us being there too. I see now how uncomfortable it must have been for you and awkward for Rochelle. I'm sorry."

Ben was smiling at Lori when she looked up. "Learning to see the effect of your actions through the eyes of others is exactly what I was hoping would happen. I'm so relieved to hear you've managed to do it! The question is, have you been able to share your epiphany with your sister? Does she understand yet?"

Lori looked back down sadly. "She's fighting it. I think she understands but she's always gotten what she wants in the past, even with me, and she's trying to keep that."

Ben had a bad feeling about that. "She's been pressuring your mother to let her work at the daycare hasn't she."

"Yes, and it hasn't been easy on Mom. Now I can see what a struggle it's been for her. I let her know I support her decision. That really shocked her because Lisa and I have always been a team. For now she's standing firm."

"Then there has to be something else Lisa wants desperately that we can withhold from her until she is willing to listen." Ben said thoughtfully.

Lori smiled seeing Ben so clueless to the answer before him. "Ben."

"What?"

"It's you. You're what she wants the most, next to working at the daycare." Lori explained.

"Oh!" Ben's eyebrows rose. "But I'm already denying her that!"

"So she thinks it's an impossibility. That's what you have to change. She has to think it's possible, just not for her." Lori was grinning broadly by this point as Ben struggled to decipher the clues Lori was giving him.

She reached around her back and undid the knot on her bikini top. She then lifted it over her head and dropped it on the deck outside of the tub.

Ben's eyes widened as he finally caught on to what she was suggesting. Lori's smile faltered as she looked at him nervously, fearing his rejection once more. She could see his mind ticking over but his next words surprised her.

"Lori, this could put a serious rift in your relationship with your sister. Jealousy is an ugly, bitter thing and she might react very badly."

Lori looked at Ben, amazed at how easily he put himself in the place of others. Truthfully, while Lori could now see how it done it wasn't easy for her at all.

"Ben, I love my sister above all others and I know she loves me but you're right, she may react badly. But I won't let that sway me from helping her see what she needs to see. I won't lie to you. It's going to be a struggle. I truly feel that she will not fully appreciate the benefits of putting others first until she's felt your firm hand guiding her." she finished with a hopeful expression.

Ben looked at Lori and struggled with the decision but he knew she was right. He couldn't just let Lori lie to her sister that she'd been with him as he couldn't participate in such a lie. Decision made he reached out of the tub and pushed a button on a panel on the side of the tub. A privacy curtain descended from the outer edge of the awning over the deck. Soon the deck had complete privacy on all sides though much of the light still got through. Lori was surprised by the curtains and watched them enclose the deck. When she looked back at Ben she saw him dropping his trunks on the deck outside of the tub. She suddenly realized she was in a hot tub with a very large naked man. She trembled as she realized her dream was actually coming true.




The Shepherd of Ashburn Court Pt. 05



He moved closer, his eyes on hers and she felt the knots on her bikini bottom come undone. His large hand lifted her under the water and she felt the bikini bottom tugged away. Ben dropped it over the side with the bikini top. Now they were both naked in the hot tub.

Lori was trembling and Ben took her chin between his fingers and looked into her eyes.

"It's not too late to stop. We haven't done anything yet we can't take back." he said firmly.

"I- I don't want to stop." she said, her voice quavering.

"May I assume you're not a virgin but you haven't been with a man as large as me?" he asked.

She nodded her eyes widening with her memory of the size of him.

"So we'll take it slow. I'll set the pace. Understood?" he said and she nodded, not trusting herself to speak she was so nervous. The dates she and Lisa had played with before had just been playthings. Good for fun but ultimately disposable. Ben was in a completely different category! He had experience!

Ben smiled and leaned in for a kiss. Softly at first. Just lips pressing and nibbling on lips. Lori leaned forward to kiss more urgently but Ben gently pushed her back.

"I set the pace." he said firmly and she nodded submissively.

He began again and Lori was feeling little sparks of pleasure tingling within her pussy but she dared not touch herself. When Ben's tongue caressed her lips and slipped between them she moaned and squeezed her thighs together as the tingle became maddening.

Ben sucked her tongue into his mouth and placed his hand of the back of her neck to better control the kiss. The fingertips of Ben's other hand slowly trailed down the skin of her chest and her breathing grew erratic as they approached her breasts. When she involuntarily thrust her chest up to reach his descending fingers he stopped and gently pushed her back. He lifted his fingers and began again. She got the lesson this time.

When his fingers met her breast this time it was all Lori could do to keep from screaming 'YES'! She couldn't stop from moaning into his kiss as he filled his palm with her tit and squeezed it. Lightning shot between her nipple and clit. He slid his tongue into her mouth more aggressively and moved his fingers to tug on the stiff pink nipple. Another shot of lightning fired and she whimpered with need.

Ben moved his mouth to Lori's throat and kissed his way downwards. His hand left her breasts and slid around to support her back as he lifted her to the surface of the bubbling water. Lori's head rested back on the pillowed edge of the hot tub as her stiff nipples broke the surface of the water into the chilled air. Ben took her right nipple between his lips and slowly sucked more and more of her tit into his mouth as he ran his tip of his tongue across the sensitive nipple.

Lori couldn't take any more and moved her hands behind Ben's head into his hair. She stopped herself from pulling him tighter against her tit. Ben gently scraped his teeth on the flesh around her nipple and Lori cried out arching her back. With a final kiss Ben moved to her left tit and repeated the process only slower.

Ben's hands were on her back, supporting her floating body just under the surface of the water. For his next move he had to make sure Lori took a more active role in supporting her body. He release her nipple with a pop and let her torso dip just below the surface once more. The hot water reached her overly stimulated nipples and her breath hissed through her teeth.

He looked up at her flushed face and locked eyes with her. "Get a grip on the rails on either side of your headrest and hold tight."

Lori's eyes widened and she quickly moved her hands into place. "Good girl." Ben growled playfully and a shiver went through her body.

Ben dipped under the surface while holding Lori's body up horizontally just under the surface. When he resurfaced he came up slowly with his head between her legs his hands cupping her firm ass cheeks. He gave her a quick squeeze and she moaned at the feel of the strength in his hands. He lifted her ass upwards until the small red triangle of pubic hair surfaced. Ben smiled down at this and pressed his lips to the patch and kissed it. Lori's hips jolted from the sensation but Ben had a good grip on her ass so he controlled her motions. Ben kissed down in the direction the triangle pointed and soon he was brushing his lips across her pink, stiff little clit. She cried out and he moved on leaving her with the aching need for his touch. He could tell she was a moments from her orgasm.

Ben ran his tongue from just above her anus up across the engorged pussy lips and circled her clit.

"Fuck! Fuck! Fuck! Suck it please! Suck my clit!" Lori finally gushed as the tingling exploded into a lightning storm inside her pussy.

Ben sucked her pussy lips into his mouth and thrashed them with his tongue until she began to gush juices. He moved his left hand to the center of her ass and rubbed two fingers of his right over her gushing pussy getting them nice and slippery. Then he slammed them deep into her as he clamped his mouth over the top of her pussy. Lori began to wail and thrash as her body rocked through an intense release. He began to pump his fingers in and out of her twitching channel.

"BEN! Oh Ben! FUUUUCK! FUUUUUUUUCK!" she began to squeal and make unintelligible sounds as her shaking increased. Ben could see she was deep into her orgasm so he slipped his thumb into her pussy with his fingers for a few strokes to get it nice and slick then he pressed it firmly against her anus.

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHH!" Lori screamed as her orgasm soared to new heights. Her whole body went stiff and her eyes rolled back. When he felt her body going slack he moved his hands up to support her shoulders as her grip on the bars released and her head rolled. He pulled her against him and rested her head on his shoulder. A few seconds later he felt her beginning to come around.

"Wha- what? What happened?" Lori slurred against his shoulder. She felt like she was outside of her body. Everything tingled.

"You just had a little rest after your orgasm." Ben said gently.

"Oh. My. God. Ben! I feel so good! You feel so good against me! The water feels so good!" she gushed as she tried to get her muscle coordination back.

"I think we'd better get out of the hot water." he said. He scooped her legs up and carried her from the tub. The air trapped within the privacy curtain was warmer than outside but it was considerably cooler than the water. He set her down and steadied her as he pulled her robe from the warmer and put it around her. Then he grabbed his own and they went inside. There was a towel on the floor inside the patio door and a note from Tina saying she and Christopher were staying with Trish tonight. Lori was still a little wobbly so Ben sat her down at the kitchen table while he went back outside and put the cover on the tub and raise the privacy curtain. He went inside and locked the patio door. He saw Lori watching him with wide eyes from the chair.

"It's never felt like that before." she said.

"The sensations are there, you just have to be patient enough to build them up." Ben explained.

"But you didn't..." she said looking at him.

"No, and I don't every time. Sometimes it just works out that way." Ben said with a smile.

"I'd like you to. May we continue?" Lori asked, biting her lip.

"We may." he said and held out his hand to lift her to her feet. As they left the kitchen they heard pounding on the front door. They looked at each other then went to see who it was. Ben opened the door. Lisa was on the step and she was sobbing.

"You BITCH! How COULD YOU!" she screamed past Ben at her sister. Ben reached out and pulled her inside the house. Lori grabbed her arms so Ben could close and lock the door.

"Let go of me you back stabber!" Lori screamed as the tears poured down her face. "I saw your chat with Tina on your tablet. Then I saw Tina take Christopher to Trish's place. When I came over I heard your scream! I heard you screaming Ben's name! You had sex with Ben!"

She whipped around to look at Ben. "Why? Why would you have sex with Lori but not me?" she sobbed as she threw her jacket to the floor. Her blouse was showing a lot of cleavage.

"For one she doesn't act like a spoiled little brat when she doesn't get her way!" Ben growled deeply.

Lisa rocked back from Ben's anger.

Lori stepped in front of her sister. "I get it. I understand why Ben was so upset with us. I've been trying to tell you but you won't fucking listen!"

Lisa roared and reached for her sister with claws out but Ben caught her wrists and spun her around. He marched her into the living room and set her across his knees as he sat on the ottoman. He held her arms together behind her back with one hand and looked at Lori. "If you would do the honors please."

"Certainly." Lori said and pulled Lisa's yoga pants down to her knees. Ben saw she was wearing a thong so her ass was bare. All the better.

Lisa screamed and thrashed in anger until Ben's palm cracked solidly against her ass cheek. Then she screamed in surprise and pain but her body froze in shock. Without giving her time to recover he landed a second blow on the opposite cheek.

"You're not a teenager any more so stop" SMACK! "acting like one!" CRACK!

Lori knelt in front of her sister face and took it between her palms. "We have to start thinking about how OTHER people would feel before we do something. We kissed and groped Ben because we wanted to and we knew we would like it but we never stopped to think about if Ben wanted that."

Lisa screamed in anger again. CRACK! went Ben's palm on her already red ass. Lisa screamed and tried to thrash so CRACK! across the other cheek. She started crying in earnest now.

"Stop being so stubborn! We love you! We want you to feel better but you have to stop being so damn selfish! Mom needs our help and you are jeopardizing that by not accepting responsibility for being a self centered little brat! I admit I was one too! Then I saw what Ben was trying to tell us. We just have to be aware how other people's feeling might be affected by our actions BEFORE we do them. I know we've never really had to do that before but like Ben said, it's time to grow up. We aren't spoiled little teenagers anymore. Daddy would let us get away with almost anything but Ben won't. He will help guide us with a firm hand so we can be better people and have our dream job and make love with our dream man. But only if you are willing to admit you and I have been behaving badly and we need to change."

Ben placed his hand gently on the red flesh of Lisa's ass and she hissed through her teeth. Then he began to lightly caress the skin and Lisa started squirming as the pain started to change into something different. Then he stopped and she whimpered.

Lori lifted Lisa's face again and looked into her tear filled eyes. "You know it's true. I can see it in your eyes. I can feel you resisting. But that's only going to keep you from being happy. You have to understand that. We can't keep up this selfish behavior. It's hurting Mom and it hurts us. It will wreck our entire future if you keep it up. Please! Be the loving sister I know you are!"

Lisa burst into tears and Lori hugged her sister. Ben released her arms and she hugged Lori back. He lifted her to the couch and Lori sat with her wrapped up in each other's arms. After they had a good long cry Lisa sat back sniffing and winced. "My ass is on fire." she whined.

"Stop!" Lori said holding a finger up. "You know you deserved that! You have some things to say to Ben now."

Lisa glanced at Ben who waited patiently.

"Ben, I- I'm really sorry I didn't consider your feelings when we first kissed you in the car and when I got into your bed while you were sleeping with Rochelle. I was only thinking about what I wanted. Then you got angry and I didn't know why because I was only thinking of myself. I should have stopped and thought about how you'd feel before I did those things. I'm sorry."

Ben watched Lisa's face for any signs of her pretending to be remorseful but he saw it was genuine.

"I'll be expecting you both to be each other's watchdog. No sliding back to bad behavior."

Lori brightened up. "Does this mean we can work in the daycare?"

"On probation. Seriously, the first case I hear about one of you, just one of you behaving in that manner, and you will both he fired. Is that crystal clear?" he growled and they both froze.

"Yes sir." they said.

Ben didn't know where to go from here. He was feeling incredibly stupid and horrified at himself for having spanked a grown woman but he knew to show that to Lisa now would undermine the work he and Lori had done to help her have the change of heart.

It was Lori who rescued the situation. She turned to her sister.

"It's true that Ben and I were in the hot tub together but we didn't have sex. Well, not fully. He just teased my body then gave me the most exquisite oral sex I've ever had in my life. I actually believe I left my body when I came. I passed out!" Lisa looked at Ben desperately.

"Ben didn't get to have an orgasm. I'd really like to help him with that." She turned to him. "Would it be alright if my sister joined us, please?" Lori really poured on the charm as she pleaded with Ben to include Lisa.

Ben turned his eyes to Lisa looking for signs of her old selfish attitude but only saw submissive pleading in her eyes. "Are you going to behave?" he asked her, his voice a deep rumble in his chest.

Lisa trembled and the heat in her eyes kicked up a few notches. "Yes!" she breathed. "But Ben?" He looked at her again and her eyes dropped as she bit her lip. "Please... don't be gentle with me. How- how you took me just now... it was so fucking hot!" She squeezed her thighs together as her pussy dripped and her ass burned.

"God yes! I want that too!" Lori moaned.

Ben looked across at the two lustful beauties gazing hungrily back at him and sighed to himself. Another big shove out of his comfort zone. He'd never been with more than one woman at a time and certainly not twin sisters. He also didn't consider himself to be a rough sex kind of guy but that's what they needed him to be. He'd just have to give them his version of it.

He stood up and they watched him approach with anticipation. He reached behind Lori's head and released her hair from the bun. He ran his fingers through her hair to make it cascade over her shoulders like Lisa's did. Then he put his hand in her hair at the back of her head and took a grip. He forced her head back and she gasped before his mouth was on hers in a hungry, deep kiss. She moaned into his mouth. He pulled back and looked into her glassy eyes as she panted with her excitement. Ben turned his eyes to Lisa who fidgeted on the couch worried that he was going to reject her. When his hand slid around her neck into the hair on the back of her head he felt her actually relax as he took his grip. He ran his tongue across Lisa's lips and she desperately tried to capture it with her lips but his grip wouldn't let her move. He sucked her lower lip into his mouth and ran his teeth over it. Lisa whimpered with need and she wasn't prepared for him when he suddenly kissed her deeply. She grunted in surprise as his tongue caressed hers. He pulled back and a string of her spit clung to their lips.

He released their hair, stood up and stepped back. "Stand up." he growled. They stood quickly and faced him.

Lori was only wearing the robe but Lisa was fully dressed. He looked her up and down and saw her blush. "Get undressed." Her eyes snapped to his then glanced over to her sister. "Now."

Lisa's blush got deeper but she quickly pulled her sweater and shirt off. Her yoga pants were already around her ankles so she kicked them off then her socks. Soon she was just standing in her bra and panties.

"I said undress." Ben said looking at her underwear. Lisa's eye widened. She reached around and undid her bra then pushed her panties down. She was deeply embarrassed at being the only one naked but her pussy was dripping and he saw the lips were glistening.

Ben looked at Lori. "Drop the robe."

Soon he was standing before two identical naked women. He stepped forward and heard them suck in a breath in unison. He reached out and placed a hand on each of their bodies on a shoulder. He tracked his fingers down their chests and cupped a tit which brought gasps from them. He rolled and pinched their nipple a little harder than he normally would and they both went a little weak in the knees. Their eyes were getting glassy again. When he slid his hands to their other tit and gave them a firm squeeze Lori moaned and Lisa whimpered unconsciously pushing her tit into his hand. He squeezed hers harder and she moaned. He picked up that Lisa might need harder sensations than Lori did. He slid his fingertips down their tight, trembling stomach muscles and both wobbled on their feet as he got closer to their heat. He cupped Lori and pulled up slightly and she gave him an 'Ahhh!' while he slapped Lisa's pussy three timed quickly making her squeak. Both were breathing heavily and trembling by this point.

Ben took a step back and considered them. So far they seemed to be enjoying his 'performance'. Quite frankly he was enjoying the view and he'd begun to feel the beginnings of that familiar rise. Before it grew he wanted them to see it so they'd know what they were dealing with.

"On your knees." his voice rumbled and they immediately dropped down before him. "You need to see what I'm going to fuck you both with. Open my robe." Their trembling increased with his coarse words.

With a glance at each other they both reached a hand forward and undid the loose knot on the belt. They took a side and pulled the robe open. Their eyes widened when they saw his thick cock hanging down and twitching between his legs. He pushed the robe off of his shoulders and let it fall behind him. The twins released the robe.

"It's still sleeping so it's not as big as it's going to be when I'm driving it into you. I'm still not sure you can take someone my size. I want to fuck you hard but I don't want to ruin you. Lisa! Don't touch yourself!" he scolded her harshly and her hand snapped back to her side. She looked up at him desperately. He ignored her and turned to her sister.

"Lori, cup my balls in your hand. Feel their weight."

Lori reached forward and lifted his cock up to hold his heavy sack in her other hand. Her mouth dropped opened as she felt the heft and heat of them.

Ben was enjoying the feeling of her hands and this cock began to twitch more as blood began to engorge the flesh. Lori's eyes locked onto the stiffening flesh as she felt it move in her hand.

"Let go Lori." She did reluctantly. "That weight is either going to be slapping against your ass... or your clit if I choose to take you from behind."

Lisa began to whimper at the image of Ben slamming into her from behind. She couldn't take her eyes from his rising flesh. It was only half mast and already looking monstrous. The fat mushroom head was darkening and beginning to point right at them.

"Lisa, open your mouth and stick out your tongue." Ben growled.

She quickly licked her lips and opened her mouth tongue extended. Lori whined as she wanted him in her mouth.

Ben stepped forward and tapped his bobbing cock on her tongue. Lisa tried moving forward to capture it but Ben gripped her hair and held her back. "Patience." he said quietly. She nodded.

He moved forward again and laid the thick head on the tip of her tongue. Then he slowly slid it forward until it reached her lips. Ben was exercising every ounce of his self-control to not just shove his cock into her mouth until he reached the back of her throat. Lisa was trembling and moaning as the heavy meat slowly forced its way into her mouth. Ben stopped and held it there for a few seconds while Lisa felt it throbbing on her tongue. He slowly pulled it out of her mouth and she leaned forward unconsciously to get it back but he gently pulled her away.




The Shepherd of Ashburn Court Pt. 05



"Lori, your turn." he said and she was already in position when he turned to her. He took a grip of her hair as well though he knew she'd already learned the lesson about pacing. The thick head touched her tongue and he slid it deep into her mouth, further than Lisa had been able to accommodate and he was definitely larger now. Interesting difference noted. She hummed and the vibrations went through his cock making it jump. She looked up with a twinkle in her eyes. He slid himself out of her mouth and stepped back. A few more throbs and it reached full size.

"Stand up." he said and they scrambled to their feet. Both were looking at his cock and the worried looks were back.

"Follow me." he said as he walked to his bedroom. When they were all standing next to the bed he looked at them like he was trying to gauge the possibility of his cock fitting inside them. He stepped up to Lisa and slid two fingers into her pussy with no warning. He knew she was wet enough as he saw her dripping down the insides of her thighs as her sister was. Lisa gasped and fell forward against him as his fingers slid in and out a few times. He pulled out abruptly and rubbed his slick fingers against his thumb as if testing her juices then he put the fingers deep in his mouth as he looked Lisa in the eyes and sucked her nectar from them. Her eyes were glassy and she was panting.

Ben set Lisa back on her feet and walked behind Lori. He wrapped an arm around her chest under her tits and slid two fingers from his other hand deep into her sodden pussy. Only his grip around her chest kept her on her feet as her legs immediately gave out. As he pumped his fingers she felt the heat of his cock pressing against the back of her leg.

He removed the fingers and repeated the thumb test and slurping her juices from his fingers. Lori regained her footing.

Ben turned to the end table and brought out a tube of lubricant. He turned to the two swaying women.

"Lisa, I got to eat your sister's delicious pussy in the hot tub. Now I'm going to start by eating your pussy while Lori rides my cock. When she's done and I've had my fill of eating you I'm going to fuck you." Ben knee walked to the center of the bed and the twins hurried to follow. He poured some lube on Lori's hand and told her to rub it on his cock. She began stroking him and made it nice and slick.

Ben laid down on the bed and directed Lori to squat over his cock. "Lisa, hold my cock in position for Lori." She swooped in and took a grip of him at the base and pointed him up.

"Oh God, it's so big!" Lisa moaned as she realized her fingers didn't quite make it all the way around. She looked at her sister with a worried expression. Lori had a determined look on her face as she lowered herself onto the thick head. The lubricant and her excitement helped ease the way for the cock to slide into her pussy.

"Go slow!" Ben growled recalling Tina's misadventure with rushing.

Lori froze then nodded at Ben and slowed her decent. She started to make little up and down motions to slowly introduce the thickness to her tight pussy. She began to whine as her legs were getting tired and she hadn't reached a depth where she could drop to her knees yet.

"Lisa. Stand behind your sister and hold her under her arms to take some of the load off her legs." Ben instructed and Lisa got into place. Lori immediately felt the reduced effort and smiled up at her sister. The smile turned into rolling eyes, biting lips, and groans as Lisa began to bounce Lori up and down on the end of Ben's cock. When he saw she was deep enough he directed Lori to slide her legs back and rest on her knees. Once she was there Lisa released her and Lori sank the rest of the way down. Lori threw her head back in a silent scream as he completely filled her.

Ben watched her face to make sure she wasn't going to pass out but she just wobbled for a bit and seemed to come around. "Just sit still for a while getting used to it. Lisa, bring your pussy down here."

Lisa eagerly moved to straddle Ben's chest finally about to get some relief for the maddening tingling in her pussy. She moved her pussy up towards his waiting mouth but she flashed back to a memory of how she used to tease her old boyfriend Scott by keeping herself just out of reach. For reasons even she didn't fully understand she reverted to this behavior for a moment pulling back twice until Ben gave her a stern look and sunk his strong fingers into the stinging flesh of her ass cheeks. She tried to move but he had her in unbreakable grip and she hissed in pain.

"Are we playing childish games or are we enjoying each other?" Ben growled deeply.

"No games! Sorry, no games! Please, please, please! It hurts!" she whined. Ben lifted her the remaining distance to his mouth and ran his tongue broadly across the surface of her wet pussy. She shrieked at the pleasure spiking through her. Then he spanked her ass and she shivered deeply at the delicious and confusing mix of sensations.

Lori's pussy was finally relaxing with his cock buried to the hilt. It felt so hot and she could feel it throbbing deep within her. Ben hadn't been kidding when he'd told her to go slow. She pushed with her thighs and raised herself slowly up then dropped herself down on him. It felt so incredible she had to stop and wait for her senses to return to her. Then she raise herself again and drop down. And pause while her brain spun.

Ben was fucking Lisa's wet channel with his tongue while he reached up and roughly played with her tits. He squeeze them, pinch and roll the nipples. Every so often he's slowly tug the nipples outwards as he thrashed her clit with his tongue. He'd counted two orgasms so far and she was quickly moving in on her third.

Lisa grabbed the headboard of the bed and ran her pussy over Ben's talented mouth. He was ripping the orgasms from her faster than she'd ever had and she felt a big one coming. As it rushed up on her Ben slid a well lubricated finger deep into her ass and she screamed. Her pussy began to squirt and drench Ben's face while he latched onto her clit, strumming it with this tongue.

"FUCKFUCKFUCKFUCKFUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUCK!" Lisa wailed as her muscles shook and locked.

Lisa lost muscle coordination and began to fall sideways. Ben moved his hands and gently laid her back on her back beside Lori but with her feet up by the headboard.

With Lisa blissfully coming down from Heaven, Ben could now concentrate on Lori who had built up some speed with her thrusting. Time to take it up a few notches.

Lori was now well lubricated and accommodating his girth so there wasn't any real obstacle to increasing the pace. He pulled her down on top of his chest and took her face between his hands and kissed her deeply. She was surprised by the taste of her sister on his tongue then the only thing she had in her mind was the explosion of pleasure in her pussy as Ben began to bounce her on his hips. He grabbed her hips and pounded up into her at a brutal pace. She felt his balls slapping her ass as he's said they would and this just added to her pleasure. She was on hands and knees over Ben's prone body with her head thrown back and her eyes closed as Ben pounded her pussy without mercy. Her mouth was open but nothing more than little squeaks and moans were coming out of it. His left hand moved to her perfect ass cheeks and slid down between them to massage her rosebud. His right hand was busy squeezing her tits and playing with her nipples.

Lori crashed through her orgasm and Ben picked up the pace of his thrusting lifting Lori off her knees with each impact. She shrieked and wailed as her pleasure just kept increasing. She was having trouble catching her breath and started to see spots before her eyes.

Ben rolled over away from Lisa and pulled Lori under himself. He made three more brutal thrusts and he was buried to the base when his orgasm struck. She felt the jets of liquid heat filling her. Lori looked up at Ben's rapturous expression and felt a deep satisfaction she'd never felt before. She'd brought this incredible man, her fantasy man, intense pleasure! She closed her eyes and rode the bliss her body was flooded with.

Ben looked down at Lori's happy expression and slowly pulled his cock from her trembling body. Lori was watching him with a hunger in her eyes and she glanced down at his hard cock.

"Is that for me?" she whispered.

"Yes, I told you I was going to fuck you and I will. I'm going to warn you though. We're not making love. This is going to be a hard fucking. But you need it hard, don't you." he rumbled at her.

Her trembling increased and she was staring at the monster that was about to be deep inside her. "Oh God yes! I need you to fuck me!"

"Have you ever had it that way before?" Ben asked.

"No." she whined.

Ben leaned down to put his head next to hers. "They you don't know what it feels like to be truly fucked. Two people ripping their pleasure from each other's bodies, no romance or softness, just pure animalistic sex. It's amazingly intense but it can leave bruises. Are you sure you can take it Lisa?" he snarled in her ear.

Lisa was almost coming from the images Ben was planting in her mind and the anticipation. This was what she wanted more than anything. "YES! FUCK YES! TAKE ME HARD-" she finished with a squeak as Ben flipped her onto her stomach and lifted her ass in the air. Her eyes flew open then she shrieked again as Ben drove his tongue into her ass.

"GAAAAWWWDD! FUCK MEEEEE!" she screamed as her body jolted from the sudden intense sensations. Her legs splayed out and shook as he rimmed her little rosebud. Before she could recover he lined up the head of his cock with her dripping pussy and slammed it in down the base in one even stroke.

"AAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHH!" Lisa screamed again, feeling her pussy stretched wide by the thick intruder. Ben pulled out and slammed it back to the depths by pulling her hips back to meet his thrust. His balls slapped up against her clit and she gasped.

"FUCKFUCKFUCKFUCK! SO BIG!" she cried as Ben set up a steady pounding against her ass. Her reddened ass cheeks were being slapped again and the pain was mingling with the intense pleasure of the clit slaps his balls were making.

Ben reached forward and gathered up her red locks in his hand and pulled her head up as he increased his pace. Lisa started to whimper and squeal within a steady stream of breathy 'Fuck!', 'Yes!', and 'Ben!'

He placed his right hand on the top of her ass and slid his thumb down her crack until it was pressing on her anus.

"Yes! My ass! Please! Oh, oh, oh god, Ben!" she wailed as he circled his thumb over her little hole.

He picked up the pace once more and hammered away at her as he pushed his thumb into her tight ass.

"AAAAAAAAAAAAIIIIIIIIIIIEEEEEEEEEFFFFFUUUUUUUUUCCCCKKKK! YEEEEEEEESSSSSSSSAAAAHHHhhh!" Lisa's orgasm overloaded her senses and she whited out. Ben released her hair as he felt her body go slack and she slumped to the mattress pulling free of his cock.

Ben looked down at the unconscious woman. "Damn!" He'd timed that badly. He was only halfway to his second orgasm. He wasn't going to fuck her now.

"Ben?" came a tremulous voice. He looked over at Lori. She was lying on the bed with wide eyes. She'd watched the entire thing. "Do- do you want me to finish that for you?"

He saw she was frightened that he would be as rough on her as he'd been with Lisa. "No, it's fine. I'll just stroke it off in the shower."

Her eyes lit up. "I could do that for you! Or... you could fuck my titties?" She saw his cock twitch at the suggestion and she grinned. She scooched over on the bed and Ben straddled her torso. He looked down and recalled fucking Rochelle's prodigious breasts. In comparison Lori was positively flat. That didn't stop her from squeezing her soft tits around his shaft. It felt good and the lubrication and the pussy juices made for a very slick stroke. At the height of each stroke the head of his cock entered Lori's mouth and she'd swirl her tongue around it. That felt very good! Finally Ben just fucked Lori's mouth with the head of his cock and unloaded in her mouth. She squealed and swallowed as quickly as she could. She sucked the last drops out of him and he sat back on the mattress between the two sisters. Lori gave him a brilliant smile and allowed her eyes to close.

Lisa was still out and probably would be until morning. It had been an emotional roller coaster evening for her. Lori's eyes were closed and her breathing was slowing as she slipped into sleep. Ben scooped Lisa up and set her down head to headboard and crawled into the bed between the two ladies. He pulled up the blanket, set his alarm (doctor's appointment in the morning), and turned off the light. He'd wait until the morning to see what new difficulties tonight's events added to his life.

Chapter 23

Ben was the first one to wake (before his alarm) and he managed to get out of the room without waking the twins. He grabbed his workout clothes on the way and made his way to the basement to get his day started.

He pushed himself hard and was careful of his injured calf which seemed a little better every day.

He used the guest bathroom to shower and slipped into his room to get his clothes. After he'd dressed he heard noises from the kitchen so he slipped back out of the bedroom and went to investigate.

Tina looked up from the stove and smiled at him when he entered the kitchen. Christopher stood up in his playpen and raised his arms to he picked up so Ben scooped him into his arms before moving over to give Tina a kiss.

"Good morning!" he said.

"Good morning Ben. How many eggs would you like?" she replied with twinkling eyes.

"Two please." he smiled back. He sat at the kitchen table and played with the boy who giggled with his antics.

Soon Tina brought their plates over to the table and picked up her son from his arms. He went back into the playpen and immediately went for the activity center. Happy dings, chirps, and clicks soon followed.

Tina sat next to Ben and looked at him expectedly.

"Thank's for a lovely breakfast!" he said, ignoring her real question.

She pouted and he gave in with a grin.

"The evening went well. Lisa showed up shortly after Lori and I got out of the hot tub and she was more than a little upset with her sister."

"We heard Lori's screaming." Tina said with a wicked smile and Ben froze.

"Who's 'we'?" he croaked.

"Trish opened the door for me and we heard it then. Trish's eyes were so big!" Tina smiled at the memory. "Mrs. King was arriving home with her son and they were standing by their car and heard it as well. She looked over at us and laughed but her son seemed upset."

Ben put his head in his hands, mortified. "That's the last time I have sex in the hot tub." he moaned.

"I hope not! I would like to try one day!" Tina said with an upset look.

"Good morning Tina, Ben!" Lori said from the doorway as she hobbled into the room.

"Good morning Lori." Ben said with an embarrassed glance.

Tina was amazed that he could tell the difference between the sisters so quickly. She had trouble doing it at all. "Good morning Lori. Would you like some breakfast?"

"No thank you, just coffee if you've made some." she said and Tina pointed to the freshly brewed pot.

Lori joined them at the table with her mug of coffee and tenderly sat on a chair. Ben looked concerned but Lori just waved it off. "It was worth it Ben."

"I'm afraid our activities in the hot tub weren't only heard by Lisa." he said to the young woman whose only response was to look up with an interested expression.

"Trish, Tina, Rochelle and her son Jayden also heard us... you." Ben said.

"The only one in that group that causes me any discomfort is Jayden. The kid seriously thinks he's charming but comes across as a total skeez." Lori grimaced.

At Ben's blank look Lori explained. "A slimy little player. He's tried hitting on me, then Lisa, then suggested the both of us could party with him. He looks at women like they're already naked. Ugh!"

Ben looked sad. "Rochelle mentioned her son was emulating his father's behavior." He shook his head then looked up at Lori. "Is your sister awake?"

Lori grimaced. "Yeah but she's giving herself a little extra time as she's pretty sore this morning."

Ben frowned and got up from the table. He went to the bedroom and saw Lisa sitting on the edge of the bed. He knelt down in front of her and saw she was breathing heavily. "Are you ok?"

She opened her eyes and took in his concerned expression. "Morning Ben. I'm ok. Just some cramping and bruises. They'll go away."

Ben got angry with himself for hurting her and she saw it on his face. "No! Please Ben! I wouldn't change a second of our night last night. It was everything I dreamed of... more than I dreamed it would be. I- I learned things about myself. I feel... better about myself. More complete. Please don't regret something so special to me! Please!" she begged.

Ben wanted to apologize. To beg her for forgiveness. But he knew she would take that as a rejection of what they'd experienced together the night before. So instead he put his hands on her head and kissed her hard. She moaned and clung to him. He pulled back and his face showed his emotional turmoil. Finally he gave her a small smile and nodded.

He grabbed his dressing gown and draped it over her shoulders. Then he scooped her up and carried her back to the kitchen and gently set her on a chair. Lori got her a mug of coffee and they sat in companionable silence for a while.

He looked at the clock and realized he had to leave for his doctor's appointment so he gave each woman a kiss and headed out.

Ben sat in the comfortable chair across from Dr. Granger and contemplated integrity. She had asked him where he thought his difficulty with lying came from.

"There were people in my childhood who lied to me. Foster parents who said they'd take good care of me but didn't. Other foster kids who said they were my friends but weren't. Girls and women who said they loved me but didn't. I promised myself I wouldn't be like them. I promised myself I'd be someone others could depend upon." He paused and thought of his activities with the twins the previous night. Was he lying to them?

"Were you successful? Are you that person?" Granger asked.

"I thought I was. But after last night I'm not sure." Ben said.

"What happened last night?" she asked.

"I pretended I was someone I'm not." Ben said quietly.

"Can you expand upon that?" she pressed gently.

Ben sighed and squirmed a little in his chair. He had hoped to avoid speaking about sex with the councillor but he saw no other choice. "In my neighborhood there are two young women, twins who are 22 or 23. They've been... wooing me. No, it's not romantic. They've been trying to get me to have sex with them. Their mother and I have been trying to teach them to be less selfish, to take responsibility for their actions. During this effort one of the twins had an epiphany and came around. The other one had more difficulty as she was used to getting her way and didn't want to give that up. As a last resort I used sex as a bargaining tool to get them to change their ways. The problem is, they're attracted to the dominant persona I use for Tina, the submissive who lives with me."

"You have a separate and distinct persona for dealing with different people?" the doctor asked.

"Well... no, I guess persona is the wrong term. It's... it's more that for Tina I know that she needs me to be more dominant so I allow myself to be more dominant. The twins saw that a short time ago and found it... appealing. The thing is they needed a more extreme form of that dominance. The sex was... a little rough. This morning I wanted to apologize but they were so happy they would have taken an apology as a rejection of the evening before."