Author's Notes:

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.

"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.

"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.

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.

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.