Author's Notes:

DISCLAIMER: All He Desires is a FICTIONAL story of a man who survived a horrifying and lengthy ordeal during his youth. There are some dark passages in this story.

While I didn't write explicit descriptions of what he endured (as no one would, or should, appreciate that), I didn't hold back on outlining what he went through and survived.

That part of his life shaped him into who he is. It's as much a part of him as the memories that make him smile.

If you are sensitive to reading such darkness, please do not read this story. I wish you no harm.

While there are these dark times in the story, it is not a celebration of Grim-Dark.

There is always hope and love, and sometimes these shine brighter for those who carry a little darkness.

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All He Desires

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Chapter 1

Los Angeles likes to consider itself to be the World's Entertainment Capital. It certainly has a history to back up this claim, but many people from diverse and equally significant countries could claim this title for their own cities.

LA is very good at self-promotion, though New York City is, too. Perhaps it can be said to be an American trait.

When those individuals who make their living in the West Coast's largest city throw a party, the movers and shakers hope their names are on the guest list. Just attending one of these parties can redefine a life path for the lucky ones.

There are many kinds of parties thrown for many reasons, and attendance is determined by status and common interests with the hosts.

One particular party thrown by an established celebrity couple in an exclusive gated community had a very restrictive guest list. To attend, the guests had to be from a high tier of society, meaning wealth and social standing, and follow a fluid relationship lifestyle.

Swinger parties were nothing new, but they still had a social stigma that demanded discretion.

Tristan Moor was the Chief Marketing Director at one of the largest pharmaceutical corporations, headquartered in Los Angeles.

She'd just turned forty and was hiding any evidence of her age with spa visits, personal trainers, and surgical augmentation to replace the bosom the exercise stole away. She was already blessed with good bone structure and height (standing six feet in her three-inch pumps). To show off her fit body, she preferred form-fitting clothing. Her yellow-blonde hair was elegantly styled, reaching her shoulders. Fair skin and blue eyes completed the picture of a healthy and vivacious woman. She did her best to hide any signs of her insecurity.

The company she worked for had extensive ties to the Entertainment Industry, whose members were among their best customers. Their recent weight-loss drug was making the rounds in the acting community.

Tristan's connection with the couple throwing the party was limited to a brief introduction at a business function by a mutual friend, who slipped in a few discreet words to hint at their shared lifestyle interests. This was what she believed led to her being on the guest list this evening.

Unbeknownst to Tristan, it was the couple's interest in her husband that got them the invite.

Ashby (Ash) Moor was a virtual unknown in Los Angeles' elite society. Truth be told, he was unknown at every level, as he kept to himself... now.

Not every spouse of every elite member of society was also from that level. While most were, some were mere surgeons, lawyers, judges, or politicians. Very few were common citizens.

Ash was two years younger than his wife, a fact that seemed to aggravate her anxieties. He was six-two, with hard muscles from diligent exercise, minimal fat from a careful diet, and lightly tanned from protecting his skin while he was outside gardening or cycling. Keeping his tan light also helped hide the thin scars on his jawline.

While he'd once had brown hair, it was now prematurely white from a traumatic car accident years before. This made his blue-grey eyes appear more intense.

A recent addition to her efforts to remain youthful, Tristan suggested to Ashby that they introduce some sparks into their sex life. Initially hesitant, he finally consented. They'd only recently begun swinging and had only once before moved beyond a soft swap. Tristan had enjoyed their previous soft swap with a couple she knew and convinced Ashby to do a full swap with them. The other couple was already experienced with full swaps and delighted when offered the opportunity.

The experience left Ashby indifferent, but her partner's rougher technique made Tristan more insistent that they continue.

Then they received the invitation to tonight's party.

Tristan was excited to go, but Ashby was reluctant. He was feeling a little out of sorts as Tristan seemed to be pulling away from him. His attitude toward sex had always been casual, but he'd experienced more than he cared to admit. His memories of his younger days were locked away behind a wall of pain, and he refused to go there.

Their invite got them through the security gatehouse and inside the couple's mansion. They discreetly presented their IDs and were allowed to enter. Their first stop was a room where they undressed and placed their personal items in storage containers.

No cellular devices were allowed.

Completely naked, they joined the party.

As per their preferences, Ash was clean-shaven down below, and Tristan had a tiny triangular patch of hair pointing to her exposed pussy. They could see that the other guests ranged widely in this preference.

Luckily, the temperature was perfect for this full exposure.

The home was an enormous ranch-style mansion, sprawling across a large, well-treed, very private hillside property. On the slope beyond the home's vast patio were multiple private grottos for couples and groups to enjoy themselves.

Standing on the edge of the patio, it wasn't long before a couple approached them and made introductions.

"Hello! I'm Ravina, and this is my husband, Desmond. I don't believe we've met you at one of Michael and Nicola's parties before!"

The woman was a sharp contrast to her husband. She may have been close to their age and was perhaps an inch taller than Tristan, with a taut tummy, but her chest and ass were definitely larger, with flared hips to carry the weight. Her skin was deep, dark brown, and she had a large mane of black, kinky curls. She'd shaved her pubic area clean, as Ash had. Her dark brown eyes almost glittered with excitement.

Desmond had to be at least a decade older than his wife, and it showed in the extra weight he carried on his pale-skinned, stocky body. He wore his greying hair close to his scalp and was shaved clean down below. Pale blue eyes admired Tristan's body, and her eyes were locked on his heavy cock. It looked more like a club than a penis.

Tristan didn't seem to mind that idea.

As she was too busy ogling the man junk, Ash introduced them.

"Hi, I'm Ash, and this is my wife, Tristan. This is the first time they've invited us to one of their parties," he said.

They shook hands, and Desmond subtly began to sway to the music nearby. This made his heavy pendulum pick up the motion. This had the desired effect of drawing Tristan's attention again.

Ravina caught Ash's eye. "Are you two new to the lifestyle?"

Tristan spoke up for the first time. "No, we're interested in full swap activities."

Ash looked at his wife, who met his gaze with a challenge.

He was moments away from refuting her words when Ravina's joyful voice broke in.

"We're interested as well. Shall we find a place to enjoy ourselves?" she said, and Ash looked toward her again. In the corner of his eye, he saw Desmond and Tristan begin walking toward the home, so he nodded at Ravina and joined her as they followed their partners.

The home was beautifully decorated, and a few couples were already getting busy on the sofas in a seating area. Beyond this were some bedrooms along a hallway, and Desmond found an unoccupied one.

Inside were two double beds.

Desmond smiled at Ash as he pulled Tristan by her hand to join him next to the first bed. He sat on the edge and spread his legs.

Tristan immediately dropped to her knees before him and leaned forward to press her face against his thickening cock.

Ash looked at Ravina, who was looking at him curiously and perhaps a little hopefully.

He reached out a hand, and she quickly placed hers in his.

He pulled her to his chest and gently took her face between his hands, and her eyes widened.

"Do you have any boundaries in terms of kissing?" he asked softly.

Her tongue quickly and unconsciously wet her lips as she held his eyes. "None! Kissing is allowed!"

"Good," he said, as he leaned forward and captured her lips with his. She gasped slightly as he caressed her mouth with his. He nibbled and sucked on her lips sensually, and her eyelashes were fluttering by the time he pulled back.

Tristan was making slobbering sounds as she struggled to stuff more of Desmond's cock into her mouth. The man had his hands tangled in her hair as he pushed her face down on his erection roughly.

Ash looked away and saw that Ravina's thick black nipples were stiff with excitement. He took her breasts in his hands and gave them a gentle squeeze.

"Ohhh! Fuck!" she moaned, then she pulled him toward the second bed. She climbed onto the bed backward and scooted herself up the mattress as she watched him. He moved onto the bed after her and took a grip on her ankle to stop her from moving any higher. She paused and looked at him curiously. He dipped down and began kissing his way up her inner thighs, and she gasped aloud once more. Soon, he reached his destination, and she dropped back onto the mattress as she grabbed his head, holding it over her pussy.

Ash stroked and sucked as she moaned and gasped. When he slid his fingers deep into her pussy she cried out, and he brought her to a glorious release that curled her toes.

Ravina panted on the mattress, stunned by how quickly he'd brought her to a delicious orgasm. She returned to Earth as Ash caught his breath. He glanced over to see Desmond painting Tristan's face with his cum. She looked dazed, and he wasn't sure if he should intervene, but Tristan suddenly climbed onto the bed and put a pillow under her hips to raise her ass.

She looked over at Ash and sucked in a sharp breath as Desmond slapped her ass. She raised it higher as Desmond knee walked between her legs.

Ravina's hand wrapped around Ash's cock, and she gave it a few tugs to draw his attention back.

Ash took a deep breath and turned his attention back to the beauty below him. He moved up the bed and pointed his cock down for her to begin to lick it. She managed to get the head into her mouth, and her hands gripped his hips and pulled him down to force more of his cock into her mouth.

He sighed as that felt really good. He managed to get the head into her throat, but the angle was wrong to go further, so he pulled it out. He moved down between her legs and rubbed his cock across her wet pussy, and she gasped loudly. Then he dipped its head downward to drive it deep into her pussy.

"FFFFUUUCCCKKK!!!" Ravina cried as her legs curled around his body to hold him tightly against her.

He began rocking against her, and her legs weakened until he was able to return to thrusting. He gave her the bump and twist with each stroke, and it wasn't long before she was shaking and wailing through another orgasm.

Ash glanced over to see if their noises were drawing any attention.

Desmond was grinning at his wife's obvious joy. Perhaps they had a healthy relationship after all, as the man seemed genuinely happy that his wife was enjoying herself. There was no jealousy in his expression.

Then, Ash saw how brutally he was fucking Tristan. Her ass was bright red from the hammering of his pelvis against her.

She opened her mouth and screamed, and the hair on Ash's neck stood on end. Images flashed through his mind. Screams. A fist coming out of the dark to strike his face. Blood.

He returned to the present, immediately pulling free of Ravina, and moved to the next bed.

"Stop, Desmond," he said, placing a shaking hand on the man's shoulder. Desmond rested his body against Tristan's red ass, and she sucked in a pained breath.

"Tristan, are you okay?" he asked.

Her eyes finally blinked open, and she stared at him blearily.

"Should we go?" he asked, using their safety phrase.

She blinked again, and her expression twisted into a scowl. "Leave."

Ash's eyes widened. She was breaking their boundary agreement. They could play, but they must always be in the same room.

"What about--" he began.

"Get the fuck out," she growled, then hissed as her movement triggered her pain.

He tried to look her in the eye, but she made a rude sound and turned her face away.

Ash stood between the beds and looked at Desmond, who seemed like he was ready to continue but was waiting to see what Ash would do.

Unable to remain, Ash gave a brief nod to Ravina, crossed the room, and picked up a towel. He wiped himself clean and dry, then quickly stepped from the room so he wouldn't hear his wife's squeaks and cries as Desmond went back to pounding her ass with his body.

He walked until he realized he was standing at the outer edge of the patio, looking down at the groups of strangers fucking each other into oblivion. His nerves were jumping, and the night began to feel surreal.

Ravina appeared at his elbow. "Ash? I'm so sorry for my husband's brutish nature. I'm afraid it came with the blunt instrument he calls a cock."

Ash shook his head. "No, it's okay. Tristan has changed--has been changing, but it seems... this is what she wants now."

He saw Ravina watching him sympathetically, and he didn't want that either. He looked out over the orgy and flashed back to one of the movies he'd done so long ago.

Ash channeled his best Michael Corleone. "Just when I thought I was out, they pull me back in!"

Ravina laughed in delighted surprise at his convincing Godfather impression, then her expression slowly changed as her eyes widened.

"Oh my god! You're Rocky Falcone!" she gasped softly in wonder.

Ash looked at her in shock. "What... what did you call me?" he asked softly.

Now her grin was wide, and she began to tremble. "You said that line in your movie, Fuck All the Fine Bitches!" She finally saw the dismay on his face. "Don't worry! I think the name Ash Moor is a far better match for you."

"Ashby," he said so softly it was almost a breath.

It was her turn to look surprised. "Ashby? That's such a unique and lovely name!"

He nodded, then took some deep breaths. "How did you recognize me? Everyone does Godfather impressions!"

Her smile returned tenfold. "It was your eyes. I remembered your eyes as you said that line." She looked a little confused. "Your face is so different!"

"Most people weren't looking at my eyes in those movies," he muttered to himself.

"Have you had cosmetic surgery?" she asked.

He ran his hands over his face wearily. "I was in a car accident--a bad one. My jaw was destroyed and rebuilt, reshaped. I also lost my hair color."

Ravina gave him a sly smile. "I had a bit of a crush on you during my college years."

He snorted at hearing such an innocent phrase at a swing party. "What were you doing watching that smut when you should have been studying!" he added with a grin.

"Why were you starring in it when you should have been in college?" she shot back with a grin of her own.

He laughed and felt a little better. The night was still going to shit, but at least he was sharing it with a good person.

"I was legally an adult when I did those movies. In fact, I shot my first on my eighteenth birthday," he insisted with a little smile. "I didn't have the money, grades, or skills to attend college, but I could fuck in front of a film crew. And you didn't answer my question."

Ravina rolled her eyes dramatically. "I was sexually curious earlier than I probably should have been, but I made it to my nineteenth before giving my virginity to my neighbor's husband."

More images flashed through Ash's mind, but he clamped down on that. He'd stay silent about the sex he'd had much earlier than hers had been. "Hey, I won't judge anyone."

She watched him for a moment. "Aren't you judging your wife?"

He looked at her sharply, then shook his head sadly. "She's escalating her need for rough sex, submissive sex, and acts of degradation. I think she believes she deserves it, but I don't know why, and she won't tell me. I can't treat her that way. I've tried to talk to her about it, but she shuts down or flares at me. Afterward, she acts like nothing's happened. I've suggested a therapist, but she's refused."

He shook his head violently as if to force the memories out of his head. "Enough. I can't talk about this anymore."

"Maybe we could find a place to sit and talk about something else?" She looked around, and almost every sitting area was occupied with people having sex.

"I need some water. Let's get a drink," Ash suggested. He was feeling a little parched.

As they moved to the pool bar, an attractive couple approached them, and he realized they were the party's hosts. The naked and beautiful hosts.

Michael Harrow was the star of a major action hero movie franchise. He was only a few years younger than Ash, but he'd made enough money to live in luxury for multiple lifetimes.

He was the archetype for action heroes: Blond wavy hair, intensely blue eyes, and skin tanned a golden brown. He was also tall and very muscular with a cock the size of a tall-boy beer can.

If it weren't for his boyish good looks and his brilliant white smile as he approached, he might have seemed a little intimidating.

His partner was his female equivalent. Nicola Siccoria was famous for her time on fashion runways around the world. Her natural physical symmetry was as close to absolute as any model could claim, and her beauty was mesmerizing. Brands clamored to have her endorse their products, but she was very smart, choosing only those that met her stringent criteria for having a viable global ethos.

Recently, she'd surprised people by stepping off the runway for a go at the silver screen and proving she had actual acting talent! She'd been in a few movies, secondary characters so far. Still, she'd held her own and may have even upstaged the lead actress in her last film.

She was four years younger than Michael, just an inch shorter than Ash, and her training routine kept her long muscles firm and svelte. Her sleek, long black hair reached the bottom of her delightful butt, so she could have hidden her private areas if they'd been less than perfect.

They were not.

Ravina made the introductions, indicating their spouses were otherwise occupied, and Ash wondered at their enthusiasm as they shook his hand.

"We were just going to get a drink. Join us?" Nicola said, and Ash smiled gratefully.

When they reached the bartender, Michael ordered a smoothie, explaining he was preparing for his next movie.

The ladies asked for white wine, and Ash ordered ice water. When they looked at him curiously, he smiled self-consciously. "Thirteen years sober."

Ravina suddenly glanced at Ash in concern, as she knew what he was going through with his wife.

He caught the look and smiled at her. He leaned in to whisper to her. "I've survived worse." He kissed her on the cheek, which sent a zing through her, and she clung to his arm.

Michael grinned at him, and Nicola looked very interested. They shared a look.

They found two lounge chairs side by side, so each couple took one to continue talking.

"We've been part of the swinging scene since shortly after we met," Michael explained. "We began with a soft swap with another couple we knew, and when we felt comfortable with that, we began to full swap but always within sight of each other."

He looked at Ash and Ravina with a big grin. "You both are clearly a step beyond us, as your partners aren't with you."

Ravina glanced at Ash, then turned to the hosts. "My husband Desmond and I are full swap with no restrictions, though we also enjoy watching each other with multiple partners."

Ash cleared his throat. "Tonight is the first time my wife decided she no longer wanted any restrictions and asked me to leave the room."

Michael and Nicola looked surprised and a little uncomfortable.

Ravina caught their expressions and felt the need to reassure them. "It was because my husband was being too rough. Ash tried to protect her, but she seemed to be enjoying it."

Ash took a deep breath to loosen his tight chest muscles and nodded. "Sex is a casual and comfortable topic for me. Relationships, not so much. My wife is simply on a different path from me at the moment. We'll work it out later... or maybe not."

Ravina saw that Michael was growing increasingly uncomfortable, and Nicola looked sad. She desperately wanted to say something to ease their minds.

"Naturally, Ash is comfortable with sex! His screen name was Rocky Falcone, and he's starred in more movies than Michael!"

Michael's and Nicola's expressions froze as they stared at him in confusion, as he didn't look like the actor. Then Nicola made a startled gasp as she saw the similarities, and her eyes immediately dropped. Michael took a little longer to recognize him, but his grin widened in excitement as well.

"You look so different!" he asserted, and Ravina nodded enthusiastically.

Ash held up his hands to calm them, then looked over at Ravina. "I was hoping you might consider keeping that to yourself." He looked back at the couple. "I'm no longer that person, but yes, I'm... experienced."

Michael's expression went through a few changes as he mentally tallied how many movies Rocky Falcone made and how many women he'd fucked in every position imaginable. "So many..." he muttered.

Ash picked up that Michael might have seen his movies and knew how many he made in Rocky Falcone's brief career.

"The director I worked exclusively with, Anselm Detweiler, had very strict rules for maintaining a healthy set for cast AND crew: good nutrition, no drugs or alcohol, and access to showers and personal care products. No one was allowed on his sets if they were drunk, stoned, or unhealthy," he said.

Nicola was blatantly staring at his cock. When she could tear her eyes away, she gave him a sweet smile. "I have to admit, I watched your movies frequently and repeatedly when I was younger."

Ravina burst into giggles. "Me, too!"

Michael gave Nicola a teasing glare, and she began to giggle, as well.

When Michael looked over at Ash, it was obvious the man was a little intimidated.

"It's just a cock," Ash scoffed gently. "And the biz places far more emphasis on having the biggest." He nodded in the direction of Michael's package.

"But it's such a pretty cock!" Ravina gushed. "And you use it so well!"

Nicola beamed in delight at Ravina. "You've experienced this already?"

"Yes, but we were interrupted," she admitted with a pout.

Ash looked into her hopeful eyes and nodded. "I suppose we should begin again?"

Ravina grinned and nodded excitedly. She leaned closer and met Ash's kiss. He caressed her lips and teased her tongue with his as her passions rose.

They continued kissing, and her hands moved into his lap to begin squeezing and stroking his cock.

Ravina glanced over to see Michael and Nicola watching them as they caressed each other.

Then Ash's fingers began to explore Ravina's wet pussy, and she gasped into his mouth.

Ash gently laid Ravina back on the cushions and kissed his way down her body as his hands caressed and stroked her. She was writhing in pleasure as his lips and tongue worshipped her generous breasts and thick nipples.

Then, he made his way down her torso to bring his mouth to her pussy. That's when Ravina began to moan. He was reading her body's signals as he coaxed her towards a colossal orgasm. When she crested, he eased her back from the peak until she'd relaxed.

Then, he stroked his cock against her wet pussy lips until she was cooing with need.

Ravina turned her head and saw Michael trying to follow Ash's lead step by step with Nicola, who was feverishly watching her and Ash. Ravina wondered whether Michael had given Nicola a blissful release with his mouth first. To her, it didn't look like he had.

She threw her head back as she gasped again when the hot head of Ash's cock pushed her pussy lips apart as it slid inside. This time, he stirred her insides slowly as he gradually stroked deeper until she had all of his cock, and his pelvis was pressed against hers. He began a gentle grind and roll, causing her legs to spasm, then wrap around his ass to pull him against her tightly.

"AH! AH! AAAAHHH! OH FUCK!" she cried.

His strokes were shallow as he couldn't pull back much with her legs pinning him to her, but he continued to grind and roll as his cock stirred up her insides.

"GEEZUS! FUCK! OH SHIT! AHHH!" Ravina howled as he gradually increased the length of his strokes and maintained the intensity of the pressure on her clit at the bottom of each.

He felt her body begin the next series of intense internal spasms as her eyes rolled back. He adjusted the timing of his strokes to meet the peaks of her release, and she became incoherent as he drew her pleasure higher.

She was at risk of passing out, so he stopped holding back and came, pressing himself against her as he gently rocked and filled her with his cum.

"YYYEEESSSSSS!!!!" Ravina gasped and put her hands over her mouth to stifle her scream as tremors rocked through her body.

Ash gently pulled her legs from around his ass and lowered them to the lounge chair as he eased himself back, pulling his cock free. She gasped once more, then relaxed on the chair.

"Please!"

Ash looked over at Nicola, who was reaching for him. She was staring at his cock, which was still wet from Ravina's juices and his cum.

Glancing at Michael, he saw him pumping his cock into her like a machine. The man's eyes were closed as he focused on his own bliss.

Ash moved between the chairs and leaned closer so Nicola could reach his cock with her mouth. She wasted no time plunging it deep into her mouth. Her tongue ran up and down the sides of his cock, scooping up their juices, and then she began to force it down her throat. She wrapped her arm around his body and clung to his ass as she tried to swallow his cock whole.

Michael grunted in surprise when he opened his eyes and saw his wife's face pressed against another man's groin, taking his cock balls deep.

This triggered his orgasm, and he moaned loudly as he fired his cum into his wife.

Nicola purred happily as she felt Michael's heat in her pussy and the last of Ash's cum sliding down her throat.

Ash eased back, pulling his cock free of her mouth, but she kept her fingers wrapped around him.

"This is a pretty cock!" she sighed. She looked up at him hopefully, and he knew what she wanted. To drive the message home, she glanced over at the completely spent woman on the next lounge chair.

Michael pulled his cock from his wife, and Ash saw that the man was very well endowed. Much larger than his.

But his wife hadn't come yet.

It wasn't a problem with the equipment, just how it was being used.

He looked into Michael's eyes and held his attention. "May I share with you a technique I learned... in my previous career?"

Michael's eyebrows rose as he was keen on the idea of learning something from a porn star. With his bigger dick, he was confident he could improve any lesson Ash could teach him.

He nodded eagerly.

Ash nodded and gestured for them to switch places.

Michael sat on the edge of the other lounge chair next to Ravina, who was watching through sleepy eyes. The man had a clear view of Ash and his wife.

Kneeling on the lounger, Ash positioned himself between the legs of Nicola, then placed his hands on the woman's hips. Nicola sucked in an excited breath.

"When you're kindling her passion before you begin, take your time. A slow burn brings the final passion to greater heights." He then moved up and kissed Nicola sensually. She seemed eager to taste his tongue, but he left her trembling for more as he moved to her neck, her collarbones, and then her breasts, drawing gasps and coos from her.

"Bring her to the cusp of her bliss as you worship her pussy. Again, take your time and be aware of her tells. You'll know by her internal trembling how close she's getting. As you caress with your tongue and lips, slip a finger inside to feel the pulses as you stroke her."

Ash wasn't keen on tasting Michael's cum but suspected he'd left it deep inside, considering the length of his cock.

His tongue remained on the surface, but he slid a finger inside to get a sense of her excitement level.

Nicola was tugging at her nipples as she watched Ash tease her clit. Her eyelashes began to flutter.

"Do you see her eyes? She's riding the edge. Now's you lube up your cock with her wetness."

Ash pressed his cock against her lower lips, and she moaned loudly from the sensation.

"Stroke it up and down to get fully slick from her juices. When wet, begin the insertion, but in slow pulses, in and out, gradually working your way inside." Ash watched Nicola's jaw drop open slowly as he pushed himself into her pussy in increments.

"I do all of this! What's the technique?" Michael asked in impatience.

Ash looked him in the eye. "You're giving away why this technique might fail for you. Be patient! It's not a race! Pay attention to your partner's responses. The most important step is coming next!"

He'd continued working his cock into Nicola, and she was definitely tighter than Ravina. He wondered how she took Michael's beast of a cock without pain. Maybe it did hurt!

Ash's body finally rested on Nicola's, and she threw back her head. "YYYEEESSS!!!" she cried out.

"Almost all the pleasure centers for a woman are on or near the surface. This is where the technique comes into play. Each woman is different in her sensitivity, so you need to ensure you are applying enough pressure to feel good and not so much that it causes pain or discomfort. Focus on your partner's response as you press your pelvis to hers and rock your hips in a circular motion to stimulate all the pleasure centers," Ash instructed as he watched Nicola's face while making the movements and gauging his strength.

"OH GOD! YES! YES! FUCK, YES!" Nicola cried out.

"You can begin to pump your cock into her, but always give her the grind and rocking movements to stimulate her," Ash instructed as he demonstrated.

By the time he was long stroking, her cries were constant, and she pulled at his body to go faster. She had a desperate look in her eyes.

"Now she's ready for the grand finish. Her internal pulsing is almost constant, and her body is fluttering."

Ash poured on the power and was driving himself into her as Michael had earlier, but this time she was already cresting into a colossal release.

"Time your strokes to match her internal pulses to extend her orgasm. Keep it going for as long as you can. Then give her your cum," Ash said as he slapped her clit eight more times with his pelvis and ground his body against hers.

"YYYYEEEEESSSSS, AAAAHHHHH, FFFUUUCCCKKK!!!!" Nicola wailed.

Ash splashed his load of hot cum into her pussy. Her head was back, her mouth was open, but she was no longer making any noise.

Ash slowly eased the pressure off as he looked at Michael. "Slow and gentle."

When his cock pulled free and bobbed before him, Nicola sagged to the cushions on the chair.

The sudden noise of polite golf clapping announced that they had an audience. Ash glanced at the group of couples who were drawn by Nicola's cries and stayed for the show.

Ash had been so focused on Nicola and Michael that he didn't notice the other couples moving closer to watch their public lesson.

Michael twitched in surprise, and his cum sprayed all over Nicola's stomach and breasts. He'd been masturbating while he received the lesson.

Ash just hoped the man retained something from the instructions.

He stood and walked to the head of the lounge and leaned over to kiss Nicola tenderly on the lips. She looked up into his eyes.

"Clean my cock with your mouth."

Nicola's eyes widened at his bold command, but she eagerly leaned forward and took his softening cock into her mouth. She stroked her wet tongue all over it to get every drop of cum.

He pulled his cock from her mouth when he felt the first twinge, indicating he was rebounding.

He smiled down at her, then nodded to Michael. He knew he had to leave, because his demonstration to them had shown him how easy it was to fall back into old patterns.

It was time to go.

"You have a lovely home. Thank you very much for a fun night, but I must be on my way. It was lovely meeting you as well, Ravina. Good night," he said as he nodded to them. He ignored the spectators as he made his way back to the house.

Stopping outside the room where three men were now taking turns fucking Tristan into oblivion, he took a deep breath and walked inside.

He knelt next to her and touched her cheek to get her to open her eyes and look at him. The man slamming his cock into her ass repeatedly made no effort to stop.

"Tristan? Do you think it might be time to go home?" he asked.

Something passed behind her eyes, then they went cold.

"Fuck off."

The intense flash of rage came and went before Ash was able to nod to himself and stand. If she wasn't willing to seek help for her self-destructive actions and refused to listen to the one person who loved her most, he wasn't going to watch her go down in flames.

He'd lived through that too many times in his short life.

Ash left the room and didn't look back.

He gathered his clothes by the entrance, dressed, and asked for a cab.

When it arrived, he got in and gave his home address.

It took almost an hour to reach their gated community, but the guard recognized him and let them in. After they reached Tristan's mansion, Ash paid the cabbie and let himself into the home.

He collected his suitcases from the basement and carried them upstairs to the bedroom, where he filled them with the contents of his drawers and closet. He brought them down to the attached garage and stuffed them into the back seat of his old VW Van.

His vehicle remained in the garage when Tristan was home and was only driven occasionally to keep the battery charged. He refused to sell it as it kept him grounded. He'd lived in it for a few years.

He collected his few remaining personal items from the home, stuffing them into the plastic storage tubs he had in the garage. Once he was done, he made one more pass through the house to make sure there was nothing of his left in any room. He grabbed his toiletry items last, dumping them into a reusable grocery bag and adding them to the van's back seat.

Finally, his old road bike went onto the rack on the van, and he was ready to leave.

The home was in Tristan's name, and he wanted nothing of hers. That reminded him of some last items, so he rushed back inside and collected his travel bottles from the fridge. He used these on his bike rides, and Tristan just complained about the space they used. He left his house keys on a hook by the garage door and closed the locked door behind himself. He then moved his van to the driveway and closed the garage door.

He no longer had access to the home.

Ash drove back through the community and stopped by the entrance gate.

"Good evening, Mr. Gordon," he said to the night guard, who smiled at the greeting.

"Good evening, Mr. Moor! Going out again?" the older man asked.

Ash sighed as his chest felt a little tight. "For good, I'm afraid." He handed the guard his set of access cards he'd used for the gate when the guards were away. The man took them with a surprised expression.

Then the old man's expression turned sad. "You're leaving? What about Mrs. Moor?"

"Tristan isn't well, and I can't get her to seek help. She won't accept it from me. Maybe I'm a coward for doing this, but I've been through it before, and I can't do it again." He dropped his head forward and took some more breaths. Then he looked into the sympathetic eyes of the old guard. "Shit. I'm sorry for dumping that on you."

"It's quite all right. These situations don't just affect one side of a relationship now, do they," the man said kindly.

"You're a wise man, Mr. Gordon," Ash said gratefully.

Ash thought for a moment. "You might want to make a note that Mrs. Moor might be having emergency services visit her home in the near future if she continues in her downward spiral. Just a little advance warning." He gave his head a shake as he could no longer concern himself with such things.

"Goodbye, Mr. Moor. Good luck."

Ash smiled at the man. "Goodbye, Mr. Gordon, and thank you!"

He left the neighborhood and set his GPS destination to the small home he'd bought for himself after his car accident. It had been a dump when he got it, but he'd put every spare hour into cleaning it up and bringing it to code. He'd done a little renovation. Nothing fancy. Just comfortable.

This was something Tristan wasn't even aware of. His little hidey hole was his escape route. A vestige from his old life.

He checked on it frequently to ensure no one was squatting in it and it hadn't been vandalized. He maintained the property to make it look lived in. He had no high-end appliances or electronics in the house, but the bed was comfortable, the appliances worked, and the heating/cooling systems functioned. All mail he couldn't convert to online delivery went to a private post office box, so anything that showed up at the house was junk.

He didn't know any of his neighbors, and that was fine. The smaller his footprint in that neighborhood, the better.

He settled into his house and contacted his lawyer to begin divorce proceedings, which would be simple given their prenup and their separate financial assets.

That was the only simple thing about it.

Chapter 2

Michael slammed his cock into Nicola with the finesse of a sledgehammer, and her hips ached from the abuse.

Finally, she'd had enough and pulled her legs up to her chest.

"Yeah, babe! Like that!" Michael moaned as the position made her even tighter.

Then he found himself tumbling off the bed as she pushed against his torso violently with her knees. He crashed to the floor beyond the footboard and lay there on his back, blinking in shock. His cum suddenly splashed over his chest and face.

Some flew into his mouth.

"WHAT THE FUCK?" he barked, but he couldn't move as tingles rushed up and down his spine. It was a weird ending, but the sex was actually pretty fucking good!

He looked up at the end of the bed and saw Nicola there on her hands and knees, glaring at him.

She seemed seriously pissed, so he held back his next angry comment.

Had he done something wrong?

"Did you learn NOTHING from Ash? Why are you so fucking focused on your own pleasure?" Nicola snapped.

Ah, he'd messed up again.

It wasn't his fault! Sex just felt so good, he just had to abandon himself to it!

He couldn't tell her that, of course. She wouldn't understand.

"I-I need another lesson from him!" Michael blurted automatically to deflect her ire, but the idea felt right! Watching Ash fuck Nicola had been so intensely hot!

He watched Nicola's expression go from pissed to curious and finally settle on excited.

"Finally, a good idea!" she insisted with a growl.

Michael decided to let her have that dig.

Nicola leapt off the bed and paused for a sharp cramp. She scowled back at Michael, then moved off at a slower pace to leave the bedroom. Michael picked himself off the floor and followed.

Not far down the hall from the master bedroom was Nicola's private office. She immediately sat at her desk and hissed quietly from the pain he'd given her. She barely made the effort to snarl at him this time as her mind was already leaping ahead to the task at hand: contacting Ash!

She opened her laptop and brought up her spreadsheet for the guest list. She did a quick search for Ash, and found no matches. Thankfully, the list wasn't too long, so she did a visual scan of the names and found a couple: Tristan and Ashby Moor.

"Ashby? What kind of a lame name is that?" Michael snorted.

Nicola flashed him an annoyed glance, then viewed the contact details for the entry.

Only Tristan had a number listed, so Nicola dialed that on her cell. She put her phone on speaker so Michael could hear as well.

It rang, getting no response, and she was about to hang up when it connected.

"Hello?"

"Hello! Is this Tristan Moor?"

There was a moment of hesitation. "Yes, who's calling?"

"This is Nicola Siccoria and Michael Harrow. We hosted a get-together at our home last weekend. I'm sorry we never got the chance to meet."

"Ah, yes. The party was delightful," the woman responded, but her tone cast doubt on her sincerity.

"We did happen to meet Ash--I mean, Ashby, who explained that you were otherwise occupied," Nicola said diplomatically.

The woman went silent, and Nicola feared she would hang up. She wondered if Ash's concerns about their relationship had come to be.

"Hey, this is Michael. Ash was a lot of fun! Any chance we could get his number so we could speak with him?"

"THE BASTARD DOESN'T LIVE HERE ANYMORE!"

<CLICK!>

Nicola turned in her chair to stare at Michael incredulously. "Are you kidding me? Didn't you hear Ash mention that night that they might be breaking up?"

Michael blinked at her stupidly, then shrugged. "I guess we have our answer."

"I might have been able to get his number if you hadn't interfered!" she moaned.

"Interfered? I just asked a question!" he retorted.

Nicola just shook her head and turned back to her spreadsheet. There had to be another way to find him--Ravina! She and Ash had gotten along very well. Maybe she had his number.

There was only one Ravina on the guest list: Desmond and Ravina Eldenbrook. Each had their own personal cell number. She recalled that this couple had a completely open marriage. She glanced at Michael in annoyance and wondered how that would work.

She picked up her cell and turned off speaker-mode before calling Ravina's number.

"Hello?"

Nicola immediately recognized her voice and smiled. "Ravina! This is Nicola Siccoria!"

"Nicola! So lovely to hear from you!" There was no question of Ravina's sincerity. Her joy came through the phone clearly.

"I just got off the phone with Tristan Moor. We called to see if we could reach Ash, but apparently, he doesn't live there anymore, and Tristan hung up on us," Nicola explained.

Ravina made a sad sound. "Ahhh, I guess their paths diverged after all. I'm sorry to hear that. Ash confessed to me that he truly loved her, but she was struggling with something she refused to get help for. She was pushing him away."

"Do you know how we might be able to contact Ash? It sounds like he needs someone to talk to."

Michael made an annoyed sound, as that was not why he wanted to contact Ash.

Nicola made a scary, angry face at him and pointed to her door.

He got the message. Hopefully, Nicola wouldn't forget the real question they wanted to ask Ash.

Michael turned and left. He felt sticky. A shower was needed.

Nicola watched him leave and listened to Ravina mumbling to herself. Then she spoke up. "I think Desmond has resources at his disposal to find people. Let me put the question to him, and I'll call you back!"

"Wonderful!" Nicola said, and they confirmed they had each other's direct number.

"Speak to you soon!" Nicola said.

As she sat in her office with a dull ache pulsing in her pussy, Nicola thought about the exquisite sex she'd had with Ash.

Ashby!

She liked that name! It suited him.

-=-

Ravina immediately called Desmond at his office. He was a senior executive at City National Bank, but she had no idea what he did there beyond managing major client relationships.

He picked up, but she could tell he'd put the phone on speaker by the boomy sound coming through her earpiece.

"Hello, Dear! Give me a moment as lovely Grace has her throat full of my cock!"

Ravina heard his poor secretary's squeals of panic at being outed to her boss' wife so rudely. She could also hear Desmond's deep chuckle as he held the woman's head over his thick cock.

"Dear, don't be such a meanie, teasing the girl like that! Don't worry, Grace, I know all about my husband's wicked ways." She paused as he heard her husband grunt. "Desmond, I need a little favor. A private one."

"One moment, dear," he said and blew his load of cum into Grace's mouth.

Desmond's voice held satisfaction in it. "You need to call me at work more often, dear. That was wonderful!"

Ravina scoffed gently. "You need to treat Grace well for being so good to you!"

"Th-thank you for your kind words!" Grace's shaky voice came through after she swallowed.

"You deserve it for having to deal with that lustful man!" Ravina teased back.

There was a brief pause as the secretary straightened her clothes and slipped from his office.

The speaker switched back to his handset. "Okay, we can talk privately. What would you like?"

"Do you recall that lovely party we attended in the hills last weekend?" she asked.

"Indeed, I do!" he chuckled.

"That lovely couple we met and had fun with, Tristan and Ash?" Ravina said.

Desmond made another satisfied sound. "Oh yes, I recall her."

"It seems they broke up," Ravina said.

"And?" Desmond asked in anticipation. His mind was already making plans.

"The hosts of the party are trying to locate the Ashby, but Tristan hung up on them. Can you use your resources to find a way to contact Ashby Moor? This may lead to more invitations to parties with the party host," Ravina suggested, knowing that would appeal to her husband.

Desmond smiled as he recalled fucking that skinny bitch's ass as she screamed. He wanted her again, and knowing the husband was out of the way made things easier for him. He knew he wasn't authorized to do this kind of search, but fuckable tail was at stake! "I'll get the hunt going for you, dear."

"Thank you, love!" Ravina said and hung up.

Desmond smiled to himself as he recalled the pleasure of fucking that ass. Exquisite!

Tristan Moor was on his list.

He'd find Ashby Moor for his wife.

He sent a query to the bank's investigative research department to find all information on Ashby Moor, for his eyes only.

-=-

It was a week before Desmond received the limited information. He immediately passed it along to Ravina.

There was a P.O. Box linked to an A. Moor. This information came from a certified cheque cut from a bank account for Ashby Moor for a large sum of money, potentially for the purchase of real estate somewhere in Glendale, perhaps, as that's where the box was located.

She wrote Ashby a letter with all her contact details and mailed it from the post office where his box was located. She hoped he would respond.

Then she let Nicola know she'd reached out to him, and she'd let them know if she received a response.

Three days later, she got a call.

"Hello?"

"Ravina? This is Ash."

"Ah! Thank you for calling!" she gasped happily.

"How did you find my P.O. Box?" he asked.

She heard his nervousness and wondered what led him to this. She would have to proceed cautiously.

"I'm truly not trying to invade your privacy. Michael and Nicola, the couple we played with at the party weeks back, tried to reach you by contacting Tristan, but she told them you were no longer there and hung up. They reached out to me as we seemed to have a connection at the party."

"That doesn't really answer my question," Ash said as he was still a little unnerved that his secret was discovered.

Ravina needed to protect her husband so she wouldn't expose him directly. "There are always links left when doing business in society. I have no intention of disclosing this information, but I hoped to reconnect with you. Michael and Nicola were worried about you after speaking with Tristan--okay, Nicola was," she said with a smile in her voice, as she knew Ash wouldn't believe Michael would have such empathy. She heard him snort quietly in amusement, so she'd read him correctly.

"Are you up for getting together with us?" she asked as innocently as she could.

Would he be interested in meeting with them again?

Ash sighed to himself at the other end of the line as he realized he had nothing else going on in his life currently. Thinking of Ravina and Nicola, he felt that familiar twinge in his pants indicating he'd been neglecting a significant part of his life. He wouldn't mind burning off a little energy if that's what they had in mind. He suspected they did.

He let out a breath. "Sure. Where and when?"

Ravina couldn't completely suppress her glee, and he was sure he heard her little victory dance.

"It will be at Michael and Nicola's place, but let me call them and get back to you with the times and dates available. We can work it into your calendar," she offered breathlessly.

"My calendar is wide open," he responded. "Let me give you a cell number to contact me on."

"Is this number no good?" she asked curiously.

"No, it's just a burner," he responded. He gave her another number.

"Talk to you soon!" Ravina said, happiness in her voice.

Ash smiled to himself. He appreciated people like Ravina, whose voice clearly indicated her emotional state. She was also blessed with a very upbeat personality. Considering his recent hermit lifestyle, he needed some of that!

Chapter 3

Saturday morning, Ash drove up to the mansion on the motorcycle he'd spent so much time restoring in his garage. It was based on an old Harley Davidson Heritage Softtail, but it looked nothing like it had when it was new. When he got it used years ago, it was a heap of junk. He'd spent weeks of his life working on it now and again over the years, making mistakes and starting over, until he was finally able to start the engine and take it for short spins. These days, it was roadworthy and street legal, but it would never be pretty. It was rough around the edges, which he felt matched his own state.

It purred, and it moved, so he was happy.

He arrived at their home dressed in his leathers, and Nicola rushed out to greet him. Seeing his bike and his bad-ass appearance, she purred excitedly and gave him a hot kiss. Ravina joined them and got a kiss, too.

"Oh my god! You ride a motorcycle?" Ravina gasped.

"A perpetual project, but at least it runs," he said, giving it a fond smile.

Michael joined them. "Sweet ride! I just picked up a Ducati Streetfighter V4 Lamborghini. It matches my custom Lamborghini Huracán STO."

Ash smiled. "Either of those would blow the wheels off this old beater."

"That's why I'll never join you in either vehicle!" Nicola said to Michael. "They're death machines!"

Michael sniffed. "The Ducati has no room for passengers anyway."

"You've done the restoration work yourself?" Ravina asked, and Ash grinned.

"Can't you tell by its rough exterior?" he teased, and she patted his arm as she gave him a look.

He raised his hands in surrender. "Yes. I had to learn from scratch, and I made plenty of mistakes. It took years to get it to a state where it's rideable. It's rough, but it works."

Ash kept to himself that these skills had begun a long time ago, when he was just a kid living on the commune.

He shook Michael's hand and raised a brow. "How are your preparations going for your next movie? Your muscles look more defined."

Michael's grin showed his pleasure at the praise. "I'm on track to hit my target size by the end of the month."

Ash gave him an impressed look. Then they all headed inside.

Ravina gave him a tentative look. "How have you been since the party. We heard you separated from Tristan."

He nodded. "The divorce papers were served. It's up to the courts now. I've been keeping myself busy working on my bike and VW bus."

Nicola beamed a happy smile, hearing about his van. "Is it one of the originals?"

Ash chuckled and nodded. "It's a 1967 Volkswagen Minibus Type 2 with the Sunroof Deluxe and twenty-one windows, in red and white. I also did all the restoration work on it."

Nicola made a happy sound. "You have to bring it next time!"

Ash nodded. "It's a lot prettier now than when I was living out of it."

Ravina gaped at him in surprise. "When you lived in it?"

He smiled and nodded. "In my lean years... which weren't that long ago."

The ladies looked thrilled, but he noted Michael was beginning to look bored. The man-child was a handful, but Ash had worked with many when he was on set.

"Are you going for lean or bulky for your next movie?"

Michael's eyes lit up again.

Nicola and Ravina smiled and shared a look that Michael missed.

-=-

After contacting her, Desmond made arrangements to visit Tristan. He mentioned his wife was visiting Ashby and pretended to be jealous. As he expected, this made Tristan angry, and she immediately invited him over for revenge sex.

He drove into the neighborhood, and the guards at the gate acknowledged he was authorized to continue, so he drove up to her mansion. When she met him at the door in a gauzy nightie with leather bondage straps underneath, he knew this was going to be a great visit.

He stepped inside and hooked a finger through the loop on her collar. He pulled her into her living room and forced her to kneel before him. With minimal instruction, she took off his shoes, socks, pants, and underwear, then locked up when she saw his brutish cock swelling and bobbing before her. He wasted no time in forcing his cock into her mouth to fuck her face. His hands in her hair, keeping a tight grip, she grunted and whimpered at his roughness, but she never stopped sucking and licking until he blew his first load over her face.

He smiled at her fondly, thinking of the plans he had for her today.

-=-

Nicola and Michael served Ash and Ravina a light lunch on their patio, and their conversation began with work in the entertainment industry. Ravina was fascinated by the young couple's experiences. All three were eager to hear Ash's stories, and he tried not to embellish them to make them interesting. He did have a few scintillating tales, and they ate them up.

By the time they were finishing up, Nicola and Michael admitted their difficulty in reaching the level of pleasure they had at the party. Michael insisted he was following the steps Ash showed him, but Nicola claimed he wasn't paying attention to her reactions when he did it.

Ash suspected Michael was still losing himself to his own pleasure.

After they've finished their meal, they moved to a shaded pavilion with a large king-sized padded platform in the middle. Ash nodded his approval, earning smiles from the others who were excited to begin.

They undressed and left their clothes on the benches circling the platform. For spectators, no doubt.

"Okay, I'll demonstrate the technique once more with Ravina, then we'll see how closely Michael follows the instructions with Nicola. I'm not using the same position as last time, as you should be able to achieve this in any position."

Now his students were very excited.

He knelt on the platform and gestured for Ravina to do the same, facing him. Then he looked at the couple.

"The magic is focus. Your partner is your sole focus. Your body is simply your tool for delivering pleasure to your partner. Women need and appreciate more focus than men to find their bliss. There are many ways to give your partner pleasure. Touch is the first sensation we experience in life and remains one of the most intimate. The feeling of your hands on your partner is the bridge to reach a level of intimacy that will accelerate their pleasure."

Ash reached out and placed his hands on both sides of Ravina's neck and caressed down over her shoulders, then over her upper chest, around the outsides of her breasts, avoiding the truly sensitive spots, and down her sides. He gripped her hips, and Ravina gasped lightly as his hands moved to her back. That's when he caressed her lips with his, and she moaned and kissed him back feverishly.

He squeezed her ass cheeks, and her moans became louder as they kissed.

Ash ran his hands down the outsides of her thighs, and she was struggling to calm her breathing as he returned to sensual kisses.

Gently dragging his nails up the inside of her thighs, Ravina threw her head back and gasped aloud.

He cupped her breasts and gently tugged on her nipples. She leaned forward to follow his fingers and ended up chest to chest with Ash. His hands moved into her hair, and he kissed her deeply.

When he pulled back, Ravina was dreamy-eyed and focused on his mouth.

Nicola was breathing hard and gripping Michael's hand as his other hand was wrapped around his cock.

"Hands off your cock, Michael," Ash said firmly, and the man let go quickly. "I want your attention focused on the lesson."

Nicola shot Michael an annoyed look.

Ash moved his knees together and reached forward to place his hands on Ravina's amazing ass. Then he leaned back and lifted her onto his thighs until her pussy was pressed against his cock, which was now trapped between their bodies.

"Ah! Yesss...," Ravina gasped as her head rocked back in bliss.

"Now my cock is trapped between us, and she can feel the heat and hardness, pressed right against her pussy and especially her clit."

Holding her ass, he rocked her pussy against him, and she gasped and cooed as her juices flowed.

"Lifting and dropping her against my cock will overstimulate her wonderfully." He rubbed his chest against her breasts, and she sucked in a sharp breath as her nipples were so stiff.

"Don't forget her breasts."

Ravina kissed him aggressively, and he went with it.

Ash suddenly pulled her further up his chest, and his cock slipped between her legs. It didn't take much finessing to bring the head to her drenched opening. He lowered her down and watched the bliss on her face, and he eased her down, inch by inch, until she had it all.

Fucking with her pressed against him so closely put extra pressure on her most sensitive bits.

Ravina was losing herself to her pleasure, and her moans were constant. When he felt her body tremble uncontrollably, he massaged the outer surface of her tight sphincter with a fingertip, and she howled as she came explosively. Her body rocked against him wildly.

He wasn't there yet, so he let her crest and relax as he lowered her to the cushioned surface. He gave her nipples a gentle tug and watched her pleasure surge once more. She begged him for mercy, and he smiled as he kissed her cheek. Of course!

When he looked back at the other couple, they were trembling and watching with wide eyes.

"When I felt Ravina had reached her peak, I massaged her asshole without penetration. There are so many pleasure sensors there, I used them to enrich her experience."

"Did you come?" Nicola asked.

Ash shook his head. "Not yet." He stared into Michael's eyes to make sure he heard this. "I was concentrating on my partner's responses and pushed back on my own to ensure she reached hers. It felt wonderful, and I could have come at any time, but there was plenty of time.

Michael was pouting. "The pleasure is too strong to ignore!"

Ash stared at the man, realizing the man's selfishness was beyond his skills to fix.

"Why did you ask me to come over to give you a refresher?"

Nicola glared at Michael, who was looking defensive again.

Ash moved behind Nicola and wrapped his arms around her. "Perhaps you enjoy seeing other men fuck your beautiful wife?"

He slid one hand over her stomach and up to cup her breast as his other hand went down to cup her pussy. She gasped as the dual pleasure shot through her. Ash's clever hands massaged both erogenous zones as he kissed his way along her neck, all the while locking eyes with Michael. The man struggled not to touch his cock, though he was breathing hard.

"Nicola's nipple is so stiff and sensitive. I can feel it swelling against my fingers, begging to be tugged, squeezed, and stroked. And her pussy, so hot and wet. She needs it. She wants it."

Ash pulled Nicola back against his chest. She gasped loudly as his cock slid between her ass cheeks and slid across the lips of her pussy.

"OH FUCK!" she cried, and her knees went weak.

Ash watched Michael struggling to act, but he couldn't choose which action to take: stop Ash from molesting his wife or take his swollen erection into his hand to relieve his need to come.

Sensually stroking his cock against Nicola's pussy, Ash could feel how wet it was getting. It was almost time.

Nicola's face was flushed from embarrassment and excitement.

"Join us, Michael. Slide your cock over your beautiful wife's hot pussy," Ash said softly, and Michael finally broke his paralysis when he heard the words he most wanted to hear.

When he pushed his thick cock between her legs, he almost cried out in surprise as he felt Ash's cock sharing that space. His eyes became glazed as he pumped his cock back and forth between her thighs. The wetness, the heat, and the hardness of another man's cock pressed against his.

Tremors shook Nicola's body as the sensation of two cocks stroking across her most sensitive flesh filled her mind. Her moans became louder, and she leaned forward to kiss Michael hard, thrusting her tongue into his mouth.

Ash used her motion to lift Nicola and set her down on Michael's cock. The head slipped inside, but Ash stopped her from dropping further.

"NUH! More!" she protested, then suddenly gasped as she felt the head of Ash's cock pressed against her asshole.

He gently nipped her on the neck, and she spasmed. This loosened her sphincter and the head of his cock slid inside.

The sensation of being squeezed between two men, impaled on their cocks made Nicola's head roll back onto Ash's shoulder. He remained pressed up against her back as Michael pressed himself against her chest.

Michael cried out unintelligibly as his cock slid deeper and he felt the pressure of Ash's cock through a thin membrane. It did things to his head, and he'd never been harder.

Nicola was blissing out and felt the approach of the biggest orgasm of her life crashing toward her.

"Michael! Focus on Nicola's hot pussy. Is she squeezing you in pulses?" Ash panted as he locked eyes with Michael while struggling to maintain his strokes into Nicola's ass.

"She feels so good!" Michael gasped, clearly losing himself in his own pleasure again.

Ash reached around Nicola and pinched Michael's nipples, hard.

"OUCH!" the big man yelped, and his eyes focused once more.

"Is Nicola's sexy pussy loving being stuffed full of your thick cock?" Ash said, his mouth right next to the woman's ear so she could feel his breath and hear his words. He felt her clamping down on his cock in her ass, so he knew she was close.

"Oh FUCK!" Michael gasped as he suddenly realized he could feel Nicola begin to squeeze his cock in pulses. "She's coming! Fuck! She's so incredibly tight with your cock in her ass!"

Their words stoked her fires, and her internal pulsing strengthened.

"FUCK! COMING!" Michael cried out as he ground his cock into Nicola's pussy and Ash's cock.

Ash brought his lips to Nicola's ear once more. "Do you want me to fill your ass with my cum?" he said, finishing by nibbling on her earlobe.

"Oh Fuck! Please! Give it to me!" she cried out.

Ash pumped his cock into her five more times, then pressed himself against her ass hard as his cum surged into her depths. He squeezed her breasts and tugged on her nipples as she screamed silently.

Michael had finished coming, but he was still enjoying the sensation of rubbing his cock against Ash's through his wife.

Ash had a crystal clear picture of Michael's sexual bias now. The vocally hetero man was probably much closer to bisexual, but in willful denial.

As for Ash, he wasn't offended or disturbed by being subjected to it. His past experiences pretty much guaranteed his capacity to deal with a wide variety of sexual behavior. Not much phased him, aside from cruelty and abuse. That shit triggered him badly.

Michael wasn't abusing Nicola so much as neglecting her with his need for self-gratification.

He grabbed Michael's arms as he saw the man about to pull free from his wife.

"Slowly, Michael. She's a little overwhelmed, so we need to be gentle," he instructed. He noticed Michael's focus was now on his hands.

They both eased their cocks from the woman, and Ash caught Michael's sudden look of bliss as their spent cocks momentarily crossed. The big man hid the expression and pulled back from Ash's hands.

"Your guns are really impressive," Ash complimented him, and Michael's face lit up with a smile.

"Thanks!" the man gushed and flexed as Ash eased the man's wife down onto the cushion.

Nicola's eyes opened and locked on his. He hid his concern for her marriage behind a smile.

"How you doin', beautiful?" he asked gently.

Her eyes flicked to Michael, who smiled at her obliviously, then returned to him. "Transcendent," she purred.

"Good!" he said.

Now that their moans and gasps had quieted down, they heard a muffled ringing. Ravina sat up quickly and rushed over to her purse. She glanced at the cell and frowned. "It's my husband. He knows not to call unless it's an emergency."

Their hosts nodded, and Ravina took the call. She spoke quietly until she suddenly gasped.

"What? Call 911!"

She frowned as she listened. "No! Call 911! It was an accident!--Hello?"

She hung up and turned to look at Ash with a panicked expression.

"What's happened?" he asked, but he suddenly had a sick suspicion.

"Desmond was visiting Tristan, and something went wrong. She's not breathing."

A shot of ice went down Ash's spine, but he didn't hesitate. He rushed to his clothes, grabbed his cell, and called 911. He gave Tristan's address as he pulled on his clothes.

"I have to go," he said to his hosts and Ravina, then he ran for the front door.

He rode his motorcycle across the city to the gated community, and the guard recognized him and let him through.

When he pulled into the driveway, there was an ambulance and three police cars.

He parked and ran toward the front door, but one of the cops blocked his way.

"Tristan is my wife! I need to see her!" he shouted.

The first officer shook his head. "I'm sorry, sir, but it's too late. The paramedics found she was dead when they arrived and they couldn't revive her."

Ash rocked back from the blunt words, but he locked down his emotions. They weren't for sharing with strangers.

He placed his hands over his face and let a deep shudder go through his muscles as he locked his emotions away. When he pulled his hands away, his expression was stiff and cold.

"Where were you roughly thirty to forty minutes ago, sir?" the officer asked.

"I was having lunch with some friends at their place." He gave their names. "Ravina got a panicked call from her husband, Desmond Eldenbrook, who, she said, was visiting Tristan. She said Desmond told her that Tristan wasn't breathing. Ravina told him to call 911, and he hung up. I called 911 in case Desmond was too panicked."

"Mr. Eldenbrook was not in the house when emergency services arrived. The front door was open," the officer said.

"Were you aware of what Mr. Eldenbrook was doing with your wife?" another officer asked.

Ash locked eyes with the man. "They were having sex."

The cops stared at Ash in surprise. "You knew?"

"Trish wasn't well, mentally. She was suffering, and she wouldn't seek help. She wouldn't accept it from me. We were getting divorced."

"You're a heartless bastard for leaving a mentally ill wife!" the second officer snapped at him.

He glared at the man. "You know shit and can fuck all the way off."

Then he turned back to the first cop. "Shouldn't you pick up Mr. Eldenbrook before he boards a private jet to some country without an extradition treaty with the States?"

The officer just stared at him.

"He had sex with my wife. She died, and he fled the scene. Maybe you have some questions for him," he said. "Seems like a no-brainer. Have him do it," Ash said, pointing to the rude officer.

He handed the first officer a business card with his cell number on it, then turned around and walked back to his motorcycle. He started it and rode away before they noticed that the address on the card was for his P.O. Box. They could always find him based on his license plate, but he wasn't going to make their work easy for them.

He parked the motorcycle in his garage and went inside to hide from the world.

In a small room at the end of the hall, he had a gym which included a heavy bag. He wrapped his hands and wrists and worked off his stress by punching the bag until he couldn't lift his arms.

For now, it kept the memories at bay.

Now, with Tristan's death, this city had too many painful memories. He needed to do something about that.

If he could break free from his inertia.

Chapter 4

Months passed, the dust settled, and life moved on... for most.

Desmond Eldenbrook was set to begin serving a four-year term in a low-security state correctional facility for involuntary manslaughter.

The man hadn't intended to kill Tristan Moor when he engaged in rough sex play with the woman.

However, the coroner's report clarified that he'd been particularly brutal with her. Her body was covered in bruises matching his hands, including marks around her throat. This caused swelling, and the leather collar she wore around her neck eventually cut off air and blood to her brain. As her hands were cuffed behind her back and she was wearing a ball gag, she couldn't clearly communicate her distress. The fact that he continued to fuck her for fifteen minutes after she was dead clearly indicated he was a piece of shit, but he had good lawyers, so he got a minimal sentence for his crime.

Ash didn't let it get to him. It was how the world was. He knew better than to ask for true justice.

Hadn't he left her when she decided to get into the rough trade activities?

Then he was contacted by a legal department of the state informing him that Tristan Moor's death had negated his filing for divorce. Regardless of his desires, that's just the way the system worked.

He was officially a widower.

Following that depressing news, he discovered that right after they got married, Tristan had secretly drawn up a will, leaving everything to him, as she had no other family. The home, its contents, and her investments all went to him. No one would contest the will.

There would also be a sizeable payout on her life insurance policy coming his way, once the insurance company exhausted every roadblock they could invent to prevent the payment.

He immediately put the house on the market, and it sold in less than a month because he insisted on a price that would help it sell quickly. These funds went into his investments, so his comfortable early retirement was set as he intended to live frugally.

Ravina reached out to him a few times during this period, but he politely put her off as he tried to come to terms with his new state.

Then Nicola sent him a note asking to meet. He felt guilty about putting them both off. He finally agreed to get together.

He was surprised when Nicola suggested they go out for dinner at a trendy eatery.

When he got there, he spotted the two women chatting happily at a cozy table in the corner. They stood as he reached the table and gave him sweet kisses. He was surprised by the greeting but smiled.

That's when he realized how lonely he'd been.

"Will Michael be joining us?" he asked as they sat.

Nicola shook her head. "He's overseas working on his new movie. More importantly, we're no longer together."

Ash glanced at Nicola in concern. "I'm sorry to hear that."

She just smiled and shook her head. "You knew it was doomed the last time we were together."

"Doomed?" he said.

Nicola nodded. "Michael could never see beyond his own pleasure, his own needs. Long before we met you, I'd been looking for some way to get him to understand I wasn't just a receptacle." She sighed. "You made me see he'd continue resisting that lesson. He never saw the value in anything else."

Ash gave her a compassionate smile, then looked at Ravina.

"I've filed for divorce from Desmond. He understands and won't contest it. I love him, but I can't get past the idea of what he did," she said with a shudder.

He reached over and held her hand. This brought a smile to her face.

"How have you been?" Nicola asked.

Ash blinked as it felt like he was coming out of a fog, then nodded. "I've been... alone. I didn't realize just how disconnected I'd become during the last few months. Then I saw you two here." He shook his head as his thoughts began to flow. "When Tristan died, I became a widower, and I wasn't sure how to deal with that. When I first left her, she was still out there. Even divorced, I knew there would still be someone connected to me in the world. My ex. But she died, that connection vanished, and I felt... lost."

He took a deep breath as it felt like he was unraveling something important.

He smiled at Nicola. "Thank you for making me come out of my shell." He turned to Ravina. "Thank you for checking in on me."

"You have no one else? Family?" Ravina asked.

Something dark crossed Ash's expression, and he jerked his head with a sharp gesture. He shut that reaction down immediately. "No. No family."

A cold, sick feeling was trying to take hold. He immediately began talking, as he'd been silent for so long, and talking kept the distant past from touching him.

He forced a crooked smile on his face. "The last family I had was the group of people I worked with in the industry. During those years, we were really close. Now, those people are scattered to the four winds.

The hypocrites denied their pasts, vilified their old friends, and joined the so-called family value Christian groups.

The diehards moved their careers online. Still shaking their tits and beating their meat for a camera. I don't follow any of them.

The rational ones with a firmer grasp of reality returned to normal life and dropped off the map. They were the lucky ones.

The last group had no firm plan for their lives. They spiraled down into drugs and alcohol to hide from their pain. Most didn't make it.

For a brief time at the end of my career, I was part of that last group.

Then I tried writing a book. I actually got a publisher who sent me on a book signing tour.

While on the road, I had the good fortune to have my life turned upside down in a brutal car crash.

The operations to repair my face gave me a chance to be someone new. The lawsuit's settlement gave me financial stability, and for the first time in my life, I took some good advice. I invested wisely and stepped back from public life."

He smiled in embarrassment as he realized he'd been babbling. "Wow. That's the most I've said in months. Sorry."

The ladies chuckled and smiled back at him.

"You have nothing to apologize for. You shouldn't isolate yourself, though. You have friends, and we were worried about you."

He looked into their eyes and saw they were serious.

He suddenly felt embarrassed and exposed.

"I-I've... thank you?" He looked flustered. "It would be nice to have friends again." Their smiles widened.

"H-how have you both been since you left your partners?" he stammered out.

The ladies shared a smile, and Nicola spoke first. "We've moved into Ravina's condo together."

The older woman picked up the story with an enthusiastic smile. "I'd been renting it out for years, but the last tenants left at the beginning of the year, and I was having a few renovations done when I left Desmond. We moved in together shortly afterward. Having someone to talk to who understands really helped us both."

Ash smiled and nodded, comforted by knowing they'd landed on their feet. Then a thought came to him. "Oh! Are you two a couple?" he asked quietly.

They giggled again, then Nicola answered. "No, just good friends."

"Where did you go? We saw the mansion went on the market quickly," Ravina asked.

Ash nodded. "I couldn't live there. I have a small home. I bought it after I recovered from the car accident. It's my hidden retreat. I've just been tinkering on my vehicles, riding my bicycle, working out, reading, gardening, fixing the odd thing on the house, and keeping to myself. The life of a retired porn actor. It's been quiet... but lonely." His face heated up some more. "Sorry to be such a downer. My social skills have obviously atrophied."

Both women shook their heads. "No! It's wonderful to hear you opening up like this! You needed this!" Nicola insisted.

"We loved hearing it!" Ravina said with a smile, as Nicola nodded in agreement.

Ash looked into their eyes as he realized they were being sincere.

"Thank you," he said. He struggled to put the topic of him aside. "Outside of moving in together, what have you two been up to?"

Nicola smiled. "I've auditioned for a role in a TV series. I could tell the casting director wasn't expecting much of me when I arrived, but I think I changed his mind before I finished. It's a decent role. While they were looking for someone attractive, they needed someone who could show true emotional depth. I think I nailed the audition, but show business is so fickle. I've also seen two movie scripts, and neither was appealing. I'd rather not be screen fluff--"

Ash choked on his water and took a moment to catch his breath. Wiping his eyes, he gave Nicola a sheepish look. "Sorry, fluff has a different connotation in porn."

Her face went blank for a moment, then she began to laugh.

Ravina was confused and looked to Ash for an explanation.

After glancing at Nicola, he leaned closer to speak quietly. "In porn, they hire people to help the male actors maintain their erections between scenes. They're called fluffers."

Ravina hid her mouth behind her hands as she laughed as well.

Another thought came to Ash's mind as the idea of Nicola's auditions and his history suddenly conflicted in his mind. He looked around as his smile drained away. Then, he locked eyes with the younger woman.

"It might not be a good idea for you to be seen with me if you're trying to gain legitimacy in the biz. While my appearance has changed from my screen days, if someone puts it together, you could be badly affected by my stigma."

Nicola's jaw dropped as indignation flared. "It's no one's damn business--"

Ash interrupted her argument with raised hands. "You know it has nothing to do with right and wrong. It's the industry, and more importantly, the hypocrisy of those in control. Morality be damned, you play their game, or you don't get to play in their sandbox. Give them ammunition, like being friends with a former porn actor, and suffer their morality judgments."

He deflated as he considered the harm his past could do to her future. That was depressing.

Ash began to stand, but two hands suddenly gripped his arms and forced him back into his seat.

Nicola locked eyes with Ash. "No one tells me who I can and can't be friends with. If they judge me on anything other than the talent I show in the audition, I wouldn't want to work with them."

Ravina nodded firmly. "We aren't ashamed of our friends."

The ladies smiled at each other as Ash settled back in his chair. He still felt uneasy about how he might limit Nicola's opportunities, as he felt his pessimistic mind and experience gave him a clearer view of the industry players. He'd have to ensure he didn't do anything that might reflect badly on them. That meant maintaining a low profile, which he'd been doing very well for the last few months.

"I appreciate your willingness to face that criticism, but please know I'm aware of the issues I might cause and wouldn't wish that on anyone," he confessed.

They aimed identical stubborn expressions at him, and he couldn't stop the chuckle they pulled out of him. They glanced at each other and grinned as they saw the reason for his laugh.

"You two are a delight!" he said with a smile.

Their smiles became a little smug, and he sighed.

Ravina leaned forward with an eager smile. "This book you wrote, where might I find it?"

Ash raised his hands in alarm. "No! No, you don't want to read it! It's bad! I've had plenty of time to consider how much of a mess I was when I wrote it. Nothing I said back then applies to how I feel now. I wouldn't want to meet that guy today, and I wouldn't want anyone to be subjected to the crap coming from his strung-out mind. I wrote it at a very bad time in my life. I was a miserable fuck, and I'm embarrassed I wrote it. Please promise me you won't try to find a copy."

The ladies stared at him in surprise. "It-it can't be that bad--"

Ash hung his head. "It can, and it was. I was at the bottom of a very deep well of despair and self-loathing." He swallowed to keep his stomach from rising.

"The shitty publisher saw a victim he could exploit and made all kinds of promises. I had no idea the ride he was taking me on, and I accepted the lies my desperate mind needed to hear.

They printed only three hundred copies, which I paid for with my dwindling funds. It was the initial run, he said, thousands to come, which they'd pay for once I confirmed the demand. Then he sent me on a signing tour, towing a small rental U-Haul trailer loaded with boxes of books.

I sold a dozen at the first bookstore, but just two copies at the second. I was on my way to the third city when a tanker truck swerved across three lanes on the expressway and crushed my car against a cement median. The little trailer went up in flames. The state troopers who'd been chasing the trucker pulled me from the wreckage before the fire got to me. I'm grateful to the guy who risked his life to save me and for the exploding fuel truck that destroyed the remaining copies."

He looked up and saw the wide eyes reflecting the pain they imagined. He smiled at them.

"I'm in a much better place now. That's why I can say I don't want you looking for that awful book," he explained.

"It doesn't sound like there are any to find," Ravina insisted.

"Did the publisher print more after your accident to cash in on it?" Nicola asked, and Ravina gasped.

"No, the scumbag shut down his business and disappeared. Years later, I did my best to track down the copies I'd sold in the bookshops to buy them back. I managed to get five of them. I'm hoping the remaining nine went to landfill," Ash sighed.

"What was its title?" Nicola asked.

He looked into her eyes but only saw curiosity. He let out a breath.

"Libertine."

Mouths dropped open in surprise and confusion.

Ravina was very confused. "Ahhh, who?"

"ME! I was the subject of the book. It was about who I'd become after all those years--never mind. I'd rather not talk about it. Please," he begged, looking into their eyes.

"Sorry! I didn't mean to drag you back into the pain," Ravina said contritely.

Nicola looked conflicted, but nodded to indicate she wouldn't press further. Instead, she cleared her expression, then smiled. "Do you have any big plans, other than tinkering on your vehicles?"

Ash grinned. "No. Actually, I've been doing my best to fade into the background. I've come to the realization that it might be easier for me to do that in a smaller city or maybe a village. I've been thinking along those lines," he admitted.

Ravina gaped at him. "You're leaving LA?"

He grinned at her but nodded. "It makes sense for me. I mean, I have no connection to the city. I'm essentially retired. I'd like to avoid the noise and traffic of the big city. Maybe the cost of living would be lower."

"We're your connection to LA!" Ravina insisted.

Ash nodded to himself. "Nicola is part of the acting biz and needs to be here. What keeps you in the city?" he asked.

"I've been elected to a number of Board of Directors I'm very passionate about!" Ravina said.

Ash smiled. "That's wonderful! But for me, I have no purpose here. Instead, I have too many reminders of mistakes I've made. I... I think I need a change of pace. Going somewhere I can ride my bicycle in the woods. Somewhere I can touch green that isn't surrounded by cement."

"There are lovely trailheads just outside the city perimeters!" Nicola insisted.

"Yes, I can drive to them, but not cycle to them," he said gently. "I'm not saying I wouldn't visit, but I think I need to stop living here."

Now he was facing two pouting women. "I'm sorry if this makes you sad. I never meant to. I'm truly grateful for your friendship."

Ravina raised a palm to still his apology. "No, you're right. If this is something you need, it would be selfish of us to demand that you stay. You aren't leaving immediately, right?"

He smiled at her. "Exactly. It's not imminent. It's barely a plan! I still have to find a suitable town to move to. Something along the coast, perhaps."

"Ooo! Can we help with your search?" Nicola gushed.

He grinned at them. "I'd like that!"

Nicola was very excited. "How about after dinner, we give you the tour of the condo, and do a little real estate hunting along the coast to get some idea of where you'd like to live?"

Ravina clapped her hands and grinned happily at her friend.

Looks like they had a plan.

-=-

Ravina's condo was lovely, and the two ladies were very pleased with how they'd decorated it. Each had their own bedroom, where their individual tastes were clearly on display, but the shared spaces of the living room, dining room, kitchen, and media room were tastefully decorated, warm, and comforting.

The media room had an enormous TV dominating a wall, with a large, comfortable sofa positioned in front of it.

Nicola linked her tablet PC to the TV, and they pulled up a map of the West Coast to see what communities were available along the coast.

"I assume you were talking about north of Los Angeles?" Nicola asked.

Ash nodded his head with a grin. "Yes, please."

"Minimum distance from Los Angeles?" Nicola asked with a raised eyebrow.

"It has to feel like I've made a distinct change so...." He examined the displayed map. "North of Ventura?"

"Is there a northern limit?" Ravina asked.

Ash pondered that for a moment as he reviewed the coastline. "Let's say, San Jose. Definitely south of San Francisco."

Nicola tapped in some instructions, and her map zoomed in on the defined coastline.

"There are a number of small communities between these boundaries, but I'm expecting you'll want amenities readily available--shops and services?"

"Definitely. It would be too much of a change if I ended up in a place with only a gas station and a motel," Ash agreed.

"We don't want you isolating yourself again, too," Ravina insisted.

Ash smiled at her. "I did that in Los Angeles. I don't think the number of people around me is a factor."

"What about Santa Barbara?" Nicola asked.

She pulled up the available listing, and Ash's eyes widened in surprise. "Ah, the prices are higher than I expected."

"What's your price range?" Ravina asked.

He sighed. "I just sold Tristan's mansion, so I'm definitely not hurting for cash, but I have to make it last if I intend to remain retired with no other source of income."

"Not thinking about returning to the workforce to earn an honest day's pay?" Ravina asked with a grin.

Ash rolled his eyes. "I have no GED, no certified training, no aptitude for most jobs. My personality gets me in trouble when I work retail, so that's out. No, I'm better off staying retired. That's why I was hoping not to have to dip so deeply into those funds." He scanned the available listings, but nothing caught his eye. "Maybe we should look further north?"

"There's Pismo Beach?" Nicola said, displaying the available houses. In a separate window on the big TV, she showed a satellite view of the city. They went to Street View and checked out the look of the different neighborhoods from the main drag to the residential areas. When he shook his head, they returned to the map and continued north.

This happened again for Morro Bay and Cambria.

"There's a big jump in distance to get to the next sizable town. Hmmm... Carmel-by-the-Sea is near the northern boundary you set," Nicola noted.

"It's got a nice name," Ash said.

She first brought up the map, and they viewed the streets.

Ash began to smile as he liked what he saw. "It's really pretty!" Then his smile faded. "It has to be stupid expensive to buy a home there."

"Hold on! Don't give up hope yet! Let me check the listings," Nicola said.

The first page of listings showed the cream of the crop offerings, and the prices were astronomical. She applied a price range filter, and thirty listings remained. A good number of those were lots of land, so she added more filters to indicate a home with at least two bedrooms and a garage.

There weren't many properties left, and most weren't suitable for his needs.

Ash sighed, then shrugged. "It was a nice dream, but it wasn't meant to be."

"Don't be so quick to give up! There may be houses not currently listed on this site. I'm going to reach out to this realtor and ask them if there are any other properties you might like," Nicola insisted.

He grinned and raised his hands in surrender.

Ravina was poking about on her cell phone, looking up the area. "It's farther away than I'd like, but there's an airport close by for visiting."

Ash chuckled. "This is sounding more and more promising!"

Ravina tucked herself against Ash's side and looked up at him with pleading eyes. "I don't want you to disappear from my life!"

"I don't want that either," he said.

She pulled his face down to hers, and he savored her plump lips. Then the kiss became hotter as her tongue slipped into his mouth.

Ash felt fingers undoing his pants, and he lifted his ass to assist Nicola in pulling them down sufficiently.

When his cock slipped between her lips, Ash made an involuntary moan, and Ravina pulled back from the kiss to see what was going on. She grinned as she spotted Nicola kneeling before the couch, leaning over Ash to suck on his cock.

She slid off the couch to join Nicola, and the two of them took turns running their tongues up and down the sides of his cock.

Seeing them worship his cock was almost too much. "Geezus, you're going to make me come! Wait, wait, wait!"

They pulled back with grins as he moved from the couch, stripped off his clothes, and stretched out on his back on the carpet.

Nicola and Ravina did a quick best-of-three Rock-Paper-Scissors game to see who would ride his cock first. Nicola won and quickly stripped off her leggings and panties.

Ash gestured for Ravina to ride his face, so she dropped her bottoms and quickly settled herself over his chest and moved up. As his tongue found its target, Ravina cried out in bliss.

When he felt Nicola settling her pussy down over his erection, he moaned into Ravina's pussy, making her cry out again.

Nicola enjoyed the sensation of his hot, hard cock reaching deep inside. Then one of his hands settled into her stomach and slid down between her legs to begin massaging her clit.

"OH! OH FUCK!" Nicola gasped as his hips began to roll, grinding their bodies together roughly. Her hands landed on his chest to brace herself as tremors ran through her muscles from the intense bursts of pleasure.

Ravina threw her head back and sucked in a deep breath as she'd forgotten to breathe while his tongue danced across her sensitive flesh. She was already reaching her peak, but he wasn't slowing down. He was holding her ass in place with a free hand as he sucked and stroked. All she could do was hold on for dear life.

Ash was struggling to keep from coming too soon, but he was losing control. His best bet was to accelerate his efforts for the ladies so they'd hit their peaks roughly when he came.

It felt like he was tying his tongue into knots, but his efforts finally paid off as he felt Ravina clamp down on his head as her body went into spasms, her orgasm arriving with a vengeance.

"ASH! FUCK!" Nicola cried out as her pussy clamped down on his cock, which immediately caused his cock to fire his cum into her depths. He could hold back no longer!

He moaned loudly, and Ravina went through aftershocks from the vibrations.

The three gingerly moved apart once their bodies calmed until they were all lying together on the carpet, Nicola on one side of Ash and Ravina on the other, both resting their heads on his arms.

Nicola sighed with contentment. Then she turned her face to look into Ash's eyes. "I've sent a request to the real estate agent. I hope she'll respond in the morning. I'll let you know."

"I'm all a-tingle with anticipation!" he teased.

Ravina cooed as her own tingles revisited her.

Nicola grinned over Ash's chest at her friend, then looked at Ash sweetly. "Do you want to stay the night?"

He smiled and leaned over to kiss her forehead. "I have errands to run first thing tomorrow morning, so I will have to take a rain check on that offer."

She looked at him curiously to see if he'd add more detail to the hint about these errands, but he just stood and began tugging his clothes on.

He looked especially yummy in his leather. For a moment, she was going to ask him to take her roughly with all his riding gear on, but she felt a twinge and realized she'd be asking too much of him and herself.

Ash kissed Ravina's lips tenderly, and she smiled with a twinkle in her eyes.

Then Nicola walked him to the front door, where he suddenly pushed her up against the wall next to the door and kissed her hard. She whimpered into the kiss.

When he pulled back, he looked into her dreamy eyes. "You looked curious about my leathers. Now you know. Next time."

Then he was gone, and Nicola locked the door and leaned her back against it.

"Holy fuck!"

She was going to take him up on that offer.

-=-

The morning light was warming their yoga studio as Ravina and Nicola completed their session by going through their cooling-off poses and relaxed into the Savasana.

The bright chirp of Nicola's cell broke the moment, and she sat up with an apologetic smile for her friend.

She looked at the cell and saw it was the call she'd been hoping for. She glanced at Ravina. "It's the realtor!"

"Good morning!" she answered.

"Good morning! This is Daisy Pruitt from Carmel Prime Realty. I received your message from last night, and I'd welcome the opportunity to find a home for your friend."

Nicola smiled, liking the woman's energy. "That's great! If you don't mind, I'm just going to put you on speaker as my friend Ravina is with me, and we are both assisting him with this purchase."

"Not a problem!"

Nicola set her phone between them. "With me is Ravina. This is Daisy Pruitt."

"Hello, Daisy!" Ravina said happily.

"Hello, Ravina! Your friend is lucky to have two such good friends looking after his real estate needs!"

"Yes, we're very excited to help him with his needs!" Nicola added with a grin, and Ravina shook her finger at her friend.

Ravina continued. "He really fell in love with Carmel, but the available properties we saw on the website were either priced over the budget he set for himself or weren't suitable for his needs."

They'd made notes during their hunt the night before, so Nicola read off the points, and she included the budget range. "If the property meets most of his criteria, he's willing to be flexible on the budget," she said to finish it off.

Daisy reviewed the details in the email. "Oh my! Yes, this is a buyer who knows what they want. That's so helpful! It's also a relief to hear that he can be flexible, as so many aren't," she said with evident relief.

"He's very flexible!" Nicola purred, and Ravina silently swatted her.

"Ah, good, good," Daisy said, missing the innuendo. "Oh! Hmmm. I-I actually have a property that just became available two days ago. It will be posted to the website once the office has finished the paperwork. In the spirit of complete honesty, I must inform you that the home has changed hands twice in the past eighteen months. I was the agent involved in those sales, and I feel somehow responsible for not ensuring they were a good match for the home. This time, I'd like to ensure I'm not setting someone up to experience buyer's remorse. I spoke with the previous owners and can honestly say it wasn't the house or the property that caused the rapid turnover. If I might be so bold as to ask, what's your friend's marital status?"

"You can't ask that! It's discriminatory!" Ravina blurted.

"Please understand, it has no bearing on our willingness to do business with him or even sell him this home. It's more like asking if he has a fear of heights because there's a house that overhangs a cliff's edge. It's simply a precautionary question for their welfare," Daisy insisted gently.

While Ravina was outraged, Nicola was intrigued and amused. "He's a recent widower, there were no children, and he's retired."

"Ah! Good! Oh my!" She burst into nervous giggles. "I didn't mean good! I mean, I'm so sorry for his loss, but... this helps. H-how is your friend with social interaction?"

Ravina was confused now as she stared at Nicola, astonished by the odd questions. "Ashby is delightful company and very charming. However, he spends too much time alone, so we're trying to help him build a larger social circle."

"Ashby! That's such a distinct and unique name! Okay, no more questions. I'm sending you a private link to a page showing the currently unlisted house. You're getting a sneak peek because my office won't be posting it for a couple of days. Your gentleman friend is getting a head start over everyone. Nicola, please check your email."

She grabbed her cell, and Ravina followed her to the media room, where they linked the phone's screen to the big TV. They opened the email and clicked on the link. The website opened to the listing of a lovely little home.

"Oh my! It's lovely!" Ravina sighed happily, and Nicola's eyes widened with delight.

"It's certainly beautiful on the outside!" Nicola agreed. Then she began clicking through the images to tour the inside. There were plenty of rooms, and the home was beautifully and recently updated.

Daisy made a sound of agreement. "It is a perfect home, but not for a young or even middle-aged married couple. The neighborhood has a built-in social circle, which the two previous buyers cited as a major reason they couldn't stay. The neighbors aren't bad people or dangerous by any means. I'm sure it was just some harmless flirting, but the wives of these two couples insisted that they wouldn't remain."

Nicola now understood and shared a convinced nod with Ravina. This wasn't something Ash would have any trouble deflecting. The price was higher than his top budget, but the home he'd get was definitely worth the price bump, as it met so many of his needs.

"I'm going to reach out to Ash immediately and have him review it. If he is interested, I assume he should visit you soon?" Nicola asked.

"As soon as possible. This home will be listed any day. I'd like to see it go to someone who won't turn around and sell it a year later!" Daisy suggested.

"Thanks so much, Daisy! We'll get back to you shortly! Bye!" Nicola said, and Ravina added hers before they hung up.

"We have to get Ash to see this property!" Nicola exclaimed.

-=-

The only nonstop flight from LAX to the Monterey Regional Airport, the closest airport to Carmel-by-the-Sea, took about ninety minutes.

When Ash left the plane, he left his overnight bag with Nicola and immediately went into the terminal's washroom for a much-appreciated pee break.

Nicola and Ravina waited inside for him to return, doing their best to hide their grins.

It turned out that Ash had never flown anywhere, and the experience had not been entirely agreeable to him.

They glanced around at the small terminal and spotted a woman in a sharp blazer and skirt combo striding confidently toward them. Her realty company emblem was pinned to the jacket.

The woman matched her energy on the call. She was lightly tanned, tall, and slim with long legs, made to seem longer by her three-inch pumps and narrow skirt. She had a thick, wavy golden-blonde mane in a style that harked back to the heyday of Farrah Fawcett's famous locks.

She was distinctly pretty, wearing a tasteful application of makeup and jewelry, though Nicola caught the omission of a wedding band.

The jacket was buttoned, but the white blouse beneath seemed to show enough cleavage to guarantee a sale.

"You must be Nicola and Ravina?" the woman said as she stopped before them and thrust out a hand to Nicola.

"Good morning, Daisy!" Nicola said, noting the bright white polish on her nails, which drew attention to her elegant fingers. As cleavage was a weapon in this woman's arsenal, so was the length of her nails, her brilliant blue eyes, and that dazzling white smile showing between her lips. Nicola realized the plumpness of her lips was probably natural. Lucky lady!

Ravina shook her hand as well, as she absorbed her impression of the taller woman.

Her stellar smile widened even further, then her blue eyes panned the people in the terminal as she looked for a man who might be 'Ashby'.

Ravina spoke up. "He's just taking a minute in the washroom. The flight was a bit much for him."

Nicola fought back a chuckle and shook her head at her friend, who wore a smug grin.

When Ash stepped from the washroom, Nicola noted the uptick of Daisy's smile, her widening eyes, and how quickly they scanned down his body before looking back toward the washroom entrance.

As the hunky man kept walking straight toward them, Nicola saw the woman's expression change. She saw a momentary flash of exasperation. While she was interested, she didn't have time for this now.

"You must be Daisy Pruitt," Ash said as he joined them with his hand outstretched.

Daisy's expression froze as her hand lifted to his, and she tilted her head slightly. "Ashby?"

"Yes, but you can call me Ash," he replied.

"Nicola described you as retired... and a widow," Daisy said faintly as she struggled to change her perspective.

Ash frowned with a raised eyebrow as he glanced at Nicola's grin.

"Yes, that's an accurate statement if a little leading. I am retired, and my wife passed just a few months ago. I've been living in LA for decades, but I need a change of pace. The home I saw on that listing you sent us seems like a good match, so I'm interested in a viewing." He glanced at Ravina and Nicola, then back to Daisy, who hadn't released his hand yet. "Would that be okay?"

Daisy suddenly returned to herself with a little jolt and released her grip on his strong hand. "Yes! Oh, ah, did they mention the nature of the neighbors?" she asked hesitantly.

Ash smiled and chuckled a little. "Yes. I don't have any issues with overly friendly neighbors. It might be a nice change of pace."

Daisy's smile brightened up again. "Well, okay! My car is right outside, so let's go look at the home!"

Ash picked up his overnight bag and nodded to the woman, gesturing for Nicola and Ravina to go before him.

They left the terminal and crossed to the small parking lot. Daisy popped the trunk on her sporty sedan, and they put their bags inside before taking seats. Nicola and Ravina grabbed the back seat, so Ash had to move to the front passenger seat.

Daisy smiled across at him as they settled in and buckled up.

She was an excellent driver and mostly kept her eyes on the road as she drove the short distance to Carmel-by-the-Sea.

Ash's attention was drawn by the lush greenery that surrounded him on all sides. This was no LA cityscape. The homes were nestled in amongst what felt like a forest, and he was definitely falling in love with the feel of the place.

When they reached the town's main business district, Daisy pointed out the shops of interest and answered any questions they had.

Then she turned off the main road and headed into the residential streets leading down toward the beach. She pointed out the block the house was on and finally pulled into the driveway.

"Nobody is currently living in the home. The previous owners, the Warrens, found their new home in Portsmouth, New Hampshire," Daisy explained.

Ash chuckled. "That's a long way to go to avoid these neighbors."

Daisy's dazzling smile showed her relief as she nodded.

They stepped outside, and Ash walked back to the road before the house to get a good look at it.

If anything, it was prettier than the pictures he'd seen. He rejoined the others, and they went inside.

He noted the updates the home had undergone, and none of them concerned him. It had sufficient rooms and storage space. When they ventured into the deep back yard, he saw it had an outbuilding that would make an excellent workshop or art studio should he be so inclined. Returning to the house, he saw updates he'd been planning to do for his Glendale home.

He was standing in the living room when that thought gave him pause. He realized he hadn't truly considered what he'd do with the house he'd originally purchased as his hidden retreat.

His hidey hole. His escape.

He was finally breaking ties with LA, the city where so much of his past... happened. A past he was moving on from.

It no longer made sense to have a so-called escape route there. Truthfully, it hadn't made sense before, but he'd convinced himself that if no one knew where it was, it was somehow far enough away. Standing here, over three hundred miles from LA, he realized how deluded he'd been.

He didn't need to keep his Glendale home any longer. Even the idea of having an escape route felt juvenile and redundant. He had to let go of such ideas.

He just needed a home.

Nicola saw him standing in the middle of the room, eyes focused on infinity. Then she saw a tear run down his cheek. She moved up behind him and wrapped her arms around his body as she rested her chin on his shoulder.

"Are you okay, Ash?" she asked softly.

He nodded stiffly. "It feels like I'm finally growing up," he said through a tight throat.

"Is the house not to your liking?" she asked.

He shook his head. "No, it's wonderful. Perfect for the new Ashby Moor."

"Are you becoming a new person?" she asked.

He paused as he considered that. "No, it's more of a streamlining. Cutting away the delusions I've been carrying. Some of them, anyway. I have a lot of baggage. This feels like a perfect place to start fresh."

"Do you like the home?" Daisy asked as she spotted the tears on Ash's cheek.

He smiled at her. "Yes. It's perfect." He turned to face her with a little smile.

"Where do I sign?"

Chapter 5

The process of moving his life from LA to Carmel-by-the-Sea was by no means simple. He hired a moving company to pack and transport all his belongings from the Glendale home to the new home. They said they would be there in two days, so he rode his motorcycle to his new place, parked it in his garage, and slept on his living room floor in a sleeping bag.

The moving truck arrived midmorning, and unloading it took almost the whole day. When they left, he sat amongst the boxes and realized he'd be unpacking for days, but that wasn't his immediate task. He had another night of sleeping on the floor.

The following morning, he caught a flight back to LA, and Ravina picked him up at LAX. Nicola was out of town on business. He stayed overnight at their place, and the next morning, Ravina drove him to his house in Glendale, where she finally saw his secret hideaway. Granted, it was mostly empty.

After kisses and hugs for Ravina, he loaded the last remaining items into his VW bus and dropped off the keys for the house to a realtor he'd arranged to sell it for him.

He stopped by the post office and paid to have all mail sent to his P.O. Box redirected to his new address for a year.

It was then that he truly felt like he was severing his connections to his old life. Leaping into something completely new.

He took his time to drive back to his new home. Along the way, he stopped at a bike shop and traded in his road bike for something he could enjoy the trails on. Fat tires, plenty of gear range for hills, and an upgrade on his cycling kit. This was a present for himself. He intended to celebrate his new life with a ride.

The sun had set by the time he'd returned to Carmel, so he backed into his driveway and pressed the garage door remote to watch it open automatically. He was grateful for this little convenience, as doing it manually would have been a pain.

He parked the bus inside and closed the door when he stepped outside. Standing on the path leading to his new home's front door, he looked up at the night sky and smiled.

The move was done.

He no longer had any ties to LA, aside from his two friends and a realtor selling his old home. There was no hideaway to flee to. This was his only home.

He glanced at the houses along the street and saw a few with lights still showing in their windows. He'd seen no sign of the infamous, overly attentive neighbors, but he'd been rather busy during his initial days in his new home. He'd also been bouncing back and forth between here and LA.

Ash looked at his house and knew he had a lot of work ahead to make this his new home. Lots of unpacking, tidying, and furniture setup.

Starting with his bed.

He wasn't sleeping on the floor again tonight.

-=-

Ash let out a relieved sigh of contentment as he sat at the small kitchen table he'd set up by the patio doors leading to his back deck. The spot was perfect for quiet contemplation as the backyard was very private, thanks to the extensive cedar hedge that wrapped around it.

If it had been warmer, he might have even contemplated doing a little nude sunbathing to charge up his vitamin D.

This morning, he'd finished setting up his bedroom furniture and put away all his clothes. He had one room complete. Then he did a little work in the kitchen and was now basking in the glory of his accomplishments.

His silent celebration was interrupted by the doorbell.

As he stood and walked towards his front door, he wondered if this would be one of the neighbors he'd been advised about.

When he opened the door, he couldn't help but grin when he saw Daisy standing before his door with a bouquet of her namesake flowers in her hands.

"Good morning, Daisy!" he said.

"Good morning, Ash! Let me be the first to welcome you to your new home! Am I the first?" she asked as she looked behind her.

Ash chuckled. "Yes, you are!"

The wattage on her smile went up tenfold as she handed him the flowers.

"Daisies symbolize innocence, purity, and new beginnings!" she said with a wide smile.

He accepted the bouquet and stepped back. "Please come in!" He smiled down at the flowers as he contemplated her statement. "One out of three is still good."

She gave him a curious look as she stepped inside.

"Innocence and purity are long absent, but I'm looking forward to new beginnings," he said with a wry grin.

She giggled, and he smiled at her as the sound suited her.

Daisy looked around. "All your items made it safe and sound?"

Ash nodded. "I'm just in the process of unpacking, one room at a time. I've slept on the floor enough, so my bedroom was the first room I did."

Daisy's eyes flashed with delight, and Ash saw excitement there as well.

He wondered if she might have visited today with more than one agenda.

He noted her blouse buttons were a little further undone than they'd been the last time they met, and her skirt was showing a little more leg. Her pumps were strappy and high, and her lipstick was a bolder shade of red, so Ash's thoughts might be closer to the mark than he expected. He could put this to the test.

"Would you like to see it?" he said.

Blue eyes flashed with excitement as she held his eyes and nodded, her smile wide and delighted.

He led her down the hall and ushered her into the master bedroom. He set the bouquet down on his bureau as he entered the room and turned to face her with a pleased smile on his lips.

He'd spent good money on this furniture. Sturdy, handmade craftsmanship went into each piece. Nothing squeaked or creaked, and every drawer opened smoothly.

His four-poster bed was the showpiece of the collection, masculine and luxurious. He'd also spent money on the best mattress, understanding how important sleep was after years of abusing his back sleeping in his bus.

None of these quality details were noticed by Daisy, who was beginning to hyperventilate with her excitement. Perhaps the innocence and purity were attributes describing her?

"Are you okay?" he asked cautiously.

"My! My, your bedroom is... is so... manly! I-I thought you were married! There is no woman's touch in here!" she blurted breathily.

Ash smiled and nodded. "This furniture was mine before I got married. It remained in the home I had prior to moving in with Tristan. I kept nothing from her home after she passed."

"Ah, then it's very you!" she purred.

"Thank you!" Ash said with a smile.

He moved closer and saw her eyes widening, like a doe trapped by the wolf's gaze.

Her tongue darted across her lips as he subconsciously prepared for his kiss.

He stopped before her, just a little closer than necessary, so she could almost feel the heat from his body.

"I wanted to thank you properly for making it possible for me to find this wonderful home," he said softly, and she swallowed as her eyes dipped to look at his lips, then quickly back up to his eyes.

"I-it was my pleasure to help!" she managed to say before he leaned in and kissed her.

She moaned with desire, then her arms were wrapped around his back, and she was kissing him deeply.

He was a little taken aback by her enthusiasm and lack of skill, so he took her head in his hands and guided the kiss until it was sensual as well as passionate.

When he felt her resistance ease, his hands moved to undo her jacket and slipped it from her shoulders. This was draped across the blanket chest at the foot of his bed. His fingers undid her blouse buttons as she gasped into their kiss. After he slid this over her shoulders and she pulled her arms free, it went over her jacket. He yanked off his shirt and pulled her against his body so she could feel how hard he'd become. A tremor went through her as he unzipped her skirt next. He pulled back from her kiss to follow the skirt down her legs as he knelt before her to let her step from the garment. It joined her blouse as he remained on his knees before her, admiring her sexy lingerie.

"You're very beautiful and incredibly sexy," he said as he ran his hands up the sides of her thighs. Her panties came off quickly, and he kissed her inner thighs, her mound, and squeezed her ass in his hands, but he never quite reached her pussy, which was becoming wetter by the second.

He suddenly stood, and his shorts were left by his feet. Before she had a chance to get a good look, he kissed her boldly again, removing her bra as she wobbled on her heels. He scooped her into his arms, walked to the side of the bed, managed to yank down the comforter and top sheet before laying her on the bed. He grabbed a couple of items from the bedside table, then slid his body over hers and kissed her once more.

The feeling of her naked skin against his made her gasp loudly and cling to him.

"Oh god! Your body is so strong and hard!" she cooed.

"You feel incredible!" he responded as he ground himself against her mound.

"AH! AH! OH GOD!" she gasped as he moved in circles.

As her eyes rolled, he pulled back and rolled a condom on. He squeezed some lube over it and rubbed it over his cock.

Then he began to stroke his cock across her wet lips.

"YES! FUCK! OH FUCK! FUCK ME!" she squealed.

He fought back his chuckles and pressed the head of his cock against her pussy lips, feeling them part and welcome him inside.

Ash gradually increased his thrusts until she had it all, and her eyes rolled back as he brought the pressure back against her clit and pussy.

"OH! OH! OH! THERE! FUCK! FUCK ME!" she cried.

So, he did. He increased the strength and speed of his strokes and always gave her a bump-and-grind at the bottom of each.

She clung to him desperately as she continued to howl her pleasure. He began to wonder how soundproof his house was.

He felt her reaching her peak far quicker than he expected and realized he wasn't going to be ready.

So be it.

He increased his thrusts and felt her crashing through an intense orgasm. She clung to him with arms and legs as her pussy tried to squeeze the life out of his cock, which remained at full mast until she finally slumped.

He eased himself out, and she squeaked as he slipped free.

She lay there panting with her eyes closed as he sat back on his heels and removed the condom. With the constriction removed, his erection would relax shortly.

When she returned to her senses, she opened her eyes and saw him watching her with a gentle smile.

"Hey," he said.

Her smile returned, though it looked a little shy. He thought that was sweet, considering the things she'd been shouting earlier.

"Goodness! I-I don't normally do such things!" she giggled as she plucked at the sheets unsuccessfully to cover herself.

"Such things?" he asked with a coy smile.

"Hop into bed with men who are practically strangers!" she exclaimed.

He nodded in approval. "That's good to know!"

Ash stepped off the bed and collected his clothes, making sure hers were laid out for her on the blanket chest.

"As we're sharing intimate truths, I always use protection with new partners unless I've been told in advance that they've taken precautions," he responded.

Daisy gaped at him, then glanced in the open drawer of the bedside table. She spotted a very large box of condoms and a lanyard attached to a movie set access pass for a movie named 'ASS ASS IN!'

"Ahhh--Are you in the adult film business?" she squealed, yanking the access pass from the drawer to shake it at him.

Ash blinked in surprise at her intuitive leap. Then he turned and saw what she was holding and closed his eyes wearily. "I... I was, a long time ago. I forgot that was in there. I was talking about wearing condoms."

He collected the pass from her hand, wound the lanyard around it, and tucked it into a box of memorabilia in the bedroom closet. Then he went back to the end table drawer and slid it closed.

"There isn't a camera in your bedroom, is there?" she gasped, looking around.

He gaped at her. "What? No! I'd never--I'm not that kind of person." He picked up the daisies and his clothes and left the room. He got dressed in the hall, already regretting being with her.

He could be such a dumbass sometimes.

Then he went into his kitchen to see if he had a vase for the flowers.

A few minutes later, a contrite Daisy joined him.

"I'm sorry about the camera comment," she said, and he nodded.

"I'm sorry for getting so bent out of shape. I get there's a stigma connected to the industry, but not everyone involved is a dirtbag," he said. "Besides, it was a long time ago, and I no longer have any connection to the biz. I'm trying to be the best person I can be. I just... don't have any hangups about sex."

"ASS ASS IN?" she asked curiously.

He snorted and rubbed his face. "Not the most brilliant plot for an adult film, but it showcased some of the most beautiful butts in the industry enjoying some back door fun. It was the last film I starred in."

Daisy's eyes were wide as she nodded and blushed. "I need to get back to the office. Thank you for a lovely... morning."

Ash snorted in amusement, and she burst into nervous giggles.

He walked her to the door. "Take care, Daisy. Have a lovely day!" he said as he opened the door for her.

She nodded with a blush on her cheeks and rushed over to her car. He watched her leave, then headed back inside.

-=-

As she backed out of the driveway, Daisy stopped to check for traffic coming down the hill. That's when she saw Holly and Heather, two of the neighborhood wives, standing on the sidewalk just uphill from Ash's driveway, speaking to each other. They'd obviously seen her as they waved and approached her passenger side window.

She was so flustered as she was still recovering from the exquisite sex and her discovery of his past, but she couldn't just drive away, as the road wasn't clear. Trapped, she rolled the window down, and they leaned down to smile at her through the window.

"Hello, Daisy! You managed to sell the home quickly! I do hope you found a good match for the neighborhood this time," Holly said as Heather grinned.

Nicola's original description came to her, and she was speaking the words before she could think.

"He's a recent widower, there were no children, and he's retired. His name is Ashby Moor." Her mouth worked silently for a second, then she smiled at them. "He's a lovely man. He's still unpacking, though his bedroom is done."

That's when she realized what she was saying and finally stopped.

"Really, his bedroom is ready for use? You know this because...." Holly asked as Heather's grin widened.

"Tour, I got a tour. Sorry, I have to go! Bye!" she said as the ladies leaned back from the window to watch her peel out of the driveway and rush up the road. She glanced in her rearview mirror and saw they were still watching her.

She hoped she hadn't caused too much grief for Ash. Those ladies really were a neighborhood menace!

-=-

Holly shared a smile with her friend and neighbor, Heather. "I must admit, I'm intrigued. A retired widower doesn't usually sound too promising, but did you see how dishevelled Daisy's make-up and hair were? She's always so perfectly presentable!"

"She did say she got a tour of his bedroom," Heather grinned wickedly.

Holly nodded as she hid her own wicked glee. "We should drop by, say hello, and make sure to invite him to our potluck dinner party next weekend!"

"Yes, we must!" the slim brunette agreed.

They walked up the driveway, across the walkway, and faced the front door.

Holly pressed the doorbell with a smile.

A few moments later, the door opened, and the first thing they saw was a flash of white hair as the (old?) man bent down to move some packing materials that had fallen into the doorway. When he stood back up, both ladies sucked in a brief gasp.

"Hi!" he said as he looked expectantly at them.

This was not an old man! He was young, fit, and handsome! Maybe he was the son--no, Daisy said no children. It had to be him!

"You wouldn't happen to be our new neighbor, Ashby Moor, would you? Daisy Pruitt gave us your name," she said.

He smiled and nodded. "That's me."

Holly recovered quickly. "Hello! I'm Holly Marshall, your neighbor just up the hill. This is Heather Cumberland, your neighbor just down the hill. We understand you're just moving in, and we don't want to interrupt you. Our block has an annual tradition of gathering at my home for a potluck dinner. It's scheduled for next Sunday at six PM, and we'd like to invite you as our latest member of the neighborhood."

He smiled. "That sounds like fun. I have to warn you, though, I'm not much of a cook. My recipe book is comprised of quick and simple meals for one or two," he said.

Holly patted him on the arm, taking the opportunity to get in a quick squeeze. "Not to worry. Your neighbor across the road was the same way the first year he arrived, but he just tripled the recipe and brought the lovely meal in several casserole dishes. There will be a lot of food, and we all just sample from each."

"Ah, okay. I'm looking forward to it!" Ash said.

"We'll let you get back to unpacking and see you then!" Holly said, and received a nod. Heather grinned happily as she backed away.

As they walked back up the sidewalk toward her home, the woman looked at her bestie.

"It looks like we might have finally hit the jackpot!" Holly purred.

Heather shot her a concerned look. "Our husbands aren't so dim that they won't recognize the potential for cheating!"

Holly turned and locked eyes with Heather. "And what will they do about it? Get jealous? Confront us about remaining faithful? Heather! We have photographic and video evidence of their fucking around on us! The money we spent on the detective was a good investment." She touched her friend's arm and gave her a compassionate smile. "Neither of us is interested in a divorce. We have a good life here, though there could be more opportunities for excitement. Our winter girls' getaways to Mexico are a relief, but they're also too infrequent and short." She gestured to their new neighbor's place. Can you imagine how convenient it would be to have access to such a man all the time?"

Heather agreed with her bold friend and craved that attention too, so she returned the smile and nodded.

Holly smiled as she'd won, as she knew she would. "Come on! Let's get working on the preparations for the weekend!"

Chapter 6

All work and no play makes Ashby a dull boy, so he decided to take the following morning off and go for a bike ride. He did a little research and found a good mountain bike trail not too far away.

The morning dawned clear and cool, and he quickly put on his full-length pants, long-sleeved jersey, and jacket. He loaded the bike on the bus's bike rack, filled his water bottles, and grabbed his backpack with his repair kit and energy bars. These food items were for road biking, but he thought they'd work just as well for mountain biking.

He hit the road, and the drive wasn't long. The cycling route recommendation he'd found online the previous night had the route start off in a neighborhood not far north of Monterey Regional Airport. The initial section would take him through the streets of Seaside before heading into the hills for singletrack.

He parked and got his bike ready. He'd loaded the route into his cell navigation app so he wouldn't get lost. His phone would give him turn-by-turn navigation.

He was grateful for the casual city riding in the initial section, as it was a shakedown ride for his new mountain bike. He stopped to make a few adjustments to the seat height and position, brake lever angle, and handlebar height. Once it felt comfortable, he reached the section that left the paved roads in favor of dirt singletrack.

Ash kept his speed down as this was unfamiliar territory, and he didn't need to injure himself on his very first ride.

The countryside was interesting, but he gave the trail his full attention as there were some challenging sections.

One of these drops gave him something extra to worry about as he began to hear a loud hissing sound.

He managed to reach a level spot at the base, only to discover his rear tire was completely flat.

Shit.

He pulled off the trail and flipped his bike over to rest on the seat and handlebars. Slowly spinning the rear wheel, he came upon the trouble. It was a small bit of stick.

A little piece of wood was sticking out of the tire. Incredibly, he'd hit it at just the right angle, and it was just pointy and stiff enough to stab completely through a new tire and inner tube.

He removed the tiny wooden spike and confirmed it had a very pointy end.

Shit.

He undid the quick-release on the rear wheel and unthreaded it from the chain. Digging through his repair kit, he found his tire levers and removed the tire from the rim. After tugging the inner tube from the tire, he saw it was badly torn. He wasn't sure whether a patch would fix it. He was glad he had spare tubes.

Returning to dig through the repair kit, he discovered another problem. When he'd upgraded his bike from road to mountain, he'd failed to replace his spare inner tubes with ones that fit his new wheels. All he had were much narrower road bike inner tubes.

The icing on this cake was that the adhesive in his inner-tube repair kit had dried out.

Shit!

Looking around, he saw and heard no one. Ash checked his map and saw he was only thirteen miles into a twenty-six-mile loop.

Shit.

He suddenly heard the sound of gravel crunching under bike tires, and another rider appeared over the hilltop.

He faced the slope just as a man on a mountain bike nimbly hopped over a washout in the trail and cruised down the slope.

The man spotted Ash off to the side, his bike in the HELP upside-down position, and applied the brakes to slow and pull off the trail a short distance from Ash.

"Had some trouble?" the man asked with a smile. He was obviously feeling a little buzzed from the adrenaline rush the ride gave him.

Ash noted the man was at least six inches shorter than he was, and broad-shouldered with powerful-looking muscles! He couldn't really guess the man's age more accurately than saying he was older than Ash.

"Yeah, I got a flat from a stick that punctured a brand-new tire. Then I discovered I didn't have any spare tubes as I forgot to buy some when I switched from a road bike to a mountain bike," Ash returned.

"No patch kit?" the man asked as he swung his leg off his bike and walked it closer.

Ash sighed. "Ancient. It dried out."

The man's grin widened. "And it happened this far out."

"On my first ever ride on my new bike," Ash agreed. He showed the man his tire, and they looked at the hole from the outside and the inside.

"You're saying a wooden splinter did this?" the man asked incredulously.

Ash looked down and around his feet to find it. When he did, he picked it up and handed it to the other man.

"Wow, that's a first for me! The stars aligned for you badly. I have a spare inner tube you can have, but maybe we should patch the inside of the tire to prevent that weak point from damaging the next inner tube," the man suggested.

"If you don't mind," Ash said in relief.

The man held out his hand. "My name's Frank."

"Ash," he returned, and they shook.

Frank made quick work of patching the inside of the tire. "You're replacing the tire, yes?"

"Oh, definitely!" Ash concurred.

While Frank was working on that, Ash prepared the new inner tube Frank gave him. Then they finally had the new tube inside the tire and on the rim. Ash pumped it up, and they got the wheel back onto his bike.

"You are a lifesaver!" Ash said with a wide grin. "How much do I owe you?"

Frank just waved a hand. "When you get to a bike shop, buy an extra spare for the next guy. I'm a firm believer in paying it forward."

Ash nodded as he grinned at Frank.

"Why don't we ride together until we get back to the city, just in case you get attacked by another stick?" Frank suggested with a grin.

"That would greatly ease my mind!" Ash agreed.

Frank led the way and got them back on course. They stopped from time to time to critique particularly difficult sections ahead, discussing the best path through them.

Ash's tire repair held, and they eventually made it to the beginnings of the city streets.

"Perhaps, as a first ride, I should have tried something a little less advanced," Ash said with a grin.

"That was more fun than riding alone!" Frank said and got a nod. "I'm retired, so I typically ride during the week as there are fewer people on the trails."

"I'm retired as well," Ash said with a grin, enjoying Frank's expression of surprise. "I'm new to the area. I just moved from LA to Carmel. I don't know anyone here, and I don't know what trails are available. I'd welcome another ride with you."

They shared email addresses so they could keep in touch and plan another ride.

"Thanks again! See you later!" Ash said as they rode in separate directions.

Ash drove to the local bike shop in Carmel to pick up new tires (he no longer trusted the current ones' strength), five inner tubes, and a replacement for his tube-repair kit.

When he finally got home, he swapped out the tires and tubes, then soaked in his bathtub. The route had been a little too aggressive for a first ride.

But he'd made his first friend, so he counted the day as a success!

Chapter 7

Sunday night, at five minutes past six, Ash stood before the front door of Holly Marshall's home carrying a canvas bag containing his contribution to the potluck dinner. He took a deep breath and pressed the doorbell.

After only a short wait, the door opened, and he was facing Holly in a daring, red party dress. What made it daring was how it presented her breasts up and forward like gifts from the goddess. They were spectacular and eye-trapping, but Ash's years of exposure to such ploys made him mostly immune. He didn't want to disappoint her, so he gave her an admiring smile (as she was expecting that at least).

"Holly! You look incredible! Now I feel underdressed! Neighborhood potluck suggests a more bohemian atmosphere, and you look like you are ready for Paris!"

She preened under his praise and admiring look, so he knew he hadn't gone too far.

"Nonsense! You look absolutely delic--dashing tonight!" she slipped.

He'd prepared for this evening by dressing in his soft black leather slacks, black leather shoes, and a stylish silk shirt with a bright, colorful floral print against white. The shirt was soft and formfitting as were his pants, so his body wasn't being hidden either. It just wasn't as blatant as Holly's presentation. It was very comfortable.

A man joined them in the entryway, and Ash immediately picked up on big-husband energy. He was almost six feet tall and relatively fit, but he dressed in black as if to impart a sense of power, domination, and danger. Ash had dealt with this before at the beginning of his career. Images flashed through the back of his mind of others who chose this color for the same purpose. He pushed those memories away.

In this instance, the telltale signs of a facelift and having hair dyed a little too dark for his skin tone dulled the impact.

"And who is this?" the man asked with a smile that didn't quite reach his eyes.

"Daryl, darling, this is our new neighbor from the house next door, Ashby Moor," Holly practically purred, and Ash saw the man's hackles begin to rise.

"Mr. Marshall. It's very nice to meet you," Ash said as he thrust his hand forward.

This subservient behavior set Daryl's concerns to rest, and his smile returned. His handshake was a little too firm, but Ash went along with the game and pretended to hide his sore hand.

The man ate it up and became the man of the house once more. "Come in and meet the rest of your neighbors!" he insisted.

Daryl led the way, of course, and Holly shot Ash a curious look behind her husband's back. Ash locked eyes with her and raised a single brow, which was enough to let her know Ash was playing him.

Her smile returned, and she followed them into a large solarium at the back of the house.

Ash allowed himself to gaze at the lovely glassed-in space, which was lit with fairy lights and a few cleverly placed spotlights. The space seemed filled with people, and a long table at one end of the room held the potluck dishes.

Heather appeared before him, collecting the canvas bag he was carrying. He did his best to maintain a friendly smile as she followed Holly's risqué party-wear game plan. The tight spandex one-piece had flowy bits attached at key locations to conceal private parts. Instead, the peek-a-boo nature of the fabric flowed with the slightest movement of the wearer, highlighting her camel toe with a piercing, her nipple piercings, and her tight ass. The long, tight braid she'd bound her hair in hinted at the possibility of her interest in a little bondage play. All she needed was a Gimp mask.

"Hello again, Heather!" he said with a happy smile, and she almost simpered.

Now that he had a closer look at her, he could see she'd had some work done. Her lips were just a little plumper than nature usually offered, and her firm breasts pressing at her top were another surgically enhanced feature. Considering the slimness of her body, carrying this much up top couldn't be natural.

When she rushed away, he swore he caught sight of the bulge of a butt plug pressing against her tight outfit. He glanced at Holly, who seemed delighted that he'd noticed. A man stepped forward and Daryl introduced him as Herman Cumberland, Heather's husband.

Alarm bells went off in Ash's mind as he'd met this Hollywood producer decades earlier. It was at a party thrown for potential investors for Anselm Detweiler's next movie. It was a spy drama with lots of hardcore sex and violence. Anselm wanted a bigger budget than he typically had, so he was fishing amongst the sharks.

They'd brought in a lot of talent to entertain the potential investors. Ash had been one of them, but he'd told Anselm in no uncertain terms that he wasn't interested in having sex with these limp dicks. They weren't good people.

Anselm knew Ash had no screen chemistry with other male actors, though he'd work with them, so he hadn't paired him with another man unless a female star was with them.

This was one of the few times the director became angry with him. Ash was told he could leave, so he did. That began a dramatic scale-back of his roles in Anselm's movies.

The writing was on the wall.

Ash's mind returned from his memories as he shook the hand of the slimebag who'd reportedly fucked three of the female talent, then pissed on them before leaving the party.

Herman worked in mainstream Hollywood, but he had a bad reputation for sowing discord among adult cinema directors, crew, and talent. It seemed like his hobby.

It was a struggle to maintain his smile, but he managed. Thankfully, Herman had no recollection of Ash and acted like he was above meeting the riffraff.

It was a relief to move on to meet Warren Hawkins and his wife, Janice. Unfortunately, Warren couldn't fake interest longer than it took them to say hello.

Having had so much contact with the symptoms, Ash noted the signs of substance abuse in the man who was identified as a financial controller of a major pharmaceuticals manufacturer. His mind was likely disintegrating under the strain of a custom chemical cocktail.

Janice, on the other hand, was delightful, and he picked up immediately that she was part of Holly's posse. While she was older than Holly and Heather by at least five years, she had the energy of a woman a decade younger and a mischievous twinkle in her eye. Her blouse and skirt were just a little tight on her fit body.

Next to be introduced was Kelly Sinclair. Apparently, she was the fourth pillar in Holly's housewife squad. She was petite in stature but blessed with outrageous curves she'd squeezed into a sheath dress tonight. There was so much to admire.

Daryl frowned. "Where's Floyd?"

Kelly tore her eyes away from Ash and frowned. "He was called in for a meeting at head office."

Daryl nodded to her, then shared a secret look with Herman, who did a poor job of hiding his leer. So, Floyd might be otherwise engaged in ways that had nothing to do with his office.

That tracked for Ash.

None of the men seemed aware of their wives' behavior tonight, aside from Daryl's initial suspicion, which was quickly settled. Their wives were just another asset in their games.

Ash wasn't surprised that they paid so little attention to the asset they already 'owned' and focused their minds on acquiring more.

Kelly was called away by Heather, who was by the buffet table. Holly went with her. Ash spotted Janice moving to join them.

Then Ash was standing before a goddess. Tall, with white-blonde hair and an absolutely rocking body... with a significant baby bump! Her lovely green eyes watched him as her intelligent mind assessed him. He found himself grinning in delight.

"This is Elyse Dunn... and child," Daryl said in an attempt at wit. He hadn't given her Ash's name as he'd likely forgotten it.

"Children, actually. Twins," she said proudly.

Another man, wearing dark blue but with the gravitas to pull it off, moved up beside the beauty and placed his hand possessively on her back.

"Ash?" he said in surprise.

Ash locked eyes with the man, and his smile widened. "Frank! You're my neighbor?"

Frank chuckled and nodded. "Elyse owned your home two couples before you moved in. We did most of the renovations on the home together."

Ash laughed at the kismet of the situation, and Elyse watched him more closely, glancing at her husband curiously.

"This is the fellow I met when I went out for a bike ride the other day," he explained.

"Frank saved my bacon as I got a flat and I had no spare tubes. I was at least ten miles from my bus," Ash said with a wide smile.

"You drive a bus?" Frank asked.

"A 1967 Volkswagen Minibus Type 2 with the Sunroof Deluxe and twenty-one windows, in red and white!" he recited with pride. "Refurbished it myself."

"If you'll excuse me, I'm needed at the grill," Daryl said and quickly left before anyone could speak.

Ash watched him go, then turned back to Frank and Elyse. "Congratulations! Twins! That's a lot of responsibility!"

Frank chuckled, but his face glowed with pride and joy. He gave Elyse a kiss on the cheek, and she glowed with love as well.

This was what love looked like to Ash, and he was thrilled to know they were his neighbors. "So, you own that lovely home across the street from me? Does it have enough room for twins?"

"It's larger than it looks. We'll make it work," Frank said, and Elyse nodded.

"It's nice to have your bicycle buddy living across the street from you," Elyse teased Frank. He looked like he might try to defend himself, then just shook his head at her smug little smile.

"I certainly appreciate it," Ash said.

"Interesting dynamic this neighborhood has," Elyse said.

Ash saw she was watching him closely. "Oh, you mean the welcoming committee? They seem harmless enough."

Elyse scoffed quietly. "Harmless as a pack of wolves, and a lamb was just tossed into their midst!"

Ash was caught by surprise by her assessment and laughed aloud. He took a moment to rein that in.

"Ah, sorry. It's been a long time since someone mistook me for a lamb," he chuckled.

Elyse was watching him. "Maybe an alpha wolf instead?" she asked pointedly.

Ash shook his head gently and smiled. "I don't follow that alpha-beta male nonsense." He paused as he considered his response. "It's more a case of prior experience with promiscuous people."

Frank was beginning to look concerned. "Are you going to... participate?"

Ash smiled at Frank's gentle phrasing. "I would never initiate sex with a married woman. That said, if one approaches me for sex, then their marriage is either an open one or it's already in trouble. I wouldn't instigate the breaking of a marriage."

Frank's frown turned into a scowl. "You're fine with being the temptation?"

Ash looked at Frank, who was bristling, and realized that he had skin in this game. A past relationship gone bad?

He noticed that the other men had followed Daryl outside to tend the barbecue. Their wives were preparing the dishes to be served. So, they had privacy if they were quiet. He leaned a little closer to the couple and spoke softly.

"Temptation? Frank, are you someone who blames the rape on the woman because she wore a sexy dress?" he asked quietly.

Frank leaned back in revulsion. "No! That's not the same--"

"Isn't it? I'm not responsible for the actions of those who find me attractive, nor am I targeting married women for sex. I moved to this town for a new beginning in my life. I'm not here to create chaos amongst my neighbors," he said calmly as he held Frank's eyes. "That said, I was warned in advanced that some of my neighbors caused the previous owners to leave due to their... flirtiness."

Elyse snorted softly in amusement, and Ash smiled. "I can flirt with the best of them. It's fun! But my initial impression is that these ladies have progressed well beyond that stage. Honestly? I don't care. That's their business. If they want fidelity in their marriages, isn't that up to them?"

Frank still seemed off-balance. "But you'd participate?" Frank pressed, and Elyse placed her hand on his chest.

Ash tried to understand Frank's tension and, once more, wondered what had happened to him.

"It... it's just sex," Ash said gently.

"Oh, poo! You're having a conversation about my favorite topic, and you didn't include me!" Holly said as she walked closer, the other ladies were just a step behind.

Ash grinned at them. "Do you also feel there's too much sex on TV these days?"

"Not enough!" Heather blurted, causing her friends to burst into giggles. Holly smiled, but Ash could see her suspicion that she'd missed something more interesting.

She was a cunning one.

Frank settled himself, and Elyse's hand in his seemed to bring him back to a calm state.

"Steaks are ready! Let's eat!" Daryl bellowed from the entrance.

A long table had been set up in the solarium, and Ash glanced at the name tags on the way to the buffet table. He noticed he was positioned between Holly and Heather and across from Frank and Elyse. He hoped the ladies would be good and Frank would lighten up.

Daryl served himself the largest steak and cherry-picked from the other offerings before taking his spot at the head of the table.

Herman was next and followed Daryl's moves almost identically. Warren's appetite for food was suppressed by whatever concoction he was experimenting with, so his plate was half empty.

Frank was selective and didn't load his plate with too much. Elyse let Frank make a plate of her favorites and carry them back to the table.

Ash saw nametags next to each dish and memorized who provided what so he could direct his compliments to the proper recipient. He didn't load his plate too full, as it would be far too easy to overeat.

As he headed back to the table, Holly caught his eye. "Heather made her famous Sangria if you'd like a glass."

"Ah, thanks, but I'll just have water," he said, gesturing to the water pitcher on the table. "Thirteen years sober," he said with a smile.

"Oh! Good for you!" Holly replied, but she seemed a little disappointed.

"My body is my temple, but I'm going to treat it to Janice's decadently rich potato salad, a temptation I can't resist!"

Janice burst into pleased giggles, and Holly's smile returned. Bodies, decadence, and temptation were obviously on her list of favorite topics.

Ash had chosen the smallest steak to once more assure Daryl's ego that he wasn't trying to challenge him. He saw the man's smile as he compared the servings. It took effort not to roll his eyes.

It seemed Elyse had calmed Frank's ire, and Ash was relieved to see this.

He sampled some of Frank's Paella and closed his eyes to savor the flavor.

"Frank! Your paella is incredible! Is the recipe a family secret or would you be willing to share?" Ash asked reverently.

Frank looked at him in surprise, then smiled a little. "It's not a secret. I'll email you a copy."

"Thank you! The subtleness of the saffron is wonderful!" Ash said, enjoying another mouthful.

Frank's smile widened as he appreciated someone noticing the details.

Ash refreshed his taste buds with a little water and bit into a piece of steak. The smaller ones, he unfortunately discovered, had too much gristle in them, so he just nodded at Daryl in appreciation and got a smug nod in return.

All the food was really good, but Frank's was categorically the winner.

"What did you bring?" Daryl asked.

"My skills at cooking are pedestrian at best, but I make delicious brownies," Ash admitted.

"Laced with anything interesting?" Warren asked keenly.

Ash smiled. "Purest Columbian... Cocoa."

That caused giggles around the table as Warren's excited expression dropped on the last word.

"Truly, it's a from-scratch recipe. I can't recall where I found it, but it's foolproof, hence my ability to master it," Ash said.

Once they finished complimenting the meal, Ash did a quick headcount and compared it to the number of houses on their street. "Do we have one home unrepresented here?"

Frank nodded. "One of our neighbors recently lost her husband. Beverly Stoddart's husband, Rick, had a heart attack and passed away. Beverly moved back to her old hometown to live with her sister. The house hasn't been put on the market yet for some reason. When it does, we'll get another new neighbor."

"Ah! Had they lived there for long?" Ash asked.

Frank looked over at Holly. "They were there when we moved here three years ago."

"Beverly and Rick moved here about twelve years ago. Rick was a heavy smoker of the cheapest cigars and enjoyed his wine a little too much. Beverly joined us for yoga, but Rick did nothing for his health."

"Oh! Is there a good yoga studio in town?" Ash asked with interest.

"Tell me you're not one of those New Age incense-burning nutcases!" Herman groaned.

Ash chuckled and ignored the glares Herman was getting from the ladies. "Not that extreme. I do enjoy yoga and cycling. Frank, have you tried yoga?"

Frank looked a little embarrassed to be put on the spot, but he glanced at Elyse before answering.

"Elyse and I do yoga together at home every morning," he admitted.

Elyse smiled with love in her eyes. "It's helping with my pregnancy, and Frank is far more limber than he's ever been."

"Elyse!" Frank gasped as the woman bounced her eyebrows at the other ladies, who giggled as they enjoyed the imagery.

Ash chuckled at Frank's embarrassment and couldn't keep the smile off his face. This was how a loving couple should behave.

"Will you be signing up for membership at the studio?" Kelly asked Ash eagerly.

He looked at the group of four. "If you think it's a good one, send me the studio details, and I'll check them out."

Kelly immediately pulled out her cell and asked Ash for his email address. He said it to her and noted the other ladies adding the account to their phones, too. He thought he'd better pretend not to notice and deflect their husband's attention.

Ash then looked at the men. "What sporting activities are available here other than cycling?"

"Tennis and golf," Daryl offered immediately. "Do you play either?"

"I've played both, and I'm not bad, but not good enough to make it a habit or want to pay the clubhouse membership fees," Ash said with a smile. "I don't own my own clubs or a racket."

"Yes, it can be expensive. I have drivers that cost what a waitress makes in a year," Daryl bragged and got chuckles from Herman and Warren.

"Did I hear correctly that you're retired?" Herman asked.

"Yes, I've been retired for years, but I live frugally," Ash replied.

Eyebrows rose. "Carmel isn't a place for those who must live frugally!" Daryl challenged.

"I said I live frugally. I never said I must," Ash responded with a little smile.

"He's not married, so he's free of that expense," Herman quipped tactlessly, and Heather gave him a hurt look. "Just kidding, honey," he said to appease her.

Ash sighed as he knew what was coming. "I was married, but she died recently."

"Ah, living on the inheritance! You married into wealth?" Herman asked with a smile.

Ash shared a look with Frank and Elyse, then faced Herman. He knew the man had the empathic capacity of a brick, so trying to make him understand would be a lost effort. But he wasn't the only one listening.

"I had my own money, well invested, when I met Tristan. We kept our financial worlds separate because she had rich parents, and I didn't need it. After she died, I discovered she'd secretly willed everything to me. I sold her house and invested that money. I sold a property I owned when I moved here. I wasn't born to wealth, but I know how to invest it and make it work for me. Living frugally is a choice, as I understand that more things don't equal more happiness."

"He is a New Age incense-burning nutcase! The entire point of life is the accumulation of things!" Herman groaned.

"The accumulation, not the owning?" Ash asked him.

Herman paused and gave Ash a piercing look. "To acquire is to have. It's the same thing!"

"But what part brings you the most joy? The act of acquiring the item or the fact of ownership? Many people discover they've lost the rush once they possess the item. It was the hunt that excited them. They actually feel less happy once they have what they hunted, and seeing the item just reminds them that the hunt is over. To me, that seems terribly sad," Ash explained.

The three men were frowning at Ash as if he'd just invalidated their way of life.

"I own four things that make me happy because I possess them: my VW minibus, my motorcycle, my bicycle, and my home. They all have a practical purpose. In my early years of independence, the bus was my home and my transportation as I searched for my place in the world. I made it run with my own two hands, so it represents achievement and survival to me. I also rebuilt my motorcycle from a wreck that an old friend gave me for my birthday. Riding it gives me a sense of freedom. I get a similar feeling on my bicycle, except I'm closer to nature, and it improves my fitness. Finally, my home gives me roots, a place in the world to call mine." Ash smiled at the others. The three men's expressions ranged from confused to annoyed. Their wives were watching him like a delectable bonbon.

He glanced over at Frank and Elyse, and they weren't giving him the evil eye, at least. Maybe reserved was the best description of the expression they directed at him.

They were probably still hung up on his attitude toward sex.

This seemed like a good time to serve the dessert, so the ladies uncovered the pies, cookies, and brownies.

His dessert was a big hit, and he enjoyed Kelly's apple pie, much to her delight.

Once the plates were cleared, Daryl announced he was heading outside onto the patio to enjoy some brandy and cigars. Guests were welcome to join him.

Not surprisingly, only Warren and Herman followed him out, and they didn't seem disappointed that they had the area to themselves.

"Not a cigar connoisseur?" Ash asked Frank, eliciting a gentle chuckle from the man.

"No, I've never smoked, and Rick's cigar smoke used to drive me inside from my backyard when he'd light one up on his deck up the hill," Frank explained.

Ash nodded. "Not a fan of them myself. I used to smoke, a long time ago. I'm glad I quit."

They settled into chairs, arranged in a circle where cocktails, coffee, and tea were served.

He and Frank stuck with water, but Elyse enjoyed herbal tea while the other ladies had another glass of Heather's Sangria.

Holly launched into her interrogation. "Ash, Daisy also mentioned to us that you were retired. What did you retire from?"

He'd been expecting that question, and he had his prepared answer.

"I was like so many other young and foolish dreamers who went to LA to become a star. It didn't work out as I expected, again, as it doesn't for the majority. Then I was in a terrible car accident that gave me a large lawsuit settlement. Another kind of American Dream?" He smiled to himself, then continued. "I invested that money and did my best to disappear."

"How large a settlement did you get to be able to retire so early?" Heather gasped.

He smiled at her. "Enough to buy a small home and live frugally."

Holly launched her next salvo. "Daisy also mentioned you are a recent widow. Our condolences."

The ladies all murmured how sorry they were for his loss, and he did his best to pretend he believed them. Frank and Elyse watched him and nodded, which felt more honest.

"Yes, I met Tristan at an AA meeting in LA, and we struck it off. She was an only child whose parents had passed, so she was on shaky ground support-wise. I also had no one, so we leaned on each other. It wasn't easy for either of us, but we managed to get our lives back under control. Life felt good again." His smile slipped into a frown as his conscience pricked him. He'd missed the early signs of her mental slide.

"It turned out that Tristan was more troubled than I grasped. She began to pick up other self-destructive... behaviors. She pulled away from our marriage. I couldn't follow her down that path, so we separated." He took a sip of water to soothe his dry throat. "She... died... with another man. That's when I discovered she'd left me her estate." He forced a smile on his face and let out a breath he's been holding. "Sorry for bringing the mood of the party down. I guess I'm still tired from all the unpacking."

Holly was genuinely sympathetic. "No, I'm sorry we forced you to relive that."

His smile cracked, and he suddenly felt the need to be alone. His emotional vulnerability was making him feel very awkward. Dark memories were surfacing. "Thank you so much for the invite to this get-together! It was truly wonderful to meet my new neighbors! If you don't mind, I think I'll head home and get some rest. Please say my goodbyes to the fellas."

Everyone stood as he did, and Frank shook his hand as Elyse touched his arm with a warm smile.

The ladies each gave him a hug before he could reach the front door and step outside. He waved as he walked to the sidewalk. He forced the old memories back and focused on the view of his new sanctuary as he walked down the hill to his home.

Once he was inside, he did his best to ignore the boxes and immediately headed for the bedroom. He stripped on the way and dropped onto his bed to bury his face in a pillow.

He went through the steps of his relaxation routine, and gradually the buzz in his mind eased until sleep finally took him.

Chapter 8

Ash was elbow-deep in a box when he heard his cell ring. He left the books in the box and looked at the screen. A long-distance call from an international number? He answered on the sixth ring.

"Hello?"

"Ash! How are you? This is Nicola!"

A smile instantly spread across his face. "Nicola! I'm good. Where are you?"

"Enjoying a pre-dinner drink on the deck of a yacht in Ta' Xbiex, Malta."

Ash checked the clock, and it was close to ten thirty where he was. "Pre-dinner? What time is it there?"

"Half past seven. Dinner isn't until half past nine," she said with a smile in her voice.

"What brought you all the way to Malta? I thought you were in Paris for an audition," he said.

She made a sound of disappointment. "The audition was a bust. They'd already decided on the lead. It was a waste of my time."

Ash frowned as it was a waste of her money, too. Fucking show business.

"And getting to Malta?"

"The director's wife felt bad and invited me to spend a week with her in Malta," Nicola sighed as she stretched out on her lounge chair.

"Ah," Ash said, knowing there would be strings attached to that.

He heard Nicola's smile return. "Yes, ah. She's a lovely woman, and we've had fun both off and on the ship, but my flight back to LA leaves tomorrow. I have a meeting with my agent and a dinner with one of the producers of that television series I was telling you about, but after that, I was wondering if you'd mind if I popped up to visit you at your place to see how you're settling in," she asked hopefully.

Ash felt his spirits lifting. "I would love to have you come for a visit! Who knows, I might even be finished unpacking when you get here!"

Nicola made a happy squealing sound. "Perfect! I'll send you an update when I get back to LA."

"Great! Looking forward to it!" he said.

"Oh! I forgot to ask. Have you met your overly flirty neighbors?" she teased.

He grinned. "Yes, I have in fact. I went to a very nice neighborhood potluck dinner with all of them just last night. The couple living across the street is really nice, and they're having twins soon. The rest are sex starved housewives with neglectful husbands who are clearly getting some on the side. They're a bit of a mess."

"Is that buyer's remorse I hear?" Nicola asked.

"Nope. I love it here so far. Looking forward to having you here soon, too!" he said.

"Mmm, I love the sound of that!" she purred, then giggled. "Talk to you soon!"

Ash said goodbye and hung up.

Now he had extra motivation to finish his unpacking.

-=-

It was approaching dinner time, and he was bundling the cardboard from the last of the boxes. He'd gone all out and managed to complete the remaining unpacking in mere hours. He promised himself he'd relax over the next few days until Nicola arrived.

Maybe he'd get in another bike ride.

The doorbell rang, pulling him from his thoughts. He walked toward the front entrance and caught sight of himself in the mirror there.

Shit, he was a sweaty, dusty mess!

He shrugged to himself and opened the door.

Standing on his step was Kelly Sinclair. In her hands were half an apple pie and the canvas bag he'd brought his brownies in.

"Good evening, Kelly!"

She beamed him a dazzling smile, then her eyes locked on his tight, sweaty shirt clinging to his chest.

"Oh! Did I catch you at a bad time?" she gasped as she let her eyes roam.

He shook his head. "I just finished unpacking the last of my items. I was tidying up."

"Ah! Well... I just brought you some apple pie as you seemed to have enjoyed it last night," she said, and bit her lip as she brought her eyes back up from admiring his chest.

He grinned to himself as she'd fed him the easiest line.

"Your pie is delicious. I enjoyed it very much!" he said smoothly.

She froze as she heard the innuendo, and her eyes widened as her smile became a grin. She chuckled, obviously enjoying the flirting.

"I'm sorry I didn't get to meet Floyd last night. Is he home yet?" he asked.

She shook her head, causing her long brown hair to bounce and flow over her shoulders. "He won't be home until Tuesday."

"It's a shame he leaves you alone for so long," Ash said with a smile.

Kelly began to giggle with excitement, adding a jiggle to parts of her anatomy that jiggled very well.

"Would you care to come in for a bit?" Ash asked.

"Thank you!" she said and followed him inside as he stepped back.

She looked around and saw that the living room furniture was in place, but the room still felt a little empty.

Ash glanced around and saw the lack of personal touches. "It's a work in progress. I still have to add the character."

He pointed to the kitchen island. "You can drop the items there. Please, have a seat. I should grab a quick shower to wash off all this dust and sweat," he offered.

Kelly nodded and gave his chest another stare.

Ash didn't wait for a response but turned and walked down the hall to the bedroom and into the master bath. He stripped his clothes and stepped into the shower to rinse off. He really was a sweaty mess.

Washing himself quickly, he soon felt human again.

As he suspected might happen, he felt another presence enter the bathroom. He wiped the water from his face and turned to face Kelly, who was standing before the shower, completely naked.

She was almost a foot shorter than he was, but those curves she'd displayed in that sheath dress the night before were now on display. He smiled as she seemed comfortable in her own skin. That was far more attractive than attempting to hide herself behind her hands.

"Look who's coming to visit. What would Floyd say?" he asked.

"He has his own extra-marital activities," Kelly said as her eyes were on his cock.

"Head office?" Ash asked, recalling the knowing looks on Daryl and Herman's faces.

Kelly just nodded. Then she looked at Ash. "Do you have a shower cap?"

"Top left drawer by the sink," he said as he rinsed the soap from his back.

She opened the drawer and smiled as she plucked a cap from it and put it on, tucking her luxurious hair into its protection. She looked back in the drawer and lifted a condom. She raised a brow at him, but he just smiled.

"I'm on the pill, so we don't need one of these," she purred.

He nodded as he held his hand out and helped her under the spray.

Ash leaned down and kissed her, and she thrust her tongue into his mouth eagerly.

His back began to feel the difference in height, so he bent his knees, hooked his hands under her ass, and lifted her against his chest. This brought her mouth up to his, and their kiss became hotter.

He was pleasantly surprised by his first visiting neighbor so far!

-=-

Kelly was loving the feeling of her nipples pressing against his hard, manly chest and his hands on her ass. Fuck! He was so much better than that little man she'd been stuck with in Mexico. Holly had chosen their dates, and Kelly got stuck with the runt of the litter. She liked tall men! Ash fit the bill perfectly, and he was so strong!

She was also delighted to have beaten the others to the punch.

Kelly made sure she left Holly's place the night before with Ash's carry bag and the rest of her apple pie. This gave her the perfect excuse for visiting today.

Her chores kept her busy for most of the day, and she was beginning to panic, expecting one of the others to jump at him first. The moment she could, she rushed over to his home.

She gasped as Ash pressed her against the shower stall wall and ground his body against hers.

FUCK! He felt so good!

Suddenly, she felt something hot pressing against her pussy lips, and he pulled back from their kiss so she could gasp as he drove his cock deep inside her.

He was all the way inside, and his body ground against hers, setting off fireworks in her head.

Floyd had never touched her like this! He'd never given her this much pleasure! No one had!

She wrapped her arms over Ash's shoulders and began to moan nonstop as she was rushing closer to her orgasm. The little man in Mexico had been hit and miss with her pleasure, and more often, she had to do the work to find her own orgasm.

Not Ash. He was fucking amazing, and amazing at fucking!

He was looking into her eyes, and it suddenly came to her. He was ensuring she was ready for the next phase! His awareness of her needs took her breath away.

She nodded, and he went into overdrive.

Kelly's mind filled with stars as her pleasure went off the charts. Her orgasm struck, and she wailed silently as her pussy pulsed with her release.

She felt his hot cum surging into her pussy and closed her eyes to fully enjoy the sensation.

This was something else Floyd never did.

Limp dicked prick!

Her friends and their husbands didn't know that she was fully aware of what Floyd was really doing when he was called away to Head Office in LA. Years ago, she'd gotten suspicious as their sex life dwindled to nothing as his trips to the office increased.

So, she paid for a private detective to follow him and document what he was up to.

The pictures the man delivered changed her marriage forever.

Floyd was seeing a dominatrix.

A woman who put him in a leather gimp mask and a cock cage, stepped on him with her high-heeled boots, urinated on him and in his mouth, and degraded him as he groveled at her feet.

The day Floyd returned home after she'd received the detective's report, she sat him down and told him how their lives would be from then on.

It had taken her a long time to get from the poor, isolated, lonely teenager to what she had now. She was finally living the life she wanted, with friends in a lovely home in a beautiful town, and there was no way she was going to let him take that away from her.

He could continue to see the dominatrix. She didn't care.

He would keep working, pretend to be her husband, and bring home paychecks to cover their lifestyle.

The neighbors were not to know. Floyd admitted that he'd told Daryl, Herman, and Warren that he was seeing his side piece on these trips. They didn't know anything about her, or the true him.

That lie would continue. Kelly didn't give a shit about the opinions of the husbands of her friends, as they had no respect for her. She knew the other three ladies thought she was the most innocent and naïve of the four of them, and that dynamic kept her in their group, so she'd play the role.

Kelly liked being friends with Holly, Heather, and Janice. She knew Holly was a little too self-centered and Stephanie was a damaged woman, but Janice was fun to hang out with, and the four of them had fun together. For the first time in her life, she was part of a group of friends, and Floyd wasn't going to do anything to fuck that up.

He would no longer touch Kelly unless in the presence of her friends to maintain the illusion of their marriage.

He would sleep in the spare bedroom.

They didn't have kids as she couldn't, though she told people she was on the pill to avoid an uncomfortable conversation. Floyd didn't want kids. So that wasn't changing.

She would find sex where she pleased, and he'd have no say in it.

So far, their new lifestyle worked. Floyd actually seemed happier as he was no longer lying to her and didn't have to pretend to be sexually attracted to her.

He'd spilled the beans about the other husbands to her, so Kelly was aware of Daryl's string of failed affairs, Herman's rampant sleaziness, and Warren's cheap whores until his recent chemically induced impotence.

She felt sorry for Janice most of all, as she was the nicest of the group.

The only problem remaining for Kelly was the lack of opportunity for sex. For all her air of superiority, Holly was the most risk-averse and wasn't willing to confront her husband about his fucking around so she could make a deal like Kelly had.

Not that Kelly believed Daryl's ego would cope well with learning that his wife took lovers, too.

Of the three husbands, the one whose reaction to such a disclosure worried her the most was Herman. He had a cruel streak. Kelly suspected he'd been damaging Heather's self-esteem for years. Who knew what he would do to her if he found out she'd cheated.

Warren was the type to try to financially destroy Janice if he caught her being unfaithful. Janice didn't deserve that.

"Hey! Where did your mind take you?"

Kelly jolted back to the present and blinked at Ash, who was still supporting her weight in his arms as he watched her with concern.

"What?" she asked.

"You seemed to be enjoying yourself, then the frowns suddenly appeared. Did your mind take you someplace dark?" he asked.

She blushed as her mind had taken her to dark thoughts, but she couldn't tell him that.

She burst into nervous giggles. Perhaps her mind was too easily distracted. "Sorry. Intrusive thoughts." She beamed him a happy, hungry smile. "That was amazing!"

Ash gently lifted her clear of his cock, and she gasped again as a shot of tingles flashed through her.

"Fuck! Oh God, that's good!" she gushed as he lowered her to her feet and held her until she got her legs to support her.

They left the shower and dried off with fluffy towels as they admired each other's bodies.

"You are sexy as hell!" Kelly grinned. "I can't believe your body!"

Ash grinned at her. "Yours is pretty incredible, too."

They shared admiring looks for a moment, then Kelly realized she'd been visiting longer than she should and should go. She sighed. "I should head home."

They finished drying themselves and went back into the bedroom to get dressed.

He walked her to his front door and opened it for her. "Good night!"

She flashed a happy smile at him. "Until we meet again!" she said as she stepped outside.

Ash chuckled and closed the door.

Kelly did her best to walk normally and hide the blissful sensations her body was still humming with. Keeping a pleasant smile on her lips, she crossed the street and walked down the hill to her home's front door.

Floyd wouldn't be getting home until tomorrow. She thought she might take a long hot bath and relive her encounter with Ash using her favorite toy.

It was going to be a good night!

Chapter 9

Sitting at his little table by his patio door, enjoying a quiet breakfast, Ash reviewed his emails and saw a response from the yoga studio he'd been recommended, indicating he was now enrolled in the ten AM class the following morning. This was the time Kelly recommended to him when she sent him the studio's details. Obviously, this was the class she and the ladies attended. He smiled to himself, looking forward to the class and to seeing how the women behaved.

He'd done his morning exercises, including his own yoga session, but he knew doing it in a class would get him better results.

Today, Ash decided to take a ride around town in the morning to explore his new hometown. The sun was out, but the air was cool, so he dressed in his long-sleeved jersey and full-length cycling pants.

He cruised down to and along the shoreline, then headed uphill until he found a little walking path through a wooded park, where he enjoyed the surrounding nature.

"Good morning, neighbor!"

Ash looked to his left and saw Frank on his bike, in his riding gear. He had panniers on his bike racks this time.

"Good morning! Going on a bike tour?" Ash asked with a smile.

Frank grinned. "Grocery run."

Ash widened his eyes in surprise. "Really?"

Frank chuckled. "Yup."

"Mind if I tag along again? I'd like to see how this is done!" Ash said, and Frank nodded.

"Have you done any bike touring?" Ash asked curiously.

"Once, a couple of years ago. Elyse didn't enjoy sleeping on the ground even with a sleep pad," Frank admitted.

They left the park, and it didn't take long to find the grocery store. After they locked their bikes up, Frank grabbed the panniers, got a cart, and they went inside.

"How goes the unpacking?" Frank asked.

"Finished last night!" Ash said with a proud smile.

"That didn't take long!" Frank said as he put a few items into his cart.

"I didn't have that much stuff," Ash admitted.

Frank grinned at him. "So, you walk the walk as well as talk the talk."

Ash looked at him in confusion.

"What you said to the neighborhood husbands about acquiring stuff," Frank said to remind him.

Ash grinned. "Ah, yes! That's true. I don't accumulate things." He sighed as he looked around. "That may have been just a consequence of needing to be able to pick up and move quickly," he said absentmindedly.

"You on the run?" Frank teased.

Ash glanced at him sharply, then saw the man's expression and relaxed. "Funny."

He shook his head. "I just moved around a lot. Since I was a young teen--Is this a good grocery store for prices and variety?" he asked, changing the topic clumsily.

Frank moved down an aisle and pretended not to notice the sudden diversion. "Yeah. I mean, they're all a little expensive in Carmel, but for small, last-minute items, the prices are reasonable, and they have a great produce section. The bigger grocery chains are in Monterey, so that's our go-to place for larger orders."

They walked the aisles, and Ash got a feel for the place. The visit began to take on a comfortable domestic feel. He could see himself coming here for his groceries, too.

At the cashier station, Ash saw the clerk giving them the side-eye and wondered if they looked like a gay couple to the woman, as they were dressed similarly in their skintight spandex and showing off their muscles.

He grinned at the thought. "I'll meet you outside."

It didn't take long for Frank to return with loaded paniers.

"How does that extra weight affect the ride of your bike?" Ash asked.

Frank smiled. "I don't even notice it." Ash gave him a surprised smile.

They rode back through town and cruised down the hill to return to their homes.

"Good ride!" Ash said to Frank and got a smile and a nod.

"Enjoy the rest of your day!" Frank said as he turned into his driveway.

"You as well!" Ash said. He opened his garage door and walked his bike inside.

Once he got into the house, he took a quick shower and got dressed. He needed to stock up on the basic necessities for the kitchen and his pantry, so he'd follow Frank's suggestion and head over to the larger grocery store in Monterey.

Plans made, he grabbed his wallet and keys and headed out again. Things to do!

-=-

When Ash finished putting away his groceries and household items, he smiled at how successful he'd been. The fridge looked as if people actually lived in the house, and the pantry seemed well-stocked for meals to come.

He realized he'd have to sign up for lessons in meal prep because he was seriously outclassed by his neighbors. Frank's paella had been delicious! He needed to know how to make dishes like that!

His cell chirped, and he glanced at the screen. It was Holly! She'd sent him a text.

"Just heard you drive by and was wondering if you had dinner plans?"

He grinned to himself as he knew his VW bus had a very distinct sound, but he hadn't expected anyone to use it for tracking him.

"Not yet," he sent back.

Another chirp. "Consider this an invitation for dinner! Shall we say six PM?"

He smiled as he glanced at his full fridge. He supposed the steak he'd picked up would last until tomorrow.

"Sounds delightful. I'll be there. Thanks!" he sent.

He glanced at the clock and saw he had time to make himself presentable.

He suspected Daryl might be absent, but that was just a suspicion.

-=-

Holly opened her front door, and once more, Ash was presented with a dazzling view of her cleavage, this time with several fine gold chains slipping into that heavenly soft wonderland.

She pressed those delightful cushions against his chest as she leaned in close to kiss his cheeks. He kissed hers as well, and they smiled at each other when they pulled back, and he stepped into the home, closing the door behind himself. He slipped off his leather loafers.

Holly allowed herself a moment to enjoy how hot he looked in his black dress shirt open at the neck and sleeves rolled back to show off his strong forearms. His dark grey slacks clung to his ass and legs.

"Thank you for inviting me for dinner," he said and looked past her, wondering if Daryl would suddenly appear as he had last time.

As if reading his mind, she gently shook her head. "Daryl called to let me know that something came up, and it would be a late one, so he's staying in the city overnight."

"City?" Ash asked as he tried to recall if she'd told him where he worked.

"His company is in Silicon Valley," she said, once more reading his expression.

He frowned gently. "That's what, only ninety minutes away?"

She gave him a coy smile over her shoulder as she turned to walk into the home, gesturing for him to follow. Her long blonde waves of hair bounced and swayed, much like her toned ass in that tight dress.

"Yes, but Daryl doesn't have the stamina he once had in his college football days," she said.

Ash smiled. "Don't tell me, he was the quarterback and you were the head cheerleader?"

She looked back at him and saw he wasn't being critical but was admiring her ass and legs. Her smile widened. "Good guess."

She led him into the solarium again, but this time the table setting was for two. So, the invitation was for an intimate dinner.

"Please have a seat, and I'll bring out our dinner."

Ash looked around once more and admired the home's décor. The art, properly hung and lit on the walls and showcased in display cases, was lovely and intriguing, showing a strong appreciation for the artist's work. It was a tasteful and likely expensive collection. Money had been dedicated to show it off properly.

The furnishings were stylish and tasteful, as were the colors and materials used.

Overall, the home was impressive, and that was probably intentional.

He smiled at Holly as she returned with their dinners.

Once more, the plates showed care in presentation as well as culinary skill.

"I was just admiring your home. You have exquisite taste," Ash said, and watched Holly's smile widen as she enjoyed his compliment.

"Thank you," she said as she sat across from him.

Ash thought of Tristan and her mansion in the gated hillside community and compared that to Carmel. For a moment, he felt as if Holly had been displaced from her natural habitat. It prompted him to ask.

"Why Carmel?"

She looked at him in surprise, then a slow smile appeared on her face. "As opposed to?"

"Someplace with a larger community of like-minded equals," he offered.

Holly smiled and nodded slowly. "Daryl and I lived in San Francisco originally, but a rather nasty earthquake had us move to Los Angeles. We lived there for a decade, but the cultural differences were too great, so we moved to Carmel to be closer to Daryl's work. I thought I was ready to settle down after the stress of LA, but I didn't realize how slow the pace of life would be here. If it weren't for Heather, Janice, and Kelly, I think I might have gone mad."

Ash smiled. "Having a good support team makes all the difference."

She nodded as she watched him. "Who's in your support team?" she asked.

Ash took another bite of his meal and nodded to her in appreciation at the delicious flavors as he considered that question.

"I didn't have one for a long time. I guess I can say I have two friends in LA who fit that criteria, but one is actively pursuing a career in acting, and the other is deeply involved in her community. This limits their availability," he said.

A sudden smile appeared on his face. "Frank seems like a great guy. I enjoy riding my bicycle with him."

Holly smiled and nodded.

"So you have a wonderful group of friends, a beautiful home in a beautiful coastal town, financial security, and a husband with a significant career. Seems like a good life," he said, holding her eyes with his.

"It's devoid of excitement," she said plainly, and Ash's eyebrows rose in question.

She sighed. "I love my friends and my home. I appreciate my financial security for allowing me to keep this lifestyle. I suppose my husband is part of that security, but our relationship has become largely symbolic, as neither of us keeps the vows we made."

"You're aware he's having an affair?" Ash asked.

"An affair?" she scoffed gently. "Affairs is a more accurate term. When we were young college graduates, he had his first fling. It was with another girl on the cheerleading team. He's blind to small details, like perfume and lipstick marks on his clothes. I confronted him, and he promised it was a mistake. I forgave him, and we got married.

Over the years, I've become all too aware of the signs of this straying. I can track the stages of his affairs by his mood. Light-hearted and kind means he has a new bitch on his hook. Inattentive and absent-minded means he's starting to have doubts about the new bitch. Unsettled and moody means the bitch is testing his patience. Grumpy and sarcastic means the bitch dropped him.

I've seen this cycle many times over the years, and I have documented proof of each affair. I hire detectives to collect evidence, and I have a file that's inches thick. I'll have to contact the detective agency again as tonight marks the beginning of another instance. It's a kind of insurance policy to protect my future."

"You don't want to leave him?" Ash asked gently, and she smiled.

"We have history. We may no longer desire each other, but we share that past, and he can be good company. I don't like being alone." It was her turn to give him an evaluating look. "You seem to spend too much time alone."

Ash winced, then smiled as she'd scored a point. "You're right." She smiled, enjoying the little victory.

"Have you always been this way?" she asked.

Ash didn't want to dwell on the reasons for his self-isolation, but he needed to answer her honesty with his own.

"Since I ran away from home when I was fifteen."

"Difficult home life?" she asked in concern.

Ash could only nod, as putting his experience into words was dangerous.

"Fifteen and on the streets couldn't have been much better," she guessed.

Ash nodded stiffly as he didn't want to talk about that. "It eventually got better. I had skills that earned me some money, which got me a roof over my head and food in my belly. Eventually, I had a career."

Holly seemed to realize how brittle he was about this time in his life, so she moved on, though she was clearly curious.

"But you got married eventually," she said.

He smiled. "I did! I married a woman named Tristan, and we enjoyed five years together before her insecurities led her into dark places I couldn't follow. She died having brutally rough sex with an inattentive man who failed to notice he'd killed her."

Holly's eyes were wide with shock, and Ash immediately felt terrible for his poor delivery of that news.

"I'm so sorry for my bluntness," he said contritely. "It might be one of the reasons I tend to keep to myself. I haven't had the gentlest of upbringings to smooth my edges."

"There is no shame in living through hard times. It means you're a survivor," she said kindly.

He needed to change the topic, so he did. "What do you and the ladies do to inject this excitement you say is missing?"

A grin appeared on her face. "Oh! Well, we do the usual community-run activities, which bore our husbands to tears and ensure they won't ask to join us. Then we take girls' trips to exclusive resorts in Mexico every winter where we indulge in more adult forms of entertainment with handsome hosts," Holly said with a wicked grin.

Ash's eyebrows rose. "Yearly trips?"

Holly's excitement deflated a little. "More frequent trips would make our husbands suspicious."

"Wouldn't it be fortuitous if excitement moved into the neighborhood?" Ash said with a smile, and Holly's eyes twinkled happily as she nodded.

"Of course, the avoidance of suspicion isn't guaranteed. They might be clueless in some ways, but they're not complete idiots," Ash insisted.

"I can't speak for the other husbands, but I know Daryl is all bark and no bite. He won't change his life in such a dramatic way. His father, Richard Marshall, made sure of that. Before he stepped down as CEO of his company, Richard met with us to let us both know that Daryl's promotion to the role depended on him remaining faithfully married to me. Apparently, Richard made that part of the corporate charter for himself as well. It kept him faithful to his own wife, and he wanted that stability for his own son. He wasn't aware Daryl already had a roving eye, but since Daryl needs his CEO position and all the perks that gives him, he'll never ask for a divorce."

Ash blinked in surprise. "Richard is a real romantic! Damn, I'm impressed!"

Holly giggled, smiled at Ash, and nodded. "Dolly, my mother-in-law, is a very lucky woman!"

They finished their meal, and Ash followed Holly into the kitchen with his dishes. They loaded them into the dishwasher, and Ash admired the fixtures.

"This looks like a very professional kitchen," he said, impressed.

Holly smiled in satisfaction. "I like to cook. I've taken lessons with some very talented chefs. It gives me a peaceful mind."

Ash moved closer to Holly as she leaned back against the counter and watched him with a twinkle of anticipation in her eyes. He applied a little pressure against her with his pelvis, and he saw her eyelashes flicker subtly. He moved in and brushed her lips with his as his hands landed on her hips and slowly moved up her body.

She pressed her mouth more firmly against his, and he went with it, caressing her plump lips with his and sucked on her tongue as it slipped into his mouth.

She moaned needfully as his hands traveled down her back to squeeze her ass.

He pulled back from their kiss to look into her eyes.

"How does that phrase go: Face of an angel and a body made for sin," Ash said with a smile.

"I'm no angel," she returned, and his smile widened.

"I'd never accuse you of that. I recognize a fellow hedonist when I meet one," he insisted.

His hands moved to her lower back, and she smiled at his touch.

"Guilty as charged," she purred.

"Shall I take you here on your lovely countertop, or do you have somewhere more comfortable we can be?" Ash asked.

"I prefer to fuck in bed," she said with a wicked smile, and he nodded to her as he stepped back to let her lead the way.

The master bedroom was very large and had an oversized king bed. The room's décor was tasteful and comfortable. He nodded in appreciation, and Holly enjoyed that too.

"Have a seat," Ash said with a smile, and she settled on the edge of the bed to watch him curiously as he stepped back.

"I'd normally do this to music," he said with a hot look for her.

She grinned excitedly as he began to dance sensually for her, unbuttoning his shirt to a silent beat, slipping the shirt over his shoulders and off for her. He slowly bunched and stretched his muscles as he launched the shirt to land over the back of a nearby chair. His fingers slipped around his waistband before he ran his fingers down his chest and stomach until he reached his waistband again. Continuing downward, he popped the button and dropped the zipper. His hands slid down his thighs as he bent at the waist to strip off his pants and socks!

These followed his shirt. Soon, he stood before her in his silky black underwear. He did a slow pivot as he stepped closer, and she smiled appreciatively.

He helped her stand and made quick work of the zipper on her dress, then slid it forward over her shoulders to ease it down her body. He followed the dress until he was kneeling before her as she stepped out of it. She tossed it to the chair and gasped as she felt Ash's hands on her waist slipping under her panties' waistband.

He tugged them down, following them with kisses.

Holly's breath caught in her throat as his lips were causing sparks to jump through her skin to her pussy.

She craved this most of all, as she'd never felt a man's mouth on her pussy. Daryl refused to do it. She knew Kelly and Janice once mentioned they'd experienced it, but admitted they hadn't had skilled partners at the time. Even Heather had felt a man's mouth down there, long ago, before Herman. She was jealous of her friend's experiences.

It was her secret desire. Even the male host she'd hired for play in Mexico had refused to do this one thing for her.

He made her sit on the bed's edge once more, then began kissing the inside of her knees. As he moved his kisses higher, her legs widened. She watched him with wide eyes as his sensual kisses sent lightning racing through her body. She sucked in a breath as she'd forgotten to breathe.

Her mouth dropped open in anticipation as his lips drew closer.

Then he was there, and it was everything she hoped. Now she was glad her first experience was with someone who knew what he was doing. Her mind was whiting out with bliss as he brought her to the edge again and again until she heard herself screaming and begging for release.

So, he gave it to her.

Two fingers inside, stroking the roof of her pussy, tongue dancing over her clit in some diabolical pattern that kept her body cascading through threshold after threshold of intense bliss. Her legs were stretched out and trembling as she clung to his head with both hands, fingers tangled in his soft white hair.

Her voice went silent as her body quaked through a wall of pleasure that crashed down over her body.

When she could open her eyes again, she saw him kneeling next to the bed, sucking her juices from his fingers as he watched her hungrily.

Fuck, that was so sexy!

Aftershocks went through her at the sight.

When she looked at him again, he wasn't there, but she heard him returning from the bathroom.

She immediately noticed the difference. His sexy underwear was gone, and his stiff cock was bobbing before his body, eager and willing.

Standing next to the bed, he held up something between his fingers. She saw it was a condom.

Holly shook her head and grinned at him. "No need, I use the pill, and I prefer bareback."

Ash nodded to her and dropped the package onto his pile of clothes before easing himself onto the bed.

He stretched out on his back, then he smiled at her and crooked a finger.

"Come here."

She smiled and moved on her hands and knees up the bed to stretch out her body over his. His clever fingers unhooked her bra, and she moved to assist him with its removal. They both sighed with pleasure as her naked breasts pressed against his chest.

She dipped down for a kiss, then remembered where his mouth had been. The kiss surprised her as she tasted a hint of mint.

He smiled knowingly at her, and her face warmed up as he'd seen her last-second squeamishness.

"Thank you," she said softly.

He just nodded, then his hands were moving down her back to cup her ass.

"Mmm! Your hands feel good!"

He smiled. "Your body feels incredible!"

She smiled and wiggled her body slightly to reposition his cock between them. He was so hard and hot.

She wasn't sure if her pussy could take more after the release he'd just given her, but the more she moved over his body, the more her body wanted to continue.

She pushed herself up to a sitting position on his cock, and he grunted, then grinned at her. She rocked her hips to drag her pussy lips along the length of his cock until she had to feel him inside her.

She moved up onto her knees and reached between them to point his cock toward her pussy, easing herself down on the head.

With a gasp, she felt him slide into her heat and go deep. Her eyes closed as he felt so fucking good!

His hands gripped her ass, and he took up the effort of rocking her against his body. She gasped as that felt so good! She needed more. She assisted him with the movements, and one of his hands cupped a breast, squeezing it and tugging on her nipple.

"Oh Fuck!" she cried out, and her body began moving on its own as she bounced on his cock faster and faster.

"Yes," he grunted as he grabbed her hips once more and pulled himself up to a seated position.

One hand went into her hair as he kissed her passionately. She was lost to the moment and suddenly found herself on her back with her legs pushed back as Ash drove his cock into her pussy harder and harder. Her pleasure was off the charts, and she could feel her next orgasm tipping over the edge.

"FUCK! FUCK ME HARDER!" she cried.

Ash's body went into overdrive, and her release struck.

"FFFAAAAAAHHHHHH!!!!!" she cried out.

"FUCK! COMING!" Ash growled, and his heat surged into her pussy as he rocked his pelvis against hers.

It was almost too much for Holly, who could only cling to Ash as her body spasmed and squeezed his cock to get every drop.

Ash gently eased her legs down to the bed, and she sagged onto the mattress as he slipped free.

"Are you okay?" he asked gently.

She chuckled in surprise and opened her eyes to see he was watching her with a little smile on his lips.

Holly smiled. "Yes. I feel glorious. Holy hell! That was intensely good!"

"I hope you aren't too tired to join us for yoga tomorrow," he teased.

She burst into giggles and clung to him as her body was still so sensitive.

Finally, she sagged back onto the bed and smiled at him. "I'll be there! I have an image to keep."

Ash nodded. "Good." He looked for his clothes. "I should get going. Thank you for a lovely evening. You are a delight!"

"I'd see you to the door, but I only have the energy to rest here for the night," she said with a sweet little pout.

Ash dipped down and gave her a sweet kiss. "Not to worry, I'll see myself out. See you tomorrow."

Holly enjoyed watching him dress, then waved at him as he left the room.

He was right.

Excitement had moved into the neighborhood!

Chapter 10

The yoga studio matched the images Ash had seen on their webpage. Lots of symbolism and the scent of aromatic oils. Luckily, it wasn't overwhelmingly powerful.

Mats were laid out in rows, and the students chatted as they pretended not to check him out. A few were men, and some were annoyed by more competition, while others looked interested.

"Ash!"

He looked across the room and saw Holly gesturing to him to join her and her posse. They were at the front of the class, a little to the right of the class instructor.

Holly looked resplendent in her tight white yoga bodysuit with her long blonde hair tied back. He gave her a nod, appreciating her beauty.

Heather was next to her, wearing an almost indecently tight black and red yoga tank and leggings. Once more, there was no question about the presence of her nipple and navel piercings. When she saw him admiring her, she pulled her shoulders back a little more to thrust her breasts forward boldly. He nodded to her before smiling at Janice and Kelly in their tight Lycra tees and shorts, the latter giving him a hungry look. Her top seemed to be a sports bra as it worked hard to contain her abundant breasts.

He was dressed in his tight sleeveless tank and yoga shorts, so he wasn't exactly hiding his tight and toned physique. He just wasn't being as blatant about it as Heather was.

Holly pointed to the spot they had saved for him, and he realized he was between Holly and Heather, with Janice and Kelly in the row behind him. He nodded and unrolled his mat in the open space.

A woman with a wild head of hair filled with braids and beads mixed in trotted over to say hello.

"Are you Ashby?" she asked with a wide smile.

"Yes, Abigail?" he asked, and she nodded brightly. "Thank you for squeezing me into the class," he added.

"It's our pleasure! You indicated you're not a novice," she said.

Ash nodded. "That's right. I've been doing yoga for years. I'm familiar with the routines and positions. I'm looking forward to the class!"

"Excellent! We'll get started shortly!" the instructor said with a happy grin and moved away to speak to another client.

Ash settled himself on the mat and began his stretches. He chatted with the ladies as they waited for the class to begin, then, once the instructor got them started, Ash fully concentrated on following the program. Abigail seemed relieved he was taking the class seriously.

He knew he was being watched by Janice and Kelly, as he caught their gaze a few times. Holly and Heather were guilty of this as well. Still, he did his best to focus on the instructor.

When the class was over, Ash smiled, pleased with how he felt. He decided he'd have to make this part of his regular routine.

"That was wonderful!" Holly sighed. Heather nodded enthusiastically.

"Do you have time to join us at the coffee shop? It's part of our routine," Janice asked him, and he nodded. He had no other plans for the day.

He spotted frowns on the faces of two of the men in the class as the four ladies gathered around him.

Nothing he could do about that. If they hadn't already made their move to meet these ladies, they weren't serious.

On their way out, he stopped by Abigail to thank her for the class and promised to be a regular. She seemed very pleased.

It was a short walk from the yoga studio to the coffee shop, and Ash ordered himself a blueberry-pomegranate smoothie as the ladies had espresso, tea, and coffee.

"Not a fan of caffeine?" Holly asked.

He smiled and shook his head. "I stay away from stimulants of all kinds. Part of a healthier lifestyle."

Gesturing over his shoulder in the direction of the studio, he gave them a nod. "That class was an excellent suggestion. I'm definitely going to sign up for more classes. It's going to be part of my regular routine. Yoga's definitely better in a class environment."

Holly smiled and pointed to Janice. "Our introduction to yoga was Janice's doing. She was a long-time advocate and pulled us all into the classes to reap the benefits."

Janice was surprised to be receiving the credit, as Holly typically claimed most of the praise. She smiled happily at Holly, who nodded to her.

Next, Janice's eyes locked on Ash, who was giving her a grateful look. "Yes, I've been doing yoga for years. It keeps me flexible and tones my muscles. I wanted to share those benefits with my friends."

"The benefits are proven! You all look great!" Ash said, and they basked in his praise.

"You had some admirers in the class, outside of us," Kelly added.

Ash chuckled and shook his head. "Also, some disgruntled men who seemed jealous of the attention you were giving me."

The ladies chuckled. "That was probably Kevin and Chris. They've been watching us for months," Holly sighed.

"They've introduced themselves to you?" Ash asked in surprise as they hadn't seemed that proactive.

"Oh! No, not at all. We heard their names when Abigail mentioned them. They watch us from afar and pine for our beauty," Holly said with an aloof voice. The other ladies burst into giggles, and she grinned mischievously.

Holly waved a dismissive hand. "They don't really meet our standards," she said as her eyes locked on Ash's with a hungry intensity. He knew exactly what she meant by that, and the other ladies picked up her meaning, too. Soon, they were all smiling.

Holly's cell chirped, and he glanced at it. She sighed. "That was a reminder that I have an appointment this afternoon. I must go. Does anyone need a lift back?"

"I'll go with you," Heather said.

"Me, too!" Kelly said.

"Thanks, but I think I'll walk home," Ash said.

"I'll walk as well," Janice said, and Ash smiled at her.

They left the coffee shop, and Ash was subjected to hugs, cheek kisses, and having three sets of delightful breasts pressed against his chest. With coy smiles, the three ladies climbed into Holly's car and off they went.

Janice grinned at him as they began heading back through town on foot.

"You've been a real breath of fresh air for our neighborhood," Janice said to Ash.

He glanced at her. "Really?"

"It's pretty clear we've been starved for male attention as our husbands lead their busy careers. Having to commute to work separates us from them too much," she admitted.

"That does seem to be an unfortunate drawback for everyone involved," he admitted.

She gave him a crooked smile. "It's pushed us to learn how to find our own way in life. For most of us, anyway."

Ash's eyebrows rose as he looked at her for an explanation.

Her smile became mischievous. "Kelly and I have discussed this at length. Even though her husband works here in Carmel, he's frequently called to his head office in LA. She pretends to be disappointed, but I've known her long enough to know when her genuine emotions are involved. I don't know what's happened in her relationship with Floyd, but if she needs to pretend all is fine, I'll play along.

Holly is a dear woman who's been forced to take sole responsibility for her household by her man-child of a husband. Even with her apparent confidence, I can tell she's lonely.

My biggest concern is for Heather. Her bastard of a husband has damaged that woman. He treats her so badly, but she seems lost without him. If it wasn't for Holly filling in for him when he's away, I think the woman might fall apart."

They made the turn off the main street to begin walking down the hill toward their homes. Ash looked at the woman beside him.

"And what about you. You seem to have taken on the role of caretaker for your group of friends. How are you doing with Warren's condition?"

She glanced up into his eyes and nodded. "I thought you might be aware of his drug use."

"Unfortunately, from first-hand experience, but long ago. Many of my peers were dependent on a host of different drugs to help them cope with their daily pain. I dipped into that world when I was at my lowest point. I recognized it," Ash confessed, and she nodded with a little smile.

"We're the oldest couple in the group, but it seems that with age, some don't gain the wisdom that comes with it. Warren began taking drugs at work to help him remain alert as he worked such long hours. This gradually led to increasing amounts and a variety of drugs, and these days, I couldn't tell you what he's on most of the time. I swear his company's R&D department is using him as a guinea pig."

"They might be. From my observation of him at the potluck party, I could tell Warren was in a mental fog. It was concerning. You don't let him drive you anywhere, do you? He shouldn't be driving," Ash asked in distress.

She appreciated his concern. "If I'm with him, I insist on driving. I won't let him drive me anywhere. That makes him irrationally angry. That's something else he's losing control over, his emotions."

Ash gave her a grim expression of concern for her, and she patted his arm. "As I said earlier, this has led us to learn how to take care of ourselves. I'll be financially secure. I've taken steps to ensure that. I'm not deluding myself that he will get help or get better. I know it's going to get worse. I still remember the better days... but I can tell you they were a long time ago."

Ash felt bad for her, but she seemed to have a healthy outlook.

They saw Ash's home ahead, and Janice smiled up at him. "If you still have some time, I was wondering if you'd like to see some advanced yoga poses that I've been studying."

"Ooo! Advanced yoga! I'm in!" he said with a smile, and a happy grin flashed across her face.

-=-

Janice slowed her breathing and held perfectly still, though the urge to move was almost impossible to resist. She looked into Ash's eyes as she watched him struggling with his own need to move, but somehow, he seemed far more disciplined than she was.

They were in the Yab-Yum position, Janice sitting on Ash's lap, his legs crossed beneath her as her legs wrapped around him. Their faces were mere inches away, and her nipples occasionally brushed against his bare chest when a random sway snuck past her effort to remain still.

Most delicious of all was the sensation of his hard cock gently throbbing in her very wet pussy. Each throb did wondrous things to her, and she was beginning to feel like she was leaving her body behind as she soared into the heavens.

He flared his eyes at her, and she pushed back at her mind's drifting once more.

She swore she could feel his energy pouring into her body as hers flowed into his, but she might just be hallucinating from the constant stimulation.

They'd been intimately linked like this for just over thirty-five minutes! That was certainly no world record, but as this was her first time, it was far beyond her expectations. She'd never believed she'd be capable of such a feat. She'd read that couples needed to practice for ages before they could begin to last more than a few minutes. Eventually, they might even last all night long.

It was becoming obvious to her that she wasn't going to last much longer, but she was impressed with their first attempt.

This wasn't just about the sex. It might be the most intimate she's ever been with a man. His eyes were looking deeply into hers, and there was nowhere to hide. She felt completely laid bare before him, secrets couldn't survive in that intense gaze. She could also feel his body heat, his breath on her skin, the sensation of his skin on hers, and... oh God, that deep throb.

Oh... FUCK!

She suddenly felt his energy swelling and rushing through her body, and she gasped as her control finally broke.

His cock swelled in her pussy and began to surge hot cum into her depths.

Her orgasm exploded, and she wrapped her arms around him to squish her breasts against him.

Hers were smaller than her friends', but they were still more than a handful, and her nipples were delighted with the blissful sensation of touching his skin.

Ash's hands landed on her ass and deliciously squeezed her flesh.

When he stroked a fingertip over her puckering asshole slick with perspiration, she cried out again and ground her body against his as another surging wave exploded over her senses.

Minutes later, she opened her eyes and realized she was still sitting on his lap with her arms wrapped around him and her face resting on his shoulder. She might have drooled on him, too. His softened cock was still inside her, and that sent a small thrill through her.

She pushed back to look at his smiling face.

"That was incredibly intense!" he said with a grin.

She chuckled, then bit her lip as tingles rushed through her body.

Ash slid his hands under her ass and lifted her off his cock. She sucked in another sharp breath as he eased her onto her back on the bed.

"I need a shower," he said.

She managed to lift her hand and pointed to the bathroom off the master bedroom.

She lay there as Ash slid himself off the bed and padded over to take a shower.

As she listened to the water running, she got her brain back under control.

She'd just had what was probably the best sex she'd ever had in the bed she shared with her husband of thirty-seven years. She'd had sex with a man seventeen years younger than her, too!

There was no guilt or remorse. Instead, she'd never felt more empowered and sexier. She pushed herself to a seated position on the edge of the bed and let the tingles run through her body.

Then she stood, walked into the bathroom, and smiled when she saw Ash standing on the rug, drying himself with a towel. She gazed at his lovely cock and found herself kneeling before him. He stopped rubbing himself dry as she reached out and took his cock in her hand. She glanced up into his eyes as she leaned forward to press her lips against the head of his cock and felt it twitch in her hand.

It was waking. Remarkable!

It had been decades since she'd taken a man's cock into her mouth, but she hadn't forgotten how to do it.

She slid him deep into her mouth, feeling him stiffen and swell against her tongue. She moaned at the sexiness of the act and wanted more, so she began to pump his cock into her mouth, then into her throat as his length grew to be too much for just her mouth.

When he took her head between his hands and began to control the pace and depth, her moans became louder, and her hand slipped down to thrust two fingers into her dripping pussy.

This was turning her on so much!

When he reached maximum stiffness, she could no longer force him into her throat. He leaned down to lift her into the air and set her ass down on the edge of the counter. She felt the head of his cock pushing between her lower lips, then he was driving his cock into her wetness until he slapped his pelvis against her pussy. She cried out in bliss, but he just sped up, slamming his cock into her like a machine as her mind spun from the sensations. The passion was so raw, and his need was so intense! Ash took a breast in his hand and gently squeezed and tugged on the nipple as the pounding continued.

It was too much for her, and her body crashed through another mind-shattering orgasm. She cried out as her tremors shook her muscles. When she returned to her mind, he picked her up and carried her to the bed and laid her out on it with her head hanging over the edge.

Then she felt the head of his cock touch her lips, and her mouth automatically opened to accept him inside once more. Now his length easily slid past her mouth into her throat. He fucked her mouth and throat slowly, sensually, as she moaned until he pulled back from her throat to pour his cum into her mouth in stream after stream. Eventually, it stopped, and he pulled back to escape the tight ring of her lips. She smiled up at him as she swallowed and stuck her tongue out to prove it.

He leaned down and kissed her.

"Damn, you are one sexy woman!" he said in admiration. She closed her eyes as she enjoyed the warm glow from his compliment and the bliss in her body.

"I should go," he said, and she nodded. She didn't have the energy to leave her comfy bed.

He watched her for a moment, then bent down and kissed her sensually.

When he pulled back to gaze down at her, her mind was floating again.

"Damn sexy!" he said quietly, but she heard him.

That followed her into her slumber.

-=-

Ash stepped outside and closed the door behind himself, confirming the handle was locked. He walked up the sidewalk as he finished tightening the straps around his yoga mat.

He spotted Frank standing by his garage, watching him. Based on his conflicted expression, he'd seen Ash leave Janice's house.

"Morning, Frank!"

"Morning, Ash," Frank responded, but he seemed to want to say more.

"Today was my first yoga session at the studio. It was really good! I'm going back for more sessions," he said with a smile.

"Ah, good... good."

"Janice was the one who got the ladies to start going. She knows some advanced yoga techniques," Ash said, gesturing over his shoulder with a thumb. "Have a good day!"

Ash crossed the road to his place, hiding his smile from Frank.

Was Frank a bit uptight about sex?

That sounded like a Frank problem.

Chapter 11

Ash spent the afternoon trying to bring some order back to the garden in his backyard.

He was fine with the greenery the previous owners had planted there, but it was overgrown and needed some pruning. He had the tools he'd bought for his home in Glendale, so he got to work. By dinner time, he was beginning to think he had it under control.

He heard a voice calling out and glanced around, but saw nothing. He followed the sound and stopped next to the fence between his yard and Heather's. He moved some tall grasses aside and spotted a hole in one of the fence boards. Through it, he could see Heather's mouth. She called out again.

He was struck by how much this resembled a glory hole, but he wasn't about to stuff his cock through the rough-edged hole in the hopes Heather would suck his dick.

"Heather?" he called back.

Her mouth moved away from the hole, and her eye appeared.

"There you are! I've been calling for a while," she scolded him gently.

He smiled at her. "Sorry, I barely heard you over the sound of the weed whacker. Then I couldn't see where your voice was coming from as it was behind these grasses."

"But I had my mouth right up against the hole in the fence!" she pouted.

"You should be careful about putting your mouth up against holes in fences, or walls for that matter," he said with a grin.

"Why?" she asked innocently, and Ash realized she really didn't know.

"Because someone might decide to stuff his cock through that hole and end up in your mouth. Have you not heard of a Glory Hole?" he asked.

He saw her eye widen in shock through the hole. "No! People do that?"

He smiled. "They do."

"Ohhh, have you done that?" she asked breathily.

He recalled the memory. "Once... a long time ago. A friend of mine asked me to do it for a woman who wanted to experience sex with a stranger. I found out later that he was lying, and she thought it was him."

Heather's eye was replaced with her mouth again, and he saw her pink tongue start to poke through the hole.

After he confirmed his finger was clean, he gently pushed her tongue back through the fence. "Hang on, Heather. This fence isn't suitable for such activities. Look at how rough the wood is. Ouch!"

"Oh!" She sounded disappointed.

"Why were you calling me before we started talking about glory holes?" he asked.

"Ah, right!" she said, bursting into giggles. "I was hoping you might have dinner with me tonight."

Ash was amazed at how quickly each of these ladies was availing themselves to their new neighbor. He hoped they would slow their pace. If not, he'd have to set some limits on visits.

"I could do that," he said. "When?"

"Now?" she asked eagerly.

He smiled. "Tell you what. Let me get cleaned up, and I'll be right over."

"Great!" Heather said, and then she was no longer by the fence.

Ash smiled and walked back to his house to take a quick shower.

It seemed he had a date tonight.

-=-

Heather opened the door with an excited smile on her face. She had her cell phone in her hand, and Ash caught the name on the screen before she quickly hung up and set the device aside.

She'd been speaking with Holly.

Getting last-minute advice? Or maybe Holly was boosting her confidence.

He felt it was better to pretend he hadn't noticed and slipped his shoes off.

As she led him into the living room, he took a quick glance around to get a first impression. He knew Herman was the master of this house, even though it was Heather's home. Sure enough, the décor had no feminine touches. The motif appeared to be Old Nightclub Lounge. He'd seen rooms like this in old suburban homes locked into a nineteen-seventies design.

There was nothing he could say about it, as nothing was hers, so it didn't deserve comment.

Instead, he looked at her and saw she was wearing her long black hair loose, and it flowed over her shoulders and down her back to her ass. She was wearing a tight, cream-colored blouse unbuttoned to display her cleavage, and tan slacks that clung to her slim hips.

"You look very beautiful," he said, and a smile flashed across her face.

Her eyes immediately moved to take in his muscles pressing against the silk shirt he'd selected. Then they widened as she saw he was wearing soft black leather pants. She bit her lip as she was distracted.

"Something smells good!" he said, bringing her attention back from his pants.

Another smile popped up on her face, and she directed him to the dining room. Again, the room was poorly lit. "Do you have any candles?" he asked, and she looked at him in surprise, then squeaked excitedly and rushed away.

When she returned, she had two taper candles and a lighter. She set them on the table. He noted that she had them sitting at opposite ends of the table. Likely, this is what Herman wanted when he was there.

"Would you mind if I moved you here, so I can have you closer?" he said, not waiting for her to respond before moving one of the settings to the seat just to the right of the place setting at the end.

Her eyes widened, and she nodded quickly before rushing off to the kitchen.

Ash sat at the end, and moments later, Heather returned with two plates of Chicken Kiev and scalloped potatoes au gratin.

Luckily, the portions weren't too large, as the meal would have been too heavy for what he was planning later.

She poured him some chilled water, and he smiled at her for remembering. She had a glass of white wine.

He held up his glass to her, and her smile widened.

"To new friends and exploring where that will take us," he said, looking into her eyes.

She giggled and nodded excitedly as they sipped their drinks.

"Speaking of which, where is Herman tonight?" Ash asked casually.

She looked down at her plate. "He had to go back to LA, as he said he's putting together a large business deal. He needs his privacy when he does these transactions. He's a very private man. He has all kinds of meetings, but I don't see any of them. I don't even know what they're for! Money moves, but he never tells me which movie it's for!" she said, shaking her head with a frustrated look on hr face. "I wish he didn't keep me in the dark. I'd like to know more about his job and meet some of the celebrities he talks about."

Ash gave her a smile and nodded. He was genuinely impressed to see her expressing this much initiative. Perhaps Herman hadn't completely broken her spirit. Or maybe Holly was just the medicine needed to heal her friend.

They enjoyed a few bites of the meal, and Ash made sure to praise her for her efforts. She'd done an excellent job, and she deserved the compliments. Again, she bloomed under his kind words.

"Do you like living in Carmel?" he asked.

Her smile widened. "Yes! It's such a lovely place, and I have wonderful friends!"

They made small talk as they finished their meal, and Ash learned more about his host.

Herman was keeping her isolated in this house, away from his life in Los Angeles, and Ash was pretty sure he knew why, considering what a piece of shit the man was. Who knew what ugly shit he was up to in his mansion in LA.

When Heather cleared the dishes, Ash moved around the living room, and out of curiosity, he used his cell phone's camera to scan the room, a trick he'd learned from the Internet. He was surprised it worked!

A purplish spot of light appeared when he passed the camera before a shelf of books. He moved closer and saw that one of the books had what looked like gold-leaf lettering on its spine. Amongst this was a small camera lens and an infrared emitter. He plucked the book from the shelf and discovered it wasn't a book at all. He flipped open the cover and popped the memory stick from the recorder.

So, Herman was keeping an eye on his wife's activities when he wasn't here. He'd have to check for additional cameras.

He pocketed the memory stick, cleared the recorder's memory, and turned it off before sliding it back onto the shelf.

There was some very nice audio equipment set up, so he powered it up and tuned the radio to a station playing smooth, sexy songs.

Heather returned and saw Ash touching Herman's stereo equipment, and a worried expression slipped across her face.

Ash moved closer and took her hand to lead her to the center of the room. He pulled her into his arms, and they moved to the music, slow and sensual.

Her smile returned as her big eyes watched him in awe.

Their bodies touched as they danced, and he could see by the impression of her stiffening nipples against her blouse that she was becoming very excited.

He slid his fingers into the hair on the back of her head, and her eyelids fluttered.

When he took a grip, her eyes widened, and she gasped.

That's when he kissed her.

She moaned with desire as she clung to him. He enjoyed her mouth and allowed his free hand to slide down her back to cup and squeeze one of her delightful ass cheeks. This ignited a fire in Heather, and she thrust her tongue into his mouth.

When he sucked it, he felt her tremble like her knees were going to give out, so he pulled back from the kiss and looked into her dreamy eyes to see if she was okay. Her plump lips looked slightly swollen, and her tongue slipped out to run along their surface.

His mind returned to the moment she'd discovered the function of that hole in the fence.

He gave her a hot look and tugged her down to kneel before him.

Her eyes flashed with excitement, and she quickly slid her body down his to press her face against his cock through his pants. He undid the button and zipper, and she helped pull them down to mid-thigh.

She pressed her thick lips against the ridge his cock made against his silk underwear, and he throbbed.

Heather whimpered with need and tugged his underwear down abruptly. His erection swung free and thumped against her face, making her coo and pant.

Her hands reverently cupped his balls as she extended her tongue and stroked his erection from the base to the swollen head.

"I love your cock!" Heather cooed.

"Show me," he said, and she smiled as she pointed the head at her mouth and kissed the tip.

Then it plunged deep into her throat.

Ash had been on the receiving end of countless blow jobs from some of the adult movie industry's most skilled oral experts. Heather's mouth and throat felt warm, wet, and soft with just the right amount of suction, and her active tongue teased and caressed his cock exquisitely. She rivaled the best cocksuckers in the business. It was her enthusiasm that set her apart.

She loved giving head, and Ash felt privileged in receiving her attentions.

He could tell she wasn't going to stop until she received her reward, so he didn't try to hold back. Instead, he enjoyed the view of her plunging his cock into her mouth and throat, and her expression of pure hedonism.

"I'm coming," he said, and she pulled back to thrash the head of his cock with her tongue. It was too much, and thick ropes of cum sprayed into her mouth as she purred.

She gazed up at him in worship as she swallowed his cum and smiled happily.

"That was amazing! You were wonderful!" he said and lifted her to her feet.

She squeaked in surprise when he kissed her, but was soon clinging to him.

"It's your turn," he said with a grin, and she beamed an excited smile at him as he pulled his pants back up.

She tugged his hand, and he followed, but they didn't head for the hallway to the bedroom as he expected.

Instead, they went to a door leading to the basement stairs. A second, soundproofed door at the bottom opened into a virtual dungeon. The walls and ceiling were covered in sound-dampening panels. Also mounted on the walls were racks and display cases of S&M gear, including whips, straps, chains, ball and ring gags, blinders, spreaders, and a vast collection of toys for inserting into orifices.

Heather immediately turned and knelt before him with her hands on her knees, and her head tipped down.

She expected him to tie her up and use her for his pleasure?

He bent down and hoisted her over his shoulder and wrapped an arm around her thighs to keep her from going right over.

She squealed in surprise as he stood and climbed the stairs to return to the ground floor. He marched down the hall to the master bedroom, yanked the sheets down, and dropped her on the bed.

As she squeaked again and bounced on the mattress, he dropped his pants, underwear, and pulled his shirt up and off to stand before her naked. Her eyes were trapped as she stared at his naked body for the first time.

"Will we need protection?" he asked.

"No! I can't have babies," she gasped and Ash blinked at her. There was a story behind that, but he could get it later.

He straddled her body and quickly undid the buttons on her lovely blouse, pulling the sides apart to gaze at her full breasts. There was little doubt they'd been augmented, but he just admired them and undid her slacks. He eased himself to the end of the bed and tugged her pants off. Then he eased her panties down her legs as she stared up at him in awe.

When he began to kiss the inside of her ankles, nibbling his way with kisses up the insides of her legs, her breathing came in gulps as she trembled. He was getting the impression that this might be unfamiliar territory for her.

He could see her pussy was quite wet, and the lips were pink with her excitement.

Then his mouth reached her pussy, and he stroked her outer surface with the flat of his tongue. She screamed, her legs shaking as she came.

Ash was surprised, but he knew she'd been extremely excited since the blowjob, so the teasing had been enough to get her there.

But he wasn't finished.

As her pussy was too sensitive at the moment, he continued trailing kisses up her body and worshipped her navel, her tummy, the undersides of her breasts, and finally her nipples. She was moaning and squirming under her, so he pinned her to the bed with his body and his cock pressed against her clit.

Her arms immediately went around him as she pressed her body against his. He rocked his hips, and she made little plaintive gasps of need. He adjusted his hips until the head of his cock lined up with her pussy, and he pushed himself into her with one continuous thrust until she had it all, and his pelvis ground against her clit.

His bold kiss blocked her moans, and she thrust her tongue into his mouth. He sucked on it as he began to stroke his cock in and out of her hot channel with a bump and grind each time.

Heather spread her legs wide and hooked her heels behind his ass to increase the force of his thrusts and the slap of their bodies. He could feel her internal muscles clamping down on him in pulses, so he knew she was coming, but she made no effort to stop him or even slow down. She was riding the wave of bliss.

He kept going.

He gently tugged on her nipple piercings, and her body arched under him, her internal clamping intensifying.

Ash moved his fingers into her hair as he worshipped her mouth with his. Her arms wrapped more tightly around him as she looked into his eyes desperately.

He surprised her when he pulled back and slid his cock from her twitching pussy. She was putty in his hands, so he flipped her body over onto her stomach. He ran his hands over her shoulders, down her back, and cupped her cute ass. He gave it a squeeze and saw the flash of the chrome end of the butt plug she was wearing.

Ash pressed on it gently, and she gasped before giving him a hot and slightly desperate look over her shoulder. A conflicted expression crossed her face as he tugged on the plug's flange.

She opened her mouth and gasped before she could speak. "Th-that's Herman's private property."

Ash looked her in the eye. "It belongs to you. No one else. Your body is yours. You decide who gets to pleasure you."

He grabbed her hips, and her head went back as she gasped in need.

Ash rubbed his hard cock between her ass cheeks, and she cried out as she pushed back, teasing her ass with the butt plug.

"Fuh! Oh God! Fuck me!" she gasped.

"Where do YOU want me?" he said breathily into her ear as she squirmed beneath him.

"Mmm... my... my ass! FUCK! I want you in my ass! Please!" she begged.

"As you wish, Heather. By your command," he said with a smile as he gently tugged the butt plug from her tight orifice.

She'd used plenty of lube on the plug, and his cock was still slick from her gushing pussy so he pressed the thick head of his cock against the dilating ring and felt it reluctantly open once more to accept him inside. She was so hot and tight!"

"Ah! Ash! So hot!" she cried, repeating his impression of her.

Heather slid a hand under her body to stuff two fingers into her pussy as he slowly filled her ass.

When he came to rest on her ass, she'd taken it all.

He gently turned her face, but her eyes were rolling from the sensations.

"Thank you for allowing me to fuck your ass," he whispered into her ear to reinforce the concept that she was the master of her own domain. The naughty words also made her spasm on his cock so he knew she'd heard him and enjoyed the concept as well as the act.

"You're so beautiful!" he whispered as he nibbled on the side of her neck. He slowly pulled his cock out to the head, then pushed it back in.

Heather was gasping and beginning to thrash under his body. It was showing signs of being her greatest orgasm yet. He kept up his praise as he slowly pumped his cock in her ass.

"So sexy. So desirable. So beautiful," he purred between kisses on her ear, cheek, and neck.

"AHHH! FFFFUUUUCCCKKKK!!! MMMMMM! AAAAAHHHH!!!" Heather's body squeezed Ash's cock tight, triggering his long-delayed orgasm. He filled her ass with his cum.

Her eyes fluttered as the sensations washed over her.

He gently pulled his softening cock from her tight orifice and reinserted the plug. It wouldn't do to have his cum leak from her until she was ready.

She seemed well on her way to sleep, so he kissed her cheek and whispered to her.

"You were truly amazing, Heather. A perfect host and a gifted lover. I had a wonderful time."

She was smiling as he pulled the sheets up and covered her.

He dressed and spotted something on the bureau facing the side of the bed. It was another of those stupid fake book video recorders. He pulled the card from that one, cleared its memory, and shut it off as he placed it back on the bureau. The memory stick went into his pocket. He walked to the front door and slipped on his shoes. Looking at the door handle, he saw it was like Janice's, so he'd be able to lock it as he left.

As he walked to his door, the memory of Heather's mouth against the hole in the fence returned.

He'd have to sand that hole smooth and add a coat of Varathane to the inner surface to keep it that way.

Knowing how good Heather was at sucking cock, this was an opportunity he couldn't miss.

Chapter 12

Ash saw the ladies only in passing over the next few days, as other tasks seemed to fill their calendars. While he honestly enjoyed spending time with them, he breathed a sigh of relief that they had other priorities in their lives.

Left to his own devices, he returned to his backyard gardening and completed it, including a smoothing treatment for a particular hole in his fence.

He went through his finances and breathed another sigh of relief when his passive income exceeded his expenses, even with the temporarily higher incidentals from his move. His income was higher than his expenditures, so all was good.

This morning, he was returning from running some errands in his bus when he saw Frank rushing Elyse out to his Jeep with a small overnight bag. She wasn't moving very fast, so Ash knew it was time. She was having her babies.

He quickly backed his bus into the driveway and got out to stand at the end of his driveway to send them off with a wave.

Frank noticed him standing there with a big grin and waved as he rushed around to the driver's side and jumped in.

CLICK! CLICK! CLICK! CLICK! CLICK!

Ash's grin disappeared as he recognized that sound. The Jeep was going nowhere. He rushed across the road and stopped next to Frank's window.

"Your battery voltage may be too low. It's not going to start. Come on! I'll give you a lift to the hospital," he said.

Frank's face was red with suppressed rage, but he hopped out and rushed around to get Elyse as Ash ran back to his bus and pulled it out into the street before Frank's driveway. Frank eased Elyse into the middle seat and got her belted in.

"Frank, her overnight bag," Ash said to remind him it was still in the Jeep.

"Shit!" Frank grumbled and rushed back to get it.

Once he hopped in, Ash got them going. "I assume we are going to the Community Hospital in Monterey?"

"Yes! Thank you, Ash!" Elyse said.

Ash nodded and drove quickly without endangering his passengers. He gave Frank his cell phone number so they could call him to get picked up from the hospital. He could hear Frank speaking softly with Elyse, but he tuned that out to focus on driving.

He managed to get to the hospital in just six minutes and pulled up to the doors. He hopped out as he saw a free wheelchair by the entrance and rushed it over to the side door of his bus as Frank eased Elyse out. She gratefully sat in the chair, and Ash grabbed the overnight bag for Frank before the man rushed her away.

Ash just smiled at the exasperated expression on Frank's face. "Give me your Jeep keys, and I'll check your battery."

Frank lobbed the key fob back, and Ash snatched it from the air and grinned at their departing backs.

Ash took his time on the way home. Once parked in his drive, he grabbed his tools and headed over to see if he could diagnose the Jeep's issue.

Three hours later, Ash closed up the vehicle and locked it, cleaned his tools, and put them away. He didn't have very good news for Frank as he'd found multiple issues, so he'd just keep that to himself until they got home. He'd moved the two baby seats into the middle row of seats in his bus for their lift home.

At around ten PM, he got a call from Frank.

"We have twins! A boy and a girl!"

Ash cheered, and Frank chuckled at the other end of the line.

"That is such wonderful news! I'm so happy for you two! How's the new mom?" he asked.

"Elyse is such a trooper. She's sleeping now," Frank said, and Ash could hear the smile in his voice.

"I assume you aren't allowed to stay overnight with her, so would you like a drive home?" he asked.

"I can get a cab," Frank insisted.

"Nonsense! I'll be right there!" Ash said in return.

-=-

Frank looked exhausted when Ash drove up to the door.

When he got in, he immediately noticed the baby seats in the bus. "What?"

Ash gave him a pained expression. "I ran some diagnostics on your Jeep. It isn't just the battery. There are major electrical issues. It's going to be an expensive fix. There is a lot of corrosion under the hood. It could be the salt air, perhaps?"

Frank's face fell. "Damn, but that doesn't explain the car seats."

Ash smiled. "It does. You need a car to bring your family home. Until you can resolve the Jeep issue, you can borrow my bus. I don't really go anywhere, and I have my motorcycle if I need to. The bus is in excellent shape, and it's a safe vehicle."

Frank looked at him in shock. "You're loaning me your pride and joy?"

Ash grinned at him. "To transport the loves of your life in. I know you'll drive carefully."

"I don't know what to say!" Frank said.

Ash handed his registration over to Frank. "Just say okay."

"Thanks! This is over the top," Frank said as he tucked the registration into his pocket.

Ash started the bus and glanced down at the dashboard. "Now I feel bad. I should have filled the tank first."

Frank grinned. "Not a problem. There's a twenty-four-hour gas station just up the street."

Ash nodded and got them underway.

Frank gave him the directions, and it didn't take long to find the station and pull up beside the pump.

"I'm going to go inside to get a snack. You're at pump one?" Frank said, and Ash nodded. "I'll wait inside and pay when you're done."

"I was going to pay--"

Frank shook his head. "Least I could do," he said, and popped out the door and walked toward the building.

Ash smiled and walked to the pump, grabbed the pump nozzle, and inserted it into his tank. The pump activated, and he squeezed the trigger. He heard the hungry tank accepting the fuel and realized just how empty it was.

He was zoning out as he waited when a noise slipped into his consciousness. He'd heard it before, but his memory was fighting with him.

The noise came from a vintage station wagon from the seventies, complete with faux wood panels and a horrific pale-yellow paint job. It was badly rusted and showing its age. The engine was making noises engines shouldn't make, but under that was something... familiar.

It pulled into the spot on the other side of Ash's pump.

Looking over his shoulder, the station wagon filled Ash's vision, and his mind hinted to him that there was something significant about it, but his memories wanted nothing to do with that and pulled away from his queries. A surreal fog began to fill his mind as he couldn't look away.

The driver's door opened, and an old man stepped out, scowling.

Ash twitched, and his eyes immediately turned away from the man and refused to focus on him.

The grumpy man walked to the pump and noticed an Out of Order sign.

"Fuck!" he rasped, and Ash twitched again as he struggled to breath as his chest tightened.

The old man walked back to his car door, intending to reverse back to the pump behind him, but another car pulled in quickly, and the driver got busy with that pump.

"Gah Dammit!" the crusty bastard cursed.

Ice shot down Ash's back, but he didn't understand why. He couldn't think straight, and his body wanted him to do... something, but he couldn't think.

"Hey! Are ya dun with the pump?" the old man said directly to Ash, but he couldn't respond. Something was wrong. So wrong!

The gas nozzle clicked loudly in his hand as the tank reached capacity and shut off the pump. This drew Ash's attention back to the nozzle, so he pulled it from the tank on autopilot and closed the gas cap.

His body was moving stiffly outside of his conscious control as his head filled with static. He wanted to scream, but he didn't know why.

"Hey! I'm talkin' to ya! ARE YA A FUCKIN' RETARD?" the old man shouted in Ash's face, and his body locked up as he leaned away from the spittle, holding the nozzle up in defence.

The door behind the driver's door on the station wagon suddenly opened, emitting a horrible squeal from a hinge that hadn't received lubrication in decades.

That sound.

Screams filled Ash's mind, and his eyes saw nothing.

The old man spun on the seven-year-old boy standing next to the open door.

"Kin I use the bathroom," the small boy pleaded.

The old man's lip curled. "Git yer scrawny ass back in that seat. I'll deal with you later!" he spat.

The phrase cut through the screams in Ash's head. He'd heard that voice say the exact same thing to him. When that memory hit, Ash's muscles clenched, and he squeezed the gas nozzle's trigger hard. Gas shot out to spray all over the old man's head, shoulder, and down his body.

The rude old bastard sputtered in the stream and shouted angrily, and Ash's eyes rolled back as his body went limp. The nozzle shut off as he dropped it, slumped against the van, and fell to the ground.

The old man staggered back and hit the side of his station wagon.

A skinny little arm extended from the open back door with a lighter in its tiny hand. A thumb rolled the wheel, and its flame leapt to the gas-soaked shirt.

In seconds, the old man was covered with hungry flames.

His shrill screams cut through the night as he instinctively tried to flee. He ran from the pump into the open parking area, spinning in circles as the fire began to consume his flesh. He screamed, and the flames leapt into his mouth and throat to chase the gas he'd swallowed.

The fire was hungry.

-=-

Frank was inside, watching the attendant's video screens showing the pump area, waiting to see when Ash was finished so he could pay. He had some snacks in his hands that he intended to buy at the same time.

When the old man began shouting at Ash, Frank set his snacks down on the counter and was about to go outside when he saw Ash on the monitor jolt and freeze. He spun and rushed to the door, but the old man was stumbling back, covered in gas, and Ash was falling to the ground beside the van.

Then he saw a flicker of fire behind the station wagon, and the old coot was suddenly engulfed in flames. Frank rushed outside, ran to the island, and grabbed the fire extinguisher next to the pumps. He pulled the pin and rushed toward the stumbling inferno just in time to see him fall forward onto his face and go still.

Frank hit him with a blast from the extinguisher, putting out the remaining flames. The rictus grin of the dead man showed the agony he'd died in.

A police car rushed into the parking lot with its roof lights on. The officer leapt from his cruiser and rushed over to see Frank.

"What happened here?" he yelled.

Frank blinked at the man, then looked over at Ash, crumpled on the ground next to the van. A few flames lingered amongst the pools of fuel spilled on the ground, so Frank rushed over to put them out before they got to Ash.

The officer caught up to him and stared at the unconscious man on the ground, then over to a small boy standing next to a station wagon holding a smiling girl playing with a lighter.

Frank looked to the officer. "I think you'd better seize the tapes from the security cameras. I was inside watching the monitors, and I saw it all, but I have no idea what happened."

Chapter 13

Ash surfaced slowly from a welcome darkness, but he wasn't sure why he felt safe there. He blinked his eyes and saw he was behind some curtains on a hospital bed. Hearing an odd metallic clank, he noted his left wrist was handcuffed to the bed's railing.

Why?

He tried to recall, but his mind shied away from his recent memories, which increased his anxieties.

The curtain opened to admit a woman in scrubs. She has a stethoscope around her neck, so he assumed she was a doctor.

"Mr. Moor? I'm Doctor Stack. How are you feeling?"

He tried to speak, but his throat was too tight, so he just nodded.

She gave him an evaluating look. "I can find no physical injuries--"

The curtain opened again, and a police officer stepped inside. He looked at the doctor, then locked eyes with Ash. "Mr. Moor, why did you spray gas over the old man's head and chest?"

Ash stiffened, his eyes rolled back, and the darkness welcomed him back into its embrace.

It was safer there.

-=-

"Officer Donaldson! My patient had only just regained consciousness. Couldn't you have waited for me to finish my examination?" Stack scolded.

The officer was staring at Ash in surprise. He scowled and faced the doctor. "What's wrong with him?"

She took a deep breath, then shook her head. "I don't believe he's suffered any physical injury, but there is clear evidence he's suffering some form of mental trauma and blockage. This is going to have to be addressed by one of the hospital's psychologists."

The officer frowned impatiently, turned, and pushed through the curtain once more.

Dr. Stack sighed and glanced once more at the sleeping man. Then she left as she had other patients.

This one was in the shrink's hands now.

-=-

Ash sat comfortably in a chair in another doctor's office. The difference was that he was wearing a hospital gown, and the doctor was a psychologist. But he didn't mind as she'd taken him into a receptive state with hypnosis, and his mind was floating in the comforting clouds of a place she assured him was safe.

Dr. Beatrice Gallaway had many certificates mounted in frames on her wall, and some nice art. He'd viewed these when he arrived, but now he could no longer see them.

"Ash, how are you feeling?" she asked.

"Good," he said with a smile.

"That's good. From here, nothing can touch you. You are separate from your memories, simply observing them from a distance. Do you understand?" she asked.

"Yes," he said calmly.

"Excellent. We're going to review the events of yesterday slowly, impression by impression, to see if we can find some answers. Okay?"

Ash felt an uptick in his tension, but he nodded to her.

"I understand you picked up your neighbor, a Mr. Frank Dunn, from the hospital last night."

Ash smiled widely. "Yes! Elyse gave birth to their twins, a boy and a girl."

"That's wonderful! And you came to the hospital to give Mr. Dunn a ride home."

Nodding, Ash's smile became a look of concern. "His Jeep died, so I was loaning him my VW Bus to bring his family home."

"That's very nice of you." She said, making Ash smile and feel good.

"Before you went home, you stopped to buy gas," she continued, and Ash twitched. "You're safe here. You're just observing from a distance."

Ash relaxed once more and smiled with a nod.

"Can you tell me when you first noticed something wasn't right last night?"

"A sound. The station wagon. It was making a noise I'd heard... long ago."

She nodded and made a note. "All cars make noises. Was there something significant about this?"

He was quiet for a moment before continuing. "I was taught how to fix cars. When I was a kid. I learned their sounds and what they meant. The sound I heard last night. It was distinct. It came from his car, and it wasn't something repairable, so I always heard it when he drove into the compound."

"Floating above, safe and untouchable," she said calmly and watched Ash's trembling slow.

"So you heard a familiar sound--"

"But it couldn't be. He should have been dead. Died in the compound raid. I read about it a long time ago. They were all dead! How could I have heard his voice again?" A jolt went through his muscles.

"Ash, you're floating higher. Rising up above all the clouds, where you're safe and calm."

He took some deep breaths, and his serene expression returned.

"Let's focus on the story you read about the compound raid. Do you remember the name of the compound?" she asked, and he nodded.

"The Unity. Northern Idaho. The panhandle. It said the leader was Isaah Pemberton. He was one of the men who abused the children on the compound. He was the man who drove the old yellow station wagon... with the sound." He twitched again, and the doctor eased his mind once more.

"You were in this compound, but you got away," she said gently.

"Yes. I planned it for weeks. I was fifteen, and they were going to kill me when I turned sixteen. I broke into the compound's office to find my paperwork. They told us we couldn't leave without our papers. We'd go directly to jail, they said. So, I had to steal it back. I searched for it too long and found some other awful stuff, but I eventually found my birth certificate. Then I left the building to collect my escape bag: clothes, money, tools, and the birth certificate. I went under the fence, snuck away on foot, ran cross-country to a small town, hotwired a car, and drove south to escape. When I got to LA, I abandoned the car."

Another memory from his early days in LA flashed intensely through Ash's mind, and he passed out again.

The doctor watched him with a sigh. He'd gone through some traumatic experiences when he was young. That was going to take some time to unpack.

-=-

Detectives Balton and Grail sat in Dr. Gallaway's office.

"The police shared a copy of the video showing Mr. Moor at the gas station on the night of the event. I was able to clearly see that he was trapped in a Functional Freeze State brought on by being forced to relive a terrible childhood trauma. He believed he was in the presence of the man who inflicted this trauma upon him, and his body became unresponsive until the pressure built to the point where it took his consciousness."

Grail frowned. "Mr. Moor isn't a kid anymore!"

The psychologist nodded. "But the child who endured the abuse is still inside the grown man. He's never received any counselling for the abuse, to learn how to defuse the triggers. He's trapped."

Detective Balton spoke up. "Is Mr. Moor a danger to others if, as you say, he has these triggers?"

The doctor looked at the man, then played the video of Ash that night as she turned her monitor toward the detectives. "There are three possible stress responses to triggers: Fight, Flight, or Freeze. As you can see here, when the old man begins to yell at Mr. Moor, he doesn't attack or run away. He freezes."

"He sprayed gas on the man!" Grail insisted.

"Without intent. See here," she rolled the video back to just before it happened, then continued as they watched. "Mr. Moor's muscles locked up when he was yelled at by the man he believed abused him. You can see him spasm, and that means his hands clenched, both of them." She rolled the video back and played it again in slow motion. They could roughly see both of Ash's hands as he held them up before himself in defense.

The gas nozzle was in his hand between them when his body clenched and the gas sprayed.

The psychologist stopped the video after Ash slumped to the ground. "The conflict was too much for his conscious mind to cope with, so he fell unconscious."

She locked eyes with the detectives. "Is he dangerous? Only to himself until he gets some counselling."

"I was able to get some information on the identity of his abuser. Mr. Moor had a rough start to his life. Then he was very young, his parents joined a cult in northern Idaho, somewhere in the panhandle. The compound was called The Unity, and its leader was Isaah Pemberton. According to Mr. Moor's recollection, the children in the compound were abused, and Pemberton drove a yellow station wagon like the one in the video. According to a news article Mr. Moor read after he escaped, the compound was raided, and everyone died. Have you identified the man who died last night?"

The detectives shared a glance. "We have not, but this might give us a potential lead."

"We may need to speak with Mr. Moor again," Detective Grail said stiffly.

"He'll be our guest for the next few days at least," Dr. Gallaway said.

The detective stood and left to see where this information would take them.

They'd contact the Idaho State Police, District One, to see what information they had on the raid on the compound and to ask about Isaah Pemberton.

-=-

The following morning, Detective Balton received a call from the Idaho State Police.

They reported Mr. Pemberton was a cult leader who had a compound west of Priest Lake with thirty-five men, women, and children living on it. When the State Troopers attempted to serve a warrant on the property for suspected child abuse, they came under heavy fire. Two officers were hit, one died, and during the resulting gun battle, several buildings exploded and burned. No survivors were found, and the body of Pemberton was never found.

"We have a survivor of the compound who escaped prior to the raid," Balton said. "The man repressed the memories of his ordeal, but a psychologist is opening the memories up, and he claims he recognized the voice of a man he met at a local gas station as Isaah Pemberton. A man who sexually abused him as a child. There was an incident, and the old man perished in a fire at a gas station," Balton said. "He had no identification on him, nor did he have ID for the two children he was traveling with. They are with Child Protection Services."

The State Trooper sounded excited. "We would very much like to meet with Mr. Moor. We can be there tomorrow morning."

"It's my understanding that Mr. Moor will be in the hospital for the next few days at least," Balton said.

"Excellent, see you tomorrow," the state trooper said, and they hung up.

-=-

Two Idaho State Troopers walked into the Monterey Community Hospital and were directed to the psych ward. There, they met Officers Balton and Grail in the waiting room for Dr. Gallaway.

The psychologist was in session with Mr. Moor, so they had to wait.

When her office door opened, the four officers stood, and Ash looked at them in concern.

"What's this?" Dr. Gallaway asked sternly.

Balton responded. "We contacted the Idaho State Troopers, as they may be able to assist with the identification of our burn victim. They have questions for Mr. Moor."

"You should have contacted me so I could make proper arrangements. Ambushing him after a session jeopardized his treatments!" the psychologist insisted.

Ash put his hand on Beatrice's arm, and she looked at him.

"Maybe this will help me put Isaah's memories behind me if we confirm he was the guy at the gas station," Ash said quietly. "If you could join us?" he asked.

She smiled at him and nodded.

"Thank you," Ash said and looked at the four men waiting for them.

"Let's move to the conference room," Beatrice insisted.

She led them down the hall and into a large room with a big table with chairs around it. Ash sat next to the doctor, and the other found chairs on the opposite side of the table.

Balton gestured to the State police. "Since you flew here, you should go first."

The two troopers smiled and nodded.

"I'm Captain Williams. I've been spearheading the special investigation of cult and radical enclaves in Idaho. The Unity was an old case that remained open as we never apprehended its leader. With me is Lieutenant Fisher, who is tracking human trafficking cases in the state and liaises with the FBI when such activity is identified."

Ash was staring at the two men in surprise. He had no idea this was going to happen.

"Perhaps you could give us some background on your history with the compound," the Captain said.

Ash nodded, then flicked a glance at Beatrice, who gave him a nod.

"Okay, uh, my parents... Doug and Gina Moor, they traveled to the state from somewhere I no longer remember when I was five. I remember we were immediately separated when we got there. All the kids lived in a separate barrack building, and I remember a lot of crying. While I saw my parents from time to time as I grew up on the compound, I didn't spend any time with them."

He swallowed as he felt a little nauseous. After a few breaths, he continued. "I... can't go into detail about what they did to us kids as I'm still working on that with Dr. Gallaway. It was sexual abuse. Some of the kids died. Some survived, like me.

The compound leaders--"

"What were their names?" Captain Williams interrupted.

Ash stared at him, then got himself back on track as Beatrice glared at the man.

"Isaah Pemberton was the head of The Unity. He was always so... angry. Especially with the kids. Fuck, he hated us.

His second in command was P--Pris Pemberton. Isaah's... wife," Ash's voice faded out as the cold eyes of Pris haunted his memories. Escaping her saved his life. She'd had a... taste for him. They spent too much time together.

Beatrice's hand on his pulled his mind back, and he cleared his throat. "She... she was... a sexual sadist, and an enforcer. She had no empathy... at all. Killed adults and kids alike without hesitation. I read that she died in the raid. She was a deadly shot. I'd lay odds that she was the one who killed the State Trooper."

Ash gave himself a shake and took some breaths.

"Walter Brunswick was the general manager for the compound. Assigning tasks to the adult members, he insisted that the kids take on responsibilities to earn their keep. The three of them demanded that we learn skills, and I learned how to fix cars. I became important to the compound, so I was abused... less.

In the training, some died. Some survived, like me.

One car had an issue that none of the car repair staff could fix. Isaah's station wagon. It was the car that left with kids but returned without them. Kids I grew up with, suddenly gone, and new kids who joined us for brief periods, then disappeared.

The station wagon had a sound in the engine I could hear, but I couldn't identify. All of us could hear it, but none of us knew what it was. Isaah wanted it fixed, but we failed him. Failing was a punishable offence. Some died. Some survived, like me.

I had to escape as I knew they had plans to kill me when I reached my sixteenth birthday. Pris... Pris hinted at it. Just to watch me wet myself as she laughed. I knew I had to leave to I prepared for it and fled the moment I was ready."

"I got away and got to LA. Life didn't get easier for some time, but I survived, again." He looked at Beatrice and saw her encouraging smile.

"I came here to get away from my old life... but it followed me." He shook his head like he was trying to break free of the claws digging into his mind. Beatrice touched his face, and he stopped shaking his head and glanced at her.

"The sound came back that night at the gas station. The subtle knock. I can still hear it." Ash looked at the officers watching him. "His voice was the same. The words he said to the boy were exactly the same when he used them on me."

"Git yer scrawny ass back in that seat. I'll deal with you later!"

The men looked at Ash in confusion, as he gave his impression of an angry old man.

"He said it to the boy who tried to get out of the station wagon. The back doors squeal as he never lubes the hinges, so he can tell if someone is trying to sneak out."

He paused for a moment as his memories resurfaced. "He said that to me once when he put me in his car to take me from the compound for a party when I was six. I was the entertainment."

He gave the officers a grim look. "I know it's not the scientific proof you need, but I know how I reacted when I heard him say it the other night. That was Isaah Pemberton."

He suddenly recalled the small boy that night. "What happened to the kids from the gas station?"

Balton responded. "The boy and the younger little girl are with Child Protection Services. We don't know if they were related to the old man, as we found no IDs."

Ash frowned. "Isaah never had kids of his own. He just abused the children of the women he enslaved. Isaah was a facilitator. He groomed children for customers."

Officer Grail slid some sheets of paper across the table. "These are recent messages we pulled from the old man's cell phone. We think he was preparing to do a transaction with someone, but we couldn't decode the message."

Ash frowned as he read the emails. He recognized the wording from the papers he saw back in the records office at the compound. "The night I escaped from the compound, I broke into the office to look for my birth certificate, as I knew they had it and I thought I needed it. I saw Isaah's ledgers. The string of characters here is likely location coordinates, as I saw similar codes written on a map in the compound office. This string represents the price, as there are two values for two items. These characters indicate the transaction is for a Y, which stands for a girl, and a T, which stands for a boy. The ledger I read showed the Y's and T's that matched the order of the kids going missing from the compound."

He shared a sick look with the officer. "This email was probably for those two kids in the station wagon."

Then Ash saw the email account of the client: ponu at a.ru domain. An anonymous Russian email service?

Seeing where he was staring, Grail asked him point-blank. "You recognize the Ponu account?"

Ash froze as his eyes widened. Grail got excited as he saw this

"You do!" he barked.

Ash's head was spinning as his mind told him it couldn't be a coincidence that Isaah was coming to Carmel with children to sell to someone who used that as a username. When he read it, he didn't hear it as a name, Ponu.

Coming back from his stunned state, Ash heard the accusation in the Grail's voice.

"I've never seen it before, but I think you might be reading it wrong. It might not be Ponu, but a short form for Pee On You. I know someone in Carmel with that disturbing fetish."

Grail was still glaring at him. "Who is it?"

"It could be a coincidence, and I have no proof he uses this email account, but my neighbor, Herman Cumberland, has a peeing fetish," Ash said reluctantly.

Grail pushed again. "How do you know this?"

Ash sighed as he was being asked to disclose far more about his past than he was comfortable with. "The man is a bigwig producer in LA and has a bad reputation for peeing on people at adult-industry parties. The actresses all hated him for it."

He frowned, then confessed his sin. "I used to work in porn. I heard it directly from the women he peed on."

Ash locked eyes with Grail.

"Listen, I need to say again that I don't know for certain that Isaah was coming to Carmel to sell the children to Herman. I do know from firsthand knowledge how bad Isaah was, and I recognize the message indicates a sale was about to go down. The email account matching Herman's kink could be another coincidence, or it might give you a place to start. Herman spends most of his time in his LA home, where he lives alone as his wife lives in Carmel. Herman wouldn't have brought the kids to her house."

Ash sagged back in his chair.

"You've been very helpful, Mr. Moor," Captain Williams said. "You've answered some long outstanding question we've had about the true purpose of The Unity compound."

"We'll follow up on the lead with the LAPD and the Feds," Balton said, and all four officers stood and nodded to Ash and the doctor before they left.

When they were alone, Beatrice smiled at Ash. "You did exceptionally well, dealing with the pressure of being forced to review those memories. I think this session was very helpful for you."

Ash rubbed his face with his palms. "Then why do I feel so awful and exhausted?"

She patted his arm. "Go back to your room and get some rest. We'll have another session this evening."

He gave her a worried look. "So soon?"

She smiled as she stood. "You're doing so well. Let's give it a try."

He nodded hesitantly, then stood and followed her out to set course for his room. His nerves were jumping, especially for pointing the police at his neighbor.

That was a dick move!

But so was peeing on non-consenting partners.

Fuck him.

Chapter 14

The following morning, Ash was informed he could leave the hospital, but Dr. Gallaway had him scheduled for more sessions. He also wasn't to operate any heavy machinery, such as a car or motorcycle for the next two weeks.

Officer Balton let him know that no charges were being placed against him as he was incapacitated at the time of the incident. Ultimately, it was the five-year-old girl who set the old man on fire. She and the boy were in Children's Protection, undergoing counselling for their trauma.

As the officer left, Ash saw Frank standing in the entrance.

"What are you doing here?" he asked in surprise.

"I asked the hospital to contact me when you were released so I could give you a lift home," the man said.

"Oh! That's really nice of you!" Ash said as his eyes got a little bleary, his emotions swelled.

Frank noticed. "You need a minute?" he asked gently.

"Yeah, sorry. The shrink sessions brought all my emotions to the surface. Feelin' a little raw," Ash admitted.

"Come on, your bus awaits," Frank said with a smile.

They walked out into the sunlight and crossed to the parking lot where his bus gleamed in the morning rays. He looked at Frank. "Did you wash it?"

Frank chuckled. "Yup."

They headed back to Carmel, and Ash tried to rein in his emotions. Raw? Fuck. He felt wide open!

"How are the babies?" Ash asked to change the topic.

"Heavenly! Elyse is a natural mother, and I'm loving being a daddy," Frank sighed. "I'm glad I'm retired so I can dedicate all my time to this."

"Is Elyse retired, too?" Ash asked.

"No, but she's on maternity leave from her publishing house. She's an editor," Frank said proudly.

Ash just nodded. He was right. They were his example of the perfect family.

He noted that Frank was a careful driver, and that made him feel good. "I've been ordered not to drive for at least two weeks. Luckily, I don't go anywhere, and I can ride my bicycle to get groceries thanks to your example."

Frank chuckled as he pulled onto their street.

He skillfully backed the bus into Ash's driveway.

"Damn! You drive the bus better than me!" Ash said with a grin. Then he caught sight of a new vehicle in Frank's driveway.

"A minivan?" he barked in amusement.

Frank rolled his eyes. "Yes, the Jeep is no more, and I got a deal on this family-friendly minivan."

Ash nodded. "Makes sense," Frank responded with a happy smile and handed Ash his car keys and registration.

"Can you come over for a bit? Elyse would like to say hello as well," Frank asked.

Ash felt is emotions swell. "Can we do it a bit later? I'm feeling a little overwhelmed right now."

"Sure! How about dinner tonight? I'll make Paella in celebration of your return."

"Shit! Frank! Bring out the big guns, why doncha!" Ash gasped with a teary smile.

Frank held up his hands in surrender but kept his eye on Ash, waiting for an answer.

"Fine! Dinner would be welcome," Ash said, giving in.

"Great! See you at six!" Frank said and walked away with a wave.

Ash got himself inside and took some deep breaths to calm his emotions. Dr. Gallaway had warned him that clearing a blockage might result in some emotional turbulence.

She was right.

-=-

Ash sat at a dining room table in Frank and Elyse's beautiful home, and he saw touches that had been shared with his home. Elyse had definitely influenced the décor of both homes.

The scent coming from the kitchen was triggering Ash's hunger. "My God, Frank is a great chef!" he muttered, and Elyse laughed happily.

"It's true!" she said. "He even makes gourmet grilled cheese sandwiches!"

Ash chuckled.

Frank joined them and placed their plates before them, then returned to the kitchen to collect his own. When he sat, he grinned at Elyse and Ash. "Dig in!"

Ash had sampled the dish at the neighborhood potluck, but fresh from the pan like this elevated the meal to epic levels. He savored his first bite.

"Amazing, Frank! So delicious!" he gushed.

Frank nodded in thanks as he enjoyed the food.

Elyse caught Ash's eye. "Frank tells me you will be returning to the hospital for sessions with the psychologist. Do you need a lift?" she asked.

Ash held up a hand. "I've made arrangements with the local cab company to get me there and back for my sessions."

Frank watched him for a moment, glanced at Elyse, then nodded as he turned back to his meal.

Next to the table, they'd placed two bassinettes with the babies in them. The children were currently sleeping peacefully.

He smiled as the scene truly was idyllic.

"We've decided to get them used to the sounds of life around them. No white noise generators or tiptoeing around the house during their naptimes," Frank explained.

"Smart," Ash replied.

Frank caught his eye. "If you need anything over the next few weeks, just let us know. Living alone while you're recuperating can be difficult. We're here." Frank held up his hands as Ash stared at him incredulously with glassy eyes. "I know! Just sayin'!" Frank said with a little smile on his lips.

Ash dabbed his eyes and flicked an embarrassed look at Elyse, who was just smiling sweetly at him.

"Geezus! Stop doing stuff that makes me cry!" Ash complained, and the two of them chuckled.

"Sorry," Elyse said. "Are the sessions with the doctor helpful?"

Ash sighed in relief as he could answer this.

"Yes, Dr. Gallaway has really helped me, and I'm hopeful about the next sessions. They do make me a little over sensitized emotionally, but it's for a good cause. Getting past all the bad sh--stuff I went through, and being able to talk about it without it triggering a stress response is welcome."

Elyse smiled at him. "That's great news."

Moving to a safer topic, Ash smiled at the woman. "Moving to a minivan is the next step in growing up."

She raised an exquisite brow. "Oh, that's Frank's car. My sports coupe is in the garage."

Ash laughed at the smug little smile on Elyse's face and the annoyed expression on Frank's as he stared at his wife.

After dinner, the couple settled on the couch, and Ash chose a comfortable chair facing them, and they talked.

In this setting, he was able to give them a brief outline of his childhood, minus the horrifying details, and tie it back to how it connected to the events at the gas station. Elyse's eyes were glassy by the end, and Frank's face showed his shock.

"I'm amazed at your ability to endure such trauma," Frank finally said. "I'd also have assumed you'd have more issues about sex."

Ash glanced at Frank, as he knew the man certainly had some strict opinions on the topic.

"I don't know if my reaction is wrong or broken in some way, but I know it feels good to make people feel good. I do have problems if people use it to be cruel or cause pain. That... that's a trigger for me."

Ash forced a smile back onto his face and nodded. "Dr. Gallaway said my endurance kept me alive. I had this expectation that I would get past whatever trial was forced upon me. So many others just gave up. I watched them die, and it made me so sad, but somehow, I knew I would live. I don't understand why or where this expectation came from, but I'm grateful I had it."

Elyse smiled at him. "Ash, it wasn't expectation. You never surrendered your hope."

He went still as that sank in, and... it felt right. It didn't bring him any closer to the how or why, but the warmth it built in his heart was welcome.

He could live with that.

Ash caught himself yawning and smiled sheepishly at his hosts. "Sorry, it seems my endurance for staying awake is running out. Thank you for a wonderful meal and the great company!"

"You're most welcome!" Elyse said.

They walked Ash to the door, where they gave him hugs, making his eyes glassy once more. They smiled kindly at him and waved as he made his way across the street to go home.

It had been a lovely night.

-=-

The following morning was Ash's yoga class, and he really needed the peace of mind that would bring him, so he put on his yoga gear and grabbed his mat. As he locked up, he heard a voice calling out to him from the sidewalk.

"Aaassshhh, can we walk with you to class?"

He turned around and saw Janice and Kelly standing there in their yoga wear and their rolled mats hanging over their shoulders like school bags.

More than that, both women had tied their hair in twin braids as if they were schoolgirls.

Ash's face split into a huge grin, and he laughed happily as he joined them on the sidewalk. He pulled them both into hugs, which made them giggle happily, too.

He reached out and touched their twin tails as he shook his head. "What's all this?"

Janice got them all walking as they still had to get to the yoga studio on time. "We thought we'd walk to class, and as we were going to be walking with a boy we both like, it felt like we were reliving our school years."

Ash nodded as he could see the mental image they were trying to create.

Of course, his schooling had been occasional and intermittent in the compound. He could read, write, and had rudimentary math skills, as those were useful for the compound. He had no diploma, and he had nothing to say that he graduated. He'd also never walked to school with girls he liked. He smiled at them as this was an experience he'd missed, and they were creating it for him.

Kelly spoke up. "We've been busy, then you disappeared. Holly said she saw Frank driving your bus."

Ash's smile dimmed, and he nodded. "Yeah, I've been in the hospital."

Janice's expression immediately became one of concern, and Kelly gasped. "What happened?" she gasped.

"Are you hurt? Should you be going to yoga?" Janice asked.

"Are Holly and Heather going to meet us at the studio?" he asked, and they nodded. "It will be easier to explain to all of you when we're together. I wasn't physically injured. I had a setback in my mental health. I'm seeing a psychologist to help me with the issue."

Now their eyes were wide with interest and concern, which made it difficult to make small talk all the way to the yoga studio.

When they arrived, they saw that Holly and Heather had set up their mats in their previous locations and reserved the spaces in the row behind. The two grinned at the new arrivals, then immediately switched to looks of concern.

Ash held up his hands. "Nothing is wrong. Let's enjoy the class, and we'll talk afterwards." He looked at Janice. "The coffee shop?"

She nodded, then she turned to Holly and Heather. "If you have anything planned for this afternoon, reschedule it. We need to set time aside to listen to Ash's account of why he's been in the hospital for the last few days."

"What?" Holly gasped and clung to Ash's arm. Heather looked a little desperate herself.

"Please! Let's just get through the class. I really need the class to help me recenter myself. We'll talk afterwards," he begged, and they finally nodded and released him.

Abigail walked by to see if anything was wrong, but Ash just shook his head and gave her a smile.

Ash looked at the four ladies. "Let's focus on the lessons and feel good when we leave the class. All will be clear soon."

Despite their misgivings, he and the others focused on the class, and when it came to a close, they all smiled at each other, as they did feel better.

The moment the class was over, and they were ready to leave, Holly took Ash's arm and led him from the studio with the others close behind.

They found a private table near the back of the coffee shop to enjoy their drinks and finally hear the reason why Ash had been in the hospital.

Four sets of eyes locked onto him, and Ash cleared his mind of any other distractions. He pushed a smile onto his face and took a deep breath.

"To explain what happened to me and what led me to being taken to the hospital, I'm going to have to tell you about some extremely private parts of my life. I've kept it a secret since I was a child, so please bear with me. It began when I was just five years old..."

Ash went through his childhood on the compound, the abuse, the neglect, and living with the fear of one day being selected to go on a trip that no one ever returned from. Ash restricted the narrative to Isaah's role in his life. He still couldn't bring himself to speak about Pris.

He explained how he managed to escape ten years after he was brought to the compound and how he ended up in Los Angeles.

"I discovered I could use these other skills in front of a camera and make movies. I got started in the adult movie business and became reasonably successful," he said.

"That's why you're so incredibly good at sex!" Kelly blurted, and the ladies burst into laughter.

Ash gave her an embarrassed nod. "Thank you, but taking ownership of those skills was a vital part of my healing."

He went quiet as he got to the recent event. "All this was to explain what happened to me the other night. I was with Frank, driving him home from the hospital where Elyse had just given birth to her children. We stopped at a gas station, where I began filling the bus's tank. Frank went inside the shop."

He took a deep breath before continuing.

"Isaah drove into the gas station in his station wagon. The same car he took so many kids away in. The man was much older, but I recognized the sound of the car and then his voice. He had two children with him, very likely on their way to the man Isaah had sold them to." He couldn't stop his eyes from flicking to glance at Heather, but her expression just showed her rapt and innocent attention.

"His voice brought back the terror of those ten years at the compound, and I froze. When he yelled at me, I was a child again. I jolted and sprayed gasoline all over him before I passed out.

A little five-year-old girl in the station wagon had a lighter, and she set Isaah on fire. He died.

I was taken to the hospital, unconscious. A psychologist is now working with me to restore the memories, and I'm learning how to deal with the repressed trauma."

Ash made no mention of his suspicion that Isaah was bringing the kids to Herman. He hadn't spoken to the police since he left the hospital, so he had no idea what was happening with the investigation. Besides, it was only a suspicion based on the flimsiest of evidence.

He focused once more on the women, and they were all stunned.

"Oh my God, Ash, you poor man!" Holly began.

He held up a hand. "No. Please. I'm not looking for pity. I know what I went through wasn't something anyone deserves. But it happened, it's over, and I survived. The people responsible for it are all gone. I'm getting help to deal with my stress reactions so I can respond like a normal person. My greatest desire is just to live a normal life, happily in a neighborhood with wonderful people I care for."

Smiles reappeared on their faces.

"We want that, too," Janice said.

Ash nodded. "I have more sessions with Dr. Gallaway. She's really helping me. Granted, she said that I can't drive for two weeks--I've arranged transfers between home and the hospital," he said quickly to forestall the offers of drives. He wasn't going to be a burden to his neighbors.

He smiled at their pouts. "It might be a few weeks before I'm capable of... more energetic visits... should they still be desired."

More shocked expressions. "Of course they are!" Holly insisted, and smiles erupted around the table.

"We will certainly wait for visits, but in the interim, we enjoy just being in your company!" Janice added.

Heather placed her hand on his and looked at him with big eyes and a cheerful smile.

Kelly was nodding enthusiastically as well.

"Thank you!" Ash said, as his eyes threatened to become glassy once more. "Sorry, my emotions are a little close to the surface and raw due to recent events."

Holly chuckled. "Don't you dare feel embarrassed about showing genuine sweet emotions before four women starved to see such things on a man's face."

The group burst into giggles, and Ash smiled his thanks to Holly.

"Let's get some lunch! There's a place up the street that serves delicious and fresh salads!" Kelly insisted.

Ash saw that the others were onboard, so he smiled and nodded.

It looked like he was going to have a lovely afternoon.

Chapter 15

A week passed before Detective Balton contacted Ash to thank him for the lead that enabled them to break a Human Trafficking ring in Los Angeles. The FBI conducted a deep dive into Herman Cumberland's life to determine his known associates. At the same time, their techs reviewed messages on Isaah's cell and discovered an earlier message from the Ponu account that indicated someone named LoBo would handle the exchange on the date Isaah died.

The FBI subsequently charged Herman's personal secretary, Louis Bonettoni, with criminal conspiracy in Human Trafficking. Louis' car and the man himself were caught on several cameras in Monterey on the evening in question. One video showed him buying two kids' meals at a popular drive-through restaurant, and the next showed him parking at the back of the restaurant's lot, where he sat for multiple hours. It was clear he was there to collect his boss's latest victims, but Isaah never showed.

In custody, Louis immediately flipped on his boss, which cleared the way for them to serve a warrant on Herman's mansion. Inside, they found confirmation of Herman's ownership of the Russian Ponu email account. They also found evidence of his previous kidnap victims. His home was a treasure trove of evidence and a bit of a horror show.

He was a sick man.

With the video evidence found in his home, several other prominent figures in Los Angeles were identified as being part of the trafficking ring. They were quickly picked up and charged before any of them could flee.

Of Herman himself, there was no sign. He was in the wind. The local police and the FBI had visited Heather, but no charges would be laid against her as there was no evidence of her involvement. No sign of her was found in Herman's LA mansion, and she admitted to them that she'd never been invited to see it. They believed she was just another of Herman's victims.

In speaking with Janice, Ash learned that Holly had taken Heather to a private spa to decompress. They'd return soon.

This morning, Ash sat quietly at his little table by his patio door, staring out at his lovely greenery. He pondered the thread of fate that connected him to Isaah, Heather, Herman, and even Frank, that brought him full circle to where he was today. It boggled his mind, and he knew he had to discuss it with Dr. Gallaway.

Speaking of her, he had an appointment, so he had to get moving.

-=-

Ash's mind was always full of questions after his sessions with the psychologist. Sometimes he felt emotionally drained. Especially if their discussion helped him overcome an emotional roadblock.

Today, he felt... good!

Beatrice was also very pleased with his progress and was optimistic that he would be able to begin driving himself to their appointments very soon.

The taxi driver pulled onto his road and began driving down the hill toward his block.

He spotted a moving van parked in front of the home Frank said was once owned by a woman named Beverly. So, the home had been sold to a new neighbor.

As they drove past, Ash spotted a familiar face, and the shock stunned him. The driver had to call out twice that they'd arrived. After apologizing, Ash paid the man, got out, and watched the cab leave.

He stood in his driveway, wondering what he should do. Would she want to see him?

Then he realized he couldn't hide from her as they were now neighbors. He had to at least let her know he lived here, too.

He walked across the street and up the sidewalk to see two beauties hugging joyfully before the home.

One was tall and athletically slim with flaming red hair in waves to mid-back, full-sleeve tattoos on muscular, toned, and tanned arms and legs, which were visible due to the tight tank and shorts she wore. She also had a few small tattoos on the sides of her face with accompanying nose and brow rings.

She was close to six feet tall, and her features hinted at her Korean heritage.

In the woman's arms was a slightly shorter blonde with equally long hair but fewer tattoos on her arms and legs, and none on her face.

Both looked to be in their mid-to-late thirties. The blonde matched his memories so well.

The redhead saw him approaching with a smile on his face, and her smile dropped as her hackles went up.

"Keep moving, Chad. We're not here to give you a show!"

The blonde looked at him questioningly, a bit defensively, but remained quiet.

"Hello, Ellie. It's me, Ashby," he says gently.

The blonde's expression underwent a transformation, and her jaw dropped as she stared at him. His voice hadn't changed, so she must have recognized that.

"Ashby died," she said softly.

"Almost did. Had the lower half of my face rebuilt after the car accident." He glanced at the worried expression on the redhead's face and held up his palms. "I'm not here to interfere in your lives. I also just moved here a short time ago myself," he said, pointing to the home down and across the street. "I just thought you should know you have an ally and a friend as a neighbor." He nodded as he'd delivered the message and turned to head back to his place.

He heard a noise and felt a hand grip his arm, turning him back. Pale blue eyes looked up into his, searchingly, and he smiled when recognition appeared.

"OH MY GOD! Ashby!" Ellie cried and wrapped her arms around him.

The redhead approached cautiously, worry written all over her face. It was almost panic.

"We're friends from long ago. Never anything more," Ash assured her and saw a slight easing of the woman's tension.

"An ally?" she asked.

Ash nodded. "Always," he replied.

Ellie looked at him with concern. "Are you still..."

"Thirteen years sober," he said.

A sudden look of recognition flashed across the redhead's face, and she rocked back slightly. "Libertine!"

Ash looked at her in surprise and dismay.

Ellie burst into giggles, a delightful sound Ash recalled from so long ago.

"Your book," she said.

"Oh God! Please tell me you didn't read that garbage!" Ash begged, and the redhead's smile widened mischievously.

"I told you it was bad!" she said, and Ellie pouted.

"You don't have a copy, do you?" Ash exclaimed in horror.

"You wrote it! Why wouldn't I have purchased a copy! You even signed it for me!" she said with a smile, and Ash's face dropped.

"You came to a signing? I-I have no memory of that," he mumbled, distraught.

"It's true. You were badly strung out at the event," Ellie agreed.

Ash closed his eyes and moaned. "Geezus... I'm so sorry! Please. Please burn the book."

"Is that what you really want?" Ellie asked seriously.

"Yes! The man who wrote that self-pitying crap died in that traffic accident. I'm no longer him, and good riddance," Ash said with a shudder.

Ellie smiled and nodded. She looked at her partner. "Mi Cha, you have my permission to destroy the book."

Mi Cha smiled and nodded in satisfaction.

Ellie locked eyes with Ash. "We really thought you'd died. Everyone in the old crew. You certainly disappeared."

Ash nodded. "The recovery from the surgery took so much time, and I'd come from such a bad place, I couldn't imagine anyone wanting to have anything to do with me."

"Yet you came over to say hello today," Mi Cha challenged.

He smiled slightly at her. "I'm no longer that man." He turned to face Ellie with a serious expression. "I also wanted to let you know about another of your neighbors. He spends most of his time in LA, but the house next to mine belongs to Herman Cumberland."

Ellie's face instantly showed her disgust, and Mi Cha looked at her for an explanation. She nodded. "A Hollywood Producer and a genuinely evil piece of shit."

"It's worse than you think. He's a pedophile currently being hunted by the FBI. This house belongs to his wife, who is a very sweet woman who had nothing to do with his evil. Hopefully, they'll catch him soon and put him behind bars."

He watched their concerned expressions, but relaxed when he saw they weren't being scared off. Good!

He smiled at the couple. "As I said, I'm not here to interfere with your lives, so I'll let you get back to it. Please know you can rely on me if you need anything."

Ellie gave him another hug, then looked up into his eyes. "Are you living with anyone?"

He shook his head. "No. I... have two friends who live in LA. They visit." He was quiet for a moment. "I was married for five years, but she died... not too long ago. We were separated at the time."

He rubbed his face as he sighed. "Sorry to be a downer. I'm better--getting better." He smiled. "So nice to see you so much in love, and congrats on your home!"

With a final wave, he headed back to his house.

One more reason to feel good about the day!

The gunshot caught him off guard and was followed by the sound of breaking glass. A shard glittered in the afternoon light and drew his eyes to the broken picture window on Heather's house.

He'd reached the end of his driveway and yanked out his cell to call the police when he heard a female primal scream of rage.

Heather! He managed to begin moving toward her place when a second shot rang out, freezing Ash in place once more. He could hear a voice coming from his phone and lifted it to his ear. He mumbled Heather's address and said shots fired, then Heather's front door yanked open, and Herman staggered outside to stop on the lawn.

His left hand was pressed against the side of his neck, but blood was spurting out from between his fingers. There was a horrific slash across his face as well.

In his right hand was a small but nasty-looking handgun, which he was swinging around, his eyes wide with fear.

Ash couldn't move. He couldn't breathe.

Then he heard Ellie calling out his name from up the hill, and Herman's arm swung loosely in her direction.

Frank's voice suddenly shouted Ash's name loudly, making him swing his head to see Frank running toward him from his home. Terrified, Ash faced Herman once more.

Herman's gun wobbled but began to draw a bead on Frank.

"NOOOO!!!!" Ash screamed in absolute rage as he suddenly found his body moving. He couldn't let Frank get hurt! Not for him.

Legs pumping, Ash ran at Herman with all his strength, arms outstretched to grab him, as he saw Herman swing the muzzle to point it at him.

The shot was deafening from so close, and something kicked him in the chest, but Ash kept moving and crashed his forehead into Herman's nose as hard as he could. The two of them flew back to land on the grass, the gun flying from Herman's nerveless fingers. The older man was trapped under Ash, whose senses were spiraling down a darkening tunnel.

He never heard the police sirens as the cars screeched to a halt in front of the house.

Chapter 16

Ash surfaced from the dark place to find himself in a hospital, as a young nurse gave him a sponge bath.

One of his old movie lines popped into his head. "Be gentle. It's my first time," he said weakly with a trembling smile.

The nurse squeaked, and she saw his eyes beginning to open. She grinned at him, then rushed from the room.

Moments later, a doctor returned and checked him out.

"I'm Doctor Gannt. Mr. Moor, you gave us a scare. You've been unconscious for two days."

"Surprised to wake up," he said weakly as he suddenly recalled what he'd done.

"Is Heather alive?" he asked.

The doctor nodded. "Mrs. Cumberland was shot twice, but neither hit anything vital. Mr. Cumberland died from a deep knife wound his wife gave him to his carotid artery.

The police reported that the shot he fired at you went through a cell phone you were holding. Only a fragment of the bullet hit you in the chest, and its energy was mostly spent. It missed most of your vital organs, but it did nick a vital artery. You made it to the hospital before you bled out. You're going to be fine, but you'll need a significant recovery period."

She smiled as he gave her a relieved smile in return.

"Thank you!" he said.

"Rest up. I have some calls to make. You'll be having some visitors tomorrow now that you're back with us," the doctor said, and he allowed his heavy eyelids to close once more.

-=-

After he had a little breakfast, they allowed him to play with the bed controls and tilt himself up to face the visitors he'd be having. That effort took almost all his energy, so he dozed until the first ones were allowed in.

The first ones to come through the door were Officer Balton and a man in a sharp business suit.

"What can I do for you two?" Ash said, and Balton looked a little uncomfortable, which immediately put Ash's nerves on high alert.

"This is Agent Lindemann of the FBI. They're handling the investigation into Cumberland's Human Trafficking ring."

The handsome man smiled at Ash. "Mr. Moor, your efforts in deciphering Isaah Pemberton's email correspondence and discovering the true identity of his client, the man we only knew as Ponu, allowed us to shut down a group of individuals in Hollywood participating in a Human Trafficking ring. This wasn't their first purchase of children, and Pemberton facilitated for them on at least two other instances. All members are in custody, aside from Pemberton, of course."

Ash frowned. "How did Herman get to Heather? Why wasn't he picked up earlier? Why wasn't someone watching her house in case he came back?"

The man had the grace to appear contrite. "We simply lost him. Somehow, he discovered the ring had been compromised, and he went to ground. Our coverage for his home hadn't yet arrived. We believe he returned to the house in Carmel to retrieve a cache of travel documents and funds. His escape kit. Heather confronted him when he snuck into the house, which led to him shooting her and her subsequent stabbing of him. She survived. He did not."

"If you'd met Heather, you would know how much control Herman had over her. There is no way I would have ever expected her to be able to confront him, much less attack him." Ash blinked as the idea of her finding the strength to do this amazed him.

The FBI agent wasn't finished. "We'd like to reward your efforts in this investiga--"

"No! No, thank you. I want no part of the press and attention. I'm a private citizen. I'm glad I was able to help in this case, but I have enough on my plate dealing with the trauma of growing up on Isaah's fucking compound, with the sexual and physical abuse, and watching the other kids disappear one by one. I was on the inside of that world, and I got out. Leave me out of any further activity, please."

The officer and the agent shared a look, and Lindemann nodded. "I will take steps to assure you are not included in any press releases."

"Thank you."

"Thank you, Mr. Moor," the man said with a smile.

Ash just nodded and looked away. The men left.

He heard rapid footsteps and looked toward the door to see Ellie rushing in, with Mi Cha right behind her.

Ellie grabbed Ash's hand. She looked like she wanted to hug him, but Mi Cha managed to catch her before she did.

"What the hell were you doing running toward the gunshot?" Ash scolded.

Ellie blinked. "You did!"

"No! I ran toward the scream. I stopped when I heard the gun! You kept running!"

Ellie's mouth was moving with no sound, so Ash continued as he moved his gaze toward Mi Cha. "Please feel free to tackle her if she ever does anything that crazy again!" he griped and saw the redhead's smile and nod.

"You did run toward the gunman!" Ellie insisted.

Ash scowled. "Yes! After I saw him about to shoot my friends! I've never done anything like that in my life. I'm not brave. I always run away! This time I got shot! I didn't like it!"

Ellie was all teary-eyed, and Ash's heart did a little flip in his chest.

He was a little concerned by that sensation, but it didn't seem to be a symptom of his injury, so he locked eyes with her. "I couldn't stand the thought of you being hurt by that monster. Not on your first day of being in your new home with your lovely partner."

Now Mi Cha was grinning widely at him.

"I like him," she said as she hugged Ellie from behind.

Ash gave them both a relieved smile. "I hope this was the last of the drama you'll face in your new home."

"When you're better, and they let you come home, we'll drop by for a visit," Mi Cha said.

"I'd like that," he said with a smile.

With sweet smiles, they left.

His next visitor walked into the room. It was Frank.

"How are Elyse and the kids?" Ash asked before he could say anything.

Frank's face brightened with a smile. "They are wonderful! I'm grateful you managed to take out that evil creep, Herman."

Ash shook his head. "I think that was Heather's doing. I just got him to drop his gun."

"You knocked him unconscious and held him down until he bled out. Sure, you were unconscious too, but I give you credit for preventing him from firing off any more shots in the neighborhood."

Ash frowned as he locked eyes with the man. "Don't ever do that again."

Frank blinked in surprise.

"You were running toward us! He was going to shoot you! You're a dad! You can't be doing that!" Ash said, his voice rising with his agitation, and he suddenly had no energy left, slumping back against his pillow as the machine that went Bing beside him began to complain.

Frank gave him a worried look.

"Seriously, Frank. Elyse would never have forgiven me if Herman had killed you. No more hero shit. Save that for being a daddy," Ash muttered and slipped into unconsciousness as he saw a nurse rushing into the room.

-=-

It was two weeks before Ash was able to shuffle like a geriatric patient down the hospital hallway in a dressing gown and slippers, wheeling his IV along beside him.

He was feeling a little blue and feeling out of sorts. He knew he wasn't good at being a patient and desperately wanted to go home. The doctor said next week, and he was counting the days.

He hadn't heard from Nicola or Ravina in a long time, and his cell phone was destroyed, so he couldn't call them. He was sure they were just caught up in their busy LA lifestyles. But maybe they thought he didn't care about them. That made him feel worse.

He spotted Holly with Heather, who was dressed in her own clothes, so she must have been discharged.

Holly, Janice, and Kelly visited him each time they came to the hospital to check on Heather. When Heather was able to shuffle around like he was doing now, she'd come to visit him as well.

Both ladies brightened up when they saw Ash and rushed over to join him.

They were gentle with their hugs, though they didn't miss the opportunity to press their breasts against him, and he gave them discreet kisses. He felt Heather trembling against him. He looked into her eyes.

"I'm in awe at how you stood up to Herman! You were incredible!" he said, and she absolutely bloomed under his praise.

Holly caught his eye. "You managed to disarm him but were shot in the process."

He smiled at the woman. "It's the first time I've ever done anything so reckless, but at the time, there didn't seem to be any other choice. It looked like he was going to shoot Frank and our new neighbors."

"We haven't met them yet, have you? Are they lesbians?" Holly asked awkwardly, and Heather's eyes widened.

He smiled at them. "Yes, I've met them. One of them, coincidentally, is a friend I knew years ago, and yes, they're in a relationship."

He leaned closer to speak softly to them. "Do you enjoy a nice cock?" he asked, and they both spontaneously giggled in surprise, making him grin. "Them, not so much, but otherwise they're really good people."

"You're such a flirt!" Holly purred, and Heather nodded excitedly.

"When will you get to go home?" Heather asked.

"The doctor told me next week, but I can't do anything strenuous for six to eight weeks," he sighed.

"That's a long time," Heather said in surprise.

"They want to make sure the sutures on the nicked artery don't tear. You know, to keep from bleeding internally and dying."

They gave him serious frowns at hearing such scary words. "I'm not allowed to drive, ride my bicycle, or even garden. I have to remain calm and maintain a resting heart rate." He gave them hungry looks. "I may go mad."

Their grins returned as they gave him gentle swats on the arm for his lusty looks.

"I say it again. You're a flirt!" Holly said with a satisfied smile.

She turned to her friend. "Come on, Heather. We'd better leave so his heart rate can settle."

Ash smiled as he waved at the ladies. When he was alone, he turned and began walking back to his room. He was actually feeling a little wobbly already.

It wouldn't do to croak in the hospital that saved his life.

Epilog

Time passed, injuries healed, and Ash cruised down the hill toward his block on his bicycle, his new panniers full of groceries. He was having guests tonight for a barbecue in his backyard, so he'd picked up some last-minute items.

He saw Holly waving goodbye to Daryl, who was off on another business trip to Washington. The man spotted him and gave him a dirty look. He was now aware he wasn't the only one in his marriage getting some on the side. Aside from pouting like a spoiled child, he did nothing about it, as Holly said he wouldn't.

Ellie and Mi Cha were working on their front garden and waved to him as he rode by. They'd be at the barbecue tonight as well.

Frank and Elyse were walking up the hill toward their home after their beach visit, Frank behind the double stroller with his beautiful wife at his side--the very picture of a happy family.

They waved, and he nodded to them with a smile. They'd be joining the party tonight.

Janice was visiting Warren in the hospice where he'd been checked into. The drugs the lab boys had been feeding him finally manifested into a malignant and aggressive tumor in the man's brain, and he didn't have long. The lawsuit Janice filed against his company was looking like it would turn into a big payout. She'd also join them for dinner.

She and Ash had another advanced yoga session scheduled for tomorrow morning. They were trying to break their record and hit the one-hour mark.

Kelly confessed to the gang that her husband was that in name only. He no longer attended any neighborhood events but maintained Kelly's lifestyle, living in the home he paid for like a tenant. She was also enjoying Ash's visits.

Ash parked his bike in the garage and carried the panniers into the house, unloading them in the kitchen.

His new cell pinged, and he glanced at it to see an email from Ravina.

They were no longer lovers as she'd married a man she'd met from one of the Board of Directors she was on. The man had a monogamy kink, and she loved him, so her playtime with others was over. She did write to keep in touch, and he was delighted to hear about her new life. She really enjoyed his spicy stories.

Nicola married an Italian movie director and moved to Milan, Italy, to live the dream. He got messages from her occasionally. That's how it was in the entertainment biz. People moved on.

Walking out into the backyard, he made sure he had enough chairs and table space to serve all his guests.

"ash"

He paused and looked around.

"ash"

He tried to determine where the sound was coming from and finally found himself standing before the tall grasses planted next to his fence. He reached out an arm and pushed them aside to see the hole in his fence. A wide and delighted eye was looking at him through the opening.

"There you are!" Heather said happily.

"Hi Heather. Whatcha doin'?" he asked with a grin.

"We never got a chance to try this. Tonight, we'll be busy, so I thought we might do it now," she said sweetly. Her eye moved away from the hole, and her mouth appeared, her wet, pink tongue sliding through the glory hole in anticipation.

Fuck! This woman was so damn sexy!

Ash moved up to the fence, standing behind the tall grasses, and dropped his shorts. He had some privacy behind the greenery if someone entered the backyard. He pointed the swelling head of his cock forward and lowered it onto her tongue.

Heather moaned in delight and stroked the shaft as he slid his cock through the fence and into her receptive mouth.

She began sucking and stroking his cock, and once more, Ash marveled at her incredibly hot and soft mouth.

His mind took him to their last session in her dungeon. She'd removed all elements of the room that she didn't enjoy, but now that she had a lover who knew how to dominate her without hurting her, she fully enjoyed her time in that room with him.

Heather was plunging him into her throat aggressively as her tongue swirled over his cock like a serpent.

He wasn't going to last.

This was nothing like the last time he'd had his cock sucked through a glory hole, though both women had been enthusiastic. Heather's mouth was created by the Gods to deliver pleasure that no mortal man could endure for long.

"Fuck! Heather! I'm gonna come!"

She moaned louder and sped up, which was too much for Ash's control. He slammed himself against the fence and blasted his cum into Heather's throat as she squealed happily.

She drained his balls and finally released him with kisses down his shaft and one for the sensitive head before he could pull himself back through the fence.

"Holy fuck, Heather! That was amazing!" he gasped as he leaned against the fence to catch his breath.

He could hear her purring on the other side. A smile came to his face.

"Tonight, after all the guests depart, we are going to have an epic session in your playroom."

He heard Heather giggling excitedly, so he moved down to the hole, and they kissed through it. "Tonight!" he promised, and she pranced away, giggling happily.

Pulling his pants back up, he moved back into his yard. He confirmed that the tall grasses by the fence were still hiding the glory hole.

Turning slowly in place, he let his eyes take in every detail of his new property.

Dr. Galloway had been training him to recall his blessings when his mind took him to dark places.

His new life was so much better than it had ever been.

Life in The Unity's compound had been a decade of surviving terrible neglect and abuse.

This was followed by difficult years spent trying to survive on his own in Los Angeles, which ultimately led him into a career in the adult film business.

He'd met a lot of damaged people during those years, but he'd made friends, too.

As his life improved, the external pressure eased, and his repressed memories began to push through to the surface, leading to his rapid descent into drug and alcohol abuse.

The car accident was another significant pivot point in his life. It led to his seeking help for his addictions, and meeting Tristan moved him in a positive direction until her personal demons took her from him.

Meeting Nicola and Ravina brought him to Carmel-By-The-Sea and his current circle of friends.

It was true that sex was still the most significant element of his life, and if he'd gotten anything right in that terrible book he wrote, it had to be the title.

He really was a libertine. Sexually unrestrained.

But he was okay with that as he made his friends happy, and making the world a happier place was a worthy endeavor.

He headed back to his house. He had a party to prepare.

He loved his new home and his new friends.

It felt like a family... and that's all he desired.