“I hadn’t made my mind up one way or another. Everything hinges on the girl, you see. I told myself that I’d wait and see. . .reserve judgment so to speak.”
“And now it’s me?”
“Now it’s you, I want you all to myself. I’m a greedy fucker, but I’d be prepared to share you if that’s what you want. I don’t want to hurt you or my family.”
“And what about you? How do you feel about all your brothers being with me like this?”
He chuckles lowly. “Half of me wants to rip their dicks off and the other half of me wants to see you fuck them all.”
I don’t even know what to say to that. I can’t imagine the situation in reverse. If I had nine sisters, would I be happy to watch them all take their pleasure from Ford? Fuck no. I’d want him all to myself. I’d want to know that his mind, body and heart were all mine. I don’t understand how he can be okay with me sharing anything with anyone else.
“You think that’s fucked up, don’t you?”
I nod. “I just. . .I keep coming back to just not getting how you can all be so cool with the idea.”
He smiles ruefully. “It’s a McGregor thing. From the outside I think our family must look like some kind of weird cult.”
“It does,” I tell him. That’s exactly what it feels like. These boys have been brainwashed.
“But that’s not how it is, Laura. We just understand what it takes for a big family like ours to stay together. It’s not as simple as when there are a couple of kids. To keep ten men together is going to take something a bit special. Something a bit out of the ordinary.”
“And you think that’s me?” I ask. I’ve never felt anything but ordinary.
“I think if anyone has a chance of doing it, it’s you.”
“But you don’t know me,” I say, feeling exasperated.
“I’m a pretty good judge of character,” Ford tells me. “It comes from growing up with a lot of money and having to weed out the people who were motivated to be our friends because of that.”
I try to imagine a teenage Ford having to deal with fake friends and girlfriends who just wanted to be part of the McGregor clan. It must have been tough.
It’s funny how when you have no money you imagine that rich people have it easy. You think that money is going to solve all your problems, but in reality, it just brings along a whole host of different issues.
He leans down to kiss me again, his warm lips a soothing balm against the raging confusion. When Ford touches me, it’s as though everything inside me goes still. “There’s no rush to decide on all this, Laura. You just take your time.”
“You think Roderick is going to be happy with that.”
“I don’t think Roderick is ever happy about much,” he says. “And who gives a fuck about his timeline. This isn’t something that you can rush in to. You need to spend enough time with each of us to know if there is the chemistry and trust there. Then you’ll have to spend time with all of us to see what the dynamic is going to be like. I mean, we’re all used to living with each other, but not having one girl between us. I’m not sure how it’ll work.”
“You mean the physical side?”
“Yeah.”
In a way I’m glad that Ford seems to be as uncertain about that part as me. It boggles my mind every time I consider it.
“And how would you like it to work?” I ask. Might as well get some idea of what might be involved.
“Well, I’m not a guy who can go ten days without sex, so I’m not really into the idea of a one-on-one schedule.”
“So what does that mean?”
“I guess I’m saying that waiting to have you all to myself won’t be an option.”
“And what’s the alternative?” I ask.
“Well, we could all just leave it fluid but I’m thinking that might cause issues.”
“Or...”
“We could all just be together.”
“Ten of you?” I gasp. “At once.”
He grins, the Big Bad Wolf back again.
“You worried you won’t be able to take us all.”
“Hell yeah. Of course I am. My pussy feels pretty sore now, Ford. And that was just sex with you. How the fuck would I be able to do that ten times?”
“You’d be surprised what you can get used to,” he says. “Don’t forget, it’s our first time together. You’ll adjust.”
“I think I’d have to,” I say.
“We’d take it slow.”
“You’d definitely have to.”
He snakes his hand between my legs and strokes over my opening. “Did I really hurt you?” he asks, looking regretful.
“A little,” I tell him. “But it all felt good.”
“That’s good,” he says. “How about I draw you a nice warm bath with some healing salts and I’ll go and deal with my brothers while you relax.”
That sounds amazing. The last thing I want to do right now is face the hoards and the fact that Ford is so concerned about my wellbeing has me feeling all gooey. Whoever is out there has now seen me naked in a very compromising position. They’ve intruded into my privacy and I don’t think I could find it in me to be polite right now.
“Okay,” I say. “That sounds good.”
Ford is up and off the bed, and I take my chance to admire his gorgeous ass and the masculine v of his back and shoulders. He looks like he could be a heavyweight boxer, all solid muscle packed over strong bones. He grabs his boxers and heads out the door. I hear the plumbing groan as the bath taps are turned on. Then he’s back with a soft white robe in hand.
“Here, put this on,” he says. “I’ll keep the boys in the den. If you want to go straight to bed after, you can – in here or in the room I showed you. You decide. I can bring you supper. Or if you want to come and join us, then that would be cool, too.”
I nod, not really sure what I feel comfortable doing yet.
When Ford has retreated, I slide the robe on and make my way to the bathroom. The water is already half way up the side of the bath and it’s steaming perfectly. It also smells amazing; something sweet with lavender. I tentatively put my hand in and find the temperature fine so I shed the robe and get into the water, sinking low and letting my whole body relax. In the cocoon of the water I exhale a deep breath.
I don’t even know what to think of what’s happened over the past forty-eight hours. I’ve slept with two different men. Two different men who are brothers. And kissed a third.
Who am I? This Laura isn’t anything like the Laura who used to live in a small apartment in a building in the less desirable part of town. It’s nothing like the Laura whose heart was broken and pined for a guy who wasn’t a quarter of the man that Grant or Ford have turned out to be. I feel like I’ve woken up from a dull and boring dream into a vivid and colorful reality. Could I explain any of this to my friends without sounding like a complete freak?
No. Absolutely not.
Am I seriously thinking about what Ford was saying? I don’t know. I guess at this point I could see myself with Grant and Ford. I like Antony, too. And Elliot was on my nice list until he opened his big mouth. I’m not sure how I feel about trusting him. As for the rest of them, I just don’t know.
They’re all good-looking enough for sure, but looks aren’t everything. I mean, Antony and Aaron are identical twins but I find Aaron’s personality really off-putting. All that sucking up to his father makes me cringe.
I giggle nervously, thinking about a book I read recently. It was about a girl who had a one night stand with twin brothers and then discovered they had another set of twin brothers. She’d ended up falling in love with them all. It was pure fantasy and hot as hell but here I am with ten brothers on offer. My pussy clenches, remembering some of the sex scenes when all the brothers were involved. Some held her down while others touched her. I’d loved the fact that they were all focused on her pleasure. Would that be what it could be like for me?
I think that’s what Ford is suggesting.
I’d be like a sultan with a harem.
Ten men who could satisfy me on demand.
I’d never need to use a vibrator again.
I take my time washing myself, churning everything that has happened over and over in my head. By the time I’m dry and back in my robe, I’m even more confused than I was before.
But I have to make a decision. Do I hide out in my room or do I brave it and hold my head up high?
That is the question.
13
As I get dressed into something less revealing than a bath robe, I decide I’m no chicken.
I’m not going to let this situation overwhelm me and I’m certainly not going to let Aaron think he’s getting one over on me.
So they saw me naked.
So what.
It’s not like I’m built very different from any other girl. Between the lot of them they’ve probably seen more tits than I have, and I own a pair!
I scrape my hair back and check my appearance in the mirror. My cheeks are pink from the warmth of the bath and my eyes are bright. It’s amazing what good sex can do.
As I open the door to my room, I can hear voices in the main part of the cabin. They don’t sound like they’re arguing, so that’s good. I could see how pissed Ford was at their behavior but I guess he must have made his point while I was bathing.
The discussion pretty much halts as I enter the room. There are five of them lounging in the den; Aaron and Antony, Donnie, Elliot and one of the B twins. I can never tell who is Blake and who is Barrett.
There’s a moment of awkward silence before Ford emerges from the kitchen carrying plates.
“There she is,” he says warmly. He places the plates on the dining table and heads in my direction. “You all good?” he asks.
I nod and he grins down at me. “Wanna help me with that fish you caught?”
“Sure,” I say and follow him into the kitchen. The silence follows us for a few more seconds then the boys are chatting again.
“They’re sorry,” Ford says.
“Yeah?” I’m not sure I believe it.
“They were getting ahead of themselves. . .assuming you were further along in your thinking than you actually are.”
“Well, I guess they need to remember that being brothers doesn’t qualify you all for the same privileges.”
He nods. “That’s what I told them. They need to take the time to get to know you and show you what they are all about. If, and only if you like them, things can progress.”
“I guess,” I say. “But it feels weird.”
“What do you mean?” Ford takes four trays of fish from the oven. There’s a huge salad on the counter and some rice, too.
“I mean that with you and Grant it just felt natural. It wasn’t like you were auditioning. This feels way too stilted and forced.”
He nods. “I get what you’re saying. . .you gonna sleep in with me tonight?” I nod thinking about how good it’ll feel to sleep wrapped up in Ford’s big, strong arms. At least with him I’ll feel safe. The woods outside the cabin are deep, dark and spooky.
“I take it the rest of them are sleeping over.”
He nods, beginning to put the fish onto a large platter. “There’s no driving back this late. It’s too dangerous.”
“Are there enough beds?” I guess he must not have shown me all the rooms. “A couple of them will need to sleep in the den,” he smiles. “Unless, of course, you decide to share my bed with more than just me.”
“Ford,” I say with a warning voice.
He raises his hands. “You were pretty sure this morning that nothing was going to happen between us, weren’t you? Now look at us! Who’s to say that you won’t have the same kind of reaction to another one of my brothers out there.”
“That’s making a bit of a bigger leap, Ford. Group sex might be a regular for you but I’m a one-man girl.”
He puts his serving spoon down and rounds the counter, grabbing me by the hip and tugging me against him. Monster stirs against my belly. Damn. “We’re not defined by our past, sugar plum. We’re masters of our future. You could be a one-man girl for the rest of your life if you want to be, but that would be because you were making a decision not to do anything different. And just because you opt to try something different, doesn’t mean you will have to continue that way forever.” He kisses me on the nose. “You don’t need to be so rigid about yourself and what you can and can’t and will and won’t do. You’re a young, beautiful, intelligent woman and you get to make your own choices.”
I scan his face, not really believing that a man like Ford could be a real person. Surely he must be putting this on. This gorgeous man is so physically handsome, but his internal beauty is so much more. I’ve always seen men as people who restrict my life. My dad was overbearing with my mom and me. My past boyfriends have always had a tinge of jealousy wrapped up in their characters. I never expected to find a man who would be promoting of my right to choose how I live my life and the person I want to be.
“Where did you come from, Ford McGregor?” I ask him, reaching up to stroke his cheek.
“Pretty sure I was squeezed out of my mama’s coochie,” he laughs.
I swat his shoulder. “Ugh, Ford. Not a good image.”
“I’d rather be talking about squeezing into your coochie.” He puts his hand between my legs and cups my pussy, putting just the right amount of pressure against my clit to make me moan.
“Are we ever gonna eat?” a voice shouts from the den.
“Yeah,” a chorus of voices agree.
“Coming right up,” Ford shouts back. “Will you help me grab those bowls?” He indicates the rice and salad as he grabs the trays of fish.
“Sure.”
I follow Ford out of the kitchen and we place all the food on the big table. “Come and serve yourselves, you bunch of lazy assholes!” Ford shouts.
There’s a rumble of objection but they all haul their butts off the sofas and head on over to where the food is standing.
“Laura caught the big one,” Ford says proudly, pointing at my prize catch.
“We saw,” Antony jokes, giving me a wink. The heat that spreads on my cheeks annoys the hell out of me. Why can’t I just deal with their rude humor without getting so ridiculously embarrassed?
Donnie hands me a plate. “Well done!” he says. “I didn’t catch shit the last time I came up here fishing with Ford.”
“That’s because you were trying to sketch at the same time,” Ford laughs.
“The lake is beautiful,” I say. “If I was a drawer, I’d be pretty inspired to do the same.”
“I’d like to sketch you,” Donnie says. He stares at me, scanning my face and body as though imagining the art he would create from my silhouette. It’s kind of weird and sexy at the same time.
“I think you should let the girl eat,” Ford says, slapping Donnie’s shoulder.
“I didn’t mean right now. . .maybe later, though?” he asks hopefully.
“I’m not sure,” I say. “What will I need to do?”
“Donnie specializes in nudes,” Antony laughs.
“Oh.” I don’t do a good job of hiding the shock from my face. Is he seriously suggesting that he wants me to model without my clothes on? That would be a whole lot awkward.
“You up for that?” Donnie asks. There’s nothing suggestive about the way he’s approaching this which makes me feel a little more comfortable. “You could cover up with a piece of fabric. I love painting fabric.”
“I’m not sure,” I say. “Not tonight anyway. I’m too sleepy.”
“Leave the girl alone,” Ford says. “Let’s eat.”
We all serve ourselves, the boys plating mountains of food. I take a seat on the couch and Ford and Donnie join me. The rest pull out chairs and eat at the table. It’s pretty quiet while everyone fills their bellies. These boys take their eating seriously. The fish is so fresh and delicious that I’m pretty focused on tucking in, too. I gue
ss that an afternoon of fresh air and an exhausting bout of sex is enough to generate a pretty healthy appetite. I had looked at the bowls wondering if there would be heaps of leftovers but as it turns out, there is only just enough.
“My goodness,” I chuckle. “You guys are acting like this is the last meal you’re going to have for the week.”
“You think we keep these physiques eating small bowls of soup?” Elliot says.
He has a point but I’m still too mad at him to reply.
When we’re done, Ford pulls out a pack of cards from a drawer in the coffee table. Elliott and Antony gather the plates and I can hear them dealing with the washing up in the kitchen, much to my surprise. With all the staff at their home, I imagined they’d be too privileged to cope with doing their own chores. I guess Roderick has done a bit of a better job in raising them than I thought!
“Poker,” Ford asks after he’s shuffled the cards.
I’m actually secretly really good at poker. One of the totally useless skills my dad passed on to me before he left. “I guess,” I say not wanting to sound too keen. Poker is all about the bluff.
“Shall we make it interesting, Blake?” Ford asks his brother who’s making his way across the room. I hadn’t noticed it before but Blake’s got a limp much like mine at the moment.
“What you got in mind? A little wager?”
“Why not,” Ford says, tugging a role of bills from his pocket. Blake follows suit.
Donnie shakes his head. “Haven’t you guys joined the cashless society yet?”
Ford scowls at his brother. “A man needs to carry cash. One day you’ll be buying your extra-frothy-mocha-whippy-latte-douchebag-chino from Starbucks and their card machines will be down and you’ll be fucked.”
Blake laughs raucously, leaning back in his chair. “Fucking coffees shops,” he scoffs. “When did buying a simple cup of coffee become such an issue.”
“You guys are acting like Neanderthals,” I tell them.
“You gonna pull out your roll of bills and join us?” Barrett asks.
“I’m a poverty stricken student,” I tell him. “I could offer up some coupons.”
10 MEN: A MEGA MENAGE REVERSE HAREM ROMANCE (HUGE SERIES Book 7) Page 12
