“I know that, but is he anything like my daddy?” Ben asked and Lori had to swallow hard to stop the tears from filling her eyes.
“No, Ben, he’s nothing like your daddy. You don’t have to worry about Mommy. She’s probably having a good time right now and missing you a bunch. I bet you she’ll tell you all about it tomorrow morning.” Lori gave him a hug.
She locked gazes with the three men behind Ben and could see their angry expressions. They knew about her past or at least about Derrick chasing them. They didn’t appear surprised or shocked, and they didn’t bombard her with questions. She felt sick to her stomach now.
“Your mom is perfectly safe with Jasper, Ben. Did you know he used to be a soldier? He’s a Green Beret,” Charlie told them. That seemed to interest Ben as Charlie told him a little more about Jasper. The story even put Lori at ease.
They were just getting ready to leave when some man wearing shorts and a funny-looking button-down tropical shirt stopped to talk to Charlie.
“Hey, I heard Old Man Cantrell is having some trouble by your way. I hope he’s thinking about selling that land,” Steve Henshaw said as Charlie took on a face of anger. So did Trevor and Dante. Lori could tell immediately that the badly dressed man was no friend of theirs.
“What do you know about it, Henshaw? Any idea who’s behind it?” Charlie asked, accusing the man of being involved.
“Hey, I don’t know anything, just that the old man better sell that land soon. A lot of companies have been calling the agency asking about it. Some of them willing to spend a lot of money,” Henshaw told Charlie with a smirk.
“Well that’s his business not yours,” Trevor stated firmly. Then Dante took Lori’s hand and Ben’s hand and headed toward the truck. Lori was concerned that Charlie might physically fight with the man but she did as Dante told her.
Lori watched from the truck while Charlie, Trevor, and the man exchanged words. Then the man walked away.
“What was that all about?” Lori asked Dante as Trevor and Charlie approached the truck. Trevor and Charlie appeared angry but tried to conceal their emotions.
“Nothing to worry about. He’s a nobody but we’re worried about Tom a little. His land is definitely worth a lot of money and sometimes people in that business will do anything to convince a landowner to sell to them,” Dante explained as she helped Ben get up into the truck. Then Dante lifted her up to assist her. He gave her a quick kiss on her cheek and she smiled.
Charlie and Trevor got into the truck next and neither man smiled.
“J.R. said he’s conducting an investigation, maybe he should question that guy?” Lori suggested, and Charlie smiled.
“You’re on a first-name basis with our local sheriff, huh?” he asked, jokingly trying to change the subject. Lori got the message and laughed.
They dropped Ben off to her parents at the house where he hugged Lori, Trevor, Dante, and Charlie good-night then went inside with Diana.
“How about a walk down by the water?” Trevor asked, and Lori agreed as they grabbed a blanket and some flashlights.
They headed across the field and down toward the stream where the moonlight shone across the sparkling water and along the bank.
“It’s a great night, perfect,” Charlie said as he spread out the blanket then took a seat. He opened his thighs and patted the spot between his legs. Dante and Trevor offered her a hand to sit. She placed one hand into Trevor’s and one into Dante’s and then she lowered to the blanket taking a seat between Charlie’s legs.
Charlie undid the braid in her hair and ran his fingers through the strands.
“You should wear your hair down more often. You’re beautiful,” Trevor said then leaned over and placed a hand against her cheek, right before he kissed her.
They smiled at one another as he pulled back.
She stared out toward the night sky, amazed by the beautiful evening and how comfortable she felt sitting here with Dante, Trevor, and Charlie.
Charlie wrapped an arm around her waist and pulled her back against his chest.
“Lean on me and enjoy the sky.”
They were silent a moment.
“I think Ben enjoyed the ice cream,” Dante said then chuckled as he pulled a piece of grass from the ground and played with it.
“He definitely did,” Lori replied.
“It was like he never got to go out for ice cream before,” Dante added, and Lori swallowed hard.
“He didn’t get to do a lot of things he should have. But he can now. Thank you for bringing him with us.”
Dante covered her leg with his hand and began to rub back and forth across the material. It gave her the chills and made her feel really good. She loved it when they touched her.
“What was Ben’s father like?” Charlie asked, and instantly Lori knew this was it. It was time to tell them everything as she took a deep breath and waited.
“You don’t have to tell us. It’s none of our business.”
“It’s okay, Charlie, I should probably tell you guys everything.” She turned toward him and he looked at her attentively. She sat legs crossed in front of the three of them on the blanket.
Charlie, Dante, and Trevor listened as she explained about Ben’s father and escaping from the town they lived in. She told them about how they made money, secretly kept in contact with her parents and about finally making the decision to settle down.
“I’ve never had much. That was the only way to save money for the future. We never knew when we would have to just pack up and leave in the middle of the night. Take a bus or a train to get away faster. Those things cost money so we saved for those emergencies. A small suitcase a piece is what we had. I worked and Maggie stayed with Ben. I felt that he needed his mother to constantly be there to protect him and I learned fast how to mix drinks and wait tables. I mostly worked at hole-in-the-wall places or anyplace I could work off the books and keep my clothes on. I’m not lying about that, Charlie. I would never take my clothes off for money or prostitute myself.”
She lowered her eyes and fidgeted with her hands until Trevor covered them with his own.
“In all honesty I was asked, I was even tempted, but when times were tough suddenly out of nowhere we’d catch a break. I would find work or Maggie would babysit somebody else’s kids,” she told them and he believed her as they listened.
Lori told him about the night they received the prank calls after moving into a house they rented.
“You must have been very scared,” Trevor whispered as he moved closer and began to caress her thigh.
“We heard Derrick was on the run now that he killed someone. We tried to take the extra precautions, but they weren’t enough. We thought about calling the police but we feared that Derrick’s family would try to say he acted this way because we had his child. His family had connections and we couldn’t take the chance of losing Ben. I would have rather died than seen Derrick get a hold of him.”
Lori wiped a tear from her eye and her heart was beating rapidly.
“It’s all right, baby, you can trust us,” Charlie whispered to her as he took her hand.
She knew she could trust them. She was just scared as she squeezed his hand tighter.
* * * *
Dante was trying to remain calm, but he just wanted to hold Lori in his arms and love her. That thought rocked his world.
She explained how she heard Maggie scream upstairs, how she called the police then headed up the staircase. She quickly ran through the part about the gun and breaking her wrist but Michelle told them the whole story as Maggie explained to her. Dante wondered why Lori tried to act like it was no big deal.
“So you saved their lives. You were willing to die for them?” Dante asked as he watched Lori struggle with the story. She didn’t want to sound like a heroine, she tried to minimize what took place, and he could tell she felt horrible for pulling the trigger.
“You’re so brave, baby.” Charlie held her face in his hands. She tried to pu
sh him away, turning her head as the tears flowed from her eyes.
“No, Charlie, I helped kill a man. I took a life.”
“No, baby, you saved lives, Ben’s and Maggie’s. They’re here now and so are you because of your strength and love for them. He was going to kill the two of you and take Ben. You said it yourself that you would rather die than let Derrick get Ben. Thank God you didn’t. You survived and now we’re here together,” Dante told her as Charlie pulled her against him.
He wiped the tears away from her eyes then gently laid her down on the blanket.
Charlie stared into her eyes as Trevor lay on the other side behind her.
* * * *
Charlie felt his chest tightening and his heart racing. He pressed a hand over her belly and against her skin as he stared into her tear-filled eyes.
“It’s not easy to take a life, Lori. But in a situation where it’s your life or the bad guy’s life, there’s only one choice. You had to do it to save Ben, Maggie, and yourself. I’m proud of you for being so strong.” He lowered his mouth to kiss her.
She immediately reached up and touched his hair, running her fingers through the short strands, making his cock come to life. He caressed along her belly then under her shirt. Lori wiggled a little and he moved one thigh over and between her thighs as he deepened the kiss. He loved her taste, the feel of her underneath him and all he wanted to do now was make love to her under the stars.
She was shaking as she stopped his hand from unbuttoning her sweater.
“This is happening too fast,” she whispered, out of breath and he traced her lips with his finger.
“I’m sorry, it’s just that you drive me crazy. I want you, Lori. I want to be inside you.” He began kissing her again.
She pulled her lips from his and looked to the left, right at Trevor.
“Charlie, stop. I need to tell you something.” She pleaded with him as well as herself. She wanted more of him, every inch of him, but not here, not this soon. She hardly knew him.
“I need you to slow down, Charlie. I don’t want to make a mistake.”
“Do you want me as much as I want you?”
“Yes, I do but…”
Charlie could see she was fearful and shy. He assumed she probably wasn’t as experienced as him and maybe it was too soon.
“You want the three of us right? Me, Trevor, and Dante?” He feared that she would say no and that this would all come to an abrupt end.
“I’m scared, but yes, I want all three of you. I want to make this work.”
He smiled with his hand pressed over her belly and partially under her shirt.
Suddenly they heard something in the brush behind them.
“What was that?” Lori asked, and instantly she was scared.
“Shhh.” Charlie eased himself off of her then put her behind him.
Dante and Jasper pulled out their flashlights. Charlie looked at them.
He whispered, “When I say ‘now,’ point your flashlight on the bushes.”
“Now!” he said and they could hear someone running through the bushes then the field.
“Let’s go, Charlie, I don’t like this.” Lori pulled the blanket up off of the ground.
“Whatever it was we scared it off.” Charlie couldn’t help but be concerned after the recent events around the area.
“Or whomever?” Dante added as they brushed off their clothes then headed back toward Lori’s parents’ house.
As they crossed the field, they heard something behind them. There were two lights moving through the brush on the other side of the field.
Charlie could tell it was two people walking closely together.
“Hey, what do you think you’re doing?” Charlie yelled across the way.
“What are we doing, what are you two doing?” Instantly Lori recognized Jasper’s voice.
They started to head toward them to meet them halfway.
“What is the stream? Make-out point for all the single men in your family?” Lori asked sarcastically as Trevor grabbed her hand then pulled her close to him.
“I have my own place, baby, I don’t need a make-out location,” he told her very seriously and instantly she blushed, getting his meaning.
Jasper and Maggie approached looking a little embarrassed.
“Hey what are you two up to?” Jasper asked and Dante told them about the noise they heard.
“Did you see anyone come this way?” Charlie asked.
“No, we didn’t see or hear anything but we came from the other side. Maybe we should call it a night, bring the ladies back to their place?” Jasper suggested.
“Why don’t you two go ahead of us? That way you have some privacy to end your first date properly. We have something to discuss with Lori,” Charlie told Jasper and Maggie, and before they could respond, he was pulling her toward his parents’ place.
“Where are we going and what is it you have to discuss with me?” Lori asked as Charlie slowed down his pace and casually walked with her.
Dante and Trevor chuckled.
He stopped at the gazebo on his parents’ property. He opened the screen door and inside was a small table for four, a mini refrigerator, and a radio.
“Do you know what was missing from our first date?” Charlie asked Lori as he retrieved a lighter from the built-in cabinet against the wall and lit the assortment of candles that were displayed on the table. Instantly the gazebo was flickering with candlelight, exactly how he planned it would be on the way over.
“Nothing was missing from our date. I enjoyed every part of it. Especially the bracelet.” Lori lifted her wrist, letting the bracelet dangle back and forth.
“It was pretty perfect except we didn’t get to dance.” Charlie found a station he liked. Then the beginning of a slow song came on. Lori didn’t know the artist or the name of the song but she loved it as Charlie took her hand and asked her to dance.
“What about Trevor and Dante?”
“We’re next, but be warned, Trevor likes to dance dirty,” Dante said then winked as he crossed his arms in front of his chest as he sat on the chair.
* * * *
“Honey, you have to see this. Looks like Charlie, Dante, Trevor, and Lori are dancing in our gazebo,” Phil said to Terry and she got out of bed to see for herself.
“Oh my goodness, they’ve got it bad,” Terry told her husband.
“And fast, don’t you think?” Phil replied as he placed his arm around his wife’s waist.
“That young woman is special, as special as our sons. They deserve happiness after all they’ve gone through in their lives.”
“That they do. I can feel the romance in the air, can you?” Phil asked his wife.
“I think it’s stronger over there…in bed.” She smiled wide, grabbed his hand, and they headed back to bed.
* * * *
“So I guess this is good night?” Jasper asked as he stood by the porch steps holding Maggie’s hand.
“I suppose so. I had a wonderful time, Jasper. Thank you.”
“I had a wonderful time, too. Would you like to do it again sometime?”
“I’d love to.”
Jasper pulled Maggie toward him into an embrace. “You’re so lovely, Maggie, until the next time.” He gave her a kiss on the cheek then walked away toward his truck.
Maggie waved good-bye and wondered when Lori would be home. She couldn’t wait to tell her sister about her date with Jasper.
* * * *
Charlie held Lori closely against him. He could feel her breath against his skin and her hair was tickling his chin. She smelled wonderful and her perfume was all over the shirt he wore.
“You smell incredible, edible actually.” He cradled her head in his hand and placed his lips then teeth gently against her neck.
“Charlie!” Lori giggled as he tickled her. She tried to pull away but it was no use, he was determined to keep her in his arms a bit longer.
“I really should get home now. My si
ster is probably wondering where I am.”
“She knows where you are and who you’re with. Just because their night ended early, doesn’t mean ours has to.” Charlie kissed her neck again this time sending chills through her body.
“That was your idea remember?” she reminded him as she grabbed his face, pulling it away from her neck then grabbing his hands. “Come on, tiger, let’s call it a night.” Lori pulled him by his hands toward the door.
“Wait! Just one more kiss.” Behind her Dante and Trevor started blowing out the candles that illuminated the gazebo and instantly the darkness surrounded them. She didn’t see it coming as Charlie turned her around and moved her forward. She couldn’t see a thing but then felt Trevor’s hands on her waist pulling her toward him. He kissed her lips, making love to her mouth, pulling more desire from her body. His hands explored, moving up her shirt. She felt the palm of his hand move over her breast as she moaned into his mouth. Her entire body heated up and then she felt the second set of hands on her shoulders.
“Just a little taste before we say good night.” Dante moved her hair off her shoulder and began to scatter kisses against her skin, her neck, and cheek. Trevor released her lips as Dante cupped her face and turned it sideways so he could gain better access to her mouth. He stroked her tongue with his tongue and they battled for control of the kiss. When she felt the zipper of her pants go down, she tried to pull from Dante’s mouth but Trevor was too quick.
“You smell incredible. Just a little taste, angel. Just one.”
She wanted to feel him, let him and them do whatever they wanted. She felt Trevor’s fingers press down her pants and immediately they were over her pussy lips.
“Oh.” She pulled from Dante’s mouth and moaned.
“Shhh, we don’t want to wake our parents,” Charlie reprimanded. She gasped and Dante chuckled.
“Please, Trevor, it’s too much,” Lori whispered and then she felt his fingers rub her pussy. She grabbed his wrist. “I’m not ready. Not like this,” she whispered, and Trevor lowered to the floor, leaned forward, and licked her cunt.
The American Soldier Collection 4: Their Blue-Collar Girl (Siren Publishing Ménage Everlasting) Page 15
