Chapter 19

Adam walked back inside with Delilah. There was a new tension between them that he was trying hard to ignore. That had been ... odd. Adam wasn’t sure where the all that anger had come from, but he had been full to bursting with it. That Delilah had felt it as well was ... interesting.

And that wasn’t even touching on the sex.

Erin looked up at the two of them from her place on the sofa. She gave her son a quizzical look and then both of them a tentative smile.

“You were gone awhile. Was everything okay?”

Delilah gave Erin a broad smile in return. She lightly slapped her hand on Adam’s back.

“Yes, there was something that was stuck. It’s been a few months since anyone has stayed here, but Adam sorted it out for me.”

Erin got to her feet, only slightly wincing. It was a good sign to Adam — if his mother had been forced to limp her way all the way back to the Retreat from the waterfall she would have been a lot worse. Erin took Delilah by the hand and squeezed it gently.

“I can’t thank you enough for this. Truly. You’re being so kind.”

Delilah glanced at Adam for a split second. Then she gave his mother a self-depreciating smile, placing her other hand on top of Erin’s and squeezing back.

“I’m really not ... but thank you all the same. Now, I have some things I need to attend to before this evening. Do you need anything else, Erin? I’ll let the restaurant know to expect a call from you. Just give them your order and I’ll have the food delivered.”

Erin looked at her for a long moment.

“And you say you’re not ... I really am not playing the role of host very well. The fact that I invited you to dinner is growing more and more laughable. You may as well have asked me to dinner at this point.”

Delilah’s eyes sparkled suddenly. She leant forward and spoke softly by Erin’s ear. Adam could only just make out what she said.

“If you’re open to that kind of date, I’d be more than happy to oblige...”

Erin’s face flushed, but then she laughed out loud — genuinely amused. Watching them interact made Adam feel slightly uncomfortable. He’d just fucked Delilah a few minutes ago, and now she was flirting with his mother. Adam stepped forward and cleared his throat, getting both of their attention.

“Uh, Mom? Is there anything else you need while you’re here? If Emily is still willing to go tell dad, she could probably get more of your things.”

Erin shook her head. She gently disentangled herself from Delilah, turning her attention to her son.

“No, I have everything I need. I think I’ll have a shower and get changed into some proper clothes.”

“I think you look very fetching.”

Delilah interjected with a smile. She gestured at her own outfit, a twin to the one that Erin was wearing. They were both still wearing only a bikini with a sarong around their hips. Erin flushed again, but gave Delilah an arch look.

“You do, but I am afraid I compare quite poorly when standing next to you.”

Delilah shook her head.

“Hardly. I’m sure your children will agree with me.”

Adam looked unsure of how to respond to that — in his opinion his mother was looking absolutely gorgeous, even with her wrapped knee. Emily called out from her place on the other sofa.

“She’s not wrong, Mom.”

Erin looked down, but her face was pleased. She cleared her throat.

“Well ... thank you. Adam, since we are staying in such a lovely place, would you like to invite your two friends to have dinner with us as well?”

Adam blinked.

“What, really?”

“Yes. I did say I wanted to meet them properly.”

Out of the corner of his ear, Adam saw Emily’s head whip around to face them. Delilah looked surprised as well. Adam thought for a split second.

“Is, uh — that the best idea, Mom?”

Erin cocked her head, looking if anything surprised at his hesitation.

“Why wouldn’t it be?”

Emily opened her mouth, and raised her hand. She hesitated, then looked down at her lap. Adam shuffled his feet. It was a strange thought, having Holly and Kendra over in the same room as his mother and sister. And Delilah for that matter. He’d have to explain to them his sudden change of opinion as well.

“Well ... I can ask them. I guess.”

“Please do. They can join us for a meal and some drinks. Nothing serious. I just want to meet them properly. And ... thank them. For this morning.”

Emily wrinkled her nose in confusion at hearing that. Adam remembered that Holly and then Kendra had been the ones to push Adam into going with his mother on the hike in the first place. Erin clearly recalled that fact.

Delilah looked back and forth between Adam and Erin. She was frowning. Then she sighed.

“Drinks we can do. I’ll organise something at the bar. Adam can pick it up.”

Erin tried to protest.

“No, that’s really too much. There’s some wine at my bungalow, I was going to ask Emily to bring it back with her if she was willing.”

Delilah shook her head.

“That’s not the best idea. Let’s not have your husband wondering where all the alcohol is disappearing to. You aren’t supposed to be here, remember. Adam, if you come with me I’ll organise the pickup. You can, ah, invite your friends as well.”

Emily got up from the sofa. She eyed Delilah, still unsure about the other woman’s presence.

“Mom, if you’ll be alright by yourself, I’ll go and let dad know that you’ll be ‘in town’ tonight. And I need to get some things from my room as well.”

Adam, Delilah, and Emily left the isolated apartment. Emily soon excused herself, leaving Adam and Delilah alone. Adam, already thinking about just what he would say to Holly and Kendra, was stopped in place by a hand on his chest. He turned to look at the woman next to him. Delilah had a serious look on her face.

“Adam. Do you really think this is wise? I was surprised that you were going along with it.”

“What do you mean? The room? That’s all you. Uh, wait. Do you mean what we just did? Look, I’m not sure what happened either. It all was so fa—”

Delilah shook her head. She narrowed her eyes.

“No, not that.”

“What do you mean then.”

The dark haired beauty sighed. She rubbed at the back of her head.

“Adam, part of the reason that I agreed to have dinner with you all tonight was to keep an eye on things. Do you really think I’m so sociable that I’d leap to agree to something like this otherwise?”

Adam eyed her skeptically.

“I don’t know. You seemed to be pretty cozy with my mother.”

Delilah’s lips quirked into a smile that she quickly hid.

“Well ... that part is hardly onerous. But I’m being serious. Do you not see a potential problem with having an entire apartment filled with women who, and let’s be perfectly blunt here, are very interested in you?”

“It’s not like that.”

“Oh really? Your sister couldn’t keep her eyes off you, and I saw the jealousy on her face every time another woman was mentioned. And your mother was equally drawn to you — even if she seems to have a better handle on it. And now you’re going to add the two woman who you have actually bound to you into the mix?”

Adam shifted uncomfortably. Then he narrowed his own eyes. He stepped a little closer to Delilah, leaning down so he could speak quietly by her ear.

“And you. Let’s not forget about you.”

Delilah’s face flickered through multiple expressions, too fast for Adam to pick out any particular one. She sighed, then raised her fist and tapped him lightly on the chest.

“And me. I’m not forgetting that either.”

“ ... look, Delilah. Do you want to talk about anything? I mean, I wasn’t trying to get you alone and ... do anything. It just happened.”

Delilah shook her head.

“No. Not right now anyway. Later ... perhaps. But we need to focus on what’s coming next.”

Adam nodded, letting it go. He hesitated, then gave her a crooked smile.

“I’m not dismissing your worries. But, I really don’t think anything is going to happen. Why would it? There’s going to be so many people there — hardly a setting for anything to get out of hand.”

Delilah looked at him for a long moment. Then she huffed out a long sigh.

“You’re so naive sometimes ... fine. I won’t push it. But if you end up in the middle of an orgy tonight, I’ll try my best not to say I told you so.”

Adam grinned, thinking she was making a joke. His smile faltered when her serious expression didn’t fade in the slightest.

Adam arrived back at the apartment after spending some time at Holly and Kendra’s bungalow. It had been an ... involved conversation. The two women had been surprised, and then nervous at hearing about the invitation to dinner. Well, only partly. Kendra in particular had found the idea hilarious. Adam figured he’d just given the pretty blonde a lot of ammunition for jokes. She’d already begun teasing Adam about ‘coming over to meet his mom’.

They had both taken the invitation seriously though. They had immediately started planning what to wear, deciding on how dressed up they should be. When Adam had told them to relax, that it wasn’t that kind of event, they’d both just hushed him. Their opinion on Adam’s mother — especially after he had given them a brief rundown about what had happened during the hike — had completely changed. Holly seemed quietly angry on Erin’s behalf, and concernedly asked Adam if he was alright after confronting his father.

Both Holly and Kendra had hesitated when they learnt that Emily was going to be there as well — their initial opinion on Adam’s sister, coupled with their brief interaction that morning, meant that they were unsure of how to react to that. In the end, Adam’s changed opinion on his mother swayed them to at least give his sister a chance.

Their jaws had dropped at hearing that Delilah would be there also.

Adam carried a box full of wine and spirits into the apartment. He looked around but didn’t see anyone. Adam thought he was alone until Emily came out of one of the rooms. She walked closer to him, her voice hushed.

“Mom is having a lie down. She kind of just crashed. I guess she was exhausted after ... everything.”

Adam nodded at his sister. It still seemed odd to him that they could talk like this now. Like it was normal. Emily was looking at her brother expectantly, and it suddenly struck Adam that this was the first time they had been alone since that morning.

It seemed so long ago after everything that had happened on the hike.

Emily watched her brother as Adam adjusted his grip on the carton of alcohol, carrying it into the kitchen. She was holding her elbow behind her back as she trotted after him, sticking close. When Adam crouched by the refrigerator to put some of the white and sparkling wine in, Emily leant over his shoulder to look at what he had. Her breasts were pressing into his back.

“Oh wow, some of those are pretty fancy. That champagne is around $100 I think.”

Adam looked over his shoulder at her. He flinched when he saw her face very close to his. He cleared his throat.

“Is it? I was surprised at how much Delilah organised. I was thinking it would be a few bottles of wine or something.”

Adam should have known better. Delilah had demonstrated to him just how much alcohol it took for her to feel the effects. Emily murmured in agreement. She shifted, her heavy breasts pressing harder into his back.

“She’s pretty generous, that office lady. First this apartment, now this.”

“She does own this whole place, you know. It doesn’t really fit, calling her ‘office lady’.”

Emily straightened up with a sigh. She waved a hand dismissively.

“Yeah yeah. Whatever. It’s strange though, isn’t it. She’s um. Quite pretty as well?”

Emily glanced at him and then away. Her tone had been markedly casual.

“Is she? I guess I hadn’t noticed.”

“Funny. Really funny. Well, I hope you don’t have any ideas there, little bro. I don’t think you have a shot.”

Adam barked out a laugh despite himself. Emily looked offended as he raised a hand in apology. His sister looked very uncomfortable, but also determined. That and embarrassed.

“Sorry. What made you say that? And what makes you think I’m interested in her?”

Emily muttered under her breath.

“Everyone seems to be all over you all of a sudden...”

Emily’s face flamed red as she realised what she had said. She tried to cover it with a scowl, prodding her brother in the chest with a finger.

“I’m just looking out for you in case you try something and embarrass yourself. If anything, I probably have a better shot than you. You must have seen how she was acting around Mom. You can’t be so dense you missed that.”

Adam was enjoying himself.

“I might have noticed something. But she was just being nice, surely?”

Emily rolled her eyes.

“Wow, no matter how much you’ve changed, you’re still the same old oblivious Adam.”

“If you say so, Emily.”

“Tch. You’re no fun.”

Adam pick up the box of remaining wine and spirits and carried it to the table. Emily followed him, acting like she was glued to his side. When Adam put the carton on the table, Emily hopped up next to it, sitting facing her brother. She kicked her legs idly. Adam raised an eyebrow at his sister.

“You say you have a better shot than me. Does that mean you’re going to make a play? Because I don’t think that will go well for you.”

Emily laughed carelessly. She nudged him in the leg with her bare foot - she’d kicked her sandals off as soon as she sat on the table.

“No, I wasn’t being serious. Girl’s don’t do it for me. I was just looking out for you, like I said.”

“You’re all heart, Emily.”

Adam turned to walk away, but his sister reached out and took hold of his arm. When he turned back to her, Emily looked unsure. Nervous in some way. She licked her lips.

“Look, Adam? Um, all jokes aside. I just want to say...”

She paused, looking very uncomfortable. Adam looked at her curiously. He stepped closer so that she was no longer holding him in place.

“What?”

Emily took a deep breath. She spoke fast, like she was just trying to get everything she wanted to say out.

“It was really good. What you did, I mean. Looking after Mom. Standing up for her. I know it wouldn’t have been easy. What with ... everything.”

Adam blinked. He hadn’t been expecting that. He’d actually thought she was going to talk to him about this morning. He half-smiled at her, trying to lighten the mood.

“Hey, now. I was just joking about you being ‘all heart’. No need to double down like that, sis.”

Emily scowled. She slid off the table, looking up at her brother. They were suddenly standing very close.

“Shut up! Don’t make this harder for me. I mean it, okay? When I saw dad. When I told him about Mom ... he was really angry.”

Adam frowned, concerned. He put a hand on Emily’s shoulder, squeezing it.

“Did he do anything to you?”

His sister shook her head. She looked miserable.

“No. He didn’t. He barely spoke to me really. But he was fuming. I don’t think I’ve ever seen him that mad. If that was what he was like today ... well, it was good. That you were there for Mom.”

They were both silent for a few moments. Adam sighed.

“Yeah, thanks. But it wasn’t much. I wish ... I wish I could have done something actually meaningful. She’s still trapped you know. I don’t know if there’s anything I can do. It’s just that —”

Adam stopped talking. Emily had raised herself onto the tips of her toes and leant forward, pressing her lips to his cheek. She kissed him and hugged him tight. For once it wasn’t sexual, there was nothing behind it besides gratitude. Maybe some comfort.

Emily lowered herself down onto her feet as she looked up at Adam. Her face was pink, but she was mock-glaring at him.

“Don’t beat yourself up over things that aren’t your fault, little brother. You did more than I ever have. Now, um. I’m going to check on Mom. See if she wants anything or needs help with ... anything.”

Emily, looking embarrassed, practically ran out of the room, leaving Adam alone with his thoughts.

“Hey, Adam!”

Kendra called out cheerfully as Adam opened the door. The evening had begun, and Holly and Kendra were the last to arrive. The pretty blonde was wearing a light blue dress, and Holly was wearing a complimenting top in the same colour, along with long pants. They both looked very attractive and Adam made sure to say so.

Holly winked at him.

“It’s nice to be appreciated. Wow, look at this place, Kendra! This is like real and proper luxury.”

“Yeah, Hols. Makes our place look like crap! Oh, whoops!”

Kendra flushed slightly as Adam’s mother came to the door to greet them. Erin smiled in welcome.

“Kendra, isn’t it? And Holly. Thank you for coming. Adam’s told me so much about you. I’m Erin”

Kendra glanced at Adam. She muttered in a sotto voice to her fiancée.

“He has? I mean, he has! Thanks for inviting us. I love your dress!”

Erin smiled. She was wearing a long and flowing patterned dress. It was still elegant, but it was probably the most comfortable dress that Adam had ever seen his mother in. It wasn’t pulled tight anywhere in order to emphasise the curves of her body. Adam wondered if his mother was finally feeling secure enough to relax.

Adam’s mother drew Kendra away with her towards where Delilah and Emily were standing. They started chatting as Kendra turned up her charm. Holly, standing next to Adam, chuckled.

“That’s my girl. She fits in with anyone if she puts her mind to it.”

“Can’t say I’m surprised at that.”

Holly grinned.

“Yeah, least shocking thing ever, right? How are you holding up, Adam?”

“Me? I’m fine.”

Holly nodded. Adam had filled them in on most of the things that had happened, but they hadn’t really had a chance to discuss it. The brunette indicated Adam’s sister as Emily somewhat awkwardly greeted Kendra.

“And how are things with her?”

Adam sighed.

“I don’t know. Better? She thanked me for looking after our mother, you know.”