Chapter 8

Saturday early evening

Nexus Ranch

Outside of Harborton Washington

Ben had almost finished getting Joe’s new stable area squared away with all the accouterments needed to keep up a horse, when he heard the ranch club cab truck pull up the driveway. He heard the doors slam and then the commotion that seemed to follow the girls wherever they went started up. If a man wanted peace and quiet he probably shouldn’t take up with 5 women he thought. Dang he missed them even when they were only gone for a few hours.

Ben hurried to finish so that he could meet them at the house but instead he looked up to see Kelly, Sarah, Mei and Maria watching him from the doorway of the small barn. They all looked completely different than they had just a few hours ago. Beautifully styled hair, perfect makeup on faces that didn’t even need it to begin with, along with polished nails and gorgeous dresses completed their look.

Kelly wore a short dark emerald green dress that flared at the hips. The color made her hair look like dark mahogany flames and the length of the skirt set her long tanned legs off to perfection. Sarah was in a medium length dark sapphire dress that looked demure from the front. When she knew she had Ben’s attention she cocked a smoothly muscled, perfect, pale ivory leg to show off the slit that ran almost to her hip. Maria looked like a petite fallen angel in a pure white lace and silk dress that showed off her soft light chocolate skin and showed off her small but perfect decolletage.

Mei was the picture of a 60’s era sexy, sophisticated Bond girl with her raven tresses pinned elaborately atop her head, her exotic dark green eyes and a form fitting long black dress that made it perfectly obvious she was wearing absolutely nothing under it.

Ben just stared open mouthed until Kelly cleared her throat to bring him back into focus.

“I think I must be in heaven. Never has any man beheld so much beauty on earth.” Ben said reverently.

Yes it was a corny line but he said it with complete sincerity. And the girls loved him for it.

“Hey wait a sec where’s Lizzy?” asked Ben.

“She’s at the house she didn’t want you to see her just yet.” said Sarah

Ben just shrugged a little puzzled. He had learned not to question much of what they told him. That always seemed to work out for the best.

“But she said to give you lots of kisses from her while you wait.” said Maria with a grin as they giggled and swarmed toward him for kisses.

“Careful girls, I smell like horse sweat!” said Ben with a chuckle.

They just laughed and hugged him anyway. Then Mei, realizing what he had said, paused, stepped back and started bouncing up and down. She then let out a squeal that would have made any tween girl at her first boy band concert proud.

“Oh Ben do you mean it? Did we really get a real live horse! Where is he? Can I see him?” Her words came out all in a rush and it was all Ben could do to understand what she was saying.

“Yes, yes, yes and yes dear heart!” laughed Ben.

“Why don’t you take Mei to meet him honey. I’ll take the girls back to the house and help get everyone ready for tonight.” said Kelly.

“That sounds like a plan Kel. RIght this way my love.” Ben said, offering his arm to a bouncy Mei.

As they walked arm in arm out the side door toward the pasture. Mei continued peppering him with questions.

“Do you think he’ll like me? Will I be able to ride him? Does he look like the horses in the Westerns on tv? Mei said.

“Mei, relax. He will love you, I’m sure of it.” Ben said as he leaned in and lifted Mei into his arms, carrying her so that her amazing dress wouldn’t get wet in the tall grass by the pasture.

Mei’s back was slightly to the fence when Ben found a dry spot to set her on her feet. Joe had seen them coming and with a stealth totally unbecoming such a massive animal had sauntered over to meet them.

As Ben set Mei down, she turned and saw Joe for the first time.

“Mei, I’d like you to meet Montana Joe.” said Ben

Mei just gasped as her hands flew to her mouth, unable to overcome her surprise. She had never even seen a real horse before, much less one this close up.

“Joe, this is Mei, one of the love’s of my life.” said Ben.

“It is an honor to meet you, pretty lady goddess Mei,” Joe said formally.

Mei finally got her words back.

“And you too Mr. Joe.You are so beautiful!” said Mei wide eyed.

“Thank you miss.” Joe replied and sketched a little bow.

“Will you really let me ride you?” asked Mei.

“Any time you desire Miss Mei, it would be an honor,” said Joe.

“Joe it’s getting dark would you like to stable up? I can show Mei how to brush you and maybe you can take her for a riding lesson tomorrow.”

“That sounds good, Ben.” said Joe.

Ben opened the gate, swooped Mei back into his arms and the trio headed back toward the barn.

Now Ben was curious about what the girls had cooked up with Lizzy. They certainly knew how to keep him on his toes, he thought with a grin.

Lizzy was so nervous. Not nervous bad, but nervous good. The spa day was amazing. Her sisters ensured that she got pampered and treated like a princess all day. She had never had this kind of attention before. Well, not since her Mom had died so many years ago.

At last she was ready. Her sisters had helped her with her makeup and her hair and coached her on how to act and even in more detail, what to do and expect when the moment was on her and Ben. It wasn’t so much that she wanted him to see her differently. It was more that she wanted for once to see herself as he saw her.

The first day they met he had said she was a princess. She was sobbing, her face covered in snot and tears, her ill fitting jeans soaked with the blood of her first period, but he had swept her up in his arms as if she were the most precious of gems. He made her laugh and made her feel safe and protected from those who tormented her.

For years she had remained as close to him as she could but he had never again spoken of her as a princess. He had treated her that way though. Always kind and courteous and then as she matured, as someone who deserved his respect. She thought that he had forgotten that day until just a few months ago on the eve of their first adventure he again called her a princess, his princess and she fell in love with him all over again.

Now she was ready. Ready for the next step. She knew him. She knew how he felt, how he smelled how his body moved against her. She had tasted him. All of him. Now she was ready for more. She needed him inside of her where he belonged. Her sisters had told her that he felt the same about her. She wasn’t sure though. He still thought of her as a girl. Now, Lizzy thought, it’s time to introduce him to the woman she had become.

She gave herself a nod in the mirror as she stood. This was good timing. It was spring, a time of new life. It was also the evening of their school’s Spring Formal. Lizzy had never been to a formal before. No one had ever asked the shy geeky girl who had never really fit in anywhere. She hadn’t really missed it though. Well, maybe a little, and it was something that she felt she might be sorry for later in life if she hadn’t done it at least once. So she decided that she would go and that this would be the night that her and Ben finally merged their bodies together in the same way that their hearts and souls already were.

He couldn’t really be her date. But that was okay. He would be there as a chaperone and they would both know who she was really with. Her sisters Maria and Sarah would be there with her as each other’s dates and dance partners. She knew they would have fun together and she knew that he would see here there and that she really belonged to him, and only him.

It was time now. Her sisters were downstairs distracting him. She stood at the stairway waiting for sister’s signal. She saw Kelly’s subtle wave and started down the stairs. Her heart was trying to leap out of her chest. Her breath hitched in her slender chest. Her palms were sweaty and at the same time she felt chills up and down her body. Her small dark pink nipples were hard and almost hurt as they pushed against the low cut strapless lace bra under her bodice.

As she reached the bottom of the stairs Sarah cleared her throat and as he turned gave a subtle nod toward Lizzy.

He looked over and froze. As his eyes moved up her body and met hers their gazes locked.

At once she knew it was going to be alright. No, it was going to be perfect.

Benhad known something was up. He just couldn’t figure out what.

He had finished his evening chores. Then he made sure the rescuees had what they needed and ate a late dinner. The girls were already in preparation mode since they had eaten in town earlier. Mei and Kelly were helping the other three get ready for the evening dance but strangely he hadn’t seen Lizzy all day. Maybe she had gotten a really bad haircut or something and didn’t want to come down yet. That wasn’t like Lizzy though, she always looked beautiful to Ben but appearance just wasn’t something she was hung up about.

The other girls buzzed about him like they had a way off doing, but there was a bit more flirtation in the air than normal. Whenever he tried to reciprocate though, they danced out of reach with a giggle or a finger waggle at him. It was if they were deliberately trying to get him on edge. With girls as sexy as they were it didn’t take very much to get him perky.

Jill and Adona stayed above the fray and just laughed at the girls’ antics. Ben thought seriously about heading out to the stable and bedding down with Joe. There was just way too much estrogen about. But that would disappoint his girls and he could never do that. Besides all these beautiful, busy, warm women smelled heavenly.

He even asked Tom about what the girls were up to, but apparently Tom had been sworn to secrecy upon pain of death, Even the fierce warrior Tom knew better than to annoy the girls and to avoid further interrogation had headed off into the woods for his own date with his new ‘friends with benefits” Bobby the bobcat.

Kelly had helped him into a nice new dark navy suit that the girls had tailor made for him, and pinned a pale blue orchid on him as a boutonniere. He was supposed to be a chaperone for this dance and had never dressed this nice for his other chaperone assignments but what the heck. If it made his girls happy it made no difference to him.

They were all standing in the living room having a last glass of wine waiting for the limo to arrive when Maria handed him a gorgeous pale blue orchid corsage. He wasn’t quite sure what to do with it when he heard Sarah clear her throat. He looked up and she nodded toward the staircase. Ben turned and was stricken.

There she was. It was Lizzy. His beautiful princess Lizzy. But it wasn’t a Lizzy he had ever seen before, Ben’s mind nearly melted.

He lost the ability to speak as their eyes locked,

Lizzy was the epitome of feminine perfection. Her glossy, light sandy brown hair was done up in an elaborate coif with small tendrils framing her high elegant cheekbones. Her eyes were soft, shining doe like under subtly darkened long lashes. The barest touch of makeup highlighted flawless skin and her mouth was graced with light pink lipstick just enough to accentuate her naturally full lips.

Her neck was a long graceful pale rosy white column well proportioned to her slender square shoulders.

Lizzies pale blue chiffon dress was strapless and cut low enough that the half round perfection of her high breasts were apparent but not obviously on display. The dress fell to the floor in the back but was cut high enough in the front that you could see her shapely calves placed in relief by 4 inch heels.