Chapter 11

I stepped behind Elizabeth as she came in and checked the porch. No bags.

I eased the door shut and she slipped into my arms.

There is a special feeling when you hold a woman you love. If you've never done it, I can't explain... and if you have, I don't have to. I held her until she stopped shaking and then a bit more until I did.

"God, it's good to see you..." I said.

"Mmmm," Elizabeth said. I understood.

I took her hand and led her into the library. We had a couple of comfortable chairs there and I had her sit while I got us both a new cup of coffee.

I thought about getting Lisa and Mary, but they were "sleeping," so I decided they could wait... and I was being greedy.

Elizabeth wouldn't let me sit by myself. Once I was seated, she crawled into my lap and lay against me.

"You okay?" I asked.

"Don't you ever leave me again," Elizabeth told me.

"But..."

"Not ever." She wiggled tighter against me.

"Yes ma'am," I said. Wouldn't you?

She snuggled while I sipped my coffee... that, by the way, is a very pleasant way to enjoy your coffee. Eventually, though, I needed to find out what was going on.

"Where are your bags?" I asked.

"I just walked into the airport and bought a ticket. I don't have any bags."

Oh... "Shit! Barb!" I said, remembering I'd promised Barb a call "right back."

Elizabeth grudgingly let me up to get the phone and I dialed Linda's number in Bermuda. Barb answered on the first ring. "Mark?"

"Hi Barb. Sorry..."

"Mark... Elizabeth?" Barb reminded me.

"She's here," I told Barb.

"Oh thank God. I... We were so worried."

"She got here as you were calling," I explained. "I'll have her call you once we get settled."

"So she's staying?" Barb asked.

I looked at Elizabeth looking back at me. "Forever," I said.

Barb giggled. What was that about? "Have her call me."

I said my good-byes and hung up. I put my hands on my hips. "What are we going to do with you Elizabeth?"

"Something decadent, I hope," Elizabeth said.

"I heard voices. Is something... ELIZABETH!" Lisa shrieked as she came into the room. "MARY! ELIZABETH is HERE!" Lisa shouted towards the bedroom, running to grab Elizabeth.

I heard a clatter and Mary, dressed only in panties, was there. I noticed Lisa didn't have panties. The three were in a tight hug asking questions, obviously excited.

I slipped out and went to Amanda's workroom. This was a good excuse to interrupt. I knocked.

"Come in," I heard softly through the door.

I opened it and stuck my head in.

Amanda smiled. "Hey, sexy," she said. (Well, maybe I am... fifth Monday in February.)

"Your girlfriend is here," I said.

I got a blank look.

"Girlfriend?" "Elizabeth," I said, smiling.

"Here!" And yet another female love of my life flew past me like I wasn't even there. It's nice to get a feeling for where you stand in the greater scheme of things...

My mood was jumping all over the place. I was excited to see Elizabeth — I'd missed her more than I would have imagined possible. I was happy the girls were happy to see her... and I felt a bit excluded, as I wasn't "one of the girls." Yes, it is silly. Your point is?

I went into the bedroom to change my coffee stained clothes and check for blisters on my balls. No I wasn't feeling sorry for myself.

Eventually, after a shower and a change (of attitude) I went back downstairs. I found Mary, Lisa, Amanda and Elizabeth in the sitting room. They were talking and laughing.

"There you are!" Mary said, making me feel better. Seeing she was still only in her panties didn't hurt either.

"I like the outfit of the day, ladies," I said while ogling Mary and Lisa. "Aren't you overdressed?" I asked Elizabeth.

Mary and Elizabeth blushed but Lisa just stuck her tongue out at me. I think Elizabeth was thinking about stripping down...

I laughed. "Seems to me," I said, steering the conversation in a direction they'd like, "that Elizabeth will be having to go nude around here full time pretty soon," Elizabeth looked at me and smiled. "She only has the clothes on her back..."

"And my purse!" Elizabeth said brightly.

"Shopping!" Lisa and Amanda said together.

I laughed. "It's ten-forty-five," I said. "You have until one o'clock to get this poor girl clothes for lunch, an afternoon out in Boston, and dinner later... and you'll have to make sure she's got something suitable for the zoo tomorrow morning."

"Like a bib," Amanda said, looking at Lisa.

Lisa stuck her tongue out at Amanda. "I don't dribble."

"Take my car," Mary said. "Mark and I will call you and we can meet for lunch."

I swear Lisa was so excited she almost left naked. Amanda got her corralled and Mary and I talked with Elizabeth about little things for the few minutes it took Lisa to get dressed. I worried for the safety of Lisa's poor credit card as the three girls left, almost at a run, for the mall.

When the door closed behind them, Mary turned to me. "So what happened in Bermuda?" she asked.

"Huh?" I think my grunting responses to civil questions would get old, but Mary and Amanda have told me, separately, that they find it "endearing." Must be a girl thing.

"What made Elizabeth walk into an airport and leave everything she cares about behind?"

"Umm. Us?" I suggested.

"Maybe..." Mary said slowly. "I need to call Barb."

"She's at Linda's," I said.

Since I'd already showered and everybody else was doing things, I picked up the list in the kitchen of house chores and spent the better part of the next two hours changing furnace filters and light bulbs, testing smoke detectors, taking out the trash, watering plants, and in a moment of high excitement, changing the washer in a bathroom faucet. Say what you want, I think women are attracted to us handy-man types.

And, really, have you checked your smoke detectors recently?

Mary and Barb talked for most of the two hours. When she hung up, Mary didn't tell me what she'd discovered and I couldn't figure out how to trick it out of her... I mean I was too much of a gentleman to pry.

We called Lisa's phone and Amanda told us they would meet us at one-fifteen at the Atlantic Fish Company on Boylston Street.

Mary and I had farther to go so we left quickly and arrived right behind Lisa, Amanda, and Elizabeth.

Arriving with the four most beautiful women in Boston, I was able to secure a premium table and the best service. I was tempted to have their signature swordfish chop, but chose the chowder and a lobster roll. The girls had a variety of different foods, and a great part of the meal was spent trading bites of various entrees.

After lunch I joined the girls for another walk-through of The Prudential Center ("Over 75 Shops and Restaurants") where finding clothes for Elizabeth took a back seat to strolling with the people we loved.

It was a nice afternoon.

We went home to "freshen up" (whatever that means.) Which gave me a perfect opportunity to pour a couple of gin and tonics for Mary, Elizabeth, and me. We took them to the sun porch.

"Your yard is beautiful," Elizabeth said into the comfortable silence.

I was noticing some bushes that needed pruning...

"Thank you," Mary said. She paused. "Elizabeth?"

Elizabeth smiled and took a sip. "I know..."

I didn't. "What?"

Both girls looked at me and shook their heads. At least they were smiling.

Mary took pity. "I asked her if the decision to come here wasn't a bit rash."

She did? "Really?"

"And I told her that it was all I have been able to think about since I kissed you good-bye in the airport."

No she didn't. "Really?"

"Yes." To what? How do women do that?

"So..." I asked, "What are your plans?"

"Well... I was sort of hoping the job of 'girlfriend' was open now that Amanda's been promoted to 'fiancée'," Elizabeth said.

"Wife," Mary said. "We signed the paperwork last week..."

"So there's an opening for girlfriend?"

She was already our girlfriend in my mind. "What kind of girlfriend are we talking about?" I asked with a smile.

Elizabeth blushed. "I..." She started. She had trouble looking at me for a moment and then drew a breath and looked me in the eye. "Any kind any one of you wants."

I reached over and pulled her to me. I didn't want her to think I was trying to reject her. Once she was in my lap I asked, "Liz? Aren't you a lesbian?"

She hugged me. Tight. "Maybe I'll just pretend you're a real butch girl."

I chuckled.

Mary giggled.

Pretty soon we were all laughing.

As we settled down Elizabeth looked me in the eye. "I can't explain it Mark. I've never been attracted to any male... I don't think I've 'gone straight' or anything, because I'm still not attracted to any other men... and I'm really attracted to girls like Barb and Linda and Mary... and Amanda and Lisa..." She looked at Mary and blushed.

I kissed her cheekbone.

"But the thought of making love to you has been overwhelming since I first met you in that beach bar..."

Really? I kissed the corner of her mouth.

She held me tight.

I looked at Mary and raised my eyebrows.

"Liz?" Mary asked.

Elizabeth turned enough to be able to look at Mary.

"You're always welcome in our home, you know that, right?"

Elizabeth nodded. "You said..."

"... And you are welcome in our bed..."

Elizabeth smiled.

"And," I said, "You are most welcome in our lives. Please don't ever leave us."

Elizabeth let tears stream from both eyes.

Mary came over and joined her on my lap in a big hug.

"What's this? Starting with out us?" Lisa asked as she and Amanda came out on the porch.

"Down girl," Mary said with a laugh. "Elizabeth needed to know she was welcome now and forever..."

"Come here, Liz," Amanda said.

Elizabeth and Mary climbed off my lap and Elizabeth went to Amanda for a hug... and a kiss that left them both gasping.

"My turn," Lisa said.

If anything Elizabeth was gasping louder after that kiss. "Oh my," she said after she caught her breath. "That was..."

"Tasty?" Lisa asked.

Elizabeth giggled. "Tasty is one word."

"Are you girls going to stand out here and swap spit all night or what?" I asked

Mary stuck her tongue out at me and kissed Elizabeth like she meant it. I jumped up to catch them as they started to topple over.

Mary sunk to her knees to catch her breath. "Holy God."

Since I was left holding her, I decided to see about this kissing thing with Elizabeth. I pulled her to me. That one kiss has to go on my all time list for great kisses. Our tongues dueled. Our lips danced. I could feel her soul as she wrapped herself around me. My ears roared and my heart was beating like I'd just run a marathon.

"Holy shit!" I said when I could. "What was that?" I was still holding Elizabeth.

"I love you," she said.

I shook my head to clear it. "If we don't move to safer territory," I said, "we'll be having an orgy out here and I'll never hear the end of the scrapes and bruises you four will get." I let go of a shaky Elizabeth with one hand and held out the other to help Mary stand up.

"Thanks," Mary said once she was on her feet. She gave me a quick kiss.

Wow.

Elizabeth went to the bedroom and changed into a new outfit and then we all squeezed into Mary's car (note to self, Need bigger vehicle) and drove to a quiet restaurant Mary and I had always liked. After the big lunch we had had, we selected salads and white wine for dinner.

I think Lisa and maybe Amanda were up for dancing, but I could tell Elizabeth was tired and Mary was echoing that. We headed home.

We were a bit at loose ends when we got home. It felt like we should be doing something, but... I finally realized that I had somehow tied the full energy, high-speed activity of our vacation in Bermuda to Elizabeth's presence. Once I realized that, I relaxed... and everybody else did too.

Amanda suggested the hot tub and pretty soon I was forced to sit in warm water with four beautiful, naked, ladies.

It is tough, now that you mention it.

I was amazed at how easily Elizabeth fit in. The conversation rolled around the group of us — Amanda and Elizabeth talking about Barb, Mary and I about our plans for the house, Mary and Lisa about the clothes they'd seen that day and more and more.

I realized, maybe for the first time, that we had a real family.

I was first out. I toweled off, brushed my teeth, and crawled into bed. Half an hour later I felt somebody crawl in behind me. Lisa. Amanda crawled in behind her. Elizabeth came next, cuddled up in front on me with Mary behind her.

I wrapped Elizabeth up in a protective hug and fell asleep.

"Zoo! Zoo!" Mary called early the next morning.

I groaned but rolled over on my back. I guess I was trained, too.

While Lisa and I did our pre-zoo ritual, Amanda got up, showered and dressed. Elizabeth lay with her head on my shoulder watching Lisa.

I watched Lisa too. For some reason I find it fascinating to watch a beautiful woman fellate me. Particularly if I can keep my eyes from rolling back in my head as I cum.

If her rosy red cheeks, bullet-like nipples, and fast breathing are any indication, Elizabeth enjoyed the show too.

As usual the zoo was fun.

We had particular fun showing "our" zoo to Elizabeth. Before we left, she stopped in the administration building to get information on whom to call about a possible job.

The afternoon was planned "down-time" with me running shirts and dresses and blouses and skirts and suits to the cleaner and gassing and washing the cars, Mary and Lisa, with Elizabeth's help, cleaning the house and Amanda supervising the laundry machines.

I grilled dinner in the back yard.

Monday was a workday. Mary left early, Lisa and I followed not too much later, and Amanda and Elizabeth stayed home — Amanda to write, Elizabeth to get herself oriented.

The next few weeks washed past quickly with long hours but real progress. I was getting a handle on the job.

At home, Elizabeth took over some of the day-to-day chores, and became a welcome addition to the household — as well as to our lives.

Amanda's current project was coming along well and she told us she'd be ready for proofreaders by the following weekend. (Who needs proofreaders?) We all volunteered.

Elizabeth met on a Friday with an administrator at the zoo and was quietly optimistic about a possible job... they'd let her know more in a couple more weeks.

Lisa had been so helpful and fit in so well that we were discussing an appropriate paying position. (I suggested "on top," but Lisa flattered me by saying she should pay me for that... )

Mary's work became more and more focused on the things she liked and her ability to attract new business meant that her firm had already assigned her an associate.

We all kept up a steady stream of emails with Barb and Linda.

"Liz?" I asked one Saturday morning.

"Yes, love of my life?" Elizabeth answered with a smile.