His Gift at Their Door

Chapter 1

The mid-morning sun streamed through Elias’s bedroom window as he stood before the full-length mirror, his fingers working the silk tie with practiced precision. The charcoal suit had been a wise investment years ago, and it still hugged his broad shoulders in a way that made him feel twenty years younger. He ran a palm over his freshly trimmed beard, the silver and pepper-grey catching the light. Not bad for fifty-five, he thought, a wry smile tugging at the corner of his mouth.

Funerals and weddings. That’s what suits were for now.

He chuckled to himself, but there was a warmth spreading through his chest that had nothing to do with the morning heat. Two weeks. Two weeks since that weekend when everything had shifted between them, when confessions had spilled out like wine and they’d all three tumbled into something unexpected. Something that still felt fragile and new, like a soap bubble he was terrified would burst if he looked at it too directly.

The Uber notification chimed on his phone, and he grabbed the small gift box from the kitchen counter. Twenty paces. That’s all that separated his front door from theirs. Twenty paces he’d walked countless times over the months they’d been neighbours, but today each step felt charged with a different kind of electricity.

He knocked, and the door swung open to reveal Sam in her usual Saturday armour of an oversized hoodie and cotton shorts. Her blonde hair was tousled, and she froze mid-breath, her gaze traveling the length of him with an expression that shifted from casual surprise to something hungrier.

“Oh,” she said, the single syllable carrying more weight than a paragraph.

Elias stepped past her into the hallway, and the world narrowed to a single point of focus.

Sydney stood in the living room archway, and she was nothing short of devastating. The floral dress cascaded over her curves like it had been designed with her body in mind, the fabric whispering against her skin as she shifted her weight. Her dark hair was swept up, exposing the elegant line of her neck, and her makeup was subtle but deliberate—the crimson of her lipstick drawing his eyes to lips he knew intimately now. The heels added inches to her already tall frame, transforming her from the woman who lounged naked in his spa into a vision that belonged on a magazine cover.

She was a goddess. His goddess.

“Wow,” he breathed, the word inadequate and clumsy. “You don’t scrub up too badly, do you?”

Sydney’s laugh was soft, almost shy, and she shook her head. “Look who’s talking.”

He didn’t kiss her. Not yet. Instead, he produced the corsage from behind his back—a delicate arrangement of ivory and blush that he’d spent an embarrassing amount of time selecting. Her breath caught, and he swore he saw the glint of moisture in her eyes before she blinked it away.

“May I?” he asked, his voice lower now.

She nodded, a single dip of her chin, and he stepped close enough to catch the scent of her perfume—something floral and warm. His fingers were steady as he pinned the corsage to her dress, but his pulse hammered against his ribs. When he finished, he let his hand linger for just a moment at her collarbone, feeling the heat of her skin through the thin fabric.

“It smells lovely,” she murmured. “Thank you.”

She leaned forward and pressed her lips to his—soft, brief, careful not to smear the lipstick—but the kiss said everything that words couldn’t.

The phone buzzed again. Uber arriving.

Sam raised her phone and snapped a photo of them standing together, Sydney’s arm threaded possessively through his. She studied the screen for a moment, and Elias caught the flicker of something wistful in her expression before she smiled.

“Perfect,” she said. “You two look perfect.”

“You sure you’re okay staying?” Sydney asked, reaching out to squeeze Sam’s hand.

“I’m going to eat terrible food and watch terrible television and enjoy every minute of it.” Sam shooed them toward the door, pressing quick kisses to both their cheeks. “Go. Have fun. Be disgustingly beautiful together.”

As they walked to the waiting car, Sydney’s fingers tightened on his arm, her heels clicking a rhythm on the pavement. He turned his head, breathing her in.

“You are absolutely stunning,” he said, the words reverent.

And somewhere behind them, Sam watched from the doorway, already counting the hours until they came home.

---

Chapter 2

They sat in silence in the back of the Uber, a sleek Black car Elias had ordered that cocooned them in leather-scented luxury. The driver exchanged pleasantries as they settled in, and then the city scrolled past the tinted windows in a quiet blur. The ETA flickered at thirty minutes—not bad for midmorning traffic on a Saturday as they crossed town. Sydney’s thumb traced the back of his hand where the Band-Aid had been, the faint marks on his knuckles still visible but healing cleanly. She breathed in the scent of her corsage mingling with her own perfume, then turned her gaze to the man beside her, who was watching the world pass beyond the glass. She caught his scent too—something she’d never smelled on him before, sharp and masculine, utterly perfect. Beneath it lay the smell of his skin, the warm, musky scent of his manhood that she adored. She squeezed his hand, and he turned to face her, his eyes hidden behind dark sunglasses. She knew instinctively that he was looking directly at her.

“Nervous?” she asked.

He paused before responding. “No. Should I be?”

She scoffed. “God, yes. Meeting my family at a wedding? Talk about trial by fire. I hope you’re wearing steel-lined underpants.”

A smirk crossed his lips, and he spoke in a soft, teasing voice. “Tell you the truth, I’m not wearing underwear.”

She squeezed his hand and leaned closer. “Neither am I.”

He knew immediately she was not joking.

The car pulled into the circular driveway of the church, where clusters of guests were being dropped off and gathering at the stone stairs. She turned to him and kissed him gently on the cheek. “Here we go.”

He squeezed her hand. “Wait right there.”

Elias stepped out and walked around the back of the car, opening her door and reaching in to help her out. He thanked the driver and closed the door, and together they turned to face the church and the crowd. She took his arm, her grip firm and possessive, and guided him toward a group of three older ladies—two facing them, one with her back slightly turned. The two women wore puzzled expressions as they approached. The third woman glanced over her shoulder, then returned to her conversation.

“Hello, Mama,” Sydney said.

The woman turned slowly, her hand rising instinctively to her daughter’s cheek. “Oh my God, Sydney, I did not recognise you.”

Sydney leaned down and kissed her mother on both cheeks. Her mother stood back, drinking in the radiant beauty before her. Before she could speak, Sydney turned. “Mamma, this is Elias.”

Elias towered above her, impeccably dressed and holding himself with quiet confidence. He extended his hand. “It’s very nice to meet you.”

In that moment, he realised he did not know her name.

She took his hand. “Claudia. Charlie. Please, call me Charlie.”

He held her hand warmly. “It’s an absolute pleasure to meet you, Claudia. I can see where Sydney gets her ravishing beauty.”

The two women behind her exchanged a little snicker, and Sydney introduced them. Elias forgot their names instantly—he was terrible with names—but he knew who they were. He knew they were the evil aunts.

“I best go introduce Elias to the father of the bride,” Sydney said. “We’ll be back to collect you and sit inside when things get underway.”

“Yes, yes, of course,” her mother said, still in a state of shock.

Sydney took his arm and guided him across the pebble driveway toward a group of men. One was on his phone, looking at his watch, clearly coordinating his daughter’s arrival. He hung up and looked at Sydney with the same confused expression the older women had worn. She leaned forward and kissed him on the cheeks.

“Hello, Uncle Leo.”

“Oh my God, Sydney, all I saw was your mother thirty years ago. You look absolutely stunning.”

She turned and faced Elias. “Uncle Leo, this is Elias.”

Leo looked up at the big man and took the outstretched hand. “A pleasure to meet you, Leo,” Elias said. “Congratulations. At least you have a beautiful day for your daughter’s special event.”

Confusion swirled in Leo’s eyes. This wasn’t the usual person who hung around Sydney—no, this was someone different. “Nice to meet you. Enjoy the day. We must catch up for a drink once the formalities are over.”

“Sounds great. I’m greatly looking forward to it.”

She turned on her heels and gripped his arm a little tighter, resting her head lightly on his shoulder as they walked back to her mother and the aunts. “Well done,” she whispered. “I’ve never seen any of them at a loss for words.”

He turned his head and kissed her quickly on the temple. “Of course they’re lost for words. You’re absolutely ravishing.”

They walked back slowly, and he asked, “Is that it? All the introductions?”

“They’re the only ones that matter. There’s a couple more probably around, I can’t see, and obviously my niece. But the rest of them can go fuck themselves.”

It was one of the things he adored about her—when she wanted to be, she could be very, very direct.

They returned to the women as guests began filing into the church. The two evil aunts flashed fake smiles that Elias saw straight through, but he caught the genuine pride glowing in Claudia’s eyes. “Mama, come and sit with us,” Sydney said, and her mother beamed as she took her daughter’s arm, escorting her inside.

They found a row five pews back from the front. Elias slid in first, then Sydney, then her mother, who insisted on the aisle seat so she could see the bride and everything else. Sydney rested her hand on his thigh as her mother waved and chatted, drawing attention to herself but also showing off her daughter and the man beside her. The pews were hard and cramped, his knees pressing against the back of the row in front. He looked around the Orthodox Church, impressed by its splendour. Fucking religion, he muttered to himself.

She squeezed his thigh and whispered in his ear, “Well done, lover. Normally she wouldn’t want to sit anywhere near me. Sam and I were always shunted to the back.”

He turned, keeping his voice low. “Of course. I could imagine the little one would already be squirming in her seat by now, just like those kids over there.”

She squeezed again. “Exactly. Except they’re much better behaved.”

The ceremony started on time. The bride walked down the aisle, the priest ascended the pulpit, and the congregation cycled through standing and sitting on command. “Spectacles, testicles, wallet, and watch,” Elias whispered into Sydney’s ear after she crossed herself. She suppressed a giggle until a playful slap on his arm controlled her.

The ceremony felt like it lasted an eternity, but finally everyone filed out in line. Sydney walked up to her younger niece, planted a kiss on her cheek, and said, “Congratulations, honey,” before the bride even registered her presence.

“Oh, fuck me, Auntie Sydney,” the girl said, her voice carrying a slight bogan twang that made Elias smile. “I didn’t recognise you. Oh my God, you look stunning.” She was introduced to Elias.

“Congratulations,” he said. “You look absolutely stunning. Obviously, good looks run in your family.”

She blushed and shot a look at Sydney. Who the fuck is this? she thought.

They waited in the car park for Claudia and the aunts. Elias was grateful to be off the hard pews. Sydney still held his arm. “How are you doing there, big boy?”

“I’m okay, but my arse is a bit sore.”

She squeezed his arm. “That’s why Greek girls have a little extra padding back there.” Before he could respond, she added, “Yes, it’s also for that reason,” flashing him a coy smile.

The reception centre sat directly across the road. Sydney and her mother walked arm in arm, Elias following a step behind. The room followed the standard wedding layout: round tables and a bridal table at the front. Sydney searched the seating chart for her name and the “plus one.” Her mother scurried back to them.

“No, no, don’t worry about that. We’ll shift some people around. You two are sitting with me.”

She hurried off to make the changes. Sydney turned to Elias, taking a glass of champagne from a passing waiter while he declined for the moment. “Fuck me,” she whispered. “Are you a wizard in disguise? All she could talk about on the way over was how beautiful I looked and how magnificent you appeared to be.”

He gave her a sweet smile. “Of course. Just like her daughter, she has good taste.”

Claudia returned and guided them to the table. Elias wondered what had happened to the displaced guests, but he remembered Sydney’s earlier words: fuck them.

He took his first beer during the speeches and toasts. Dinner was the predictable wedding fare, but the food was good. By the time the bride and groom had their first dance, he was on his third beer. He’d lost count of Sydney’s wine, but she was happy—chatting with her mother, greeting relatives who approached, proudly introducing the man beside her. As the festivities grew livelier, she turned to face him, her eyes sparkling with inebriation, glowing with beauty. “Are you having a good time, lover?”

“As long as I’m with you, of course, my love.”

She squeezed his knee under the table. Across the room, she spotted her uncle Leo chatting with a cousin. She called him over. He was already in full swing, clearly enjoying the reception he was paying for. “Uncle Leo,” she whispered, “are you still smoking and hiding it from Auntie?”

He scanned the room for his wife. “Yes. Why?”

She tilted her head toward Elias. “Could you sneak him outside and have one? He’s been so well-behaved I think he needs to be rewarded.”

“Of course.” Leo slapped Elias’s back, surprised when the big man didn’t budge.

Elias turned to Sydney. “Are you sure?”

She leaned in, her lips brushing his cheek in what looked like a kiss, and whispered, “Of course. Don’t you think I know about yours and Sam’s dirty little secret you keep hidden from me?” She pulled back, beaming, and gave him a wink. “Go on, off you go.”

Elias rose and followed Leo outside. They made small talk—Elias deflecting every question while breathing in the smoke. Leo spotted a waiter passing with a tray of grappas and ushered him over. He took two glasses, handing one to Elias.

“Salute.”

“Congratulations,” Elias replied, and they downed the sweet liquor in one go. As the waiter turned to leave, Leo called out, “Hang on,” returned the empties, and collected two more.

“One more?” he said, offering Elias the second glass.

“Cheers, Elias.”

“Cheers, Leo.”

Leo finished his cigarette and offered another; Elias politely declined. Then Leo spotted Sydney approaching from the ballroom. “She’s a good girl, that one. She’s had a rough time these last ten, fifteen years. You make sure you look after her, okay?”

Elias patted Leo on the arm. “You don’t have to worry about that, mate. She’s the one taking care of me.”

Sydney strode up, a vision of beauty. “Ooh, grappas,” she said, holding the waiter in his tracks. With practised precision, she plucked three glasses from the tray and handed one to each man. She leaned in, kissed her uncle on the cheek, and raised her glass. “Knowing you, Uncle Leo, this will be the good stuff.”

He toasted her, and Elias saw the sparkle in his eyes as he looked at the niece he’d thought was lost but who was now truly found.

She tucked her arm under Elias’s. “I’ve come to save him. I want to see if this convict knows how to dance.”

She guided him toward the dance floor. “You do know how to dance, don’t you?” she teased.

“I think I do. But you might want to tuck those toes into your shoes, just in case.”

A slow song began, and they stood together on the floor, her head resting on his chest, his arms around her, gently guiding as they swayed. When the music shifted into loud, traditional Greek celebration tunes, she looked up and smiled. She kissed his cheek. “Thank you, but I think we’ll sit this one out.”

They returned to the table. Elias sat while Sydney chatted briefly with her mother. Then she spotted two glasses on the table. “Ooh, grappas,” she said again, and downed both in quick succession, witnessed only by him. She leaned across, kissed his forehead, and whispered, “I need to pee.”

He laughed, watching her cross the floor to the bathroom. He took another beer. She returned five minutes later, glassy-eyed and clearly inebriated. “The bloody lines to the loos. I don’t know why these places don’t have more toilets for women.”

She squeezed his hand. “Come on, let’s go for a walk in the garden. I need some fresh air.”

They walked hand in hand to the back of the centre and out into the magnificently manicured gardens. Sydney’s head rested on his shoulder as they wandered to the far, secluded end. She turned to face him, looking up at the man who had made her feel truly seen tonight by her own family—something she hadn’t felt in years. She leaned up and kissed him passionately, her hand instinctively finding his crotch, massaging him back to life as she pressed her body against his. Breaking the kiss, she looked up adoringly.

“I’ve got a gift for you,” she said. “Put out your hand.”

He did. “Close your eyes.”

He gave her a look, then obeyed. Silken material was pressed into his palm. He felt her hand reach for his zipper. “Open them.”

He opened his eyes. In the dim garden light, he saw he was holding her lace G-string. Before he could speak, she squatted before him, reaching into his trousers and pulling his semi-hard cock free through his fly. She looked up at him adoringly, her glassy eyes a mix of inebriation and love, and took him into her mouth. She sucked him hard, her hand stroking in rhythm, her tongue swirling around the swollen head, drawing a deep groan from his chest. Elias scanned the darkness, ensuring they were hidden. She laughed around his cock, the vibration shooting straight to his balls.

“Relax,” she murmured, pulling back for a breath. “What the fuck do you think goes on at these weddings?”

Once she had him at the size and steel-hard consistency she craved, she stood and stroked him, kissing him deeply on the lips. She looked around and spotted a trestle wooden archway leading into a smaller, even darker secret garden. “Yep, this will do.”

She reached behind herself, lifted her dress to her hips, and exposed her bare arse to him. “Come on, get on with it. Fuck me like you love me.”

He needed no further invitation. He bent his knees slightly, aligned his cock with her dripping wet pussy, and drove himself inside in one slick, urgent thrust. She gasped, and he wrapped one hand around her breast, kneading the soft weight through her dress as he pounded into her from behind, his hips slapping against the generous curve of her arse. The inebriation and the raw thrill of being caught ignited them both.

“Fuck me harder,” she growled, pushing back against him. “Come inside me. I wanna feel you.”

He gripped her hip with his free hand and pistoned into her, his cock gliding through her tight, soaking channel, each thrust deeper and more desperate than the last. Her moans became ragged, half-swallowed cries as he hammered into her, the wet sounds of their coupling mingling with the distant music. She clenched around him, her pussy milking his length, and he felt the pressure build at the base of his spine. With a final, brutal drive, he buried himself to the hilt and exploded, his hot cum flooding deep inside her as her own orgasm rippled around him, her body shuddering against his.

It was exquisite, reckless—something teenagers might do at a school prom.

Elias quickly tucked himself back into his trousers, making sure no evidence marred the front of his suit. Sydney adjusted her dress and straightened herself out. She grabbed his arm as they walked back toward the reception centre.

“I think I better go and pee again,” she said.

“Me too.” He fished her G-string from his pocket. “You might want these.”

“No, you keep them. I want to feel your cum dripping down my legs for just a little bit longer.”

When Elias returned from the bathroom, Sydney was back at the table, already saying her goodbyes. She looked up as he approached. “Time to go, love. I’ve already explained that you have work tomorrow and you’ll need your rest.”

He said his farewells to the ones who mattered. Claudia told him Sydney would have to bring him over for lunch one day. “Sounds great to me,” he said. “She’s cooked for me, so I can only imagine you must’ve been her tutor.”

They said their final goodbyes and walked out to wait for the Uber. She gripped his arm and held on. They stood in silence. Then she spoke.

“Thank you. Thank you for everything tonight. Thank you for being there for me.”

He leaned across and kissed her head. “An absolute pleasure, my love. Any time, anywhere, for you.”

She squeezed his hand as he opened the car door. She gave him a kiss on the lips, and in a voice loud enough for the driver to hear, she said, “Now let’s get home and see what that fucking little stepdaughter of yours has been up to.”

He closed the door, a smile spreading across his face, and climbed in the other side. He sat beside her, holding her hand as the car pulled away, heading home.

---

Chapter 3

Sam heard the car pull up in the driveway and saw the headlights sweep against the closed curtains. She heard the doors close, then the sound of Sydney's key sliding into the front lock. She stood expectantly, ready to greet them both, but the door flung open and Sydney rushed past her.

"Hi sweetie, need to pee!" Sydney disappeared down the hallway in a blur of floral fabric, leaving Elias to step through the door and close it quietly behind him. Sam had seen that expression on Sydney's face before—weak bladder, the result of two kids, Sydney would always tell her.

Sam turned to face Elias as he stepped toward her. He looked her up and down. She stood there in her oversized hoodie and short shorts, and he wasn't entirely sure what the crumbs adorning the corner of her mouth and the front of her hoodie belonged to. She walked before him, and he reached out, using his thumb to brush the crumbs from her lips.

She looked up at him, doe-eyed, and instinctively straightened his tie. "You certainly scrub up nicely, stepdaddy," she said, a slight slur softening her words.

He scanned the coffee table, then the kitchen bench. A half-bottle of wine sat on the coffee table, an empty one on the kitchen bench, but he didn't mind. Both he and Sydney had had their fill; it was only fair that Sam had unwound while binge-watching her terrible shows.

"Looks like you had your own little party," he murmured, his thumb lingering near her chin.

"Just a quiet one," she replied, her grin crooked and warm. "Somebody had to hold down the fort."

They heard the toilet flush, and then Sydney came walking down the hallway, kicking off her heels one by one. "Ohh, fuck me, that feels good," she groaned.

Neither Sam nor Elias knew whether she was referring to kicking off the heels or emptying her bladder, and they both rightly presumed both.

Sydney crossed the room and planted a kiss directly on Sam's lips, holding her face in her hands as she did so. Sam could smell and taste the distinctive scent of her family gatherings—the sweet bite of grappa and the faint trace of church incense. She looked at Elias as Sydney released her from the kiss.

"Uncle Leo's grappa?" Sam asked, raising an eyebrow.

Elias smiled at her. "Very good, little one. I think she's had more than a couple."

Sydney laughed, a rich, tipsy sound, and draped an arm over Sam's shoulder. "Guilty as charged."

"So," Sam said, her curiosity bubbling over, "tell me everything. How was it? I want every detail."

Sydney regaled her with the events of the afternoon and evening. Sam hung on every word, and as she listened, she could see that the stress lines she'd noticed on Sydney's face before they'd left had completely disappeared. Elias excused himself and went to the bathroom, a familiar thought running through his mind: *You don't buy beer. You just rent it.* He tucked himself back in and returned to the lounge room.

The girls were now sitting together on the lounge, a glass of water in front of Sydney—probably not a bad idea, Elias thought. He went to the kitchen and poured one for himself as well.

Returning to sit opposite them, he found Sydney still explaining, as best she could, the reception she had received from the family—but more importantly, from her mother. All because of the man sitting opposite them.

"Wait, your mum actually wanted to sit with you?" Sam's eyes widened. "Front and center?"

"Front and center," Sydney confirmed, her voice thick with wonder. "She kept touching my arm all night. Like she couldn't believe I was there."

Sam put a hand to Sydney's cheek and leaned forward, kissing her again. "I'm so glad you had a good night, my love. How many times have we come back from those bloody things and you swore you'd never go again?"

Sydney held Sam's hand to her face. "I know. I was terrified the entire trip there." She cast an eye over to Elias. "But when he opened the car door for me, held my hand, and helped me out... it was like stepping into a fairytale, sweetheart."

Sam flashed Elias a look—a thankful smile and a quick wink—then turned her attention back to Sydney, who continued to unpack the entire night for her.

Elias thought then that that would be the end of the night. He'd say his goodnights, kiss them both, and go fall into bed. But of course, with those two—and especially with Sydney having Uncle Leo's grappas flowing through her veins—that was not to be.

She wasn't annoyingly intoxicated. She was having fun. She was relaxed, and he wasn't about to burst her bubble.

She turned to him, then to Sam. "Look at him. Look at that man. You know he's a fucking wizard?" She sniggered at her own joke. "You should've seen him, lover. He had them eating out of his hand the second he introduced himself!"

Elias looked across at Sydney. "You're being too modest. They were all just looking at you."

"And why wouldn't they?" Sam chimed in, squeezing Sydney's knee. "You in that dress? I'd have been staring all night too."

Sydney looked Elias up and down, her eyes glinting. "You know I'm going to tear that suit off you, don't you?"

He gave her a patient smile. "Only if you've got three-and-a-half thousand dollars to replace it."

She looked at him incredulously and asked the words they'd both asked him several times before: "What the fuck do you do, anyway?"

Before he could answer, she was already onto the next matter at hand. "The spa! Let's get in the spa. Right now!"

Elias nodded in agreement. "Actually, that sounds like a perfect idea. My arse is still sore from that bloody church pew."

Sydney flashed him her trademark wicked smile. "Yes, well, this Greek girl is looking forward to having her arse sore later on."

Sam looked between them both, knowing they'd had a fantastic time together. A little flutter of jealousy rested on the edge of her chin, but she pushed it aside. "I hope I'm invited to watch that."

Sydney turned, placed a hand against Sam's chin, and said, "Of course you are. You have no idea how much both of us missed you tonight. We couldn't wait to get home to see you, to hold you between us."

Sam smiled at Sydney's comment and looked over at Elias. "Just like the meat in the sandwich." She said it innocently enough, then corrected herself. "Well, he is the meat."

"The very lucky meat," Elias muttered, shaking his head with a chuckle.

Elias lifted himself from the recliner and looked down at them both. "Okay. I'll go and flick on the spa and get changed out of this suit. I don't think either of you could afford to replace it, even in the throes of passion."

Sydney stood and walked before him. She looked him up and down, held both his hands, and said, "Just let me take one more look at you. Just like that. Dressed like that, for me." She leaned up and kissed him softly on the lips, having lost an inch and a half of height after kicking off her heels. "Go on. Go turn back into that adorable dad bod we both love. We'll get changed and be over in about twenty minutes."

Elias heard the front door click behind him. He headed around and unlocked his own front door, then walked straight out to the backyard to flick on the spa. Steam began curling into the cool night air. He returned inside and went to his bedroom, carefully undressing and hanging up the suit. He checked the pants one last time for any evidence of their indiscretion in the back of the function centre—clean, mercifully. He grabbed his robe, headed into the kitchen, and poured himself a rum. Then another, as he waited for them to arrive.

---

Chapter 4

He undid the deadbolt and opened the front wooden door, returning to his recliner. He had an obstructed view of the entry path and would see their approach as they rounded the corner. He looked at the clock and couldn't believe it was only 9:30 pm. It had been a long day, but it had been a fun day, and he contented himself that he had made it a better day for Sydney. As if in queue, twenty minutes later the sensor light flicked on, and he could make out the approach of Sam still wearing the white hoodie and heading towards the door, shielding her eyes slightly from the light shining down the path. He got up, unlatched the security door, and opened it for her, expecting to see Sydney right behind. She stepped through the doorway, a bottle of wine tucked under her arm, as she pulled back the hoodie from her head and looked up and smiled at him.

He gave her a puzzled look, and before he could ask, she said, "You wouldn't believe this. She's on the phone to her mother. Her mother rang to check that she got home alright."

"That's nice," Elias said.

Sam looked up at him with a strange expression on her face, understanding that he didn't comprehend. "No, you don't get it. Sydney's mum never calls Sydney. Let alone to check that she got home okay?"

"Oh, right," he said. Sydney had never spoken much about her family. He knew there was friction, but he didn't realise it was that bad. Sam walked to the kitchen and put the bottle of wine on the counter.

"Did she say how long she would be?" Elias asked.

Sam just shook her head. "No, she just told me to grab a bottle of wine and shooed me out of the house, telling me to come and keep you company and get in the spa, and she'd be straight over when she was done. Then she turned and continued her conversation with her mother."

"Do you know what this means, little one?" he said with a devilish look on his face.

"Ohh, stepdaddy. What did you have in mind?"

He gave her a sarcastic look. "No, you're gonna get that. Think about it—we can sneak down the backyard, have a quick smoke."

"And jump in the spa before she comes over," Sam said, finishing his sentence. She reached up and gave him a quick peck on the lips. "Great minds do think alike."

Elias grabbed the packet of cigarettes and the lighter and put them in his robe pocket. Sam poured herself a glass of wine, picked it up, and they walked out the kitchen door and down the side passage onto the lawn. Once they were convinced they were far enough away from the houses, Elias fished out the cigarettes and lit them both. They stood there savouring their cigarettes, trying their best to blow the smoke over the opposite neighbour's fence. When they were finished, Elias hid the butts next to the garden shed.

They walked back to the spa, and Sam peeled off her hoodie over her head and then wiggled her arse out of the shorts provocatively for him, which she knew he loved. She then reached out for his hand and stepped down into the spa, wine glass still in hand. She settled into her favourite spot and looked up at him.

"Aren't you going to join me?" she said seductively.

Elias looked down and shook his head. "I'll be back in a sec. I just realised I locked the security door after you walked in. Sydney would be pissed if she can't get in."

Sam nodded, and he turned to walk back into the house when she called out, "Oi!"

He turned to face her. "Aren't you even going to give me a sneak peek of what's on offer?"

He rolled his eyes and undid the sash on his robe, flashing her—holding it open long enough to allow her a decent eyeful.

"Not bad," she muttered. "We can work on that when you get back."

He gave her a dry look, and she lifted her glass. "Could you refill this too? Somebody's gone and finished it on me."

He took the glass from her outstretched hand and headed back inside. No sooner had he walked through the kitchen door than he could smell the lingering odour of the cigarettes on his robe. *Fuck*, he thought. And here they'd thought they were being clever by jumping into the spa afterwards, knowing full well that the smell would also be on Sam's hoodie. He refilled her glass as well as his own and went round to unlatch the lock.

As soon as he approached the front door, the sensor light flicked on, and he could see Sydney walking towards the door. She had changed out of her dress and thrown on her standard tracksuit pants and T-shirt, a large tote bag over her shoulder. He opened the door to greet her, and he knew in an instant that she had been crying. Her eyes were red, and the faint outline of mascara still lingered on the side of her cheek.

"Is everything okay, love?" he asked as she walked through the door.

Her face turned into her gorgeous smile, and she leaned up and kissed him gently on the cheek. "Everything is fabulous, lover," she said, stepping further into the room as he closed the door behind her. She looked him in the eye. "And all because of you, my sweet man." She then slapped him on the arm. "You two have been smoking. I can't leave you two alone for a minute, can I?"

She walked to the dining room table and placed the tote bag on top of it, reaching inside. She pulled out another bottle of wine and a bottle of grappa. "I'd completely forgotten I had this," she said, "but it's going to need to go into the fridge." She turned and placed both bottles into the fridge, then faced him. She motioned towards the large tote bag.

"I threw a change of clothes for me and Sam in there. I was hoping you wouldn't mind if we stayed the night."

"Absolutely not at all, my love. That would be wonderful," Elias replied.

She reached across and took his hand. "I still can't get over the day I've had, and I don't want her to ever feel left out of anything ever. Once we've let you have your wicked way with us, I thought it would be nice if we could just all crawl into your bed, slide under the doona, and you and I just hold her between us both." He gave her hand a squeeze. "With her as the meat in the sandwich."

She leaned forward and kissed him gently on the lips. "Exactly. But you're the meat."

She grabbed the bottle of wine, Sam's refill, and a fresh glass for herself. "Fix yourself another drink, lover, and come and join us. It's been a long, magical day." She disappeared out the door, and he did what was instructed—first heading to the bathroom to pee, then returning to the kitchen and making himself a rum and Coke. He took a quick shot down and then sipped his glass. As he stepped out of the kitchen door, he could still smell the stale odour of cigarettes on his robe, and he whispered to himself, "Fuck."

---

Chapter 5

He turned the corner and found Sydney sitting on the edge of the spa, looking down and talking to Sam, her refilled glass in hand. They turned as he approached, and Sydney said, "Here he is—our knight in shining armour." He looked down at his bathrobe and gave her a puzzled look. He walked and stood beside Sydney, who still sat in her T-shirt and tracksuit pants, one hand running across the bubbling water and occasionally brushing Sam's leg as she lay outstretched.

"Aren't you getting in?" Elias asked curiously.

"Oh yeah, absolutely. I probably need to go pee first," she said, standing up. He could see her hard nipples pressed against the cotton T-shirt. She looked at him and said, "I'll be right back." She stepped in and placed a kiss on his cheek, and while doing so, undid the sash of his robe and pushed it from his shoulders. She looked down at his semi-aroused state and said, "Get your arse in there now and let her sort that out. I'll be back in a flash."

Elias stepped down into the spa and took his seat, reclining with his arms stretched around the pool's edge, sitting opposite Sam. Sam pushed herself from her side of the spa and swam across towards him, reaching her hands out of the water. She held onto his shoulders as support as she floated atop the water, her athletic curves poking suggestively above the waves. He looked at her, and she looked at him.

"Is she okay?" he asked. "She looked like she'd been crying when she came in."

She leaned up and gave him a soft kiss on the lips. "She's fabulous. Apparently, her and her mum had a really good chat. They had some laughs, they had a few tears, but no, she's absolutely fine."

Sydney returned around the corner and walked up to the edge of the spa, looking down on them. "Make some room. And I hope that water is nice and warm. But first, little one, I'm gonna need your help." She slid down her tracksuit pants and stepped out of them, then lifted her T-shirt up above her head, dropping it to the tiles next to the spa. He noticed then that her hair was still up and looking as good as it had when he first laid eyes on her earlier that morning. Apparently, it had taken Sam about an hour to style it and set it the way it did.

She looked down and said, "I need you to get these bobby pins out of my head. They're driving me nuts."

She stepped into the spa and sat beside Elias. Sam pulled herself across, using him as support, and swam over to straddle Sydney's legs, sitting before her. Sam sat herself upright, and Elias watched as the water cascaded across her chest. Her little nipples were rock hard, too, and he felt a stirring down below at the sight of the two of them sitting face-to-face, their chests pushed up against each other—a magnificent sight. Sam set about meticulously removing the bobby pins from Sydney's hair, placing each one down on the edge of the spa and counting as she went. He gave her a puzzled smile.

"I put ten in," she explained. "I gotta make sure I get ten out."

He said nothing and watched on as these two sat comfortably together, as they had done for many years before he walked into their lives. As Sam counted ten, Sydney leaned forward and gave her left nipple a quick lash of her tongue and a playful bite, and then, without warning, she slid under the water between Sam's legs, disappearing from sight.

Sam gasped, her head falling back. "Oh, fuck, Trace... right there."

Sam shifted herself and sat down beside Elias as Sydney emerged a few moments later, standing upright in the spa and brushing her hair back behind her ears, combing the water out of her hair with her fingers. The sight of her magnificent breasts brought a sigh of delight from both Elias and Sam. She stood there and looked down on them both as they watched her with a sense of awe. She took one step forward and reached for Sam's arm, guiding her to sit straddling Elias and facing him. She then moved in behind Sam and lowered herself into the water, pressing her chest against Sam's back. She pushed her forward gently, so Sam was soon pressed against Elias. She rested her head over Sam's left shoulder, and they sat there for a moment face-to-face. She leaned forward and kissed Elias, and then turned her head and kissed Sam as they held her between them.

"My two loves," she said.

It wasn't long before Elias felt Sam slowly begin to grind herself against his pubic bone. He noted that Sydney had dropped her right arm slightly, and her hand, concealed by the water, had found its way between Sam's arse cheeks and was gently stroking her pussy under the water. Sam was responding in kind.

Sam turned to kiss Sydney, flickering her tongue against her, and whispered, "I think this is having the desired effect on our other little friend."

He felt Sydney's hand reach forward and wrap her fingers around his now-gorgeous cock.

"I think it certainly has, lover," Sydney murmured. "Why don't you hop on? I know he's been missing you all day."

Sam needed no more invitation. She lifted herself slightly above him. Sydney held his cock in hand as Sam slid herself down the length of his entire shaft. She arched her back against Sydney's chest, her head falling back onto Sydney's shoulders as she took him deep inside her. Elias's hands came up from the water and grabbed both of Sam's tits as she serviced herself on him, his whole hands enveloping each of her breasts, and he rubbed each nipple. Sydney had removed her hand from underneath Sam and reached around, her fingers now massaging her clit in time with her grinding against Elias's cock.

"See, little one," Sydney whispered in Sam's ear, "I told you he missed you. We both missed you all day, and we both just couldn't wait to get home to have you, to hold you just like this."

Sam moaned, her hips rolling faster. "Keep talking, Trace. Don't stop."

"He's so deep inside you, isn't he, baby? I can feel every inch of him stretching that tight little pussy. You love being our good girl, don't you? Taking his cock while I play with your clit. That's it, ride him just like that. We've got you, sweetheart. Both of us, right here."

He felt the first shudder as she listened to Sydney's words. Her labouring against his cock became quicker and more deliberate. With both their hands on her and his cock buried deep inside her, it wasn't long before she shattered with delight. The first orgasm rippled across her body in all its glorious pleasure as her lovers held her protectively between them.

Sydney released her hold around Sam and pushed herself back into the water. Sam remained atop Elias's rigid cock as the last spasm of her orgasm lushly washed across her. She looked down and kissed the man, giving him a wink and whispering, "Thank you."

Sydney's voice echoed out from behind her. "Now we're even, my love. One glorious orgasm each so far today." She glided back through the water, settling beside them, her hand trailing lazily along Elias's thigh. "But the night's still young, and I believe someone still needs his turn."