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"He said he was going over to his uncle's house. Turn here," she said, pointing frantically.
Brandan turned the wheel and the car skidded, moving at high speed. They were now driving down a long dirt road. Ashley looked back at Sean, who she could barely see in the darkness. Sean gave her a reassuring pat on the shoulder. She turned back to watch the road, catching Brandan's worried expression in silhouette.
They were doing about seventy miles per hour on a dark road at three in the morning, looking for Dan. Dan was Ashley's husband, and he had disappeared in the middle of the night, leaving a note that he had gone to see his uncle. This was very unlike him, and Ashley immediately worried that something was seriously wrong.
Their relationship had not been the greatest of late, but she still loved her husband. She looked over at Brandan, realizing that it had not always been so...
...Ashley tried to keep her eyes on her groom, but it was difficult. She could see her brother, Brandan, sitting on the first row. Right next to him was their cousin, Sean. She'd had no doubt that they'd be at her wedding, but right now, she wished they weren't.
Forcing her eyes back to the man she was marrying, she struggled mightily not to sigh. He was a good man, she told herself. He loved her. He had a decent job, and could take good care of her.
He was not, however, her first choice.
Ashley's eyes wandered again to where her brother sat as the preacher droned on. Now she wished they'd gone for a traditional service, where she would have had her back to the audience. Now she was tortured by seeing him sit there, a look of happiness and support on his face.
Where she really wanted him was standing across from her right now.
Ashley knew that thought was 'evil' and 'wrong', and she'd never once had the courage to admit it to him. She felt the same way about Sean, and she'd not told him, either. No, she couldn't tell the men in her life that she loved them, and so she had searched for a suitable husband. She'd done it more out of expectation than any real desire to be with him.
The preacher was reaching the part of the ceremony where she would have to speak. She was glad for the distraction. She only hoped her voice did not fail her when she had to say her vows...
...Ashley had made it through the ceremony, and through the reception, and through the honeymoon - which had been uninspiring - and through another four years. In that time, she had grown to love Dan. She depended on him for stability, for his consistency, and for his understanding. She enjoyed his affection, such as it was. The two had never been enthusiastically intimate, making love every few days at the start, stretching to every week or so by now.
She looked over at her brother as he drove down the dark road, and she wondered what it would have been like to take him to bed on her wedding night. She felt flushed as she wondered the same thing about Sean, his hand still on her shoulder. A warmth spread through her, but she tried to push it away. These thoughts were wrong, and she shouldn't be thinking them.
What she needed to do was find her husband.
Ashley cringed as Brandan slid around the bend and pulled into Dan's uncle's yard. He'd not had much choice; this was where the road ended.
Ashley began to get out of the car, but Brandan took hold of her arm to stop her.
"What?" she demanded.
Brandan motioned to the yard. "His pickup's not here. He sure as hell didn't walk here..."
"Maybe we missed him, and Ray will know where he is!" She wrenched free of Brandan and got out of the car. She ran up to the porch and banged on the door. She was making enough noise to wake the dead.
As was not uncommon for the back woods of North Tennessee, she was greeted by a shotgun. Ray lowered the weapon as soon as he recognized her.
"Shit, girl! What're you doin' wakin' me up at this time of night?"
"Ray, have you seen Dan? He left me a note saying he was coming here!" Ashley tried not to panic.
"I ain't seen Dan in days, Sweetheart. He sure as heck wasn't here tonight."
Ashley frowned, and got even more concerned. She didn't turn when she heard someone come up behind her.
Where could he be? He said he would be here! He always does what he says he's going to do! Ashley didn't pay any attention to the conversation going on around her as she sank deeper into worry and despair.
She felt Brandan take her arm and lead her back down to the car. He helped her in her side, and then got back behind the wheel. His tires spun on the gravel as he reversed the car to get back out onto the road.
After a full minute, Ashley finally had the wit to ask, "Where are we going?"
"You don't want to know," Brandan said. She saw him share a look with Sean, but neither of them said anything further. She sat in silence as Brandan tore through the Tennessee countryside.
As Brandan wheeled the car around another bend, Ashley looked over at him. There was a determined look on his face, and the beginning of what looked like anger. Why is he mad? Is he upset at having to drive me around all over the place? Dan's got our only car...
In another half hour, they pulled up outside a rather plain-looking house in the country. Dan's pickup truck was sitting in the driveway.
"Son of a bitch," Brandan muttered under his breath. As they pulled up, a light went on in the house.
"You might want to stay in the car, Ashley," Brandan said.
"No!" she screamed. "He's my husband, and I need to know what's going on."
Brandan looked at her, and then back at Sean. All three got out of the car.
As they approached the porch, the front door opened. Dan stepped out onto the porch just as Brandan reached the steps.
"What the hell is going on?" Dan demanded, just as Brandan leapt up the steps and connected against Dan's jaw with a right hook. Dan staggered back into the house before tripping over his feet and falling to the ground.
Sean followed Brandan into the house. Ashley had screamed when her brother had attacked her husband, and now she stared at the scene as if living a nightmare.
Ashley watched as Dan struggled back to his feet. He was about Brandan's size, but he was obviously not prepared for the rather angry person before him. Ashley thought to stop Brandan; she didn't understand why he was so irate.
Her protest died on her lips when a young woman, not more than twenty or twenty-one, came out wearing a negligee. She looked disheveled; more so than if she had just been sleeping, and Ashley could smell...
"Slut," Ashley snarled.
Just then, Dan swung on Brandan. Brandan stepped back out of the way, and Dan was off-balance. That only lasted for a moment, as Sean delivered a nasty upper-cut to the stomach. Dan groaned and collapsed to the floor.
Sean bent down and grabbed Dan's arms, hauling him back to his feet and shoving him back against a wall. He gave him a punch to the jaw, and then stepped back. Brandan stepped in again, before Dan could react, and gave him a right cross that sent Dan sliding down the wall. He made no effort to get back up.
Ashley looked at her brother and cousin, and realized their anger was because he was hurting her. It hadn't quite sunk in yet that her marriage had just collapsed in the span of a few hours. She was numb, and staring at the slut that had ruined her marriage. Suddenly, it broke through, and she began to sob.
Sean turned immediately, and went to her, taking her in his arms and holding her gently, letting her cry on his shoulder. She wasn't sure what Brandan was doing, but she heard him say, "Show your face around us again, and this will seem like a waltz."
Brandan said, "C'mon." Sean pulled Ashley along, and the three left the house, and got back in the car. Sean pulled her in back with him, and he kept her head on his shoulder. Brandan drove back to her house while she cried. Nobody said a word.
Ashley awoke to a ruckus in her living room. It took her a moment to remember what had happened the night before, and when she did, the tears almost started again. Her marriage was gone.
After a few seconds, the noise resolved itself into shouting. She got out of bed, pulling a bathrobe around herself. The shouts got louder before she reached the living room, and she knew who was causing the problem.
Dan was there.
She stepped into the living room as Dan shouted, "Don't try to tell me what to do in my own fucking house, asshole!"
Brandan, who had slept on the couch, shouted back, "It isn't your house anymore! Now unless you want another black eye, I'd suggest you leave!"
"What are you doing here, Dan?" Ashley finally said, interrupting.
"I came to get my stuff," he replied sourly.
Ashley pointed to a suitcase in the corner. She'd asked Brandan to help her pack it after they'd gotten back from dropping Sean off at his home.
"What about the rest?"
"What rest?" Ashley demanded. "Everything else, your little floozy should be able to provide for you!"
"Ash, I-" he had tried to walk toward her, but he suddenly found a very firm hand pressing against his chest. He glared daggers at Brandan.
"That's as close as you get."
Dan's jaw set, and he looked past him to Ashley. He saw that she was not going to reprimand her pain-in-the-ass, nosy brother. He snorted in disgust, went over, grabbed the suitcase, and walked out the door, slamming it behind him.
Ashley heard his tires peal on the driveway, and she lost it. She'd been able to hold herself together in his presence, but she couldn't manage any longer. A great, tearing wail left her throat as she collapsed.
Brandan, who had turned his attention back to his sister as soon as Dan had left, rushed to her side, keeping her from falling to the floor. He picked her up and carried her over to the sofa, where he set her down, and then sat with her. She clutched at him, sobbing uncontrollably.
It wasn't the first time in the last eight hours he'd had to do this with her, and Brandan sat, stroking her hair and whispering encouragements to her. It should really be their mother here, but she was at least an hour away, and no one had called her about it yet, unless Sean had done so. For now, Brandan would be her only support.
Ashley continued to hold on to her brother as her world seemed to collapse. She needed his strength, and he was there for her.
Unlike Dan!
His kind words and gentle touch were beginning to calm her, if only a little. Eventually, her sobs turned into hiccupping cries, which eventually died out to sniffles. Ashley clung to her brother, who did not shy away from her emotional outpouring.
Unlike Dan!
Her husband had never been able to handle her emotional side. Now, her sniffles nearly gone, she just clung to Brandan. It felt so good to have him holding her. She tried not to think about who it was, as she knew her thoughts were 'wrong.' She wanted him to hold her forever.
Brandan held onto his sister for a long time, before finally, he gently pulled away from her. She frowned; she wanted to be back in his arms, but at least the look on his face was not one of disapproval.
"We need to call Mom," he said. She nodded blearily, and he continued. "You stay here. I'll do it." He got up and headed into the kitchen, though there was a phone sitting on the desk. She considered listening in, but decided not to. Instead, she cuddled up against herself, and withdrew into her despair.
Ashley felt the warm tingle of her third drink of the evening sliding down her throat, and she smiled. She was already feeling good, and well on her way to getting blasted. It was her third night out this week; her third night out since her husband had left.
What worried everyone was that it was the third night since her husband had left. Ashley had never been a party girl. Tonight, however, she was going to be. The guys in this bar were all looking cuter by the minute, and she danced with several of them as the evening warmed up.
It was when she ordered her fourth drink only minutes after her third that the bartender called her brother. This was a small town, and people knew each other. The barman, Roy, knew Brandan from school.
"Hey, big guy," Ashley cooed to the guy she was dancing with. "You move pretty good."
"You're not too bad yourself, Sweetheart," he said. The guy wasn't sure whether he wanted to take this girl home and screw her silly, or back away slowly. She was obviously disturbed, though eminently fuckable.
"Don't go 'way now," she said as she made her way back to the bar.
"Bartender, another one!" she shouted so that he could hear her.
"It looks like you've had enough," a voice said. Ashley whirled, ready to make a nasty comment, until she saw her brother standing behind her. Her eyes lit up and she grinned widely.
"Brandan!" She threw her arms around him and gave him a fierce hug. Then she leaned back, "Have a drink with me, bro'!"
"You know I don't drink... and you've had quite enough," Brandan replied.
"Oh, pooh," Ashley pouted. "You're an old stick in the mud. But I love you anyway." Ashley leaned up and kissed her brother, full on the lips.
Brandan nearly panicked. Here they were in a room full of people - he was certain every one of them was watching - and he was getting kissed by his own sister! He firmly pulled himself free, and held Ashley out at arm's length.
"We need to get you home." Turning to Roy he said, "Thanks. Can I settle up with you tomorrow?"
"Sure thing. Take care."
Ashley hugged her brother's arm as she leaned against him. She could walk just fine, but with Brandan here now, she felt like having someone to lean on, someone who could support her and care for her.
Brandan opened his car door and gingerly extricated himself from Ashley's grasp, so he could put her in the car. After a minor struggle - she didn't want to let go at all - she finally slipped into the seat and let him close the door. She fidgeted until he got in the other side, and then she was able to scoot over closer to him. She thanked God for bench seats in automatics.
"Ashley, I have to drive," Brandan said sternly. She settled for laying her head on his shoulder. Brandan sighed heavily, and started the car.
Brandan stumbled in through the door. He would have been able to walk a little better if Ashley would let go of his arm and stop leaning on him, but she wasn't going to do that. She liked the feel of him against her; she had no desire to move away.
Ashley's alcohol-fogged mind was filled with lustful thoughts; it had been every night since her husband had left, and the alcohol had let it loose. Each night, however, she'd gone home alone. She returned to her house unaccompanied because of two men, one of which was trying to get her to let go of his arm.
Ashley spun around - she was still quite nimble, despite being drunk - and pressed her body against her brother. She began to run her hands up and down his sides. Brandan got the cutest look on his face as he tried to figure out what she was doing.
"Take me to bed, Brandan," Ashley said. Unimpaired, she would never have had the guts to say that... nor the lack of common sense to do what came next.
"What?!" Brandan cried, shocked.
"Oh, c'mon, Big Brother, you know you want some. Hell, you ain't got any since Tiffany started boinking that banker in Crossville. What you need is a good fucking."
"Ashley - " Brandan tried, but she wasn't going to let him interrupt her. She started rubbing his sides more vigorously, and she began to press her body against him.
"I've wanted you for a long time... God you get me hot just thinking about you. I love you, Brandan, and not just like a brother. I feel the same way about Sean, but he's not here right now, and you are. C'mon, Brandan, I'll make you feel good..."
When Ashley reached down and pressed her hand against Brandan's cock through his pants, he staggered backward, breaking away from Ashley's grasp.
"Ashley!" Brandan shouted, unable to formulate any further words.
"Yeah, that's what you'll be screaming in a little while," she cooed. She began to unbutton her blouse quickly.
It was the sight of her bra that finally caused Brandan to snap. "Dammit, Ashley, stop that shit! I'm not going to sleep with you now or ever! Christ, I'm not some damned inbred hillbilly! Don't.... Hell, just call me when you've straightened up!"
Brandan bolted out the door, his mind completely unable to cope with what had happened. Ashley stared after him for a long moment. Finally, it worked its way through into her consciousness.
He left.
He abandoned me.
He doesn't love me!
JUST LIKE DAN!
Ashley sank to the floor in despair, her sobs taking over her body and soul.
At some point in the night, Ashley ceased crying, but she didn't know when that was. She'd pulled herself up onto the sofa and curled up in a ball. If she slept, she didn't notice.
The thoughts kept whirling inside her head, even as the alcohol cleared from her system. She couldn't break the cycle; no one wanted her. She had truly loved only two men - her husband wasn't one of them - and now it was clear that they didn't feel the same. She didn't dare tell Sean; if Brandan, her own brother, couldn't accept her, who could?
At some point, around mid-morning, Ashley found herself in the kitchen. She wasn't sure how she'd gotten there, nor was she sure why she was there. Looking down, there was a plate in front of her, empty. She picked it up and stared at it, realizing she had probably come for food. The very thought of eating turned her stomach.
Suddenly, a violent, angry surge of emotions swept over her body. What did she need plates for? Nobody was going to be with her; she didn't need plates. Turning, she hurled the plate as hard as she could across the kitchen, watching it smash against the far wall with satisfaction.
Hours later, Ashley stood in the living room, sweaty and breathing hard. In her hand was a vase. It was the last piece of porcelain left in the house unbroken - if one didn't count the fixtures. She ignored the sound of a car pulling up outside, and hurled the vase as hard as she could against the solid-wood front door.
It didn't break.
The vase, a hand-made container that was so heavy and thick that it actually didn't break, fell to the carpet in front of the door. Ashley stared at it for seconds. She needed it to break. She would get a hammer and smash it to pieces if she had to, she-
What's the use?
A new wail of despair escaped her throat, and she collapsed to the floor. She heard the door open, but did not look up. Soon there were strong hands lifting her off the floor and cradling her. Whoever it was pulled her onto the couch, and sat with her, rocking gently.
"Ashley, what's gotten into you?"
It was Sean. She gripped him as tightly as she could, not wanting to let him go. She ignored the fact that he was moving around, doing something. Her eyes were clenched tightly shut, and she ignored it as Sean's voice spoke.
"Aunt Allison? It's Sean. You need to get over here..."
"Baby, you need to see a doctor. You need to get help. You can't go on like this, or you're going to tear yourself apart."
Ashley sat and numbly listened to her mother. Sean was picking up the pieces of glassware and china that were strewn all over the living room floor. He picked up the vase - that stubborn, uncooperative vase - and looked it over. He set it on a bookshelf, and then carried the box of glass he'd been collecting out to the kitchen. Ashley was more fascinated by the vase than anything her mother was saying.
There was one large crack, running from the top of the vase nearly to its base. She could tell that one more thing, even something bumping it too hard, would probably cause it to break completely. Yet, if she carefully glued it, it would be almost as good as new.
Kind of like me?
Ashley knew she had to do something. She had no idea exactly what had happened over the last several hours. She was startled when Sean put a TV tray in front of her with some food... on a plate. She looked up at him questioningly.
"It was in the dishwasher. You didn't look there." He put his hand gently on her shoulder, and handed her a fork. It was only scrambled eggs with some leftover ham and toast, but she didn't realize how hungry she was. She tore into it.
Sean sat on the arm of the couch, watching her eat. He'd come over to see how she was doing; he knew she was taking Dan's betrayal hard. He knew something had happened between her and Brandan; he wouldn't talk about it, but he also was unwilling to be near her now. Sean had come to make sure things were okay, and he was certainly glad he had done so.
"Can I get you anything else?" he asked her.
She looked up at him with a peculiar gaze, but it passed. "Do I have any glasses left?"
"Oh. Yeah, sorry." Sean got up and hurried off to get her something to drink.
Her mother got up and let her eat in peace, as she went into the bedroom to do something. Sean came back in a minute with a glass of milk. He sat down beside her on the couch and watched her eat, thinking his own thoughts.
Ashley finished up just as her mother came back into the room. She sat down on the coffee table, and looked across at her daughter.
"Baby, I've called the Guidance Center. They're willing to see you today, if we get right down there."
Ashley stared at her mother, and then looked to Sean. "Will you go with me?" she asked in a small voice. She was immensely relieved when he nodded. "Okay, I'll go."
Ashley walked in the door of her own home for the first time in two weeks. She felt very drained, but more collected. When she had first walked into the counselor's office, she'd expected to be home in a couple hours. After her session with the psychiatrist, however, it had been recommended that she undergo intensive inpatient therapy at the local mental health center. She wasn't thrilled with the idea, but Sean and her mother had convinced her to go. Listening to the doctors babble at her for all that time had not been fun. She had, at least, had time to think about things without the other elements of her life getting in the way. By doctor's orders, no family members had been allowed to see her for the duration of her stay.
She noted that the house had been cleaned up, and a few new decorations were in place, to replace the ones she'd demolished. She walked out into the kitchen. She found it immaculate, as well. There were some items on the table that she ignored for the moment, as she got herself something to drink.
Ashley leaned against the counter and stared, trying to get herself back into her life. She'd gone to pieces over the loss of her marriage, and then she'd estranged her brother with stupid remarks that she should have kept to herself. She no longer had tears for that; she'd cried them all during her stay in the hospital.
Ashley finished her drink and was heading back through the living room when she heard a car pull up outside. She opened the door long before her visitor made it to the porch.
"Sean!" she cried out in joy. As he hopped up the porch steps, she moved forward and wrapped her arms around him in a big hug. He returned the gesture, holding her tightly in his very strong arms. "It's so good to see you!" she gushed. She never wanted him to let go of her.
"How're you doing?" he asked, still holding onto her. He moved as gracefully as he could back into the house, kicking the door closed. At that point, she finally let go of him. When she did, he reached back and locked the front door.
"I guess I'm better now," she said soberly. "At least I'm not pitching things across the room. I'll be okay. How have things been since I've been away?"
"The usual. Nothing important happened while you were gone. Look... can we talk?"
"Sure." She walked over and sat down on the couch. Sean came over and sat next to her. She noticed how close he sat; it made her feel warm with him so close to her, but she had to control those feelings...
"Brandan told me what you said to him," Sean said, rather directly.
Ashley paled. Was he going to reject her now, too?
"How come you never told me?"
"I..." she stammered. "It's not the kind of thing you're supposed to talk about."
"Ashley, we've been friends since we were kids. How long have you felt this way?"
"A long time," she whispered, almost to herself.
Sean moved closer to her. "Do you want to have sex with me, too?"
Ashley felt a warm, tingly feeling spread throughout her body when he asked. She blushed, and turned her head to answer him. When their eyes met, she found that she couldn't speak. It wasn't important, however, as her eyes did enough talking for all of her.
Sean leaned in and pressed his lips to hers. She moaned at the contact, and turned into him, pushing her body against him. She slipped her tongue out and pressed it against his lips until he opened his mouth to admit it. Soon their tongues were dancing wetly together.
Ashley ran her hands across Sean's muscled chest, and wished his T-shirt wasn't in the way. She decided to focus on something she could change, and began unbuttoning her own blouse. In mere seconds, it was undone, and she was pulling it off her arms. In another few seconds, her bra followed. When she was completely topless, she wrapped her arms around Sean and pushed him backward until he was lying on the couch, with her on top of him.
Ashley broke their kiss and looked down at her cousin. She smiled contently and began working at his T-shirt. He was soon helping, and the offending garment was quickly on the floor. Ashley leaned down to kiss him again, plunging her tongue back into his mouth and rubbing her erect nipples over the bare, smooth skin of his chest. She was already wet for him, and her body shivered at the feel of him against her.
Sean's hands slid across Ashley's back and worked over her ass. She moaned as his fingers plied the flesh through her jeans. Her hands began to work at his belt, and she managed to get it and his pants undone without breaking their kiss. When she reached in to stroke his dick through his briefs, however, he broke their kiss with a groan.
"Oh, God that feels good," he said.
Ashley smiled at him, and continued to caress his quickly stiffening cock. Finally, she sat up, and unfastened her own jeans, since he was too lost to try to do it himself.
"C'mon," she said, and stood up. As she walked back toward the bedroom, she stopped twice to remove her shoes. By the time she made it to the bedroom, her jeans were also on the floor. When she turned, she found Sean right behind her, his own jeans being worked down off his hips. She stared at the bulge in his underwear, longing to feel it inside her.
Soon, he had gotten his jeans off, and he wasted no time pulling his briefs down, either. Now Ashley had a clear view of his long, hard cock. Sean knelt down, and he took hold of her panties, pulling them down her legs. She stepped out of them, and now they were both naked, and more than willing.
Sean kissed her hotly, his dick pressing against her leg. She moaned at the feel of it. Then he broke their kiss, scooped her up, and dumped her unceremoniously on the bed. She giggled as she bounced, and her lust was driven higher as he climbed onto the bed, between her legs.
Leaning down, Sean kissed her passionately. Ashley reached down to take hold of his dick and position it at her opening. Once he felt her hot wetness touch the head of his prick, he thrust forward.
Ashley screamed in pleasure. Sean's cock filled her in only a few strokes, and her mind was reeling from the sudden wonderful sensations.
"Oh, God, yes, Sean! Fuck me!" she screamed.
Sean pulled back about halfway, and then set up a furious rhythm. Ashley clenched her eyes tightly shut and let the pleasure wash over her. She hooked her ankles behind his thighs, keeping him inside of her.
Sean thrust into her again and again, staring down at his beautiful cousin. She was grunting with every thrust, and he loved the look on her face. Ashley reached up and caressed his chest as he began to ram even faster into her.
Ashley could feel her orgasm building. She needed this one badly. She dropped one of her hands to her tit and lightly pinched her nipple. The tingles that caused shot through her right into her pussy, and she felt her climax break over her.
Ashley screamed and rocked in bliss, lost to the warm feelings her body was enjoying. She twisted beneath her lover and groaned in utter ecstasy. It was a long time before she came down, and when she did, Sean was still thrusting into her. She put her hands on his chest to stop him, and he did, reluctantly.
"Give me... just a minute," she pleaded. He pulled out gently, and began to kiss her all over. Ashley sighed in contentment, and she could feel her body heating back up. She knew it wouldn't be long before she was ready for him again.
As Sean continued to caress her, Ashley turned on her side, and motioned to him to slip in behind her. He did so, and she raised her upper leg.
"Take me, stud," she growled. Sean was more than ready, and positioned himself at her entry.
Sean pushed in rapidly, and Ashley groaned in pleasure to have him back inside of her. He wasted no time in returning to his previous pounding rhythm, holding her leg up so she wouldn't get tired. Ashley shifted herself just slightly, and the crackling energy of ecstasy she'd been seeking suddenly washed over her as Sean's dick rubbed across her g-spot.
Sean was rapidly reaching his own peak, and Ashley knew it. It was more than okay, since she was now already on the verge of her own latest orgasm. She held off, waiting for him. She rippled her pussy along his dick, trying to milk the cum out of his balls.
Sean finally lost control, ramming into her and then freezing as his cock spewed its load deep into her. At the feel of the first spray of cum, Ashley let go of her self-control, and wailed out her climax as it gripped her. Her body shuddered and bucked against her cousin, and she saw spots as Sean's prick continued to spurt within her.
It was a long moment before they came down, and when they did, they snuggled in each other's arms. Sean kissed her lightly on the neck, and whispered, "I love you."
She didn't quite have the strength to tell him she loved him as well, as she was quickly dozing off to sleep. She'd tell him later.
When Ashley finally awoke, she realized that she would not have the chance to tell Sean how she felt for a little while. There was a note on the pillow next to her, which said that he'd had to go and get ready for work. She looked at the time, and realized it was quite late.
After a long, hot shower to work out some stiffness - she'd not had that particular kind of exercise for a while - Ashley headed out to the kitchen to make herself some dinner.
As her spaghetti was cooking, she began to put away the items on the table. These were obviously new things that had been bought to replace what she'd trashed. One of them caught her eye, because it had a piece of paper folded and stuck into it. She picked up the mug and had to smile. It had a picture of kittens on it, playing. She took out the paper, and set down the mug.
Ashley set down the note, and then sat in a chair. She'd not thought about that night since it had happened, and the memories of what she had done to her brother came back now. Her eyes misted as she realized how cruel she had been, how she had sprung her feelings on him. She was surprised that he could forgive her for her stupidity.
She knew it was too late to see him tonight. Tomorrow was another day.
Ashley knocked on Brandan's front door and waited nervously. She didn't know when he'd put the note there on her table, so there was the chance he'd changed his mind about the whole thing. She fidgeted until the door opened to reveal Brandan in his bathrobe. She blushed, realizing she'd come much too early.
"Oh, uh... Brandan, I thought you'd be up by now. I can come back later..." She started to turn to go, but Brandan caught her arm gently. She turned back to him.
"I'm up now, no point in wasting it. Come on in."
Ashley followed her brother into the living room, and then she sat on the couch, looking up at him.
"Would you like something to drink?" he asked politely. She shook her head negatively, and he sat down next to her.
"You look a lot better than the last time I saw you," Brandan said softly.
Ashley turned away for a moment, a slight blush on her face. He'd given her the opportunity; now she just had to take it.
"Brandan, about that night... I'm sorry, I shouldn't-"
Brandan touched her hand, bringing her eyes back to his own, and interrupting her train of thought.
"If anyone needs to apologize for what happened that night, it's me. You were drunk and hurting, and you reached out to me. And I was cruel and thoughtless."
Ashley moved closer to him. "You weren't. I shouldn't have done what I did. It's not your problem to deal with my screwed up emotions..."
Brandan reached out and embraced his sister. She let him pull her against him, and they hugged for a while. Ashley liked the feeling of how Brandan was rubbing her back, but she dared not make any moves now.
Brandan finally let go of her, and she looked up into his eyes.
"Did you mean what you said?" he asked softly. "About me and Sean?"
Ashley nodded, not sure what was coming next.
Brandan reached out and stroked her hair gently. "I've done a lot of thinking, while you were away," he said. He continued to caress her hair as he spoke. "Tiffany hurt me a lot when she left. I don't think I'm going to be able to date again for a long while."
Ashley reached up and put her hand on her brother's, stopping his caress, but showing support. He smiled at her, and then he was able to continue.
"You understand, don't you, that anything you and I did together... we couldn't ever tell anyone? We'd have to be very careful not to get caught."
Ashley had a lump in her throat. Was he agreeing? She didn't want to push anything on him now, but... her heart raced just thinking about it.
Ashley managed to nod.
"Did you still want to?" he asked.
Ashley nodded again.
Brandan rose from the couch, and he reached out to take her hand. He led her back to the bedroom, which she noticed was a lot cleaner than usual - he had been planning this. She tingled at the thought of it.
Brandan closed the door, and then turned to his sister. He opened his arms to her, and she came eagerly. As he leaned forward, she tilted her head up, and their lips met, sending sparks of electric bliss throughout her body. Brandan's hands gently caressed her back, and she could feel the heat of his body. The sensations were wonderful.
Before she was able to deepen the kiss at all, Brandan pulled away. She sighed at the loss, but he smiled at her. He reached down and unfastened her jeans, to make it easier to begin lifting off her shirt. She raised her arms as he pulled it up her body and off. She shivered as his hands kept contact with her skin on the way back down to her waist.
Kneeling, Brandan first untied her sneakers, and then had her lift each foot so he could remove them and her socks. Next, he pulled her jeans down, and she stepped out of them, as well.
As Brandan rose, he kept his hands in contact with her legs, caressing the outside of her calves, her thighs, and then finally around to her ass. Ashley moaned at the feel of his hands on her body. Brandan gently pulled her against him, and Ashley went willingly. Now that she was wearing only bra and panties, she wanted to feel him against her better. She pushed on his bathrobe, and it fell off his shoulders. She reached down and yanked the tie free, and it fell free of his body. He had to let go of her to let it fall to the floor, but he returned his hands to her behind as soon as it had.
Ashley pushed herself tightly against her brother, feeling him against her. Brandan began to nibble on her neck, and she sighed in contentment. As he continued his kisses, she felt his hands reach up and unhook her bra. It took him a long moment, but she didn't care, if he kept making her feel this good.
Finally, the bra came loose, and Brandan stepped back to pull it off her body. She could almost feel his gaze as he saw her breasts for the first time, and she blushed slightly at the sigh that left his lips.
Ashley shuddered when Brandan ran his hand across the swell of her breast, and then cupped it gently. When he leaned down to place soft kisses on her tit, she mewled in pleasure. Her head swam a little with the level of arousal she felt, and she leaned forward slightly, putting her hand on Brandan's shoulder for balance.
Brandan sensed what was going on. He straightened up, and then pulled her tenderly over to the bed. They moved together onto the bed, never breaking contact completely. Once they were comfortable, Brandan's lips quickly returned to her breast, and she moaned this time, as his lips soon found her nipple, and began to suck on it.
Ashley shivered as Brandan's hand ran across her abdomen, and down to her hip. She was so excited she could barely contain herself, but her brother was making her feel so wonderful, she never wanted him to stop.
Brandan switched to her other breast, and Ashley's pleasure continued to mount. When Brandan's fingers slipped beneath the waistband of her panties, she groaned, and parted her legs for him. When his finger slid along the length of her slit, brushing ever so gently past her clit, she cried out in pleasure.
Brandan sat up then, and he used his hand to pull on her panties. Ashley lifted her hips to help him, and the panties were soon gone. At his gentle urging, she parted her legs, and he slipped between them. When he kissed her inner thigh, she rolled her hips, trying to get more contact.
Brandan didn't make her wait for it. She cried out in pleasure as his tongue lapped against her pussy lips. She was writhing in pleasure already, and she knew she couldn't hold out much longer. When his tongue began to circle her clit, she felt it begin, and when his lips encircled her clit and began to suck, there was no hope of stopping it. She screamed out in bliss and her body rocked back and forth, her mind lost to the pleasure of the moment. She grabbed Brandan's hair and held him in place, not wanting him to stop. She didn't know he had no intention of doing so.
For a long moment, Ashley was unaware of anything but her pleasure. Finally, her body started to come down, and she let go of Brandan. He knew that she would need a minute to rest, and so he backed away. She wasn't sure what he was doing, but a few seconds later, she felt him beside her, and she opened her eyes to look at him.
Before she could say anything at all, he was kissing her again. This time, his tongue slipped out to request entry. She parted her lips to let it in, and her tongue greeted its visitor. She moaned again when she felt Brandan's hand on her tit, and she knew it wouldn't be long before she was begging him to be inside her.
They kissed for long moments, and Brandan's hand wandered over her chest and abdomen, caressing all the right spots. Finally, his hand wandered carefully between her legs. When his finger slipped deep into her pussy, she groaned loudly. Ashley pushed him away, breaking their kiss.
"I need you, Brandan, please."
Brandan nodded with a gentle smile on his face. He rolled, so that he was on top of her, and positioned himself at her entrance. As he pressed into her, Ashley felt her pussy tingle. Her body had goose bumps at the wonderful sensations her dear brother was giving her. When he was buried inside her, he paused, looking down at her with that same loving smile.
Brandan leaned down and kissed Ashley, their tongues once again meeting. As their tongues played against each other, Brandan began to slide in and out of her, causing sparks of pleasure to course up and down her spine. His body was rubbing against hers everywhere, and she knew that she was well on her way to orgasm number two for the day.
Ashley rolled her hips in time to Brandan's thrusts, and it wasn't long before she was right on the edge of her climax. Brandan continued to use long, smooth strokes, but he sped up at just the right moment, and sent her right over the edge. She groaned loudly against his mouth, and her pussy clamped down on his cock. Her body shuddered repeatedly, pushing up against his body.
Brandan continued to move above her, driving her wild with pleasure. He sped up and slowed down, and she rode the roller coaster with him. It seemed that her orgasm was just dying out, and then he would speed up again, and she would be off once more.
Finally, she felt him thrusting into her faster and faster. She knew he was close to his own climax, and she rippled her pussy, trying to drive him to it. She felt him tense, and then he grunted, plunging his cock deep into her and freezing as his cum shot from his dick.
Ashley's orgasm, which seemed not to have truly stopped since it had started, doubled in intensity. She screamed passionately, and her body bucked and writhed against her brother. The two of them came together for long moments, lost to the passions of their body.
Finally, their bodies came back to reality, and they looked at each other. They each grinned, and then they kissed tenderly. Brandan rolled to the side, taking her with him. His cock was still buried in her pussy, and neither of them saw reason to change that.
"Thank you," Ashley said when they broke their kiss. "That was wonderful."
"Yeah," Brandan agreed. He was still a little out of it, she could see. She snuggled tightly against him, and remained quiet.
Thank God it's Saturday, she thought to herself, and closed her eyes.
Ashley set the plates down in front of her visitors, and then sat down herself. She had made only a simple lunch of hot sandwiches and some chips, but she didn't want to overdo it. They were really here to talk, after all.
Sean took a big bite of his sandwich, and said, with his mouth full, "Hey, this is good!"
"Thanks, Sweetheart," Ashley said. Brandan looked at her just a little funny, and Sean paled.
"Sweetheart?" Brandan asked with a smirk.
Ashley smiled at Sean, but she turned to Brandan. "There's something you both need to know."
"I'm not sure I can take any new revelations this year," Brandan said, smiling at her to let her know he was teasing.
Ashley blushed at his joke, but she kept herself steady enough to carry on. "Brandan... no, excuse me," she said, turning back to Sean. "Sean, I need to tell you first. Brandan and I made love on Saturday."
Sean paled, but managed to keep his composure. "Okay," he said, his voice neutral.
Ashley took that for what it was, and turned back to Brandan. "And Sean and I made love on Friday."
Brandan cocked an eyebrow, but he wasn't all that surprised.
"I want you to know that I love both of you very much. Dr. Hollins told me that most of my problem was keeping things bottled up inside: my anger, my love, my... lust. I don't want to hide anything from you two anymore. We've always been best friends, and I don't want to change that."
"So... which of us is the lucky guy?" Sean asked. Brandan looked at him with a strange grin, but Ashley was the one to speak.
"I don't know. I want both of you, but I know that's not fair to either of you."
"There's fair, and then there's fair," Brandan said cryptically.
"Huh?" Ashley replied.
"You and I can't be seen having a relationship. You know that."
"The world won't exactly be crazy about us, either," Sean said.
Brandan said, "Maybe they won't like it, but there's also nothing they can do about it. I did some checking. Anyway, I don't want to get in the way of anything between you two."
Ashley reached out and took her brother's hand, her eyes a little misty.
"That's not really what you want, though, is it?" Sean asked quietly.
Ashley shook her head. "I want both of you."
Sean surprised both of them when he said, "I'm game if Brandan is."
"What?" Brandan asked, half a second before Ashley could start to form the words.
"I don't want you to be unhappy," Sean explained. "So if being with Brandan from time to time will make you happy, then I'm okay with it... and we can start going on outings together like we used to, before that jerk you married came along."
Ashley smiled lovingly at Sean before turning to Brandan. "Could you... live with that?"
Brandan looked at the two of them carefully, then he nodded. "If you are both sure about this..." The other two nodded, and he said, "Okay... but we'll take it day by day, and see how things pan out. If either of you doesn't feel comfortable, I'll back out."
"Thank you," Ashley said. "Both of you."
Sean put his arm around Ashley and pulled her close to him. They were lying together in bed, having just woken up. They'd spent a large portion of the night - his night off - making love to each other, and both were still glowing in the after-effects.
"I love you, Ash," Sean said. He hugged her tightly, and then leaned down to deliver the requested kiss. As he sat back, he used his fingers to swipe a stray lock of hair out of her face.
Ashley smiled up at him. "I love you, too."
"I'm sorry you had to go through your troubles, but I'm really glad that you and I got together."
Ashley snuggled tightly against him. "Me, too. Are you still okay with me seeing Brandan?" She had spent the previous night with him. Though Sean had not been there anyway, because he worked nights, she still worried about how he felt.
"I'm glad that someone can be there for you when I can't," Sean answered. "I want you to be happy and looked after. Maybe the two of us can do that better than one."
Ashley closed her eyes and sighed with contentment. Just then, she remembered a not-so-pleasant detail she'd forgotten about. She sat up and looked at Sean.
"Dr. Hollins, my therapist, wants to see all three of us tomorrow."
"About what?" Sean asked.
"Well, you know he knows about us... but I don't really know for sure what he wants to talk to us about."
"Okay. Is Brandan going to be there?"
"Yes, I mentioned it to him yesterday. I'd forgotten until just now."
Sean hugged her. "It's okay, Sweetheart. I'll be there."
"Thank you," Ashley whispered.
"What do you figure this is about?" Brandan asked.
Ashley shriveled a little. "I'm not sure. He just said he wanted to see all three of us at once." He was Ashley's counselor. She'd been obligated to tell him about her relationships, otherwise he could not help her deal with her problems. At least, that's what he'd said at the time.
Now she wasn't so sure what was going on.
Does he want to talk them into breaking up with me? In front of me? Is he going to chew us all out for it? Shit, I wish I'd never told him now.
Brandan could see the worried look on Ashley's face, and he had a good idea of what that was about. He reached over and took her hand, squeezing gently. They were sitting in the waiting room, trying to relax.
"Ashley?" the receptionist called out. Ashley rose, and the other two followed. She walked into the office of Dr. James Hollins. Each of the men looked around, not having been in such a place before, while Ashley went to sit in her usual chair.
"Gentlemen," the doctor said, rising. "I'm Dr. Hollins. If you'd like to take a seat..."
Each shook the doctor's hand, and then they sat on either side of Ashley. The doctor pulled his office chair out from behind the desk, and sat down closer to the group than he usually would get to his patients.
"Now, I'm sure you all know the basic reason I asked all of you to come here, but perhaps not exactly why."
"Why don't you tell us," Sean said, his suspicion and distaste clear. Ashley grabbed his hand to try to keep him calm.
Dr. Hollins saw that, and then looked to Brandan. He saw concern there, but he also saw someone patient enough not to erupt until he knew what was going on.
"Very well. Ashley has told me about your relationship. That was the right thing for her to do; I can't help her if I don't know what's going on in her life. I will admit to being somewhat shocked that she had entered into a relationship with not one, but two relatives."
"So?" Sean demanded.
Ashley squeezed his hand.
Dr. Hollins looked uncomfortable. "My concern here is for my patient. Emotional upset at this point could be very damaging to her psyche. I need to know what your intentions are."
Sean rose from his seat, breaking Ashley's clasp. "What the hell business is it of yours?" he demanded.
Brandan rose, and stepped in front of Sean. "Sit down."
Sean had heard that tone from Brandan before. He sat down.
Ashley watched with some surprise as Brandan pulled his chair over so that he was sitting somewhat between the doctor and the other two. She looked at him lovingly as he sat down and folded his hands, leaning forward a little, and looking between them all.
"Doc, you'll have to excuse my cousin. He kind of takes offense easily, and the notion that he would do anything to hurt Ashley is something he gets upset at pretty quick."
"But not you?" the doctor asked.
"You have a job to do. I understand that. Now, as to our relationship, neither of us intends to hurt Ashley in any way. We have been friends all our lives. We're just... somewhat closer friends now."
"How serious are your relationships? What I mean is, you can't ever..."
"Get married?" Brandan chuckled. "Actually, they can. They're only cousins. That's legal in this state."
Dr. Hollins raised an eyebrow. Turning to the other two, he asked, "Do you plan to do that?"
Sean answered, "What if we are?"
Ashley gripped his hand again, to try to calm him down. "We've talked about it, Doctor."
"I see." Turning back to Brandan, he said, "And where does that leave you?"
Brandan shrugged. He looked to Ashley, who smiled at him with all the love she had. Turning back to the doctor, Brandan said, "I'm her brother. I love her dearly. If they get married, I hope to be the best man."
"And after that?"
"We'll worry about after that... after that." Brandan smiled at the doctor.
"I see. That is perhaps a sensible thing to do."
"Now I have a question for you, Doctor," Brandan said, his voice growing somewhat hard. "What do you plan to do about this?"
Dr. Hollins' eyes opened wider. "I am sworn to secrecy by the doctor-patient privilege."
Brandan's voice grew harsher. "I'm not your patient. Neither is Sean. Stop dodging the issue. What do you plan to do about it?"
The doctor swallowed and said, "I hadn't decided. I'm still not sure this relationship is the best one for Ashley."
Brandan rose. "Ashley would disagree, apparently. You do what you have to, Doctor. I will stick by my sister. Of course, you could have us both jailed, I suppose... but the letter I would write to the state board of psychiatry might have repercussions."
Dr. Hollins raised his hands in surrender. "You have my word, I will not speak of this to anyone other than you three. My concern was for Ashley's welfare. It is obvious that both of you care enough for her to put your own reputations... and in your case, freedom, on the line for her. That's good enough for me."
"Good. Is there anything else?"
"No, I think that is all I need to know. I prescribe for Ashley a nice dinner with her two beaus this evening."
"That," Sean said, finally managing a pleasant tone, "I think we can do."
Ashley was so nervous, she was shaking like a leaf. Brandan saw that, and walked over to her. He took her hands in his, and looked deep into her eyes.
"It's going to be okay," he said. He carefully embraced her, and when he pulled back, she smiled at him.
"It's almost time," the usher said.
"Oh, God, I hope I don't throw up," Ashley said.
"You'll be fine. Ready?"
"I guess. Ready as I'll ever be."
Brandan lowered his voice. "I love you, Ashley." She squeezed his arm as he began to lead her down the aisle. Though Ashley had been through this before, her first wedding had not seemed nearly as important as this one. The two real loves of her life were here, and though no one else knew it, they were all three making a commitment today.
Brandan supported Ashley so that she could walk, even in her emotional state. They finally reached the front of the church, and up the steps. The music died away, and they all waited for the pastor to speak.
"Dearly Beloved," the pastor began, his voice strong and resonant, "we are gathered here today to join this man and this woman in the bonds of Holy Matrimony.
"Who gives this woman to be married?" the pastor asked.
In a very meaningful way, a way that meant something only to three people in the entire church, Brandan said, "I do."
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