[[[-IF5-P5.TXT-]]] ---------------- Island Fever 5: Family Written by: JeremyDCP@hotmail.com M/F, F/F and a whole lot more ---------------- Chapter 05: "Foundation" ------------------------------------------- -*- Friday, March 11, 2016 -*- -*- Oslo, Norway -*- "It's very disturbing to watch Donald Duck carve a turkey." "Hmmmmm?" I murmured in response to Alison, who was walking alongside me as we made our way toward the pier in downtown Oslo. "What did you say?" I asked her. "Donald Duck? Huh?" Alison giggled. "It's Lindsay. Sometimes she says the craziest things. Lindsay just texted me out of the blue and goes, _it's very disturbing to watch Donald Duck carve a turkey_." Alison giggled again, then shook her head as she tapped away furiously on her cell phone, likely composing a suitable response for her sister. "Lindsay must be watching cartoons right now with Kaden and Piper. That has to be it. Friday night is always cartoon night." "Isn't Donald... isn't that a bit cannibalistic?" Alison stifled a laugh. "You think? Wouldn't Donald Duck be carving up his own cousin, sort of, by doing that?" I shrugged my shoulders. "Maybe he isn't all he's quacked up to be. You never know." Alison shuddered theatrically. "I suppose not." For the past 45 minutes, Alison and I had been wandering around the streets in the heart of Oslo, Norway's capital city, engaging in mostly small talk but also enjoying each others company. For lack of a better term, this was what best could be described as a _first date_ for the two of us. After I let my guard down and agreed to give Alison an opportunity at working her way into our family and way of life, this was officially step one of that process. Of course, it came with the full blessing and backing of my six wives and one fiancee, all of whom were home now with the kids. I was positive they would want to know every detail. Never mind the fact that moments ago, some random guy approached Alison on the street and tried to flirt and hit on her, only then to ask me if I was her _father_ when I stepped in and put an end to it. But I digress... Nothing too fancy, Alison still looked pristine and very attractive in a pair of cropped jeans, a black top and a suede knee-length coat. Her blonde locks were pulled back into a casual bun and she wore black flats upon her feet. It was cold and brisk out, but we were having a good time. As Alison and I strolled along Grev Wedels Plass (a street), we were nearing the seaport, which was considered a historic district in Oslo. There was something about this particular area that I just loved and could never get quite enough of. Perhaps it was the water, the salty smell, the ambiance. Or maybe all of it combined. "So what are you in the mood for?" I asked, to which Alison raised a playful eyebrow. "Food wise," I clarified. "I'm easy," Alison responded. "Surprise me." "How about cheese clam rolls on that bench over there? Best clam rolls in the world come from that truck parked across the street. That guy is almost always here." Alison seemed to ponder the suggestion for a moment or two. "Only had clam one other time in my life, but I remember enjoying it. Yeah, I guess that sounds fine." Alison spun so she was walking backward, facing me as she added, "Trish and Lindsay told me that you are a lunatic when it comes to seafood, Jeremy. You would eat it every single day if you could. Am I right?" "You are," I conceded. "I developed quite the taste for seafood during all those many years I spent on the island. Before the island, I never even tried seafood." "I should call you Charlie Tuna from now on," Alison grinned, turning on her shoe and leading the way toward the nearby food truck. "You're starting to grow gills!" "Hey, that wasn't nice," I called after her. Alison glanced back over her shoulder and giggled at me before speaking to the man behind the counter. "Hi there! We would like to order two cheese clam rolls," she told him as I pulled up beside her. "Hot or cold?" the guy grumbled. "Hot." "Cold." We answered in unison. I held up a hand. "One hot. One cold. And a large order of french fries with lemon, please?" I looked at Alison, who nodded her head in approval at me. After adding a couple of bottled waters onto our meal, we sought out the park bench facing the water and took a seat. It was dreary and overcast, but that kind of fit the pier and added to its appeal. "Oh wow," Alison said after taking a bite of her clam roll, served cold on a buttered and grilled bun, with melted cheese, celery and mayonnaise. She actually covered her mouth as she spoke to be polite. "This is wonderful. Oh my God." "I thought you may enjoy it," I said, glancing back toward the truck. "The dude in that truck may not be that friendly, but no one makes a better clam roll than him." Alison shook her head and indulged in another bite. It was incredibly cute, the way she took her time to savor the flavors of each tender morsel while closing her eyes to do so more effectively. I smiled at the stunning, beautiful visual. "Not the way I envisioned our first date to go, you know," Alison soon offered. "Eating clam rolls on a park bench in the cold as it gets dark? This is... unique." "As opposed to taking you to a nice restaurant and having a fancy meal over candlelight?" Alison shrugged. "I guess so, yeah. But I'm not, you know, complaining. I'm actually having a really good time. I think we have gotten to know each other fairly well tonight." I took a healthy bite of my own clam roll. "Well, you certainly don't strike me as the kind of girl who has spent all that much time on piers around fishermen." Alison smiled at that, and God, that smile did a number on me. I felt warm all over in response, despite the constant chill drifting in off the water. "No, not a lot of piers. I grew up in Ohio, which you are well aware of." I offered her a french fry, which she wholeheartedly accepted. "I never even saw the ocean until I went with Mom and my other two sisters, Jennifer and Gina, to Italy on - WHOA - these fries are good. Why are these fries so good?" I laughed. "It's the lemon. Salt and lemon on french fries is a killer combination. I learned that from Amy." "I know you have family back in Ohio too, Jeremy, though I have never met them," Alison mused. "Well... I do remember seeing your mom at Lindsay's wedding back in December 2014, when she and Trish got married. But I never really got to talk to her. Are you close with your family at all?" I considered the question. My relationship with my family was quite the delicate subject, and I did not feel as if now was the best time to dive in and explain all the many problems I had with various members of it. So, I kept it simple. "Definitely close with my father," I nodded. "He is 77 and lives in California; is still very active, and in great shape. He and Mom have been separated for a long, long time, though - since 1998. I talk to him several times a week. He has been the most constant thing throughout my entire life. Dad never doubted me, never questioned me, about any decision I ever made. All he ever wanted was for me to be happy." "As any good parent should." "I agree." "Is he going to be at your wedding tomorrow with Scarlett? And your mom? You have two brothers and a sister, right?" I winced. "Dad just got over a bad case of the flu, so we decided that, at his age, it would probably be best that he skip the wedding and stay home in California. That's a 7,000 mile flight for him to get here, and that is just one-way. But we will have a video feed of the wedding on the Internet for him. Dad came here to visit after Dani Grace was born seven months ago, and the trip was a bit rough on him." "What about your mom, your brothers, your sister?" "I'm not really close with them." "Oh. I'm sorry." Alison seemed taken aback. She was a family girl at heart, just like Lindsay, and probably could not fathom the idea of being at odds, on the outs, with her mother or any of her sisters. The fact that Alison's father died of a sudden and shocking heart attack at a very early age in November 2012 probably strengthened the bond she felt with the rest of her family. Obviously, Alison had never been through a civil war within her family quite like the one I was experiencing right now with my oldest brother and sister. The idea itself was completely foreign to her. "Don't be sorry. Not your fault. I love my mom, but she is caught in the middle of me and my brother and sister. Dan and Di, they don't... approve of the life I lead." Alison frowned. "All the women you're married to?" "Yeah. They don't like it. But they don't understand, either. That's fine, though. It really is. But Mom gets caught in the crossfire between us at times, so I have tended to back away from her over the past six months. I don't want Mom to have any undue stress because of me. She is 74 and not exactly in the best of health nowadays." "Understood," Alison mewed, and then we ate the last few bites of our meal in comfortable silence as we stared out at picturesque Oslofjorden, an inlet that ultimately led to the Baltic Sea. There was something about the water at night that intrigued me, too. Perhaps it was the combination of the mystery of the darkness and the tranquility of the sea. At any rate, I never got tired of the amazing visual. I stole a glance of Alison, who seemed lost in thought. Indeed, she would have never imagined in a million years that our first real night out together would consist of dinner from a food truck while relaxing on the pier in the cold. But I wanted something out of the ordinary. In my mind, at least, it had made for a really nice evening. Done with her clam roll and french fries, Alison wadded up the wrapper that lined her cardboard tray. "What now, Jeremy?" There was a smile tugging at her lips. I turned to Alison and grinned softly, reaching out with one finger and brushing the hair from her forehead in a move that she was clearly not expecting. Suddenly, the 19-year-old looked spellbound. "Now, I take you home. I asked you to have dinner with me tonight, and you did. Thank you." "You're welcome," she said after several seconds, trying to collect herself. "It was my pleasure." I got the sense, though, that Alison seemed a bit deflated. Did I call off our date too soon? She definitely seemed to want to do more. We walked along the pier as dusk continued to fall and strengthen its hold over the city. The stars now shined bright overhead as loud, boisterous voices drifted from the beer garden as we passed it. "Jeremy?" "Yes?" "I'm glad you brought me here." I passed Alison a look. Her hands were in the pockets of her suede knee-length coat, and a smile touched the sides of her mouth. Dear God, she reminded me so much of her sister. The very same sister who often sent my libido speeding up the wall. "Me too." It was the simplest answer I could give, but somehow seemed to say a whole lot more. * * * "If you like the outdoors and nature, boating, hiking, skiing, camping, you'll absolutely love Norway," I told Alison, perhaps 20 minutes later, as we leisurely cruised along European Route E18 toward our hometown of Sandvika in my _Jeep Wrangler_. "It is cold for the great majority of the year in Norway, but not necessarily horribly cold." "Norway is a monarchy, yet a social democracy with elections," I added, explaining what it would be like for Alison to live here permanently. "Taxes are high and the cost of living is off the charts. Places here, they have odd hours. The big grocery stores close super early, and many are closed altogether on Sundays. Labor unions are incredibly powerful and determine how businesses run." "It's fairly laid-back here; relaxed, and calm. Oslo is very similar to Cincinnati in terms of size and population. I'm so glad that we all decided to settle down here. Not only does Krissy get to be close to her mom and dad - they live on the opposite end of the farm from us - but all of the other girls love it here, too. Norway is awesome and beautiful; its mountains, forests, lakes, fjords, seacoast, countryside, towns... all of its tiny villages. During the summer, up north, you can see the midnight sun. During the winter months, you can see the northern lights." "I really like what I've seen of Norway thus far," Alison said, tilting her head to the side as she glanced my way. "But I feel as if I knew a lot about the country already, from everything Lindsay, even Trish, told me about it. Plus, I did a lot of research and reading about it beforehand." Continuing along my tendency to ask Alison the most random of questions since we left the mansion earlier, I piped up, "I imagine you had a job in Ohio. Where did you work?" "I was a waitress at _Frisch's Big Boy_ for the past three years," she answered. "_Frisch's_ is a regional hamburger chain in Ohio, Indiana and Kentucky; there are like 125 of them, I think. It's the only job I've ever had." "I know all about _Frisch's_. Been there a time or two." "Of course," Alison nodded. "You were born in Ohio." "Amy used to be a waitress at _Hooters_ in Cincinnati," I offered. "Remember, she is from our neck of the woods too. Amy's mom and dad are actually moving to Norway from Ohio in a few months so they can be around Amy and Dani Grace. You know, get involved and become a major part of their lives. Amy cannot wait for them to move here." "You ever have a regular job, Jeremy? I mean, I know you have lots of money. Lindsay says two billion dollars? But before you came into your money, did you have a normal job?" I chuckled. "I was a _Kentucky Fried Chicken_ man myself in high school, when I lived in New Jersey. The colonel! When I moved to California in 1992, I got a job washing and polishing boats at the marina at Shoreline Village in Long Beach. Did that for a few years until I lucked into my... financial windfall. But working at the marina, that was what made me first fall in love with the ocean." I changed lanes on the highway, and aimed for the Sandvika exit. Soon, we would be back home at the farm. "You were studying to be a schoolteacher, yes?" I asked, to which she nodded. "I remember Lindsay was thinking about becoming a schoolteacher too, for a time, until she finally opted for the ministry. It was a toss-up. You know, Alison, you could continue your studies here in Norway if in fact you decide to move here permanently." "I have every intention of moving here permanently," she shot back, those words catching me off-guard. "In my mind, I already have." Alison glanced over at me, suddenly a shy, timid smile on her angelic face. Oh God; she was blushing. It was the very same blush that Lindsay had made famous! Never once had I been able to deny that sweet-cheeks blush... "But I've spoken to Lindsay," Alison soon added, "and she suggests that I eventually enroll at the university in Oslo. Lindsay speaks very highly of it. But I also want to get a part-time job. I don't want to just hang around the mansion all day and live off of you, Jeremy, and the others. That's not my style; not how I was raised by my mom and dad." "Being a waitress here in Norway would be difficult for you at first," I advised her. "The food, what people like here, is vastly different than what you would find in the United States. Plus, you'd have to learn the language and know what all the main dishes are called." "Give me an example of a Norwegian meal?" "Hmmmmm. Well, the last time Krissy and I had dinner at her parents' house, her mom fixed pinnekjøtt for us." Alison stared at me blankly. "What's that?" I chuckled. "Smoked lamb. It's a traditional holiday favorite in this country. You would have difficulty being a waitress here, as I said. But if you want a job so much, and want to earn your keep, I'm sure we could find something on the farm for you to do. Krissy and Devon actually work a few days a week in the ice cream parlor. Well, not so much now, since Krissy is eight months pregnant. But they used to, at least - especially before Kaden was born. Actually, Krissy started working in the ice cream parlor when she was 15, I think - 11 years ago. Her dad gave her that job." "But on the other hand," I quickly went on, "you don't HAVE to work, Alison. Don't feel compelled to, quote, earn your keep. Right now, you are a guest here. You're Lindsay's sister. If you go back to school, you should concentrate on that, and not worry about holding down a job." "Then how would I pay for school?" "I'd pay for your school, and any related expenses." She shrugged her shoulders. "Duh. Of course." Hmmmmm... time for another totally random, off the wall question. "Are you a dog or cat person?" "Oh, cats most definitely," Alison immediately responded. "I miss my cat back in Ohio, Gunsmoke, so much." "Why didn't you bring him with you?" "He's the family cat," she said. "Not technically mine. Mom would have never allowed me to take him away from her." "Are you an early morning person or a late night person?" "Late night all the way," the blonde nodded. "And what is the one place in the world that you would most like to visit? A dream vacation destination?" Alison hesitated, then bit her lip shyly. "The island." I raised an eyebrow at her. "The island? My island?" "Yeah," she nodded. "Lindsay has told me so much about it over the years. I'd love to see it for myself one day." I sighed. "Well, if my wives can stop getting pregnant - which seems highly unlikely at this point in time - and once the kids get a little older, we will definitely be taking trips back to the island in the future." I developed quite a bold streak, saying, "I'd love for you to still be with us in a couple of years, whenever that next trip happens." Alison shuddered, but smiled. "So would I." We were now only about three minutes from the farm, but I decided to take a detour and head toward the main part of town. I felt that the perfect capper for our little evening out together would be a trip to _Dyrenes Storsenter Sandvika_. Alison, I sensed, would surely appreciate it. "What are we doing at an animal clinic?" Alison asked, as I got out of the _Jeep_. "You need to adopt a cat," I said, which caused her blue eyes to grow wide as saucers. "Or maybe a kitten." She too, exited the vehicle. "Really? Are you sure?" "We have six cats and four dogs roaming the house now," I reminded her. "Another is not going to hurt. This one can be your own personal cat." I motioned toward the animal shelter and hospital. "This is the place where your sister found Shredder. They have been best friends ever since." As we entered the clinic, I told her, "Take all the time you want. I'm in no rush. Pick one out you really like." One thing I quickly realized about Alison was that she was most definitely an animal lover. Her heart was literally melting before my very eyes as she browsed through the collection of hamsters, rabbits, birds and dogs, most of which were locked away in cages or behind a display glass. All of them, of course, longing for a new home, companionship. When we got to the cats, I got the distinct feeling that Alison wanted to take every single one of them home with us. But, there was one feline that caught her eye. "Hi, little one." The cat, a small, gray tabby kitten, meowed in response and sat up from its bed of straw as Alison poked a finger through the metal cage. The kitten showed no fear, stepping forward and rubbing itself against her finger. "Oh, you are so precious!" Alison then gently swooned, adding a second finger and gently caressing its back. I did not speak, taking in the sight of Alison and this tender, little creature making an immediate, heart-to-heart connection. According to its paperwork beside the cage, the kitten was female and a mere 11 weeks old. "I want this one, Jeremy," Alison finally admitted. "Can I get it? Please? Oh, she is so adorable." I moved my face in close toward the cage and reached through it with a finger, tickling the kitten's face. "Of course you can get her." Alison jumped and hopped about in glee as I wondered, "So what's her name going to be?" Alison was, in fact, radiant. Her face glowed with the innocence of a child on Christmas morning. It was, quite honestly, the happiest I had ever seen her look thus far. And it nearly took my breath away. Alison chewed her bottom lip and damnit, I feel a hot surge of need suddenly swell within me. "How about Jeremymia? Or..." "How about Cat?" "No!" Alison scolded me in that you-should-be-ashamed mother's tone of voice. "It has to be a real name. This kitty deserves a real name." "Jeremymia is NOT a real name," I advised her. "True, I guess." "I had a cousin named Abbie," I offered. Where that came from, I had no idea. "She and I were close when I was young." "Abbie." Alison said it out loud. I could see the name rolling around in her head. She looked up at me, grinning from ear to ear. "It's perfect." And before I had time to let the idea soak in that there was a new kitten named Abbie in the family, the animal shelter employee removed it from its cage and took it over for processing while Alison hurled herself toward me. My arms instinctively went around her for an embrace. "Thank you, Jeremy! Thank you so much!" I swallowed hard. Outside of a few generic sister-in-law hugs over the years, this was the first time that I really got to hold Alison in my arms and feel her warmth. And it was amazing. She was happy and bubbling. Not so much because she was in my arms, mind you, but because she had found a new pet. My male pride took a hit, but hey, I was not about to complain. Alison finished her spontaneous hug and took a step back. Her eyes moved over my face and she smiled knowingly. "What Lindsay and Trish told me about you is true. You're a very sweet and kind person." Alison tilted her head to the side, then glanced toward her new feline friend. When the attendant asked Alison if she wanted to hold the kitten, she literally dropped everything and raced over to the processing booth. * * * Sometime later on that very same evening, I slid open the door to the master bedroom in the mansion and was surprised to see three expectant faces staring back at me from the bed. Had these three ladies been waiting for me to arrive home? Interesting, not to mention a bit creepy... "What's going on?" I asked, suspicious. "What?" Pamela said, shrugging. "We can't all sit on the bed at once because we're tired? It's been a taxing day." I looked back at her eerily. "Highly improbable." My eyes drifted from Pamela to Kristanna and finally settled on Devon, the most likely of the trio to divulge their scheme. "What gives, Devon? You can tell me." "Leave Devvy alone!" Kristanna shrieked. "She's innocent!" "That's even more improbable." Devon appeared to have that deer-in-the-headlights look, which told me all that I needed to know. And it was just as I had suspected, no less. "So I'm guessing that the three of you want to hear what happened on my date with Alison tonight?" BINGO. Kristanna, Pamela and Devon all hopped up from the bed in unison and sprang into immediate action. "I'll get the cookies!" Devon literally shouted. "Oh! Krissy, get some of that key lime pie from the refrigerator." Pamela made a dash for the door. "Coffee run." She pointed at me. "Don't dare let him a say word without me!" "Don't worry, Pammy!" Kristanna shouted back. "I'll duct tape his mouth shut if need be!" "That seems a little extreme..." I said to no one, because the three ladies were in a frantic rush to prepare for story time. I retired to a side chair and let them do their thing, knowing full well that there was no way out of this for me. 15 minutes later, with cookies, key lime pie and a pot of coffee (and iced tea for the pregnant Kristanna), all of them were snacking on the bed as I sat there alongside them. Devon adjusted her hair for no apparent reason and bounced about as if she was an excited toddler. "Okay. We are ready for a sexy tale now. Let's start with where you and Alison ate." "_The Cod Squad_." Devon nodded. "Oh, you must mean one of those little, expensive seafood restaurants in downtown Oslo? Very nice." "No," I corrected her. "On a park bench facing the water overlooking Oslofjorden." "Okay." Devon seemed to truly wrestle with the thought. Clearly, not what she expected. "On a park bench, you say?" "On a park bench," I nodded. "We bought cheese clam rolls, french fries and bottled water from a food truck." "Interesting choice," Pamela said, exchanging a concerned glance with her two counterparts. "Sounds cool to me," Kristanna shrugged. "Unique." There was yet another dubious exchange of glances. "And that is exactly what it was," I told them in total agreement. "Cool. Nice. Fun. Friendly." I shook off the unspoken judgment and wondered why I suddenly felt protective of Alison and our short evening together. Kristanna, Pamela and Devon were acting like such _women_ right now... Devon's eyes sparkled with a newfound idea. "Were you and Alison, perhaps, LAYING on the bench? Cuddling? Did the stars twinkle overhead and the ocean ripple, make those nice, soothing sounds? Is that what happened?" "I love it when water ripples," Kristanna said dreamily, her chin in her hand. "Me too," Pamela agreed. "Water ripples are so romantic. Right up there with moonlit walks." Kristanna pointed at Pamela, adding fuel to their romantic fire. "Moonlit walks rock. As do snow flurries." "Oh, I love snow flurries! Because afterward you get to come inside and get all nice and cozy, and then hot in other ways. And then there are layers to take off." "Layers..." Kristanna moaned, nodding her head at Pamela. "Layers provide so many sensual opportunities." Devon met my eyes and offered a sympathetic gaze as our two wives continued to discuss the romantic value of different types of environments and their contribution to the ideal date night. Kristanna and Pamela could carry on all night long off of each other like this, so it was probably best I head this off now before the discussion got too far out of control. "There was water," I interrupted them. "But I cannot seem to recall it rippling the way you describe." "You need to pay attention to that kind of stuff a lot more," Devon advised me. It made perfect sense, as Devon seemed to treasure the little things in life more than I did. "I'll try and work on that," I promised her. "We also stopped at the animal shelter and I bought a baby kitten for Alison. I let her pick it out." "Awwwww!" Devon swooned. "Another kitty for us? Oh, I bet that made Alison so happy!" "Kitties are cute!" Kristanna beamed. Pamela leaned in, ready for more. "Okay, so dinner on a bench by way out of a food truck. Was there at least a star or two overhead? A stop at the animal shelter. And then?" "I brought her home." The bedroom fell into a frozen kind of silence. Devon leaned forward, clearly deflated. "Wait. That's it? Did you walk Alison to her bedroom? Did you at least kiss her?" "PLEASE tell me that you kissed her!" Kristanna begged. "No, I did not. Sorry to disappoint you." "No, no. That's okay." Kristanna eased back and sighed in utter despair. Pamela even brought a hand to Kristanna's face in an effort to console her. Good Lord, these women were something else! "Were you girls sitting around all night waiting for me to come home, hoping to hear a juicy story?" "Pretty much," Pamela admitted. Kristanna pouted. "You know how much all of us want you and Alison to hit it off together." "Question," Devon said in a very serious tone. "There may not have been any kissing for you and Alison tonight, but what are the chances of make-out sessions in the future?" I felt my cheeks warm and before I could control it, they were a bright, crimson red. That seemed to be all the answer these three ladies needed as they clapped and cheered in wild victory. "Hey! Wait. I don't know. I didn't say there would be. Alison is a really nice girl, and I had a good time with her tonight. I want to leave it at that." "You don't have to say anything," Devon grinned, patting my legs with both hands rather excitedly. "But I have a feeling that one night, we're going to come across you and Alison, and we won't be able to tear you away from her." "Well, could you blame me?" Okay, I could play this game too. It was a little fun to listen to them gossip. "And we have liftoff!" Kristanna clamored, popping a piece of delicious chocolate chip cookie into her mouth. After the laughter died down, everyone seemed to fall into their normal pre-bedtime routines. Having missed out on seeing any of my children tonight, I decided to go the various nurseries in the mansion and pay each of their cribs individual visits. * * * I blinked against the darkness all around me. Disoriented for a split-second, I realized that I must have just woken up from a peaceful slumber here in bed. The digital alarm clock next to me displayed 2:46 in bright green numbers. I felt my six wives and one fiancee, warm and snuggled, in the bed all around me. Even Shredder was snoozing at my feet. Everyone was out cold, except for me. It was, after all, the middle of the freaking night. I sat up slowly and exhaled a deep breath. My throat was dry. I turned to the bottled water that I typically kept on the nightstand by the bed, but found it empty. One of the girls probably finished it off without asking me beforehand, which was fine. With a deep sigh, I raked all ten fingers throughout my hair and gingerly got out of bed. Still not fully awake, I meandered through the dark house with eyes half open in search of cool, refreshing ice water. I was only vaguely aware that less than 12 hours from now, I would be preparing for my wedding with Scarlett. It was not until I neared the kitchen that I noticed the glow of a very dim light. Blinking so my bleary eyes could properly adjust, I realized that it was the refrigerator light. Standing there, in pajama pants and a pink cami top, was Alison. Her blonde hair cascaded down her shoulders in messy, lackadaisical waves. She looked like an angel to me, standing in the kitchen, sent from the high heavens. Alison turned at the sound of me approaching. "Couldn't sleep," she offered in explanation, gesturing toward the jug in her hand. "Sweet apple cider." I did not say anything. Instead, I filled a glass with ice cubes, then water from the faucet, and drank generously before turning back to Alison. Her eyes were very pretty. The blue popped brightly, magnificently, in the slash of moonlight. Oh, and those lips looked awesome, and very enticing. "You have trouble sleeping too?" Alison wondered. "Yeah," I managed to say, still utterly transfixed by how beautiful Alison looked. But to be more specific, I was still wondering about that sweet, little mouth. What would it feel like against mine, opening beneath it? What would it taste like? Was her tongue soft and velvety? Maybe hours of sleep had dulled my restraint and better judgment, but I seriously had to find out the answers to those questions. In that one moment, nothing could have stopped me from kissing Alison any more than I could have stopped myself from breathing. As I moved closer and dipped my head, Alison searched my face curiously with her eyes. "Jeremy, are you okay? What are you..." But that was all Alison managed to get out before my lips were on hers, seeking out what I had so desperately craved, quite honestly, for nearly three years. To kiss this girl. To feel her in my arms, to bathe in her beauty. Startled at first, Alison seemed to brace against my needful kiss and place one hand on my chest, involuntarily pushing backward. But a fraction of a second later, the push disintegrated. I softened and met her there, giving myself over to the kiss in the most wonderful way. That hand on my chest slipped upward and then wrapped around the nape of my neck, and Alison pulled me in closer. As my mouth moved against hers, her lips parting to accept me, Alison squealed and moaned in response. She moved both hands to my chin and held it in place while kissing me hungrily, slowly, deeply. And God, that kiss was awesome. Better and more fulfilling than I would have ever imagined. Considering the circumstances and the fact that Alison was my wife's sister, this may well have been better than any other kiss I had received before. I could not get enough of it. Alison moved up on her tip-toes for better access, and in the process her breasts squished hard into my chest, sending my entire body to places hot and deep before it stiffened with an aching arousal. I did not want to stop. I did not want this to end. But it was too much, the physical strain. Lust swirled all throughout me like a raging inferno and I had to seize back control, re-claim my sanity. Slowing the kiss, I traced my tongue along the bottom of Alison's lip, tasting the delicious sweetness of the apple cider long since forgotten. Finally, I withdrew my mouth entirely and caressed Alison's cheek with my thumb and forefinger, now acutely aware that I was wild and crazy for this girl. She was ready to give herself to me. "God, Jeremy..." Alison managed, staring up at me. I stared at her in wanderlust, trying to come up with a suitable explanation. But without saying another word, I removed myself from the situation before I did something that I may soon regret. Would I pay for that kiss later? It was much too early in our supposed relationship for me to be _coming onto_ Alison and imposing my will on her like this. I was well more than twice her age! On the other hand, though, there would have been no way around it. I needed that kiss even more than I needed the ice water that I had originally set out to retrieve. So for tonight, I would revel in the tantalizing exchange I had shared with Alison in the kitchen. Dream about it. The world and its consequences could wait until the morning. I turned and scurried off toward the bedroom, and the sanctity of my six wives, as well as Scarlett. Indeed, Scarlett and I were getting married later tonight. But all I could think about right now was Alison. My heart was pounding within my chest and I brought a pair of fingers to my still-sensitive lips as I climbed back into bed. Sleep certainly did not come easy. I tossed and turned in bed, wide-eyed and awake, examining the encounter from every possible angle, struggling to make sense of what had easily been the most unexpected and hottest 60 seconds of my life. I actually got hard and began stroking myself, shifting about uncontrollably, as I recalled the softness of Alison's lips when they were pressed to mine. I could still feel the full effect of her tongue touching mine down to my very core. It was tantalizingly awesome and horrifically wrong, all wrapped up together in the same event. I exhaled and even let out a whine, staring at the ceiling. Oh, the myriad of emotions that were going through me now... It was going to be a very long night. <<<- End of Chapter 05 ->>> ==---- -- -- -- - --- -- -- - - --- -- -- --- - -- - - - - --- -- ----== "Island Fever 5: Family" (c) 2016 JeremyDCP - JeremyDCP@hotmail.com Feedback is always appreciated!