Page 20 of Forbidden Fruit (Sweet Treats 7)

Oh god, what have I done? I love this woman, but how can I be doing this to her? After all, I’m going to claim my girl in full view of a roomful of men. Is this what people in love do? At this point, I’m so confused that I send a prayer to the Heavens. God Almighty, I beseech. Have pity on this poor soul because I may be making the biggest mistake of my life.

9

Kristy

I lift my leg up from the steaming water. Rivulets run down my calves and drip back into the bath. The air is steamy and hot, and I squint slightly to look at Amanda.

“So, are a lot of people going to be there tonight?”

She nods.

“Just the men,” she says, handing me a damp washcloth. “The daughters won’t come.”

I nod thoughtfully.

“Is my dad going to be there?”

She shakes her head vehemently.

“God no. We’re a dirty group, but even we have limits. No, fathers are not permitted to watch initiations of their own kin. That would be going against the laws of man.”

I nod, relieved. I’d wondered about that but been too shy to ask. But now, heading towards the finish line, all of my questions are coming out.

“Will there be a mattress out there?” I ask. “Or is it a bed? Is it lit with floodlights? Will it have black silk sheets?”

Amanda lets out a tinkling laugh.

“Unfortunately, the men are a lot more …. um, basic, shall we say. Your initiator will take you on all fours on the floor of the ceremony room. There aren’t any niceties like black silk sheets, although that would make for a great movie.”

“On all fours?” I ask weakly. “What’s the significance of that?”

Amanda shrugs.

“It’s probably just tradition. The man wants to claim you, and the most animalistic way of doing that is by taking you on all fours. It’s very possessive and exciting, if you ask me.” But then the older girl turns to me. “Are you okay with this, Kristy? I mean, are you okay with all these different men watching as you’re taken?”

I nod slowly.

“I think I am. Owen and I already know each other, as you saw out there, and in fact, he helped me practice.”

Amanda shoots me an odd look.

“Practice? But how?”

I smile mysteriously.

“Well, I’m not sure if I’m supposed to tell you this, but he brought me to a card game at his friend Brick’s house. There were three guys there, and well, we did it while they were playing cards. Right in the middle of their game.”

Amanda’s jaw drops to the ground as her eyes go wide.

“Oh my god, you did it out in the open? With other guys watching?”

I nod, flushing rosily.

“Yes,” I whisper. “They watched as Owen took me, right there at the card table. And you know what? I liked it.”

Amanda’s eyes are practically bugging out from her head now.

“Oh my god, I’ve never had anything like that happen to me before.”

I stare at her, nonplussed.

“But I thought that the Lodge was filled with all sorts of secret rooms and dirty contraptions? Even if you’ve never been owned at a card game, surely you’ve done something of a similar nature?”

Amanda merely shakes her head, her brown curls bobbling.

“No, not really. I’m only six months into my residency, so that might be part of reason why. I haven’t been here very long, period. But also, I’ve been going out to see different truckers almost every night, and they like things to be straightforward. We grab dinner, and then they take me to the back of their cab. It’s been wonderful,” she says with a blush. “But there’s been nothing crazy like exhibitionism or anything.”

I stare at her.

“Nothing at all? In the entire six months you’ve been doing this, no guy has done anything beyond vanilla?”

She shakes her head.

“No, nothing. It’s weird because you’re not even initiated yet, Kristy, but I feel like you’ve already experienced more than I have.”

I shake my head.

“I don’t know what to say. Honestly, I don’t.”

She seems about to reply, but then her eyes go wide when she sees the clock on top of the marble sink.

“Me neither, but you know what? It doesn’t matter because it’s time. Your ceremony is going to begin in thirty minutes, so we’ve talked enough, Kristy. Holy shit. There’s still hair and make-up to do. Oh god, I’ve screwed up. I was supposed to help you get ready, but now, look what I’ve done. You’re going to be a late, and sopping wet at that!”

I laugh while standing up in the bath. Amanda immediately rushes over with a bath towel and begins scrubbing me dry.

“Hold it, hold it,” I say with another laugh. “It’s going to be fine. Trust me, I can get ready in five minutes and we’re not going to be late. Now where’s the dress I’m supposed to wear?”

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