Billionaire Retreat Read online

  Ben couldn’t disagree with Lillian as he hauled the bags to their patio door and made his farewells. He was ready for a cup of tea and felt he’d earned it. A moment of peace and a cup of tea; perfection. He couldn’t stop himself from looking back at Mary for a moment. Maybe not so peaceful, after all. The woman hadn’t shifted from his brain since he’d met her.

  *

  As Lillian and Mary unpacked their groceries, testing half of it before it got to the fridge or the cupboards, Ben settled down at the table in the courtyard with a nice cup of tea. The sun was going down but it was still warm, the shade over his table keeping him cool as he lit a citronella candle. Mosquitos were one of the only blemishes on his paradise.

  These two, he thought, were going to be hard work. They’d no clue about foreign lifestyles and seemed very erratic and confusing. Ben liked his day to be organised and in order.

  The problem, of course, was Mary. Ben could quite easily now slowly let them get on with their break and get back to his routine, but Mary, Mary had hit something he didn’t think was that exposed. She was beautiful. Fun to be around. She had a grace and a charm he hadn’t seen in a long time, even for some rustic mountain girl as she kept pointing out. She was wonderful and it was causing Ben a lot of mixed feelings. Could he? Should he pursue it further, into a fling that they could both walk away from? Was Mary the kind of girl that could do such a thing? His mind swam as he tried to focus on the tea.

  Heading into his house for a moment, Ben decided that a tepid shower would soon get her off his mind.

  Stepping into the shower, Ben let the water soothe him, his fingers reaching for a bar of soap. Letting the water stream over his face, Ben’s mind filled with the way Mary’s head would tip up to his. Just waiting for his kiss.

  Ben closed his eyes and washed his muscled body, pausing as he neared his dick. Oh, to have those beautiful, full lips wrapped around this. He fisted himself, moaning low in his throat as he pictured Mary, wet and naked, on her knees in front of him. And then he thought about their roles reversing and his knees went weak.

  Her shapely body pressed up against the black tiles, her hands clenched at her sides as he stroked her clit with his tongue. Ben moaned again, his hand moving faster, as he imagined what she’d look like when she came on his tongue, her hands pulling at his hair as she rode his face into ecstasy.

  He shook against those same tiles, his body tight and ready, wanting her and only her. When his brain flitted to an image of her astride him, moving smoothly, gracefully on his hard cock, he lost it. She’d be beautiful, all of that dark hair cascading down onto him. Ben gave a deep groan as he found his release, sagging against the wall.

  Yeah, he had to find out what that was really like, he decided as he dressed again and hurried outside to wait for the bike delivery. Sitting at the table he sipped at his now cool tea and thought about Mary some more.

  He heard the sound of a truck horn beeping outside and knew his break was over. He jumped and splashed tea down his clean shirt.

  “Dammit!” he snapped, jumping from the chair. Outside the sanctuary of the walls, the bicycle rental truck had arrived to deliver the bikes. Ben ran quickly inside for a clean shirt and back out again in a flash, meeting the girls and the driver outside calmly and as if he hadn’t left his chair since returning home.

  He didn’t want to give them the impression his day had been interrupted, even if it had. It wasn’t their fault they’d not been told they’d need a car to get around, or that he was available and had one. Especially since he was developing a strong fascination for the lovely Mary.

  They quickly unloaded the bicycles and Ben talked to the driver, thanked him and sent him on his way.

  “Well, ladies, here we are. Ready for the next part of the adventure?” Ben asked, not giving away that only thirty minutes ago his hand had been wrapped around his cock as he fantasized about Mary. “Give me five minutes to go and dig mine out and we’ll see how you get on. You never forget how to ride a bike, so they say. We’ll see won’t we?”

  “Oh, I’m scared to death,” Mary laughed. “These things weigh a ton, I didn’t notice that in the store.”

  “Good solid Dutch bikes. Perfect for here. Don’t worry, you’ll have the hang of it in no time. Back in a few,” Ben said as he ducked into the courtyard, grinning despite knowing that he wasn’t going to get any work done today at all.

  Ben returned to the women a few minutes later astride his own trusty bicycle, ready to lead them around.

  “Okay ladies, all aboard and let’s get this wagon train rollin,’” he said with a wave of his arm as he pulled away down the lane, his fake American accent making them both laugh.

  Mary and Lillian trailed behind, trying to get the hang of the unfamiliar bikes. They soon caught up with him and he led them down little narrow tracks between the farms. Soon they reached a larger road and Ben turned onto it.

  “Same as America, just stay on the right and take all the room you need. Don’t go crashing into the ditch just to give anyone room. They have brakes and steering wheels,” Ben called to them. They hadn’t gone too far before they reached a small, run down bar.

  “A cold beer I think, ladies. What do you say?” Ben said, pulling into a small car park by the bar. Mary and Lillian followed him in. They hadn’t gone more than a mile but both were red faced and ready for a break.

  “Well you did fantastic there. Easy wasn’t it?” Ben laughed as the young woman from the bar came out to take their order. Ben ordered a beer and the ladies ordered their own. The waitress disappeared back into the dark of the bar.

  “Is it safe?” Mary asked. “It looks a bit, well, rough.”

  Ben laughed. “Rough and cheap but totally safe, Mary, I assure you. Now I hope you’re both okay with a beer. Just the one, of course then we’ll get back to it.”

  They sat outside in the afternoon sun and enjoyed the ice cold Portuguese beer.

  “It’s still cute though, isn’t it? The bar, I mean,” Lillian said, smiling and nodding her head to the run down building. “Certainly not somewhere we could go back home, I don’t think.”

  “Hell no. I wouldn’t dare go in a place like this back home,” Mary said as she supped on the cool beer. “And the beer isn’t as good back home either. How does a place like this stay open? It looks ready to fall down,” Mary asked.

  “I have no idea,” Ben replied. “This area depends a lot on the tourist trade, mainly from Europe. If times get tough in other countries, then folk tend to stop coming for their breaks here. Not many locals can afford to go drinking like tourists do so places like this start to struggle. They always keep trying though. They’re tough folk.”

  They finished their drinks and climbed back aboard the bicycles. Ben lead them down more small winding lanes where they stopped to pick the occasional fruit hanging over the road. Mary and Lillian were soon confident as they rode two abreast behind Ben, giggling and chatting as they went. Ben would look over his shoulder occasionally to catch them both looking at him and smiling.

  He liked the look of interest on Mary’s face as he drove ahead of them, noting her staring at his ass a few times. Maybe a fling was on the books after all, and if her mother was right, a holiday fling might be just what she needed. Ben was up for that, but he wasn’t looking for a long term relationship. Those got messy, as he well knew.

  Stopping under a carob tree, Ben pointed at the long, dark-brown bean-like pods hanging down and dropping all over the road.

  “There you go; all the chocolate you can eat,” he declared.

  Lillian climbed off her bike and foraged on the ground. “Are you sure, Ben?”

  “Perfectly sure. Not as good as real chocolate of course, but always good to know, right?” Before he had time to finish, Lillian was spitting bits of wood onto the ground.

  “Let me tell you, whatever this stuff is, it sure ain’t no chocolate!” Lillian said as she finished spitting and brandished a piece of carob at him.


  “Well no, you’re absolutely right there. What you are eating at the moment is a piece of branch. The carobs are those brown pod-like things,” Ben replied laughing.

  “Oh good grief, Mom!’” Mary sighed reaching down for one of the carob pods.

  “Well, it all looks the same to me,” Lillian said, she too picking up a pod and biting into it the tough outer skin. “Hmm! To be honest, the twig didn’t taste much worse than the pod I reckon.”

  “You might well be right there, Lillian. Is why I just pointed them out to you and didn’t eat any myself,” Ben said laughing harder.

  “Honestly, Ben, this doesn’t much taste like chocolate. A Tootsie Roll, maybe, but not as I expected.” Mary sighed as she too dropped the carob pod back on the ground. “I’m going back to the Super Mercado thing tomorrow, I know I saw a Kit-Kat there.

  “I’m no expert on chocolate, I must admit. I thought you might like a go, most people do. You need to get them when they still have the sticky, juicy insides rather than the seeds. Shall we carry on?” Ben said as he climbed back on his bicycle, trying not to think of other things that were best when they were sticky and juicy. He turned to see Mary giving him a rather knowing look for such a sheltered mountain girl.

  “I suppose it’s all an experience, isn’t it?” Mary asked with a wicked smile as they pushed off once more. At least she was able to talk and pedal now. “We have trees in America, I think they’re beech trees. Taste like root beer when you chew at the bark. If you have root beer in these parts of the world. I don’t know how else to describe it.”

  “I’ve had it before, an interesting flavour. You’re doing really well, you know?” He gave her a tip of his head as he pedalled on.

  Mary looked back to see her mother struggling but valiantly continuing. Lillian wasn’t obese but she was bordering on fluffy, and at her age the extra poundage could be problematic. Mary knew the bikes would ultimately be good for them both so decided she’d encourage her mother to keep it up rather than make fun of her efforts.

  They continued on their journey down the quiet country lanes, which took them in a large loop back to the house. Tired but happy, they parked the bikes beside the barn and the three went inside.

  “Over two hundred years old this barn,” Ben said as they trooped in through the large glass doors.

  “Well, the paintwork certainly looks it, I can tell you that much,” Lillian replied. “But it sure is beautiful, chipping paint or no. Could I offer you a drink, Ben? We chose some wine but I’ve no clue if it’s any good or not.”

  “In Portugal, there are wines you like and wines you don’t, but cheap or expensive there are no bad ones. Yes, I’d love a glass thanks,” Ben responded, his gaze on Mary, her walk enticing him as she headed down the steps to get glasses.

  They took their drinks out onto the garden patio and enjoyed the silence for a moment. Then a dog barked and the sound of clopping hooves filled the air.

  “Is that a horse and cart?” Mary asked, turning to look through the windows in the kitchen. All she caught was the end of a wooden wagon.

  “Yes, he comes through twice a day. There’s another one that has bells on the horse. You’ll hear him later.” Ben took a sip of his drink and smiled at Mary.

  “Wow. I had no idea they still used those anywhere.” Mary looked contemplative for a moment.

  “I guess they think if it’s not broke, don’t fix it. It’s probably cheaper than owning a car.”

  “I suppose so. How lovely, doing things the old way. I quite like that.” Mary beamed at her mother and Ben felt his heart catch. She really was beautiful.

  Ben finished his wine and stood up. He didn’t want to wear out his welcome.

  “Thanks for a great day. It’s been fun to be back on the bike again and you two are great company.”

  “Now don’t you go disappearing, Ben. We’re going to cook tonight and we’ll need you to identify half the food we bought,” Lillian said, standing up herself. “Us country gals know how to light a grill but I’ll be darned if I know what half that meat is. So we’ll kick it off around seven? Okay with you?”

  “Seven will be just fine. I’ll look forward to it,” Ben said as he went through the gate. He made his way back to his own little apartment and smiled. He knew he’d made new friends at least. That Lillian was a charmer, but her daughter… Well Mary was a pure, unadulterated stunner in need of a good time. And Ben wouldn’t mind giving it to her.

  Chapter 6

  Ben arrived at the gate at seven to find Lillian hunched over the small charcoal grill, blowing with all her might to get it lit. She turned as she heard him enter the patio.

  “It’s going to be a tad longer than I had planned, I’m afraid. Can’t get this darn charcoal to catch to save my life.” Lillian looked rather bewildered as she glanced down at the lumps of apparent charred wood that served as charcoal in Portugal. It was vastly different from the square briquettes she was used to at home.

  Ben made a hasty retreat back through the gate leaving Lillian confused as she went back to blowing on the paper and charcoal.

  “Didn’t I just hear Ben, Mom?” Mary asked as she came onto the patio.

  “Seems seeing my big butt sticking in the air over this grill scared the boy off,” Lillian laughed.

  Ben returned a couple of minutes later with a box of charcoal lighters.

  “Here, let me get that going for you. We have a little trick over here we use for lighting barbecues. Won’t take too long with these.” He eased her to one side and rebuilt the charcoal. The lighters was a pack of what looked like white Styrofoam, and if the smell was anything to go by, soaked in something flammable. The charcoal sprang to life quickly when Ben held a match to it.

  “We’ll give it half an hour and it’ll be good to go,” Ben sat himself at the table. Mary smiled at him as he sat down and proffered him a glass.

  “What’ll it be Ben? Beer or wine?”

  “A beer will be just fine, thank you, Mary,” Ben replied, smiling at her as she passed him a bottle.

  “Best you open me one too, baby girl. I’m all out of breath trying to get this thing going,” Lillian said as she joined them at the table. “Those lighters are miracle workers but they stink to high heaven, what’s in them?” Lillian took the glass of beer her daughter offered and swallowed a sip. With a face that said it wasn’t bad she settled into her chair and looked at Ben expectantly.

  “Oh. Well. I think it’s a chemical you use in America to tranquilize horses.” Ben named the chemical and both ladies looked at him in astonishment.

  “But people use that to get high back home!” Mary exclaimed. “Is it safe to use with food?”

  “Perfectly safe. Just imagine going home and telling people what they use to snort up their noses is used for lighting fires on this side of the pond.” Ben sounded amused and happy to see the women laughing with him.

  “I just can’t wrap my head around it.” Mary sipped at a glass of wine and looked stunned. Then she stood and disappeared into the barn once more, coming back with several plates expertly cradled in her arms.

  “I got us olives and cheese, and these crackers whatever they might be, and some of that fancy bread we had at the beach. Oh, and some of these. Not totally sure if they’re big olives or old grapes but I thought we’d give ‘em a try,” Mary said as she laid out plates of assorted foods on the garden table.

  “Ah, those are dates, Mary. They might take some getting used to. It all looks wonderful thank you,” Ben replied, helping himself to an olive.

  “Dates? Right. Well, don’t get finer than a bowl of dates at a garden party, right, Ben?” Lillian laughed at her overplayed country accent. Sometimes she could be wonderfully self-deprecating.

  “So, you’re going to have to explain to me, how did two young women from the mountains of West Virginia end up in Portugal?” Ben asked.

  “Well, should I tell him or should you, Mary? It’s a vacation, Ben. Not quite how it was intended or pla
nned, but a vacation nonetheless. A mom and her daughter having the trip of a lifetime sort of thing,” Lillian answered looking at Mary to fill the gaps.

  “I was dumped at the altar, is what she’s trying to oh so delicately step around. There, I said it. I know if I don’t she will! So yes, the man I was supposed to marry ran off with a stripper and left me with tickets for this trip…” Mary stammered, getting up from the table and running into the house sobbing.

  “Oh dear!” Ben said “I’m really sorry I asked. I didn’t mean to pry. Shall I go and apologise?”

  “She’ll calm down, just let her get over it. The sting is still a bit fresh, that’s all. Help yourself to a date,” Lillian said, rising from her chair. “I’ll go have a word with her, you get yourself another beer.”

  *

  Lillian went into the house after leaving Ben staring after her in confusion. Should he stay or should he go? He really didn’t need any drama in his life, but he felt really sad for Mary. Perhaps he could cheer her up at least. Assuming she ever came back out again. He helped himself to some olives and cheese and was just taking a sip of his beer when they both returned from the barn.

  “Oh, Ben, I’m so sorry about that. I really don’t know what came over me,” Mary said as she and Lillian re-joined him at the table. He saw her eyes were rimmed in red and her nose was pink and wished he could take away her sadness.

  “You have nothing to apologise for. I’m sorry for asking in the first place and bringing it all up for you,” Ben replied, feeling sheepish.

  “How in the heck were you going to know?” Lillian asked with a soft smile of understanding. “Anyhow, them’s the facts. It seemed silly to just throw away the tickets. Truth is, the guy was a no good waste of oxygen. Best thing he ever did for her was walk away, I reckon. Anyhow, more to the point, how’s a handsome English guy end up in a place like this?”

  Ben sighed and reached for his glass of beer to fill his hands. Yes, he would tell them how he ended up here but it too might be painful to go through. Lillian and Mary were hanging on his every word as he described his army career and marriage. Mary popped up occasionally to grill some meat and a selection of vegetables as he talked and Lillian asked questions.