Chapter 5

I waited outside while Amanda got ready and smoked a cigarette. I went through the messages I'd received over the last twenty-four hours and replied to them. They were mostly just friends making sure I had a safe trip, asking if it was as hot as they'd heard it was, and asking for photos of my sisters. The photo ones I ignored as it was just my friends trying to get a rise out of me. I had always attempted hitting on their older sisters, and I always said I was safe from them since I was an only child. If only they could see exactly how hot each of my siblings was. They'd probably be on the next flight to Melbourne.

"Hey Nick," a voice pulled me away from my phone.

I looked up to see Mel walking up the driveway with a duffle bag over one shoulder. She looked like she'd been at the gym, wearing tight leggings, running shoes, and a black top that hugged her body, leaving her pale stomach bare. I quickly fastened my eyes onto hers so she wouldn't see me checking out her figure.

"Hey Mel, been to the gym?" I asked.

"Yeah, I like to go early each morning for a couple of hours," she replied.

"You'll have to show me which gym. I'll need to get a membership soon," I said.

"Definitely, we can work out together," Mel smiled.

It was a genuine smile, the first I felt I'd received from the platinum blonde since we'd met. Mel had loosened up a bit when we were drinking in the pool last night, but she seemed less impressed with me than any of my new siblings. Amanda was openly friendly, Emily was ecstatic to have a brother, and Erica seemed to want to tease and torment me. But Mel hadn't really shown any emotion towards me. It could be she didn't really care, or she could just be good at hiding her feelings and emotions.

Or she was simply the normal one in this situation.

"I'd like that," I smiled.

"Are you waiting for someone?" she asked curiously.

"Yeah, Amanda and I are going shopping," I said. "Well, she is. I'm mostly just tagging along to carry heavy shit."

"That's really nice of you," she smiled, and my heart skipped a beat at how beautiful she looked at that moment. Her hair was tied back in a tight ponytail, and her eyes seemed to glow. "Amanda does so much for us. I'm glad you're willing to help her out."

"Just doing my part," I said.

"I know, but that's what makes you a good person," she replied. "Have a good day, Nick. I'll see you at the party later."

Mel stepped passed me and through the front door just as Amanda stepped out. The sister's stopped for a moment and traded words in a whisper, then Mel looked over her shoulder to give me a smile before heading inside.

"What was that?" I asked Amanda.

"Girl business," she said.

"Girl business?" I asked.

"Yep, so unless you have something to tell me, you don't get to know," Amanda actually stuck her tongue out at me as she walked by.

She was wearing her tight jeans again, and the urge to slap her on the ass as she walked by was intense—my hand even twitched—but I restrained myself and got in the car's passenger seat. The engine started up, and the music blasted through the stock speakers that were probably a little overdue for replacement, then we were on the road again.

I tried to keep track of the turns and roads, but I was continually drawn back to how beautiful Amanda was. She had a small smile on her face as her head bobbed softly to the music. Thankfully she hadn't noticed me checking her out, or if she did, she didn't say anything. I ended up getting lost in my own thoughts, thoughts about each of my sisters, and what my new life was going to be like. I thought it a blessing that we were all into the same sort of music and interests, and I wondered how that had happened.

Back home, it was rare to find someone who dressed similarly and listened to the bands I enjoyed, let alone an attractive woman. But here I was, thousands of kilometres from home, with my half-siblings, who all seemed to have gone down the same path. Maybe our father's influence led to the girls' respect and love of the darker side of things, similar to how my mother introduced me to heavy metal when I was younger. In the end, it didn't matter. Each of them would have been a knock-out even without the aesthetic they'd chosen for themselves.

"Earth to Nick, you still there?" Amanda's voice pulled me out of my thoughts, and I realized we'd stopped.

"Yeah, sorry," I said. "Zoned out for a minute."

"All good," she smiled. "Let's go. I'll let you carry the heavy shit."

"Geez, thanks," I chuckled.

"I know how you guys love showing off your big muscles," she laughed.

I shook my head and managed to keep my eyes off her ass as she exited the driver seat, a feat of extraordinary willpower. I walked beside Amanda as we approached the supermarket, partly to keep my eyes from wandering to her impossibly tight jeans and partly to be able to talk to her.

"You really did sound great earlier," she said, grabbing a shopping cart.

"The sound dampening probably cut out a lot of my mistakes," I laughed.

"Don't be silly. I've been playing since I was eight, and I know good guitar playing when I hear it," Amanda replied.

"Who taught you to play?" I asked, knowing the answer already.

"Dad used to play when I was little, then on my eighth birthday, he bought me my first acoustic and started giving me lessons,"

Her voice was soft, almost distant. I could tell that the topic of our father was painful for her, and I hated pushing those buttons, but I needed to know more about the man who had given me life.

"I'm sorry if this is uncomfortable to talk about," I said after a few seconds of silence.

"No, it's okay," she sighed. "It's painful to think about him, but I at least have those memories. I can't imagine what you're feeling."

She stepped closer to me and wrapped her arm around my neck, pulling me into a hug. I encircled her slim waist and pulled her against my body, then immediately felt horrible for enjoying the feel of her body against mine. The hug only lasted a few seconds, but it had much more feeling and emotion behind it than any sign of affection I'd received from any girl in the past.

"Thank you," I said.

"That's okay," Amanda smiled. "Come on, let's get this over with."

I stepped around her and took the shopping cart handle to follow her. For some reason, I expected the supermarkets here to be different from back home—not sure why—but apart from the different brands of products, everything looked about the same.

"Was Dad a good guitarist?" I asked.

"He was fantastic," Amanda grinned. "He didn't get to play much when I got older since he was always busy with work. But he was great."

"Guess it must run in the family," I smirked. "What about the others? Emily plays bass and Erica drums, right?"

"Yeah," Amanda nodded. "Once they were older, they all wanted to learn something. Dad could play bass and helped Emily learn, but Erica needed a teacher."

"Is she any good?" I asked.

"Very," Amanda smiled.

"What about Mel?" I asked.

"Mel didn't show any interest in learning an instrument," she explained. "She loves music but puts her time and energy into photography, art, and video games. She is quite an artist, though."

"Interesting," I mused.

I thought about the information about my new sisters as I followed Amanda around the supermarket, hardly paying attention to what she threw in the cart. My mother hadn't been very musically gifted, even though she loved music, and I gathered that their mother was about the same. It looked as if all of my father's children had developed an affinity for music, with the exception of Amelia. Many musicians displayed art as another form of expression, so I took that another inherited skill from our father.

We spent about an hour in the grocery store, and the cart was filled to the brim when we hit the checkout. Amanda had gone a little crazy, but when I mentioned it, she simply said. "You can only welcome your big brother to the family once."

Once we were all paid up and loaded the groceries into the car, I stopped to pull my pack of cigarettes out and realized I only had two left.

"Ah, shit," I said. "I gotta go back in."

"You're not very observant, are you?" Amanda smirked.

"What?" I asked with what I assumed was a dumb expression on my face.

She leaned into the back of the car and rummaged around in the grocery bags for a few seconds before pulling out a carton of cigarettes. They weren't the brand I liked back home, but I knew I would have to find something new.

"I got these for you," she tossed me the carton.

"You really didn't have to do that," I said in shock.

"I know, but I wanted to," she shrugged and smiled at me.

I wasn't sure if this is how siblings were with one another—definitely not how my mate and his sister acted—or if she had other feelings for me, as I did her. She could simply just be a lovely person, and I was reading into this too much. I decided to let it go and just thanked her again.

I lit a smoke and jumped in the passenger seat when Amanda signalled it was okay to smoke in her car. I personally never smoked in my own car back home, but each to their own. I managed to memorize most of the route back home and was sure I could drive down to the shops myself if I had to. I'd have to get my Australian driver's license and get a new car soon.

"Hey, can I ask you something?" I asked Amanda.

"Sure," she said, turning the music down.

"There are only two cars at the house," I said. "For four people. What does everyone else drive?"

"The Barina belongs to Erica, and Emily has a motorbike," she replied.

"What about Mel?" I asked.

"Mel doesn't know how to drive, and she hasn't shown an interest in learning," Amanda said. "Usually, one of us will give her a ride, and the public transport into the city is pretty good, so she doesn't miss out on much."

I nodded at her explanation, and she turned the music up. I hadn't seen a bike anywhere in the garage or around the house, but that didn't mean there wasn't one. Maybe I could get my own bike instead, then Emily and I could go for rides. I enjoyed riding back home and had even ridden my grandfather's old Harley for a few years before it broke down. I'd always wanted to fix it up, but Hayley parts were so expensive, and we never had the money. I ended up selling it off for parts in the end.

Once we reached home, I loaded myself up with the grocery bags and assured Amanda I was able to do it in one trip. It was time to show her that these muscles were indeed useful for lifting heaving things.

She held the door open for me as I brought everything in and dumped it all on the huge island counter in the centre of the kitchen. I helped Amanda sort the groceries and start setting things up for the party. I'd suggested a barbecue for the party, which Amanda thought was a great idea, but she had no idea I intended to cook for everyone.

"Looks like we've got everything," I said once we were done.

"Looks like it," Amanda smiled. "There's still a few hours before anyone will show up. I'm gonna grab a shower and chill out for a bit."

"Sounds good. I might unpack my stuff. See you in a bit."

With a hug and a smile, we parted ways. I went to my flat to unpack my bags and put my clothes away. I didn't have much to do after that—and I was feeling lonely by myself—so I headed back to the house to see if I could find any of the girls.

The sun was relatively high now and beating down on me relentlessly. I knew it would be hotter in Australia—I had come at the beginning of summer, after all—but I was woefully unprepared for just how hot it was. The short trip to the grocery store and the steep incline to my flat had left me sweating through my shirt. The pool water looked amazing as I passed, and then it clicked. I had a pool at my disposal whenever I wanted to swim. I all but ripped my shirt off and tossed it aside before fumbling with my boots and socks before crashing head-first into the still water.

The water felt refreshingly cool, and I stayed under for a few seconds, swimming across the floor of the pool before surfacing. The rays from the sun felt hot on my skin immediately, making the water feel that much better. I wiped the water from my face and eyes, then heard another splash. I looked to see who had decided to join me, but whoever it was, was still below the surface. She swam closer and closer, then surfaced right in front of me with a splash. I covered my eyes instinctively, and when I opened them, I was greeted with a sultry look from Erica.

"Great day for a swim, isn't it," I smiled.

"Of course," she said, slowly swimming backward. "I love getting wet when I'm hot."

Her words and presence gave me an instant boner, but this time I wasn't going to hide it or be ashamed of it. We were alone in the pool, and I guessed Erica wanted it that way.

"Hot and wet is a nice combo," I said, swimming to the edge of the pool.

Erica pulled herself up from the pool's edge and perched herself on the side, her legs dangling into the water. She was in a swimsuit this time, although she might as well have been naked.

Her top was modest enough, covering most of the outside of her breasts, but it pushed them together and gave me a fantastic view of her full cleavage. Her bottoms, on the other hand, were nearly non-existent. Her bottoms were hardly more than a patch of black material over her crotch with a tiny string splitting her glorious cheeks. The waistband sat high on her hips, and I got a fantastic view of her ass and legs as she pulled herself out of the pool.

I swam up beside her, planning on giving her a taste of her medicine. I knew she was attracted to me, that was just plain and obvious, but I didn't have sexy outfits or swimwear to tease her with—just my body.

Before pulling myself out of the water, I subtly unfastened the button on my shorts, then lifted myself out of the water. As I expected, my cargo shorts had become waterlogged and much heavier. With them looser around my hips, they simply slid down from the added weight, pulling my boxers down. I spun around and took a seat on the hot concrete right beside Erica, our bare thighs rubbing together.

"Oh shit," I said with mock surprise. "That wasn't supposed to happen."

I looked at my new sister and saw her eyes fixed on my now free, erect penis. He came out like a blaze of glory, slapping against my bare stomach, and stood to attention between my legs, begging for someone to play with him.

Erica finally tore her eyes away from my crotch and looked me in the eyes. I could see clear signs of lust in her blue orbs, signs that she wanted to mount me and have the ride of her life right here and now, and I wanted her too. Screw tradition, screw morals, screw a society that frowned upon what I knew would be an immensely enjoyable time. It shouldn't matter that she was my half-sister. Up until yesterday, we didn't even know each other. But there was such a primal attraction between us, and I knew now that she wasn't fucking with me to get a rise. She wanted to fuck me as badly as I wanted her.

The back door slid open, shocking us both out of our mating sequence. Erica looked down at my exposed dick again, but she looked a little worried this time. Without glancing over my shoulder, I dropped back into the water and righted my shorts before surfacing. Erica had stayed in her spot, and now Mel was sitting beside her.

"Hey Mel," I smiled at the platinum blonde. "Gonna join us?"

"Maybe later," she smiled.

We hung about the pool for the next hour, and I tried my absolute hardest not to stare at Erica too much. She seemed to be trying the same thing, so it wasn't too hard.

I pondered what had nearly happened between Erica and me as I swam a few laps. I'd only met the girl yesterday, and we'd already seen one-another naked and were a bee's dick away from having it out like a couple of animals in heat. I'd done plenty of hook-ups before, so I knew such physical attractions could lead to hot, steamy sex in such a short time, but this girl was my sister. We shouldn't even be messing around like we were.

It was stranger to me that it was Erica. Sure, she was sexy as hell, and I would bet the remaining money in my bank account that she would be one hell of a fuck. But we hadn't even had a proper conversation, let alone spent time together. If there were a sister, I would have thought I'd pursue in that way; I would have expected it to be Amanda or Emily. They were incredibly friendly and welcoming, and both genuinely enjoyed my company. Erica would have been an amazing fuckbuddy back home, while Emily and Amanda were girlfriend material.

Maybe Erica was the best choice—if I had to pick one of them—since I wouldn't sully the other two with my inappropriate thoughts. I shouldn't even be considering it with Erica, no matter how hard she pushed or how much she teased and tormented me. This shit just wasn't right.

I pulled myself out of the water and grabbed a nearby towel to dry myself. I thought I heard someone say my name, but I was too wrapped up in my own thoughts to respond. I needed some space from Erica to clear my head before I did anything I couldn't take back. Everything we'd done was just a game to get a rise out of the other. If we stayed there, then we could still be siblings without issues.

On instinct, I headed into the main house, still a little wet from the shower. Amanda was already in the kitchen, preparing some stuff for the night's party.

"Hey! you're all wet," Amanda mock scolded.

"Sorry. I was just gonna use the shower here," I replied, still a little distracted by my thoughts.

"Sure. Follow me," Amanda replied, a look of concern showing on her beautiful face.

Amanda led me upstairs to her bedroom, the master bedroom. Being the oldest and the house's caretaker seemed to have its perks. The room was twice as big as the tiny bedroom I had back in the flat, with a huge king-sized four-poster bed in the middle of the room. The far wall looked entirely glass, with a sliding door leading out onto a small balcony overlooking the backyard. I could still see a glimpse of Erica and Mel down by the pool.

"In here," she directed me to the walk-through wardrobe.

Her clothes were super organized and neatly arranged on shelves, hooks, and coat hangers. She had about a dozen pairs of shoes, from hi-top converse' to knee-high six-inch platform boots that looked heavy enough for bicep curls. The wardrobe ended in a sharp right turn, leading to a spacious-looking bathroom. The master suite bathroom looked about half the size of the bedroom, with a big shower cubicle, toilet, sink, and bathtub that looked big enough to seat four people if you didn't mind rubbing elbows.

"Jump in. I'll grab you a fresh towel," she smiled.

"Thanks," I nodded.

I waited for her to leave and close the door before I stripped my waterlogged shorts off and jumped in the shower. The pressure on Amanda's shower was incredible, and the shower head was wide enough to soak my entire body if I stood under it. It was definitely a shower meant for more than one person. I thought about the guys Amanda might share a shower with and immediately felt a pang of jealousy. I should be protective of my sisters but not jealous. I was so new to this big brother stuff that I had many mixed feelings and emotions. My body was against me, and my mind wasn't strong enough to keep myself in check.

I ignored my erection as best I could while letting the steamy water wash over me. I heard the door to the bathroom slide open and assumed it was Amanda with my new towel, so I said nothing. I heard someone humming to themselves and the unmistakable sound of a bra being unclasped. The shower's glass was frosted, and the steam from the water had fogged it, even more, making it impossible to see.

"You gonna be long, Manda?"

It was Emily's voice.

Before I could say a word, the shower door opened just enough for Emily to poke her head through. I wasn't sure why she was taking a peek at her older sister showering, but then I remembered that women were a lot more comfortable with nudity among themselves than guys were.

"Shit!" Emily gasped, then pulled away and slammed the door. "So sorry, Nick!"

"It's okay," I called out. "Amanda, let me use her shower to get ready."

"No, no, it's okay," Emily assured me. "I should have checked first."

There was a tense silence for a few moments, the rush of water the only sound I could hear over my thumping heart. Had Emily gotten a good look? She shut the door quickly, so maybe she hadn't gotten an eyeful of my merchandise. I didn't see a single part of her except her face, and I was equally frustrated that I didn't get a peek and mortified at myself for wanting to.

"I'll be out in a minute," I called out.

"Okay," Emily replied. "I'll wait in Amanda's room."

I waited for the door to close before I turned the water off and stepped out. I grabbed my old towel and began drying myself as best I could until Amanda came back. After a few minutes, I heard a knock on the door.

"You decent?" Amanda called out.

"Yeah," I said, ensuring the towel was secure around my hips.

The door slid open, and Amanda stepped in with a fresh towel and a pile of clothes.

"I hope you don't mind, but I went and got a few things from your room," she said, placing the clothes on the bathroom bench.

"Nah, that's fine," I said with a smile. "Thank you."

She hesitated a moment, and I caught her eyes on my chest. I probably should have covered up, but I was technically wearing more than I did when we went swimming.

"No problem. I'm going to start getting food ready for the party," she replied.

"I'll be down in a minute to help," I said.

With another smile, Amanda turned and left the bathroom. I grabbed the fresh towel and finished drying myself off. I left my hair out and dried it as best I could, but the late afternoon sun could finish the job for me. I dressed and left the bathroom to see Emily lying on Amanda's bed, playing on her phone.

"All yours," I said, trying to ignore the fact she looked only to be wearing an oversized T-shirt.

"Thanks," she smiled, then hopped off the bed.

She gave me a friendly shoulder bump as she passed me with one of her goofy smiles. I was glad the close encounter in the bathroom hadn't changed her mood towards me at all. I looked back on instinct just in time to see Emily pull the long T-shirt over her head and toss it aside. She wore a modest pair of black panties that hugged her bubble butt and nothing else. She still had her back to me, so I didn't get a view of her breasts, but her back was smooth, and I started growing hard again, thinking about running my hands up her bare back as I slid my cock deep inside her.

"Fucking hell," I shook my head and turned away before she could spot me. "I need to get laid."

I pushed thoughts of Emily in the shower from my mind and headed downstairs. I found Amanda again in the kitchen; platters of uncooked meat, snack foods, and bowls of salad covered the large kitchen island. I wondered exactly how many people were coming to the party. There looked to be enough food to feed a small army.

Amanda must have heard me come in and gave me a smile over her shoulder. "Feeling better?"

"Yeah. Thanks," I said.

"Sorry about Emily. She was really embarrassed," Amanda added.

"It's okay," I replied. "Does she use your shower often?"

"Sometimes," she said. "Mel was in the other shower, and Emily wanted to get ready."

With Emily's reaction, I'd assumed it was something like that. Unlike Erica, it wasn't like she went out of her way to catch a glimpse of me in the shower. Then again, she didn't look too bothered after and didn't even close the bathroom door before stripping her shirt off. Emily had probably assumed I'd already left the room before she began disrobing anyway, so it was probably nothing.

"Wanna give me a hand?" Amanda asked, bringing me out of my thoughts.

"Sure thing," I smiled.

I'd carried most of the meat platters outside and placed them on a long stone-topped table by the pizza oven and barbecue. There was enough shade here to safely leave the meat without fear of the sun spoiling it. I kept the cling wrap over the plates and platters to ensure flies and insects didn't get on any food. After the food was prepped, I fired up the barbecue and went into the garage to grab some folding tables and chairs Amanda had asked me to fetch.

The tables were up against the far wall, along with a stack of camp chairs and other folding chairs. There was also a large covered object I guessed was Emily's motorcycle. I peeled the thick protecting cover away to get a peek at the bike. It was an older model 900cc Honda VTR Firestorm. The jet-black bike was polished to a mirror finish and looked to be in incredible condition. It was clear Emily was fond of this machine and took excellent care of it. I liked cruisers and Harley's much more than slant bikes, but I was happy whenever I was on two wheels.

"You ride?"

I dropped the cover and spun around to see Emily at the rear-open garage door. She was dressed in a pair of black denim shorts and a band tank top, she was still barefoot, and her hair was damp from her shower, signalling to me that she not long finished.

"Yeah. My Pop had an old Harley he left me, but it was too expensive to maintain, and I had to sell it a few years ago," I said.

"You can borrow that sometime," Emily smiled.

"For real?!" I asked excitedly.

"Of course," she beamed. "As long as you take me with you."

The thought of riding the open road with Emily pressed tightly against my back was definitely appealing to me. However, I wasn't sure how comfortable I'd be riding with a boner.

"Deal," I nodded.

Emily helped me with the tables and chairs, and I started to notice more people inside by the time we had them set up. I wasn't sure if we even needed this many tables or chairs, but Emily said they regularly had parties where their friends would bring their own friends and it was better to be prepared. I wasn't sure how I would deal with a massive crowd of strangers, but I could always retreat to my flat if it became too overwhelming. Emily assured me she'd stick by me all night if I needed her.

We shared another hug before I went back to the barbecue. This hug lasted much longer than our previous ones, and I felt Emily's face press into my neck before we parted ways. I had no idea what the fuck I was going to do now.

I wasn't an idiot. Emily was showing similar signs that Amanda had. They had both been super excited to meet me, both had been really friendly, and both seemed to enjoy watching me with my shirt off. It wasn't that I didn't find either of them attractive or interesting, far from it. They were two of the most beautiful women I'd ever met, and they were both incredibly lovely, intelligent, and a joy to be around. But they were my sisters, and I'd only just met them.

Erica showed the same signs, but more of a forbidden fruit, sexual attraction kind of way. I could at least understand her carnal attraction to me since I felt it towards her too. But I didn't want to hurt any of their feelings. Even if I were to pursue something with one of my half-siblings, it could damage my relationship with the rest.

I could fuck the shit out of Erica, and we'd probably move on to other things in time, but that might still hurt Amanda and Emily. Those two would be a joy to be with each day and spend my life with, but going for either would hurt the other and possibly piss Erica off. I needed to get out of this without hurting anyone's feelings. I'd need help, though. Someone who knew these girls better than anyone, and might be sympathetic and not want to cause trouble.

I needed Mel.

There was nothing I could do right now, though. The food needed to cooking and I didn't want to abandon my post to seek out my platinum-haired sibling. I'd see her soon enough; it wasn't like my sisters could jump my bones in the middle of a party.

Well, Emily and Amanda wouldn't. I wasn't so sure about Erica.