The barbecue was a resounding success. Charlie and I arrived as the steaks were sizzling and spitting on the grill. My mouth watered at just the smell. Charlie was greeted like an old friend by Doc and introduced to all the others. He seemed unusually quiet, almost tongue-tied being surrounded by such beautiful women. Earlier, while we were sitting on my verandah, he'd questioned me about them and the set-up I had going on. I'd answered truthfully, trying to make sense of it myself. When he tried to make a joke about it, I showed him the picture of Texan and Rachelle kissing me, which shut him up.

"Seriously, you shagged Vixen?" He asked as he swigged a beer.

"Yep, certainly did."

"What was she like?"

It was a question us brothers had often asked each other up until the moment they'd all met their wives, when conversations of those kinds would stop. I could still remember my eldest brother describing how he'd lost his virginity, us younger ones sitting wide-eyed and rapt at his story.

"Insatiable," I told him, "bloody lucky I work out so much, even so she nearly killed me."

"Wow," Charlie breathed, once again assuming the mantle of little brother, despite being only two years younger. "Well don't let me stop you having fun while I'm here. I can always get some ear plugs."

We both knew that Charlie slept like the dead, especially after a few drinks. It had been a family in-joke after he'd fallen asleep standing up on a train once and ended up miles away from his digs.

Anyway, back to the barbecue. Ava sat next to me at the tiled bistro table as we dug into steak, salad and fries. I noticed there'd be little touches, a hand on my arm, a gentle brush of her fingers on my knee. She was claiming territory for the night.

Charlie had also noticed, even though he was being entertained by the lovely Iris, who was asking him about Canada and his new baby. I saw her looking at me just as Ava leaned in to speak, her hand clasping my shoulder to steady herself on the spindly, iron chairs. I saw a flash of something in Iris' eyes, envy perhaps? She caught me glancing at her and looked away, plastering a faux bright smile onto her face. My heart lurched.

"Have another drink Charlie," said Doc, pressing a large, cloudy white cocktail into his hand. "This is the house special, the San Vinco beachbomb. Try it, you'll like it." She threw me a theatrical wink as he began sucking the straw. "Texan and Rachelle are back tomorrow. I got an email," Doc announced loudly. I noticed beachbomb squirt out of Charlie's nose at the news. He quickly wiped it with the back of his hand.

"I always miss Rachelle when she goes on vacation," I overheard Iris say to Charlie. "Are you ok? Here, use my napkin.."

"Do you think Iris can keep Charlie talking ALL night?" Ava whispered in my ear, a seductive little smirk on her face.

"She won't need to. One of those beachbombs on top of all the beer and wine he's had will knock him out completely," I told her. I watched as she shifted on her chair, her arousal already starting.

"We could stay in my room," she said, "if you're worried he'll hear." I shook my head. I was pretty confident that Charlie would be asleep fairly quick.

Whatever Doc had put in that cocktail sent Charlie out cold almost as soon as he'd drunk it. "You sure there wasn't anaesthetic in it?" I asked her, which made her laugh. Charlie was snoozing on a sun lounger at that point.

"Just vodka, coconut liqueur and gin," she giggled. "We'd best put him to bed though, he'll get bitten by the mozzies out here. Doc, Ava, Iris and I each took a corner of the sun bed and carried Charlie through to his bedroom, where I managed to haul him onto his bed fully clothed.

"You're ever so strong," Ava said, prompting a hard stare from Iris, which confirmed that my earlier impression hadn't been wrong.

"Shouldn't we undress him?" Iris said, looking directly at me, almost challenging me. I shook my head and just covered him with a sheet. He'd freak out if he woke up unclothed in the morning. I watched as she carefully took his trainers off, her deft fingers untying the laces and gently prising the sneakers off his feet as though she was undressing a child. "He'll get very hot and sweaty in the night," she pointed out.

"I'll turn up the air-con," I reassured her, thinking that her concern was sweet. I watched as Doc touched Iris' arm to remind her that they should go. For a moment, Iris seemed torn, almost as though she was going to say something. My stomach leapt. If she was going to ask me not to sleep with Ava, as horny as I was, I'd jump to Iris' tune. Instead, Iris turned and followed Doc out of the door, waving goodbye over her shoulders with just the tips of her fingers. I couldn't see her face.

As soon as I heard the door shut, I grabbed Ava and dragged her to my room. Like an insatiable beast, I tugged her clothes off with uncustomary impatience. I felt a need to see the polished, perfectionist Ava lose control. I wanted her hair mussed up, her makeup smeared and those glossy lips screaming my name as she came. I was turning into an animal.