<em>~ Marcus in the lounge after the girls left ~</em><br/><br/>Nicci was the first to go, saying she was exhausted, and then Mila followed.  Marcus had watched it all quietly, nodding to each of them and bidding them a good night.  He could understand exhaustion, as he was feeling a bit of it also, and he could also understand mental overload, which he suspected was playing a role in their early bed times too.  This first night had been a stressful one, there was no doubt about that, but he had partially expected that.  They were all new to each other, with different personalities and different ways of living, so it would take time to mesh.  Bo’s words, and the thoughts he conveyed – ones Mila agreed with – made him smile.  He had high hopes for this group, high hopes indeed.  In fact, one could say that his future rested on them.<br/><br/>Mari was the next to stand and when her warm moist lips touched his cheek, a tingle ran through his body to the core.  Smiling back at her, he nodded.  “Thank you, milady” he said, sounding stupidly courtly, even to his ears.  When the ladies had exited, only the men were left and Marcus watched them carefully, sipping his tea.  He had no particular desire to go to sleep anytime soon, being used to long hours with his job.  As the silence stretched for a moment, he let his mind wander to the women again, wondering how they would spend their first night.  He imagined he’d crash when the time came.<br/><br/>His thoughts came back to the room when Vince stood and spoke, drawing his attention to him.  Sitting up, he sat his mug of tea on the table next to the chair and stood also, stretching.  “I think the bathroom is that way” he said, pointing towards a door on the other side of the room that he knew led to the hallway to the bathroom.  “Not positive though.  As for pool, I’m up for a game.  Been a while since I played so it would be a good way to wind down the night.”<br/>