Adams, Eve - Trio [Gideon's Ring 1] (Siren Publishing Ménage Everlasting) (24 page)

Chris gripped the steering wheel tighter.
They’d both been following her around like they’d never had pussy before and would never have pussy again.
“That would be the one.”

He clenched his teeth and pushed on the gas to get to the tents faster. Darkness had already set in. The snow blew around and created absolute whiteout conditions. He had to safely get the guests to their tents, and dealing with bitchy guests didn’t put him in a good mood.

He pulled the snowcat up to the first cabin, where the Spanglers were assigned to stay. “Here’s your stop.”

“Really?”

“Come on, Ang. Carol returned her pin, so it’s just you and me.”

“It certainly hasn’t been anything like what I thought it would be,” Angela Spangler remarked, her nose so far in the air she poked holes in the cloud cover.

“We’ll be sure to receive compensation for our trouble, my dear. I’ll make sure of that.”

Chris grit
ted
his teeth. This weekend was going to end up breaking the ranch. He just knew it. From what Barrett had told him, Wyatt’s plan with Strickler had better come through or the Gideon brothers were
going to lose the ranch and end up moving
in with him.

Not just no, but
hell
no.

“Gideon, you may deliver my bags.”

Chris looked at him. “This here is a self-service ranch, sir.”

Murray Spangler, the pompous senator or congressman or some bullshit from a southern state Chris had no desire to remember, stiffened and thrust out his surgically-altered chin. “Excuse me?”

“Get your own damn bags.”

His wife seemed even more offended than the senator. “I beg your pardon?”

Chris just wanted to empty the cab and get to the last tent to see Sarah. Barrett may have her captivated now, but Chris had a power over women his cousin didn’t have, and he planned to use it fully tonight.

Spangler’s eyes flashed. “If I don’t receive a full refund on top of compensation for dealing with the absolute disaster you call your business, you will hear from my lawyers.”

Chris chuckled and shook his head. This just kept getting better and better. Not only were his favorite cousins losing their shirts by refunding the excursion fees, but throw in a lawsuit and they’d definitely have a hard candy Christmas next year.

“Have a great evening, Mr. and Mrs. Spangler.”

Senator
Spangler slammed the door and spun around to march up the path Barrett must have dug for the guests to walk to their tents without getting snow in their boots. Damn that stubborn man. He
’
d be on his deathbed and still feel like he had to lift a hand to help someone else.

“Aren’t they a piece of work,” the two males in the back both said in unison. Chris nodded in agreement. Greg and Joey, if his memory served. Regulars at the ranch from what Barrett had told him.

Greg continued, “No wonder Carol returned their pin. I wouldn’t want to spend time with them, either.”

The female partner they’d chosen for the weekend snuggled in between them. “I don’t know what their problem is. I’m having the time of my life here. I’d pay another two thousand just to stay longer.”

“If the weather doesn’t let up, you may get your wish for free.” Chris stopped the snowcat at their tent and nodded at the door. “Enjoy yourselves.”

“Oh, we will.”

The men escorted their lady out of the snowcat, grabbed their bags, and helped her into the tent, the way true gentlemen acted. At least chivalry wasn’t dead, not with Greg and Joey, Chris reasoned.

Chris pulled the snowcat up and parked it next to the last tent. He stepped out and hunched his shoulders to protect his face from the bite of the wind as he grabbed the two bags he brought. One for the clothes, which he didn’t care if he grabbed or not.

It was the other one, the large black duffel bag, that he eagerly snatched up and slung over his shoulder before heading his way into the tent with Sarah and Barrett.
Toys of every shape and size graced the inside of the bag, and Chris couldn’t wait to test Sarah’s reaction to each and every one of them.

Unzipping the tent, Chris then stepped inside and immediately let out a sigh of relief. The tent welcomed him with a warmth that hugged him. The warm glow of the lantern added an entrancing feel and deepened the hunger he’d had since
leaving sweet Sarah.

“Welcome home, dear.” Sarah smiled up at him as she sat at the table in nothing more than a pair of long john bottoms and an oversized sweater, and a large pair of big, fluffy socks. She had her hair tied up in a giant ball of curls on top of her head, and damn if she wasn’t close to the most appetizing thing he’d ever seen. After closing the folder in front of her, she adjusted her glasses.

“Where’s my kiss?”

Sarah’s grin widened as she stood and went to him, wrapped her arms around him, and stood on her tiptoes to kiss him. It was subtle, not at all arousing, yet as soon as their lips met, neither pulled back. Chris hugged her into his arms, dying to taste her.

Sarah’s kiss held a hunger that equaled his. He tested his theory by licking her lips open and meeting her tongue with his. She wrapped her arms around his neck and leaned into him.

After several wonderful seconds, she hummed and pulled back. “Wow. That was some kiss. You must have missed me.”

“I’ve got other ways to wow you even more.”

A distinctive growl came from the other male sitting in the room. Chris glanced over to see Barrett’s cool gaze on him, his jaw tight, his teeth clenched. Despite wanting to hold on to Sarah, Chris stepped back and allowed her to go back to her
other
Dom.
Barrett had enough shit going on without challenging Chris for the alpha role at the moment.

Sarah
went to Barrett’s side
. She even ran her hand across
his
shoulders as she passed him before taking her seat at the table and pull
ing
her leg up to rest her chin on her knee.

Damn, that was a sexy pose.

“So, back to the plans.”

Barrett glanced up at Chris. “Have a seat. You need to hear this.”

Chris kicked off his boots and joined them at the table then glanced down at the scatter of colorful brochures and makeshift blueprints. “More of Strickler’s shit? Is that what this is?”

“This,” Barrett said and picked up one of the brochures, “is why we no longer have a generator to power the lodge.”

Sarah pointed at a picture of the lodge that Chris had already studied earlier. “So you don’t think it
’
s paying for the rating.”

“Rating my ass,” Barrett growled. “Strickler is trying to pull something, Chris. Look at the bullshit he wants us to put in. Covered valet. A bathroom in every guest room. That alone is going to cost a fortune.”

Sarah grabbed a paper with lines and figures scattered in
a
pattern. “Don’t forget the kitchen and dining room renovations.”

“How could I forget?”

Chris watched whoever spoke. When neither one continued, he prodded. “How is any of that considered bad? It’s all about the rating, right? Don’t you want to get your name out there?”

Sarah handed him the plans. “Take a closer look. See here? You can’t just remove a load-bearing wall and add a couple of posts in its place. Instead of tearing down the wall, I’d cut out archways and leave the centerpieces in so that it supports itself. And it creates a nice touch. You could even have a room right here for private parties. But for what he says the costs would be, along with being able to start the construction before the ground thaws, all points to him not doing his homework. You can’t guarantee a five-star rating. There are certain amenities you have to have to even qualify.”

Chris leaned in closer to study the plans. “I heard Michael talking to Wyatt about some of this, actually. Strickler told Wyatt that he had these plans drawn up by an engineer and confirmed by a general contractor. They told him
you all
could start the inside renovations right away
,
but the outside construction would have to wait until spring. Wyatt bought it, but I don’t think Michael did.”

“Good for Mikey.” Barrett stood and went over to the stove, shoved a few more logs in, and then refilled his coffee cup with steaming liquid from the kettle on the top. He then rejoined them at the table. “I always knew he had a solid head when it came to Strickler. He didn’t trust that bastard any more than I did.”

Clenching his teeth, Chris stood and jerked a cup off the hook before helping himself to a cup of coffee. Barrett drove him crazy at times, always digging at his younger brothers with little comments like how Michael was better at this, or Wyatt better at that.
Not once did he ever consider his brothers equals.

“Doesn’t matter now,” Chris stated as he stood next to the woodstove and sipped at his coffee.

“Why’s that?” Barrett raised his brow.

“He’s gone.”

Sarah grabbed Barrett’s cup and sipped at it. He didn’t mind. Hell, he didn’t even seem to notice, as if they were a normal couple sitting at the kitchen table sharing a cup of coffee together. It tugged at Chris. He wanted that, to sit at the Sunday morning breakfast table, sharing a cup of coffee and talking about whatever headlines graced the papers.

Sarah set the cup down in front of Barrett. “I thought the road out of here was impassable.”

“Donny gave him a ride out on his snowmobile. There was a car down on the highway waiting for him. Carol insisted on leaving as well, so Matt gave her a ride on another snowmobile.”

Sarah lifted her head. “Carol left?”

Barrett stood. “The roads are plowed?”

“Apparently,” he said as an answer to both questions. Sarah looked hurt that her best friend would leave her. Barrett just looked pissed.

“Then why the hell are we still here?” Barrett grabbed his coat off the back of the chair. “Chris, get the snowcats fired off. We can get the guests down to the road and have cars waiting for them to take them to the airport.”

Sarah snuck up and wrapped her arms around Barrett’s waist. She looked up into his eyes and tilted her head. Damn if he didn’t relax his shoulders as he studied her face. And was that a smile Chris spotted tugging at the surliest Gideon’s lips?

Since when did Barrett smile?

“These people paid for an adventure, Barrett. Don’t take that away from them.”

He dropped his coat to the floor and then rested his hands on her shoulders, caressing them gently, lovingly. “This isn’t quite the adventure they were looking for.”

“It’s still an adventure.”

“And you’re okay with roughing it out here without Carol?”

She nodded. “As long as I have you two with me.”

Chris walked over and set his coffee on the table. “She’s right. Let’s let this ride out. The guests may find that they like the switch in scenery.” He moved up behind Sarah, sandwiching her between him and Barrett. “I know I do.”

Barrett’s eyes darkened as he looked down at Sarah. “How about you? Are you in for a little adventure?”