Cabin Fever (15 page)

She’d blinded herself into thinking their relationship could only be platonic.

Sean was a different story. He wasn’t a gentle lover. But he made it clear he loved her just as deeply. Something like friends with
better
benefits.

And that’s when it clicked. Just like their different personalities, they made love differently too. She did have the best of both worlds.

Sandra stood up from the widow seat and stretched. She needed a nice hot bath. With the weather improving, she figured they might head out to the various home improvement stores to do some pricing. Humming happily to herself, she headed for the bathroom.

***

Patrick rolled over, reaching for Sandra as he did so. He felt something hard.
This
wasn’t a woman’s soft body.

He shot up with a jerk. “Sean!”

His friend rolled over like a lumbering walrus, barely opening his eyes. He bolted upright. “Where is she? Sandra?” No answer.

“She probably went downstairs and didn’t want to wake us.” Patrick climbed out of bed. “But between you and me, I would have rather seen her face than yours first thing.”

“You ain’t no beauty in the morning either, man,” Sean said, rising.

They were stumbling down the hall like zombies when they heard water running from Patrick’s room. They passed through the bedroom to the bathroom and pushed the door open. Despite their stealth, she must have heard them, because she immediately peeked from behind the shower curtain.

“Good morning,” Sandra chirped. Her early-morning brightness always disturbed Patrick.

“Hey, honey, what are you doing in here?” Sean took a seat on a nearby stool.

“I didn’t want to wake you guys. I take it since the weather has cleared up, we’re going to be busy working on the cabin. We only have a week and a half left. We need to at least get Uncle Travis to hand over the grant deed and have the contractors start work before we leave.”

“You’re right,” Sean said, looking in the mirror and rubbing the stubble on his chin. “We need to get out while it’s nice. In the meantime, I’ll call O’Connor. I think it’s a go with his plan.”

“Good idea,” Patrick said. “The sooner we start, the quicker we can finish.”

“Okay, I’ll join you guys downstairs. Let me get myself together.” Sean left the room.

Patrick stood in the doorway, staring at Sandra. “You are beautiful in the morning.”

“Oh, please.” Sandra pooh-poohed him with a wave of her hand.

“No, I mean it. I’ve always loved your natural beauty.”

“You sure know how to sweet-talk a girl.”

“Only telling the truth.” He stepped closer to her and shut the door behind him. “Would you like some help in the shower?”

“Yeah, I think I could use some.”

Patrick stepped in the stall. It was just big enough for the two of them. No problem. He relished the closeness. “Stand there and I’ll take care of you.”

Patrick reached for the towel and soap. He made a face when he realized he didn’t have any bath gels or oils. “Be right back.” He jogged to Sandra’s bathroom to grab all the oils, gels, and bath tools he could hold, then returned to his bathroom, placing everything in the shower caddy. He turned on the shower. “Want bubbles?”

“Please.” Sandra stepped closer to him.

He poured some gel on the sponge, then her body and positioned her under the water flow. Soon, foam covered his ebony goddess. He gently smoothed oil over her skin, bending down and starting with her legs.

“Feels good,” Sandra said, leaning on his shoulders.

“That’s what I’m here for.”

“Really?” Sandra chuckled.

“Really. I plan to always make you feel good—all over.”

“Promise?”

“Promise.”

***

Sean finished showering and shaving and headed downstairs to fix breakfast. He figured Patrick wanted to spend some time alone with Sandra, so he’d excused himself. Besides, if they got everything done on time today and weren’t too stressed out, they planned to have another very special night with her.

She seemed exceptionally cheerful compared to a few days ago. Hopefully, she’d thought about what they told her. They were honest in their explanations. He just hoped by the time they returned to the city, there would be no misunderstandings between them. They would truly be a ménage a trois.

Sean set the plates on the table just as his friends entered the kitchen.

“Egg white omelets?” Patrick and Sandra protested in unison.

“Oh, you thought that light dinner was a fluke the other day? We can’t eat like lumberjacks every day.” Sean sat the pitcher of freshly-squeezed grapefruit juice on the table. “Dig in.”

As they began to eat, Sean’s cell phone rang. “Hello? Oh great, we’ll see you then. Bye.”

“Who was that?” Patrick poured himself and Sandra some more juice.

“O’Connor. He got the e-mails we sent and looked over everything. He has the final numbers. He’s coming by before we head off to the home improvement stores.”

“Good, that should give us some idea of what we can spend,” Sandra said.

“So you’re really going through with it?” Patrick seemed impressed.

“Yep. According to Uncle Travis, the grant deed will be signed over to me before we leave here. Of course, I wouldn’t have gone through with this crazy plan if it weren’t for you two.”

He meant it, too. This was a big step for him. In a million years, he never would have considered a health spa. Number one, it sounded too girly, and two, he didn’t have any knowledge about starting a new business. But with Patrick and Sandra at his side, he couldn’t fail. So a spa owner he would be, with some minor adjustments to some of the rooms.

“I want a boxing ring here in the main lodge.”

“A boxing ring?” Sandra groaned. “And where is it going to go? By the sauna rooms? And why?”

“You know that huge great room in the west wing? You can split that in half and still have a party of fifty,” Sean reasoned, pouring more juice. “Besides, you know mostly women will be coming here, especially when they hear the word
spa
. But I want them to bring their boyfriends or husbands, too, and I want them to feel comfortable.”

“Makes sense,” Patrick said taking a healthy gulp of his juice. “You don’t want the dudes to think they can only get a facial or body wrap. This is not only a spa, but also a health resort. The word
spa
puts fear in a man’s heart.”

“Okay, I see your point.” Sandra laughed.

When they finished eating they got dressed and then waited for O’Connor.

“So what do you think the place is worth now?” Sandra asked as she approached Sean.

“Don’t know. Hey, I’ll take the fifteen million dollars it appraised for several years ago. That’s not chump change.” Sean walked to the window and peered outside. A stag and two does walked around the front of the lodge, foraging for whatever they could get through the snow. “Hey Sandra, Patrick, come here.”

They joined him at the window. “Aww,” they cooed in unison.

Sandra rapped lightly on the window. The animals’ heads shot up, big eyes staring at them. They remained unmoving, probably wondering if the noise meant friend or foe. Just when it looked like they were coming to investigate, they ran off, disappearing into the foliage. Seconds later a car pulled up.

“O’Connor must have scared them off.” Sandra slumped her shoulders.

“They’ll be back,” Patrick reassured her.

***

O’Connor laid out the plans. He had all the estimates; suggestions of where they could cut corners, and what needed to be done by the pros. Sean was a bit overwhelmed, but every now and then, Sandra would rub his arm for reassurance.

“You guys might only have to use less than a quarter of the equity. So you’re already ahead,” O’Connor said.

“This is great.” Sandra nodded. “Um, could you give us an idea of how long this will take?”

“Yeah, we work out of state, so we need to start adjusting our schedules as soon as possible,” Patrick said.

“You’re looking at two years.”

Low moans filled the room.

“But that’s good, considering. The weather interferes with a lot of things. But I think if you stick with the plan I’ve laid out here, you can get it done.”

“I trust you.” Sean patted him on the back. “You’ve been the only straightforward contractor we’ve talked to.”

“Thanks. It’s going to be a pleasure working with you folks.” O’Connor left them with plenty to think about.

“It seems the snow is letting up. Let’s head off to the home store.” Sean retrieved his coat.

“That home store gives me an anxiety attack,” Patrick said half-jokingly. “It’s like being in a huge cave.”

“It’s all for the good,” Sandra said. “The more we learn, the more we can do and the more knowledge we have to oversee the contractors.”

“She’s got a point there,” Sean agreed. “O’Connor might be honest, but he could inadvertently hire some shady subcontractors.”

“Let’s go, gang. I want to sign up for some painting and plastering classes.” With a gentle smile, Patrick took Sandra by the arm.

***

“Damn, this store
is
huge.” Sandra said, looking around. “You
do
need a GPS system to find your way around.” She looked at the little map they’d received from one of the employees at the entrance. “I’m afraid to venture alone.” She made her way down the crown-molding aisle.

“Where’s your sense of adventure?” Patrick followed her. Once he caught up, he slipped his arm around her waist. A woman standing to the side gave her a look she couldn’t quite read. Sandra ignored her.

“Speaking of adventure,” Patrick whispered in her ear, “We want to have another round with you.” He kissed her shoulder.

Sandra’s legs turned to jelly. “I see. You two decided this on your own?”

“Yep. We flipped a coin, but Sean used a two-headed one. So we both won.”

A lesser woman would have been insulted. But she knew Patrick’s twisted sense of humor. More importantly, she knew he loved her and respected her.

Sandra twisted in his arms to kiss him and saw Sean coming down the aisle.

“I told you this store
is
freakin’ huge,” Sean said. “Do you realize there are two aisles for nails alone?” He went to Sandra’s right and kissed her cheek. “Let’s go sign up for the painting and tiling classes.”

“Okay,” she agreed. As she turned to follow the boys, she noticed the woman again. This time her look said:
Well, well, well
.

For the first time, it didn’t bother Sandra.

***

Back at the house, one could feel a new vibe. They were on their way to a new and exciting business venture. Scary.

Sandra went upstairs and called Rhonda.

“Hey girl, I wondered what happened to you,” Rhonda said. “Everything okay?”

“Everything is great.”

“You sound much more chipper. Everything settled?”

“Yes, I’ve decided to keep both of them.”

“Wait! What? How can you? I mean, won’t that….”

“Look, I have to explain it to you when I get back. But that’s not what I called you about.”

“It’s not! Boy, what news can top that?”

“We’re definitely taking the lodge and transforming it into a health resort and spa!”

“Whoa! Details.”

Sandra explained the other three cabins and the appraisal.

“Cha-ching!” Was all Rhonda could say.

“You said it. We’re going to sign up for classes in tiling and painting, you know, that faux-texture type stuff.”

“Cool. You need a receptionist?”

“I thought you liked your job as a glorified hair dresser and weave-ologist,” Sandra laughed, and then paused thoughtfully. “Hey, you took skin care at the school, too, didn’t you?”

“Yeah, I’m a licensed esthetician.”

Sandra had an idea. “Let me call you back.”

“Oh, okay. Talk to you later.”

Sandra put her phone back in her purse, as a knock sounded on her door.

“Come in.”

Patrick and Sean entered. They had on their heavy sweats. “We needed to put these on to keep from freezing in this huge place.”

“Would you like some company tonight?” Sean asked.

Sandra glanced at her lovers, smiled, and patted the bed.

“Well, we made a lot of progress today.” Sean took a seat on the side of the bed, his broad shoulder nudging against her.

“Yes, we did.” Sandra scooted over to make room for Patrick on the other side. He rested his head on her lap.

“You know, I just thought of something.” She stroked Patrick’s thick mane. “This used to be a bed and breakfast. We might need permits to convert it into a health resort and spa.”

“Oh goody. More red tape to think about,” Sean joked dryly.

“Not changing your mind, are you?”

“’Course not, sweetheart. I see it as another challenge, that’s all.”

“Good, because I have a receptionist and esthetician all lined up.”

“What?” Patrick shot up.

“Yeah, Rhonda.”

“Rhonda? I thought she did hair,” Sean said, leaning back on the bed. “In fact she prides herself as being a weave-ologist.

Sandra chuckled. “She has a license to do facials, body wraps, and all that other good stuff. She can test for her license here, too.”

“Cool.” Sean sat up and kissed Sandra’s shoulder. “Enough talk about work. I wanna play.” He kissed her lips. “Sandra,” he continued, “before we go any further, we just want to let you know that we’re not going to hold back this time. Do you understand? Whatever happens, happens. Is that okay with you?” He kissed her neck, then her shoulders again.

“Yes.” Sandra got hot and bothered all over again thinking about the two losing control with her. That’s when it hit her.

“Um…you mean…both of you? Right now?”

“Well, I want to have fun with you. I don’t want to make love. I was thinking more along the lines of—sex.”

Sandra’s hormones went into overdrive.