Cradling my coffee mug in both hands, I sighed into it. “That sounds nice, actually.”
“After that we’d hang around the cabin, and feed the fire. Enjoy some relaxation before the long drive home.”
It all sounded too good to be true. Another day on the mountain would’ve been fun, but I knew my body would be paying for it all week. There were times when my legs felt like they were still shaking, from both the day’sandnight’s activities. And there were parts of my body still sore from each of them, too.
“I’m fine with that if you are,” I told them, trying to mask my excitement. “I just feel bad for when we get back.”
“Why?”
“Because we left your place in literal shambles,” I reiterated. “I know you still have to pick up the pieces that Cole left behind.”
Carter shook his head. “I already talked to Gus. He has things handled.”
“Gus?”
“He works the kitchen,” said Sawyer. “He also runs the place when we’re not there. Grizz can always help out too, if need be.”
“The only thing Grizz does is drink you out of house and home,” Bodie lamented. “Besides, Grizz walks with two limps — one for each leg.”
“You’re talking about the old guy, right?” I squinted. “The one that’s always there?”
“Every night.”
“A customer who never leaves,” I mused. “Seems like a good problem to have, no?”
“It would be,” said Sawyer, “If he actually paid for his drinks.”
The two exchanged familiar glances. There was a story there; as evidenced by the bitterness in Sawyer’s words. Carter chose to ignore him.
“Let’s pack the car in advance then,” said Bodie, standing up. “Better to get it out of the way now, than do it later when we’re tired.”
Later,I thought to myself diabolically. When we’re tired.
I turned my head to look at the living room, which had long since been put back together. The pillows and blankets were back in their respective bedrooms. A coffee table sat in the spot where my writhing body had been so gloriously desecrated. I chuckled at the idea that someone else would rent this place, never knowing what went down there.
“So you’re in, Angel?” Carter asked hopefully. His deep, masculine voice snapped me back from my daydream.
“Yeah…” I said distantly. “Sure.”
He smiled and kissed me quickly on the way out of the kitchen. It seemed natural. Normal. Like we’d been kissing hello and goodbye, all our lives.
“As long as we find and ransack a pizzeria,” I grinned, licking my lips.
~ 17 ~
HAYDEN
The town was more of a village, and the village nothing but a collection of tiny mom and pop shops dotted along a stretch of ‘main’ road. Still, somehow we found pizza. It wasn’t New York pizza by any means, but it was warm and cheesy and it filled our bellies on a cold, snowy day.
I was grateful for the rest, the relaxation, and the company. While none of them outright mentioned the events of last night, the boys flirted heavily with me throughout the day. We held hands. We exchanged knowing glances. By the time we found a place to sit down, have a few drinks, and enjoy the eclectic bar decor of rural, snowbound Maine, the rest of the night was a forgone conclusion:
We were going to have a really,reallygreat time once we got back to the cabin.
I was on my third glass of wine as the sun was setting, and Carter suggested we get ‘home.’ I couldn’t wait. I’d spent the day learning about all three of them, and answering their questions about me. It turned out Bodiewasa freelance accountant — go figure — and I got the impression Carter was struggling more than he liked to admit when it came to keeping the bar afloat. I still didn’t know exactly what Sawyer did, other than help Carter keep the bar going, but there was something in the way he talked about the world that told me he’d seen a lot of it.
On the way back to the cabin we pulled into a gas station; because Bodie insisted we fuel up now so we wouldn’t have to do it in the morning. It was all fine with me. My stomach had been nothing but butterflies since Sawyer pushed me against the wall and began kissing me in the back hallway of the bar. I’d melted into a puddle when the other two came out of the bathroom to do the same, my heart pounding as they took turns and kept lookout.
Halfway through, it hit me that, yes, I’d just slept with three guys at the same time. And yes, I was going to do it again. One more time. For posterity.
