Cabin Fever (8 page)

“But suppose….”

“Suppose what?”

“There’s still the issue of both of us loving her. Suppose one of us falls so hard for her, he might not want to share her anymore.” Patrick leaned against the counter. He wanted to see his friend’s reaction to an honest question. It could happen. Then what?

“We both love her, period. That will never change for either one of us. Maybe I’m simplifying this too much, but our feelings for her are heartfelt.”

“I hear ya. I just wondered.” Patrick went into the living room. What a sticky situation. Either one of them could fall deeply in love with her. There were many stages of love, all complicated.

Damn! Why did he have to be all reasonable?

***

Sandra finished her meal, bathed, and climbed into bed. The soft, comfy sheets began to lull her to sleep despite the early hour.

So Patrick helped pick this stuff out
. He never ceased to amaze her.
Beautiful, simply beautiful
. Really romantic and exotic. “I didn’t think either one of them had it in them.”

Outside, the sun was setting, and the snow was letting up a bit, but not much. She tried to think about skiing. Her leg twitched. So much for that idea.

Concentrating on anything became challenging. All she had on her mind were visions of Sean on one side of the bed, Patrick on the other, and herself smack in the middle. The perfect Sandra sandwich. There would be no sleeping tonight until she cleared her head of a few things.

Climbing out of bed, she grabbed her purse and retrieved her cell. Not that Rhonda could be considered the voice of reason, but at least she had an idea of her situation.

The phone only rang once before Rhonda picked it up. “Do you know how long I’ve been waiting to hear back from you?”

“Did we have an appointment?”

“So, what’s going on?”

“Well, you won’t believe this, but the boys seem to be kicking around the idea of either a threesome or ménage.” Sandra yanked the phone away from her ear when Rhonda squealed with glee.

“What did they say? How did they ask you? And did you take them up on it? And what’s the difference, actually?”

She rolled her eyes and unplugged her ears. “First of all, it’s just a good hunch. I know these two very well. Sean gave me a copy of
Just for Women
with the ménage article. They asked my opinion on it. What’s the difference? A threesome is just sex between three people. A ménage is an actual arrangement, when you’re actually committed to two people.”

“Wow.”

“Anyway, they kept pushing me on the subject. Very insistent. But they didn’t flat-out ask me to go for it with them.”

“It’s only a matter of time, girl. They wouldn’t be trying to get into your head over that kind of article if they weren’t curious themselves. They have something planned for you. Do you know which one they want?”

“You make it sound so sinister. No, I don’t. I have an inkling though.”

Rhonda giggled. “I think it’s kinky cool. So that brings me to my second question. Are you going to take them up on it?”

Sandra envisioned that picture in the magazine. The woman in pure ecstasy and the men hot and hard and both focused on her. Man, could she handle that with Sean and Patrick? “No. I-I’m thinking about it. Girl, I’m so confused.”

“Why? You have two gorgeous men who want you! What’s to think about?”

“It’s not that easy, Rhonda. We’re friends. And more importantly,
they’re
friends.”

“Ah, you think the green-eyed monster might rear its ugly head?”

“It’s possible. It’s not as simple as jumping in the bed and having wild sex. There’re going to be so many emotions involved. For instance, I’m seeing a side of Patrick I didn’t know existed.”

“You mean Stone Man?”

Sandra chuckled. He wasn’t exactly someone you’d use for the welcome wagon. “Yes, he’s very sweet, but he keeps his feelings close to the vest.”

“Humph, very close. I could have sworn he growled at me one day.”

Sandra had to laugh.

“I think I see where you’re coming from,” Rhonda said. “Wow, life is complicated.”

“Tell me about it.”

“You have to go with your heart on this one.”

“I hoped you’d say that. Didn’t think you would, but I was hoping.”

“Well, thanks a lot,” Rhonda huffed.

“Okay. Obviously, I have to make a decision here.”

“I think you already have. But let me know anyway. I’m nosy.” Rhonda chuckled.

“You ain’t lying about that.” She disconnected and put the phone on the night table. Turning off the lights, she snuggled into the sheets.

She had decided. She just hoped it was the right decision.

***

Sean shut off the water and stepped out of the shower. Hearing a knock, he quickly wrapped a towel around his waist and opened the door. “Hold up!”

“Hey.”

“Come on in. Be with you in a sec.”

Patrick took a seat by the window, a look of doubt on his face.

“What’s eating you?”

“Thinking of our predicament. She’s scared, man.”

“To be expected. We have to convince her that her decision doesn’t change our friendship. I don’t want her to think we’ll disown her if she rejects us.” Sean grabbed his robe and put it on.

“Good thinking. By the way, forgot to tell you, she thanked you for the room setup.”

“You told her you picked it out?”

“Yeah, and naturally she was surprised.”

Sean laughed. If Patrick opened up a little more, people wouldn’t be so shocked when he acted human. “She still doesn’t know the real you, after all these years.”

“I don’t know the real me. If you’d told me years ago I would be sharing the woman I—this is new for all of us.”

“The woman you what?” Sean asked.

“Forget it. I was a little emotional.”

“That’s why I can’t forget it. It’s not like you to lose it unless something is really bothering you.”

“It’s nothing.” Patrick headed toward to the door. “It’s being cooped up here, in this big place. By the way, what’s the damage on the renovations?”

He would let the issue go, for now. But they would have to come back to it soon. Before they could be intimate with Sandra¸ they had to clear up a lot of things between the two of them. Maybe Patrick didn’t realize how well he understood him. He wasn’t mad or jealous. But he wanted his friend to stop hiding his feelings behind his stone façade.

“The little gnome quoted over four hundred and seventy thousand dollars.”

“What? Is the cabin insured?"

“I believe so, why?”

“Let’s burn it.”

Sean threw back his head and laughed. “Good idea. However, I don’t look good in prison orange. I put in a call to Uncle Travis. I have a few choice words for him. Maybe, after we talk, I’ll have a better idea of what I want to do with the lodge.”

“Cool. Well, I’m hitting the sack.”

Sean touched his buddy’s arm. The other man kept his feelings hid too often, but honesty was the only way they’d all survive such a big change in their relationship. He had no intention of losing his best friend or their girl. “We have to talk before we move forward or even consider doing something with both of these situations.”

Patrick nodded and headed for his room.

“Let’s see what exciting stuff is going on today.” Patrick picked up the local paper.

“Can’t be too much. Not with all the snow.” Sean wiped away the condensation on the window.

“No skiing for Miss Ski Bunny.”

“Even if it was clear, I don’t think she should go, not after that charley horse.”

Patrick nodded and kept reading, looking for some other recreation besides skiing.

“By the way. I want to finish that talk.” Sean stepped away from the window.

Patrick grimaced.

“We have to have this conversation, especially after that little slip of the tongue last night.”

“I told you, man.” Patrick got up and stoked the fire.

“I ain’t buying it. I know how you feel about Sandra.”

Patrick put the poker down and stared at him. “You mean how I felt about her, years ago. Why bring it up again?” He picked the poker up again and stabbed at the logs, brushing away some of the burnt embers. “Besides, you and I have the same feelings for her.”

“I think yours are a little deeper. And don’t take this to mean I’m upset. But now is the time to really put it out in the open, before either one of else gets intimate with her.”

Patrick moved the logs around some more. “I hear you. How do I approach her? I want to tell her, but I wanted it to be a special moment.”

“First, stop poking those logs. You’re going to make them into wood chips.”

“Sorry,” Patrick threw the poker down.

“If you wait for that special moment, you may never tell her. Just tell her. It’s simple.”

“Seriously? Are you kidding? She’s already conflicted about sleeping with both of us.”

Neither of them had expected a woman to test their friendship. “Patrick, I’m behind you, whatever you do. But this is the time we need to clear the air before we move forward.”

“She’ll freak.”

“You don’t give her much credit,” Sean said.

“I have some experience with women too, and I know Sandra. She’s worried about coming between us.”

Sean frowned and flicked a glance upstairs. “I see. Maybe I’ve been approaching this all wrong.”

“I don’t understand.”

“I thought the reason she wasn’t interested in a ménage was because she thought it was too kinky. But now I see it’s because she cares so much about
our
friendship.”

“So now what?” Patrick asked.

“Let her come to us, when she’s ready. If she wants to go with one of us, let her be the one to choose.”

“I can’t see that happening anytime soon,” Patrick muttered.

“You don’t give yourself much credit either, my friend.”

Patrick watched him leave the room. Could he tell Sandra he loved her more than life itself? She embodied everything he wanted in a woman. Smart, funny, adventurous, caring, and beautiful. She was always there with a kind word and supported every decision he made. She’d been there when his father died, and in the days and weeks afterward, she would come by his house or office and sit. Not say anything, but just sit, her presence comforting and calming.

He recalled their conversation the day before. Would she freak out if he told her his true feelings? And what about Sean? She’d had an issue when he’d mentioned him. But more important, how did she feel about
him
? Were his feelings one-sided?

He plowed his fingers through his hair in frustration.

Sean returned, zipping his jacket. “I’m going into town to check out a couple of the hardware stores I noticed on the drive up. If I’m lucky, I might be able to find another contractor or at least a recommendation.”

It wasn’t until he got to the door that Patrick deciphered his words. “What? Okay.”

“Man, you need to relax. It’ll all work out. Trust me.”

“Watch your ass. The snow is really coming down.”

“If it gets too crazy, I’ll come back.”

He left Patrick staring at the flames. Why did Sean seem so sure about this? No matter the situation, his friend had a never-say-die attitude. Maybe it
would
work itself out, so maybe he should relax. After all, he really didn’t have a choice.

***

Sandra prepared for breakfast and whatever else the day would bring. She’d done a lot of soul searching the night before, barely sleeping at all. In spite of that, she wasn’t tired. She had more spring in her step than usual. Coming down the stairs, she could already feel the warmth of the fireplace below. She spotted Patrick on the couch. “Good morning.” She rubbed her cold hands together. “Where’s Sean?”

At first, he didn’t reply. He turned and stared
into
her in a way that made her skin prickle deliciously. Anyone who didn’t know him might see that as being rude. But he was thinking. She could almost see the wheels turning behind his eyes.

“Good morning, Sandra,” he said, finally. “He’s on his way to the hardware store. How did you sleep?”

“I didn’t. I did a lot of thinking.” She sat on the arm of the couch, next to him. She laced her fingers together on her lap and stared at them.

“About?” He folded one of her hands in his and rubbed the back of it.

“About what’s been happening in the past twenty-four hours.”

“I see. Well, I’m glad you brought it up.”

“Oh? Okay.”

“Come sit down.” He scooted over to make room. “There’s no need to be nervous.” Patrick waited until she settled next to him, then took a deep breath. “Sandra…I love you.”

“Patrick!” Her mouth hung open, and her arms flailed. She should have seen it coming. She should have nipped this in the bud when the conversation was still fresh. But she’d had that damn charley horse, and…. “I-I don’t—”

“No, wait, Sandy.” Patrick took her gently by the wrists. “Listen to me. I’ve always loved you and there is no reason to be scared of it. What I desperately need to know is if you feel the same.”

Sandra was stunned stupid. This side of Patrick scared her a bit. Vulnerable. She didn’t have a clue how to handle that. The rude, stoic, stone-faced Patrick she could deal with. “I don’t know. I—”

“Yes, you do, Sandra.”

“But Sean….”

“This isn’t about him now. It’s about you and me. I left myself wide open here. Please….”

Sandra wanted to cry. She did love him. He was her Stone Man. Hard at times, blunt and to the point. Now he was showing a side of himself she didn’t think she could handle and practically lying in her arms like a little boy.

She reached for his hair and ran her fingers through it. “Patrick, I do love you, but as a friend.”

“I’m tired of being just your friend and someone you hang out with. I want to be your lover, too.”

“Pat—”

Before she could finish, his lips covered hers in a deep, soulful kiss. Caressing her softly, he leaned in to her. “Sandra,” he breathed as his lips moved to her ear. He inched her sweater up over her breasts.