Night Is Darkest (22 page)

Tyler shouted from the bottom of the stairs, “Let’s get a move on. They have an available cabin but the front desk closes for check-in at midnight.”

Lacey broke away, panting.

“What was that for?” Mason studied her. Even in the dim lighting she could see his eyes burn.

“Because I felt like it.” She shrugged, then sauntered from the room.

When Tyler saw her flushed cheeks and mussed hair, he groaned. “Why do I always miss the good stuff?”

“Just remember you promised me a skinny dip when we get there.” Lacey patted his cheek then walked out the door, trying to ignore the twinge of sadness at leaving their little house cold and empty.

Chapter Fifteen

Darkness shrouded the mountainside as they wove their way up the steep, twisted road but, even in the chilly night air, Lacey could see hints of the beauty surrounding them. For her, it felt natural to be out and about when the rest of the world slept. Though there were times, like now, that she wished she lived in a world of sunshine and color. At least, if she timed her sleep schedule right, she had most of the morning and early afternoon to herself.

The tires of the all-wheel-drive truck rumbled as they crossed a wood-plank bridge spanning a rocky ravine and the spring water that bounced off boulders as it tumbled over the streambed. The serpentine course of the narrow drive as it stair-stepped up the cliff face allowed them clear visibility to the lower reaches.

No one could follow them unnoticed here.

Mason tapped the brakes as a doe and two fawns bolted across the rural landscape.

“Would you crack the window, Tyler?”

“You were shivering a minute ago. Do you have a fever?”

She regretted the worry that had his hand darting out to test her forehead. “It’s not that. I just wanted to smell the fresh air.”

Mason dialed the heat up a notch while Tyler rolled his window down an inch or two. She inhaled until her lungs puffed out her chest then released the breath by degrees. “It’s perfect.”

“I’ve always wanted to come here.” Ty smiled at her. “Mason and I thought about it more than once but we agreed to save it for a special occasion. I’m glad we waited for you.”

Lacey rested a hand on each man’s thigh and squeezed. “I couldn’t have survived the last week without both of you. I love you.”

“If you two are finished with the sappy bullshit, you could help me spot the main lodge on the right.” Mason’s gruff interruption couldn’t mask his emotion though he pointed to the GPS, which flashed as they neared their destination.

She patted his knee. “It’s okay, Mason. I know you love us, too.”

“’Til death and all that. I just don’t feel the need to discuss it on the hour like you two.”

“Every person I’ve ever loved has been stolen from me, Mason. I won’t waste a minute of our time together. So you’ll just have to learn to cope with our smothering.”

Tyler chuckled when Mason huffed. Though no cars shared the road for miles, he still obeyed the traffic laws by engaging his blinker when he turned in beneath the carved wooden arch proclaiming Mountain Springs Lodge. The elevation had climbed until they reached this perch on the summit. Patches of snow littered the grounds as though it were December instead of October.

When Ty opened his door, they slid out and stretched after the two-hour drive. They’d made it with less than ten minutes to spare. She would have loved to stare up at the sapphire sky, counting the brilliant sparkling stars, but Mason grabbed for her hand to draw her toward the door.

“Come on, doll. You don’t need to catch cold.”

If she’d thought the landscape beautiful, the rustic splendor of the lodge blew her mind. Geared up for fall, the russet and gold accents highlighted the thick oak beam construction and natural wood floors of the huge open space. Stone fireplaces flanked the sitting areas arranged around woven area rugs. Tasteful décor including photographs of trout, fly fishing gear, horse tackle and antique riffles rounded out the ambiance.

She followed Mason’s stare to the braided whips hanging with the bridles and shivered.

“Don’t worry, doll.” He turned to stroke her hair. “No one will ever abuse you with one of those again.”

Lacey considered chickening out but gulped, then forced herself to admit what she’d really been thinking. “You misunderstood, Mason. I saw the look in your eyes. I wondered what you’d do to me if we had this place all to ourselves right now. Would you tie me up on the bear rug by the fire and teach me what it could be like to experience sensual pain at the hands of someone who loves you?”

“Holy shit.” Tyler darted toward the bathroom. “I gotta take care of something. Be back in a minute.”

Mason braced his palms on her shoulders. She brought her hands up to cup his elbows. “You really want to know, Lacey?”

She peeked from beneath her thick lashes toward the inferno of passion roiling in the depths of his eyes. “Yes. Enough that I might have brought this hell on us all by trusting the wrong person to teach me.”

Regret banked the lust in Mason’s expression. “If you’re going to blame anyone, it should be me. I wouldn’t let Tyler accept your advances even though we intended to claim you eventually. Once you were old enough, or I ran out of excuses. Shit, I pushed you into that psycho’s clutches. I won’t ever do it again, I promise. If there’s something you want to experience, all you have to do is ask. Nothing is too outrageous for me. Or Ty. Understand?”

Her breath came in shallow pants as she nodded.

“The proper response is ‘Yes, sir.’”

“Yes, sir.” Lacey swore the crotch of her panties had never been so wet.

“Excuse me. Sir?”

They both laughed when the desk clerk waved for their attention. The silver-haired gentleman gave them a curious stare before continuing. “We’re about to close the lodge for the night. Are you, by chance, Mr. Lambert?”

“Actually, no, I’m Mason Clark. We’re the other two in his party of three, though.” Mason gave her ass a tap. It stung a bit. She understood his dismissal and wandered off to investigate some of the pamphlets promoting various activities such as horseback riding, target shooting and hiking as he arranged the details of their stay.

When warm arms surrounded her from behind, she leaned into Ty’s steady chest. “Better now?”

“Damn, Lacey. It took three cycles of the presidents to erode that woody.”

“Cycles of the presidents?” She spun in his arms, wondering what the hell he meant. Mason strode up next to them.

“When Tyler is having control issues, he depends on American history to bore him flaccid. Let’s get to our room before he has to resort to naming all the major battle sites in the Civil War.”

She laughed as they each claimed one of her hands in theirs and returned to the truck.

It took less than three minutes to drive to their cabin, though it seemed ultra-secluded. No other signs of habitation were visible from the lovely wraparound porch she crossed while Mason dug the key from his pocket. He unlocked the painted forest green door then ushered her inside. When he flipped on the wrought-iron chandelier, she had to stifle a gasp.

A humongous, hand-carved bed acted as the centerpiece of the one-room cabin. The style mimicked the rustic elegance of the well appointed lodge. The head and footboard design incorporated sweeping sculptures of trees whose branches entwined to form an intricate latticework. In one corner, floor-to-ceiling windows surrounded a kitchenette complete with a cute, round table. She bet the nook made the perfect place to enjoy a cup of morning coffee while overlooking the scenic mountains.

On the other side of the room, two doors led off the main space. One stood open, showcasing a moderate yet comfortable bathroom. She guessed the closed door beside it housed a linen closet or a utility room.

“Guys, this has to have cost a fortune.” Her reverent whisper echoed off the polished wood surfaces.

“Don’t worry, little one. You deserve something special.” Ty dropped a kiss on her forehead. “I’m glad you like it.”

“This is the most wonderful hideout in the history of man.” She flopped back on the quilted duvet with a sigh. “I feel more relaxed already.”

“Wait until she sees the rest.” Tyler winked at Mason. They both beamed at the reception of their selection. While she kicked off her shoes and tried to ignore their actions, the guys engaged the deadbolt on the door, drew the curtains and double-checked the closures on the windows before joining her.

“Are you tired, doll?” Mason towered over her when he stood next to the bed.

“Not even a little.” Normally, she’d just be getting into the middle of her work day plus she’d slept a ton yesterday as she recovered. “Think you can entertain me for a while?”

“Ready for that skinny dip?” Tyler joined Mason by her knees.

Though she’d scanned the bathroom and the deck on arrival, she hadn’t spotted a hot tub. She hoped Tyler wouldn’t be too disappointed.

“I don’t think there’s a Jacuzzi but we could all try to squeeze in the bathtub and pretend.”

“This room has something better. Come on.” Ty and Mason each reached out a hand to help her to her feet.

Curious, she followed their lead. They headed for the paneled door she’d assumed was a closet. When they got closer she noticed a wood plank about the size of a postcard. One word had been burned into the surface in a fancy script.

Spring

Beneath the board, a tiny green LED shone.

“Looks like we have the place to ourselves. The rest of the guests must be early birds.” Mason and Tyler exchanged a resounding high five.

Lacey replayed their approach to the cabin. She could have sworn this side of the house faced the gravel driveway. There hadn’t been any other structure beyond the slight bump for the bathroom.

“Where does this go?” she wondered aloud.

“Better get those clothes off, little one, before Mason gets impatient and rips them off.” Even as he scolded her, Tyler peeled his charcoal thermal over his head. He tossed it onto the cedar chest at the foot of the bed. When she glanced back, Mason had stripped to the waist as well. The sight of all that golden skin and rippling muscle made her knees weak.

“Careful.” Mason steadied her while Tyler shimmied out of his faded jeans. “Lift up.”

Naked, Tyler nudged her hands until she raised her arms. Then he gripped the hem of her sweater, drawing it free. The crisp air beaded her nipples beneath the thin silk of her bra. He didn’t even try to resist the temptation, bending to surround a hard tip with his mouth through the fabric.

“I bumped the heat up when we first walked in. I’m sure it’ll be more comfortable when we get back to the room.” Mason hadn’t missed their display.

Warm fingers slid beneath her waistband, causing her stomach to clench. Mason chuckled at her reaction as Ty unbuttoned her jeans. Behind her, the thud of his belt hitting the plank floor and Tyler’s sharp inhale made her painfully aware of Mason’s lack of clothing. A memory of the two hard-bodied men grinding against each other drew a moan from her throat.

“You’re so fucking hot, Lacey.” Tyler spread open mouth kisses on her abdomen as he knelt before her to finish ridding her of her clothes. Mason reached around her ribs to cup her swollen breasts, kneading the sensitive mounds for a moment before he unclipped the front clasp of her bra then exposed her chest to Ty.

Strong hands spanned her waist, lifting her the spare inch necessary for Tyler to rid her of her jeans and panties. He placed a tiny kiss on her mound before surging to his feet. “Hurry, Mason, or we won’t make it out of this room.”

“We’re leaving like this?” Lacey thought of herself as adventurous but the idea of strolling around naked in the chilly autumn air didn’t seem conducive to seduction.

Mason turned his back then squatted in front of her. “Hop on.”

“A naked piggy back ride?” she squeaked. “The rumors about you guys seem tame compared to reality.”

“Trust us, little one.” Tyler licked a path down her spine.

The flare of arousal made her jump. He boosted her onto Mason’s back. Instinct forced her arms and legs to entwine around his torso. She whimpered when her nipples rasped against the heated mass of his strong back. Though she tried to stay still, her spread pussy brushed against him. Her forehead thumped into his shoulder blade.

Tyler moved around them to open and hold the door. When Mason carried her into the narrow hallway, she peeked over his shoulder. She saw why he’d picked her up. The floor dropped away in a set of uneven stone stairs that had been worn smooth in most places but sported the occasional pebble. It seemed like a passage into a root cellar or a storm shelter but she had a feeling something a lot more interesting awaited them below ground. As soon as they all passed the threshold, Ty turned to a box on the wall. He flipped a lever from its current setting of
Vacant
to
In Use.

The LED indicators on the sign turned from green to red. Satisfied, he let the door to their cabin shut as the faint click of gears shifting pinged from the passage in front of them. A moment later, a strip of rope lights along the base of the corridor began to illuminate like an expanding runway guiding the way deeper into the space.