by Jacob Chance
The four of us silently walk to the door, avoiding eye contact. Once inside, Adam locks up, then struts by the rest of us whistling “Sexual Healing”. I bust into giggles, and his deep chuckle follows. I still think he’s a bed-hopping, bad cliche, but we seem to be in agreement on finding this situation amusing.
“I’m turning in now. Thank you for taking us out,” I address both the guys. I wink at Vi and head for the staircase as she and Larsen call out, “goodnight.”
“I’ll walk you up.” Adam catches up to me and pauses. “You first.”
Moving to the bottom step, I peek over my shoulder. “You should just admit you want to check out my ass.”
“Of course I do. Was that ever in question?” He grins, a deep dimple I never noticed dipping into one of his cheeks.
My stomach whirls. Jesus. He’s a perfect physical specimen.
Is there anything he doesn’t have? Fingers crossed he has a small dick. That would be some poetic justice. But I know it’s not very likely with the number of women chasing after him. Unless his tongue game is strong enough to make up for a micro dick. My eyes run over his frame, pausing midway. Physically, he’s definitely not lacking in any department.
Facing forward, I hurry up the stairs, scolding myself. I must keep my thoughts PG when it comes to Mr. Manfax. He’s the typical bad boy heartbreaker. Everything about him is a red flag.
I swear I can feel his eyes burning into my ass, like he has heat vision. Or maybe it’s X-ray vision.
Can he see through my shorts?
Nothing would surprise me when it comes to this guy.
Once I reach the hallway, I expect Adam to head toward his room, but he sticks with me like he’s glued to my back. In fact, he even reaches past me, opening my door.
“Thank you,” I murmur. Stepping inside, I spin around, placing my hands on either side of the wooden jamb, blocking his pathway. “Did you need something?” I ask and then want to kick my own shin for setting myself up.
He smirks. “I was going to offer to help you get into your pajamas, but I’d rather get you out of them.”
“Who says I wear pj’s?” I tease, slowly licking my lips.
His eyes lock on my mouth, his Adam’s apple bobbing when he swallows. The tan, muscular column of his neck distracts me. And I have a weak moment when I wonder if it tastes salty. What would his stubble feel like against my tongue?
Stepping closer, he crowds me, snapping me out of my ridiculous line of thinking. I don’t budge. I refuse to back down. Men like Adam will take a mile if you give an inch.
I’m not some sweet, young virgin he can charm the panties off of. Not in this lifetime anyway. I charm the boxers off of grown men whenever I want to. That’s the way it is. That’s the way it’s going to stay.
Unfortunately for him, I want nothing but a platonic acquaintance. His boxers are completely safe.
“Sure you don’t want some company? This big house gets kind of creepy at night. And black bears are known to be in this area.”
Clucking my tongue, I say, “We both know the only thing that presents a danger to me in this place is you, and I’m not scared.”
“Maybe you should be.” His deep husk rumbles, traveling through me, like a head to toe caress.
“Maybe you should be thanking me for saying no,” I retort.
“Why would I do that?”
“Because I’m saving you from falling for me.”
He chuckles. “Rocky, I don’t fall for anyone. That’s what makes the idea of you and me so perfect. It’s only a night or two of unlimited orgasms.”
“Sorry. You’re Rex’s brother and he’s in love with my best friend.”
“Why does that matter?”
“Because I don’t want to be reminded of a bad decision every time I see you for the rest of my life.”
“You’d never remember me as anything but the best decision you ever made.” His chest puffs up with arrogance.
“But that’s the thing you’re missing.” I pat one of his thick pecs. “I don’t want to remember you at all.” Stepping backward, I smile. Quickly closing the door in his face, I flip the lock in place.
His throaty chuckle resonates as he walks away.
Turning, I lean back against the wooden surface. Phew. That was harder than I expected.
As much as Adam annoys me, I can admit that he’s sexy as fuck, and for a second or two I was slightly tempted to see exactly how many orgasms he could give me.
“It’s so beautiful here. I wish we had more time,” Violet sighs as the three of us walk along the dirt path. “I’m not gonna want to leave tomorrow.”
“Does the youngest Winters brother have anything to do with your desire to stay?” Danika questions.
“Ya think?” I droll. “They were all over each other like teenagers on the way home last night.”
Violet’s cheeks pinken up. “I didn't plan on that happening.” She shrugs. “Once our lips met, we couldn’t seem to part them.”
I snort skeptically. “Sure.” I don’t think I’ve ever experienced a kiss that I couldn’t end. It must be Vi’s lack of experience showing.
“Really,” Vi continues. “I’ve kissed enough frogs to appreciate kissing a prince.”
“Oh, God.” I hold up a hand to stop her from saying more. “You’re calling him a prince? This is even worse than I thought.”
“I’m not sure I’d describe any of the Winters brothers as princes, and I’m in love with one.” Danika keeps it real.
“Let me rephrase my words. Kissing Larsen was hotter than any sex I’ve ever had,” Vi confesses.
“Did you guys fuck?” I ask.
Vi gasps. “Rox. You’re so blunt.”
I place my hand on my chest. “Oh, I’m sorry. Let me be more gentle about this. Did your genitals come into contact with his at any time last night?”
“Not without clothes between us. But damn…” She fans her now fuschia cheeks.
“You should’ve gone for it already,” Danika jumps in.
“I can't believe you're telling me this. I’d expect it of Roxanne.”
“I guess I’m beginning to see that if you want to have fun, you have to jump at the opportunities that life presents.”
I nod. “I agree wholeheartedly. Never mind seize the day—seize the dick.” I laugh at my own joke and Danika joins me.
“You guys,” Vi squeals. “Be serious.”
“I know what I said sounded funny, but I meant it. You should screw his brains out tonight.”
“I agree. As long as you don’t go into the sex expecting it to be more. Larsen is really busy with his work, and I’ve never seen him with a girlfriend. Or even a female companion.” Absentmindedly, she waves her left hand.The sun catches on the fat diamond on her ring finger. “Granted, Rex and I haven’t been together that long.”
“Long enough to get engaged, though, huh?” I say, sounding saltier than I mean to. Dani stops walking and so do we.
Vi’s gaze goes to Dani’s hand. “Holy shit. You’re engaged?” she shrieks. “When were you planning on telling us?”
“I don’t know. I guess I was waiting for the right time.”
“There is no wrong time to share your news with us,” I remind her. “Give me a hug before I decide to smack you instead.” I squeeze Dani tightly. When I step back, I briefly catch hold of her hand, studying the beautiful ring now residing there and smile with happiness. “He did great.”
“He really did.” She beams.
Violet wraps her lean arms around Dani. “I’m so happy for you. When’s the big day?”
“Not sure yet. Rex doesn’t seem to want to wait too long.”
“I bet. He knows you’re a catch.” I smirk.
“Let’s get back on the trail. If I’m getting married, I need to be in top shape.”
“Pfft, you already are.” My eyes scan Dani’s lean, well-muscled legs. “You need to give me enough notice so I can squeeze into a dress.”
“Are you kidding? You guys are going to be my maids of honor.”
“We are?” Vi asks.
“I guess I should ask you first.” Dani looks sheepish. “Will you guys both be my maids of honor?”
I roll my eyes and playfully shove her arm. “Like you could stop us.”
“Right?” Vi replies. “I can’t wait to go dress shopping.”
“Don’t make plans yet. Rex and I haven’t even discussed details. For all I know, we could be going to a justice of the peace.”
“That would be cruel.” Vi pouts. “I’ve never been a maid of honor before. The least you can do is make it fancy dress worthy.”
“Yeah, because her wedding should be all about you,” I retort.
“It’s just that I don’t have any sisters, so you two are my only hope,” Vi justifies.
“Don’t pin your hopes on me, because I’m not really sure I want a ‘fancy dress’ wedding. I already had one of those and it didn’t help my first marriage last.”
“You do whatever you want to, and Violet and I are on board for whatever you need. Whether it’s ordering the right beer for a wedding reception barbecue-style or helping you choose flowers for the church.” I aim my gaze to Vi, and she nods her agreement.
“Hey, a wedding barbecue doesn’t sound like a bad idea,” Dani states. “I’ll add it to the list of possibilities as soon as Rex and I start one. Now, let’s get moving for real before my new fiancé thinks we’re lost in the woods somewhere.”
“Talking and walking might be beyond my level of athleticism,” Vi jokes. “This is uneven terrain. I pretty much trip daily on the sidewalk outside of my work.”
We all laugh because it’s true. We’ve witnessed Violet’s lack of coordination firsthand.
“We know running and catching a softball is,” I poke.
“You’re mean for bringing that up. It was a long time ago,” Violet whines. “I don’t know how I let you guys talk me into joining an adult softball team.”
“I’m pretty sure it had something to do with it being a co-ed team,” I offer.
“Oh, those were good times,” Danika reminisces. “And how could we ever forget that jewel of a night?” Danika jogs ahead of us looking up at the sky. “I’ve got it,” she yells, pretending she’s waiting to catch a fly ball. “Unh,” she grunts before dramatically falling to the ground, covering her right eye. “I’m hit. I’m hit,” she cries.
I fall on top of her, peals of laughter erupting from my lips. Vi pounces on us seconds later as she gives in to her own fit of giggles.
Our stomachs hurt and tears blur our vision by the time we’ve settled down. Lying on our backs on the ground, staring up at the blue sky, none of us have a care in the world. Not even about whatever creepy crawly things could be making their way onto our skin. Spent from all the laughter, I feel a little weak and in no rush to move.
We hear rustling in the woods nearby, as if someone’s coming.
“Rex, is that you?” Danika calls out. The three of us sit up and quickly get to our feet when there’s no answer. Twigs and leaves snap, and whatever’s on the other side of the brush sounds large and it’s coming toward us.
“What the fuck is it?” Vi sounds panicked.
“Shh.” Dani puts her finger in front of her mouth. She tips her head, signaling to follow her. Carefully, we move away from the sound, doing our best to be quiet, but rocks and leaves still kick up under our feet.
We hear a loud huff of breath behind us and collectively freeze in place. Dani slowly turns her head to see what’s coming, and her eyes bulge with fear. “It’s a bear,” she whispers.
Oh, fuck.
He huffs again. I imagine him tossing his head and sniffing out our scents.
“Run. Now,” Dani quietly orders. Violet is frozen with fear, her eyes open wider than I’ve ever seen them. Grabbing hold of her forearm, I yank her along with me as I run behind Dani.
From the racket behind us, I’d say the bear is hot on our tails. As scared as I am, I hang on to Violet and my composure and focus on running.
Dani stops at a grouping of large boulders. The flat front makes for a smooth surface and the way up is to hoist yourself up. We watch Dani go first. Violet sobs, saying, “I can’t get up there. It’s too high.”
“You can and you will,” I state matter-of-factly. She has no choice—unless getting mauled by a bear is an option.
“I’m going to get on my hands and knees and you're gonna use my back as a step. Dani will help you the rest of the way.” I don’t wait for confirmation from her before lowering to the ground. “Okay. Let’s do this.”
The sole of her sneaker lands on my back and then I feel pressure urging me downward as she shifts her weight to one foot, boosting herself. I fight the urge to bend my elbows or fall face-first in the dirt. Vi’s not very big, but I’m hot, hungry, and tiny pebbles beneath me are digging into my legs.
“Grab my hands, Vi,” Dani directs. Once I feel her weight leave my back, I scramble to my feet and help raise her the rest of the way.
Now it’s my turn. Brushing my hands on my shorts, I clear them of debris. It takes all my upper body strength to get my torso to clear the top of the boulder and then it’s a matter of swinging my legs up.
Dani points to a tree directly next to the rock. “We’re going to lift Vi up onto this first branch and then I’m going to get up on that second branch. And then you’re going to climb up too.”
“Are you sure this is necessary? It seems like overkill, unless the bear is overly ambitious.”
“I’m not sure if this plan will work or not, but we can’t waste time arguing over bear motivation levels. Even though we’re off the ground, I’m not confident it’s high enough to avoid a swiping bear paw or a bear standing on its hind legs,” Dani explains.
“Good point.”
Dani places her hand on Violet’s shoulder. “Reach for the branch. We’ll raise you until you can grab on. After that, you’ll have to swing your lower body up.”
“No way. I’m clumsy with solid footing, never mind suspended from a tree.” Vi’s reply is panicked, and there’s a glassy sheen to her eyes. I know she’s scared, but we can’t take a chance with our safety.
“We’ve got you.” I squeeze her other shoulder before Dani and I each grab one of her legs, lifting her. She cries out before she wraps her hands around the tree limb. We continue to assist her until she’s out of our reach. Seconds later, she’s straddling the branch and hugging the tree with her eyes squeezed shut. She’s terrified of heights and it shows.
“Pretend the tree is Larsen and you're climbing him.” I try to inject a little humor, but it falls on deaf ears.
“Okay, my turn.” Dani athletically leaps, catching hold of the limb above her head. Swinging like a gymnast on the uneven bars, she climbs onto the shaky perch. Rising to her full height, she reaches for the higher branch. Standing on her tiptoes, she drags herself upward. Once she’s safely situated, I hear the bear approaching once more, his mammoth size bulldozing over anything in his path.
“Get a move on, Rox,” Dani rushes the words out. I know she can see him, and I need to get my ass in gear.
I bounce on my toes a few times for momentum before I jump. My hands grip the rough bark as I somehow successfully perform the first pull-up of my life.
The bear roars below us, and I shriek. His knife-like claws scrape against the rocks I just left, and thank fuck he can’t find a way to get on top of the smooth surface.
Once I’m safely straddling the branch next to Violet, I exhale a long, relieved sigh. Soothingly, I rub her back. “We’re safe for now.”
8
Adam
A shadow appears, blocking the sun. Opening my eyes, I find Rex standing in front of the chaise lounge I’m lying on. “Hey, the girls left hours ago, and I’m starting to wonder if they got lost.”
I sit up. “Did they say how long they’d be gone for?”
He shakes his head. “Dani said t
hey were going for a walk on the trail. I don’t think they planned to be gone through lunchtime.”
“Probably not. Do you want to go look for them?”
“I think I’d better,” he replies.
Swinging my legs to the side of the chaise, I rise. “Let me throw on some clothes, and I’ll go with you. Why don’t you find Larsen and fill him in on where we’ll be. He can stay here, in case we run into trouble.”
“Our phones won’t work on the trail.”
“I know. But if we don’t come back, he can send help, at least.”
Rex grimaces. He obviously hadn’t given much thought to the fact that one or all of them could be injured and that’s why they haven’t returned.
After I’ve dressed in cargo shorts, a t-shirt, sneakers, and copious amounts of bug spray, we head to the trail bordering our property. It’s not an actual trail so much as it’s one we’ve made by doing a lot of exploring since we purchased the land.
Rex tugs the backpack higher on his shoulder with one hand while he carries his hunting rifle in the other. I’m guessing he brought all the supplies he could possibly fit in the bag. I can tell he’s worried by the pinched skin between his eyebrows.
I pick up the other hunting rifle and grab my worn Patriots cap from the hook on the mud room wall, tugging it low on my forehead. “Let’s do this.”
The first part of the trail is fairly open and easy to navigate, we can see the footprints the girls left behind. As we travel deeper into the woods, the trees become more plentiful and the brush grows thicker. Thorns and branches repeatedly scratch my calves. I barely feel the sting, all my attention is zeroed in on looking for any sign of the missing women.
Rex and I remain silent, listening for any shouts for help. We come across a muddy section of the path and find more footprints confirming we’re going the right way.
After another fifteen minutes or so, Rex sighs long and loud.
“What’s wrong?” I ask.
“I didn't think they’d explore this far. Roxanne and Vi don’t really strike me as the outdoorsy types.”
“Yeah, me either. But you know how women are when they get together. They probably got busy talking and lost track of time.”
