by Lynn LaFleur
“Here they come,” Patrick said to Jake.
“I’m impressed. They were only gone thirty-five minutes. I expected them to be gone twice that long.”
“Hi,” Amanda said as she slid back onto her chair. “See, that didn’t take long.”
“Long enough for you to buy something.” Jake motioned toward the plastic bag she laid on the table. “What’s in the sack?”
She turned an impish grin toward Patrick. “Three calendars.”
Groaning, Patrick lowered his head. “I was afraid you’d see those.”
“What calendars?” Jake asked.
“It wasn’t my idea,” Patrick explained to his cousin. “Three of my assistant managers ganged up on me and convinced me to do it.”
“Three female assistant managers?” Amanda asked.
“Yeah.” Patrick had a hard time saying no to one of his assistants. When all three urged him to get some of his employees to pose for the calendar, he couldn’t possibly refuse. “The guys were good sports about it, and it’s brought in a lot of money for the volunteer fire department.”
Amanda drew one out of her sack and handed it to Jake. “How’s that for hot?”
Jake released a long whistle. “Damn, Pat, you’re really close to showing the dangly bits.”
Patrick knew his cousin would tease him about posing. That was why he hadn’t mentioned it. He’d hoped to make it through Jake’s visit without Jake seeing the calendar. No such luck.
A forty-something woman walking by stopped in her tracks behind Jake. “Where did you get that calendar?”
“I bought it in the gift shop,” Amanda said.
“Are there more?”
Amanda nodded. “The clerk was restocking when I left.”
She laughed as the woman scampered away. “You’re a hit, Patrick.”
“Speaking of hits,” Jake said, “how many women hit on you because of this?” He turned the calendar so Patrick could see the cover.
“Too many.” He pushed his chair back from the table. “Ready to see the resort?”
“I’d call that a change of subject,” Jake said to Amanda. “Wouldn’t you?”
“Absolutely.”
“Okay, enough with the teasing. I need to grab my jacket from my office. Ladies, you can put your sacks in there so you don’t have to carry them.”
Patrick held Tera’s chair as she stood. He noticed she hadn’t made any comments about the calendar. “You okay?” he asked softly next to her ear.
“Sure. I figured Amanda and Jake did a good job of teasing you. I didn’t need to add to it.”
“I appreciate your restraint.”
“It wasn’t easy, believe me.” Reaching inside her sack, she pulled out a red knit cap. “Got my hat, just as you suggested.”
“Good girl. Did you dress in layers?”
“Yep. I have a thermal shirt under my sweatshirt.”
“You’re already thinking like a Colorado gal.”
“No way. I’m a Florida gal to the core. That isn’t going to change.”
She turned and followed Jake and Amanda from the restaurant. Her simple statement about being a Florida gal shouldn’t make him feel as if someone had kicked him in the stomach.
Patrick remembered a conversation he and Jake had two years ago the morning Jake mentioned the ménage with Amanda. Jake had teased him about Ms. Right showing up at his lodge and being from Florida.
He wasn’t aware his cousin could foresee the future.
His mind still deep in thought, Patrick followed the threesome toward his office. He didn’t know how he should feel when Ms. Right came along, but he did know he wanted more time with Tera than only two days.
Somehow, he had to convince her to stay past Monday.
Chapter Eight
Tera couldn’t help but be impressed by everything Patrick had accomplished in such a short time. Dennison Resort sprawled over acres and acres, with stores and shops to please everyone. A quick look inside the stores wasn’t nearly enough. She and Amanda made a pact to go back when they could shop without the guys.
Patrick treated them to pizza for lunch at one of the six eating places in the resort. Railway Pizza was charmingly decorated with model trains and posters of locomotives and cabooses on the walls. Their drinks were served in large glass mugs that looked like conductors’ caps. The pizza turned out to be one of the best Tera had ever tasted, generously topped with sausage, pepperoni, onion, green pepper and mushrooms.
He ended their tour just before sunset by taking them to the top of the mountain on a ski lift. The sun played peek-a-boo through wispy clouds, turning the sky gold and orange and red. Tera stood with her hands in the pockets of her jacket and absorbed the beautiful sight before her, barely breathing so she wouldn’t disturb the scene.
A gentle squeeze of her shoulders preceded Patrick’s words. “Like the view?”
She looked over her shoulder into his smiling face. She’d done her best to keep her distance after seeing him on the cover of that calendar and witnessing women’s reactions to it. He had no reason to ever settle for one dish when he could have a smorgasbord.
Now she realized how silly it was for her to deny herself the pleasure of his company. Tera wasn’t ready to risk her heart on love yet. When that day arrived, she hoped to find a man as kind, generous, funny and amazing in bed as Patrick.
Until then, she had tonight and all of tomorrow to enjoy him and his body.
She returned his smile. “It’s magnificent.”
Her answer seemed to please him. His smile widened. “I’m glad you like it.”
“I like it too,” Amanda said, “but I’m freezing! It must be fifty below zero up here.”
“Nah, not that cold.” Patrick lifted his head, as if testing the temperature with his nose. “It’s probably about ten.”
“Close enough. I vote for an Irish coffee in the bar.”
“I’ll second that,” Jake said.
“I didn’t know Texans were wimps.”
“I was born in San Diego, just like you, cuz. And I’m not cold.” Jake grinned. “I just want the Irish coffee.”
“I’ll third that,” Tera agreed with a nod.
“Irish coffees all around. If you’d had your skiing lesson already, we could’ve skied down instead of riding the lift.”
“I doubt if one lesson will make me good enough to ski down this mountain.” Amanda looked over the edge and shivered. “And I might change my mind about that lesson. I think I’d rather shop instead.”
“What about you?” Patrick asked Tera. “You gonna chicken out of your lesson tomorrow too?”
Tera nodded. “I agree with Amanda. Shopping sounds better than skiing.”
“I want to check out Hannah’s Boutique,” Amanda said.
“Oooh yeah, she had some really cute tops in the window.”
“Did you see those silver and gold cowl-neck tops?”
“They’d be perfect for us—the silver for you, the gold for me.”
Shaking his head, Jake looked at Patrick and released an exaggerated sigh. “Women.”
Amanda patted his cheek. “You couldn’t live without us and you know it.”
“Nor would I want to.”
The sun disappeared behind the mountain, taking the last of its warmth with it. That Irish coffee sounded like a really good idea to Tera. She took Patrick’s arm. “I really need something to warm me up.”
Patrick’s eyes narrowed, his gaze turned sultry. “I have some ideas.”
So did Tera. Making love with Patrick would warm her up far better than alcohol-laced coffee. She leaned closer so Amanda and Jake wouldn’t hear her. “Hold that thought, okay?”
He winked. “Okay.”
Amanda and Jake caught the first lift chair down, Tera and Patrick the second. Tera watched Amanda tilt her head on Jake’s shoulder and accept his lengthy kiss. Warmth spread through her chest and belly at the romantic sight.
Patrick slipped his arm
around her shoulders. “That kiss looks like a good idea.”
“To me too.”
“Well, then…” He leaned closer, pressed his lips against hers.
His lips were cool at first but quickly warmed as he slid them over hers. He didn’t use his tongue. He didn’t deepen the kiss in any way. He simply explored.
Tera sighed. How delicious.
Much sooner than she liked, Patrick ended the kiss. He brushed her cheek with his thumb. “I think we need a lot more of those.”
She nodded since she didn’t think her voice would work yet.
“My suite after dinner?”
There would be a surprise foursome for Patrick in his suite after dinner, which would include a lot of kissing, along with a lot of everything. Tera nodded again, unwilling to say anything and spoil Patrick’s gift. First they’d have dinner, then the surprise birthday party the resort employees were throwing for Patrick. After that, the rest of the evening would involve naked bodies and a lot of sex.
Tera could hardly wait.
* * * * *
Patrick caught himself before his mouth dropped open when he saw Amanda and Tera walking toward him and Jake in the bar. He had showered and changed clothes after their long day of exploring, and Jake had told him he and Amanda planned to do the same before dinner. He offered to share his shower with Tera again. She still refused, damn it.
Jake had joined him in the bar a few minutes ago, stating he’d been thrown out of his suite before Amanda dressed. She and Tera had made a side trip to Hannah’s Boutique after they came off the mountain. They wanted to surprise the guys with their purchases.
Patrick approved one hundred percent of their purchases.
They wore the sleeveless cowl-neck tops that had been in the window—Tera in gold, Amanda in silver. The slinky tops showed off their curves, as did the black slacks both women wore along with black high-heeled sandals.
He couldn't possibly pick which one looked sexier or more beautiful.
Patrick nudged his cousin, jerked his head toward the ladies. Jake’s mouth did drop open before he scampered to his feet.
“Wow.” Jake’s gaze passed over Amanda’s body. “You look gorgeous.”
“Thank you,” Amanda said, tilting her face to accept her husband’s kiss on the cheek.
Patrick slid his hand down Tera’s back to her waist. “So do you,” he whispered in her ear.
Smiling, she touched his cheek with her palm. “I’m glad you think so.”
He waited until Tera had sat before he returned to his chair. “Would you ladies like a drink before dinner?”
“How about if we get a drink with dinner?” Amanda asked. “I’m really hungry.”
“Sure. A table is being held for us in the steakhouse, so we can eat at any time.”
“I vote for now.”
Patrick led the way to the restaurant, Tera’s hand firmly clasped in his. Ever since he’d kissed her on the ski lift, he’d thought about tonight when he’d hold her in his arms again. Jake hadn’t mentioned the foursome all day, so Patrick assumed Tera had decided against it. That was fine with Patrick. While it would be hot, he’d be happy to spend the entire night alone with Tera.
His head maître d’, Sullivan, greeted them when they walked into the restaurant. “Good evening, Patrick. Sir. Ladies. Right this way, please.”
Patrick surveyed the restaurant as they followed the maître d’ to their table by the fireplace. Sullivan had come up with the idea to change out the color scheme each day to give the guests a different setting should they dine in the steakhouse more than once during their stay. Tonight black and white graced the tables. White pillar candles in glass holders sat in the middle of each table. Black napkins alternated with white ones at each place setting. The crystal water and wineglasses sparkled, the silverware shone. Sullivan made sure everything was always perfect. Reservations weren’t required in the steakhouse, but strongly recommended since there was often a long wait for a table. The ambience, plus Davis’ excellent cooking, resulted in more people dining here.
Patrick made a mental note to up the raise he planned to give Sullivan next month.
Sullivan handed each of them a menu. “Would you like a cocktail or wine before dining?”
“I think we should have champagne.” Amanda smiled at Patrick. “To toast your birthday.”
He didn’t think anyone had remembered his birthday since no one had said anything about it. He figured Amanda would take every opportunity to tease him about turning thirty, yet she hadn’t cracked a joke today.
Sullivan beamed. “An excellent suggestion. I’ll be right back with our finest bottle.”
Amanda touched the back of Patrick’s hand. “You thought we forgot, didn’t you?”
“Well, yeah.”
“I could never forget your birthday.” She leaned closer and kissed his cheek. “We have a present for you later.”
Patrick looked from Amanda to Jake to Tera and back to Amanda. “All of you?”
Amanda nodded. “Something we think you’ll really like.”
“Do I get a hint?”
“Nope.”
Patrick looked at Jake again. His cousin winked.
His present must be the foursome. Blood rushed to his cock at the mental picture of both Tera and Amanda naked, making him thankful he sat beneath a tablecloth that hid his condition.
Sullivan returned with the champagne in a silver bucket and four crystal flutes. He opened the bottle with a flourish, the same way he did everything. Patrick often thought the fifty-something gentleman should have been an actor on Broadway.
Once the sparkling liquid had been poured, Sullivan wished them a good evening and skittered away. Jake lifted his glass first. “To my cousin. Here’s hoping every birthday gets better and better.”
“I’ll drink to that.” Patrick sipped the cold wine. It flowed over his tongue and slid down his throat to warm his stomach. “Wow, that’s good.”
“Didn’t know you served such good stuff, huh?” Jake asked with a grin.
“I don’t normally drink champagne, but I make sure to have the best on hand.”
“Everything in your resort has been the best, as far as I’ve seen.” Tera smiled at him. “It really is a magnificent place, Patrick.”
It pleased him for Tera to think so. Patrick had built his resort with the best money could buy. He’d wanted everything to be first class for his guests. His resort was not as expensive as some of the others in the country, but a person could easily drop a couple thousand dollars over a weekend. That was why he’d insisted on the best of everything, from furnishings in the rooms, to food, to stores and shops.
“My offer still stands. Be my manager and you can enjoy this all the time.” Slipping off one shoe, Patrick ran his sock-covered foot up Tera’s calf. “I promise to make it worth your while.”
He jerked when he felt Tera’s toes press against his fly. She gave him a wicked smile. “Your offer is very tempting.”
She wiggled her toes. Patrick’s cock went on full alert. The harder it got, the more sexy her smile. He couldn’t possibly hide what her touch did to him. “What do I need to do to get you to say yes?”
“I’ll think about it.” Calmly—as if she wasn’t driving his blood pressure to dangerous levels—she opened her menu. “What do you recommend?”
You naked, up against the wall, with me fucking you hard. “Everything is delicious. Davis’ nightly chef’s special is always a good choice.”
“It does sound good,” Amanda said. “Pork tenderloin in Asian sauce with red-skinned roasted potatoes and steamed vegetables.”
“It’s excellent,” Patrick said, amazed his voice sounded normal with Tera’s toes dancing over his balls. “I asked Davis to prepare it tonight because I thought you and Tera would enjoy it.”
“Works for me.” Amanda closed her menu, looked at Jake. “What are you having?”
“That sirloin last night was mighty fine. I wouldn’t m
ind another steak. Wait, there’s prime rib on Saturday nights.” Jake closed his menu. “That’s what I want.”
“With or without the lobster tail?” Patrick asked.
Jake’s eyes widened in pleasure. “You have lobster tail? In Colorado?”
“I have lobsters flown in from New England. Davis serves them Fridays and Saturdays.”
“You really do go all out for your guests, don’t you?”
“It’s important to me for everyone to be satisfied. Happy guests are repeat guests.”
“This guest needs the ladies’ room,” Amanda said. “Tera, want to go with me?”
“Sure.” She swiped her toes up Patrick’s cock before she rose from her chair, gave him a saucy smile. “Be right back.”
“Do you want me to order for you?”
“Please. I’ll have the chef’s special too.”
Jake turned and watched Amanda and Tera walk toward the ladies’ room. Grinning, he faced Patrick again. “Damn, those are two fine asses.”
“They certainly are.” Patrick drained his flute, set it on the table. “So the foursome is on?”
“Yeah. I don’t know any details. Amanda has something planned but wouldn’t tell me what it is.”
“She probably figured you’d tell me.”
“She’s a smart lady.”
Patrick splashed more champagne into his glass. “Tera agreed to it?”
“Amanda said she did.” Jake shifted in his chair. “And we need to change the subject or I’m gonna get a boner.”
“You have to have one if I do. Tera’s been playing footsie with my dick ever since we sat down.”
Jake laughed out loud. “Keeping you all riled up?”
“And then some.”
He saw the ladies returning to the table as the waiter arrived to take their order. Patrick placed it for everyone, including a bottle of Zinfandel with the meal. He divided the rest of the champagne between everyone at the table and sat back in his chair, relaxed and content.
He didn’t stay relaxed for long. Tera’s toes began their journey over his fly again. Instead of trying to stop her, Patrick spread his legs wider and slouched a bit in his chair, giving her plenty of room to explore. She looked at him with narrowed eyes, licked her upper lip. The lady was having entirely too much fun keeping his hormones in an uproar.
