Cabin Fever

by Williams, Stephanie

“I know honey, we’re going to take care of that,” Sean said, stroking her face.

  Patrick propped her up and leaned her against his chest and shoulder. Sean sat at the other end of the couch, massaging her leg with the alcohol.

  “Okay, honey, it’s going to be okay.” He applied more pressure.

  “Feel any better?” Patrick stroked her hair.

  “Yeah, it’s feeling better. I can’t believe I did that.”

  “It’s not like you tried to get one.” He chuckled and kissed her forehead. “The important thing is that we were here to help you.”

  The display of tenderness wasn’t new. Although she had never been half-naked and lying on top of one of them before. Sean carefully massaged the charley horse away.

  “How is it now?”

  “Much better. Thanks, guys.”

  “You gave us a little scare there.” Patrick caressed her cheek with the back of his hand.

  “I…I didn’t, mean to. I guess I got carried away in my reenactment.”

  “You have the softest legs. They melt in my hands.” Sean looked up at her and smiled, gaze hooded.

  Sandra was about to melt in his hands. “Re-really?”

  “Uh huh.” He bent over and kissed her calf.

  She tried to sit up, but Patrick grabbed her shoulder and gently brought her back down to his chest. “Relax, Sandy.”

  Sean kissed her ankle, then her calf again. Moving up to her knee, he gently turned her leg and pressed his lips to the back of it.

  When he reached her thigh, the softness of his hair caressed her like a cashmere sweater. She nearly jumped out of her skin. “Sean,” she whispered.

  “Shhh,” Patrick nuzzled her cheek, then her neck. “You need to relax. You had a rough time there.”

  Relax? She wanted to catch her breath. She couldn’t see straight. “Um…I um….”

  “Mmm, you smell nice. Is that the perfume I bought you for Christmas last year?” Patrick inhaled deeply. He gently nipped and licked her earlobe.

  “Yes. Okay, guys, thanks for the help. My leg is better, really.” She tried to sit up again.

  “You need to calm down.” Sean returned to massaging her leg. “Why so jumpy?”

  Why so…? She was basically getting her freak on, as Rhonda would put it.

  She lay against one man, who kissed her face from eyelids to lips, while another made love to her leg.

  This wasn’t supposed to happen.

  Granted, she’d spent a lot of time fantasizing. But the reality was, these were her pals. No matter how horny they were, she couldn’t let it go any further.

  Sean caressed and kissed her thigh some more. It was more of a sensuous massage than one to relieve a charley horse, and this time he swirled his tongue.

  Oh God, she was gonna come right then and there. “Sean, please!”

  Her pleas fell on deaf ears. Patrick’s mouth found her earlobe again and this time he sucked on the tender flesh.

  “Patrick,” she squeaked. “Patrick!”

  “Hmm, you want more?”

  “Please!”

  “Okay, baby.” He continued. She was amazed at how turned on she got. And when did her earlobe become an erogenous zone?

  “I mean no. Stop! Both of you!”

  She slid out of Patrick’s grip, nearly kneeing Sean in the jaw, and tumbled onto the floor. She began to say something, but noticed their eyes focusing downward. She felt a slight breeze, then realized why. She was naked from the waist down, except for a pair of red panties. Lace. Red, see-through lace.

  Where were her pants? “It’s been a long day, I’m tired from skiing, and I want to rest and recover from this cramp. I just want to grab something to eat and go to bed, okay?”

  The men exchanged a glance of unspoken understanding. It’d been like that for the past few weeks.

  “I’ll bring your dinner up,” Patrick waved her away. “Go on and prepare for bed.”

  Spying her pants, she grabbed them off the floor and limped upstairs. When she opened the door to her room, she couldn’t believe her eyes.

  “Sean! Patrick!”

  ***

  “I take it from her outburst, you did her room while we were out?” Patrick said.

  “I did. You have good taste, my friend.”

  “Thanks. Now, what’s your assessment of the situation?”

  Sean rubbed his chin and placed a bowl of clam chowder on the counter. “I’m not sure. In spite of the many women I’ve dated, I still can’t figure them out.”

  “God made it that way. So work with what you can. What do you think?” Patrick retrieved another bowl and helped himself to some chowder.

  “It’s obvious she was turned on. If she weren’t, she would have slapped us both and told us to cut it out.”

  “Earth to Sean. She did tell us to stop.”

  “You know what I mean. She would have been indignant about it, maybe disgusted. She didn’t show any signs of that.”

  Patrick scratched the back of his head. “Well, you got me there. But being turned on by two men rubbing your leg does not a ménage à trois make. So what’s our next step?”

  “Explaining that room from the sound of it.” Sean chuckled, as he put the last of the meal together and handed Patrick the bed tray. “Take it to her.” He smiled.

  “Great. Feed me to the lioness.”

  ***

  Sandra paced around her bedroom. At least, she thought it was her bedroom. She peeked out the door and looked down the hall. Yep, she was in the right room. But now it looked more like a sultan’s retreat. Red velvet drapes, ostrich feathers, incense, soft music. Everything one needed for a…. Oh no.

  She plopped on the edge of the bed and noticed changes there, too—red satin sheets and comforter.

  My God. No. They couldn’t be thinking…. No, she wasn’t going to go there. She couldn’t go there.

  She went to the bathroom. That had been redone, too. Roses, bath oils, salts, and a bottle of wine transformed the space.

  “I can’t, it’s not proper.” She sat on the edge of the tub and ran her hands through the warm, scented water.

  But why can’t I?

  She never in a million years would have thought of a ménage or a threesome on her own. But after reading that article, she’d had all kinds of fantasies about being with two men. Sean and Patrick being the men in every scenario. What straight woman wouldn’t think of those two?

  Her body had given her away downstairs. She’d gotten soaked and been ready to come the second they touched her.

  She stood and wrapped her arms around herself. She had to think about this. This wasn’t deciding to date and sleep with her best friend. This was deciding to date and sleep with her best friends.

  ***

  Patrick approached Sandra’s bedroom, knocked on the door, and waited. After what seemed like a lifetime, she opened it.

  “Your dinner.” He held up the tray.

  “Oh. Thanks. Come on in.” Sandra pointed to a large table in the corner.

  “Sandra….”

  “No, not now. I have to think. We’ll talk tomorrow.”

  “Okay, but, Sean and I both love you. We want to make you happy any way we can. We only want what’s best for you. If this scares you, tell us.”

  “I realize you’re sincere. And knowing Sean, the feeling is mutual there, too. I need to think, okay?”

  Patrick went to kiss her on the cheek. She backed up a bit, then stopped when he took her by the chin. “Never be afraid of me. Okay?”

  “All right. Thanks and good night. Tell Sean I like the room.”

  “I will. I helped pick most of the stuff, by the way. We kinda snuck it in the car.”

  “Really?” Her face registered her surprise.

  He winked at her and returned to the kitchen.

  “Well?” Sean wiped his hands on a dishtowel, then tossed it on the counter.

  “She’s thinking it over.”

  “Great.”

 
“Love your optimism,” Patrick said.

  “The fact that she’s thinking it over means she wants to. She’s conflicted.”

  “I hope we’re not making a mistake.” He threw his hands up.

  “You mean our friendship.” Sean nodded. “Like you said, we’ve known each other since high school. We’ve known Sandra for seven years. And we both love her. I think it’s safe to explore other avenues of our relationship.”

  “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.

  Chapter Eleven
>
  “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.”