Cabin Fever

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Cabin Fever

Copyright © 2013 by Stephanie Williams

ISBN: 978-1-61333-549-9

Cover art by LFD Designs

All rights reserved. Except for use in any review, the reproduction or utilization of this work, in whole or in part, in any form by any electronic, mechanical or other means now known or hereafter invented, is forbidden without the written permission of the publisher.

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Cabin Fever

By

Stephanie Williams

~DEDICATION~

To those that just wonder what it would be like. *WINK WINK*

“So, what do you guys want to do for lunch?” Sandra asked, while applying her lipstick.

You
. Sean glanced over at his buddy Patrick whose face mirrored the same sentiment.

“How about that new place up the street, The Soup Bowl?” Patrick stretched out his legs as he leaned against her credenza.

“Great, I don’t want anything heavy today.”

“Oh gee, that means I can’t lie on top of you,” Sean half joked.

“Stop that, and not so loud.” She batted her hand at them and shook her head. “You two need to behave. Office gossip. They already think there’s some torrid love affair between me and one of you.”

“Really?” Patrick sauntered over. “Which one of us?”

“Either. Take your pick. Doesn’t matter anyway, ’cause it will never happen. But why put ideas in people’s heads?” Sandra asked. “They’re teasing, of course. But you know how it is. The girls give me a thumbs-up or a high-five when I tell them I have to go meet one of you guys somewhere.” Sandra put the rest of her make-up back in her purse and grabbed her jacket from the back of her chair.

“I see.” Patrick crossed his arms.

“I didn’t mention it to worry you. It’s girls teasing.”

“Oh, I wasn’t mad or anything. Only…curious.” Patrick cocked his head toward the door. “Come on, Sean.”

“Let’s go pull the car to the front.” Sean checked his watch. “We’ll see you downstairs in five, Sandra.”

“Okay.”

When they reached the elevator lobby, the laughter of the women echoed from the gym.

“So, I see we’re not the only ones thinking a ménage arrangement.” Patrick pressed the down button.

The same thing had crossed Sean’s mind over and over. But they had to approach this with caution. “Sandra only mentioned in passing that the girls tease her about dating
one
of us.”

“Yeah, but they have the same idea. You see, it’s natural for the idea of a ménage to pop up. They might even believe the three of us could make one.”

The elevator arrived and they stepped inside “Wishful thinking,” Sean huffed and jabbed the button for the parking area. “I understand your impatience, but until
she
gives us a hint, we do nothing. You hear me?”

Patrick shot him a look as they stepped out on the garage level and cut off the conversation as people passed them. Finally, when the coast was clear, Patrick poked him in the arm. “What if I told you I found a hint?”

“The magazine story on her kitchen counter.” Sean rolled his eyes at the weak evidence.

“Yeah, that article. She had those pages so dog-eared, I thought the ends would fall off.”

“You think she’s interested?” Sean folded his arms over his chest while they waited for the parking attendant to bring their car around. Could their beautiful girl really be thinking along the same lines as they were?
No
. He had woken up too many times dreaming about her in his bed to get his hopes up over a magazine. “One article does not a ménage make.”

“She wouldn’t be reading things like that and saving her spot if she wasn’t at least curious. The question is, who is she thinking about when she’s reading it?”

Sean groaned. “Who said she’s thinking of
anyone
? Naturally, the thought of her thinking of anyone but….”

Patrick sighed. “You’re right. Let’s wait awhile. We can bring the subject up later.”

“Hmm. I thought of something. Let’s say, ‘Hey, ever thought about a ménage a trois with us, for laughs?’”

“That is about as subtle as fried garlic.” Patrick snorted.

They hopped into the car and drove to the front of the building to pick up Sandra. It had taken a while to get the car, but the steps remained empty. “What’s keeping her?”

“More than likely dodging more questions from inquiring co-workers.” He glanced at his watch.

“Yeah. One woman came up to me and inquired if I was single and straight. I wasn’t sure if I should tell her I only had eyes for Sandy. You know how women are.”

“Imagine what her reaction would have been if you told her that we were
both
interested.” Patrick grinned.

Sean nodded. “Ironic, isn’t it?” Sandra exited the building, glancing around. “Over here,” he hollered.

“Sorry about that.” She trotted to the car. “One of the clerks had a question.” She jumped in, fastened her seatbelt, then checked her hair in the rearview mirror.

“About us?” Patrick asked.

Sean quickly pulled off. “You’re gorgeous, by the way.”

“Thanks. And no, something in accounting. It’s not all about you guys.”

At the restaurant, a waiter offered them a table near the window. Sean and Patrick both tried to put their arms around her, but bumped hands instead. They settled for flanking her with a glare at each other. Another waiter brought them water and bread sticks.

“What are you doing?” Sandra glanced up from her menu.

Sean shrugged. “What do you mean?”

“I saw how you guys tried to put your arms around me. Now you’re giving each other the
mean
face. You can share me. I have two sides.” She chuckled.

Patrick quirked a brow and returned to the menu.

“You’re right.” Sean focused on his menu, too, afraid to know if she meant anything by that or was playing it off.

“It’s just that…we both like being near you. You’re such a good friend.” Patrick leaned over and kissed her on the forehead. Sean did the same.

Sandra threw them both a glare.

Sean took a mental step back. Perhaps both of them kissing her could have been a bit too much.

“I appreciate the show of affection, but don’t you think it kinda…?”

His instincts never failed him. They’d made her uncomfortable.

“Oh, the stares.” Patrick rubbed his chin. “You really think others believe all three of us are in a relationship?”

“We go out together; we eat together. No one ever sees me without both of you. I enjoy your company, but let’s not give people ammunition, if you get my drift.”

“But that’s what friends do, show affection, right?” Sean reached over and took her hand. “Patrick and I have known each other since high school. We met you how long ago?”

“Seven years,” Sandra murmured

“It seems longer than that,” Patrick mused. “We click. Remember, after we hired you for the nutritionist position? We all went out to dinner and found out we had so much in common.”

Sean hated the way her pretty eyes darted to those around them. He needed to get her mind on other things. “Including our mutual distrust of Malcolm.”

Patrick shook his head. “I suspected something was shady about him. His car was too fancy for a beginning trainer.”

“What I can’t figure out is how he convinced all those clients to pay him cash under the table and not sign a contract.” Sandra snapped a breadstick in half.

“We had to shell out fifteen grand because of him,” Patrick grumbled, nearly slamming down his drink.

“Yeah. He spent all the money and couldn’t make restitution. But at least he’s doing five to ten.” Sean grinned with a sense of satisfaction, pleased both with the fate of Malcolm the rip-off artist and the fire that had returned to Sandra’s expression.

“They found out he did the same thing at five other gyms,” Sandra snapped another breadstick then stuck it in her mouth.

God, to be that lucky, to feel her warm mouth close around me and suck
—

“Hi, I’m your salad maid, Gigi. Let me tell you about today’s specials, in case the menu is too overwhelming.” They all jumped at the sudden appearance of the perky waitress.

“Thanks. Tell us what you have.” Sandra’s stomach growled.

“The grilled chicken and beef salad is new, and it’s a big hit.”

“Then grilled chicken and beef salad it is.” Sandra set aside her menu.

“That sounds good. Make it two.” Sean handed his menu to the waitress.

“Might as well make it unanimous.” Patrick said.

Even in this benign setting, Sandra had to be the sexiest woman in the world. She kept her thick auburn hair in braids most of the time and worked out as hard as the guys. She had a beautiful milk-chocolate complexion. Large brandy-colored eyes, kissable red lips, and a cute button nose finished off a perfect face.

And her personality matched her exterior. A guy couldn’t help but fall in love with her. Hell, he had fallen five minutes after he met her and hadn’t stopped wanting her since.

“Here you go.” The salad maid returned bearing a laden tray.

“Mmm, looks good.” Starving, Sandra stabbed at the chicken before her plate hit the table.

“Good choice, Sandy.” Sean dug in.

“So, what plans do you two have this weekend?” she asked around a mouthful of chicken and lettuce.

Sean and Patrick looked at each other, then back at her, and smiled.

“What are you two grinning at?”
A couple of Cheshire cats
.

“Well, we hoped whatever plans we had included you.”

“That’s not a problem, unless it’s some dude stuff, like fixing a car or watching a football game.”

“And I thought you were a modern woman,” Patrick teased. “Nah, actually we thought we’d hang out at your place, maybe rent some movies tonight.”

She nodded, still eating. “Okay, but I thought you might have other plans. Like Miss Langer.”

“Who?” Patrick forked up a bite of food.

“That new client. She’s been eyeing you two for the past three weeks, and not on a professional level.”

“Not interested,” Patrick spat.

Very strange reaction. Neither one of them had been dating for months. She’d assumed they would be interested. Langer was an attractive woman…. “I see.” She shrugged. “Cool then, ’cause I really didn’t feel like doing anything this weekend. I had a full week.”

“We did, too.” Sean blew out a breath. “So it’s a date, we’ll come by early, unless….”

Sandra cast a glimpse at Sean, then Patrick. They tried hard to appear innocent. But something brewed between them. For the past couple of months, things had been tense. Why, she had no idea, but she’d noticed. The two were normally tighter than tight, more or less like blood brothers. She shrugged. Maybe they had some private bet or something. Odd she wasn’t aware of it, since all three of them shared everything that went on in their lives.