Chapter 16

At the slow shifting of two sets of warm, soft curves, I awoke just as Susan slid to the edge of the sofa bed. Under my arm, Desi hesitated. Her blue eyes glimmered in the dim morning sunlight. After a quick glance at her friend, she dove close to press soft lips against mine. Once she’d pulled away, she flashed me a brilliant smile.

“Thank you, Jim,” she whispered.

After I gave her a wink, she slid from my embrace and crept after Susan toward their room. For a while, I lay there, but the sun was rising fast in a clear blue sky.

The sudden prickling of the hairs on my neck had my scan sweeping the trees. My teeth clenched, but whatever had pinged that mental alarm was no longer around.

With a groan, I rolled from the mattress, trying to minimize its creaking. If Mandy appeared, I’d be distracted. At that thought, a smile crossed my face. She was the best type of distraction, and as I folded away the sofa bed, the grin wouldn’t fade.

After changing into shorts and a final glance at the sealed bedroom door, I left the cabin for a run. Although it’d been a few years since my last visit, we did a lot of training up there, and the old paths unfolded before my thumping footfalls.

My breath misted the chillier early morning air, and I tried to ignore the strange tingling. Yep, being watched, but there was little to do about it. My pace quickened and soon left the cabins to trace the lake’s other facilities.

Not much had changed. The old hidden trails remained difficult to scry. They led me deeper into thicker woods, the ones we used. At last, I turned and made my way back to the lakeside public area, but slowed when the cabin came into view.

And what a view!

Just outside, all three women stood around Charles. Both girls wore cutoff denim Daisy Dukes, displaying twin sets of firm, lower ass cheeks. Susan had a pink bandeau top molded to that impressive chest, while Desi sported the red strings of a tiny bikini top. Although Mandy had a colorful coverup, a gust of warm air from the lake provided a glimpse of a microscopic black swimsuit.

As I slowed to walk nearer, a smile grew on my face. Yeah, one helluva distraction.

“All right. Well, you all have fun,” Charles said. “I’ll, uh, catch up with you after the meetings.”

At the sound of my sneakers crunching closer, he spun in mid-wave. He gave me a slow scan that got that weird vibe bubbling again. With sweat trickling down my bare chest, not sure who spent more time scanning me.

While Desi’s face flushed bright red and she turned away, Susan’s eyes lingered, and her mother’s brows arched. Behind her husband, the minx eased a hip outward and poked out a glittery tongue.

“We’re going to the lake, Jim,” she purred. “Wanna come along for, um, a swim?”

While the thought of “swimming” with her again got so many nerves tingling, my gaze rose to the mountain. It was calling, as was that strange feeling as I scanned the lofty peak, trying to spot more ghosts.

Duty called, or something damn close. When I returned to the trio of beauties and a still wide-eyed Charles, I forced a smile.

“No, thanks. Enjoy.” I pointed over their heads to Mount Aristeia. “I’m going up there.”

After turning towards the mountain, they all looked at each other. When they again faced me, I swallowed a laugh. How many times in my endless life had I seen such expressions? Perhaps they were right, and this ancient survivor was mad, but beneath the strengthening sun, the mysterious call intensified.

“It’s a tradition on my first day. That mountain is my friend.” It was a lie, but I chuckled and looked at Charles. “Yeah, old as the hills. That’s me.”