Chapter 4

True to his word, Marc picked us up at exactly twelve noon. He was parked outside and Chris and I were scrambling for the door when my mother asked us his identity. It was then that I realized that I had no clue what his full name was. I felt a little foolish telling her that it was Marc the lodge owner, but she knew right away who I was talking about. That was one of the advantages of living in a small town. Everyone knew about, if not actually knew, everyone.

“I’ve never met the man, but I’ve heard nothing but good things about him,” my mother said as she smoothed my hair away from my face.

“That’s good to hear,” I said.

I considered taking the hint about introducing her to him, but the idea of my mother going out to the car to check out my date -even if he was taking both Chris and me to lunch, I knew that it was me who he’d really asked so, yes, I considered it a date- seemed a little junior-promish. So, I ignored her hint, gave her a kiss on the cheek, and followed Chris out to the SUV.

I smiled at how clever he was to leap out of the car and open the back door for Chris, who was the first to reach him. He bowed low and waved her into the back seat. Clearly onto him, she grinned over his shoulder, gave me a wink, gave him a drooly tongue motion that I was glad that he couldn’t see, and slid into the vehicle. I waited for him to complete the theatrics with her, so that he could open my door for a repeat performance. I have to admit that it immediately lightened the mood; as well as manipulated me into the front next to him. He looked more like my dream love with his muscular body straining against his Ralph Lauren polo shirt and faded jeans. Tiny tufts of chest hair escaped the V-neck of the polo shirt in a way that one might think it part of a fashion statement.

With country music playing through the vehicle’s stereo system and Chris in the back where it was difficult to converse with us, the ride to his lodge lacked the light-hearted conversation he’d enjoyed when taking Chris and me home the night before. I should have warned him that I wasn’t the conversationalist my friend was. She was the leader. I was happy to follow.

“You’re quiet, he said as he reached for the visor in front of me. “Do you mind if I grab that CD holder from the visor?”

“It’s your car,” I said in a tone that I instantly regretted.

I don’t know why I reacted the way that I did whenever he was near, but I was beginning to find it unsettling. In the beginning, it was a rush. Now, it was troubling. What was it about him that excited me so? I’d been around handsome men before without this type of reaction. There was also the fact that I dreamt about him again. This time, instead of him simply standing there all hot and sexy when I opened the door, he kissed me deeply and passionately. The nearness of his arm as he reached for the CD holder over my visor brought the memories of that dream kiss rushing back. I felt the jolt all the way into my groin. We couldn’t reach the lodge fast enough.

“Is everything alright?” he asked with concern.

“I’ve got a little headache,” I lied.

“There’s a small bottle of pain remedy in the glove compartment,” he said as he leaned over to open it.

The back of his hand grazed my knee. That was all it took to send my body into an erotic frenzy. I shifted in my seat. Not only did I need to move a bit due to the overwhelming desire to orgasm right there in the front seat of his SUV, but I absolutely had to have space between this man and myself or I couldn’t promise I wouldn’t rape him on the spot. I believe he was equally affected because I could swear that I caught a quick smoldering look in his eyes before they shifted back to normal again.

Once again, I closed my eyes and remembered that fabulous kiss from my dream man.

I decided it might be wise to set up a session with Dr. Mokena after all. This wasn’t normal.

When we reached the lodge, I was almost disappointed to see the stunning white building stretched out along the edge of a beautiful, crystal clear lake. Things would have made much more sense if we’d pulled up to a quaint log cabin style building. At least, then, my dreams would make sense. I’d read enough about people having pre-cognitive dreams to believe in them.

Marc pulled up in front of the lodge with a look of pride on his handsome place.

“Here we are,” he said as he turned off the motor.

“It’s wonderful!” Chris exclaimed as she lept from the car. “Is all this yours?”

He laughed as he watched her spread her arms wide and turn in a circle while looking up at the sky.

“I take it you like it?” he said to her while looking directly at me.

“I can’t imagine being able to wake up every morning to something like this. I’m green with envy,” Chris said.

“You’re welcome here anytime,” he said, while still looking at me.

“How far does it extend?” she asked, while shading her eyes as she looked beyond the lake.

“The lodge has twenty acres,” Marc offered eagerly. “There’s a three hundred acre adjoining campground that I purchased at the same time I did the lodge.”

“I’ll bet it keeps you busy in the summer,” I said when I finally got my body calm enough to use my vocal cords without giving away how heated I’d been.

“I do a lot of private functions,” he replied matter-of-factly. “I prefer that to having the general public coming and going.”

“So, you work with corporations and places like that?” Chris asked.

“I work with groups that meet a certain criterion,” he said. “Now, shall we go inside?”

My curiosity was peaked. What type of criterion did a group have to meet in order to stay at this lovely lodge or campgrounds? I wanted to pursue the subject, but Marc and Chris had already taken things into a different direction. I made a mental note to bring the topic up at the first opportunity.

The inside of the lodge was surprisingly sleek and modern. Its décor could have easily passed as a Manhattan loft. The front wall consisted of a row of windows looking out onto the lake. I thought that they were bare of coverings until Marc laughingly pushed a button on the wall and the glass transformed from clear to a smoky black. It reminded me of the commercials on television advertising transition eyewear, except the glass in the window became completely opaque.

“You can adjust it to whatever transparency you wish for; a little shade to complete privacy,” Marc explained.

“That’s amazing,” Chris gasped.

As he gave us a short tour of the lodge, it was clear that his tastes ran to clean and light décor. The rooms were sparsely furnished by design with top quality everything. I had to wonder how he’d feel about my little overly crowded, five-hundred square foot one-bedroom apartment that contained this and that from thrift stores and sidewalk sales. Although I made decent money, a great deal of it went toward paying off my college loans sooner, rather than later. Since the people I hung out with had Bohemian tastes as well, the urge to update and stream line my humble abode never surfaced. I found it odd that I would suddenly feel the need to change my style of living after seeing the lodge of a complete stranger. Once again, I thought of my need for a session with Dr. Mokena.

He guided us onto the oversized porch that literally surrounded the enormous lodge. Sporadic groups of casual seating and eating setups gave it a warm, communal feel. After selecting a round table setting that gave us a panoramic view of the lake and all of its splendor, he excused himself to fetch our lunch. I was in the process of wondering how he’d managed to cook for us while still running his errands and playing chauffeur when he returned, followed by a slender young man wearing a chef’s jacket.

Marc introduced the cook as Luis; claiming him to be a culinary genius. Luis clearly enjoyed the complement as he bowed his head in greeting and clapped his hands. Within seconds, a man and woman -who both looked to be about Luis’ age and who were also wearing chef jackets- began setting our lunch in front of us.

Marc was right about his chef’s talents. We dined on pumpkin soup, goat cheese salad, and honey roasted quail. Although I rarely allowed myself dessert, I couldn’t resist the Baked Alaska when it was presented. The food equaled that of what you’d find in a five-star restaurant in any major city. Even the coffee served with dessert had a rich foam that only accompanied the finest blends. I found it difficult to believe Luis would be content to be hidden away in such a remote location when he possessed such culinary skills. It was on the tip of my tongue to say so when I stopped myself; realizing the complement to him could easily be considered a slam to my host.

“It’s a good thing that I live in the city,” I said, “or I’d be invading your space on a regular basis just to eat. My complements to the chef.”

“You’re welcome to invade my space whenever you wish,” Marc said with sincerity. “In fact, you need never leave.”

The look in his amber eyes was so sincere that I was taken aback. It seemed an odd comment for a man who I’d just met to be making. Unsettling, in fact.

I looked away, uncomfortably.

After a brief moment of silence, Chris cleared her throat, stood, and stretched her arms out to her side.

“Would you mind if I took a little walk around the grounds?” she asked.

“Certainly,” Marc said. “Would you like me to accompany you?”

“Gertie’s still eating,” she said while slipping me a sly grin. “She always was a slow eater, or maybe I’m just a fast one. Anyway, I’m stuffed and need to walk off a bit. At the risk of being rude, I’ll just be gone a few minutes.”

“Take your time,” Marc said with an appreciative smile, “and enjoy.” As an afterthought, he added, “If you take that path to the right along the lake, you’ll be able to get a glimpse of the campgrounds. Be careful not to venture off the path. The foliage is pretty thick and you might get lost.”

“You got it,” she said as she scurried off the porch toward the lake. “I love this place!” she shouted without looking back.

“I like your friend,” Marc offered as he watched her slender five-foot-three-inch frame make its way in the direction he suggested until she disappeared behind the trees and brush lining the path she’d been advised to take.

“She’s a likable person,” I replied as I pushed my plate in an indication that I was finished. “You could have gone with her.”

“I got the impression that she wanted to explore on her own,” he smiled. “Besides, it’s you I wanted to see today.”

My hands visibly trembled as I placed them on the table top to assist me in standing.

“Are you alright?” he asked with concern. “We never did get that pain medication down you. Is your head still hurting?” As he made to move around the table close to me, I jumped back. I just couldn’t risk getting too close to him when my response to his nearness was so out of control. “Have I done something to offend you?”

How was I to answer that one? I struggled with what to say. I couldn’t explain to him that whenever his body touched mine, the sensation was orgasmic. I wished I had Chris’ ability to converse cleverly on any topic so that I could shift the mood into something other than the fact that I wanted to jump his bones.

While I was distracted trying to think of what to say to him, he used the opportunity to come closer. Within a flash, he was standing before me with his hands placed gently on my upper arms, as if to hold me in place without forcing the issue. Had I wanted to, I could have easily pulled away from him. I just didn’t want to.

I stood perfectly still while looking up into his mesmerizing eyes until he slowly lowered his face. When I still didn’t move, he gently placed his lips to mine. His kiss was slow, sweet, and oh so arousing. My body reacted as if it had a mind of its own. I moved closer, until I could feel his solid chest while he encircled me with his thick arms. His kiss went from light and tender to deep and urgent. His hands roamed my back while mine pulled him closer. I wanted to meld my body with his; to become one. Never in all of my days had I ever experienced something so intimate, yet erotic, with a simple kiss.

Our lips never parted as he lifted me into his arms -like I weighed no more than a stack of towels he was delivering- and he carried me to one of the guest rooms. Instead of towels being laid so carefully onto the bed, it was me. My mind screamed that I knew very little of this man and it wasn’t my style to sleep with someone until I felt that I knew them well. Yet, here I was; willingly lying on the bed while he lowered himself next to me.

What was happening?

He stretched his body along the length of mine while his kisses traveled from my lips, to my eyes, to my ears, to my neck, and then downward. I shuddered with delight as his strong hands slid beneath my shirt and found the soft peaks of my breasts. My torturing guilt about my actions was slowly replaced by pure lust for this man. My mind flashed back and forth between the reality of what was happening and the sensuality of this very same man who played a role in my dreams. It seemed natural and right to be with him. He felt familiar to me. It was as if all those months of dreaming about him and desiring him brought me to this point in time when my longing would finally be fulfilled.

I arched my back with sheer delight when the heat of his kisses found my breasts. His strong tongue laved my nipples to the point that I thought I’d go insane. My fingers encased his head as I moved him from one breast to the next. A low chuckle came from deep in his throat as he did my bidding.

I could feel the tension building within my abdomen. I needed release and wondered when he’d take things further. As if reading my mind, his large hand slid down my abdomen until it rested atop my most private area. I lifted my hips to greet him. He applied enough pressure while moving his hand along the fabric of my pants to bring me to that state of release. Although disappointed that he didn’t remove my clothing and taken me fully, I lay satiated just the same.

Cool air caused my nipples to shrivel as he slowly blew them dry from the moisture his love making left behind. After carefully adjusting my clothing back to its original state as best as he could, he removed himself from the bed and held his hand out to assist me.

“I believe Chris will be here any moment,” he quietly said.

“Oh,” I replied.

I kept my eyes averted from him as I accepted his assistance to stand. I was still under the effects of his love making and questioned if my legs were steady enough to hold me. As I carefully stood, he pulled me to him, took my chin in his fingers to tip my face to look at him and whispered, “I want to see you again.”

Still not able to function like a normal human being, all I could choke out was, “Okay.”