Chapter 11
ELEVEN
FLORA
I sit at the end of the bed, my mind drifting back to the events of last night: Dax and I in the hot tub and Lyka lying on his bed, lost in his own pleasure. The intense thoughts linger in my mind.
How do I feel about Dax? I know I wanted to kiss him.
“Damn aerial!” Dax shouts with frustration, pulling me back to the present.
I walk into the living room where I find him hunched over the TV, fiddling with its controls. The screen projects an unyielding blue.
“What's up?” I ask.
He looks up with an irritated face. “A damn mouse has chewed through the aerial cable again. We won’t be able to get live TV until it’s fixed.” He sighs as he brushes his hair out of his face. “I’ll have to go up on the roof later and have a look.”
“Good thing you’ve got loads of movies,” I offer.
Dax’s face lights up slightly. “Yeah, we do. At least we won’t get bored.”
Lyka suddenly appears from the hallway and immediately remind s me of last night's events. I feel a flush of embarrassment at the memory of watching him.
“Gonna be a storm later. Just got the notification on my phone,” Lyka announces in his deep voice.
“Will it be bad?” I ask, trying to avoid making eye contact with him.
“Maybe a few fallen trees,” he replies as he stares at me, confused, trying to understand why I won’t look at him.
“We’ve got everything we need. It’s cool,” Dax responds.
He walks towards the kitchen, leaving me alone in Lyka’s presence.
Lyka moves towards the front door. Calling out to him, I ask, “Hey, Lyka.” My voice is much louder than anticipated.
He pauses and turns to me with the door held open.
“Did you manage to fix my phone?” I inquire, continuing to direct my eyes away from his.
Lyka shakes his head and exits the cabin.
I walk into the kitchen and notice my bra and panties hanging out to dry, but they’re still damp. A spike of embarrassment hits me as I realize I have to go commando today.
“I thought you could see me in action today?” Dax asks with a hint of excitement.
My mind races. Action? What does he mean? I furrow my brows in confusion.
“There’s a miniature motocross track behind the house in the forest,” Dax explains, noticing my confusion.
“Yeah, that would be cool.”
Dax takes out his phone and states, “The storm isn’t due till tonight, so we’re all good. I'll make some sandwiches before we head out.” Dax grabs a loaf of bread and prepares lunch. I watch him work as he prepares some sandwiches.
“What fillings do you like?” he asks as he glances up at me with a smile .
“Surprise me.”
Dax nods and adds layers of ham, cheese, lettuce, and a smear of mustard to the bread. He then wraps the sandwiches in wax paper and places them in a small cooler with water bottles.
I carry the cooler and a picnic blanket while Dax stands in his motocross gear, carrying his helmet. He looks undeniably hot in his gear.
He walks over to the garage and grabs his motocross bike as I walk alongside him. I glance over at Lyka, who is topless and chopping wood. I can’t help but bite my bottom lip, blushing at the sight of him. I quickly look away, hoping Dax doesn’t notice.
“Yo! I’m gonna show Flora the track,” Dax shouts.
Lyka wipes the sweat from his forehead with the back of his hand and nods. There is something about his topless body and manliness that makes my stomach flutter.
How the fuck am I going to cope with living with these two for three weeks?
It’s been less than twenty-four hours since lockdown started and I already have had too many thoughts about them.
Holding the handlebars to his bike, Dax and I walk deeper into the forest. We come to a hill and I look down to see the track with dips and jumps.
“You can see the whole track from here. Make yourself comfortable,” Dax says.
I flick out the blanket, spread it on the ground, and place the cooler on top. I lower myself and stretch out my legs, watching as Dax puts his helmet on .
Fuck! Fuck! Fuck!
Seeing him in the whole outfit with his helmet, not being able to see his face, turns me on.
He mounts his bike, kick-starts it, and rides onto the dirt track. He controls the bike well and confidently, making the first jump as if he has done it countless times before. I feel breathless as I watch him. He navigates the track’s twists and turns with ease, his engine echoing around the forest.
As Dax circles back around, I take in the scenery, looking up at the tall trees above. My heart skips a beat as I watch his bike fly through the air and land smoothly. I am so impressed by his talent.
Dax pulls up beside me, removing his helmet. His face is flushed and he looks impressed with himself.
“Whoa, that rush! What do you think?” he asks, out of breath.
“Okay…that was incredible. I can see why you win a lot. You’re really good.”
Dax can’t help but grin with pride. “Thanks. It’s a lot of fun. You should try it sometime.”
“Uh, I’ll stick to watching for now.”
Dax dismounts his bike and sits beside me. He reaches into the cooler and pulls out a couple of sandwiches, handing one to me. We eat in comfortable silence.
You can hear the forest around as the breeze hits the trees and birds sing. As we finish lunch, I look back toward the cabin and thoughts of Lyka come to mind—the sight of him working and his muscles flexing. I feel a mixture of emotions and don’t even know what to think. Dax lays back on the blanket, looking up at the sky.
“Just saying…this isn’t such a bad way to spend lockdown,” he says, breaking the silence.
I join him, lowering my torso and lying on the blanket next to him . I look up, taking in the blue sky that peaks through the trees above.
I know they say the calm is before the storm, but today is so beautiful!
“Well, in the previous lockdown, all I did was eat and paint.”
“You paint?” Dax asks, turning his head to look at me.
“Yeah, watercolors. I haven’t painted for a while, though.”
“My mother used to paint, too. We have some watercolor paints in the barn. Maybe you could get back into it.”
“Maybe…”
I love his encouragement despite my hesitancy. It’s been a long time since I felt the urge to create. We lie there in silence, taking in the forest views.
Dax breaks the silence. “Tell me about your paintings, Flora.”
“I…” I hesitate for a moment. “I used to paint landscapes mostly. Places I visited, places I imagined. I guess it’s my way to escape. Creating a world that feels safe and beautiful.”
“I’d love to see your paintings sometime.”
His interest makes me smile. “Maybe I’ll show you some. That’s if I find the courage to dig them out.”
A fly buzzes near my face and I flick my hand. “Truth be told…when my mother died, I just painted with the color black. I haven’t painted at all since my father's death.”
Dax sits up and places a hand on my knee, his eyes filled with genuine concern and empathy. Talking about my parents hurts and I feel a hard lump form in my throat.
“After my father died, I just couldn't bring myself to do it anymore. It just felt pointless, you know?”
“Maybe being here will help you paint again, hopefully in color.”
I look into Dax's eyes, wanting to wrap my arms around and hug hi m. He smiles and his playful demeanor returns. “Plus, we’ve got a pretty awesome hot tub here. That’s gotta count for something, right?” he asks, trying to cheer me up and change the subject.
I laugh. “You're right. It does.”
Dax stands up, extends his hand out, and I grab it. “Come on. Let's head back.”
When Dax and I returned to the cabin, we settled in to watch House of Wax . Halfway through, Lyka joined us, his hair slightly messy and sawdust sprinkled on his flannel from working on his wood projects all day.
By now, the storm has arrived and is in full swing. I stand in the stockroom, scanning the shelves for some snacks. My stomach rumbles, craving something sweet. My eyes land on a packet of candy just as Lyka enters the room. He reaches above me to grab a packet of mixed nuts.
“Enjoy watching?” he asks quietly.
I feel a rush of panic and my heart skips a beat.
Fuck! Oh my god! He knew I watched him please himself. Oh, fuck!
I try to think of an excuse. “Uh…” I stutter.
Lyka looks at me with a confused expression. “ Misery is my favorite. However, I do like House of Wax , too.”
“Oh, yeah! The movie…” I reply, trying to sound nonchalant.
Lyka gives me a strange look, but says nothing more. He exits the stockroom, leaving me alone with my mind going crazy. I’m surprised he even spoke to me. He is normally so blunt and stern. I take a moment to catch my breath , steady myself, and then head into the kitchen. The wind outside is howling and rain violently lashes against the windows.
I lean against the counter, unwrap the candy, and take a bite. Dax walks into the kitchen. “Find something good?”
“Just some candy,” I reply.
He grabs a couple of beers from the fridge and hands one to me. “Damn, it's stormy outside,” he says, clinking his bottle against mine. “Cheers to surviving the first day of lockdown.”
“Cheers,” I echo, feeling more at ease. We both take a sip.
Dax and I walk into the living room. Lyka is already settled on the couch, munching on his packet of mixed nuts and scrolling through his phone. I take a seat beside him, sinking into the cushions as Dax rummages through the stack of DVDs, looking for our next movie.
I turn to Lyka and ask, “Any news on the lockdown situation?”
He glances up from his phone and simply shakes his head. Dax finally finds a DVD and pops it into the player. He then sits on the couch next to me as the movie begins.
“Don’t you guys have a computer or internet here?” I ask.
Dax chuckles, glancing at Lyka before answering. “Our parents were old school. They hated technology. But, we had phones as we got older, so it wasn't a big deal.”
I nod, understanding the sentiment behind it. The movie plays on, filling the room with laughter and lighthearted banter.