Chapter 4 #2
I yank open the door to the bathroom, dive inside, then shove the door shut behind me. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck!
“Sorry!” I wail from behind the closed door. Then I wait there, mortified, until I make myself accept she’s clearly turned and fled.
Oh god. I just flashed our host!
I do not enjoy the perfect rainfall shower as I bathe in the natural beams pouring through the slanted skylight above.
I do not derive comfort in the blissful heat of the pounding water against my lust-scorched skin.
Nor do I take pleasure as I wrap myself in the lusciously thick, forest green towel with its Holly Hill monogram.
My god. I don’t revel in it now, but I’m sure I will later, once I’m over my absolute humiliation.
I open the door then peek outside to check the coast is clear before I dart back into our bedroom.
I put on all the layers (underwear, leggings, thermal vests, and tops—the lot!) as if the mere motion of adding more than usual will somehow counteract my being caught wearing nothing at all.
Then, I cautiously venture down the hall, back to the living room, to find not two but three fresh coffees.
One on the table, on its coaster, alone, and the others cupped in the hands of Ethan and Juniper, who sit side by side on the sofa, chatting and laughing like old friends.
I have no words.
“Hey, beautiful.” Ethan turns as I edge further into the room.
I ignore him, looking directly at Juniper and telling her, again, “I am so sorry!”
Juniper looks right back at me and smiles. “Don’t be,” she says, rather seductively if I am not mistaken. Then: “We were both just saying how fucking gorgeous you are.”
I swallow. Well, holy crap. I was not expecting her to say that!
Juniper now commands the middle seat—my place last night—and she pats the space beside her for me to join them.
Seriously, what is going on?
“Um …” I take up my coffee and sip while I work out what to say, but “Thank you?” is honestly all I can come up with.
They both crack up laughing while I take a seat and a long, long sip. This is weird, right? They’re being weird.
“Oh, come on, Mia,” Ethan says. “Juniper tells me she’s bi too, which means we can all appreciate a beautiful woman.”
Wait. What?
My cheeks burn. Oh my god. He is talking so casually about this! As if a perfect stranger hasn’t just been exposed to his wife’s fully naked body. I mean, Jesus.
I take a breath then put my coffee down. “So you’re um … not horrified by seeing my naked body unsolicited?” I giggle nervously, dropping my gaze.
Juniper doesn’t laugh, though. Instead she tilts my chin so her gaze meets mine.
“Far from it,” she says, and I swear there’s a sparkle of truth in those beautiful blue eyes.
I’m stunned into silence.
“Mia?” Ethan stands and stretches out his hand to me. “Can I talk to you a sec?”
I nod, rising from the sofa as if being tugged by invisible strings. Did Juniper really just call me gorgeous? And did Ethan just say she’s bi?
I follow him out in a daze.
We cross the room, but Ethan pauses at the hallway entrance. He turns to Juniper, who waves us away.
“Go!” She grins. “I’ll um … I’ll be here.”
Fucking hell. How long was I in the shower? One minute I’m fucking my husband, and the next he’s all cosy with Juniper … and now he’s dragging me away so we can “talk?”
I glance back as we leave the room. “We won’t be long!” I call to her. Which sounds completely stupid since she shouldn’t even be here anyway …
She grabs the remote and waggles it at me. “I’m good! Honest!”
“Okay.” I nod, and Ethan leads us away.
When we reach the kitchen—about the farthest point from the living room—Ethan drops my hand and starts pacing.
“Babe?” I haven’t seen him this rattled since the summer. “Ethan, stop.” I put my hand on his chest and he halts in his tracks. “Darling. What’s wrong?”
What did I miss?
He looks at me then. He really looks at me. “Have you seen the snow?”
My eyebrows draw close, and I turn from him to face the window. “Um… well, yes.” I gesture to the expanse of white outside. “It’s kinda hard to miss.”
“Well …” Ethan takes my hand, drawing me close. “If the road is clear … maybe I can get her there, but …”
“Who?” I let him hold me. “What?” I ask, searching his face for the answers.
Then— Oh. My stomach drops. Juniper. I mean of course he wants to get rid of her.
This is supposed to be our weekend away.
Our super romantic, just me and him in the woods, in the snow, all alone, ridiculously delayed honeymoon.
I blink at him, baffled. And I was worried that what? He was gonna ask her to stay?
“Unless …” he starts.
My pulse quickens. “Unless?”
“Okay. Can I ask you something?”
I reach to put my arms around his neck. I kiss him then tell him, “Anything.”
What is it?
“What do you think of Juniper?”
I pull back. “What do I think of her?”
“Yeah.” He kisses me back, just a peck. Then he waits.
“I like her,” I tell him honestly. Actually, I really like her. In fact, last night … I have not had that much fun with another human, who wasn’t my husband, in literal years.
Damn. And I only just realised that now. “And you?” I ask tentatively.
He smiles down at me, but there’s something hesitant in his expression. Some doubt there I can’t quite work out. “I like her too,” he says, and I nod.
Yeah. I thought as much.
We stand there for a moment, holding each other, maybe even swaying a little as if music is playing which only we can hear.
“So, what now?” I ask, my voice barely above a whisper.
Ethan bites his lip. “Would it be weird to ask her to stay?”
“Um … guys?”
We break apart as Juniper comes in, and we both face her at the same time.
“Have you seen how deep the snow is out there?”
“Yes?” I say, though it sounds more like a question than an answer.
“Yes, we have,” Ethan agrees with far more assertion.
Juniper winces. “Well, um … would it be totally psycho for me to er—”
“Stay?” I offer without thinking.
“Please,” Ethan adds, and it warms me to my core. We’re still on the same team, after all.
“Really?” Juniper beams at us both. “I mean, only if you’re sure?”
I look up at Ethan, then we both turn back to Juniper.
“Our cabin es su cabin,” I say, and Ethan bows his head, looking distraught at my Spanglish.
“What?” I ask, grinning.
He shakes his head and smiles. Then he tells Juniper, “You can stay as long as you want.”
And this time, I totally agree.