A Very Daddy Christmas (Lucky Lady Reverse Harems)

Chapter 16

16

Cora

W hat on God’s green earth is this?

“Cora?” Sebastian asks, a tinge of worry in his voice.

I’ve been staring at the Rutger Resort for maybe a minute, if not longer. I’ve been staring mainly because it is not the rustic type of getaway I had imagined for our reconciliation weekend trip. I’d imagined a cute little cabin with smoke coming out the chimney and dainty curtains hung over the windows. Crackling wood in the fireplace and mulled wine in a tin mug, my fingers wrapped around it.

This isn’t it.

“Huh?” I manage, trying to gather my senses.

Before me sits a sprawling luxury resort built at the base of a mountain, snow blankets pouring over the wooden ridges while the slopes stretch downward from the top. The structure itself is gorgeous—expensive wooden facades and sleek, Brutalist windows. There’s no classic cabin roof. No smoke coming out of a brick chimney. Hell, it is beautiful, but it doesn’t belong here in the heart of Colorado.

“This feels wrong,” I mumble.

A hostess comes down the stairs, clad in a pristine white ski jumpsuit, Swarovski crystals glimmering across her generous bosom while the winter wind blows through her platinum blonde hair. “Welcome to Rutger Resort! My name is Trina. How may I be of service?”

“We have a reservation for the weekend,” Riggs replies, stealing nervous glances at me. Waylan and Sebastian are just as confused, flanking me with curious eyes, and I keep gawking at the heap of sheer luxury unraveling before me. “For Sebastian McKenna and company.”

“Oh, right, the honeymoon suite,” Trina says, measuring each of us from head to toe. Why do I feel extra scrutinized when she takes a moment longer to analyze me. “Rest assured, our discretion is guaranteed.”

The words make my cheeks burn.

“I’ll handle the check in,” Riggs says, joining Trina by the steps. “You two deal with her,” he adds, nodding my way.

“Deal with me?” I whisper, then watch him go up the stairs with the Norwegian-looking princess and his wallet. In the meantime, the bellboys come over to get our luggage to take to the honeymoon suite. “Deal with me how?”

“You’re clearly overwhelmed,” Sebastian says, visibly struggling to find the right words. “Don’t you like this place?”

I nod slowly. “I do. It’s beautiful. I just thought you said we’d rent a chalet or a cabin, so I guess I expected something smaller, more intimate. This definitely isn’t a cabin.”

“No, it’s a private resort renowned for its discretion,” Sebastian replies, and the smile stretching across his gorgeous face tells me he’s quite proud of himself over this find. “I figured we could use all the privacy we could get. They don’t care who we are or where we come from, as long as we provide them with a Black Card.”

“You heard the lady. Discretion and privacy are guaranteed,” Waylan adds.

I point at the building, disappointment burning a hole in my throat. Or maybe it’s the morning sickness. I’m not sure. “But it’s so… high-end. It’s more like a hotel. It’s not quaint and cozy and what a romantic weekend getaway in the snowy mountains is supposed to look like.” I give Waylan a hard look. “Good grief, you guys haven’t listened to a word I said the whole time we’ve been together.”

“Come here,” he laughs and pulls me into a kiss.

Sebastian does the same, and I find myself wedged between them, blushing as I jump from one pair of lips to the other a few times before I remember we’re in a public space.

“Oh, my God!” I shriek and pull away. “Are you insane? What happened to keeping it a secret?”

“That’s the thing,” Sebastian laughs lightly. “Look around you, Cora.”

I do. Slowly but surely, I realize why they’re so thrilled about the Rutger Resort. Nobody gives a shit because everybody here has a secret they want to keep, and this is a place where they can be their true selves. This luxurious getaway is perfect for achieving that. Mixed couples. Men and women, men and men, women and women.

“Oh, wow,” I mumble, noting some of the couples walking across the front terrace, where outdoor heaters rage and waiters serve mulled wine in expensive crystal glasses. “This is…”

“A harem haven,” Sebastian says. “We all sign NDA’s upon booking, and we all have to go through an extensive background check before we’re even accepted. It’s a special place, Cora. I’m sorry it’s not to your liking, aesthetically speaking.”

“But here we can be ourselves as much as we want. Out in the open. And nobody will bat an eye or tell a soul,” Waylan adds.

“How did the resort come to be?” I wonder aloud, now registering the finer details of the structure ahead.

“There are more like us than most people would have you believe,” Sebastian says. “We don’t advertise our way of living and loving, of course, but kindred spirits tend to recognize one another.”

“We heard about Rutger from a like-minded couple. Or, better said, a throuple,” Waylan laughs lightly. “We went through the whole vetting process a while back and secured our reservation.”

“Holy crap,” I manage, my eyes growing wide as something catches my attention.

A woman is kissing her two boyfriends at one of the tables. The others around them smile. Some seem aroused, igniting flames in their own right, multiple partners kissing and exchanging affection. It’s like an infectious wave that overcomes the guests and nobody cares.

It is akin to heaven on earth.

I’m almost ready to forgive the shameless opulence with which the Rutger Resort presents itself as I allow myself a smile and hook my arms around Sebastian’s and Waylan’s. “Alright, I guess I should give this place a chance.”

After we’re shown to our amazing suite and given a tour of the resort, we change into our hiking gear and follow one of the more traveled paths up the mountain. Everything is well lit and heavily secured. I spot cameras and motion sensors everywhere. Security staff is at every milestone, along with ATV riders that go up and down the mountain, hunting rifles on their backs as they patrol the entire perimeter, twenty-four-seven.

“They’re very tight on security and surveillance,” Riggs says, noticing my curiosity as we pass another checkpoint, continuing a slow and steady climb up the western ridge. “Everything is extensively monitored, but at the same time, the suites are completely private, and every staff member here is thoroughly checked and double-checked before they’re hired.”

“I was genuinely impressed by their policies from the very beginning, I’ll be honest,” Sebastian says. “I thought it was some kind of utopia.”

“It is, if you think about,” I reply, my breath getting shorter.

It’s not the steepest climb, but it’s still moderate cardio. My thighs and calves burn a little, and we’re moving at a decent pace. The sun is shining, though it will soon begin its descent. The skies are beautiful, the purest blue I’ve seen in a long time, while the air is icy cold and wonderfully fresh, making every lungful feel almost painful in the best possible way.

Ancient pines rise proudly on both sides of the wide, sinuous trail, their long shadows reaching for our boots. But we keep moving, talking and laughing, enjoying the view and what I feel is one hell of an experience.

“It’s been a while since I left Madison,” I tell the guys. “Thank you for this.”

“Sorry for the heap of luxury,” Waylan replies with a playful smile. “We took a chance for the sake of absolute privacy.”

“I get it,” I laugh. “You wanted to show me that we could be together without any fear of discovery or repercussions. We can’t move here, though. Right?”

“Polygamy is still a touchy issue,” Riggs says. “The best they can do here at Rutger is keep everything on the down low and the champagne on ice, so to speak. We handle the rest ourselves and enjoy every minute together.”

Sebastian goes farther ahead, eager to reach the next checkpoint. We can all see the sign, along with a narrow path leading left and deeper into the woods. “And we’re here,” he says. “Our secret spot.”

“Secret spot?” I ask in slight confusion.

As we follow him along the path, it quickly becomes obvious that there is, in fact, more to this place than I originally thought. We’re about two miles away from the resort, somewhere on the western ridge. ATV is roaming somewhere nearby, and cameras and the motion sensors are mounted here and there. The guide signs and the night lights, as well.

“Behold,” Sebastian chuckles, presenting us with one hell of a sight.

We’re on the edge of a small clearing. Smack in the middle, a giant tent rises. A glamping-style tent, to be specific, with LED lighting, steel rods, and pretty much everything it needs to potentially withstand an avalanche. Torches burn near the entrance, stuck into the icy ground. Sebastian pulls the flap to the side, revealing one hell of a setup.

A table with four chairs. A lavish dinner sprawled on top, with fancy dinnerware and crystal glasses. Grilled chicken, a variety of pasta dishes, and colorful desserts are accompanied by a few bottles of red wine and a cheese fondue bowl. My mouth is watering, and my breath catches as the guys gently nudge me closer to the tent.

“You are insane,” I say, trying not to laugh.

“This is who we are, Cora,” Sebastian replies with a shrug. “You may not be a fan of the whole ‘spoil you rotten’ routine, but we love doing it. And we’re determined to make you love it, too.”

I tear up a little as Sebastian comes closer. “I’m sorry I’ve been such a grump. I just wanted something simple, sweet, and romantic. The poor people’s version, I guess.”

“Why, though, when we are happy and able to do this for you?”

“I know, I’m being ridiculous. Unnecessarily difficult,” I reply. “You haven’t exactly made it easy, though. You’re all so stubborn.”

“You love it, admit it,” Waylan quips and pulls me into a hot kiss.

As his tongue clashes with mine, as his hunger reverberates through my ribcage, my jumpsuit feels tight and hot.

“Tell me there’s a bed in that fancy tent,” I moan against his soft, delicious lips.

“There is. And there’s also enough wine to keep us warm until we go back to our suite,” he growls and bites the side of my neck, his arm quick to snake around my waist.

We step inside the tent. I hear a zipper come down, Sebastian’s jumpsuit. I steal a glance just as another, not-so-familiar sound comes through. Branches breaking. Snow crunching under something heavy.

“Wait,” I mumble and briefly pull away to look somewhere off to our right, then gasp, the blood instantly freezing in my veins. Dread takes over and I’m paralyzed, unable to look away from the considerably large bear that has stumbled into our clearing.

The guys turn around to see what has me terrorized.

“Whatever you do, Cora,” Sebastian whispers. “Don’t scream. And don’t run. Get behind us.”

It’s not like I’m able to object. He simply pulls me away and whirls me around until I’m unable to see the bear on account of my three men rising like a massive wall before me. I’m worried about my unborn child and my chances of surviving this insanity. I was concerned about how I’d say no to the wine I would’ve otherwise loved to enjoy, but this is a whole new level of screwed.

“What are you going to do?” I whisper, shaking like a leaf.

The bear lets out a heavy growl that reverberates across the clearing, prompting Riggs to take a step forward. The creature then gets up on its hind legs, appearing even taller and bigger. I hold my breath as I stare at those giant white fangs and the claws that could slice me like a chunk of salami without any effort whatsoever.

“Oh, God,” I whimper.

The guys start shouting loudly, waving their arms as they take cautious steps forward. They spread out slowly.

“GET AWAY!” Sebastian shouts.

“GO BEAR!” Riggs adds.

Waylan gets closer, irritating the bear. But the creature doesn’t charge at them. It stays upright, making itself appear as threatening as possible. The guys aren’t backing down, though. All I can do is watch with a mixture of horror and excitement as they manage to get the bear to move back.

Riggs takes out a can of bear spray from his backpack, while Waylan and Sebastian distract the animal. I keep taking steps backward until I nearly trip and fall into the table as Riggs charges the creature and releases a hefty shot of pepper spray in its face.

The bear whimpers and shakes its head before scampering away.

“Are you okay, Cora?” Sebastian quickly comes over and takes me in his arms.

I hold him close and melt in his embrace, finding comfort in his closeness and simmering body heat. Waylan joins us, adding to my sense of safety as my heart begins to calm into a steadier rhythm. “That was insane,” I say, my voice trembling with emotion.

“I think we jinxed it when we mentioned the bears,” Riggs says, though he keeps an eye on the trail to make sure the beast doesn’t return. “The security guys said the chances of them coming around this time of year were slim to none.”

I look around in mild confusion. “It’s almost winter. I thought they were supposed to go into hibernation deep underground or in caves or whatever.”

“Chances are, some of them are still looking to fill up on food before they go down for the season,” Sebastian says. “And our tent packs quite the dinner. The bear must have smelled the food.”

“Great, our romantic, mountainside dinner almost got us killed,” I scoff. “I told you to keep it simple. None of this grand gesture madness.” I add a smirk so they know I’m joking.

Sebastian, Riggs, and Waylan look at one another before they burst into a dose of hefty laughter. This is all so crazy and ridiculous. It’s also entirely unexpected and mind-blowing, that so much can happen in the span of a few minutes.

“At least the bear won’t go running to the tabloids about us,” Sebastian manages.

“You’re out of your mind,” I chuckle and shake my head.

Riggs takes me in his arms and we kiss. It feels sweet and reassuring, not to mention kind of spicy considering everything that just happened. My senses are still heightened, my eyes darting left and right, worried the bear might return. The ATVs are getting louder, though, which means the security fellas will scare the creature farther away.

“I’m sorry,” Riggs says, pulling my woolen cap down so it covers my cold, reddened ears. “We wanted to make this a fancy type of picnic.”

“Yeah, I noticed the fondue,” I giggle, planting soft pecks along his stubbly jaw. I love the feel of his growing beard against my lips. So rugged and comforting.

“It’ll be a shame to waste all this food,” Waylan says, pulling the tent flap open again.

“There’s no way I’m sticking around here while there’s a hungry bear still on the loose, babe,” I tell him.

“Fair enough,” he sighs, shoulders dropping.

Sebastian pats him on the back. “We’ll pack it up, take it all back to our suite. It’ll be safer there until the rangers find the bear.”

“What are they going to do when they find it?” I ask, worried about the animal. It was only following its instincts. As scared as I was, I understand how nature works. “I don’t want anything to happen to the poor thing.”

“They’ll toss some fresh carcasses around the area where they’re known to hibernate,” Sebastian explains. “Don’t worry. The idea is to get that big boy to bed so it can sleep through the winter. Come spring, the rangers help out with the mountain’s ecosystem, leaving meat away from the circulated areas to draw the predators away.”

“A sated animal isn’t a threat,” Waylan confirms.

“Right,” Riggs adds. “So let’s get this packed up and back to our suite where you can enjoy it.”

“You’re too good to me, too generous,” I say.

Riggs rubs his nose against my cheek. “You deserve all of it and more.”