Trading in Strange Places Pt. 10

Holiday Surprises

Saturday night at Le Bontemps was wild. The house was full of guests, but it had taken any number of unplanned trips at odd hours to retrieve them from flights fighting their way through the last of the great snowstorm. I had drafted the Varsity girls, as we now called them, to be van drivers. Decked out in ski outfits with rosy cheeks from their escapade with the ski instructors and lift operators on Friday, they were the perfect advertisement for our new B&B.

Upon arrival, each guest was handed a hot toddy while gear was taken to their room and to the ski closet near the winter entrance door. Combined with the altitude, the toddies generated instant gemŸtlichkeit. Many guests already knew each other, and the rest were soon introduced and enjoying the party atmosphere. Kathleen had prepared a background sheet on everyone, which the staff was expected to memorize as part of our commitment to making them feel appreciated by WIL.

C-M, Kathleen, Ellen and I had conspired to bring Josh Reynolds, the superbright assistant to Ross Cahill, who had directed the counterattack on our hackers, to Steamboat Springs early. The nominal reason was to be advance man for his boss, who was coming on Tuesday, and lend a hand with lingering network issues. The more devious reason was to provide male companionship for our young women. C-M had discovered, during conversations about the network, that he had skied competitively for Dartmouth and thought several days on our hill, while ostensibly working on the network and doing errands for Ross, was a terrific idea. The whole business was a complete surprise for our Varsity girls. Late Thursday afternoon, a few minutes before heading to the airport to collect him, C-M announced, "I have a surprise for you all. Josh Reynolds is coming today to be an advance man for his boss, and my helper on the network."

I said, "Terrific. He deserves a big thank you from us. Does he ski?"

C-M, keeping a straight face, said, "Not sure, we didn't talk about that."

I added, "Well, maybe one of our redhot women skiers can show him the hill?"

Fingers were pointed at me, "Look at that smile. He is just trying to avoid humiliation while skiing with us!"

I laughed and waved C-M out the door. This was going to be fun. Catherine was primed to coach him about his job to blow by the Varsity. This required at least one run as a klutz on the hill. To heighten the suspense, he was assigned to the spare bedroom in the rented house, away from the regular guests. Ellen and I had been sleeping together in the other bedroom and could help keep the conspiracy going.

An hour later, C-M and Josh showed up at the B&B just as dinner was announced. She had fixed him up with a waiter's uniform and whispered in my ear that he told her he had a lot of wait person experience from earning money for school.

After the guests were seated, Josh circulated with red and white wine, pouring beautifully from the proper side. The Varsity girls, in their maid uniforms, kept doing double takes. Ellen and I, helping in the kitchen, were poking each other and giggling. C-M, assisting her cousin Aimee and our real French chef, Robert, frowned.

The meal was a great success, even if some of the guests were far gone with wine and altitude. Clapping and shouts for the chef rang out. Robert took a bow and actually blushed. Afterwards, Ellen and the Varsity passed coffee, cognac and Belgian chocolates in the parlor. Bliss prevailed and eyes drooped. A couple of the younger males asked about skiing.

Toni responded, saying that there would an announcement at eight in the morning, and we would post it in the dining room for early breakfast. Surprisingly, that sent almost everyone to their rooms. I wondered how many we would see at early breakfast.

I joined others in the kitchen, clapping Robert on the back and hugging Aimee. C-M hissed in my ear that our investment in plane tickets was paying off big time. I pinched her tough bottom and said she was right, as usual. Toni pressed close and said the hill would be open in the morning, according to her operations friend. "I wanted to create some suspense," she said.

Josh came up and said his disguise had been broken. "Toni looked me up on Facebook and knows everything. But she promised to show me the hill tomorrow anyway."

Ellen had my arm, "The old folks are going to bed." I gave her my wide eyed look, "Old?"

"Hush, I'll tell you later."

After helping with breakfast setup, we were out the door, headed for the bedroom in the rented house, our temporary spot at night.

"Lucas, you are so dense. He's already got them all gaga. Wait until he beats them down the hill!"

Something about having a new and handsome male around had Ellen fired up. I hardly slipped into bed when she had a tight grip on my equipment, directing it between her legs. I don't turn down invitations like that and plunged forward.

"Ahhh, yes. More." Whether it was joy over the success of our first day, or horniness watching a new man chasing our women, I couldn't tell, but there was overflowing energy making a mess of the bed. We were still at it when there was a knock on the door and Rya came in.

"I knew it. You two are so predictable." Her clothes went on the floor and she lifted the sheet, letting out a waft of sex smell. "Have you still got him in there?" Her hand explored as I pulled the body to us.

Ellen used her outraged tone of voice. "This won't do, Rya. Interrupting us..."

Rya had her own slinky tone. "Some boss you are. Screwing the help behind my back. I want that cock and I want it now."

She was wet and ready and pulling me tight. "Yesss. Better. The way this works is you are supposed to screw me first and her last."

Rya was demonstrating how deprived she was when the hall light clicked on, illuminating the figures of Josh and C-M headed for the other bedroom. Catherine exclaimed, "Don't you have any decency at all? I'm trying to instruct Josh on how to handle our skiers and he is getting nothing but x-rated looks into your bedroom!"

Rya had pulled up a sheet and called out, "Come in here and explain yourself. What exactly does Josh have to know about my skiing?"

Catherine decided to play along and clicked off the light as she pushed Josh into our room and down to the carpet. "What's going on?"

"Strip to your briefs and join me on the bed." Looking at the three lumps already under the covers, she asked, "How many beers are needed?"

Everyone needed a beer and she went to retrieve them. Rya told Josh to get on the bed and not to worry about who did or didn't have clothes on. "At Western Investors, staff conferences are held in bed. Lucas started it a while back and the rest of us like it that way."

Josh stretched out and muttered, "Damn, I could get used to this. In Manhattan, I didn't even get these privileges in my ex-girlfriend's apartment."

Ellen was giggling under the cover and pinching me in a delicate location.

C-M still had her lacy briefs on and settled on Josh's midsection, handing him a beer. "Now, about tomorrow..."

Rya climbed on behind C-M, hiding her nakedness and saying, "Don't listen to her. She's already hot for you. You saved her bacon and then some two weeks ago. She owes you. I'm hot for you too, provided you ski as good as you look, but C-M has first dibs."

They leaned down, alternating kisses and checking his muscles. Josh appeared paralyzed, but managed to ask, "Do employees get to ski on fresh powder days?"

"Lucas is a very cruel taskmaster, but not on powder days." They had him under a blanket now, and the groans told us what was happening.

"It isn't possible, is it, that you both are hitting on me?"

Ellen sat up, exposing the best boobs around. "We are pretty affectionate, but you have to be firm. Take them both under your arms to the other bedroom. They'll let you know if you push them too far."

Ellen wanted what she hadn't gotten so far, and I obliged as we heard a cascade of giggles through the wall.

"He will get both?" I asked.

"Yes, of course. He is a junior Greek God, and they are very horny as result of your ignoring their needs."

I thrust hard and she laughed, followed by a very loud, "Oh Lucas, more, harder!"

Teasing brought her right to the edge, and over. The climactic moans were sure to heat up things next door.

"You do a good slut job when you want, woman."

Josh's romp with Rya and C-M didn't keep us awake, but we knew he had been welcomed into the family when he appeared with coffee in the morning in the 6 am darkness.

Ellen teased, "Do you have the strength for skiing today?"

He actually blushed and began to say something when simultaneous whacks arrived on his rear from his bedmates, who were already in their long johns. "What are you doing in here? Afraid to be seen on the ski hill?"

With a roar, he hustled them out. Ellen slid tighter and whispered, "Ross will kill us for hiring him."

"We'll figure something out. Let's go ski. I am in instructor mode today, giving you a very expensive private lesson!"

Chapter 32 - The Foodie Guy

There was double excitement at Le Bontemps when the skiers returned from a marvelous day on the powdery hill, even with limited runs and some rocks to dodge. In the parlor, Aimee and Claire were welcoming Arnold Jones and his photographer, Guy Tremblant. Arnold was the chief food critic for a leading British magazine, and Guy was known for amazing shots of fine food. Their last minute arrival was more than welcome, but bed arrangements had to be changed.

Ellen and I stood to one side, sipping mulled wine and listening to the rapid back and forth, much of it in French. I nudged her, "What do you suppose Robert is preparing for the picky critic?"

"It is supposed to be a big secret, but he is doing Veal Orloff. We are to spread the word that dinner will be served at exactly seven pm. No drunks and no stragglers. The entree must be served when the crust is perfect."

As others filtered in, the collision of fine skiing on the first day of the season with an impending super meal of French cuisine left everyone a bit breathless.

Toni and Lyn rushed me. "You doublecrossed us. He is a ringer!" I watched over their shoulders as Josh accepted a mug from C-M, a very large smile on his face. Catherine was as smug as could be, whispering to him, her rosy cheeks bright in the room.

"How many times did you beat him down the hill?"

"Only twice! It was awful. No fair importing a college ski champion from the east, even if he is a terrific expert about the net."

I said in a low voice, "You heard what happened last night? It is your turn tonight."

They clutched each other, "Oh my god!"

It was time for the WIL people to get ready for dinner and we headed for the shower. To relieve the crush, Ellen and I and Mely went to the rented house. It was a tight squeeze in the old shower stall but they had messages to deliver.

"Lucas, this is impossibly exciting! How could we be so lucky as to fill Le Bontemps with good clients, treat them to incredible snow, and feed them world class food?" Mely's body was writhing as her voice bubbled.

Ellen twisted my still limp item and asked, "We are taking in refugees from the other house?"

"Yes. C-M and this one are giving their attic room to Arnie and Guy and will sleep with us. Rya too, since her place of last evening has been given to another."

"You devil, you have found someone we might prefer to you! Young, smart, athletic."

"It will be wonderful, letting Josh take some of the abuse I have been getting..."

On the bed, still damp, they alternately kissed and beat on me. I hugged both bodies tight and whispered, "It couldn't go on as we were. There have to be opportunities for partnering, don't there?"

They beat on my chest, sitting up and sniffling. "Yes, damn you."

As we dressed, I said, "Let's not get carried away and put Josh in an impossible situation. One baby step at a time."

Going out to the car, Ellen had my ear, "Yes, Lucas, which of us gets a baby first?"

Chapter 33 - Ross and Steve Arrive

I don't know how we survived the next few days. Incredible meals that produced rave reviews from normally dour Arnold, plus Guy's fancy pictures of Robert's entrees, plus marvelous skiing. A rotating cast of lovers in the spare bedroom with Josh, as the skiing women took turns, claiming he was making bets with them on the hill that required obedience in the bedroom when he bested their efforts.

Finally, by Tuesday morning, Josh admitted he needed to get busy on arrangements for the arrival of his boss, Ross Cahill. He and C-M caucused in the new basement machine room, and configured a private, encrypted VPN circuit so that his CEO had 24 hr instant and secure access to his New York staffers. The two of them also put a big monitor on a movable cart, so video conferences were a snap. Ellen and I were invited for a demonstration and watched Ross himself appear on the screen.

"Lucas, you devil, this is damn fine technology you have out there."

"Ross, Josh and my people are working miracles. I'm making him offers twice a day."

Josh spoke from behind me, "Boss, get on the plane. The skiing and food are terrific. Cheri will give you special loving!"

After the connection was closed, he said, "You will like Cheri. She is a breath of fresh air. Keeps up on the hill too."

Ellen poked me, "Better be careful, Lucas, or you will have a CEO ski club going here." Then she asked Josh, "Is Cheri tallish, dark, and with big muscled shoulders?"

"How did you know?

She sagged against my chest, "We were classmates at Wharton. Finished one-two in class rank. She was the brilliant jock, I was the brilliant numbers girl."

Josh gave her a sinister smile, "Do we have to get the boxing gloves out?"

She pressed him against the wall behind a humming rack of servers. "You, buster, are responsible for seeing that she does not leave me in a cloud of powder on the hill!"

C-M was all over me. "Lucas, this is totally delicious. Your former employer's girlfriend is a classmate and hot competitor of your girlfriend! There are going to be sparks flying!"

Wow. This was scary. As we left the machine room, I gave Josh a high sign and told the women that the two of us were going to doublecheck that arrangements for Ross and Steve Waldron were still on track. We drove to Le Bontemps in my car, taking the long way around.

"Hey, buddy, the plot is getting pretty thick."

"Yes, sir. Don't know that I have ever been in the middle of so many sexy athletic women in my life. Smart too."

"Welcome to the club. Believe it or not, there was no grand plan for WIL to become a hotbed of female talent."

I went on, "Do you know Cheri? What is the story with her?"

"Rich Italian family. She is New York representative for her father's architectural design firm. Worldwide reputation. Honors engineering degree from MIT, ditto from Wharton. Daddy married her off to local royalty in Italy but it didn't take. She had too much American aggressiveness to go with her own. Ditched him and was instant most eligible female in Manhattan. Met Ross at a charity gala and agreed to a date. Had public blowup in a restaurant that got into papers. My boss couldn't believe the Italian devil woman had got the best of him."

"They are together? Who gave in?"

"I don't know the details. Verbal abuse seems to be a currency. She's got those shoulders from crew at MIT, and does workouts almost every day. Maybe they like butting heads and then falling into bed."

"Josh, we need to get them on the hill and suck some of that energy out."

"Got you. I understand there is supposed to be a business meeting with Steve and Ross?"

"Yes. Here is the deal. You distract the women, and leave Steve and Ross to me. You won't miss anything. I will be sure to fill you in. Ok if I say the only acceptable deal has you stationed here at least half time?"

"Damn, Lucas, if you can swing that, I will be in your debt forever. What if you tell Ross that Catherine and I have figured out a whole new security scheme to protect his assets?"

"Can I tell him the crucial insights were developed in bed?"

"No! You surely cannot!"

At Le Bontemps, we rehearsed the Ross and Steve show with Claire and got various escort responsibilities nailed down. Ross was due early afternoon in his private jet from Teterboro. Steve was due a couple of hours later in his private jet from Dallas. Josh would get Ross, and I would pick up Steve.

Chapter 34 - A Fateful Meeting

The way Ellen and I had worked out invitations, there was a new houseful of guests on Tuesday. The welcoming reception was in full swing when I returned from the airport with Steve and his companion, Louise. He was full of compliments for what WIL had achieved with his money so far, and Louise teased both of us with a sweet Southern drawl, saying she thought this was a vacation without money talk. There was enough edge in the drawl to shut both of us up.

Arnold and Guy were gone, having promised a fine layout in their magazine, but Robert knew he was on display again, with two very big guns from the financial world at his table. Things started off with homemade lobster bisque, followed by an entree of medallions of aged Colorado beef that melted in the mouth. Salad, graced with late season fruit, was superb. Secretly, a case of ten year old Pommard had been procured to go with the beef. I shuddered with the exquisite taste, and thoughts of the dollars that just went across the Atlantic to pay for it.

The guests were awed yet again by our cuisine, and a quiet hush lay over the parlor as dessert and coffee were served. Ross and Steve had taken seats in the corner and were in earnest conversation. Louise didn't look too happy, so I joined her on the sofa and asked how she and Steve had linked up. I carefully did not say hooked up. Her laughing eyes told me she knew the words I had held back.

Laying her hand on mine, she said, "Lucas, the short version of me is that I grew up in Baton Rouge. My dad is in the Physics Dept there. I was raised on gravity waves. Steve and I met at UT-Austin. He was getting a Master's in Petroleum Engineering, and I was getting an MFA. The last thing I wanted was a boyfriend from the Texas oil crowd, but he kept after me. He is the black sheep in a Houston oil family. Deliberately works from Dallas so he doesn't have to socialize with them."

I said, "It must have worked. Here you are. How many years later?"

"Twelve. We would be married, but I can't have kids and I told him if he found a woman he wanted babies with, I wasn't going to be in the way."

My respect for the varieties of relationships just went up a couple of notches. We needed to make sure she got a special welcome to the WIL family. "Would you like to ski tomorrow? We have red hots and slow hots. Take your pick."

"Lucas, I'm beginning to see why Steve says you are a one off. I would love a slow hot for my first day of skiing this year."

I excused myself and went in search of Kathleen. She was helping in the kitchen and happy to see me. After a very hot kiss, I asked, "Would you mind skiing with Steve Waldron's friend Louise tomorrow? I advertised red hot and slow hot skiing, and she picked slow hot."

Her arm was tight around my neck. "Slow hot? That means no moguls? No schusses? Am I only good for the second tier, Lucas?"

Oh oh. Trouble in River City. "Kathleen, my dear Irish rose, we need to talk. I have been distracted lately."

She was maneuvering me to the pantry and up against the wall. The hiss with a bit of brogue was tough. "Any talk, you bum, is in your bed tonight."

"Yes, of course. Let me do chores here and you go chat up Louise. She is very nice. And very independent, like you."

That got me a karate chop and a smile as she walked away.