overjoyed.” Simone replied. “God, how are the dogs still going like it’s nothing?” Simone said with wonder.
“They’re used to it. They can go all day and night.” Jackson said as they neared the lodge and Xander slowed his team to let them catch up to him.
“Hey guys! Ready to call it a day?” Xander shouted over to them, all smiles.
“Yes!”
“Yeah.”
Simone tried to keep the desperation out of her voice, but Jackson could hear it. And as they pulled up to the lodge, Jackson noticed her body slump slightly and knew what would happen once she let go of the sled. Jackson instinctively jumped off of his sled towards Simone, and caught her around the waist in mid-faceplant.
“Whoa.” Xander exclaimed as he too jumped off his sled towards them.
“I’m okay. I’m okay. I just didn’t realize that my knees were going to give out on me.” Simone said trying to break free of Jackson’s hold.
“Are you sure?” Jackson said, as he slowly released her.
“Yeah, I got it.” Simone said, standing up straight.
“Well I was going to say that we could eat lunch before the surprise, but I think you need it first.” Xander said with concern.
“Well what’s the surprise and I’ll tell you for sure?” Simone said looking over tiredly at Xander.
“We have a full-body massage planned for you.” Xander told her.
“Massage, please. I’m hungry, but that can wait.” Simone said without hesitation.
“I figured as much.” Xander chuckled. “Come on, let’s head in.”
Both men stepped to either side of her to walk her into the lodge, sandwiching her once again.
“Hey boys!” Rachel, the lodge owner shouted out as they came through the door.
Rachel was a short round feisty older woman, who ran her lodge like a well-oiled machine. Xander and Jackson loved her like a favorite aunt. She had given Xander advice and guidance often when he was first starting his lodge. And they regularly found themselves getting dating advice from the cantankerous woman as well. She was a permanent fixture in their lives, and they wouldn’t have it any other way.
“Hey, Rachel!” Xander shouted back. “How’s our favorite lady doing?”
“Oh, I’m alive and kickin’.” She replied as she walked up to them to receive her customary hugs and kisses on the cheek from the two large men. “So, who’s this adorable creature you have with you today?” Rachel said, looking intently at Simone as she blushed profusely.
“This is Simone Staton. She’s an RN from Washington. She’s gonna be here for a few weeks to meet her mother’s family.” Xander introduced.
“Simone, this little spitfire is Rachel Thomas. She owns this lodge and runs it like a drill sergeant.” Jackson teased, as the two women shook hands.
“Oh hush. You’re not too old to be put over my knee, young man.” Rachel warned.
“Yes ma’am.” Jackson grinned down at her, not afraid of her empty threat.
“So are the pups out front?” Rachel asked Xander.
“Yeah.” Xander answered.
“Well I’ll get some of the staff to come out and put them in the kennel.” Rachel said as the very staff she had mentioned that were hovering nearby, sprang into action.
“We can come out and help in a minute. We just wanted to make sure that we setup a full-body massage for Simone. It was her first sled run and she did a wonderful job, but it was longer than most novice runs and she’s tired and needs to relax.” Xander told the older woman.
“Sure, I’ll get her situated. You just leave it to me. She’ll be in good hands.” Rachel said, putting her hand on Simone’s back and guiding her out of the foyer.
The men looked on with big grins on their faces, knowing that Rachel could be a big help in their plans to get Simone to agree to a relationship with them. Rachel looked back, catching them staring, and gave them a knowing smile.
~~~
Rachel led Simone down a hall lined with different rooms with different types of
“They’re used to it. They can go all day and night.” Jackson said as they neared the lodge and Xander slowed his team to let them catch up to him.
“Hey guys! Ready to call it a day?” Xander shouted over to them, all smiles.
“Yes!”
“Yeah.”
Simone tried to keep the desperation out of her voice, but Jackson could hear it. And as they pulled up to the lodge, Jackson noticed her body slump slightly and knew what would happen once she let go of the sled. Jackson instinctively jumped off of his sled towards Simone, and caught her around the waist in mid-faceplant.
“Whoa.” Xander exclaimed as he too jumped off his sled towards them.
“I’m okay. I’m okay. I just didn’t realize that my knees were going to give out on me.” Simone said trying to break free of Jackson’s hold.
“Are you sure?” Jackson said, as he slowly released her.
“Yeah, I got it.” Simone said, standing up straight.
“Well I was going to say that we could eat lunch before the surprise, but I think you need it first.” Xander said with concern.
“Well what’s the surprise and I’ll tell you for sure?” Simone said looking over tiredly at Xander.
“We have a full-body massage planned for you.” Xander told her.
“Massage, please. I’m hungry, but that can wait.” Simone said without hesitation.
“I figured as much.” Xander chuckled. “Come on, let’s head in.”
Both men stepped to either side of her to walk her into the lodge, sandwiching her once again.
“Hey boys!” Rachel, the lodge owner shouted out as they came through the door.
Rachel was a short round feisty older woman, who ran her lodge like a well-oiled machine. Xander and Jackson loved her like a favorite aunt. She had given Xander advice and guidance often when he was first starting his lodge. And they regularly found themselves getting dating advice from the cantankerous woman as well. She was a permanent fixture in their lives, and they wouldn’t have it any other way.
“Hey, Rachel!” Xander shouted back. “How’s our favorite lady doing?”
“Oh, I’m alive and kickin’.” She replied as she walked up to them to receive her customary hugs and kisses on the cheek from the two large men. “So, who’s this adorable creature you have with you today?” Rachel said, looking intently at Simone as she blushed profusely.
“This is Simone Staton. She’s an RN from Washington. She’s gonna be here for a few weeks to meet her mother’s family.” Xander introduced.
“Simone, this little spitfire is Rachel Thomas. She owns this lodge and runs it like a drill sergeant.” Jackson teased, as the two women shook hands.
“Oh hush. You’re not too old to be put over my knee, young man.” Rachel warned.
“Yes ma’am.” Jackson grinned down at her, not afraid of her empty threat.
“So are the pups out front?” Rachel asked Xander.
“Yeah.” Xander answered.
“Well I’ll get some of the staff to come out and put them in the kennel.” Rachel said as the very staff she had mentioned that were hovering nearby, sprang into action.
“We can come out and help in a minute. We just wanted to make sure that we setup a full-body massage for Simone. It was her first sled run and she did a wonderful job, but it was longer than most novice runs and she’s tired and needs to relax.” Xander told the older woman.
“Sure, I’ll get her situated. You just leave it to me. She’ll be in good hands.” Rachel said, putting her hand on Simone’s back and guiding her out of the foyer.
The men looked on with big grins on their faces, knowing that Rachel could be a big help in their plans to get Simone to agree to a relationship with them. Rachel looked back, catching them staring, and gave them a knowing smile.
~~~
Rachel led Simone down a hall lined with different rooms with different types of
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