by S. L. Adams
© 2019 by Sara Leanne Adams
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or used in any manner without the written permission of the author.
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This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, places, events and incidents are either the products of the author's imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental.
WARNING
This book contains graphic sexual content which is not suitable for persons under the age of 18.
Part One
2007
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Part Two
2019
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Chapter 24
Chapter 25
Chapter 26
Chapter 27
Chapter 28
Chapter 29
Chapter 30
Chapter 31
Chapter 32
Chapter 33
Chapter 34
Part One
2007
Chapter 1
Alex
I keep my eyes closed, careful not to move a muscle until I hear the quiet click of the cabin door. If my roommate knows I’m awake, he’s likely to start talking about rocks again. The guy is nice enough, but terribly boring and annoying. Blake started scheduling us on opposite shifts to facilitate my avoidance strategy. Working at my best friend’s resort has its perks. Blake Remington was my roommate during my first year at the University of Michigan. We hit it off, and we’ve been inseparable ever since. I’m from Ann Arbor, but I stayed in residence that first year because my mom wanted me to have the full college experience. I lived at home for the next two years to save money. Blake stayed at our house, his room and board providing some much-needed extra cash.
When Blake offered me a job at his family’s resort in Montana this summer, I jumped at the chance to get away from Michigan. Working as a lifeguard at an indoor water park sounded like a pretty cool gig.
My stomach grumbles, prompting me to drag my ass out of bed and hit the shower. Fuck. I’ve gotta get up earlier if I want more than a trickle of lukewarm water to wash myself in. How can they pump gallons of water through the water park, but fail to provide enough for the employees to take a decent shower? I shouldn’t complain. Remington’s treat their staff well.
I suck in deep gulps of air as I walk down the well-worn path toward the dining hall, the wood chips crunching under my feet. I’ve been here for a month, but I’m still not used to the mountain air.
After a quick cursory glance around the cafeteria, I head to the self serve food station. A few other staff members are scattered at the long tables. A blonde chick with a great rack lifts her head and shoots me a seductive grin. I’ve worked with her a couple times. The lifeguards work in pairs, rotating around the various slides and attractions in the water park. I can’t remember her name. She always comes on to me, flaunting her big tits. But there’s nothing going on upstairs. I prefer a girl who can carry on a conversation.
I survey the hot food options, lifting the metal lids to take a peek at the contents. The last one catches my attention, offering up some kind of meat and egg mixture. I scoop a generous portion on my plate, grab a glass of orange juice and settle at an empty table. The mystery dish is delicious, delivering a taste explosion in my mouth with a bit of everything in it. Scrambled eggs, fried potatoes, bacon, sausage and ham pulled together with melted cheese and a hint of syrup.
I have to compliment the person who whipped up the tasty dish I just consumed. And I have a pretty good idea who it was. The same girl who bakes delicious cookies every morning. I deposit my dirty dishes in the bin and return my tray before heading toward the kitchen door.
The heavenly aroma of fresh baked cookies reaches my nostrils as I round the corner by the massive fridge and spot her pulling trays out of the oven.
“Did you make that yummy breakfast thing?” I ask in a low whisper.
She jumps, almost dropping the tray of cookies. When she spins around, her face lights up as she sees me lurking by the fridge where the chef can’t see me. Nobody is supposed to be in the kitchen unless they work there.
“Hi, Alex,” she gushes, her chubby cheeks turning a deep shade of pink. “I made it. Did you like it?”
I don’t know her name. I’ve never asked. Some of the lifeguards nicknamed her Bubba Chunks. She’s a big girl. No. Big doesn’t accurately describe the blonde sous chef. The girl is obese. She limps when she walks, her massive legs rubbing together as her front ass sags over her thunder thighs. I’m not a shallow asshole, but I could never fuck a fat chick. I mean, how would I even find her hole under all that blubber? Okay. That’s harsh. Maybe I am a bit of a jerk.
“I loved it. What kind of cookies you got there, sweetheart?”
“Oatmeal raisin,” she giggles. “You want one?”
“How about two or three?”
“You got it,” she whispers, wrapping three cookies in a napkin and handing them to me.
“Thanks.” I wink at her before sneaking back the way I came.
I glance at my watch as I approach the employee entrance to the water park. The evening shift tends to be markedly busier than the day shift, and it usually goes by quickly. I don’t mind the job, despite the monotony. There are worse things I could be doing for money than putting people on rafts and sending them down a slide. I’m not anticipating any big rescues in an indoor water park.
“Hey, Alex!”
I turn to see Blake jogging toward me.
“Hey, man. What’s up?”
“Nothing. I just wanted to tell you that you’re working with Gretchen’s friend tonight.” His mouth breaks out in a sly grin. “I think you’re gonna appreciate that.”
“Oh yeah?” I punch in the security code and push the door open. “She hot?”
He follows me into the change room, leaning on my locker door while I change into my lifeguard shirt. “Just between you and me?” he says under his breath.
“Sure. I’m not gonna tell your girlfriend,” I chuckle, shaking my head.
“She’s not hard on the eyes, man. That’s all I’m gonna say.”
“Okay. I’m looking forward to meeting her. But isn’t she a high school girl?”
“She was. They graduated last night.” He tilts his head. “Remember? I went to Missoula yesterday for the ceremony? And I brought Gretchen and Shelby back with me this morning.”
“Oh right,” I laugh. “Sorry. I forgot. You must be pretty happy to have your girl up here. Must be nice to know you’re gonna get laid.”
“Oh yeah.” He grins from ear to ear. “You could get pussy anytime you want. There are all kinds of hot chicks working here that would be more than willing to service you.”
�
�Yeah, maybe. I haven’t met one yet that interests me enough to bother. And I doubt a little high school chick is going to turn my crank.”
“Shelby is a pretty cool girl. She’s smart. Going to Columbia. She’s gonna be an orthodontist.” He folds his arms across his chest, raising his eyebrows as he tries to marry me off to this girl I’ve never met. “She’s on the rebound too. Just broke it off with her high school boyfriend.”
“Okay. Thanks, Blake. I can find my own girlfriend. But I appreciate what you’re trying to do.” I slam my locker door shut and head down the hall toward the park.
“Have fun,” he calls after me. “You’ll be thanking me tomorrow!”
Chapter 2
Shelby
“Ready for another great summer?” I glance over my shoulder at my friend as I toss panties in a dresser drawer.
“Yeah, I guess,” Gretchen shrugs. “I still don’t understand why I can’t stay in Blake’s room. We’ve been going out for two years.”
“Because you’re an employee. Do you really want to bunk in the boss’s house?” I close the drawer and turn to face her. She’s lying on her bed with her head hanging over the end, her long blonde locks cascading down to the floor.
“I guess not,” she replies, a devilish smile forming on her lips. “You promise to skedaddle if you see my whistle on the door handle, right?”
“Yes,” I say, with an exasperated sigh. “I won’t get in the way of you having sex with your boyfriend.”
“And I will do the same for you.”
“Yeah, cause I have guys over for sex all the time,” I laugh.
“C’mon, Shelby. You’re hot. The guys are gonna be all over you this summer.”
“Um, thanks for that disturbing compliment.” I pull my red lifeguard tank top over my bathing suit. “We better get going. I’m at the top of the Twisters tonight. It takes forever to climb up there.”
We head down the wood chip pathway toward the back of the main building. Remington’s Reindeer Lodge employees stay in cabins located in an area that’s not accessible to guests. I inhale deeply, taking in the fresh mountain air. As far as I'm concerned, there's nothing better.
Growing up in a low income housing project next to an industrial park, I had few opportunities to breathe in fresh air. When Gretchen’s rich boyfriend offered me a job at his family’s mountain resort last summer, I jumped at the chance to get away from Missoula.
Living in a four bedroom row house with seven younger siblings was challenging on the best of days. My mom was pissed when I took off for two months last summer. When I informed her I had the job again this summer, she told me to pack my bags and get out and not return. She isn’t in the running for any mother of the year awards. I’m a babysitter and nothing more.
I'm heading to Columbia University in the fall, so I don’t really need a place to live. I can't wait to get away from Montana. My dad took off when I was thirteen, the day after my youngest sister was born. We haven't seen or heard from him since. My mom works a waitress job at a bar in the evenings, so I rarely see her. When she’s home, she is usually drunk or entertaining the flavour of the month in her bedroom. We never have enough food to eat, and we have to wear hand-me-downs from other families in the complex or the local thrift shop.
“I’m on the wave pool,” Gretchen says, punching in the code for the employee entrance.
“Really?” I try to suppress my laughter and fail miserably. “That sucks. I thought the boss’s girlfriend would have a better post than that.”
She glances over her shoulder, scowling. “It’s a rotation. Everyone takes a turn at the shitty jobs. You will have your stint, Shelby. Don't you worry.”
The overwhelming stench of chlorine fills my nostrils as I head towards the stairs leading up to the Twister Slides. The smell is one of the unfortunate parts of working in an indoor water park.
Three slides wind around each other, spinning riders down the twisty flumes to the pool below. The line spirals all the way down the six-storey staircase. I make my way up, dodging annoying kids and teenage girls with their boobs hanging out of skimpy bathing suits.
“Hey, Holly!” I greet the tiny blonde I’m relieving. “How are you?”
“Hey, Shelby! Glad to see you back.” She leans in close, whispering in my ear. “Check out the new guy. He’s super hot. Apparently, he’s Blake Remington’s roommate at university.”
I glance over at the next slide. Hello, hot guy! Blake never mentioned that his roommate was gorgeous. The guy has to be at least six foot two or three. He runs his hands through his dark wavy hair as he catches me checking him out. Dreamy emerald green eyes roam up and down my body before penetrating me with an appreciative stare. My knees tremble when he smiles, showing off a perfect set of white teeth and sexy dimples.
Holy smokes! He’s heading my way.
Suddenly, I feel a hand encircle my ankle, pulling me down onto the water slide. I lose my balance, landing on my butt behind the raft waiting at the top of the slide. Two teenage boys laugh, one of them capturing me by the ankle and pulling me down the slide behind them. A hand grabs the back of my shirt. But I’ve picked up too much speed, causing me to take my would be rescuer for the ride.
I curse under my breath as my body plummets down the slide. The culprits in the raft let go of my ankle when we crest a corner. Strong arms hold onto me from behind, a pair of large hands encircling my waist.
The slide dumps us into the deep pool at the end. I go under, quickly pulling my body back to the surface at the same time that my companion comes up. He shakes his head, water flying from his hair. I sputter, pushing my wet hair away as I come face to face with the hot lifeguard.
“Hi, there,” he says, his voice deep, with no discernible accent to hint at where he might be from. He holds out a hand. “I’m Alex.”
“Hi,” I say, accepting the large hand that swallows up my dainty fingers. He’s a big guy, his body rippled with muscles. “I’m Shelby.”
“Oh yeah. You’re Gretchen’s friend, right?”
“Ah, yes,” I stammer as he continues to fuck me with his eyes. “Thanks for trying to save me.”
“No problem.” His green eyes sparkle as his gaze drifts down to my chest, before travelling back up to my eyes. “No problem at all. Sorry I didn’t catch you in time.”
“Those boys grabbed me.” I glance over to the side of the pool, where the lifeguard is giving them a lecture. A security guard appears and leads them away. “Little brats. They could’ve broken my ankle.”
“Are you ok?” he asks as we make our way to the ladder.
“Yes. Thanks again.”
I catch Alex staring at me a few times over the course of the evening as we move guest after guest down the slides. I need to be careful. I know his type. He’s only after one thing. And Shelby Richardson isn’t giving up that to just anyone. I’m not my mother’s daughter.
“I think that’s the busiest night since I got here,” Alex says as we finish up the end of night closing chores.
“When did you get here?” I head down the stairs as he falls in step beside me.
“I’ve been here for a month.”
“Yeah, it will get a lot busier now that the kids are out of school,” I say, glancing up at him with a shy smile. “Are you enjoying it so far?”
“Yes,” he says, grinning widely. “And it just got a whole lot better tonight.”
I laugh nervously, my face heating up at his obvious flirting.
“Hey, Shelby. Wait up.”
I turn around to see Gretchen walking toward us. “How was the wave pool?” I ask, smirking.
“Ha ha,” she snorts before her eyes take in the handsome hunk standing next to me. “Hello.”
“Gretchen, this is Blake’s roommate.”
“Alex,” he says, extending his hand. “I’ve heard a lot about you, Gretchen.”
“Uh oh,” she giggles.
“All good, of course,” he says with a sexy smirk. “Well, yo
u ladies have a good night. I have to help move some tables before I go. See you tomorrow, Shelby.”
“See you tomorrow, Alex.”
My insides turn to mush when he grins and winks at me before walking away.
“Oh. My. God.” Gretchen grabs my arm as we head down the path toward our cabin.
“What?”
“Alex has the hots for you.”
“He’s a college guy. He’s only interested in one thing.”
“Yeah. So?”
“So, I’m not that kind of girl.” I pull my arm free and walk ahead of her.
“Shelby, you can’t go off to college a virgin.” She catches up to me as we pass the Employees Only sign at the entrance to the staff quarters.
“Why not?”
“Because you just can’t. You’re going to meet lots of guys when you get to Columbia, and it would be a good idea to get a little experience under your belt in the sex department.”
“He is hot,” I admit as I unlock the door.
“Guys, wait up!”
We turn as our friend Penny comes down the path, half running, half walking. She also works at the lodge, but not as a lifeguard. Penny is an aspiring chef and Blake gave her an opportunity to work in the kitchen last summer. She made such an impression on the chef, that he offered her a summer job this year as his sous chef. Penny is a year older than us and attending culinary school. She has been at the lodge a month already, since colleges let out earlier than high school.
“Hey, Penny,” I say as the plump blonde makes her way up the steps. Plump isn't really an accurate description. Penny is obese. I have no idea how she works in a busy, crowded kitchen.
“I’m so glad you guys are finally up here,” she pants, flopping down on my bed. “I’ve been dying to tell you about the new hunky lifeguard. I have a huge crush on him.”
Gretchen glances at me, her eyes wide. “Um, Penny, are you talking about Blake’s friend from Michigan?”
“Yes. Alex. He’s so dreamy.” She rolls on her back, hugging my stuffed alligator. “Gretchen, do you think Blake can put in a good word for me? Maybe he can find out if Alex likes me? He comes into the kitchen all the time. I know he’s not really supposed to be back there, but he’s always hungry and looking for a snack.”