Chapter 57: Wanna Play

Zenobia's POV

It was another Thursday at the office and the news about my establishment had carried far and wide when I made changes in the operation. Instead of being a rival to Hollen Tower, we became partners.

I was entering the last of the mornings' clients information into my computer when Tiffany knocked and entered the room.

"Sorry to disturb but I've been thinking.." she started.

"About?" I asked her. I looked up from the computer giving her my undivided attention. She was wearing a wide smile on her face and was holding a flyer in her hands.

"What are you holding?" I asked her. She handed it to me and started bouncing up and down on her heels.

"Please say yes. Please say yes," she begged as I looked over the flyer.

It was an ad for a trip. More like a weekend getaway with family or friends or both to a cottage located at Lake Tahoe.

"Tiff..."

"Before you decline, please remember our last outing as a group ended in a broken relationship and a blown up car. This time, it can be more relaxed and fun. Jada and Kate can join us. The more the merrier."

"Tiff, we have a company to run. I'm up to my ears with paperwork and..."

"Let's unwind, Zen. It's a weekend. Let's just forget work and spend some time being besties. You did say you were a shitty friend and was barely there..."

"Okay. You win," I said with a laugh.

She did her victory dance and walked out of the office. Chuckling to myself, I turned back to my computer.

~
Friday evening rolled its joyous atmosphere in and we were sitting across from each other in the family's private jet. Jada had invite her companion, and Kate was present with Trish.

I was stunned when Tiffany invited Ron to join us.

"Thanks for the invite. I never thought I would have been included in your circle," Kate said to me, looking around the aircraft in awe.

"Although this was sudden, I'm glad you're here," I responded.

"Would we be placed at the northern or southern part of the lake?" Jada asked.

"Northern, right Zen?" Tiffany said.

"The southern part has great attraction, I heard," Kate chimed in.

All eyes landed on me.

I retrieved the information I received from the cottage's manager.

'A pleasant good morning to you Miss. Hollen. I'm Miss. Harmony, the cottage manager. I'm ecstatic to have yourself, friends and family member(s) join us at Lake Tahoe. I took the liberty in placing you at our luxury cottage located at the southern part of the lake. I personally will be awaiting your arrival. Do have a safe trip to us.
Truly, Janice Harmony'

I read the email aloud to the group.

A bottle of champagne was served before we ascended the sky.

~

Four hours later, we arrived at Lake Tahoe's luxury cottage. Miss. Janice Harmony met us at the threshold, handed me the keys and made certain we were settled in comfortably.

"Do enjoy your weekend," she said to us and we waved her off as she made her exit.

"This place is amazing," I said as I turned back to everyone else and looked at the interior decor.

"Truly a sight," Kate said.

"Let's find our rooms," Tiff spoke and we scrambled to find the best room with the perfect view.

~

After we had unpacked, freshened up and ate, we gathered in the living room on the couches. I watched as everyone chatted with their respective companions, holding hands and smiling like the cute couples they were.

"How about a game?" Jada spoke up as she looked at me.

"What game?" Kyle asked her. He was sitting on a sofa by himself.

"Something fun. I have the perfect game," Tiffany said. She rose from the chair, got a notebook and started writing like crazy. Then she tore some papers, rolled them and placed them into a hat.

We gathered on the rug on the floor.

"Dice and Dares," Tiffany said, smiling to herself.

I rolled my eyes at her and everyone cheered.

"It's a game I played with my classmates when we were teenagers. It's kind of like spin the bottle, but...." she explained and reached for a game board. She placed it in the middle of the circle, "It's dice and a board," she went on, "Six to start. If you land on a dare, you have to dip into the hat, pick a dare and do it. If you refuse, you have to go back to the start of the board. The winner gets to dare anyone to do anything. Refusal, you have to strip and jump into the lake."

"ohhhhhhhh," we cheered, broke into laughter and started the game.

"Tiff should roll first. She's the reason we're here," I said, handing the dice to her.

"Thank you bestie."

She rolled and nailed a six. She started, rolled again and landed on safe.

Ron played next and rolled a five. Kate played and rolled three. So did Trish. Jada rolled and landed a six. She rolled again and landed on a dare.

We watched as she reached into the hat, got a dare, opened it and read it aloud.

"Start or eliminate someone into or from the game," she said, "Ummm... I think I'll start someone. Zen, you're in."

I started and rolled. I landed on dare.

I reached into the hat next, retrieved a dare, and read aloud. "Take someone upstairs to your bedroom."

Laughter broke out.

"You've got to be kidding me," I said, "I'll remain at the start."

"Suit yourself."

Kyle rolled next, landed a six and started the game. He rolled again and landed on a dare.

"I hope it's a good dare," Kate said and we watched as he reached into the hat and listened as he read his dare.

"Kiss someone."

All eyes landed on me but to their disappointment, Kyle kissed his sister on her cheek.

"That's not what I pictured," Jada said and headed her glass of wine.

"Let's continue."

~

The game went on, getting more interesting with the dares. Tiffany and I were battling for the finish and I was close to the finishing line.

Everyone else had either given up or went back to the starting point.

"You're not winning this. This is my game," Tiffany taunted me as she shook the dice.

"We'll see about that," I told her, watching her like a hawk. She released the dice and landed on safe.

I played and landed on safe as well.

She shook and rolled.... and she won the game.

She cheered, stood up, danced and mocked me.

"Now. I have a dare and it's for you, Zenobia Hollen," she said.

"Of course," I responded.

She finished her glass of wine before speaking again. "Your dare is to let Kyle sleep in your room tonight."

"Tiff!" I snapped.

"What?" she asked innocently.

"Kyle is my bodyguard."

"Slash ex-boyfriend, slash still crushing, slash..."

"I'll slash your lips if you don't stop," I told her.

"Hey.. I won the game. I said the dare. If you refuse, you're to strip and jump into the lake. It's late and dark and cold. Your choice."

I wanted to strangle her. This was her plan all along even knowing that I wanted to remain as professional as possible.

"I'll strip," I said.

Everyone looked at me and made my way outside, removing my clothing as I walked to the lake.

"Zen!"

"Zen! You don't have to do this! I'll give you another dare. I'm sorry!" Tiff called.

"No!" I shouted and continued.

"Zenobia, you'll catch a cold!" Jada said.

"I don't care."

I was down to my underwear only when I walked the planks of the jetty. I heard running footsteps and I reached the edge.

"Zen," Kyle said.

I wrapped my hands around my chest.

"Look, you shouldn't jump into the lake. It's cold. It's late. And that can be dangerous."

"It's just water."

"I didn't know I was so bad in bed," he said.

This totally caught me off-guard.

"You're not... I want to be pro..."

"Hey, Tiff said we have to stay in the room together. She never said we had to get physical. You can take the bed, I'll take the floor."

"Kyle.... just being in the same room with you is enough to...." I stated but paused.

"Enough to what?" he asked. He stepped closer to me and I embraced myself stronger.

Although it was dark, I was seeing him perfectly. He was inches away from my reach and that space was gone when he stepped even closer. His heat wrapped around me like a blanket, warming me all over.

"Let's head back in," he whispered in my ear. He took his jacket off, placed it on my shoulders and we walked back to the cottage. He picked up my clothings on the way in.

We said our goodnights to everyone else and headed upstairs to my bedroom.

~

I had the master bedroom and a grand bed. I threw myself into it. The soft but firmness of the mattress was so welcoming that I immediately fell asleep.

~

Sometime during the night, I woke up and sat up in the bed. I looked around the room and spotted Kyle on the floor in the far corner, resting on nothing but the rug underneath his body and a pillow under his head.

I got out of bed and went over to him, shaking him awake.

"Kyle, let's share the bed."

"Zen. I'm fine. Just go back to sleep."

"I don't like seeing you on the hard floor like this. It looks uncomfortable."

"I've been through worse."

"Can we just share the bed already?"

"Zen..."

"Fine."

I went back to bed and laid my head on the pillow, pretending to sleep.

~
After ten minutes or so, I heard soft movements. He got into the bed very slowly and drifted off to sleep.