Chapter 1: Arrival in the Mountains
"You're such a case, Linda!" Tomáš declared, loud enough for the whole mountain lodge restaurant to hear. Luckily, the blare of old rock hits from the speakers, and the hum of the crowd drowned him out. Linda rolled her eyes--Tomáš's reputation as the guy who always spoke his mind was a well-worn fact in their relationship.
"He's got a point, though," Zuzana laughed, sipping her glass of red wine. "You need some life in you."
"Excuse me?!" Linda couldn't believe Zuzana--this stylish woman who looked like she'd stepped off a magazine cover--would side with Tomáš.
"Hang on," Tomáš said, ignoring Linda's "here we go again" glare. He'd grown used to her sulking. "You're clinging to rules from a time when women married at eighteen, had kids at nineteen, and were past their prime by thirty. Back then, there was no time for cravings--by the time they showed up, you were hitched and could work them out in bed. I'm not saying you should jump someone right now. Just that waiting for 'the one' today is a hell of a lot tougher than it was back then."
"Do the math, Linda," Zuzana chimed in. "You're thirty. Another year slogging away on that office project. Even if you met someone tonight, two years ago before a wedding? That's a damn long time if you ask me."
Tomáš adored Zuzana. Though she came from the city, she had flair and perspective--never looked down on anyone and occasionally dropped a sharp word to shake things up. She and her husband Marek had been his buddies since their first ski trip in the Tatras three years back.
"But you're not married, Zuzana," Linda shot back, hating the two-against-one odds. "Don't tell me you waited for a wedding before... you know..."
"Before I slept with someone?" Zuzana's bluntness made Linda flush. She sank deeper into the armchair by the fireplace, hoping no one overheard. "Oh, I'm still a virgin, obviously," Zuzana laughed. "But there's so much you can do before that!"
"Like what?" Linda's eyes widened in disbelief.
Zuzana rose from her leather seat. "And that's my cue for another glass! Sorry, Linda, it's a bit personal--ask Tomáš whatever you want. He's the expert!"
Linda watched helplessly as Zuzana vanished into the crowd, leaving her alone with the wolf. Tomáš grinned. She glared at him--red-faced and pissed. He couldn't blame her. In their circle, he'd always been the one pushing boundaries.
Chapter 2: Sauna and First Cracks
"So this is your private wellness?" Tomáš asked as they stepped into the wooden sauna. Linda felt trapped--naked under a towel, her nipple piercings stinging in the heat. Marek and Zuzana were already inside, shameless as if they'd been born that way. Marek's wolf tattoo glistened with sweat; Zuzana ran a hand through her hair and gave Linda a mischievous glance.
"Like it?" Marek grinned, stretching his arms to show off his build. Zuzana slid onto the bench beside Linda, their thighs brushing. Linda held her breath.
"To new experiences," Marek toasted with a glass of sparkling wine, eyeing Tomáš. The heat loosened them up. Zuzana leaned closer to Linda. "You've got soft skin," she whispered, her fingers grazing Linda's arm. Tomáš sipped his drink, watching from the corner of his eye--he knew Linda was teetering between panic and curiosity.
"What are you doing?" Linda hissed, but Zuzana just smiled. "Relax. It's nothing you can't handle." Marek chuckled. "Linda, you're like a deer in headlights. Have a glass--loosen that tongue."
Linda took a sip--the bubbles tickled her throat, but the sauna's warmth and Zuzana's touch kept her rooted. Tomáš leaned toward Marek. "You know she's never done this, right?" Marek raised an eyebrow. "Then it's about time she starts."
Chapter 3: Night in the Lodge
After the sauna, they moved to the room--wooden walls, a crackling fireplace, and a bottle of homemade Slivovitz on the table. Linda sat on the couch, still in her towel, while Tomáš and Marek swapped mountain stories. Zuzana plopped down beside her, too close for comfort.
"So, Linda," Zuzana started, "how long are you planning to play the innocent?" Linda frowned. "I'm not playing anything. I just... don't know what you want from us."
"From you?" Zuzana laughed. "Nothing. But Tomáš does. And you do too--you just won't admit it." Linda glanced at Tomáš, who pretended not to hear, though his smirk gave him away.
