Chapter 1 – The House
As Shari drove, the winding mountain road glistened with fresh rain. The SUV's engine harkened its ascent, growling past the edges of the state park and the small community of shops at its outskirts. Grand View Mountain on the border of North Carolina and Tennessee had been the site of her family's vacation home since she was a young girl. Now twenty four and in graduate school at N.C State, she still loved coming back for a getaway.
"That's the Deer River," Shari said to the passengers in her Explorer, pointing casually out the driver side window.
"Looks fast," replied a young, rough looking man in the back seat. His black hair was mussed and slightly greasy. His name was Harry Madsen, and he came from Carolina money. His father was the president of a bank, but the polished, good looks and charisma of his father had thus far eluded Harry.
"Very fast," concurred a pretty, young woman seated next to Shari. Claire Hartwell was her roommate at State. Her smooth oval face was tanned golden brown, almost the same color as her hair. She had the look of a California beach girl, be-lying her roots as a Maine Yankee.
Suddenly came two snorts almost in unison from two other passengers sleeping restlessly in the back seat. One was Mark Cooley, a Virginian of some breeding. His family was one of the first to settle the state and he enjoyed letting you know it. He was tall and pleasant looking if slightly square headed. The other sleeper was Grayson Martin, a true Carolina blue blood, with blond hair, a blinding smile and the good looks of a toothpaste commercial actor.
These four were Shari's best friends from school, and while there was a fair amount of flirting amongst them, there had never been any romantic entanglements. They had come with Shari to the mountain house on this early September weekend in order to celebrate their reunion and the start of another semester. The idea was to kick things off in style... drunken style at least.
Another snort from the back seat made Shari jump. "Wake up you two dawgs," she exclaimed. "We're almost there." With her small stature, barely reaching five foot one inch, and her little girl smile, Shari looked like a child behind the wheel of the Explorer.
"What'd you say Miss Midget? Almost there?" Grayson said with one bleary eye open. "'Bout time."
The vehicle slowed and turned onto a dirt road marked with an imposing "Private Drive" sign mounted on a rustic, stone pillar. As they pull to within sight range of the expansive retreat built into the side of the mountain, an audible gasp escaped Claire.
"All right!" celebrated Grayson. "You never told us it was a mansion. I figured the place for a cabin or something."
"No way! No cabins for this girl" drawled Shari. "I don't do cabins," she said with a smirk.
Chapter 2 – A Night of Drinking
After settling in to the assorted bedrooms, each member of the quintet made their way to the den. It was a large room with an enormous stone fireplace on one wall and floor to ceiling glass windows on another. The view of the mountains was spectacular.
When Shari entered the room, the boys were there already. Gray was pouring from an opened bottle of scotch, while Harry was tending to an already roaring fire. Mark was slumped in an easy chair in his usual manner.
"Hello, my beautiful friend," was the greeting offered by Gray. "Tell me this place has a Jacuzzi where you and I can skinny dip later and my happiness will turn to ecstasy," he said, his words already stumbling from the alcohol.
"Poor miserable rich boy," thought Shari. She had a soft spot for Gray. He talked a good game, but in her opinion he was a lost little boy, and a beautiful one at that. His looks had certainly gotten her attention when they met. They'd flirted endlessly the last two years, but it had never gone any further. If she'd had the courage Shari would probably give in and go for Gray. She'd always been a sucker for good looking assholes. The truth was however, she really wasn't Gray's type. He usually went for tall, gorgeous, dumb and easy. While Shari was short, cute, smart and not so easy, at least most of the time. As she thought of this, a flood of memories crowded her head, reminding her of all the regrettable moments she'd had in her life regarding sex. Most of the time she was conservative, even shy, but every once in a while it was like something took her over and she'd end up going way over the line.
"Of course we do, Gray my dear," she said snapping back from her thoughts. It's on the deck, downstairs. But I'm afraid if you want me in there naked with you, it'll take more than that cheap scotch."
"How about some good weed too," inquired the squeaky voice of Claire behind her. Shari spun to see the other cute girl in the room holding what looked like a massive baggie full of already rolled joints. "Just like Claire," she thought "way too prepared."
"Now you're talkin'," chimed in Harry, facing the group for the first time. "Claire you strip and I'll meet you in the tub with a lighter."
Shari laughed, as she watched Clair light the first of her stash for the group. She couldn't help feel however that this group was on the verge of getting into one of those "situations".
After a couple of rounds of drinks and smoke, Gray started steering the conversation again. "Yep, I'm really thinking that Jacuzzi is calling my name. Sure I can't get you girls to join me? You would be making a poor soul's fantasy come true," he said wryly.
"I'm sure we would," Claire droned, her tongue slowed by the weed. "You've probably had more threesomes than.... than... than anybody!" She giggled at her own inability to finish the sentence.
"Not true, my dear Claire. I pine to add the experience to my vault. You, me, Shari... naked... water... mmm, I'm getting a hard on." Gray's head flopped back.
"Well Gray, it's a nice fantasy, but it's not mine," Claire retorted.
"What is?" Harry asked bluntly.
"What is what?" Claire slurred.
"What is you're fantasy, Claire?" He asked again.
"Yes, Claire, fill us in on your masturbatory thoughts," Gray joined in smiling.
"Hmmmm... well it's usually me and some dark stranger on a deserted beach somewhere. I'm naked and his tongue is getting busy..." she giggled. Nervous laughter filled the room.
"What about you Harry?" Claire asked trying to redirect the room's attention.
"Hmmm. Nowadays it would have to be anything including Julia Roberts," Harry replied.
"Yeah, but what would you do?" asked Mark incredulously.
"Whatta you mean? We'd screw, of course."
"You're so fucking boring," Mark laughed.
