Page 45 of Cedarwood Cabin

I feel his palm against mine as he leads me through the kitchen toward a door I’ve never noticed before. We step through the door and I'm greeted by a room with shelves packed with canned goods, snacks, and household items. It's like a mini store, with so many supplies that it would put most convenience stores to shame. At the far end of the room, there are three large chest freezers.

“All our frozen meat is in there,” Dax explains, pointing to the freezers.

The shelves hold multiples of every item. “Why do you have this stockpile? It’s like a store…”

“Well, after the previous lockdown, we like to be prepared. We also get harsh winters out here. Plus, Lyka and I hate going into town.”

I walk over to a section of the shelves stocked with condoms and period products. I glance back at Dax, raising my eyebrows.

“What? You always gotta be prepared. We have a lot of female guests,” he says, shrugging it off.

“Of course,” I mutter, amused but not entirely surprised.

“Hey! Better to have it and not need it, than to need it and not have it. Right?”

“I guess you’re right…” I shake my head.

Dax shows me where everything is kept. Shelves are dedicated to different types of foods, baking supplies, bottled water, and a section for cleaning supplies. I am surprised at the level of organization.

“You could survive out here for months without ever needing to go into town,” I say, running my fingers along the canned goods.

“That's the idea. We like our privacy, and this way, we can stay self-sufficient. Plus, you never know when you might need to hunker down for a while,” Dax says, leaning against a shelf and crossing his arms.

“That makes total sense. Especially with everything going on now.”

“Exactly. With the new lockdown, we don’t have to worry about running out of essentials.”

We exit the stockroom, stepping back into the main cabin. “You got any more things to show me that I don't know about?” I ask. Dax turns around, a mischievous glint in his eye. “Well...we have the barn where Lyka does his woodwork, there's also a mini gym, and, behind the barn, we have a hot tub.”

“Okay…This place just keeps getting better.”

Dax grins and opens the back door as I follow him. We descend the balcony steps and I glance around, taking in the forest. Ahead of us, I see a large, wooden barn, its structure sturdy. As we approach the barn, I notice its double doors are slightly ajar. Dax pushes the doors open and I step inside, the smell of fresh-cut wood and sawdust greeting me. The interior is spacious, with various woodworking tools neatly arranged on one side. A large workbench dominates the left side of the room, covered in half-finished projects and pieces of wood.

“Lyka spends most of his time in here, that is, when he is not fucking some random girl. He’s pretty talented with woodworking. He made most of the furniture in the cabin,” Dax explains.

I run my fingers over a beautifully carved, wooden chair, admiring the intricate details. “This is amazing,” I say, genuinely impressed.

Dax leads me further into the barn and we reach an area with gym equipment, including a treadmill, a set of free weights, and a bench press. On the other side, there's a ping-pong and pool table. “We try to stay active, especially during the winter when we're cooped up inside,” Dax notes.

“I bet you guys have some intense matches.”

“Haha, you have no idea. Lyka’s got a mean backhand in ping-pong, and you already know we are pool sharks.”

We exit the barn and Dax leads me to a small clearing behind it. Nestled under trees is a hot tub surrounded by a wooden deck with several lounge chairs and a small table. It looks so inviting and relaxing.

“This is our little oasis. It’s great after a long day, especially when it's freezing in the winter.”

I look around, taking in the peaceful setting.

“You guys have everything you need out here. This place is incredible.”

“It’s our haven away from the world,” Dax says with a satisfied smile on his face.

“You know, Dax…While we’re in lockdown, you and Lyka can’t bring any girls here to, you know, fool around with.”

Dax grins and shakes his head. “I have my right hand.”

The mood feels lighter and we both laugh at the banter. I walk up to the hot tub and run my hand along it. “Can I try it out tonight?”

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