The day had finally arrived.  The day he dreaded?  Or the day he welcomed?  It was actually the day he believed he’d never have to face.  The day he would face another woman not named Evangeline and truly wonder if intimacy of the physical variation was a possibility.  Ironically, Anton felt like he was in 6th grade again.  But more importantly, did Jennie Mae Thompson like him as much as he liked her?  As it turned out, she most assuredly did not.  As usual, and also quite predictably, she had her 6th-grade eyes on someone else.<br/><br/>And Magdalene didn’t factor into this equation.  That observation wasn’t an insult in any way toward the luscious Latina.  Fact of the matter was that they’d already taken numerous tumbles between the sheets, and even a few without any bedding.  So that intimacy issue with her had already been met and addressed.  And another thing, intimacy with Magdalene roughly translated to pure, no-holds-barred sex.  Cuddling?  Haha, don’t be daft!<br/><br/>The manner in which Anton looked and thought of Stella, on the other hand, went beyond the basic, animalistic approach.  Of course, it most definitely was there all the same, but it also came with extras, in a manner of speaking.  And the days spent here at the cabin by the lake would be the beginning of their exploration.  At least, that’s the way he looked at their current situation.  Perhaps Stella did, too, though for now, there was no way for him to know this.  Well, outside of coming right out and asking her point blank.  Which wasn’t about to happen.  Low and slow would be his adopted rallying cry, borrowed directly from a Low Riders car club.<br/><br/>Still believing it was very audacious to suggest the same bed, he also thought of how he could tell her how lazy he was about doing laundry, so yeah, same bed it is then.  Conserving water and laundry soap was far more noble than getting cozy under some seriously thick blankets.  A stiff breeze blowing off of the lake could always be counted on to bite with a frigid vengeance.  So those flannel sheets were a constant favorite of his.<br/><br/>She had already chosen the room right next to the master bedroom.  For the time being, Anton would choose the one opposite of those two.  It offered no lake views, but that was okay.  The surrounding forest and its diverse types of trees and other vegetation was more of a favorite of his.  Especially in the mornings, when the numerous species of birds and other wildlife were waking up.  Anton simply adored birdsong, and all the other chattering sounds they made.  At times, it reminded him of a congregation of women had gathered to catch up on the latest forest gossip.  He was positive that’s exactly what those birds were doing.  Throw in some rain and its own magical sound of landing on leaves and plants, and there was your perfect recipe for forest watching and listening.  Fog or mist from the lake was definitely the cherry on the sundae.<br/><br/>During their stay, perhaps the master bedroom would become their Holy Grail, such as it was.  It was anyone’s guess if Stella was thinking the same thing, too.  The only detail that Anton was 100% positive about was that he would not be<i>that guy.  </i>The kinda guy that at first, sweet-talked and then forced himself on women.  Undeniably not his style, and besides, she deserved much better treatment.<br/><br/>Their very modest but equally delicious lunch was nearing its end, having been consumed mostly in silence.  Not counting, of course, the deafening sound from the potato chips.  To him, the pleasant sound of crunching only added to the soundtrack of their environment.  His laughing now added to it.  Following a swig from his beer bottle, he answered, “Oh, you’ve no idea, Stella.  If I remember correctly, the more successful the photo shoots, as far as our director was concerned, the more raucous those parties became.”  There.  Anton politely answered her question, yet conveniently withheld any further details.  He was sure beyond any doubts that she’d end up blushing at most of them anyway.<br/><br/>“What shall we do now?” she asked.<br/><br/>So, so many thoughts inundated his mischievous mind.  Instead, he offered, “Well, we could go into town and browse through all the artisan shops.  Though really, I’m not too sure you’d want to do that after coming all this way.”  After a distinct gesture toward the lake, Anton continued, “With such a beautiful day like today, there’s always the lake to consider.  We could go for a dip, or take some kayaks out.  I believe we have both solo and tandem ones to choose from.  Pretty sure a canoe is stashed somewhere in the garage, if that’s your preference.”<br/><br/>While Stella considered those options, he threw one more into the mix.  “Or, if you don’t feel like being anywhere near the wet stuff, we also have some mountain bikes,” he stated.  “Not sure if you noticed them, but they were hanging on the walls of the garage.  There are lots of tasty trails around here, though I’m not sure how sweaty you feel like getting.”<br/><br/>Gathering their empty bottles and plates, Anton suddenly remembered a favorite pastime.  “Another option was something most of us enjoyed doing,” he began.  “We’d be in our swimsuits and go on a bike ride.  Then we’d find a spot somewhere by the lake, remove our t-shirts, and jump in to cool down.  Ride back home, and repeat the process by jumping into the lake off of the dock down there.”  He nodded, as she followed the direction his eyes were indicating.<br/><br/>“Up to you, Stella,” he said, while moving toward the sliding glass door.  “I’m game for just about anything, so think about it.  I’ll be right back,” Anton stated, as he disappeared into the cabin.