17. Chapter 17

The housekeepers were stocking the carts inside the pool

room with freshly folded white towels. When the brunette she-cat finished

filling her cabinet, she closed it and stood up to stretch her back when she

saw the largest and most handsome male cat she had ever seen. His thick mane

was multicoloured with shades of red, orange, bronze and blond, mixed with the

fierce black stripes of the tiger clan. It blew in the breeze while he ran, and

as he drew closer, her heart began to race at the sight of him. She nudged her

friend who looked up and gasped at the sight of the muscular bare-chested

tiglon who was heading directly towards them, barefoot in the snow.

Figuring he was heading for the warmth of the inside of the

lodge, they each reached forward pulling open the French doors that would allow

him entry. The tiglon saw the two women and the swimming pool just beyond them,

but he had his sights set on a much more desirable destination. Without

stopping, he ran towards the Jacuzzi that had steam rising off the water’s

surface.

The housemaid gasped, calling him. “My lord--you must enter

the water slowly! It’s going to feel terribly hot if you don’t!”

Water splashed everywhere as Argo cannonballed into the hot

water and roared again as his skin and fur felt like it had been both scalded

and set on fire. Terrified for their lives, the maids screamed and ran back

into the building, leaving the doors swinging shut, but did not lock. Argo

hurriedly pulled himself out of the round in-ground tub and rolled onto the

cold stone patio, still feeling the pain shooting through every neuron in his

skin. Managing to get to his hands and knees, he pushed the glass-paned doors

back open, crawled inside and fell sideways into the pool water. Although the

pool was heated, it felt by no means hot, but its ambient temperature dulled

the pain that had been coursing through him. He held onto the side of the pool

in relief and exhaustion; he remained buoyant in the deep end, allowing his

hands, feet, and the rest of him to slowly thaw.

As Argo adjusted becoming acclimated to the water

temperature, he glanced around self-consciously glad that none of his friends,

or his mate had seen that production. After a few minutes, he decided to give

the hot tub another try. This time grabbing a large white towel from the rack,

he wrapped it around his middle before stepping outside. He turned on the water

jets and watched as powerful thrusters caused the Jacuzzi water to swirl and

bubble. He gently, ever so gently, the tiglon carefully eased himself into the

effervescent pool and sighed contentedly.

Now this is more like

it!

He dunked his head under water and surfaced, then ran his

fingers through his mane and rested his head on the edge of the hot tub,

feeling bliss, relaxation, and heavenly warmth…

Upstairs in the guest suites, Rangerkitty was changing her

clothes when she noticed Galina standing by the window, with both panes of

glass open and out. Cold wind was whipping inside, letting the heat from the

fire out, “Gali--for Jaga’s sake! If you want to have the windows open, do it

in your own room!”

“Oh, but you have a much

better view from your window than I have from mine.” Galina replied dreamily,

not moving from where she was standing and continued looking out.

Confused and knowing Galina had a better view of the

mountain range from her suite, Rangerkitty went to the window to see what she

was talking about. Expecting to simply see the patio and the covered tables and

chairs, the tigress hissed from the sight she was presented from below. Sitting

alone and waist deep in the hot tub was Argo, the hybrid bare-chested and

magnificent as ever. His eyes were closed and his hands were behind his head

while he rested against the side of the tub. Steam rose around him, swirling

and dissipating into the air, making the scene seem ethereal, as though it were

part of a dream. For a few moments, the two of them simply stood there admiring

him until Galina broke the silence.

“I think I’m in the mood for a swim.” Galina pulls off her

shirt to reveal her swimsuit.

“You just went

swimming.” Rangerkitty pulls off hers as well.

“I don’t know I just feel like warming up.” Galina steps out of her boots and pants.

“You hate hot

temperatures.” Rangerkitty does the same and steps between Galina and the door.

“If you want the honest truth, I’m going down to the hot tub

to drool over Argo at arm’s length. How’s

that?!”

Rangerkitty pushed her aside and grabbed the doorknob. “Not if I get there first!”

Dashing from the room, RK slammed the door shutting it

behind and took off. Startled, Galina

dragged the door open giving chase. Rangerkitty made it to the end of the hall,

seized the banister of the staircase, and whipped around descending the stairs

two at a time. Galina vaulted over the banister and landed in front of Ranger

pushing her against the wall, gaining advantage and rushed ahead of her. Growling, Rangerkitty slid down the banister

conveniently landing on top of Galina and knocked her to the carpeted floor.

Jumping off her friend, RK sprinted towards the back of the lodge where the

pool was located. Hearing fast footsteps approaching behind her, she quickened

her pace and they both entered the room with the indoor pool.

Two waiters were setting the tables inside the pool’s indoor

courtyard when the two tigresses came dashing inside. They looked up in

surprise and tried to call out caution to the wet floor that had just been

mopped. Too late, they gasped as both Galina and Rangerkitty lost their footing

and began to slip and trip, but had not slowed down. The women fell and began

to slide together towards the glass doors, certain to crash into them. Acting

on instinct, the waiters each grabbed a door and opened it, allowing the

tigresses to skid right out of the room, across the frozen ice-covered patio

and into a snowdrift just past where the deck chairs were normally located.

They hit the bushes causing the snow that had settled on top to be knocked off.

The snow landed on top of the girls’ heads and shoulders, covering them in

frozen white powder and red berries. The waiters hurriedly closed the doors and

ran for the cover of the locker room so they would not be identified as the

culprits that led to their fiasco; the two ThunderCats dusted themselves off.

“Well that was embarrassing.” Rangerkitty groaned,

picking berries out of Galina’s hair.

“Yeah, lucky for us, no one saw that.”

“Ahem--ohhhh… someone saw that all right!” Came Argo’s

bemused voice.

The tigresses looked over and saw him leaning on the side of

the hot tub, grinning at them. “And it was darn funny!” he called out louder,

laughing throatily now.

Rangerkitty scowled and stood up, dusting herself off;

Galina grinned and also got up to her feet. “You got room in there for two

more, mister?” she asked with her hands on her hips giving the tiglon her

brightest pearly white smile.

Argo winked, admiring the two swim suited--clad beauties and

slowly rose, “For you two? You better believe it.”

Both women couldn’t help but suck in their breath ogling the

magnificent tiglon. Steam rose off his sculpted body with him standing waist

deep in the bubbling hot water. Drops of water trailed down his neck and

shoulders, heading southward while the tigresses watched unable to avert their

gazes. His swim trunks were hanging low on his pelvis, and they could see his

amazingly ripped washboard stomach, along with the suggestive lines that ran

beyond his hips. Seeing that they had not yet moved, Argo motioned with his big

hands for them to come closer.

“Come on, girls, is something wrong? I don’t bite.”

“Pity…” Galina whispered, and then winced from Rangerkitty

elbowing her. “Ow—what did I say?”

“Gali! Seriously!”

she hissed.

“What? Don’t say it’s

not a pity!” The white tigress whispered back as neared him. Rangerkitty went to step in when Argo held

his hands up and cautioned her.

“Uh, may I suggest you ease yourself in? It’s much more

comfortable that way.”

That’s what she said…

Galina thought to herself with a grin and she sat down on the side of the tub

dipping her feet, then her lower legs into the hot bubbling water. Rangerkitty

did the same, then slipped in so she was waist deep, then submerged herself to

her shoulders.

“Ahhhhh, this feels sooooo good…” she breathed.

That’s what… oh forget it! Galina thought to herself and scowled,

spotting Argo putting an arm up on the rim on the round tub behind

Rangerkitty’s shoulders. Her red haired friend relaxed her head back on the

hybrid’s muscular left arm and grinned with bliss.

“This is the life--Argo, what a marvelous idea.”

Oh Argo, what a

brilliant idea, Argo! Oh Argo, why don’t I snuggle with you while my friend

Galina who has sworn to keep her hands off you has to watch us, Argo? Galina

began arguing with herself inside her own head, bobbing it back and forth in

sarcasm, not noticing the strange looks the other two were giving her watching

this strange display. Finally, Argo chose to interrupt Galina’s thoughts with

herself.

“Galina, are you all right?”

Snapping back into reality, she looked upon him with

brilliant eyes and a glowing smile, “Never better!”

“Then why not join us over here?” he asked, holding up his

right arm out of the water. “I have a free arm here, and what could be better

than having a beautiful woman on both sides?”

Galina gasped and looked around, then back at Argo. “Oh….

Um, I don’t know…”

“Aw, come on… that whole look

but don’t touch thing was a long time ago. I’m sure it’s not still

expected, especially since we’re all so much closer now. What do you say?” he

coaxed her, grinning with that award winning smile of his.