“May I?” I asked Sloane, grabbing the key from him andhanding it to Thomas.
“Come on guys,” he said. “We’re going to my lab.”
“Lab?” Ash asked. “When did you have a lab here?”
“I don’t,” Thomas said. “It’s not really a full lab,but just where I do most of my science fair projects growing up. I have allkinds of equipment there, including a key duplicating machine. I’m making eachof us a duplicate of that golden key so we can try it out on all the doors inthis house.”
“It has to be in this house,” I said. “Home iswhere you start to dream.”
“Exactly,” Seb said.
Thomas looked at Sloane and said. “Stay put. We’regoing to solve this one soon so don’t leave. We’re going to need Part 3 afterthis.”
Sloane sat back to relax and said, “I’ll take my timedrinking my coffee and enjoying the raisin bread you gave me, too, Thomas.”
“I’ve got more of those in the kitchen so helpyourself,” Thomas said. “Baked an entire loaf earlier today.”
Sloane smiled. “Putting that scientific brain to gooduse I see.”
Thomas said, “Ha. Now I’m putting it to use findingthis clue. Come on guys. To the workroom!”
We followed Thomas to the basement where someone hadconverted it into a semi-lab/tool shed/computer central.
“Why haven’t I seen this before?” Ash asked.
“Because you were too busy not studying and goofingaround,” Thomas said. “You were never interested in what I was working onanyways.”
“Did you know about Thomas’ mad scientist room?” Ashasked Seb.
“Yeah,” Seb said. “I helped him set it up.”
Ash looked mad. “You two… always working together andleaving me out of things.”
“You weren’t interested in helping,” Seb said. “Iremembered telling you to help us clear the junk in the basement for Thomas,and you made an excuse about having to study for an exam, which you flunkedanyways.”
“Oh yeah,” Ash said smiling. “Now I remembered.”
I shook my head. “Must been before my time here atKeystone,” I said.
“Why didn’t you know of this place?” Ash asked me.
“Because your mother kept my mother and me too busywith chores everyday for me to snoop around. Plus, I never liked darkbasements. Creepy.”
Thomas smiled. “You wouldn’t think it’s so creepy ifthis was where we would get together instead of my bedroom. You’ll associatethis place as a special place for us, wouldn’t you?”
“I guess I would,” I said. “But it’s still a darkbasement, and…” Thomas turned on the lights and the place lit up into neonlights like a cool space and futuristic-themed playroom.
Thomas smiled. “This is my playroom.” He pulled outsome chrome bar stools for us to sit at a clear acrylic bar and said, “You canwait here while I work on getting the keys made. Help yourself to the drinks inthe fridge.”
“Man, you’ve been holding out on me,” Seb said. “Idon’t remember you having a bar in here.”
“I installed it when you guys moved out,” Thomas said.“Kaley had left to go to Harvard, Seb left, and Ash left too. I was here bymyself with Dad for a while longer before I moved out too.”
“Oh,” Seb said. “No wonder I don’t remember this.”
He walked over to the fridge and opened it. “This ismy kind of playroom.” He pulled out a few cans of beer, handed one to Ash andone to me. He kept one for himself. “So, Thomas, is this your room of dreams?”
Thomas was already done with the first key, handing itto Seb. “Maybe,” he said.
“I think we all have a favorite room of ours in thishouse that would be our room of dreams,” I said. “Seb is right about that. Thisisn’t about just one room. I think there is going to be more than one clue ineach room.”
“Dang,” Ash said. “Can it get more complicated thanthat?”
Thomas was done with another key. “Dad believed inteamwork so the first clue made us work together. This clue will require us towork together, but individually, too. When you get your key, start looking forthe room you think Dad thought was your favorite room. Your room of dreams.”
“Gotcha,” Ash said, taking the second key Thomas madewith him. “I know which one I would choose already, but I don’t know if Dadwould’ve known about it.” He obviously meant his hidden room… the one he showedme recently, and the one we’ve just had passionate sex in.
“You should try another room,” I said, “Just in case.”
Ash nodded. “Okay, but yeah, that room…now definitelymy room of dreams. Hot ones.”
Seb and Thomas looked over at him with a frown. “Whatare you doing, Ash?” Seb said. “Get going.”
“What about you?” Ash asked Seb.
“I’m thinking about my favorite room,” Seb said. “Nowthat I’m thinking about it, I think I’ve got it.” He took off, with the firstkey Thomas made.
“And now,” Thomas said walking over to me and handingme the original key. “You get to keep the original key since you found it. AndI have a duplicate key.”
“Thanks, Thomas,” I said. “That is so sweet of you.”
“Yeah,” Thomas said, “Sweet. That’s what I want to bewith you right at this moment.” He looked at me with a look of pure longing andhunger. “We’re finally alone together, Kaley,” he said. He leaned over to holdme close.
Before I knew it, he was kissing me fully, his mouthdevouring mine as his hands went down the inside of my pants to squeeze my buttcheeks. “Oh, Thomas,” I whisper. “What are you doing?”
“Not holding back,” he said. “What’s the fucking use?There isn’t going to be an inheritance. It’s all going to those assholes yousaw at the front door today. Those fucking assholes!”
“What do you mean?” I asked.
“Even when we find the clues and get whatever Dad leftus, they want it all. So, screw that provision about not having any relationswith you. I want you more than ever, and no provision is going to keep me fromyou.” He pulled down my panties along with my pants and lifted me up on thebar, positioning me so I was wide open to him.
With a groan he dove in between my legs, eating mewith a fervor I’ve never seen before. I was bucking under him, wrapping myhands
