Northern Exposure

by Stephanie Williams

  After desert they walked across the street to his favorite music bar. The music was loud—and bad.

  “You guys really love disco, huh?” Brit commented, turning to him.

  “I will admit that some Europeans and Scandinavians have no taste when it comes to music, despite the fact that we watch music videos on television and on the Internet. And some of us insist on mixing the hip stuff with what is called Euro-trash music. Like Kanye West with nails across a blackboard.” He shook his head and opened the door for her.

  As they walked in, Brit noticed a lot of people sitting at a bar and against the wall. It was one of those “get comfy” bars with pillows to sit on, and servers bringing drinks and finger foods.

  There was loud applause after the song was over. “Are they happy that the DJ stopped?” Brit mused as they took a seat in the corner.

  Sebastian laughed. “Hard to tell, huh?” Just then more music began to play.

  Brit looked over at the DJ and noticed he looked either African or Jamaican. That wasn’t really unusual. There were a lot of expats from African countries and the islands in Finland.

  Someone brought their drinks and some interesting cakes. “Mmm, sweets,” Brit said, picking up one and popping it in her mouth.

  “Whoa! Wait tha—” Sebastian reached for her hand, but it was too late. The cake flew out of her mouth and across the room.

  The people in their area broke out in laughter.

  “Those are vodka and grain alcohol balls,” Sebastian said, laughing and wiping her chin. “I was trying to warn you.”

  “I thought it would be sweet,” Brit said, wiping her tongue and coughing. “I probably would have enjoyed it, if I had been warned,” she chuckled.

  “Are you always that impulsive?” Sebastian looked at her with an intensity that spoke volumes.

  She knew what he was trying to get at. He was relentless. She would have been insulted and upset if it weren’t for the fact that he was drop dead gorgeous, and charming as hell. Even in the darkened room, she could see the dark pupils of his sea-green eyes. Oh yeah, and she was horny as hell.

  “I usually look before I leap,” Brit said as she sipped some juice one of the bartenders brought her. She knew that wasn’t altogether true. That was her problem. Anything on a dare.

  How else could she explain running with the bulls in heels?

  She was supposed to have worn athletic shoes, but she had sneaked in her low-heeled Jimmy Choos. She had put grips on the bottoms and she had been a safe distance from the stampeding bovines. A smile crept to her face as she remembered the moment.

  “What’s that?” Sebastian asked as he grinned at her.

  “Oh, nothing.”

  “Hmm, looked like something. Will you share later?”

  “Maybe.”

  They continued to enjoy the music as much as they could. As the evening progressed, they decided to head back to the hotel.

  As they drove, Sebastian noticed that Brit was hugging herself.

  “Cold?”

  “A bit.”

  He wrapped one arm around her. “I didn’t think to bring an extra sweater.”

  “That’s okay. Your arm is fine.” She turned to him and smiled.

  “So, are you game for anything tomorrow? You never answered me about the horseback riding,” Sebastian said as they pulled into the hotel parking area.

  “Sure, I love horses. I’ve never been on your little Finnish horses. They’re kinda short and fluffy looking,” she giggled. “They look like they’ll be comfortable to ride.”

  “This is true.”

  They got out of the car and headed towards the elevator. They got off, but not on her floor. They continued walking down a long hallway, finally stopping in front of a door.

  “Are you game for anything tonight?” Sebastian asked, taking out his card key.

  “Maybe.”

  “A woman of very few words. I don’t know if that’s a good thing,” he laughed and went into the room.

  Brit followed, cautiously. She was adventurous, but she was always wary. And even though he seemed like a nice man, one never knew.

  She sat in a chair by the door, and looked around the place. The furnishings were mostly American modern. Brit wanted to laugh. People back home went ga-ga over the Scandinavian furniture stores back in the States, yet this Finn didn’t have a hint of that crap. Beautiful earth tones with splashes of mint green throughout dominated Sebastian’s furnishings. Two huge, comfy-looking chairs and ottomans sat in two corners of the room. Even though she hated modern, she could tell this was expensive décor.

  “Nice room. Looks like the presidential suite or something.”

  “Well, being the nephew of the owner doesn’t hurt.” He smirked as he handed her a drink. “It’s juice. I take it you might still have the taste of the vodka balls in your mouth. That was real funny, by the way. It happens a lot, but we still get a kick out of it.” He sat in the chair near hers.

  “I’m glad I could continue the tradition,” Brit groaned as she gulped down her juice.

  “I thought it was cute. But then anything you do is cute.”

  “I just met you today.”

  “Yeah, but your first introduction really left a lasting impression.” He grinned and raised his glass to her.

  She groaned and took another gulp of juice.

  “You’re cute when you’re embarrassed, too.”

  “You don’t know if everything is cute about me,” Brit said, getting up and walking around.

  “This is true. But I do know you’re breathtaking.” He walked toward her until he stood just inches away. He touched her cheek. “Stay with me tonight. We can just talk, and if it leads to something else, then as you Americans say, we’ll cross that bridge when we come to it.”

  It was a somewhat innocent open invitation. But Brit knew anything planned with this man could become anything but innocent.

  She was attracted to him. There was no hiding that. And she knew he knew it, too. But for once, she wanted to act cautiously. This wasn’t running with the bulls. This was more dangerous. This was her heart.

  He turned around and made his way toward the bathroom. In the doorway, he began to take off his sweater. “I just want to get into something more comfortable,” he said over his shoulder. He was now standing with his bare back to her.

  Brit groaned and took another gulp of juice.

  This was going to be a long night.

  Chapter Five

  Sebastian hoped he wasn’t pushing his luck by asking Brit to stay with him. But he didn’t want this night to end.

  He didn’t want this month to end. When she told him she was staying for a month, he decided then to make her his—forever. He had finally figured out what was missing in his life. He didn’t need a long sabbatical to reach that conclusion.

  There was a reason Brit kept showing up. It was unusual to see this same woman, at this particular resort, four times! It was a sign.

  He needed to tread lightly. He didn’t want to scare her off or make her mad. The latter he was doing very well by putting his foot in his mouth every ten minutes.

  But at dinner and the bar, things seemed to get back on track. And right now was looking good, too. She didn’t say yes to his invitation. But she hadn’t said no, either.

  He entered the bathroom, put on his silk pajama jacket and tied the sash before re-entering the room. Brit was sitting in one of the ottomans by the window. She glanced at him and her body language seemed more relaxed.

  When his sweater was off, he had noticed how she looked at him. He’d seen her reflection in the mirror on the wall by the bathroom door. That was puzzling. A carefree, open woman like Brit afraid to express her desires.

  And he’d seen and felt desire. That kiss was still burning his lips.

  Women.

  “Would you like some more juice?” he offered as he walked to the wet bar.

  “Oh, no. Any more liquids and I’ll be in the bathroom the r
est of the evening,” Brit chuckled.

  “We wouldn’t want that. I want you with me, in front of me as long as possible.”

  “Gee, you sure know how to make a girl feel attractive.”

  “I’m merely confirming the obvious.”

  Sebastian noticed her slight blush as it colored her cheeks in a warm glow, which in turn caused him to smile. He went to the little fridge under the wet bar.

  “I notice you have a sweet tooth, hence your eagerness for the vodka balls. Here.” He handed her a small bowl of pastries.

  “Oh, these look good,” Brit said as she picked one up and popped it in her mouth. “Mmm these are good. What are they?”

  “Butter, cream, sugar and flour and some secret something my grandmother won’t tell anyone until she’s on her deathbed,” he laughed. “She makes them for me every week. I’ll fatten up like a farm pig if she doesn’t stop.”

  “Well, tell her to send me a few dozen, I won’t need the recipe. These are so rich, I could only eat so many.”

  “I’ll make sure I tell her.” He sat down in the chair next to hers. “So, what did you plan on doing in your month here?”

  Brit cocked her head and thought a moment. “I just came here to relax and collect my thoughts. Every time I’ve gone overseas, it’s been a working vacation. This time it’s just for me, and you know what?”

  “What?”

  “I don’t know what the hell to do with myself.”

  They both laughed.

  “I know what you can do tonight,” Sebastian said as he got up from his chair, and walked over to her. Standing in front of her, he stroked her cheek. “I wish you were here for a lifetime. A month is too short.”

  “I have to get back to my work,” Brit said.

  He took her hands and lifted her out of the chair. “You don’t have to go to work tonight or tomorrow.”

  “No, I don’t.”

  “You don’t have anyone back home do you?”

  Someone this beautiful probably had a lot of men waiting for her back home. Maybe there was a special someone back in the States that caused her hesitation. Sorry, but he’d have to hurt that person.

  “No.”

  He wanted to leap for joy, but played it cool. “That’s good to hear.”

  “It’s that…well, I’ve never really done anything like this. I mean, I’ve only known you for a literally, a few hours.”

  “The way my heart felt when I spotted you this afternoon, it seems I’ve known you a lifetime.”

  This man knew the right things to say and when to say them. And not only that, he was sincere. How could she resist that?

  Brit looked into his dreamy eyes and scanned his killer body.

  “Uh, Sebastian, I think you’re very attractive…”

  “I know.”

  She had to crack a smile. Cocky Finn. “Okay, I’ll stay with you tonight. But…just to talk. I need to take this slow. Call me skittish.”

  “That’s fine. That’s more than I can ask for. Can I have a little kiss?”

  He was just too cute. A horn dog one minute, a sweet little boy the next. “Of course.”

  He leaned in and kissed her like no man, domestic or foreign, had ever kissed her. He took her face in both hands and his lips took inventory of her face, neck and shoulders. He was gentle, yet commanding. She sensed he knew he was in charge, and that was okay by her.

  “You taste so sweet. Do you realize since the first time I saw you, you have been in my dreams every night and in my fantasies every waking moment?”

  “R-Really?”

  “Yes.” He kissed her some more, and began caressing her from her butt to her breast. He suddenly pulled away. “I think we better…talk.”

  She just stood there breathing like she had just run a marathon. “Yeah…let’s talk.”

  And they did.

  Later the next morning, Brit was putting on makeup when she heard a knock on her door. “Who is it?”

  “It’s me.”

  Brit opened the door and in walked her sea god. It wasn’t fair. He was gorgeous, twenty- four-seven.

  “Good morning dear. I have something for you, for us,” he said with a mischievous grin and his hands behind his back.

  “Really? What?”

  He then held up an envelope. “After last night, I realized and understood your hesitation. Don’t get me wrong. I enjoyed our conversation and hope to have many more. I thought this would be a great way for us to really get to know each other,” Sebastian said, placing the envelope in Brit’s hand. “It will delay our horseback riding trip a bit, but I think it’s worth it.”

  She looked at it. “What this?”

  “Open it,” he said, smiling so hard, she could almost see his face split in half.

  “Sebastian! This is great.” She wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed his cheek.

  “I thought you might appreciate it. Two first-class tickets on Oslo’s best cruise ship. As you know, Oslo is famous for its fjords. This will take us from Helsinki all the way to Norway.”

  “You know, I wanted to do this for the longest without having to write about it. Just sit back and enjoy it.”

  “Well, now you can. So pack a bag, this is a six-day trip,” Sebastian said, rubbing the small of her back. And we leave tonight.”

  “Okay, give me a few hours.”

  Sebastian laughed, shaking his head. Brit hurried to her closets and began packing. Sweaters. But she had a great excuse for them this time. It was freezing, even in August, and this cruise would tour all the Scandinavian countries before reaching Norway.

  Sebastian returned to her room a few hours later “Ready?” he asked as he took one of her bags.

  “Yep.”

  “The tour bus awaits downstairs.”

  “Cool.”

  Once on the bus, Brit sat back and relaxed. Sebastian put his arm around her and began pointing out all the mountains and farmland. Finland was a beautiful country. Brit never had a chance to sit back and enjoy any of her travels the way she would have liked. She looked out over the landscape. They passed pastures full of grazing horses and cows.

  “Those are cute,” Brit said pointing to a herd of cows.

  “They are Finnish Ayrshire cows. Kind of a new breed, only dating back to the 1800’s.

  She nodded and looked at them as they looked back curiously at the bus.

  They reached the dock and boarded the ship. There were a lot of people, at least seventy. Brit and Sebastian made their way to their cabin, where Brit was pleasantly surprised. She immediately ran to a huge basket of chocolates, fruit and nuts.

  “This cabin is gorgeous,” she said, popping some chocolates in her mouth and walking around the roomy cabin. She rubbed her hands against the silk fabric of the chairs and the softness of the bedding.

  “I hear the sheets are six-hundred thread count,” Sebastian said, taking off his jacket.

  “Sweet,” Brit took off her jacket and her knit cap.

  “Poor thing. You were really cold.” Sebastian said as he wrapped his arms around her. “Let me warm you.” He nuzzled her neck, then started kissing her, starting at her shoulders and ending at the top her head. Burying his face in her hair, he said, “I don’t want to ever leave this room.” He squeezed her tighter.

  “Me neither. We can’t miss the fjords, but I’m sure we can keep busy between tours,” she said, trying to return his kisses.

  “Do you want to eat something?” Sebastian asked.

  “Yeah, that ride gave me an appetite and I want to save the basket for later.”

  “We’ll eat in our cabin. I don’t want to share you with the rest of the passengers yet.” He winked and went to the phone.

  Brit sat on the edge of the bed and began removing more layers of clothing until she was down to her cashmere sweater and jeans.

  “Okay, my lizard lady, dinner will be here in an hour,” Sebastian said, clapping his hands and coming towards her.

  “Lizard lady!�
� Brit screeched.

  “You where shedding so many pieces of clothing…”

  She fell back on the bed and laughed. Yeah, she must have looked insane. Sebastian joined her, lying on his side and rubbing her belly through her sweater. “Can we do a quickie?” he purred.

  “Sebastian.”

  “We don’t have to undress. I can get you going without getting you naked.” He kneaded her breast with a strong hand.

  Immediately, Brit’s sweater became too hot. She placed her hand over his and he slowly smoothed it over each breast. He kissed her cheek. Then moving his mouth to hers without removing his lips from her skin, he slid in his tongue, not giving her a chance to resist. Not that she considered it.

  “I need you like I need my next breath,” he said as he came up for air. He glided his hand down her leg and between her thighs. “Open wider,” he whispered in her ear.

  She did, and he moved his body over hers to nestle between her legs. “I could live here.”

  “I wouldn’t mind you as a tenant,” Brit chuckled.

  Sebastian moved slowly, pushing her deeper into the bed. Brit never appreciated his size, until now. He was heavy, a big man. And speaking of big...

  Sebastian could put a porno star to shame. She’d seen that the first day they met. But with him dry humping her like a teenage boy in a hidden corner of the school, she felt like she was riding a banister.

  He continued kissing and caressing her breasts, all the while moving faster and harder between her legs.

  She felt herself about to fly apart. “Mmm, Sebastian, hurry.”

  “Patience…I…want…to come with you.”

  Brit wrapped her legs around his waist so tightly, the jaws of life couldn’t have pried them open.

  After only a few moments, Sebastian and Brit locked hands and lips, and their moans filled the cabin. Just then, they heard a knock on the door.

  Their thrashing came to an abrupt halt. They both looked over at the door, not moving.

  “Who is it?” Sebastian mumbled against her lips.

  “Room service.”

  Their laughter was muffled as Sebastian tried to get in one more grind, one more kiss.

  Sebastian moved to get up. Brit’s legs were stiff, but she managed to unwrap them and sit up.